Chapter 69

It was Friday.

Instead of rushing off to lunch when school let out at noon, Lu Chenyu made her usual trip to the back of the teaching building to check on Orange.

Orange was the little kitten that Lu Chenyu and Wen Feixi fed together.

Ever since they had rescued her last time, they had been keeping her hidden away here in secret.

Wen Feixi had bought her plenty of goat milk, cat treats, and kibble. The scrawny little thing she had been was now plump and adorably round, thanks to all the pampering.

Lu Chenyu called out Orange’s name a few times, but there was no reply.

She called again.

Still nothing.

Remembering the cleaning lady who passed by this spot like clockwork every afternoon, Lu Chenyu frowned slightly and hurried forward to check.

There was Orange.

The kitten who would normally come bounding over to leap into her arms and beg for pets was now huddled into a trembling ball in the corner, shaking like a leaf.

Lu Chenyu froze for a moment.

Just then, footsteps approached from behind. Wen Feixi came walking up with a large bag of cat treats and toys. She paused when she saw how pale Lu Chenyu’s face had gone.

“What is it?”

Lu Chenyu scooped up the little cat and murmured softly, “She might be sick.”

Orange trembled in Lu Chenyu’s arms, letting out faint, halting mews that were much weaker than her usual chirps.

“Her temperature feels off, but it’s okay,” Wen Feixi said after a quick check. She spoke gently to soothe Lu Chenyu’s worry. “We’ll take her out to get looked at. It’s Friday anyway.”

It was already noon. Lu Chenyu and Wen Feixi tucked little Orange into a backpack and headed out the school gates.

“Little Deer! Wenwen!” Tang Yimo called from behind them. She jogged up with her backpack slung over one shoulder, beaming excitedly. “Where are you two grabbing lunch?”

“Just something quick,” Wen Feixi replied. “We have to take the kitten to the pet hospital in a bit.”

Tang Yimo’s eyes lit up. “I’m bored out of my mind. Mind if I tag along? I want to treat Little Deer to a meal.”

Wen Feixi arched a brow.

“I’ve wanted to treat Little Deer for ages, but the chance never came up,” Tang Yimo added hurriedly. “That okay with you, Little Deer?”

Lu Chenyu blinked in confusion. “Why do you want to treat me?”

“For backing me up in gym class last time! And for absolutely dominating at Sea City!”

“…”

Without Tang Yimo’s reminder, Lu Chenyu might have forgotten all about it. Since her friend insisted, she nodded.

They grabbed a simple meal at a place across from the school.

By one in the afternoon, the three of them were on their way to the nearest pet hospital.

The nurse examined the kitten and prepared a shot.

Orange seemed to sense what was coming. She clung desperately to Lu Chenyu’s hand with her tiny paws, refusing to let go.

Lu Chenyu gazed at those fluffy little paws and couldn’t help smiling softly.

She stroked the kitten’s nape to calm her. “It’s okay. It won’t hurt a bit.”

Wen Feixi bent down too, leaning in close. “Be a good girl, and I’ll give you a treat.”

She unwrapped one of Orange’s favorites to tempt her.

With Lu Chenyu holding the kitten steady, Orange’s attention quickly shifted to the treat.

The nurse took the opportunity to administer the shot.

“All done,” the doctor said. “She might run a slight fever and get sleepy. Just let her rest, and don’t force her to eat if she’s not interested.”

“Good girl,” Lu Chenyu cooed.

Wen Feixi glanced from the cat to Lu Chenyu. The smile on her lips slowly faded, a hint of resentment flickering in her eyes.

Orange reached out a paw toward the treat in Wen Feixi’s hand.

Wen Feixi pulled her hand back and smiled down at her. “Want it? Too bad.”

Lu Chenyu shot her a puzzled look, snatched the treat from her hand, and let Orange lick it.

“…”

Wen Feixi’s gaze grew even more aggrieved.

The young nurse chuckled teasingly at the kitten. “Look at your mom—she loves you so much. You’ve got to get better soon, okay?”

They weren’t in school uniforms since leaving campus, so the nurse must have taken them for local college students.

Tang Yimo watched from the side, unable to suppress a smirk.

She glanced up slowly, her eyes fixed on Wen Feixi and Lu Chenyu.

One sat, the other stood.

Lu Chenyu cradled the kitten against her chest, murmuring soft reassurances as it settled quietly in her arms. Her lovely peach-blossom eyes curved gently, her expression tender.

