“You have no idea, my dear Young Miss~” Liang Sheng lovingly caressed Lu Ziqing’s cheek. “God only knows how much I missed you after being apart all morning!”
Lu Ziqing had grown used to such words and was no longer swayed by them. She swatted away Liang Sheng’s wandering hand and pinched the other girl’s cheek hard. “What are you up to? Did you do something wrong?”
Liang Sheng winced at the force of it, baring her teeth in pain. “Ow, ow, ow! Young Miss! Let go!”
Lu Ziqing rolled her eyes and released her grip.
Liang Sheng clutched her sore cheek, staring at the massive eye-roll Lu Ziqing had just gifted her. Unable to resist mouthing off again, she started up.
“Young Miss, I told you last time—rolling your eyes like that can lead to retinal detachment…”
She didn’t even finish the sentence.
Lu Ziqing raised her hand, holding it up in the air and shaking it.
Liang Sheng slunk away in defeat and returned to her own seat.
Lu Ziqing lowered her hand with a huff and grumbled her way back to her seat as well.
Liang Sheng glanced back at Young Miss Lu Ziqing behind her, scratching her head in confusion. Why did Miss Lu seem so strange after skipping the morning and showing up for the afternoon? It was like her mood was off or something?
Guided by her principle of “helping others brings joy,” she plastered on a shameless grin and sidled up to Lu Ziqing again. The Young Miss was sitting there, lost in thought.
“Young Miss, you look like you’re in a bad mood. What’s wrong?” Liang Sheng propped her head up with both arms.
Lu Ziqing didn’t seem keen on answering. She turned her head aside and muttered two words under her breath: “Nothing.”
Well, that expression, that tone, that way of speaking—it was clear something was wrong. She was definitely mad, and not just a little!
Alright, time for some persistent coaxing!
“Come on, Young Miss, tell me~ There has to be something~ I’m your best friend, after all. Whatever happened, I’ll do everything I can to help you!” Liang Sheng pleaded earnestly, sweet-talking with all her might.
Under this gentle persuasion, Lu Ziqing’s resolve wavered.
Yeah, she remembered reading in a book that good friends were supposed to function like this.
“It’s nothing, really. I just had a big fight with my dad.” Lu Ziqing still looked a bit embarrassed, probably thinking it was childish for someone her age to throw a tantrum like that.
Liang Sheng sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. Her dad was the provincial governor, for heaven’s sake! Cough. Just the thought of arguing with the governor made her break out in a sweat.
“W-what… what was it about?” She was so startled she’d even started stuttering.
Lu Ziqing couldn’t quite explain it herself. Spoiled rotten from birth, she had the deep-seated temperament of a haughty young miss—one who said jump, and no one dared say how high.
This fight with her father had probably stemmed from him refusing to buy the dress she wanted.
As Lu Ziqing explained it to Liang Sheng, the latter knew full well this was all Su Ze’s doing. He and Lu Ziqing were childhood sweethearts, and he’d personally cultivated this side of her.
Young Miss Lu Ziqing’s personality had been with her for seventeen years—how could it change overnight? Even if she was slowly improving now, it would take time.
“So, whose fault do you think it was?” Liang Sheng decided to guide her gently.
In the original story, Lu Ziqing’s temperament had gotten her into no end of trouble. When Liang Sheng first read the novel, she’d hated this female lead the most—such a drama queen, so overbearing.
But after spending so much time with her, Liang Sheng had discovered the girl was actually kind and cute at heart. So, she might as well help her out.
Just as Lu Ziqing opened her mouth to answer—
“What are you two talking about?” Ni Sihan, who hadn’t had a scene in ages, suddenly realized it was her cue. She barged right in, squeezing between them.
What the hell—this rude woman.
With Lu Ziqing’s uncompromising personality, she naturally hated being interrupted.
Whoosh—Favorability dropped.
“Lu Ziqing’s Favorability Toward Ni Sihan: 12”
Whoosh—Adoration Value dropped.
“Lu Ziqing’s Adoration Value Toward Ni Sihan: 1.5”
Ni Sihan: “…” What the heck had she done wrong? All she said was one sentence! This woman was impossible to please!
Ni Sihan grumbled inwardly. Why did her conquest targets have to be a bunch of girls? How great would it be if they were handsome guys instead!
Of course, fat chance of that.
Akino Hoshiko overheard her and chuckled to herself. Exactly because you’re straight, that’s why…
At the thought, Akino Hoshiko lowered her gaze. Her own utility was probably only worth that much.
Akino Kazuko…
To claw back the lost Adoration Value, Ni Sihan steeled herself and pressed on.
“What are you guys chatting about? Can I join in? I’m so bored~” Ni Sihan clasped her hands together, squeezed her eyes shut, and put on her cutest begging face.
Lu Ziqing frowned, her patience wearing thin. She opened her mouth to snap back.
Hey! Liang Sheng had gotten a good read on Young Miss Lu Ziqing’s temper by now. She jumped up, leaned over, and clapped a hand over the Young Miss’s mouth.
“You… mmph, mmph?” Lu Ziqing blinked in confusion, her mouth sealed tight by Liang Sheng’s palm.
Sure, Ni Sihan might be the enemy, but Liang Sheng didn’t want to let the Young Miss’s temper—cultivated maliciously by others—ruin her any further. Deep down, this girl shouldn’t be misunderstood and hated by so many because of it.
“Ahaha~” Liang Sheng kept her hand over the Young Miss’s mouth as she smoothed things over. “W-we’re just playing… playing, uh… Truth or Dare! Yeah, just Truth or Dare!”
It was the only game she could think of.
Though the two of them looked and acted suspiciously, Ni Sihan had no choice but to buy it.
“C-can I play too? Pretty please~?” Ni Sihan started acting cutesy again.
God, I really don’t want to. Liang Sheng pulled a long face but glanced at the clock on the wall. Her eyes lit up in an instant.
“It’s almost time for class—let’s do it after school!” With that, she released Lu Ziqing’s mouth.
Lu Ziqing, who’d been muffled for what felt like forever, finally breathed in the sweet air of freedom and let out a sigh of relief. Ah~ Not being smothered to death is bliss~
Ni Sihan checked the clock too and saw class was indeed about to start. Plus, Liang Sheng was already heading back to her seat, so she couldn’t cling any longer like a sticky plaster.
Once Ni Sihan had left, Liang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, all of a sudden, she noticed her palm—the one that had covered Lu Ziqing’s mouth—felt a bit sticky.
Huh? She looked down and saw some sparkling liquid glistening on her hand.
