Tomorrow

Liu Yinuo felt her breath catch. Her gaze was locked onto the girl before her, searching for the expression she had hoped to see. But she was disappointed—the girl lowered her head once more, avoiding her eyes.

Having remained silent the entire time, she finally lifted her head for the first time. Yet those pink eyes, always filled with timidity, still refused to meet hers—they continued to dart away.

“Sorry, class president. The person I was waiting for has arrived. I have to go.”

With that, without waiting for Liu Yinuo’s response, she sidestepped her and walked over to Qin Haiyue’s side.

Seeing Qin Haiyue extend her hand, she docilely took it.

“Let’s go…” she murmured, head bowed.

“Mm, good girl~” Qin Haiyue’s expression was exceptionally pleased. Taking advantage of her height, the two girls before her looked like children. She could easily savor the expressions they had just worn—Ye Xingmian’s painful struggle, Liu Yinuo’s disbelief. Everything was so delicious, it lifted her spirits considerably.

Turning back with a mocking smile, she shot a provocative glance at Liu Yinuo, then, holding Ye Xingmian’s hand, walked away without looking back.

In the deserted classroom, Liu Yinuo stood alone. She clenched her fists, staring at the direction where the two had disappeared, her arms trembling.

‘Why…?!’

‘I don’t understand. I don’t accept this. How could this be? It must be a lie, right? How could Xingmian possibly accept a confession from a scumbag like that?’

‘She was definitely forced. Definitely threatened. Definitely!’

‘Why is she avoiding me? Do I have to force you like Qin Haiyue? What does she have that I don’t? She’s been bullying you so much, why would you go with her?’

‘Is it just because she’s tougher? More intimidating? Don’t you like gentleness? Do you prefer this kind of harshness?’

She always avoided me, but under Qin Haiyue’s intimidation, she even accepted something as absurd as “becoming her girlfriend.” This infuriated and bewildered Liu Yinuo.

Originally, she had been patient. Even if you rejected her again, she would still try again—warming up to your indifference, approaching you, getting closer, until you were willing to open up, until your relationship could finally take a step forward.

But what happened with Qin Haiyue changed her mind.

She was still the gentle Liu Yinuo; that hadn’t changed. But her patience had worn thin. She felt she needed a different approach.

An approach that, for this poor little thing, would be more effective and more pragmatic.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow it is. Saturday—school is off. No matter what, she would drag Ye Xingmian to her own home. Whether with gentle words or by physically pulling her into the car and driving her there, she would bring Ye Xingmian home. Then she would interrogate her! She would pour out all her grievances, confusion, and bewilderment. She had to understand why Ye Xingmian was avoiding her. She had to know what exactly was the relationship between Ye Xingmian and Qin Haiyue, and what the hell this so-called ‘girlfriend’ was all about!

She gritted her teeth. She had realized that no matter how hard she tried to approach Ye Xingmian, it was futile. Instead, she should prepare for tomorrow. She packed her bag and set off for home.

****

Although she had held Qin Haiyue’s hand when leaving the classroom, soon after they were outside, the girl struggled free. Qin Haiyue frowned but said nothing. The smile on her face faded slightly, as if her mood had soured, though she didn’t show it. A hint of irritation began to stir within her.

When they reached the school gate, the familiar luxury car was parked nearby as always. They walked over and opened the door. The driver was still the same middle-aged man in sunglasses.

This time, the girl automatically climbed into the back seat, and Qin Haiyue sat beside her as usual. The car was warm from the heater, filled with a pleasant scent of perfume. Hugging her backpack, the girl stared blankly into space.

Recalling what had just happened—she had let down the class president once again. Her heart ached. This feeling of betraying her own heart was unbearable, especially when the other person was someone she liked… Why… of all people, why the class president? Why…

While she was lost in thought, Qin Haiyue turned to her and nudged her.

“Hey, what are you zoning out for?” she frowned.

Snapping back to reality, the girl instinctively lowered her head and looked at her hands.

“Sorry…” Not knowing what else to say, she simply apologized.

“Did you figure out how to use the phone I bought you? Have you registered for QQ and WeChat?”

“Uh, I’m not really sure…”

“Tch, give it to me. I’ll set it up for you.”

The girl obediently took the phone out of her backpack and handed it to Qin Haiyue. Taking the phone, Qin Haiyue pressed the power button. No response. She frowned.

“Battery dead?”

She plugged the charger into the car, and the screen lit up. Watching her, the girl suddenly realized that her bedroom didn’t seem to have any power outlets… How would she charge the phone from now on? She couldn’t help but worry.

As she watched Qin Haiyue turn on the phone and start fiddling with it, a thought struck her. With a phone, couldn’t she contact her mother? She could call her mother. Although she couldn’t tell her about her transformation—that shock would be too great—but if she could just make a call, then her foster parents wouldn’t be able to cheat her mother out of money anymore. She could even complain to her mother, let her know that her situation was not good. Maybe that would improve her circumstances. She could also call her mother from under the covers late at night…

Lost in thought, the girl couldn’t help but smile. To her, her mother was her greatest reason to keep living. She dreamed of returning to her mother’s side and telling her everything that had happened. After all, a mother would surely accept the fact that her child had changed from a son to a daughter, right? The girl firmly believed that her mother loved her deeply.

But there was a very real problem: she didn’t know her mother’s phone number. Not knowing the number meant she couldn’t contact her. And among the people she knew, only her foster parents might have it… Would they tell her? The chances seemed slim, but she decided to try when she got home tonight. She missed hearing her mother’s voice so much, and she longed to pour out her heart, to whisper secrets to her. …She hoped it would work.

While the girl was lost in her thoughts, Qin Haiyue finished fiddling with the phone. But she didn’t rush to return it; she left it charging in the car.

“These two are me. When I send you a message, you must reply immediately. No ignoring me, understand?” Qin Haiyue stared at the girl with a tone that brooked no argument.

The girl could only nod. Having just fantasized about something wonderful, she was in a fairly good mood, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

“Okay.”