Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud. Su Qingqing reached out her arm—slender, pale, and graceful—blocking in front of Ming Xue. “Let’s go, Sister Ming. Have you had breakfast yet?”
Ming Xue sighed. “Who has time for breakfast? Look outside, students are already arriving so early. Let’s grab some bread and eat on the way.”
The moment it came to serious business, Ming Xue instantly looked like she had a headache. Her beautiful brows furrowed tightly, and her youthful face crumpled. “I’m so tired!”
“Forget it, we don’t have time. Let’s go!”
With her palms pressed to the steps, she gave a light push and bounced up. Ming Xue was a sporty girl—her long arms reached up and stretched as she loosened her stiff muscles, her body arching into a graceful bow.
Watching her toned abs peek out from under her shirt, Su Qingqing secretly swallowed hard.
“What are you looking at!” Ming Xue caught her staring and quickly lowered her arms, tugging down her shirt hem with a snort. “Nice, huh?”
“Very nice. I almost want to go swimming in your abs, Sister.” Su Qingqing rubbed her chin and answered seriously.
“Pfft! You’re getting cheeky now. Weren’t you a total ice queen before?” Ming Xue rolled her eyes dramatically. After rotating her ankles a bit, she strode forward with a gust of floral-scented air. Only after walking several meters did she realize Su Qingqing hadn’t followed. She peeked back. “What is it now? Not coming?”
Su Qingqing gave a little cough. “Your leg doesn’t hurt anymore?”
“Ah!”
Ming Xue instantly froze. That blush she’d just managed to fade came rushing back again. She mumbled something vague, trying to brush it off. “Aiya, the counselor’s rushing us again. Let’s head to the school gate first!”
Su Qingqing bit back a laugh and didn’t expose her. She simply nodded and followed behind.
The summer morning sun was already burning hot, and the occasional breeze only made the rising heat worse. Before even reaching the gate, Su Qingqing felt like her entire body was starting to cry out in discomfort.
Especially her chest—so stifling. She really didn’t know how Ming Xue managed to deal with this every day.
Sensing her discomfort, Ming Xue walked over and slid a neatly folded piece of tissue between Su Qingqing’s bangs and forehead, just as she had done earlier. In that moment, she practically glowed—like a true “sun.”
Freshman orientation was a long and tedious process. Su Qingqing helped guide two new students alongside Ming Xue. The two girls were full of excitement for college life and buzzed around Ming Xue with endless questions, as if they wanted to learn everything in one day. Their reliance on her was total—something Su Qingqing couldn’t help but roll her eyes at.
She crossed her arms and coldly watched them chatter. She only stepped in when Ming Xue specifically asked her to help; otherwise, she loitered off to the side, saving her energy. In the end, it was Ming Xue who was drenched in sweat, while Su Qingqing found a sliver of comfort in the stifling heat.
The two girls were actually Su Qingqing’s classmates, but since she always hung around Ming Xue, they automatically treated her like an upperclassman too. One of them, face flushed from the heat, approached Su Qingqing a bit shyly and asked, “Senior Su, are you and Senior Ming both in the music department?”
Su Qingqing looked at her, puzzled. “Yes, why?”
“I heard the school hosts music nights on the lawn every evening. Wanna go check it out with us tonight?” Girls were a lot like cats—while warm and friendly Ming Xue was easier to talk to, they instinctively gravitated toward the aloof Su Qingqing. There was actually a psychological term for it—masochism.
“I’ll pass. I probably have something to do tonight.”
Su Qingqing looked slightly hesitant. Nights were her work hours, and she never knew when a new order might pop up. Companion games and training gigs were far more important than some random music night. She neither had talent for singing nor any interest in it.
But her response instantly piqued Ming Xue’s interest. She was walking ahead when she suddenly bounced back to Su Qingqing’s side, throwing a long arm around her slender shoulders and leaning in with a half-sulky, half-playful tone. “Susu, come with me~”
“No.”
That only solidified Su Qingqing’s resolve. She still owed Ming Xue money. Skipping even one job meant paying her back would take longer—and that, to her, was utterly unacceptable.
“What?!”
Ming Xue’s brows shot up. She suddenly lunged at Su Qingqing like a puffed-up little lioness, arms wrapping around her like an octopus. Her soft lips brushed against Su Qingqing’s ear, and her breath came out warm against her earlobe, sending waves of tingles down her spine.
In a low, threatening voice, Ming Xue growled, “If you don’t come, I’ll take back all the bras and panties I gave you!”
“Oh, thank the heavens! Go on then.” Su Qingqing clasped her hands together like she was praying. “Please take them back!”
Ming Xue paused. “Then… can I call you ‘wifey’ instead~?”
She said it in a playful, high-pitched voice. As a vocal major, Ming Xue naturally had a pleasing tone—clear and bright with a hint of warmth, like spring rain. But when she deliberately acted cutesy, it turned sharp and penetrating, like icy needles stabbing into every pore.
Su Qingqing visibly shivered, staring at her with wide eyes. She forcefully shoved her away and stammered, “I’ll go with you! Just—don’t say that kind of thing again.”
Ming Xue burst out laughing. Su Qingqing’s extreme reaction was very satisfying, but for some reason, that same reaction also left a small pang in her chest.
She couldn’t help but ask herself: Am I really that unlovable?
Su Qingqing noticed the subtle shift in Ming Xue’s mood… but chose not to react.
She did it on purpose. Her acting skills were decent—maybe she’d be better off in the drama department than music.
“Hey hey, you’re overacting! That shiver was way too dramatic!” Pan was chirping in her ear again. But this time, Su Qingqing didn’t respond. She just let Pan keep rambling.
Pan clicked her tongue, her tone tinged with mockery. “This is why you have no friends, huh. Why do you keep pushing people away? Isn’t she your self-declared sun?”
Su Qingqing frowned in frustration. Ming Xue had already gone back to helping with orientation while Su Qingqing trailed behind, quietly fiddling with her phone.
Summer of Zhongmeng had sent her a new message on the companion app:
“Let’s play again tonight. What time are you free?”
And just like before, the full-day package was already booked.
That was money. Cold hard cash. But Su Qingqing replied with a heavy heart:
“Sorry, I have plans tonight. Please request a refund, boss~”
But Yu Zhongmeng seemed to be in a stubborn, spoiled mood. She replied:
“I’ll pay extra. A few hundred more if you want. Cancel your plans and come play with me.”
Rage flared in Su Qingqing’s chest. She clenched her jaw and forced herself to respond in the calmest tone she could manage:
“Not everything in life can be measured with money, boss ^3^”
“Five hundred.”
The fire in her heart was snuffed out—replaced by a cold clarity. She replied:
“Even if it’s ten thousand, it’s still a no. Maybe it’s best if you blacklist me. Let’s stop contacting each other.”
And soon after, she added two final words:
“Thank you.”
(End of Chapter)