“Hey, you’re asking me whether I should join the freshman welcome party?”
The next morning, Jiang Cheng, who hadn’t been night-raided by Lin Shuangxue, slept well. Full of energy, she had just arrived at Ye Xiqiu’s side when the girl asked her this question.
“Let me think…”
For a moment, Dongxue was also troubled. Honestly, she still hoped that little Xiqiu could overcome her heart knot and be willing to show herself, but she was also afraid the girl would freeze up on stage, stuck there unable to go forward or back. If that happened, it would be even worse; even she, sitting in the audience, would feel anguish for Ye Xiqiu.
“Dongxue, do you have a little sister?”
“Yeah, I do. She’s a very cute little girl.”
Single-threaded organism Dongxue, unaware that anything was wrong, answered instinctively, her mind still occupied with whether to persuade Ye Xiqiu to go on stage, and didn’t notice the thoughtful look on Ye Xiqiu’s face.
‘A very cute little girl, huh… Just like what Miss Su Mengyao said…’
“Decided.”
Dongxue raised her head and looked at Ye Xiqiu solemnly.
“Little Xiqiu, I still hope you can perform on stage,” she said.
“Hmm…”
The girl seemed somewhat resistant. She shrank her head back and, for the first time, didn’t give Dongxue a definite reply.
“I’ll be there watching you,” Dongxue said seriously. “Not like this now. Hmm… Just think of my current body as a projection, but when Friday comes, I’ll watch you with my own eyes.”
“Projection?”
Ye Xiqiu quickly latched onto the key point.
“So this body of yours is just a projection? But its sense of touch and structure are so real… Will your true form teleport to the college auditorium?”
“Not exactly,” Dongxue lied. “Mortals can’t see my main body, or they’ll go mad and break down, so I’ll descend at the auditorium with an avatar, but I’ll be invisible.”
“Seriously, Dongxue, what are you saying?” Ye Xiqiu couldn’t help but complain. “Going mad and breaking down… Is Dongxue’s main body a Cthulhu or something? Getting mentally polluted just from one look… That’s too unscientific!”
“Well… Actually, it’s pretty much like that. My main body is really scary, the kind with dozens of tentacles and a bunch of eyes. Since I can teleport anyway, who cares about science?”
Ye Xiqiu fell silent. She wasn’t sure if Dongxue was really lying to her. After all, her understanding of Dongxue came entirely from this “projection,” but she had never seen the real her.
‘If Dongxue really was that kind of scary monster… Can I still like her…’
“Hey, what’s wrong, little Xiqiu?”
Dongxue reached out and waved her hand in front of her face.
“You didn’t actually believe that, did you?”
“…You’re picking on me again!”
Ye Xiqiu raised her little fist and landed a weak punch on Dongxue. The force was soft, like she was acting cute.
“Actually, I’m a piano spirit. My main body is an abandoned piano, and I came to this world to find a suitable host,” Dongxue added.
“Forget it, I can’t tell which of your words is the truth anymore.”
Ye Xiqiu ultimately shook her head and gave up thinking.
“Anyway, you’ll be watching me then, right?”
Dongxue nodded solemnly.
“That’s good then.”
Letting out a breath, the girl revealed a smile.
“Since Dongxue really wants me to go on stage, I’ll go up and perform. If the performance doesn’t turn out well, I hope Dongxue will forgive me.”
Ye Xiqiu knew this might just be another casual remark from Dongxue. Maybe she wouldn’t come at all, just lying that she did? Right, after all, she had no way to confirm it.
But so what? As long as there was a chance for Dongxue to see her, to truly see her, Ye Xiqiu would definitely do it.
However, the girl secretly glanced at Dongxue. The morning light fell on her long eyelashes, casting dense shadows across her face, giving off an inexplicably melancholic feeling. Dongxue’s naturally pouted lips were pink and tender, making one want to lightly peck them and savor that wonderful softness.
‘Could a Dongxue like this really be an avatar or a projection? Then how beautiful would the real Dongxue be? Hmm… I’m a little excited…’
After playing the piano at Ye Xiqiu’s place and farming some music theory experience, Jiang Cheng returned home, ate lunch, and headed to school.
There was an impromptu class this afternoon. Although Jiang Cheng really didn’t want to go, she couldn’t withstand the system’s urging.
“Damn game manufacturer, one day I’m going to turn you into a white-haired loli.”
After cursing inwardly, Jiang Cheng obediently arrived at the classroom, put down her backpack, and took a seat in the back row.
The classroom was sparse, with only four or five students, which made the teacher frown deeply.
“Where’s the class monitor?”
“Here.”
A student dressed androgynously in the front row raised her hand.
“Roll call.”
She chose to do roll call when the fewest people were present, as usual. After roll call, the teacher’s face darkened even more. The class had thirty people total, yet fewer than ten had shown up.
Suddenly, the listless students perked up, joy written all over their faces, just short of cheering. The teacher forcibly suppressed her anger, gritted her teeth through two periods of class, then stormed out of the classroom, seemingly to settle scores with the counselor.
After offering a silent prayer for the absent students, Jiang Cheng saw the class monitor in the front row stand up and walk toward her direction.
She revealed a sly smile and spoke in a pure, childlike tone:
“Mister Class Monitor, what’s the matter?”
The class monitor, who had barely composed herself, suddenly blushed and stammered:
“Classmate Jiang Cheng, please don’t call me mister…”
“You’re even more handsome than a boy, so why can’t I call you Mister Class Monitor?”
Jiang Cheng tilted her head and innocently blinked her eyes.
“But the class monitor is so handsome~”
In an instant, the class monitor’s determination vanished completely.
“Ahem… Classmate Jiang Cheng, please consider this!”
She placed a card on the girl’s desk, then dashed away.
“What is this?”
Jiang Cheng was a bit curious.
‘Is it a love letter?’
She picked up the card, saw the writing on it, and realized she had misunderstood. It was an invitation card for the freshman welcome party. With this card, she could go to the university student activity center to apply for a performance slot.
“Tch.”
Jiang Cheng curled her lips. It was just inviting her to attend the party. She had thought it would be something more exciting, but it turned out to be just this.
With a light flick of her finger, listening to the card make a crisp sound, Jiang Cheng let out a cold laugh.
‘Alright, a bit chuunibyou. Anyway, I accept your challenge~ I’ll even be able to perform on stage with little Xiqiu. Just thinking about it makes me excited.’
Jiang Cheng thought, if she used her current body to go up and tease little Xiqiu, would she sternly refuse, or would she throw herself into the arms of another “Dongxue”?
‘Really looking forward to it~’
—Give it up, little Xiqiu, there are Dongxues everywhere outside!