Chapter 105: First Confrontation

The moment she stepped out, Su Yao felt an indescribable sense of relief.

Although the movie’s volume wasn’t very loud, the surrounding background sound still gave her a stifling discomfort.

After taking a deep breath, she glanced down the aisle to both sides.

Trusting her instincts, she walked further inside.

Sure enough, between seats five and six, there was a small passage connecting two restrooms.

In urgent need to relieve herself, she headed straight in upon seeing it.

Because of her urgency, she didn’t notice that someone had followed closely behind her.

Since it was noon, not many people were entering the cinema at this time, and the entire restroom was quiet.

Su Yao entered casually and chose a stall.

Soon, the sound of a satisfying stream filled the space.

After the sound stopped, she waited a moment before flushing and then walked out to the sink to wash her hands.

The water was room temperature, and in the cold winter, that was quite chilly.

Without much fuss, she wet her hands, rubbed them a couple of times, shook them dry, and placed them in front of the hand dryer.

As the buzzing sound started, Su Yao frowned.

“Since they have a hand dryer, does that mean if I turn the faucet handle to the side, it’ll give hot water?”

Curious, she tried it—and sure enough, there was hot water.

Seeing her hands, still red from the cold water, she washed them again and sighed in appreciation.

“Nice water.”

After drying her hands, she headed toward the exit but happened to see someone standing at the doorway.

At first, she assumed it was someone waiting to use the restroom and politely stepped aside.

But as soon as she moved, the person blocked her path again.

Clearly, this wasn’t someone with good intentions.

When Su Yao looked up, she was startled.

It was the friend she had seen earlier who was close to Mu Nanqiu.

From the look in her eyes, it was obvious she had come specifically for Su Yao.

Su Yao’s anxious expression faded, replaced by a cold gaze as she said,

“Who are you?”

“Hmph, you don’t need to know who I am!” Naturally, it was Gu Qin.

She scoffed arrogantly.

“Oh, then I won’t say who I am either.”

Su Yao turned her head, intending to walk around her.

Gu Qin was caught off guard by this and didn’t stop her at first, letting her slip past.

But as soon as she snapped out of it, she hurriedly stepped in front of Su Yao, spreading her arms to block her way.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Why?”

Su Yao asked, puzzled.

“………..”

Gu Qin’s mind was focused solely on blocking Su Yao and hadn’t thought about what to do next.

As she was preparing to think it through, Su Yao tried to squeeze past her.

Gu Qin wouldn’t allow it and immediately pressed her hand against the wall, looking down at Su Yao with a proud gaze.

Su Yao grew impatient and said,

“So, what exactly do you want?”

“Hmph!”

N

Hearing that disdainful “hmph,” Su Yao felt a headache coming on.

Bai Jilian had acted the same way before, and now here was another.

At least Gu Qin’s purpose was somewhat clear—probably because of Mu Nanqiu.

Because of this, Su Yao didn’t intend to back down.

“If you won’t say, then let me pass. I don’t have time to stand here bored with you.”

“You’re not allowed to walk with A-Qiu, and you’re not allowed to contact her. Understand?”

Gu Qin lifted her chin slightly, speaking arrogantly with a self-righteous expression as if she were doing Su Yao a favor.

Looking extremely annoying, she even reached out to touch Su Yao.

But Su Yao dodged the touch. Though she wasn’t touched, Gu Qin continued,

“I know you two must be developing some special relationship, but you’re not worthy. What’s your status?”

Gu Qin immediately saw through Su Yao’s background.

Human society was made up of overlapping social circles, and although Gu Qin didn’t know everyone in her circle, she was at least familiar with most people of a certain rank.

Su Yao obviously didn’t belong to that category.

“Don’t be fooled by how approachable A-Qiu seems. Her family isn’t something you can easily climb into, especially since you’re a girl.”

“I’ll give you a hundred thousand yuan if you leave A-Qiu.”

Su Yao fell silent.

After a moment, she looked Gu Qin straight in the eye and retorted,

“Isn’t that something A-Qiu’s mother should say?”

“?”

Gu Qin didn’t understand the meaning behind the words.

