The atmosphere in the cafeteria had already turned sour.
Zhou Duoduo had just sat down with her tray when Li Tingting appeared across from her. Not a coincidence—it was intentional. Li Tingting set her tray down, looked at Zhou Duoduo, and wore that “I know your secret” smile.
“Senior Duoduo, eating alone? Where’s Wang Xue?”
Zhou Duoduo looked up. “What business is it of yours?”
Li Tingting chuckled. “Nothing. I just noticed you two haven’t been sticking together lately. Did you fight?”
Zhou Duoduo’s hand holding the chopsticks tightened. “I’ll say it again. What business is it of yours?”
Li Tingting shrugged. “None of my business. I’m just curious. You two were together every day before, and now you suddenly split. People are asking—did Zhou Duoduo and Wang Xue have a falling out? Or did Wang Xue finally realize you don’t feel that way about her?”
The words were spoken lightly, but each one was like a needle, deliberately trying to provoke Duoduo. Zhou Duoduo’s face changed. “Li Tingting, watch your mouth.”
Li Tingting blinked. “What did I say? I said you two are best friends. Isn’t that true?”
Several nearby girls started looking over. Zhou Duoduo took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. “What exactly are you trying to do?”
Li Tingting smiled. “Nothing. I just think Senior Duoduo has been pretty busy lately. Juggling Lin Mo, placating Wang Xue, and dealing with all those rumors. Oh, right—those rumors. Have you figured out who started them yet?”
Zhou Duoduo stared at her. “You know damn well.”
Li Tingting shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. But Senior, instead of wasting time with me here, you might want to go comfort Wang Xue. I saw her with red eyes recently, looks like she’s been crying. Tsk, how pitiful.”
Zhou Duoduo stood up. Her food was untouched. She slapped the chopsticks down on the table—the sound wasn’t loud, but the whole cafeteria went quiet. She looked at Li Tingting and said, word by word, “Try touching Wang Xue again. Just try.”
—
Li Tingting stood up too, unyielding. “Touch her? She cried on her own. What does that have to do with me? Senior, don’t go pinning everything on me.”
The two locked eyes. The air froze. The girls eating around them stopped, all looking up at the scene.
Then—
“What are you doing?”
A voice came from the entrance. Not loud, but cold.
—
Everyone turned around. A girl stood at the door. Flowing golden hair, blue eyes, features so delicate they didn’t look real. She wore the Discipline Committee uniform, with three stars embroidered on her armband—the mark of the Discipline Committee Chair.
Zhou Duoduo’s face changed. “Chairman Alice.”
Li Tingting froze too. She had seen Alice before, but never this close. That face—ten times prettier than any photo. No, a hundred times.
Alice walked in. Each step was unhurried, but each step made the surroundings quieter. She stopped in front of the two, looked at Zhou Duoduo, then at Li Tingting. “The cafeteria is a place for eating, not for fighting.”
Zhou Duoduo opened her mouth. “Chairman, I…”
“Follow me.” Alice cut her off and turned to leave.
—
Zhou Duoduo and Li Tingting exchanged a glance and followed. Neither dared say another word.
The cafeteria remained silent for a long moment. Then someone whispered, “That’s Chairman Alice? She’s so beautiful…”
“Shh, keep your voice down. She has an SSS-rank ability. Don’t mess with her.”
“Her dad is the Board Chair, right?”
“Not dad. Mom. Her mother is the Board Chair.”
In the corner, Lin Xian’er put down her chopsticks. She looked in the direction Alice had left and curved her lips. “Interesting.”
Cheng Xue leaned in. “Xian’er, do you know her?”
Lin Xian’er shook her head. “No. But I’ve heard of her. Alice Elizabeth, the Board Chair’s only daughter, SSS-rank ability, Discipline Committee Chair. They say she’s never lost.”
Ye Ling frowned. “SSS-rank? Isn’t that stronger than you?”
Lin Xian’er smiled and didn’t answer. She stood up. “Let’s go.”
Cheng Xue and Ye Ling exchanged a look and followed.
—
Discipline Committee Office.
Alice sat behind her desk. Zhou Duoduo and Li Tingting stood across from her—one pale, the other also pale.
Alice looked at them in silence for a long time. Then she spoke: “Do you have any idea how bad the impact is when you fight in the cafeteria?”
Zhou Duoduo lowered her head. “Chairman, she started it…”
“Did I ask you?” Alice cut her off.
Zhou Duoduo shut her mouth.
Alice turned to Li Tingting. “What about you? Anything to say?”
Li Tingting gritted her teeth. “She glared at me first.”
Alice looked at her. “She glared at you, so you fought with her? Are you in elementary school?”
Li Tingting couldn’t speak.
