Chu Xin and Jiang Qianhe turned towards the sound. They discovered that the club president had already changed into the uniform of Maria Academy, with Bai Cheng and Zhong Ling, who had also removed their kendo uniforms and donned their school uniforms, standing behind her.
Zhong Ling was only slightly slower than the president, but Bai Cheng was timidly clutching the president’s sleeve, occasionally peeking at Jiang Qianhe before quickly retreating, unable to meet her gaze.
Chu Xin was the first to ask, “President… would you like to explain?”
Strange… Could the president know what Jiang Qianhe is thinking? Chu Xin felt a sense of unease, as if the president’s words were intentionally meant to deflect.
However, upon further thought, he realized it wasn’t that unusual. His interactions with Jiang Qianhe were mostly outside of school. Despite being in the adjacent class (Class 4, Grade 1), they had few opportunities to interact.
Even though he had simulated countless scenarios with her in a fictional setting, he realized that her real personality differed significantly from those portrayals. As a result, Chu Xin didn’t feel he truly understood Jiang Qianhe. Apart from being forcibly dragged into a few club activities by her, he knew little about the president, only that she was a serious and reserved girl.
Uncertain of their relationship, Chu Xin chose to ask simply and then remained silent, waiting for the president to speak. Inwardly, he didn’t fully trust the situation.
Although Chu Xin’s questions were driven by concern and curiosity, the underlying tension was directed at him, compelling him to seek clarity. However, investigating on his own would be time-consuming and inappropriate. Thus, he had no better option than to ask directly.
…
Jiang Qianhe, relieved by the president’s sudden intervention, let out a silent sigh. She didn’t know how to respond, fearing that even a perfect answer would arouse suspicion in Chu Xin. No one wanted a time bomb nearby.
What if she made a mistake? The consequences were unthinkable, and she knew a flawed response would only benefit Ji Yue Xuan. It seemed the scales of victory were tipping in her favor.
Fortunately, she had leveraged her authority as the student council president… who would have thought it would be useful here? Initially, when the senior members of the kendo club resigned due to exams, leaving only the president, Jiang Qianhe had used her authority to maintain the club, granting her enough time to recruit new members and ensure its survival.
Thus, Jiang Qianhe’s unrestrained behavior, or rather, her inability to suppress her emotions, was partly due to her love for the kendo club. The president, noticing the varying thoughts of the two, scratched her pink hair, wondering if her entrance was as dramatic and heroic as in a manga. Why were they so unreactive?
She had also peeked through the changing room door, catching a glimpse of the two in an inappropriate pose. Initially, she thought of taking a photo, perhaps to gain favor with the ‘cute’ younger student, but after careful consideration, decided against it, fearing the impact on her reputation as student council president.
In the end, it was probably unnecessary. The cute younger student was likely dispensable. Most of her time in the changing room was spent consoling Bai Cheng, who had been frightened by Jiang Qianhe. Seeing both of them staring at the president, she composed herself, cleared her throat, and spoke, “Then, allow me to explain why the younger student was in that state.”
Chu Xin nodded slightly, eagerly awaiting the president’s explanation. The president pulled forward the hesitant Bai Cheng and looked at Jiang Qianhe, saying, “Younger student, don’t you think you should apologize to the elder student you frightened?”
Jiang Qianhe hesitated, thought for a moment, then sighed and spoke hesitantly, with a hint of embarrassment, “I… I’m sorry, elder student, for frightening you just now…”
The apology was awkward, almost robotic, lacking sincerity, and could be described as dismissive. In a ‘doujin’ or similar work, such a character might use this lack of sincerity to manipulate, exploiting the student council president’s position as a weakness. This could be drawn out over hundreds of pages in a single-issue manga.
But Chu Xin wouldn’t do that, and Jiang Qianhe, with her formidable strength, wouldn’t be intimidated. Moreover, her circle consisted almost entirely of females, apart from a few relatives. Her usually lively and energetic demeanor was now stiff, both in posture and expression. Despite her mistake, she felt obligated to apologize to both Bai Cheng and Zhong Ling.
It was a rare sight to see Jiang Qianhe in such a state, and for some reason, it was rather endearing. Chu Xin thought, nearly laughing out loud, but quickly suppressed it, realizing it was impolite. However, Jiang Qianhe had noticed and gave him a sharp glance, her face flushing red. She wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Bai Cheng, who patted her head and stood stunned, “Um…”
“Wuu, this is the first time I’ve seen Jiang Qianhe apologize, and it was to me! I’m so moved…” Bai Cheng’s eyes glistened with tears as she looked at Jiang Qianhe. Jiang Qianhe huffed, but her voice was soft, “…Just a simple apology, nothing special…”
Damn, to be seen by Chu Xin in such a state… it was so embarrassing. Chu Xin was looking at her with an unusual expression. But why did she feel a strange sense of satisfaction? Wait… what am I thinking?
Jiang Qianhe quickly reined in her thoughts, still feeling uneasy. Even now, she wasn’t comfortable. Maybe she should sneak up on Chu Xin later and give him a small punishment? But she would need to control her emotions better this time, to avoid further exposure.
Zhong Ling also let out a sigh of relief, pulling Bai Cheng closer, “Well, we’ll be going now, president, younger student, and the experimental student.”
Chu Xin greeted them, finding it strange that they were leaving so soon. But that was probably for the best; the fewer people involved, the better. Jiang Qianhe simply sat down, no longer trying to avoid Chu Xin’s gaze with unnecessary movements. Chu Xin also sat, and the president did the same, but they were now seated far apart.
Chu Xin took a deep breath and spoke, “President, it’s been a while. Should you explain now?”
The president simply nodded, causing Jiang Qianhe’s heart to race. She had only regained her composure because of the president’s words, so she chose to trust her. However, she remained positioned behind Chu Xin, ready to act if things went wrong. This time, she felt more confident in her chances of success…
Just then, the president spoke, “Actually, Jiang Qianhe was upset because the kendo club was facing dissolution, and the experimental student was considering leaving the club.”
Chu Xin was taken aback, “That’s it?”
The president nodded expressionlessly, “That’s it.”
Chu Xin was stunned, realizing he had already considered this possibility. But… that was it?
Jiang Qianhe was also stunned, her usually cheerful face now a picture of bewilderment. She was so shocked that she couldn’t find the words to respond. She had lost all strength to act, knowing that Chu Xin would have anticipated this and taken precautions…
This was a hellish start for her.