Chapter 45: Caught Red-Handed Part 2

Jiang Ke’s voice still carried a hint of a sob. “But Shen Ruoshuang said she picked the same class as you…”

Now that Shen Ruoshuang wasn’t around, Xu Yinian finally dared to explain. “No way! I waited until I saw all the spots were gone before I told her what I picked. There is absolutely no way she could have gotten into the same class!”

Her tone was adamant, as if she were trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

But then, a familiar voice drifted from behind the wall.

“Xu Yinian… I was wondering why you were so ‘generous’ that day. So that’s how you were plotting against me?”

Xu Yinian’s shoulders jumped in fright. She spun around.

The “unreachable beauty” was leaning quietly against the corner of the wall, looking like she had been waiting in ambush for quite some time. When she looked up, her Peach Blossom Eyes were swimming with intense amusement. The “black-bellied” schemer behind the cold, aloof mask was finally no longer hiding.

Caught red-handed. The shame and fear made Xu Yinian want to find a hole and crawl into it. She couldn’t even squeeze out an explanation.

“Since you were so rare in your generosity, it would be a shame if I didn’t actually join the same class. I wouldn’t want to disappoint your little schemes.”

Shen Ruoshuang spoke slowly and deliberately. It wasn’t a reproach; it was the doting tease one might give to a clever-yet-foolish little creature. She had seen through every single one of Yinian’s little tricks from the start, yet she had played along, only to quietly enjoy the other girl’s distress and indignation at the end.

“It’s a pity. You can’t outcalculate me.”

Hearing those words, the answer was obvious. Before Yinian could even ask how, the other girl added with a light, parting blow:

“Aren’t you going in? Being late doesn’t really fit your ‘good student’ image, does it, Student Xu?”

With that, she turned and started walking. Her destination was clearly Room 102.

Xu Yinian couldn’t fathom how Shen Ruoshuang had managed to get into the class. But she had seen the girl’s methods since the start of the semester; Shen Ruoshuang was someone who always did what she said she would do.

Left with no other choice, a frazzled Xu Yinian bid farewell to a disgruntled Jiang Ke and hurried into the yoga room just a minute before class started.

The moment she stepped inside, her regret deepened. Because she and Shen Ruoshuang were the last two to enter, the only spots left were two yoga mats tucked away in the very back corner, side-by-side.

Shen Ruoshuang had already claimed the outer mat, clearly waiting for Yinian to join her.

The instructor had already entered. Not daring to delay any longer, Yinian hung her head and hurried to her designated spot.

The only saving grace was that she confirmed Ji Yan, the original protagonist-top, wasn’t there. At least this wasn’t part of the original plot…

Or was it? She couldn’t shaking the feeling that besides the burning, amused gaze from the girl next to her, other people were watching her too.

What Xu Yinian didn’t realize was that ever since that “shipping thread” about her and Shen Ruoshuang had gone viral on the forum, she had become something of a local celebrity. The fact that she and Shen Ruoshuang had shown up to Yoga Class one after the other and picked mats right next to each other was enough to make the shippers’ hearts race.

The girl standing in front of Xu Yinian was one such fan who had been obsessively following the thread. Finding herself suddenly in the presence of the “couple,” she was vibrating with excitement, stealing glances back at them every chance she got.

However, since entering the room, the two of them hadn’t interacted at all. They didn’t even make eye contact, acting with a strained awkwardness as if they were trying to avoid each other.

Avoiding each other? the girl thought. That makes it even better!

The instructor at the front began introducing the rules for the course. To Xu Yinian’s horror, the yoga exam would involve memorizing sequences and their health benefits.

“Now, everyone needs to find a long-term partner,” the instructor announced. “Whether it’s for the partner poses or for checking and adjusting each other’s form, you will need the help of a partner.”

Xu Yinian’s heart skipped a beat. She had hated this “find a partner” system since she was a child. Introverted and socially awkward, she never had close friends. Usually, she just waited until everyone else had paired up and then worked with whoever was left over.

Sure enough, as soon as the instructor finished speaking, the room erupted into a flurry of movement. Most people had come with friends and paired up immediately.

Xu Yinian looked around. There were a few familiar faces from her department, but she didn’t share a dorm with them and hadn’t gotten to know them during military training. They had already formed their own cliques. Yinian wasn’t even sure if they recognized her.

Beside her, the famous Shen Ruoshuang also seemed to be standing alone in her cold elegance.

But Yinian knew their situations were different. People were simply too intimidated to approach Shen Ruoshuang because of her “unreachable” aura. Though no one dared to walk over, the number of eyes darting their way was anything but small.

For some reason, the other students would look at Shen Ruoshuang, then at her, with expressions of gossipy realization.

Xu Yinian had a very bad feeling. Wait, do they all think I’m already paired up with Shen Ruoshuang?!

Finally, a soft, hauntingly calm voice drifted over from her side.

“Xu Yinian… shall we be partners?”

Terrified and still refusing to look at her, Xu Yinian tried a weak protest. “I… I think I’ll just wait and see who’s left…”

“The class has an even number of students,” Shen Ruoshuang replied smoothly. “In the end, it’ll just be the two of us left anyway.”

Shen Ruoshuang remained unhurried. She knew that, in the end, Xu Yinian would be left with no choice but to follow her lead.

“Then I… I can just find someone else…” Xu Yinian’s protest was weak, lacking even a shred of conviction.

A clear glimmer of amusement danced in Shen Ruoshuang’s eyes. “Of course. Suit yourself.”

Despite her brave words, Xu Yinian was so socially anxious that there was no way she would actually approach a stranger.

It wasn’t that there were no other students looking for partners. However, whenever someone approached, they invariably had to face Shen Ruoshuang first. Before they could even get a word out, Shen Ruoshuang would offer a cool, polite rejection.

“Sorry, we’re roommates.”

With that single sentence, everyone naturally assumed the two were a package deal and moved on to someone else.

Xu Yinian wanted to speak up, but she was terrified that a single slip of the tongue would start rumors about internal discord within Room 503.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She looked up at Shen Ruoshuang, her expression a mix of timid fear and mounting frustration. The corners of her eyes were flushed a soft, aggrieved red.

“D-didn’t you say I was free to pick anyone I wanted as a partner?”

“I said you were free to look. I never said I wouldn’t stop you.”

Ever since that accidental collision on the bus, Xu Yinian had been desperately avoiding her gaze. Shen Ruoshuang watched as she finally, begrudgingly, looked her in the eye.

“You were the one who tried to scheme against me first. You lied about your class schedule specifically to avoid me, didn’t you? And you were the one who agreed to let me choose the same class as you.”

“Now that I’ve caught you in the act, shouldn’t you be prepared to face the consequences?”