Chapter 59: The Price of Acting Crazy

Today, An Yu had declared war on the claw machine. 

She refused to believe she couldn’t catch anything.

She observed once more, her face screaming seriousness, still aiming for the same little cucumber.

Fall here, rise here!

She inserted the coin, gently moved the joystick, and when the moment was perfect, slammed the button!

She stared unblinkingly as the claw slowly descended toward the cucumber.

Even Ning Wanciu beside her was infected by her intensity, nervously watching the machine.

The claw dropped perfectly, opened, then closed…

This time it didn’t even touch it.

“Mm…” 

A hint of stubbornness flashed in An Yu’s eyes. 

She turned and silently held out her hand to Ning Wanciu.

“Here, here~” 

Ning Wanciu nodded and handed over another coin.

Gripping the new coin, An Yu didn’t hesitate this time—she threw it straight in.

Hesitation leads to defeat. 

This time she went all in!

Her small, fair hands gently operated the controls.

An Yu, third attempt at the claw machine—engage!

***

Meanwhile, on the other side, Huai Xiang and Cheng Shimumeng sat across from each other, locked in a classic fighting game.

“Heh heh, Shimumeng, surrender now if you know what’s good for you. I’m telling you in advance—I want apple flavor!”

Huai Xiang looked at Cheng Shimumeng smugly. When Cheng Shimumeng had suggested arcade games, she almost laughed out loud.

She had prepared for this! She had secretly practiced at home many times. 

If Ning Wanciu hadn’t been so busy lately and they hadn’t had time to play together, Huai Xiang would have crushed them long ago!

“Hehe, is that so~” 

Cheng Shimumeng smiled without speaking, quietly selecting a character she rarely used.

But that very action made Huai Xiang wary.

Cheng Shimumeng never used this character.

Could it be… she had also been secretly practicing behind their backs?

Huai Xiang sneakily peeked over and immediately saw the extremely pleased expression on Cheng Shimumeng’s face.

Ah! Just as expected! Huai Xiang’s brows furrowed, her expression turning serious.

Cheng Shimumeng, despicable!

But don’t think you can win so easily! 

She had also been secretly practicing, ready to shock the world. 

The winner was still undecided!

Huai Xiang, dead serious, selected the new character she had been grinding in secret.

Come on, Cheng Shimumeng—this is war!

…

…

In just a short while, the match was over. 

They had already left the cabinet. 

Huai Xiang stood frozen in place like an idiot.

She couldn’t understand what had just happened.

“Here, apple flavor, right~” Cheng Shimumeng’s smile remained as cheerful as ever, even though she was already buying the milk tea.

No, she really couldn’t comprehend it!

Holding the milk tea Cheng Shimumeng had bought her, Huai Xiang racked her brain and still couldn’t figure it out.

The good news: she won. Easily. One round was even a perfect no-damage victory.

But that was Cheng Shimumeng—the insanely cunning Cheng Shimumeng!

How did she win so effortlessly? 

She didn’t even know how to play the character Cheng Shimumeng picked. 

Why choose it then?

Looking at Cheng Shimumeng’s smile, the more Huai Xiang looked, the more sinister it seemed. Could it be…

The milk tea was poisoned?!

“What’s wrong?” 

Cheng Shimumeng glanced at her curiously.

“Uh…” Huai Xiang didn’t know how to explain. She eyed Cheng Shimumeng suspiciously, convinced there was a plot.

“Crazy.”

Cheng Shimumeng ignored her and took a sip of her own milk tea.

Seeing that, Huai Xiang blinked. After confirming that drinking it wouldn’t kill her instantly, she cautiously took a sip.

But her confusion only deepened. 

She could never have guessed that Cheng Shimumeng was just creating alone time for An Yu and Ning Wanciu.

Huai Xiang frowned, lips pursed, eyes full of doubt.

Could it be… Cheng Shimumeng just wanted to treat her to milk tea on purpose?

Huai Xiang suddenly looked up at Cheng Shimumeng. 

“You… you…”

“What about me?” 

Cheng Shimumeng looked at her best friend in confusion, wondering what kind of episode she was having now.

Cheng Shimumeng suddenly being so nice to her—there was only one possibility!

“You’re not… into me, are you?!” Huai Xiang eyed her warily, with a hint of disgust.

“…Ha?”

The more Huai Xiang thought about it, the more likely it seemed. 

Otherwise, why would she suddenly be so gentle and find an excuse to buy her milk tea?

But Cheng Shimumeng was only sister material. Though she felt a little bad, Huai Xiang could only say sorry!

If it were little An Yu… then maybe she could consider it.

“Hehe.” 

Remembering An Yu this morning with cat ears, Huai Xiang unconsciously giggled, but quickly snapped out of it. 

Now wasn’t the time. 

She looked up at Cheng Shimumeng.

“Ahem, ahem. Shimumeng, you’re a good person, but we’re not compatible. So let’s just stay sisters!”

Cheng Shimumeng stared blankly at Huai Xiang’s overflowing confidence. She felt herself overheating.

“Ah… is that so…” 

Cheng Shimumeng gritted her teeth, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, so…”

Before Huai Xiang could finish, Cheng Shimumeng suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

“Waaah! Men and women shouldn’t touch so casually—what are you doing?!”

“Hehe, let me show you the price of acting crazy.”

Cheng Shixiang rarely lost her composure. 

Who would’ve thought Huai Xiang was this stupid and still managed to overthink so much?

She had only been trying to give Ning Wanciu some alone time, and somehow Huai Xiang misunderstood it like this. 

Fine, no more words needed!

“Let’s go!”

Cheng Shimumeng dragged Huai Xiang away without saying where.

“Hey, hey, hey—what are you doing—help, help—little An Yu, save me!”

But struggling was useless. 

No one paid attention. 

Intimidated by the eerie aura radiating from Cheng Shimumeng, Huai Xiang didn’t even dare resist properly.

Luckily, Cheng Shimumeng soon stopped.

Huai Xiang quit struggling and looked around—they were back at the arcade cabinets.

“W-What?”

Cheng Shimumeng narrowed her eyes at Huai Xiang, her gaze icy. 

“I let you win that last round. We’re continuing.”

Huai Xiang blinked dumbly. She hadn’t expected that this was all Cheng Shimumeng wanted.

She thought it was something serious…

“Bring it on!”

Pfft, a loser. Was Huai Xiang supposed to be scared?!

She picked the same character again. Glancing over, Cheng Shimumeng hadn’t changed either.

Perfect. She wanted another free milk tea!

“Come on, Cheng Shimumeng!” Huai Xiang brimmed with confidence.

But this time was different.

…

…

Time passed quickly. 

Staring at the giant KO on the screen, Huai Xiang began questioning her existence.

T-This… same person as before? 

Did Cheng Shimumeng turn on cheats in that short break?!

“Xiangxiang~ If you’re bad, just practice more~ Though I feel like even practicing won’t help you~”

Cheng Shimumeng stood up, patted Huai Xiang’s shoulder condescendingly, and walked away.

Watching her retreating back, Huai Xiang turned completely grayscale.

All that practice for nothing—she couldn’t even beat a random pick!

She had zero chance to fight back the whole time. 

It felt like Cheng Shimumeng didn’t just not like her—she actually despised her!