As Liang Sheng climbed the stairs, she brushed past Su Ze.
She glanced back at him, catching only his hastily retreating figure. Just as she turned to continue upward, Su Ze suddenly halted. He whipped his head around, his eyes locking directly onto hers.
A chill ran down Liang Sheng’s spine, freezing the smile on her lips.
That man’s gaze was pure murder—he looked ready to tear her apart and devour her whole!
Though startled for a few seconds, she quickly rallied and shot back with a fierce glare of her own. With a toss of her head, she stormed up the stairs without another glance.
“Whoa~ That was badass~” Akino Kazuko teased.
Liang Sheng huffed. “Badass? That look of his scared the hell out of me. I half-expected him to lunge up here and wrap his hands around my throat again!”
“If he chokes you out, he’s toast anyway,” Akino Kazuko replied with a shrug. “Last time, you backed him into a corner. He lost it and went off the rails.”
“But what about this time? I’m on the verge of succeeding—doesn’t that mean I’m pushing him right back to the edge?” Liang Sheng’s brows furrowed tightly.
Akino Kazuko sighed helplessly. “All we can do is… stay extra vigilant.”
“You, this…” It was basically saying nothing at all, but Liang Sheng bit back the complaint.
Sigh. Even now, everything was a muddled mess. She had no clue about the ins and outs—the who, what, and why. Who was Sister Ling Dang at the beach? What was her connection to Su Ze? Did it tie into the whole affair, or was that a dead end too? Everything swam in fog. How could she possibly win when she was this clueless? She had to uncover the truth!
“Hey!” A book slammed onto the green-haired girl’s desk. There stood Young Miss Lu Ziqing, hands on her hips, looming over Liang Sheng. “Did you even sleep last night? Those bags under your eyes—you look absolutely wrecked!”
She had only meant to show concern for the girl she liked, but the words twisted on Miss Lu’s tongue and came out all wrong.
Fortunately, Liang Sheng was used to it by now. She flashed a smile. “Yeah~ Couldn’t sleep a wink. I was missing you, Young Miss~”
Ding~
Lu Ziqing’s favorability toward Liang Sheng: 200+
“You—!” Young Miss Lu faltered, but a spark of delight lit her eyes. She snatched up the book from Liang Sheng’s desk, clutched it to her chest, and huffed past her to her own seat. “Talking nonsense again!”
“It’s the truth, Young Miss~” Even bone-tired and bleary-eyed, Liang Sheng never missed a chance to flirt.
Unnoticed, Su Ze had slipped into the classroom. He took his seat and watched the exchange in silence.
“Stop this… Please, just end it all!” The desperate plea echoed in Su Ze’s ears. Irritated, he clamped his hands over them, his teeth grinding with a sharp creak-creak.
So annoying! He slammed his palm on the desk and shot to his feet.
The chattering classmates around him fell silent at the sudden bang, all eyes turning to him in unison.
Su Ze’s face darkened ominously.
A nearby classmate ventured cautiously, “Su Ze, you okay? Feeling under the weather?”
Su Ze paused, then nodded. “I’m going to take a sick day. Sorry for startling everyone with that desk slam.”
With that, he hurried out of the room.
In Teacher Dong Yue’s office, Su Ze explained his request. She took one look at his ashen face and asked no questions, simply handing over the leave slip.
Clutching the slip, Su Ze made a beeline for the infirmary. That’s right—the one staffed by Mo Qingrou, not the bald-headed doctor’s.
Koukou.
“Come in.”
The door swung open with a whoosh.
Su Ze pushed into the infirmary and strode straight ahead.
Mo Qingrou sat at her desk, glancing up briefly. Upon recognizing him, she lowered her eyes indifferently. “What’s wrong with you?”
Hearing Mo Qingrou’s voice and seeing that cool, aloof face, Su Ze’s rigid expression softened in an instant.
She really did look just like…
He clenched his fists and slowed his pace, stopping before her.
“Sister Mo… you don’t remember me?”
Looks like he was here to play the old sentimentality card.
Mo Qingrou set aside her anatomy textbook, lifting her head. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. “I remember.”
“…”
What now? Classic conversation-ender—Mo Qingrou.
“Sister Mo, do you remember what I said back then?” Su Ze mustered his warm, gentlemanly smile. “You really look so…”
“Su Ze.” Mo Qingrou cut him off. “Didn’t you come here because you’re sick?”
“I…?” The man was left speechless.
“If this is a catch-up, come find me after hours. Right now is work time.” She adjusted her glasses.
“…”
No comeback for that.
“Um… Sister Mo, I actually do feel a bit off.” Fearing dismissal, Su Ze hurriedly flashed Teacher Dong Yue’s slip. “I’ve been having insomnia lately. My mental state’s been shot.”
Mo Qingrou eyed the slip on her desk, then fixed her gaze on Su Ze’s face, cutting straight to the chase. “You’ve got something weighing on your mind.”
Su Ze froze.
Truth be told, he hated facing this woman, Mo Qingrou. From their very first encounter, he’d realized she was impossible to read. And after she bound to a system one time, she’d nearly wrecked him completely. Of course, this icy woman had always been the toughest nut to crack.
Not to mention her looks and voice… Su Ze shook his head sharply. No, he couldn’t dwell on it.
“Sit.” Mo Qingrou indicated the chair opposite her.
Su Ze obeyed meekly. “Mm, maybe it’s the study pressure piling up. Sister Mo, could we have a heart-to-heart?”
“A heart-to-heart is for good friends. Why come to me?” Mo Qingrou poked at him again, right in the ribs.
Su Ze choked on his words.
“Say what you need to say.” At last, the big iceberg relented a fraction.
Su Ze forced a stiff smile. “Forget my recent headaches, then. Sister Mo, let’s chat about something light—like back when we first met.”
He deliberately steered her toward memories of his finer moments, the ways he’d helped her.
“Oh?” Mo Qingrou rested one arm on the desk and tilted her head. Dressed in her white coat, her frosty, world-weary expression framed by the green trees and sunlight streaming through the window, she appeared utterly refined and ethereal.
For a moment, Su Ze lost himself again. Mo Qingrou’s figure blurred into the person etched deep in his memories.
Out of nowhere, she asked, “You like me?”
“Uh…?” Su Ze startled, realizing his lips had curved into an unwitting smile.
Should he say yes? Or no?
Yes seemed too forward; no would stall things.
For the sake of that heartthrob value, Su Ze feigned the innocence of a shy, romance-naive boy. He ducked his head, scratched at his cheek, and stammered, “S-Sister Mo, why do you ask that?”
