“Do la la la la la…
A slender and gentle stream of water gushed upward from the faucet, splashing onto the delicate and fair cheek of the brown-haired girl. It then broke into droplets that scattered like sparkling mist under the sunlight.
Meng Wange parted the fine water curtain with her fingertips, lightly brushing her light brown bangs upward.
She straightened up, letting the water droplets slowly slide down the curves of her face.
Feeling the damp strands of hair clinging to her skin by her ear, she took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
…Alright, it’s about time to calm down, Meng Wange.
As long as you don’t say a word, no one will know what just happened.
You’re still you, Su Xiaoli is still Su Wanli, and the relationship between you hasn’t changed at all.
Meng Wange comforted herself while reaching out to turn off the faucet.
Her steps felt heavy as she returned to the laundry room she had just come from, then crouched down to look at the School Uniform Jacket tumbling inside the washing machine.
Although more than half an hour had passed, the sensation of that brief touch on her lips still lingered vividly in Meng Wange’s heart, refusing to fade.
She irritably scratched the strands of hair at her forehead and let out a long sigh.
“Why… why did it turn out like this? I had just made up my mind in English class that, even if I want to build a good relationship with Su Xiaoli, I shouldn’t invest too much emotion. Just keeping the bond between me and Su Wanli at the level of familiar friends would be enough. Yet…”
Meng Wange pinched her temples and glanced at the blue sky outside the window.
“…It seems the one who invested too much emotion wasn’t Su Wanli, but yourself, right?
Just like you said earlier, this was just an accident. Su Wanli didn’t even notice it, and you’re the only one dwelling on it.
Forget it, Meng Wange. Relax, keep being your usual self. Everything will go on as normal. Tomorrow there’s the Opening Exam at Baiying Academy—you and Su Wanli still have to face it together.”
…But humans can’t deceive themselves. What’s done won’t disappear just because you refuse to look at it. Back there in the Equipment Room, you really did…
Finally, as if to end the endless thoughts swirling in the girl’s mind, the washing machine beside Meng Wange gradually stopped spinning and rang out a clear “ding.”
Responding to the signal, Meng Wange silently stood, opened the washing machine lid, and pulled the School Uniform Jacket belonging to Su Wanli into her arms.
It was still very damp to the touch. However, relying solely on the machine’s spin dry without sunlight, it could only get so dry.
…Hopefully, Miss Su won’t get even angrier because of this.
Shaking off the chaotic thoughts, Meng Wange pushed open the laundry room door and looked up at the clock above the teaching building.
Twelve forty-two. Nearly an hour had passed since she left the Equipment Room.
Did she really agonize over this for so long? That was unexpected…
She recalled that lunchtime at Baiying Academy was from twelve to one, so now she probably only had time to catch the tail end of it.
Should she put the jacket back on her seat first, or take it with her to the Cafeteria while it was still open?
Either way didn’t matter. After all, if it’s only about filling her stomach, anytime would do…
“Gurgle gurgle.”
During the two days at the Su residence, her schedule had normalized a lot. She already started feeling hungry on time.
— Or maybe, it’s because someone was there to eat with her on time?
Staring at the large clock atop the teaching building, Meng Wange pondered for a moment and lightly furrowed her brows.
Since leaving the Equipment Room, the cold and indifferent voice of that black-haired girl still echoed faintly in her ears.
“Wange, damn it! You smell like you’re all over me. Wash it clean and bring it back!”
“Don’t come out with me. Stay here for at least five minutes before you come out! Do you hear me?”
…Thinking carefully, maybe what Su Wanli really meant back then wasn’t to have her wash the clothes clean, but simply to have her stay in the Equipment Room for five more minutes?
After all, just those few pats on the gymnastics mat wouldn’t have left any noticeable scent on her, right?
Looking at the School Uniform Jacket draped around her waist, Meng Wange hesitated a moment, then brought her nose close and sniffed.
Indeed, there was no special smell, just a faint scent of laundry detergent and Su Wanli’s fragrant gardenia aroma lingering after her bath.
For some reason, a trace of unnecessary warmth seemed to rise on Meng Wange’s face.
Well, she might as well rinse it once more at the Hand Washing Sink…
South City Baiying Academy, Student Cafeteria
Though the peak lunch hour had passed, the Baiying Cafeteria was still bustling with activity.
