Interrogation and Hidden Feelings

I returned to the classroom and found Xiao Lu sitting in my seat, legs crossed, arms folded across her chest. Ling Yan had also turned toward me, watching me with a faint, indifferent gaze.

What’s with this interrogation setup?

I rubbed my head and cautiously approached Xiao Lu.

“Um, Lady Xiao Lu, why are you sitting in my seat?”

Xiao Lu’s seat was originally in front of Ling Yan, and Ling Yan was my deskmate, so we usually spent time together. And come to think of it, our seating arrangement hadn’t changed since we first enrolled, all the way through class division. I didn’t know if that was a coincidence or fate.

“What? Am I not allowed to sit in Chenzi’s seat?”

Xiao Lu lifted her eyes and gave me a flat look. She crossed her legs, her little foot in its leather shoe gently bobbing up and down.

“Well, of course you can! Ha… ha…”

“And Chenzi, don’t try to change the subject. Tell me quickly—why did Ai Xi-chan come to find you?”

Xiao Lu gave me a look of disdain. Ling Yan nodded slightly beside her.

(Did Xiao Lu see right through me?) I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, then had no choice but to tell them about meeting Ai Xi yesterday.

“So Ai Xi-chan just wanted to thank Chenzi?”

Xiao Lu placed her hands on the desk, one hand propping up her cheek, looking up at me from below. Her gently bobbing foot also came to a stop.

“Yeah, what else could it be?”

I felt Xiao Lu’s sharp gaze fade, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s true. Chenzi is such an ordinary person, Ai Xi-chan wouldn’t have any other reason to look for you.”

Xiao Lu nodded with an expression of understanding.

“I say, Xiao Lu, did you just casually insult me?”

(Sorry for being such an ordinary person!)

“Ah~ sorry, sorry.”

Xiao Lu blinked, her hands pressed together in apology, her face full of play-remorse.

But I could tell she wasn’t sincere at all. What was that slight upward curl at the corner of her mouth supposed to mean?

I sighed helplessly and looked over at Ling Yan, who had already finished her food and was sitting upright in her seat, reading a book.

(How I wish Ling Yan would tease me like that. Would that mean she cared about me even a little?)

I gave a bitter smile. “Xiao Lu, don’t you think you should go back to your seat? Class is about to start.”

I withdrew my gaze and looked at Xiao Lu, who had relaxed her entire body and was lying limply on the desk.

“Ah, so tiring. It’s all Chenzi’s fault. I haven’t been able to relax at all just now.”

Xiao Lu turned her head, her pretty face pressed against the desk, looking at me with a hint of reproach.

“But class is starting. I can’t just sit in your seat, can I?”

I looked helplessly at Xiao Lu, who was hogging my seat and acting like a brat.

(In the end, you were the one who insisted on an explanation.)

“Sigh, I guess you’re right. Otherwise, the teacher would definitely scold me. But letting Chenzi off like this just feels unsatisfying.”

Xiao Lu stood up and stretched, and the outline of her chest was displayed before me. Though not as ample as Ling Yan’s, it was still quite substantial.

But Xiao Lu was my friend; I should avoid looking. I shifted my gaze slightly.

“So, what do you propose?”

“Hmm~ How about Chenzi treats me to a meal? Ai Xi-chan treated Chenzi, and then Chenzi treats me. That way, it’s like Ai Xi-chan treated me too, hehehe…”

Xiao Lu seemed to imagine Ai Xi treating her to a meal, a goofy smile spreading across her face.

(What kind of twisted logic is that?) I shook my head helplessly.

But is Ai Xi really that famous? Even Xiao Lu wants to have a meal with her? At school, Xiao Lu was always the one being invited, but she turned everyone down because she found it too troublesome. I always thought getting free food and drinks was great. If it were me, I’d be happy to go, but people not giving me trouble was good enough, let alone inviting me to eat.

“What if I passed Ai Xi’s thanks on to you?”

I thought Xiao Lu would accept with excitement, but when she heard my words, the smile on her face suddenly vanished.

“No.”

“Huh?”

“…After all, it was Chenzi who helped Ai Xi, not me.”

“Oh, oh, I see.”

Xiao Lu’s words made me sigh in relief. That emotionless tone of hers just now had really startled me.

“Forget it, I was just joking. Chenzi and Little Yan are always sticking together. I can’t go stealing Little Yan’s boyfriend.”

Xiao Lu stood up and returned to her seat. She looked at Ling Yan, then at me, and gave a sly grin.

But afterward, she seemed to have lost her energy, lying listlessly on the desk. Was it because I didn’t agree to treat her? Thinking about it, it had been a long time since I last went out to eat with Xiao Lu. Maybe I should invite her and Ling Yan to go grab something together. But I didn’t know if Ling Yan would agree.

Before, when I didn’t know Ling Yan had someone she truly liked, it was fine. But now, inviting her might feel disrespectful. Actually, I hadn’t even had a proper meal with Ling Yan once. We’d never been on a date. At this thought, I could only glance bitterly at Ling Yan, who was earnestly reading beside me.

Her long, straight black hair hung quietly behind her back; her clear, jet-black eyes moved with the words on the page. From time to time, she would brush away the stray strands of hair that had fallen over her forehead.

I found myself staring at her foolishly again. Even knowing she had someone she liked, I just couldn’t suppress these feelings.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Zhou Chen?”

Ling Yan felt my gaze, put down her book, and tilted her head to look at me in confusion.

“No, nothing.”

I hastily straightened my head and fumbled around in my desk drawer, pretending to organize my things.

(Damn, how did I end up staring at Ling Yan again? She already has someone she likes—she might even be dating them. And here I am, ogling a girl who has a boyfriend.)

I felt a pang of guilt. Maybe I should let go. But if I broke up with her, would Ling Yan end up being confessed to all the time again? Since she hid the fact that she had someone she liked, she must have a reason she couldn’t tell others.

“Zhou Chen, you…”

“I told you, Chenzi, you’re definitely acting weird today. It’s definitely not just about Ai Xi-chan.”

Just as Ling Yan was about to continue her inquiry, Xiao Lu, who sat in front of her, couldn’t help but turn around and look at me with suspicion.

Ling Yan paused, then nodded. But her gaze turned somewhat complicated as she looked at Xiao Lu.

“This…”

I looked at them, troubled. Did I have to tell them about seeing Ling Yan and her boyfriend yesterday? That would definitely cause Ling Yan a lot of trouble.

And I didn’t want to ruin this delicate relationship between Ling Yan and me. If I said it out loud, I probably wouldn’t be able to stay by Ling Yan’s side anymore.

Ring, ring, ring…

Just as I was at a loss for words, the class bell rang. Although Ling Yan and Xiao Lu looked like they really wanted to know, they obediently sat up straight and prepared for class.

I breathed a sigh of relief.