Annoying Pest (Jiang Wan): Not happy…
Depressed Little Flower.jpg
Bei Huai stared at this post for a full ten seconds.
She had meant to scroll right past it, but her finger refused to move. Involuntarily, she found herself wondering why Jiang Wan was unhappy.
Had she gotten into an argument with someone? Was dance practice not going well? Or was it something else?
Bei Huai knew Jiang Wan had signed up for the New Student Welcome Party.
To master her routine as quickly as possible, the girl rushed to the dance studio whenever she had a spare moment, sometimes skipping non-essential classes just to practice.
Usually, whenever Bei Huai felt like showing up for a few classes, Jiang Wan was absent—and when Jiang Wan was there, she wasn’t.
Over this stretch of time, they had barely crossed paths.
At first, Bei Huai thought that was for the best. She hated having her emotions tugged around by others, and now things were finally settling back into their normal rhythm.
She and Jiang Wan were destined to be parallel lines, never destined to intersect.
Yet strangely enough, there she was in the classroom, gazing at the empty desk up front, and her thoughts would drift unbidden to Jiang Wan. The girl’s posture was always so straight and unyielding, as if nothing in the world could break her.
Even at a karaoke party in a private room, amid the group’s off-key wailing, her mind would wander back to that day on the rooftop.
The girl had stood bathed in sunlight, lifting her leg and arching her back with effortless grace, her waist supple and lithe. From a distance, she looked just like some sprite who had strayed into the human world.
Even when idly scrolling on her phone, her fingers would betray her, flipping straight to Jiang Wan’s feed.
Bei Huai knew this state of mind wasn’t right, but deep down, she didn’t mind the oddity. If anything, she rather enjoyed it.
Were it not for the modern world they lived in, she might have suspected Jiang Wan had cast some kind of spell on her.
The thought flickered and vanished, though, and she let out a scoff at her own foolishness.
It was just a passing novelty, nothing more. A girl with Jiang Wan’s personality was a first for her, so a bit of curiosity was only natural. It would fade soon enough.
That was what she told herself.
Then, the next second, a message notification chimed.
Annoying Pest: Classmate Bei Huai, sorry to bother you. I heard you’re good friends with Senior Cen Jin. I was hoping to ask about some of her preferences—like, what kind of people does she like? I know it’s a bit forward, but this means a lot to me. Thanks, Classmate Bei Huai.
Cen Jin???
When did Jiang Wan get tangled up with Cen Jin?
And asking what kind of people Cen Jin liked… Did that mean…?
Bei Huai clutched her phone, frozen for a long moment. Then she pressed her lips together and slammed the piano lid shut with a thud.
Face cold as ice, she punched in a phone number.
“Yo, what’s this? The big shot actually calling me? To what do I owe the honor?” The familiar teasing lilt came through the line.
The voice was as laid-back and irreverent as ever.
But Bei Huai knew better. At school, this one played the part of the perfect gentleman—restrained, especially around strangers. All polite manners, intellectual charm, and refined elegance.
The moment someone like that spotted a target they fancied, though, they set subtle traps layer by layer, drawing their prey in without a clue.
Cen Jin’s double life had fooled who knew how many innocent girls, all of them lost in the tender illusions she wove, unable to pull free.
“You pick up a new girlfriend recently?” Bei Huai asked, brow furrowed.
“Yeah, some dancer girl. But we’re on the rocks already,” Cen Jin replied airily.
She was a flirt, always chasing the next thrill—scummy, sure, but she did her best to make it up to them, never leaving anyone high and dry. In her eyes, it was all mutual consent. No harm, no foul.
The word “dancer” made Bei Huai’s frown deepen. Her voice turned frosty. “Cen Jin, I don’t care how much of a player you are or how many girlfriends you rack up. But one rule: if you’ve got someone, quit chasing after others.”
“Huh? Chasing who?” Cen Jin sounded utterly confused.
“You know exactly who!”
“All you do is chase romance day in, day out. One of these days, it’ll bite you back.”
Bei Huai swallowed her anger, spat out the words in a frigid tone, and hung up before the other side could even respond.
Cen Jin, abruptly dressed down out of nowhere: ???
Had Bei Huai taken leave of her senses today? She was packing some serious heat!
This was the first time Jiang Wan had been so distracted during dance practice.
She halted mid-move and stared at the fretful girl reflected in the mirror, letting out a helpless sigh.
Ever since Guanguan found out Cen Jin was dating someone, her mood had plummeted. The usual motor-mouth had gone quiet and withdrawn, and even someone as steady as Jiang Wan couldn’t help worrying.
She’d never fallen for anyone herself, but she knew exactly how bitter the taste of unrequited love could be.
She had also asked Guanguan exactly what she liked about Cen Jin. She really couldn’t understand it. They hadn’t known each other for long, so how could Guanguan like her so much already?
Back then, Guanguan’s eyes had sparkled like they were filled with stardust.
She said she didn’t know either—she had just fallen for her. She liked Cen Jin’s looks, her excellence, her smile. She even liked her flaws.
Though Jiang Wan didn’t understand that kind of infatuation, she knew one-sided pursuit was pointless.
Especially since Cen Jin was such a flirt.
After Cen Jin’s girlfriend skipped dance practice for three days straight, Jiang Wan couldn’t hold back and asked the others about it.
“Oh, you mean Yuanyuan? Looks like she fought with Cen Jin. Cen Jin’s been ignoring her for days now. Yuanyuan’s gone looking for her several times, but Cen Jin won’t even see her. She’s probably off chasing someone new as we speak.”
“Yuanyuan’s way too pathetic. Is that what you call dating?”
