Chapter 41: Vying for Affection Part 1

Bai Ran and Xu Yinian had originally agreed to visit the club recruitment fair together, but Yinian had also promised to grab lunch with Shen Ruoshuang.

The current situation was… complicated.

Just as Xu Yinian stepped out of the bathroom after changing out of her pajamas, she heard two voices speak at once.

“Let’s walk around together this morning. It’s almost lunch time anyway.”

“Niannian, what do you want to eat for lunch?”

The questions rang out simultaneously, perfectly timed to clash.

Xu Yinian’s body stiffened. She suddenly realized she hadn’t informed either Shen Ruoshuang or Bai Ran about her plan to “fairly” divide her time between them.

Upon hearing the exchange, Bai Ran’s hand, hanging at her side, clenched into a tight fist.

When did Niannian agree to have lunch with Shen Ruoshuang?

Shen Ruoshuang, on the other hand, was already well aware that Bai Ran had been shamelessly and craftily monopolizing almost all of Xu Yinian’s free time. She wasn’t surprised by Bai Ran’s reaction; instead, she simply looked at Xu Yinian, who was visibly distressed by the pincer attack of their questions.

But as her gaze landed on the girl, Shen Ruoshuang’s breath caught in her throat.

Today, Xu Yinian was wearing a pale pink knit sweater with draped sleeves that partially covered her palms, making her look even smaller and more delicate. Below, she wore a beige cotton maxi skirt and white socks bunched at her ankles, leaving only a sliver of her porcelain-white calves visible.

The entire ensemble made her look as soft and sweet as a strawberry daifuku.

This was a far cry from the plain, utilitarian hand-me-downs her mother had forced her to wear during her school days—clothes that were chosen simply because they were wearable. In reality, these were new clothes Jiang Ke and her aunt had bought for her before the semester started. Because she had been intimidated by the four-figure price tag, Yinian had been reluctant to wear them, keeping them tucked away in the back of her wardrobe.

She had only decided to dress up today to leave a good impression on the senior club members.

When she had stood before the mirror earlier, the image reflecting back was one of peace and warmth. It seemed… quite fitting. Yet, she immediately began to worry if it was too eye-catching.

Having long grown accustomed to hiding herself away as a simple, plain “transparent person,” even a slight change in her appearance filled Xu Yinian with an uneasy trepidation.

Caught up in her anxiety over the simultaneous invitations, Xu Yinian didn’t notice that both Shen Ruoshuang and Bai Ran’s gazes were locked firmly onto her.

Their eyes burned with a clear, searing admiration, each hiding a secret impulse to swallow her whole. Yinian was habitually obedient, but when she wasn’t actively trying to hide herself, her innate, honeyed sweetness leaked through.

…

After a moment of deliberation, Xu Yinian weakly sought their advice.

“…Since our schedules are the same, why don’t we all just walk around and eat together?”

As she spoke, she shot a quick glance at Shen Ruoshuang. She remembered that Shen’s original intent was to organize a dorm gathering in her role as Dorm Head. Surely she wouldn’t mind…

“Student Bai rejected me yesterday, though. It didn’t seem like she wanted to come,” Shen Ruoshuang said directly to Yinian, seemingly unbothered by the fact that she was mentioning the rejection right in front of Bai Ran’s face.

Before Yinian could respond, Bai Ran cut in.

“I had already made plans to see the recruitment fair with Niannian this morning. Naturally, I assumed we would eat together as well, which is why I turned down the dorm gathering.”

Xu Yinian watched as the tension between the two flared up like a sudden lightning storm. Was it really just because of a rejected invitation?

She was utterly baffled, having no realization that she was the eye of this particular storm. Still, she instinctively moved to mediate.

“Sister Ran, so… so that’s why you said no. I didn’t know, so I already promised Shen Ruoshuang…”

One side of her was offering a sincere, guilty apology, while the other was caught in the middle of a commitment to another woman.

Turning back to Shen Ruoshuang, she tried to persuade her with cautious care. “Since it was just a misunderstanding, I’m sure Sister Ran didn’t mean she didn’t want to go… How about we all go together?”

Her eager, anxious gaze flickered between the two of them. She looked entirely unsure of her own mediation skills, shrinking her neck slightly as she felt the weight of their powerful auras.

“I don’t mind,” Shen Ruoshuang stated flatly, deciding not to make things difficult for Yinian.

Half the tension left Xu Yinian’s body, and she shot Shen Ruoshuang a look of profound gratitude.

Bai Ran sneered inwardly. Of course Shen Ruoshuang doesn’t mind. This morning and lunch were supposed to belong exclusively to her and Niannian. Where did Shen Ruoshuang get off? Not only was she exploiting a loophole to wedge herself into their plans, she was acting like she was the one being magnanimous about it.

But Bai Ran knew that in this contest, the only judge and jury was Xu Yinian. Yinian’s current inclination and attitude dictated how Bai Ran had to act to maintain her favor.

While Yinian had expressed guilt toward her, she was also holding firm to her boundary of not breaking her word to Shen Ruoshuang. In other words, Bai Ran had no choice but to agree.

“…Of course. I’ll go wherever Niannian goes.”

When she looked up again, she was once more the gentle, understanding Sister Ran.

Seeing both sides agree thanks to her “mediation,” Xu Yinian let out a long sigh of relief. Little did she know, she would soon come to regret this decision.