Though it was easy enough to understand literally, she felt there might be a deeper implication.

But Su Yao’s patience had run out.

She wasn’t about to listen to Gu Qin’s rambling.

Since Gu Qin had brought up money to bribe her to leave Mu Nanqiu, Su Yao was already filled with negative energy.

She pushed Gu Qin’s blocking arm away and started to walk back.

Gu Qin shouted after Su Yao’s retreating back,

“That’s impossible! A-Qiu only likes you for novelty. She’ll throw you away once she’s bored.”

Seeing that Su Yao made no move to stop, Gu Qin angrily added,

“Just wait and see!”

This isn’t a marriage match, after all.

Is she still worried about social standing at this point?

Su Yao repeated in her mind, not listening, not listening.

Still, despite her resolve, she couldn’t completely ignore it.

Just as she entered the Film Screening Room and returned to her original seat by the aisle, the noise caught Mu Nanqiu’s attention.

Su Yao sensed Mu Nanqiu looked startled.

As she sat down, her eyes unconsciously drifted to Mu Nanqiu’s face.

Just as her mind began to wander, she felt her hand being grabbed.

Looking down, she heard Mu Nanqiu’s voice close by.

“Yao Yao, are you real or not?”

“Huh?”

“I’m afraid you’re fake. I’m afraid you don’t exist at all.”

“You’re looking at what, Nanqiu?”

Mu Nanqiu’s voice fell silent for a moment, then she moved her thin lips softly.

“Nothing.”

“Oh.”

Su Yao’s thoughts were interrupted, and the tension she had been feeling dissipated.

She shifted her gaze from Mu Nanqiu to the screen.

As she watched, she suddenly felt a hand pull her into an embrace.

Su Yao teasingly said, “Nanqiu, aren’t you scared?”

Then she noticed Mu Nanqiu stiffen and her expression darken.

It looked like something was wrong.

Realizing she’d misspoken, Su Yao hurriedly corrected,

“I meant, I’m scared.”

“Mm.”

After Mu Nanqiu loosened her hold slightly, Su Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

Because she had been pulled forcibly, she was now leaning at an angle.

Since Mu Nanqiu’s hand hadn’t withdrawn, Su Yao simply rested her head against her.

Though this made watching the movie difficult, she hadn’t come to watch the film!

This scene happened to be seen by Gu Qin, who had just returned.

Su Yao’s stubborn attitude infuriated her.

Coupled with her own unease about something she had ingested earlier, she hesitated at the doorway.

But she didn’t want Su Yao—the sly fox spirit—to secretly do anything unspeakable with her pure-hearted A-Qiu sister inside, so she resolutely walked in.

She saw Su Yao slip into Mu Nanqiu’s arms, sneaking a glance back.

Though the distance was far, the two locked eyes, sparks flying in their fierce gaze.

“Damn! Damn fox spirit!”

Before, Gu Qin thought Su Yao was just a pretty girl who made her feel a bit insecure.

But judging from her clothes and posture, Gu Qin realized Su Yao was just a girl who was slightly better looking—nothing remarkable.

There were thousands of beautiful girls; one more or less didn’t matter.

Now, looking closely, Gu Qin saw a trace of foxlike charm in Su Yao’s eyes—innocent but still captivating.

Biting her lip, Gu Qin wished she could rush up and tear Su Yao off Mu Nanqiu.

But she could only think it.

She dared not approach; if Mu Nanqiu saw, she’d definitely side with the fox spirit.

“No, I can’t just watch. I have to find a way to drive this fox spirit away from A-Qiu!”

Pulling out a mask from her pocket, she put on her hood and glared hatefully at Su Yao.

When Su Yao looked back, she happened to see Gu Qin.

But she felt no change in mood—just recalled someone had been watching earlier and realized it was Gu Qin.

Seeing Gu Qin return, she grew playful and deliberately rubbed herself against Mu Nanqiu.

But hearing Mu Nanqiu’s magnetic voice whisper in her ear, like tickling her little heart, she stopped.

“Yao Yao?”

“Scared~”

Mu Nanqiu blinked.

She could tell Su Yao wasn’t truly afraid, or maybe hadn’t seriously watched the movie at all.