“Tch, if you ask me, Liu Yuan had it coming. We told her ages ago that a player like Cen Jin wasn’t right for her, but she wouldn’t listen. Now Cen Jin’s bored and wants to dump her, and she’s out there apologizing like a fool.”
“…”
Gossip spread like wildfire at school. This time, Jiang Wan didn’t even have to say a word before Guan Shaorong heard that Cen Jin was on the verge of breaking up.
Seeing the light in the girl’s eyes, Jiang Wan felt a pang of worry.
She had a nagging feeling that Guanguan was going to take a hard fall over Cen Jin.
To spare her as much pain as possible, she resolved to crush this budding crush before it could take root.
First step: make Guanguan see reason and back off.
The odds of success were slim to none, but Jiang Wan wanted to give it a shot anyway.
For that, she needed to figure out Cen Jin’s type. The school forum had plenty of speculation, and there were patterns among her exes, but to play it safe, Jiang Wan decided to ask Bei Huai.
If the two were truly close friends, Bei Huai would know Cen Jin’s preferences.
Of course, Jiang Wan wasn’t holding her breath. This was Cen Jin’s private business, after all—Bei Huai had no reason to spill.
Half an hour after sending the message, Jiang Wan shrugged and figured there’d be no reply.
But right as she went to set her phone down, a notification chimed.
She tapped it open in WeChat, and her face twisted into a complicated expression at the sight.
Tsundere Ghost: She goes for big tits, perky asses, girls at least 170cm tall, with fiery personalities.
Jiang Wan: ???
She suspected Bei Huai was just screwing with her, but she had no proof.
Forum threads and breakdowns of Cen Jin’s exes painted a totally different picture. This was pure bullshit.
She was still inwardly griping when her phone buzzed again.
Tsundere Ghost: Give it up. You’re not her type.
Jiang Wan: …
Did Bei Huai seriously think she was the one chasing Cen Jin???
Talk about a massive mix-up.
Amused and irritated in equal measure, she started typing out a clarification.
Good Night: You got the wrong idea…
Tsundere Ghost: Oh?
She hadn’t even finished before the reply shot back, so fast it left her stunned.
Good Night: Yeah, actually it’s a friend of mine who likes Cen Jin. I’m asking on her behalf.
She didn’t want to drag Guanguan into it, so “a friend” would have to do.
Good Night: I don’t like Cen Jin. No feelings there at all.
After a moment’s thought, she tacked that on.
It wasn’t strictly necessary, but she couldn’t resist clearing the air with Bei Huai. She didn’t want any misunderstandings.
The message went through, but there was radio silence for ages.
Just as Jiang Wan started wondering if she’d messed up, a lazy “Oh” finally trickled in.
Talk about a woman of few words.
Jiang Wan shook her head with a faint smile, oddly accustomed to their back-and-forth by now.
She gathered her things to head out for food, and right on cue, Guan Shaorong appeared at the door, waiting for her.
“Wanwan!” Guan Shaorong bounded over with a beaming smile and hooked her arm through Jiang Wan’s.
“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Jiang Wan arched a brow. She had her suspicions, but asked anyway.
Sure enough, the girl bit her lip and murmured, “Cen Jin broke up. Her ex threw a massive crying fit in the dorm right after, so everyone there knows—and it hit the forum too. Just happened.”
“And?” Jiang Wan fell quiet for a beat before prompting her.
Guan Shaorong’s gaze dropped, her voice turning listless. “It sounds kinda shitty to say it, but yeah… I felt a little secretly thrilled when I heard.”
“But!” She jerked her head up, her tone sharpening.
“I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days. Right now, I don’t feel like I measure up to how amazing Cen Jin is. You wouldn’t get it, Wanwan. To me, she’s not just a crush—she’s the drive that pushes me to be better.”
“For her sake, I want to become more outstanding. Wanwan, you know I’ve never liked giving up halfway since I was a child—I want to win, not lose. So before I’m excellent enough, I won’t confess my feelings to her.” At least… at least she had to wait until Cen Jin finished her Gaokao. After all, that was her last chance to confess.
Hearing Guanguan say this, Jiang Wan suddenly felt like she was being a bit overly anxious.
Guanguan wasn’t a child, after all. She believed that Guanguan could handle her own emotions well.
Moreover, liking Cen Jin could even motivate her to study—yes, that was a good thing too.
Since that was the case, she might as well let everything take its natural course. After all, Jiang Wan was also afraid that too much meddling on her part would backfire.
…
Looking at the explanation Jiang Wan had sent, Bei Huai snorted coldly and muttered under her breath, “Who you like is none of my business.”
But the next second, she touched the corner of her mouth, trying to hide her smile.
“She still has some good judgment, knowing that Cen Jin is no good.”
Her mood suddenly brightened, and she wasn’t even affected when Cen Jin’s call came in.
“Hello? What’s up?”
“Bei Huai, did you take the wrong medicine today? You’re actually calling just to lecture me. Sigh, I just broke up, and now you’re pushing me to find the next target right away—I attract whoever I see.” Cen Jin was deliberately trying to rile Bei Huai up.
Come on, come on—keep lecturing her and see if she doesn’t fire back!
“What’s that got to do with me? Go find someone yourself. Don’t come bothering me with your messed-up drama.” Bei Huai said with an indifferent expression, then hung up the phone.
Her mood was good right now, so she rarely felt like playing the piano for a bit.
But given Cen Jin’s personality, she figured she’d probably call again to harass her.
So, Bei Huai decisively blocked Cen Jin.
Cen Jin, who had been hung up on again: ???
She felt like Bei Huai must be seriously ill or something.
She’d just been lecturing her about being obsessed with romance, and now suddenly it was none of her business.
Fine, real fine! If she’s so damn good at it, why doesn’t she just go get a face transplant!
