Chapter 72: Frustrated to Death

At noon.

At the coffee shop next to the school.

When Su Qing arrived, Lin Xian’er was already sitting inside.

By the window, two cups of coffee were placed in front of her.

Seeing her come in, Lin Xian’er raised her hand to signal.

Su Qing walked over and sat down.

She looked at the coffee in front of her but didn’t touch it.

“I don’t like this.”

“Then order something else.”

Su Qing didn’t order. She looked at Lin Xian’er and got straight to the point.

“What did you see?”

Lin Xian’er rested her chin on her hand and smiled.

“Everything.”

Su Qing’s heart stopped for a moment.

“What?”

Lin Xian’er counted on her fingers.

“You discovered Lin Mo, you covered for him, you dragged him behind the rock, you gave him artificial respiration… twice.” She looked at Su Qing, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

“Do you want me to continue?”

Su Qing’s face started to turn pale.

“What do you want?”

Lin Xian’er picked up her coffee and took a sip, then answered leisurely, “Nothing much. I just think you’ve had it pretty tough.” Su Qing didn’t speak.

Lin Xian’er put down the cup.

“Being completely seen, having to save someone, cover for him, and hold back from saying anything. Tsk tsk.” She looked at Su Qing, her gaze like she was looking at something interesting.

“You like him, don’t you?”

Su Qing’s heart raced.

“That’s none of your business.”

Lin Xian’er smiled.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about your business. We’re friends, right?” Su Qing looked at her.

That smile. Gentle and harmless. But Su Qing knew it was a trap.

“Yes, we’re friends.” Su Qing resignedly nodded.

Lin Xian’er’s smile widened, and she nodded too.

“That’s good. Friends helping each other out with little favors isn’t too much, is it?”

Su Qing gritted her teeth.

“It’s not too much.”

Lin Xian’er smiled, took out her phone from her pocket, and checked the time.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll come find you if I need something. Don’t refuse, okay?” She stood up and picked up her bag.

“I’m leaving now. I have class this afternoon. The coffee’s on me.”

She left.

Leaving Su Qing sitting there alone.

Staring at that cup of coffee.

She wanted to smash the cup.

But she couldn’t.

That woman.

A hundred times more terrifying than Li Tingting, Zhou Duoduo, and their like. She took out her phone and opened Lin Mo’s WeChat.

The chat box was empty.

She typed a line: “That day at the hot spring, actually it was me…”

Looking at the line, her finger hovered over the send button.

Thought about it for a long time.

Deleted it.

Typed again: “Lin Mo, have you ever thought about who saved you that day…”

Deleted it again.

She threw her phone into her bag.

Stood up.

Walked out of the coffee shop.

The sunlight was bright.

But her mood was terrible.

Evening.

Su Qing was restless.

She was in a daze.

Her mind kept replaying…

She had observed the exchange between Lin Xian’er and Lin Mo that day. At the time, she was so angry she wanted to charge out and wake up that fool Lin Mo.

‘Lin Xian’er, that sly fox, stole my credit.’

Now Lin Mo thought Lin Xian’er was his life savior.

Lin Xian’er also had leverage over her, controlling both herself and Lin Mo.

And she couldn’t speak out.

She was so angry her lungs began to ache.

Then she thought back to when she gave him artificial respiration.

‘His lips—soft, warm, sweet. I haven’t kissed my brother in a long time. Back then, I took the chance to exchange quite a bit of saliva.’

She suddenly sat up.

‘Wait.’

‘What am I thinking?’

‘I’m supposed to be angry!’

‘Not reminiscing!’

(；」_→….

‘Lin Xian’er.’

‘Just you wait.’

‘This isn’t over.’

Her phone vibrated.

She picked it up.

A message from Lin Xian’er: “Su Qianqian, are you free tomorrow afternoon? Accompany me shopping?”

Su Qing stared at the message.

‘Shopping?’

She thought about it.

She couldn’t refuse.

She typed: “Okay.”

Sent it.

She put her phone in her pocket.

Then with a numb expression, she walked toward the dormitory.

So angry.

Angry enough to cry.

But she couldn’t cry.

Shen Qingyue was reading a book.

Seeing Su Qing come back from outside with a bad expression on her face.

“Qianqian, what’s wrong?” Su Qing shook her head. “Nothing.”

Shen Qingyue looked at her.

“You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?” “No. Just a bit tired.”

Shen Qingyue nodded and didn’t ask further.

But she felt something was off.

‘Qianqian has been looking troubled lately…’

Su Qing lay on the bed and closed her eyes.

But the images were still in her mind.

Lin Mo’s face as he was about to suffocate in the water.

How she gave him her breath.

His lips.

Soft.

Warm.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

‘No, I can’t think about it.’

She picked up her phone and looked at Lin Mo’s WeChat again. Still nothing.

She suddenly wanted to send him a message.

Anything.

Just to talk.

But she couldn’t.

She couldn’t expose herself now.

She put down her phone and stared at the ceiling.

