My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 171

Chapter 171: A Clingy Dog

“So, do you still want to visit the club booths?” Xiao Luohan asked after Jiang Xue also put on a black disposable mask.

She knew that Jiang Xue had only been looking at the club booths to accompany her and to see if there were any suitable online communities for her to join, but the enthusiasm of the person in charge of the sketching club had scared Jiang Xue away, so she left the choice to Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue had calmed down by now and felt that her silent retreat was a bit rude. Even if she didn’t want to continue browsing the club booths, she should at least apologize.

The person had probably just been excited to see them in person as a CP fan. Since she hadn’t tried to stop them or followed them, she should be someone they could communicate with normally.

“I’m going to apologize to the person in charge of the sketching club,” she said to Xiao Luohan. “If there’s nothing else, I can accompany you further. It’s free activity time anyway.”

The vice president of the sketching club was still feeling regretful, wanting to call “Xue Luo” back, but she was the only one on duty now. If she left, who would man the booth?

She was wondering whether to send a private message on M-Station to apologize, or to send a large donation during Xiao Luo’s next livestream, when, to her surprise, the two returned.

“No, no! I should be the one apologizing!” Hearing Jiang Xue’s explanation, the vice president was stunned and hurriedly waved her hands. “Not only did I act like a crazy CP fan in front of the real people, but I also asked about their private life…”

As she spoke, her gaze quickly scanned the items displayed at the booth. Finding her own work, she felt that just giving this as a gift wasn’t sincere enough, so she tentatively asked, “Why don’t I draw a picture for you as an apology?”

Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan hadn’t expected this development. Although they didn’t need an apology, seeing her sincere expression, as if this was the only way for her to feel better, they exchanged a look and sat down on the stools provided for models.

Drawing portraits was also a form of sketching. Before starting, the vice president asked if they wanted realistic portraits or cuter ones, and after receiving their answer, immediately began drawing.

Xiao Luohan had seen Jiang Xue draw many times, but compared to Jiang Xue’s casual and free-flowing style, the sketching club member’s serious attitude made her feel something different.

It was like… something she herself lacked.

Her elder sister, Cang Ling, and Cheng Shizhu all had this quality, but she and Jiang Xue seemed to be still trapped in a cocoon of confusion, unable to grasp it.

The vice president quickly finished a chibi-style portrait of the two and handed it to Jiang Xue, a little nervously.

“I won’t be enrolling until next year, but I’m very interested in drawing. Can I add you on social media?”

Just then, she heard Xiao Luohan ask.

“Of course!” The vice president’s spirits lifted. “Xiao Luo… uh… Xuemei, do you want to add me on WeChat or some other platform?”

Xiao Luohan exchanged WeChat IDs with her, thanked her, and then left the booth with Jiang Xue, carrying the drawing.

“I added her because I suddenly realized something, but I don’t know how to confirm it, so I plan to ask the person who triggered this thought,” Xiao Luohan explained softly after they walked away.

“It’s okay, just add her if you feel like you’re compatible, I don’t mind,” Jiang Xue said, a little amused. “But what exactly did you realize?”

As they spoke, she deliberately led Xiao Luohan to a less crowded path, so their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

“Didn’t I mention this to you a long time ago? I don’t know what I truly want,” Xiao Luohan said, not planning to hide it. “Even though I’m currently focusing on the guqin, taking exams, working as a guqin streamer for a traditional culture studio, and even collaborating with a well-known game studio, I only see it as a ‘stepping stone’ to integrate into this world, not something I truly want to nurture for a lifetime… a sprout.”

She deliberately used the word “sprout.”

A sprout, with care and time, would grow into a sapling, then a tree, reaching for the sky, branching out, and some trees would stand there for their entire lives, weathering wind and rain, until their life force was exhausted.

“But they—those club leaders, they probably have ‘sprouts’ in their hearts.”

Club activities usually didn’t involve personal gain, just like-minded people gathering together, discussing their shared interests, and exchanging skills.

“I also want to find my own ‘sprout’ besides studying,” Xiao Luohan said seriously. “So… I’ll probably make friends in various fields I’m interested in, get to know them, even become a part of their circles…”

Her voice gradually softened, as if she was feeling guilty or apologetic.

The person who had brought her to this world was Jiang Xue, and the person she had vowed to spend her life with was also Jiang Xue, yet now she had these thoughts…

“This is a good thing, Xiao Luo,” Jiang Xue’s voice came from beside her ear. “You’re just making new friends, not abandoning your old ones! I also have many friends, and when I start university, I’ll add anyone I get along with. Making new friends in a new environment is perfectly normal.”

“If you only stayed by my side and didn’t interact with other people, I would be worried!”