Alice sighed. “I don’t care about your personal issues. But don’t make a scene in public. If I see it again, I’ll record a demerit directly.”
Both nodded.
“Alright. Go.”
Zhou Duoduo turned and left. Li Tingting also turned. Just as she reached the door, Alice suddenly spoke: “Li Tingting.”
Li Tingting looked back.
“Don’t misuse your ability. Not everything can be solved with abilities.”
Li Tingting’s face changed. “I… I didn’t…”
Alice didn’t say anything. She just looked at her. That gaze sent chills down Li Tingting’s spine. She hurried out.
The door closed. Alice leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples. ‘So annoying.’
She stood up, walked to the window, and looked downstairs. The playground was crowded with people—all girls. Occasionally a few boys, but she didn’t see Lin Mo. She frowned. ‘Lin Mo—the guy Su Qing likes?’ She wanted to meet him.
Just as she was thinking, a knock came at the door. Alice turned. “Come in.”
The door opened, and Lin Xian’er walked in. Alice looked at her. “Something?”
Lin Xian’er smiled. “Nothing. Just wanted to see how the Chairman handled that earlier incident.”
Alice sat back down. “It’s handled. Anything else?”
Lin Xian’er sat across from her. “Chairman, you seem to know quite a bit about Li Tingting’s ability.”
Alice looked at her. “You have an ability too. SS-rank, right?”
Lin Xian’er was momentarily caught off guard. “The Chairman’s connections are impressive.”
Alice didn’t respond. Lin Xian’er continued: “I’m just curious. The Chairman said not everything can be solved with abilities. So what can be solved? What can’t?”
Alice looked at her. “Are you testing me?”
Lin Xian’er smiled. “Wouldn’t dare. Just curious.”
Alice stood up. “Lin Xian’er, I know what you’re trying to do. But you’d better not cause trouble on campus.”
Lin Xian’er also stood up. “What are you talking about, Chairman? I don’t understand.”
Alice looked at her for a long time. Then she said, “Leave. Don’t come to my office again.”
Lin Xian’er smiled, turned, and left.
The door closed. Alice stood by the window, looking downstairs. ‘That Lin Xian’er… she’s not simple.’
She picked up her phone and texted Su Qing: “You okay today?”
Su Qing replied instantly: “I’m fine. Why?”
Alice: “Zhou Duoduo and Li Tingting fought in the cafeteria. I handled it.”
Su Qing: “What does that have to do with me?”
Alice: “They were fighting over Lin Mo.”
There was a pause. Then Su Qing replied: “Oh.”
Alice stared at that “Oh.” She sighed and typed: “What exactly are you planning?”
Su Qing didn’t reply.
—
At the library entrance.
Lin Mo had just walked out carrying a few books. He looked up and froze.
A girl stood at the door. Flowing golden hair, blue eyes, features so delicate they didn’t look real. She wore the Discipline Committee uniform, with three stars on her armband.
Lin Mo had never seen her, but he recognized her instantly—in this school, only one person could wear that uniform.
“Chairman Alice?” he tested.
Alice turned her head and looked at him. Those blue eyes locked onto Lin Mo. He felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze.
“Um… something wrong?”
Alice didn’t speak. She just looked at him. ‘So this is the guy Su Qing likes?’ Their first formal meeting. He looked decent enough, but nothing special.
“You’re Lin Mo?” she asked.
Lin Mo nodded. “Yeah…”
Alice stared at him for a few more seconds. Then she said, “Nothing. Just wanted to see you.”
She turned and walked away.
Lin Mo stood there, completely confused. ‘What the hell was that?’
He scratched his head and headed toward the dormitory. After a few steps, he glanced back. Alice was already far away, her golden hair dazzling under the sun. ‘This school… what kind of people does it have?’
—
Night. Third Floor of the Girls’ Dormitory.
Su Qing lay in bed, holding her phone. Alice sent a message: “I saw Lin Mo.”
Su Qing stared at the line. “And?”
Alice: “Nothing special.”
Su Qing felt a wave of relief. But also a little irritated. What did she mean “nothing special”? Her brother was clearly very special.
Alice sent another: “Are you planning to stay like this? Stay by his side as Su Qianqian?”
Su Qing was silent for a moment. “I don’t know.”
Alice: “Doesn’t it exhaust you?”
Su Qing didn’t reply. ‘Exhausted? Yeah. But I have no choice.’
Alice: “Need my help?”
Su Qing looked at the message, thought about it. “No. Don’t show yourself yet. You’re too conspicuous.”
Alice: “Okay.”
Su Qing put down her phone and stared at the ceiling. ‘Alice has met Lin Mo. Lin Mo has met Alice. What will they think?’ She shook her head. ‘Don’t think about it. Overthinking won’t help.’
The moonlight outside the window was faint. She closed her eyes.