Shen Qingyue turned a page beside her.

The room was very quiet.

Quiet enough to hear her own heartbeat.

“Qianqian.”

Shen Qingyue suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?”

“Have you been… hiding something from me lately?”

Su Qing’s heart tightened.

“No. Why do you ask?”

Shen Qingyue hesitated.

“Nothing. Just that you’ve been spacing out a lot lately.”

Su Qing smiled.

“Maybe I haven’t been sleeping well.”

Shen Qingyue nodded.

“Then get some rest early.” “Yeah.”

Su Qing closed her eyes.

This time she really wanted to sleep.

But the image was still there.

His lips.

(；—-一)⋯

Boys’ dormitory.

Lin Mo lay on his bed.

He was also thinking about what happened last night.

‘Was the person who saved me really Lin Xian’er?’

She said, “How did you wake up? You didn’t feel anything? You were unconscious.”

The way she put it… it didn’t sound like she said she saved him. But he just felt it was her.

And the clothes.

“Where did your clothes come from?”

She didn’t say she took them either.

But he just felt she put them there.

(；—-一)⋯

‘Am I being led astray?’

But he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.

Zhang Yang came out of the restroom.

“Lin Mo, aren’t you asleep yet?” “Can’t sleep.”

Zhang Yang climbed onto his bed.

“What are you thinking about?”

Lin Mo hesitated.

“Zhang Yang, if someone saved you… but she…” Zhang Yang thought about it.

“She what? She’s too embarrassed to tell you? Maybe she’s shy. Or she doesn’t want you to feel obligated.” Lin Mo didn’t speak.

Zhang Yang continued.

“What’s wrong? Did someone save you?”

“No. Just asking casually.”

Zhang Yang didn’t press.

“Alright, go to sleep.”

The lights went out.

Lin Mo closed his eyes.

But there was always a blurry shadow in his mind.

‘Who was it?’

He remembered the feeling of that person giving him breath.

Her lips were very soft.

And the temperature.

Very familiar.

A bit like Su Qing. ‘Huh? Why did I think of Su Qing? Su Qing isn’t at this school.’

But if it really was Su Qing, then things would be simpler. Next time he saw her, he wouldn’t ask about that night he got drunk. They’d be even.

‘What am I getting at here? Am I missing Su Qing?’ He turned over.

‘Forget it.’

‘Don’t think about it.’

‘At least someone saved me.’

(；一-一)…

Girls’ dormitory fifth floor.

Room 510.

Lin Xian’er lay on the bed.

Cheng Xue was lying on her legs.

Ye Ling was leaning against the wall playing on her phone.

“Xian’er, what did you say to Su Qianqian today?” Cheng Xue asked.

Lin Xian’er stroked her hair.

“Nothing. Just made a friend.”

Ye Ling frowned.

“Making friends? With her?”

Lin Xian’er smiled.

“What? Is there a problem?” Ye Ling shook her head.

“It’s not that. I just think… she’s a bit strange.” Lin Xian’er blinked.

“In what way?”

Ye Ling thought about it.

“I can’t say. It’s just… the way she looks at you isn’t like she’s looking at a friend.”

Lin Xian’er smiled.

“Then what is it like?”

Ye Ling shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

Cheng Xue looked up.

“Xian’er, are you really going to go after that Lin Mo?” Lin Xian’er nodded.

“The mission requires it.”

Cheng Xue pouted.

“And after you catch him?”

Lin Xian’er pinched her cheek. “After I catch him, I’ll just leave him there. Compared to boys, I like girls more.”

Ye Ling frowned.

“Then why are you chasing him?”

Lin Xian’er smiled.

“Because the mission is to conquer him. Once he’s conquered, his task is done. As for later…”

She winked.

“I’ll deal with later later.”

Cheng Xue lay back on her legs.

“Then good luck. Call me if you need a fight.”

Ye Ling also nodded.

“Call me if you need healing.” Lin Xian’er smiled and patted their heads.

“Okay. You two are my trump cards.”

Lin Xian’er said, “Then what will we do if we need to have children in the future?”

The three of them fell silent.

After a long time, Ye Ling said, “Then in the future, either we don’t get married, or we marry the same person. I don’t want to be separated from you two because of marriage.” Cheng Xue also nodded.

“If you can catch Lin Mo, that’s fine too. He’s good-looking, and he seems a bit dumb. By then, if we really let him join us, he definitely won’t dare to interfere with our affairs. At worst, we can let him join in too.”

Cheng Xue blushed as she said this.

Ye Ling opened her mouth, said nothing, and also blushed.

Lin Xian’er, on the other hand, showed almost no change in expression.

The moonlight from outside the window streamed in.

Falling on that small bed.

(♥️*)..

Lin Xian’er closed her eyes.

‘Today’s harvest was good.’

‘Su Qianqian agreed to be friends with me.’

‘Lin Mo owes me two conditions.’

‘Progress is fine.’

‘Take it slow.’