Wen Feixi leaned one hand on the back of the chair, her head tilted up slightly as she gazed at the kitten in Lu Chenyu’s embrace. They were standing quite close.

The scene really did look a little…

Tang Yimo caught sight of Wen Feixi’s lips nearly splitting to her ears, while Lu Chenyu remained blissfully oblivious.

“Hey, Little Deer,” Tang Yimo ventured. “Do you like boys or girls?”

Wasn’t this a bit premature? Lu Chenyu thought to herself, but she answered anyway. “Girls.”

“And you, Wenwen?” Tang Yimo pressed.

Wen Feixi considered for a moment. “Cute girls, like Little Deer.”

Tang Yimo: “.”

What the heck? That was basically a confession!

Lu Chenyu’s ears burned. She ducked her head to look at the kitten. “Wouldn’t it be great if people could have kittens and puppies?”

Tang Yimo choked on her saliva and coughed violently.

The contrast was unreal.

It was hard to imagine the cool beauty Lu Chenyu saying something so cute. It melted her heart.

But… Lu Chenyu’s reaction wasn’t right.

Tang Yimo shot her a complicated look, then glanced at Wen Feixi.

Lu Chenyu was thin-skinned and blushed easily—that much was true.

But hearing Wen Feixi’s “confession,” she’d only flushed in simple shyness. No realization at all.

Wen Feixi’s lower abdomen had been bothering her since earlier. While they waited for the medicine, she slipped away to the restroom.

Her period had arrived.

But she hadn’t brought any pads.

When she emerged, she pressed a hand to her stomach. Lu Chenyu noticed her pallor and asked, “Are you okay?”

Wen Feixi hesitated. “It’s nothing. Just my period.”

“Did you bring…?” Lu Chenyu trailed off.

Wen Feixi hadn’t brought her backpack and clearly had nothing with her.

Lu Chenyu rummaged through her own bag but came up empty.

Wen Feixi caught her arm and shook her head. “It’s fine. We’ll buy some when we head out. Still waiting on the meds anyway.”

Lu Chenyu frowned, worry creasing her brow.

Tang Yimo pulled up Bai Xian’s WeChat. “Xianxian says she’s coming by later.”

As if on cue, Bai Xian’s voice rang out. “Little Deer! Wenwen! Yimo!”

Bai Xian came dashing up with her backpack on, holding a fancy paper bag.

“Here, eat it while it’s hot! Fresh takoyaki I just bought.”

The box held several golden-brown balls.

Lu Chenyu speared one with a toothpick. A thin glaze of sauce clung to it, drizzled with mayo squiggles and sprinkled with seaweed flakes.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She had never tried anything like this before.

Cherishing every bite, Lu Chenyu took one. The outer crust crunched faintly, giving way to soft, glutinous dough wrapped around a chunk of octopus.

Tang Yimo laughed at her expression. “Little Deer, you look like you’re savoring some gourmet delicacy.”

“How is it? Good?” Bai Xian asked.

Their families were well-off; this was just a snack, hardly a delicacy.

After two bites, Lu Chenyu’s eyes sparkled. “Thanks. It’s delicious.”

Seeing her like that, Tang Yimo felt her heart melt.

How could there be such a perfect girl as Lu Chenyu?

She always said how tasty things were when eating, how fun and pretty everything was when out playing. So easy to please. Wenwen would be so lucky if she ever won Little Deer over. A girl like that would surely whisper sweet nothings like “I like you so much” in a relationship.

Too bad she was so hard to catch.

Wen Feixi narrowed her eyes, fixing Tang Yimo with an inscrutable stare.

Quietly, she reached out and rested her hand on the back of Lu Chenyu’s chair.

Once the snack was finished, Lu Chenyu headed to the restroom. Wen Feixi played with the kitten.

Orange had gone completely limp, sprawled in Wen Feixi’s lap as she batted lazily at her with soft paws.

“Hard to picture you liking small animals,” Tang Yimo remarked.

Wen Feixi toyed idly with the kitten’s paws. “Who wouldn’t love something this cute?”

Tang Yimo half-joked, “Sounds like loving the house for the sake of the crow.”

Wen Feixi shot her a warning look. “Watch your words.”

Tang Yimo cracked. “Relax, I won’t say stuff like that around Little Deer Classmate.”

The sudden onset of her period brought a dull ache to Wen Feixi’s lower belly.

She pressed her hand there, frowning faintly as she glanced toward the restroom.

Lu Chenyu had been gone a while.

