Facing everyone’s curious gaze, Yu Qing could only bite the bullet and deny it.
“Lin Wei Mei Xue must have remembered wrong. I don’t usually watch suspense films. Um… I prefer documentaries. Haha…”
I’m lying. I just don’t like watching movies.
Although saying it directly would have been an easy way to distance himself, it might have made Lin Wei feel awkward.
He didn’t understand why this husky kept pushing him into the spotlight, but it was probably a case of good intentions gone wrong.
“Documentaries, huh? Yu Qing, you have a deep sense of aesthetics.”
Cheng Qinghuan smiled in agreement.
Her praise sounded sincere, but Yu Qing only felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Li Ming watched from the side with great interest.
He thought Lin Wei, though a bit loud, obviously had a good impression of Yu Qing.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t keep creating topics and opportunities for him.
Thinking of this, he took advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, made a face at Yu Qing, and mouthed:
“See, she really cares about you!”
Yu Qing returned with a glare that said, “Don’t bother me. Let me die in peace for a while.”
This meal was unbearably long and torturous for Yu Qing.
He felt that Lin Wei was like a little sun with its own spotlight.
No matter how he tried to hide, that light would always shine directly on him.
Finally, when Yu Qing felt he was about to get indigestion, the dinner came to an end.
Everyone had eaten their fill and started to chat casually.
Li Ming checked the time and suggested, “It’s still early. Why don’t we find a place to have a drink or go sing K? I know there’s a new KTV nearby with a good atmosphere.”
Sun Ya and Lin Wei immediately agreed, and Cheng Qinghuan nodded with a smile, clearly having no objections to her boyfriend’s arrangement.
Yu Qing’s heart tightened.
If he didn’t make his escape now, there might not be another chance!
He spoke up at once, trying to sound as natural as possible and apologetic.
“Um, I won’t go. I still have something to do tonight, so I’ll leave first.”
“Huh? Senior, do you have something urgent? Is it serious?”
Before Yu Qing could finish, Lin Wei almost instinctively asked, her eyes full of curiosity.
Yu Qing silently groaned. He knew this husky would ask!
He originally planned to make up a random excuse, like going back to the dorm to read or catching up on homework.
But as the words reached his mouth, for some inexplicable reason—maybe to make his excuse sound more convincing and irrefutable—he blurted out, “I have to practice dancing. The School Anniversary is coming up, and time is tight.”
The moment he finished, he regretted it.
Wasn’t he asking for trouble?
Sure enough, Lin Wei’s eyes widened in disbelief, her face full of surprise.
“Practice dancing? School Anniversary? Senior, are you performing at the School Anniversary?”
She clearly believed his excuse.
Wait, given Lin Wei’s reaction, did she not know about this?
Yu Qing’s heart skipped a beat.
Did Fu Yi not tell her? Or did she just not pay attention?
In a panic, he quickly tried to patch it up.
“Uh, it’s not a solo performance. I’m just a backup dancer, helping out a bit.”
He tried to brush it off, but people tend to make mistakes under pressure.
Anyone with eyes could see that Yu Qing didn’t want to talk much about this, but Lin Wei was different.
Her curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.
She kept pressing Yu Qing with questions.
“Who are you dancing backup for? Is it someone from our school? Do I know them?”
A string of questions tumbled out as she unconsciously leaned forward, that silly determination radiating from her.
Yu Qing was caught between a rock and a hard place.
He could only lower his head and mutter as quietly as possible, “Someone you don’t know…”
For some reason, since Mei Xue hadn’t told Lin Wei about it, Yu Qing naturally didn’t want to reveal it either.
Wait.
Why not reveal it?
Why wouldn’t Mei Xue want Lin Wei to know about this?
Could it be she was afraid Lin Wei would pester her to practice dance together?
Or discuss the School Anniversary endlessly?
As everyone knew, Yu Qing was the type to return any grudge, especially against Mei Xue who had just set him up.
“Alright, actually it’s Fu Yi Mei Xue.”
Yu Qing pretended to be helpless and just outed Mei Xue directly.
“Yi Yi?!”
Lin Wei’s voice shot up eight octaves, drawing everyone’s attention.
Her face was full of shock and a bit of hurt from being kept in the dark.
Her voice now carried a hint of tears.
“Yi Yi is participating in the School Anniversary? She never told me! When I asked her before, she clearly said she wasn’t going to! Why does she need you as a dance partner now, Senior?”