But she didn’t mind.

She hadn’t scared Su Yao into hiding in her arms, yet the result was the same.

Though fake, Mu Nanqiu treated it as real and reached out to comfort her.

“Yao Yao, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

“Mm hmm.”

Saying this, Su Yao buried her face completely in Mu Nanqiu’s embrace, inhaling her scent.

She stayed like that until the movie ended, reluctantly pulling away.

Su Yao hadn’t really focused on the movie, but Mu Nanqiu watched it all the way through.

Though it ended with the usual conclusion—“the human heart is more terrifying than a ghost’s,” with a Criminal Suspect finally caught and imprisoned—Mu Nanqiu thought well of the film.

Mu Nanqiu not only read literary classics but also surfed the net regularly, always up on fresh memes.

Even as Oyster Sauce, she occasionally made lewd jokes that left Su Yao dumbfounded.

So, despite Mu Nanqiu’s usual gentle and refined demeanor around Su Yao, when alone, she could be terrifyingly ruthless.

But Mu Nanqiu was actually afraid of horror films…………………

Touching the spot on her chest where Su Yao’s head had rested earlier, Mu Nanqiu’s eyes darkened.

When Su Yao looked over, she returned to her usual warm, graceful senior-sister self.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just think your smile is really pretty.”

“I was smiling earlier.”

“

Mu Nanqiu smiled and asked Su Yao.

Su Yao pursed her lips, examined her face carefully, then replied,

“No, but now you are.”

This was a cheesy pickup line learned from Oyster Sauce.

At first, Su Yao thought it was cheesy too, but Oyster Sauce explained that complex lines were more prone to failure.

Even small mistakes could have big consequences.

Words could be misinterpreted, so simple lines worked best.

“You don’t think you’d fall for it? Then you’re just the one filtered out.”

Cheesy pickup lines were meant to set the mood.

With the mood set, the unspeakable stories that followed could unfold.

Hearing this, Su Yao wanted to applaud Oyster Sauce.

Meanwhile, Oyster Sauce herself—Mu Nanqiu—was already imagining Mantou Teacher’s dumbfounded face as he tried cheesy lines.

So cute, she thought…

Mu Nanqiu quietly stared at Su Yao without doing anything.

Faced with such a burning gaze, Su Yao felt increasingly uneasy; her eyes began to dart around.

Even having learned these lines, Su Yao was still an inexperienced girl at heart—not used to such intense attention.

“Um… Nanqiu, where are we going now?”

“Why, Yao Yao? Are you eager to know the afternoon’s plan, or curious about tonight?”

As she spoke, Mu Nanqiu leaned in closer, her breath only five or six centimeters from Su Yao’s ear.

The proximity carried a subtle scent.

Though the air was cold, Su Yao caught the pheromones and blushed.

Lowering her gaze shyly, Su Yao said,

“Nothing, I’m fine with whatever you want.”

“Good.”

Mu Nanqiu took Su Yao’s hand and led her onto the escalator.

In the distance, Gu Qin gasped for the cold air.

She hammered her chest, trying to calm herself.

If she’d known it would turn out like this, she wouldn’t have come.

Along the way, she’d seen Su Yao lean on Mu Nanqiu more than once.

And Mu Nanqiu still looked indulgent, occasionally smiling.

Gu Qin’s heart was full of resentment.

Mu Nanqiu rarely smiled; in all these years, Gu Qin hadn’t seen her smile this much in a single day.

She even wondered if this Mu Nanqiu was a fake impersonating Mu Beizhi.

But she would never be mistaken—Mu Nanqiu was her idol.

Gu Qin knew Mu Nanqiu’s orientation was questionable.

If Su Yao were replaced by any other well-known young lady she knew, Gu Qin would have sincerely wished them well.

But after traveling so far to return, finding Mu Nanqiu with no one by her side, she approached excitedly only to be met with cold distance.

She didn’t mind much; after all, Mu Nanqiu was like that with most people.

But now, an unknown girl had suddenly won the heart of the person she cared about.

Gu Qin couldn’t understand.

She took out her phone and snapped a photo of Su Yao and Mu Nanqiu walking together.