Wen Feixi checked the time, about to stand and check on her, when she spotted Lu Chenyu emerging from the stairwell on the other side, holding something in her hand.

Lu Chenyu slipped a pack of sanitary pads into her palm.

Wen Feixi blinked in surprise.

Lu Chenyu was slightly out of breath from the stairs, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. “I went down and bought them just now. Go on…”

Wen Feixi paused, then her lips curved upward.

A soft light glimmered in her eyes. “Thanks.”

Lu Chenyu pressed her lips together. “Does your stomach hurt now?”

“It’s bearable. Just a little,” Wen Feixi said with a gentle smile. “Rub it for me, and it’ll stop.”

Hearing that, Lu Chenyu reached out with her warm hand. Through the thin fabric of Wen Feixi’s shirt, she gently massaged her lower abdomen.

Wen Feixi’s waist went weak. She leaned back against the chair, gazing down at her through half-lidded eyes.

Tang Yimo didn’t dare say another word.

She hadn’t realized their relationship had progressed this far—close enough to share sanitary products.

…

Back at school, Lu Chenyu settled the kitten and felt much relieved.

It was Friday, and the school day was nearly over.

The last period was self-study with no teacher in sight. The classroom buzzed with chatter—some on their phones, others reading novels.

Late May meant the broken AC left the room sweltering despite the open windows. The hallway air hung heavy and humid, laced with a faint whiff of sweat.

It was miserable, especially for Lu Chenyu with her keen nose.

Distracted from her homework, Lu Chenyu’s gaze drifted to her watch.

She noticed a function called “Break-time Friend Finder,” which showed the locations of friends who had it enabled.

Wen Feixi was her only friend on the list.

Lu Chenyu tapped it open. The screen read: Friend 【Closed Moon Shy Flower】 · 2m away, with a prompt: “Say hi!”

Without thinking, she looked up toward Wen Feixi.

Up front, Wen Feixi propped her head on one hand, idly eyeing the problems on her desk. Her other hand, holding the pen, was slender and pale.

She had her hair in a ponytail today, exposing the creamy skin of her nape.

Bored, Lu Chenyu tapped into Wen Feixi’s profile.

Her signature read: 【Mountains Have Wood, Wood Has Branches; Heart Delights in You, Yet You Know Not.】

Lu Chenyu gave it a like, earning two gold coins.

Over these days, she had saved up more than twenty. She clicked into the shop and bought a hat.

Suddenly, a paper wad landed on her desk.

Lu Chenyu unfolded it, startled.

She and Wen Feixi sometimes passed notes like this, but surprisingly, this one was from Tang Yimo.

Tang Yimo: Little Deer, let’s play volleyball! You, me, Bai Xian, Wenwen.

Lu Chenyu hesitated.

As a model student her whole life, she had never skipped class.

But studying in this environment was hardly productive anyway.

She met Tang Yimo’s eager gaze and nodded slowly.

With no teacher around, half the class had already cleared out. As dismissal neared, the fields teemed with students.

Some kicked soccer, others played badminton—blue-and-white uniforms everywhere.

They lucked into a volleyball court.

…

Meanwhile, at the Lu family home.

Lu Chenyu’s aunt, Song Shu, had dropped by.

Ms. Song had an older sister, Song Shu, who had settled in River City years ago. Song Shu’s husband worked at an IT firm in Sea City, where he was doing well with a fat salary. Their lifestyle far outshone the Lu family’s these days.

Their daughter was none other than Lu Chenyu’s cousin, Song Yuemin.

Having married into decent money made Song Shu smug. She loved lording it over her sister Song Lili. She saw herself as the phoenix perched on a high branch, while her sister was hopelessly ordinary.

But when it came to their daughters, Ms. Song left her in the dust.

Lu Chenyu was obedient and excelled academically. How could her own girl compare—poor grades and zero study habits?

It had long been a thorn in Song Shu’s side.

Today, Song Shu offered her sister some snacks as Ms. Song served them.

Song Shu glanced at her elegant Longines watch and smiled. “We’ve got a little time. Shall we walk to school and pick up the kids?”

Ms. Song blinked.

“I drive to fetch Yuemin every week,” Song Shu went on. “Didn’t bring the car today. Let’s stroll—maybe window-shop on the way.”

Song Shu and Song Lili walked side by side down the commercial street leading to the school.

The strip was lined with a dozen or so clothing boutiques, their glass windows displaying the season’s fashions.