Yu Qing looked annoyed on the surface, but inside he was quite pleased with Lin Wei’s reaction.
Although making her cry wasn’t his intention, thinking about how tough things would be for Mei Xue later made Yu Qing want to laugh.
Recalling how much trouble Lin Wei had caused him, any lingering guilt vanished.
Still, appearances had to be kept.
He looked at Li Ming for help, hoping he could say something to defuse the situation.
Li Ming was hearing about this for the first time too.
He pushed up his glasses and looked at Yu Qing with even more complicated eyes, but still spoke up to help.
“Oh, so it’s an important matter. Then of course it can’t be delayed. Practice is important. Yu Qing, you should go.”
Seeing her boyfriend help Yu Qing escape, Cheng Qinghuan naturally didn’t object.
She spoke gently.
“The Anniversary Performance is a big deal. It’s good to prepare thoroughly. Yu Qing, go ahead, it’s fine.”
Yu Qing had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he could finally leave, when Lin Wei suddenly stood up.
Her face showed a mix of confusion, doubt, and the pain of being “betrayed” by her best friend.
She grabbed Yu Qing’s arm stubbornly.
“Senior! Where do you practice dancing? Take me to see! I promise I won’t disturb you! I just want to know what Yi Yi is up to—she’s being so secretive! She even kept it from me!”
Yu Qing: “!!!”
Take you there?! No way?!
If Mei Xue found out I brought the enemy straight to her, it would be one thing if I wasn’t present—no evidence—but if I led you there myself, even execution wouldn’t be enough.
“No!”
This time, Yu Qing refused with unusual firmness, almost losing his composure.
“The practice location isn’t open to outsiders! And… And Fu Yi Mei Xue might not want to be disturbed!”
He used Fu Yi as a shield.
“I’m not an outsider! I’m her best friend!”
Lin Wei grew even more aggrieved, her eyes reddening.
“Why didn’t she tell me… Senior, just take me, okay? I’ll just watch quietly from the side, I won’t say a word! I can help you guys carry clothes or buy water!”
She started pleading, shaking Yu Qing’s arm.
Yu Qing’s head felt ready to explode. Suddenly, he felt even more exhausted than after two hours of nonstop dancing.
There was nothing he could do in this situation. He looked at Cheng Qinghuan, hoping this sensible senior could rein in her friend.
Cheng Qinghuan frowned slightly, as if she found Lin Wei’s behavior a bit inappropriate.
She spoke softly, her tone still gentle but carrying a note of firm admonition.
“Vivi, don’t be like this. Yu Qing and Fu Yi need to focus on practicing. If we show up unexpectedly, it’s not appropriate. If you really want to see, wait until Fu Yi is free and ask her directly.”
Cheng Qinghuan’s words clearly carried weight.
Hearing this, Lin Wei froze.
She looked at Qinghuan, then at the resolute Yu Qing.
Her lips quivered, and finally, she unwillingly let go, her eyes still filled with frustration and disappointment.
She muttered quietly, “But… she didn’t tell me anything…”
Seeing this, Yu Qing knew it was the perfect chance to escape.
He quickly said to everyone, “Well, I really have to go. Time’s almost up. You guys have fun.”
With that, Yu Qing almost fled in panic, even his farewell sounding rushed.
Leaving the restaurant, the cool evening breeze brushed his face, and Yu Qing finally felt alive again.
He let out a long breath.
Recalling the scenes just now, especially Lin Wei’s last disappointed yet determined gaze, he felt a strange pang in his heart.
But more than that, he felt the satisfaction of avenging himself.
Still, he reminded himself not to bully silly kids too much in the future. She wasn’t a bad person—just a bit foolish.
“Finally free…”
Yu Qing muttered to himself.
Lin Wei’s tearful face flashed in his mind.
He was silent for a moment, then quickened his pace, not towards the rehearsal room as he had agreed with Mei Xue, but straight back to the dormitory, where he took out the iron box and camera.
The cold wind cleared his head, and he realized that what he’d just done was a bit overboard.
Ah, Mei Xue is really bad. How could she not tell adorable little Lin Wei about this?
Making cute little Wei sad for no reason isn’t what a good best friend should do.
Since that’s the case, it means “Yi Yi” has a responsibility to comfort her properly.
Maybe the next film’s recipient had already been decided.
Yu Qing took out his phone and called Mei Xue.