Ning Wanciu froze instinctively.
She recognized the newcomer—An Qing, their classmate, and technically An Yu’s family member.
In that instant, she panicked even more.
Carrying An Yu had been seen by her family!
What do I do?
Wait—no!
She quickly realized that An Qing and An Yu’s relationship was probably not good at all; in fact, it was likely terrible.
She had never seen An Yu pay any attention to An Qing.
Yet the way An Qing was looking over felt extremely strange, as if filled with intense hostility.
But… it didn’t seem directed at An Yu. Was it aimed at her instead?
An illusion?
“Uh… An Yu?”
While Ning Wanciu was still dazed, An Yu was the first to grow restless.
She squirmed slightly, her legs moving a little.
“Ning Wanciu, I can’t get down.”
An Yu looked at Ning Wanciu expressionlessly.
In this position, if Ning Wanciu didn’t cooperate, she couldn’t get down by herself.
“Ah, sorry! I’ll put you down right now!”
Ning Wanciu hurriedly lowered An Yu to the floor.
“Mm.”
An Yu, now back on solid ground, stretched lightly, then took Ning Wanciu’s hand.
“Let’s go. Back to class.”
Class was about to start soon.
“Eh?”
Pulled along by An Yu, Ning Wanciu instinctively walked forward.
They passed An Qing without a single word exchanged.
Although An Qing remained silent, Ning Wanciu could feel that she was furious—her body was even trembling slightly.
Yet An Yu completely ignored her, as if she didn’t exist at all.
What happened between them?
Their reactions were both so strange. Ning Wanciu didn’t understand.
Behind Ning Wanciu and An Yu, Huai Xiang walked past An Qing with bold indifference.
To her, An Qing was just some random transfer student who had nothing to do with them.
Cheng Shimumeng glanced at An Qing with a faint smile, said nothing, and followed Ning Wanciu and An Yu back to the classroom.
The four of them and An Qing were like people from two different worlds—completely separate, no intersection.
The trembling red-eyed girl turned around, staring at An Yu’s disappearing back, unconsciously clenching her fists.
Just now, she had so many things she could have said.
For example, reminding An Yu that as a daughter of the An family, she should watch her image and not let others carry her around like this.
Or mocking her for being overly dependent on others…
But she couldn’t utter a single word.
Aside from that initial instinctive tongue-click, An Qing was completely mute.
Why exactly?
Was it because An Yu was too good at finding powerful backers?
Was it because she could no longer target An Yu at school?
Or was it simply because seeing her so happy made her feel unhappy?
What is it?
An Qing coldly pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart was pounding fiercely, announcing her anger.
In her previous life, An Yu had never interacted with those three at all.
So this time, it really was because of her own changes that everything turned out this way?
Was it her own changes that pushed An Yu toward them?
A cold glint flashed through An Qing’s crimson eyes.
No matter what, she would never let An Yu stay this happy.
Their birthdays were coming soon.
She would prepare a nice gift and return the favor properly to An Yu.
Very soon, you won’t be able to keep up this act.
At the birthday banquet you’ve been longing for, I’ll give you back all the pain of being ignored by family.
An Qing refused to believe that once An Yu realized her birthday no longer mattered to their parents, she could still ignore her like this.
On the other side, An Yu was holding Ning Wanciu’s hand and had already returned to the classroom.
Her eyes were half-lidded, wearing her usual cold and indifferent expression.
That just now… must have been a hallucination, right?
Otherwise, how could An Qing appear the moment she thought of her?
Clearly, she hadn’t woken up properly.
So she just dragged Ning Wanciu straight back to class.
Of course, whether it was the real An Qing or a fake one, ignoring her was fine.
That was the greatest help An Yu could offer.
Because An Qing hated her and didn’t like being around her.
Yet as the reborn heroine, she still had to keep up the act and maintain her persona.
It must be exhausting to perform in front of the person she hated most.
An Yu was different.
If she didn’t like something, she simply didn’t like it.
So she just walked away, sparing An Qing the need to act in front of her and saving her acting skills.
Though, all that hard acting was ultimately just to lock An Yu up and starve her to death.
…Never mind. She’s not tired at all.
The reborn heroine really is too evil.
“An Yu?”
Ning Wanciu looked worried, her beautiful brows furrowed.
An Qing’s expression just now had been terrifyingly cold.
She didn’t know what had happened between An Yu and An Qing, but no matter what, she would stand on An Yu’s side.
“Hm?”
An Yu blinked and looked at Ning Wanciu, who was calling her name.
Why does the big pillow’s expression look… tense?
What’s wrong?
An Yu raised her hand high and gently patted Ning Wanciu’s head.
“It’s okay now. It’s okay, Ning Wanciu.”
She didn’t know why Ning Wanciu suddenly seemed off, but An Yu hoped she could stay in a good mood.
“Mmm…”
Suddenly patted by An Yu, Ning Wanciu froze completely.
Her furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
She hadn’t expected that she had been the one worrying about An Yu, only to be comforted in return…
Reaching out to grasp the hand An Yu had extended, Ning Wanciu smiled gently.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
Seeing Ning Wanciu’s brows smooth out, An Yu stopped patting.
She tilted her head, the corners of her mouth pulling into a tiny, almost imperceptible smile.
“Mm.”
Ning Wanciu was instantly stunned.
This seemed to be only the second time An Yu had smiled at her.
“See you later, Ning Wanciu.”
Before Ning Wanciu could react, An Yu let go of her hand and headed back to her own seat.
Ding-ling—
At the same time, the bell for class rang.
Lunch break was officially over.
Ning Wanciu stared blankly at An Yu’s retreating back.
That strange feeling appeared in her heart again…
But whatever.
Ning Wanciu shook her head.
It was time to return to her seat for class.
“See you later, An Yu.”
She turned around to head back, only to suddenly notice that many classmates were looking at her—and occasionally glancing at An Yu.
In an instant, Ning Wanciu’s whole face turned bright red.
She finally realized that their entire interaction had taken place under the watchful eyes of the whole class!
“My my~ Wanciu, class is starting. What are you thinking about~?”
Cheng Shimumeng’s voice came from behind her, seemingly urging her to hurry back to her seat.
But her tone didn’t sound that innocent—it was clearly teasing.
“Cough, nothing.”
Ning Wanciu shook her head, pretending nothing had happened, and quickly walked back to her seat.
Yet the blush on her face refused to fade for a long, long time.