Ivory-white tables were packed with students laughing and chatting noisily, like a flock of chirping sparrows, eagerly discussing campus gossip.
Although many voices filled the room, if one listened carefully, eight out of ten conversations centered on Su Wanli and the mysterious transfer student.
“…Tch, how clueless can high schoolers be? If it’s just ‘That Baiying bully is harassing the new transfer student’ kind of stuff, that should have died down long ago. After all, that’s just Su Wanli’s daily routine.”
They even set up countless chat groups to discuss this matter. Could there really be a hidden mastermind deliberately stirring up trouble?
Su Xiaoli silently shook her head, expression indifferent as she walked through the crowd, heading toward the window of the Cafeteria.
Despite the protagonist being right among them, no one seemed to notice her passing by.
They were just passionately gathering and fervently debating something—
“So, what you’re saying is true, right?”
“Absolutely! Even the entire teaching building heard the laughter coming from Class Three, Year Two. It couldn’t be more real!”
“Right? I’m in Class Three, Year Two. I have firsthand info here. Everyone gather ’round. I’ll tell you all a secret…”
“Huh?”
The last voice was mocking and shouted something about telling secretly, but in reality, it was louder than anyone else’s, as if afraid to miss catching others’ curiosity.
Su Wanli’s thoughts shifted as she changed direction and walked toward the source of the voice.
“…When Meng Wange was standing there all alone on the podium, ridiculed by everyone, Su Wanli immediately stood up in anger and declared to everyone—‘Anyone who dares humiliate her is humiliating me!’ The moment those words came out, Class Three instantly fell silent like a cold cicada, no one dared to speak again.”
A girl with pink-tinted hair from Year Two held a blackboard eraser, seemingly snatched from somewhere, and clumsily slammed it like a gavel, then pounded the cafeteria table—
“Think about it! That’s the ferocious and ruthless Baiying bully Su Xiaoli! At that moment, the look in Meng Wange’s eyes toward Su Xiaoli was so complicated she was left speechless… That’s right, she hadn’t yet accepted Su Xiaoli’s feelings, but Su Xiaoli had already done that much for her. It’s basically…”
“Basically…”
“Simply…”
“Unbreakable love! Love so deep it can move the heavens! But Meng Wange still can’t break through the wall in her heart. No matter, the Baiying bully will use her own methods… Hey, what are you guys doing? Don’t leave! I was just getting to the exciting part…”
Watching the scattering crowd, Zhang Shiyu scratched her forehead in confusion, then cleared her throat and silently took a sip of water.
“Sigh, forget it. My throat’s tired anyway. Let’s rest a bit, then we’ll go spread the news in the group chat.”
“…So that’s how it is. So you’re the one spreading the word everywhere…”
Hearing that familiar voice behind her, Zhang Shiyu’s eyes brightened, and she immediately turned around—
“Ah, Old Boss Su, you finally came! We put so much effort into spreading your and Meng Wange’s story all over Baiying Academy during this lunch break! The news was a little slow around the lab building, but it should be everywhere by the afternoon!”
Su Wanli narrowed her eyes slightly and nodded toward Xiao Fen—
“Oh? So everyone in school already knows about me and Meng Wange?”
“That’s right, that’s right! These people are way too gossipy. We barely started, and it’s already blown up. We only did a little guiding.”
Xiao Fen chuckled foolishly and scratched her forehead.
“Old Boss, no need to thank us. It’s what we’re supposed to do.”
“Heh heh, what kind of talk is that? You all work so hard, I really should reward you properly.”
Su Wanli smiled faintly and patted Xiao Fen’s shoulder.
“…By the way, you just said ‘you all’? Besides you, what did the other two do?”
“Oh, Potato Thunder mainly selects the posts in the group and compiles the best ones into collections to share. Da Zhuang got caught by the PE teacher for answering attendance for the four of us during PE class and is still running laps on the field now.”
“Huh? They really worked hard then. So…”
Su Wanli took a deep breath and pulled a titanium alloy megaphone out of her Four-Dimensional Pocket, bringing it close to Xiao Fen’s ear—
“—Tell me! Who the hell made you guys do this!?”
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