As for jealousy… to be honest, six months ago, Jiang Xue had often worried about this, even secretly feeling sad and insecure.

Now, she wasn’t sure if she had “figured it out,” or if she simply “wasn’t worried,” or if she was “overly confident,” but in their relationship, she had already accepted that she and Xiao Luo were “locked together,” and no one could separate them, nor was anyone qualified to interfere in their relationship.

Seeing Xiao Luo staring at her blankly, Jiang Xue took her hand and started walking. “Since we’re already here, let’s collect the flyers from the other clubs and see if there’s anything you’re interested in.”

They walked from booth to booth, wearing their masks. According to the student union’s regulations, every club had to have some form of promotional material, and after a round of browsing, Xiao Luohan’s bag was filled with colorful flyers.

They even visited the booths of sports clubs, which weren’t suitable for their physical condition, and took their flyers.

N University allowed club members to observe activities, and there were undoubtedly many people who weren’t qualified but still wanted to learn more about a certain field. Clubs didn’t refuse such participation.

Unknowingly, accompanied by the sound of a dizi (bamboo flute), they arrived at the traditional Chinese music club’s booth.

Unlike the other booths, this one had three people on duty, two women and one man.

The one playing the dizi was a tall senior in a rose-colored hanfu, with a slender red floral decoration painted between her eyebrows. She was standing while playing, while the senior playing the yangqin (hammered dulcimer) to her right was dressed in a light blue ruqun, and the senior on her left was in black hanfu, wearing a hair crown and a long wig, holding a pipa (Chinese lute).

The senior with the pipa glanced up and made eye contact with Xiao Luohan.

Xiao Luohan’s pupils constricted, and she tightened her grip on Jiang Xue’s hand.

The sudden pain made Jiang Xue flinch and look at her in surprise.

The next second, she was pulled away by Xiao Luohan.

Xiao Luo’s steps were hurried, as if some monster was chasing after them.

“Are you ‘Traces of Xue Luo’ from M-Station?” a male voice suddenly came from behind them, then he was immediately corrected by the person beside him, “It’s ‘Traces,’ not ‘No Traces.'”

“Oh, sorry, my memory isn’t very good,” the senior with the pipa replied casually, then continued, “You came all the way here, but don’t even want to learn more about our club? It seems our president’s dizi playing is so bad that it scared away even a rising internet star.”

The two female seniors seemed to be saying something, but Xiao Luohan didn’t hear a word.

Neither did Jiang Xue. Her attention had been fixed on Xiao Luo since she was pulled away.

If her previous hasty retreat was due to the excessive enthusiasm of the person in charge of the sketching club, then Xiao Luo’s current behavior… could only be due to one possibility.

A long time ago, perhaps before Xiao Luo crossed over, but when it was almost certain that she would come, she had mentioned her worry to her older sister.

—Since this was a parallel world to the ancient world, the despicable Crown Prince of Daying might also have a counterpart here.

Even if the Crown Prince here didn’t have the memories of his ancient counterpart, considering that the two souls would likely have similar qualities, it was best to avoid contact with him.

After Jiang Mei agreed, she had even used the Crown Prince’s real name, provided by Xiao Luo, to investigate secretly, but hadn’t found anything.

Thinking about it now, it was inevitable that there were no results. Even her and Xiao Luo’s names were completely different.

Even though she had a guess, Jiang Xue didn’t ask.

She didn’t want to upset Xiao Luo, and knowing Xiao Luo, she would explain the reason after calming down.

It was free activity time, and students observing military training could choose to rest, so Xiao Luohan didn’t stop.

She pulled Jiang Xue out of the school gate and onto the street, not stopping until they arrived home and locked the door. Her whole body was trembling.

Cheng Shizhu wasn’t working today. Hearing the click of the lock, she came out, puzzled. “No need to lock the door, I have to go out this afternoon…”

She stopped mid-sentence, noticing Xiao Luohan’s pale face, and hurriedly approached her. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Low blood sugar? I’ll contact Dr. Qi!”

“I remember there’s Huangqi Shengmai Yin (a herbal decoction) in the medicine cabinet, can you get it for me?” Jiang Xue asked, helping Xiao Luohan to the bed in their bedroom, hugging her, and gently stroking her back.

“It’s okay, we’re all here,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm and soothing despite her own anxiety. “I’ll find a way to—”

“No! Don’t!” Xiao Luohan shook her head vigorously. “Don’t ask about him! Don’t interact with him…”

“But he already knows your M-Station account! We were wearing masks, and he still recognized you at a glance. He must have been following you for a while!” Jiang Xue said seriously. “This is a society ruled by law, he can’t do anything! And anyway, shouldn’t we find a way to get rid of annoying, clingy people?”