Chapter 18: Receiving Game

Watching Liu Yinuo disappear into the distance, Lin Ziyan pressed her lips together.

She knew she didn’t have any legitimate reason to leave, and with two people already gone, if she left as well, it would surely draw the gym teacher’s ire.

She could only wait for free activity time…

She wanted to escape.

To leave this place, to leave the school.

She couldn’t… couldn’t go back to the classroom.

She would get caught.

The young girl left the sports field, running in desperation. Her arm was pressed tightly against her chest, her vacant eyes staring straight ahead.

No one would care whether she lived or died, no one would notice her disappearance. That chilling gaze lingered in her mind, haunting her relentlessly. What would happen if she were caught? She might even be beaten until she was crippled.

Her head was growing increasingly muddled, her fever raging higher and higher. She could no longer suppress her trembling—whether from the fever, the cold, or sheer panic. Her heart pounded ever faster, threatening to leap right out of her throat.

She couldn’t stay on the sports field; she would definitely get caught.

She needed… to find a place to hide.

Yes… hide.

Find a secluded place, somewhere with no one around.

Even though it was already close to noon, the sky was still shrouded in gray, the biting wind raging fiercely as if brewing a snowstorm. The girl fled in a panic, darting about like a headless fly, searching for a place to hide.

She slipped into the corridor of one of the school buildings, hurriedly looking for an unused room she could enter.

At last, she found an unlocked room and hurried inside, closing the door behind her.

“Clack.”

With the crisp sound of the lock clicking into place, the quiet room filled with swirling dust, the smell of it lingering at her nose.

“Haah… haah…”

Gasping violently for breath, the girl leaned weakly against the door as if exhausted.

She should be safe here; now she just needed to wait until school was out.

While catching her breath, the girl examined her surroundings. The decor made it look like a changing room, with a whole row of rusty metal lockers right in front of her, their surfaces thick with dust. Leaving the doorway, she glanced around.

Strange… Had someone been here recently?

There were some blurred footprints on the dust-covered floor, looking rather fresh, and not like those left by the cleaning staff. Had the gym teacher come to fetch sports equipment?

Whatever the case, it made the girl uneasy.

She was a little afraid—if she was discovered hiding here by another teacher, would she be punished?

But there was no use worrying about that now. What she needed to do was calm down and figure out how to deal with Lin Ziyan’s invitation at lunchtime.

Why would she suddenly want to take her out to eat? That didn’t seem like Lin Ziyan at all. It would be a blessing if Lin Ziyan didn’t pick on her.

But in any case, she still had to go. If she didn’t, she would probably be in even bigger trouble.

Her mind was a jumble, but after all, she was sick. After a while of wild thoughts, exhaustion set in. She slumped down in a corner where there was a bench, planning to sleep for a bit and only go out after school.

But things never go as one wishes. Just as her mind was slipping into a haze, on the verge of falling asleep, the door suddenly opened.

The sharp sound of the lock turning jerked her awake, and when she looked up, she saw the last person she ever wanted to see…

Golden hair, blue eyes, that familiar, icy and piercing gaze.

Qin… Qin Haiyue…

How did she know I was here…?

The sudden change, along with the cold wind that rushed in as the door opened, completely threw the girl’s thoughts into disarray. Her mind went blank, her eyes losing focus, and her body started trembling violently with fear.

Upon seeing the girl cowering in the corner, Qin Haiyue revealed a satisfied smile.

“So you came right to me. Not bad—it saves me the trouble of dragging you over myself.”

Her smile carried a hint of wickedness as she slowly approached the girl.

“No… don’t come any closer… I-I’m sorry… please, don’t come any closer… I’m begging you…”

Shielding her head with her arms, Ye Xingmian lowered her head, her eyes vacant as she pleaded softly.

Ignoring the girl’s desperate plea, Qin Haiyue walked up to her, her expensive Martin boots clicking crisply on the wooden floor.

“Why didn’t you come this morning?”

Her voice was softer than ever, a tone the girl had never heard from her before. Not just her voice—there was even a smile of appreciation on her face.

It didn’t sound like an accusation, more like a gentle, almost reproachful inquiry about why she hadn’t kept their promise.

Yet, that only made the girl more uneasy.

Stiffly raising her head, the girl’s eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks flushed pink. When her gaze met Qin Haiyue’s, she froze, flinching and trying to look away.

“I-I’m sorry…” she murmured, bowing her head instinctively in apology.

Qin Haiyue said nothing. She crouched down, golden hair exuding a cold, sharp fragrance that flooded the girl’s nose. Those blue eyes did not look angry—they gazed steadily at the girl’s tear-filled, cherry blossom pink eyes, as a cold hand touched her burning cheek.

“I asked you for a reason.”

The girl trembled even more. Qin Haiyue’s hand was icy cold, as if it might strike her at any moment. She stammered for a long time, her mind racing, before finally coming up with a bland answer.

“I… I have a fever… I’ve been feeling woozy all morning…”

Given the burning heat from her cheek, the girl’s words didn’t sound like a lie. But Qin Haiyue simply smiled, her beautiful, glacier-like face breaking into a radiant smile.

“So, did you forget our promise?”

The cold hand caressed the girl’s cheek as if she were a rare treasure. Her touch was so gentle, so affectionate…

Ye Xingmian shuddered—

She wanted to deny it instinctively, but couldn’t find any reason to defend herself.

“Are you very scared?”

Still speaking softly, Qin Haiyue withdrew her hand and stood up silently.

Watching the girl cowering on the bench against the wall, trembling so violently she couldn’t even speak, her smile only grew stronger.

“Let’s play a game. If you win, I’ll let you go, okay?”

Hearing there was a way to avoid punishment, the girl’s body trembled, and then she lifted her head in hope, gazing at Qin Haiyue, who was calmly pulling gloves from her pocket and slipping them on.

Noticing the girl’s gaze, Qin Haiyue finished putting on her gloves and smiled at her.

“What, are you starting to look forward to it already?”

Picking something up from the floor, Qin Haiyue’s tone grew excited.

“I’m… looking forward to it, too…”

But Ye Xingmian’s hope instantly turned to terror. She shrank back against the wall, trying to find something to shield herself.

For there, in Qin Haiyue’s hand, was a heavy, solid ball wrapped in rough orange-yellow rubber.

Clearly, Qin Haiyue was very pleased with the girl’s reaction.

“The rules are simple: all you have to do is catch this ball ten times…”

Her smile deepened, revealing gleaming white teeth.

“And I’ll let you go.”