Spotting something new in a window, Song Shu stepped inside. A clerk approached to offer styling help. Song Shu rattled off brand histories effortlessly—which had the best craftsmanship, which flattered the figure—drawing praise after praise. The clerk even suggested matching tops and pants, leaving Ms. Song forgotten at the door.

Ms. Song stood there clutching her bag, her face heating up.

Song Shu spoke of luxury labels with such authority. Though the older sister, she looked years younger than Ms. Song.

The clerks fawned over her, sidelining Ms. Song entirely.

Ms. Song flushed with embarrassment.

Finally, Song Shu emerged, chattering to her sister about her latest designer buys.

Ms. Song listened in silence, a bitter taste in her mouth.

Compared to her sister, the only thing she had going for her was her daughter.

Ms. Song pondered how to steer the talk to the kids.

Before she knew it, they had reached the gates of River City Fourth High School.

Song Yuemin emerged right on time for dismissal.

She had fresh new nails and dressed to the nines—a short skirt making her stand out like a little princess amid her gaggle of friends.

Spotting Song Shu, Song Yuemin waved excitedly. “Mom!”

Then she saw Ms. Song and added sweetly, “Little Aunt.”

Song Shu fussed over her. “Sweetie, is school wearing you out?”

Song Yuemin shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“No high school senior has it easy,” Ms. Song interjected. After listening to her sister drone on, spotting Yuemin felt like a lifeline. She said stiffly, “Our Lulu’s only in second year, and she’s exhausted every day—studying late into the night sometimes.”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Song Shu’s face.

Feigning nonchalance, she replied, “Little Deer does well in studies, sure, but she doesn’t have many friends at school, does she?”

Ms. Song was caught off guard.

“Kids need friends at school,” Song Shu continued. “Otherwise, they’ll struggle in the real world. Doesn’t Little Deer have any? Sounds like she might be a loner—maybe a bit withdrawn?”

“Is Lulu like that?”

Ms. Song’s face darkened.

It was true—Lu Chenyu had grown up without friends.

As a child, she had been pretty and sweet, popular in school.

She used to have tons of friends, but Ms. Song had nipped that in the bud.

By the time she realized her mistake and encouraged Lu Chenyu to make friends, her daughter’s walls were up. Where to even start?

Song Yuemin spoke awkwardly. “Mom, ease up. Little Fish is a good kid.”

Her mom and aunt were always one-upping each other. Song Yuemin felt caught in the middle.

Deep down, the sisters cared: bedside vigils when sick, holiday treats they loved. When the Lus moved to River City, it was their mom who found their house. But they couldn’t kick the habit of sniping at each other.

She and Little Fish were the innocent ones.

Song Shu pressed on. “Too good isn’t healthy either. If no one wants to play with her, there must be something off with her personality.”

Ms. Song was speechless, mortified.

Suddenly, Song Yuemin pointed. “Hey, isn’t that Little Fish playing ball over there?”

It was dusk.

They stood outside the back gate, peering through the iron fence at the distant brick-red teaching building and fields.

The sunset bathed the volleyball court in orange glow.

The day’s heat lingered in the air; dust from running feet hung in a thin haze.

Lu Chenyu wore the school short-sleeved uniform, her jet-black hair in a ponytail. Her movements were crisp and precise.

The volleyball arced through the air before thudding dully on landing. It flew toward Bai Xian, who reached but fumbled it, sending it rolling to Tang Yimo’s feet.

Tang Yimo slumped in defeat, tempted to kick it back.

Lu Chenyu curved her lips. “It’s volleyball, not soccer.”

Everyone burst out laughing.

Tang Yimo wailed dramatically. “This stupid ball is making me question my life! I’m athletic, so why can’t I get the hang of volleyball?”

Wen Feixi said flatly, “Hurry up. Time’s short.”

Tang Yimo reset and served again.

Lu Chenyu and Wen Feixi synced perfectly, volleying back and forth.

Lu Chenyu glanced back at Wen Feixi, her peach-blossom eyes crinkling behind stray locks. She wiped sweat from her brow, grinning ear to ear.

Ms. Song’s eyes went wide, her arms trembling with excitement. “See? That’s my daughter!”

Song Shu’s lips twitched.

How could someone ace exams and have so many friends?

After stewing, she said dryly, “Probably plays around too much at school—that’s why she’s always second in the grade.”

Song Yuemin piped up. “Mom, Little Fish was first in the class on the last monthly exam! You should’ve seen it—she crushed second place by over ten points!”

Song Shu: “…”