“I… have been hurting you, right?” she replied, realizing he had seemed unhappy since Ji Ran returned.
“I told you,” he said, rubbing his chin on her head, “That’s your specialty.” His voice was soft, like a sigh.
“You’re the fool,” she murmured.
He hugged her tightly. Yu Xiaoying cried quietly, letting her tears flow. Without crying, how could she ease the heartache and the sourness? Song Chu, you’re so silly; I can never forget Ji Ran, which hurts you too…
Outside the door, a girl in a white dress, Lin Yichen, leaned against the wall, silently crying. He was ultimately hers.
The next day, Yu Xiaoying opened the door. Song Chu stood there, smiling, extending his hand to her. Their hands connected.
His amber eyes held a hint of sadness as she smiled back. They walked silently, fingers brushing against warmth. His palm surrounded her fragility.
Sunlight stretched their shadows, and the wind playfully tangled their clothes. Yu Xiaoying felt a slight heartache.
Was this the feeling of happiness?
“Good morning! Geng Yaoyang,” came Song Chu’s warm voice.
Yu Xiaoying looked up.
Geng Yaoyang stared at their clasped hands, then moved to her face. After a moment, he smiled in relief.
Still the same eyes, unchanged.
A small hand tugged at Geng Yaoyang’s clothes. “Yaoyang-kun, is he your classmate?”
Yaoyang-kun? Yu Xiaoying’s mouth twitched slightly.
Song Chu smiled.
Geng Yaoyang looked embarrassed.
“I’m Yukifuki Zhizi, please take care of me!” Zhizi bowed.
Geng Yaoyang said, “You can show her around campus; I’m too lazy to walk.”
Song Chu looked at Yu Xiaoying, who nodded with a slight smile.
“Zhizi, I’m Song Chu from the student council,” he reassured Zhizi. “I’ll help you with the procedures.”
Song Chu didn’t call Yu Xiaoying, knowing she had a nationalist sentiment.
“Come here!” He pulled her forcefully.
“What!”
Yu Xiaoying broke free, thinking he was too pushy.
Geng Yaoyang cornered her against a tree trunk. “I was gone for just two days, and you’ve developed so quickly with him?”
She teased him, “Geng Yaoyang, is Zhizi your fiancée?”
Yu Xiaoying noted Geng Yaoyang’s face turn pale and then blue. That big-mouthed Rain!
She couldn’t help but laugh lightly.
Dazed by her smile, his handsome face moved closer…
Yu Xiaoying kept her distance and asked warily, “What are you doing?”
“Kissing you!” he replied lewdly.
As his possessive black eyes drew closer, she suddenly smiled brilliantly. “Zhizi, you’re back.”
Zhizi? Geng Yaoyang quickly turned his head. She seized the moment to slip out from under his arm.
Damn it! Where was Zhizi?
“Haha…” Yu Xiaoying laughed lightly. “Geng Yaoyang, you’re so cute!”
Geng Yaoyang blushed. “What are you laughing about?” a cool voice interrupted.
“Nothing, we won’t disturb you.” She turned away gracefully.
Geng Yaoyang stared at her elegant back.
“Do you like her, Yaoyang-kun?” Yukifuki Zhizi asked, her clear eyes on him.
“No! I—actually do like her.”
“I really like her,” she said with a pure smile. “Do you think I can be friends with her?”
“Better not!”
…
Campus news spread: the handsome Geng Yaoyang might have a “fiancée.”
Broken hearts littered the ground.
“Is that Geng Shao’s fiancée?” a curious voice asked.
“Nothing special!” came a disdainful reply.
“She’s not even as good-looking as me.”
Someone nearby began to be narcissistic.
“But, I like Geng Shao…” sighed a poor, infatuated woman.
Seeing more people gathering at the classroom door, Xuebuchizhi opened her innocent eyes. Yu Xiaoyan furrowed her brows.
A tall figure approached, stunned by the scene at the door. Infatuated girls surrounded the rumored male protagonist when he appeared.
“Geng Yaoyuan, you really have a fiancée!”
“Is she really Japanese?”
“You two don’t match at all!”
“What are you doing!” Geng Yaoyuan roared in anger, his face turning blue and his eyebrow piercing flashing irritation.
“All of you, get lost!” He walked into the classroom and slammed the door forcefully. The girl closest to the door shed tears.
[Volume One: Chapter Twenty-Seven – Physical Education Class]
“Yao!” Zhizi shouted.
Yu Xiaoyan secretly rejoiced, relieved that someone would stop this guy’s wild behavior.
“Are you hurt?” she rushed over with teary eyes.
Crash! Yu Xiaoyan looked bitterly at this fiancée-first 21st-century Japanese woman.
“No!” Geng Yaoyuan shook off a layer of goosebumps, secretly glancing at Yu Xiaoyan who wore a playful grin.
“Boom!” His schoolbag crashed onto the desk next to her as he looked at her provocatively.
Yu Xiaoyan frowned at the two connected desks, preparing to find another place.
“Sit down!” Geng Yaoyuan pushed her into her seat.
“Hey! Geng Yaoyuan!” she exclaimed, furious.
Xuebuchizhi watched the tense exchange between them, wide-eyed.
“Wow… Could Geng Yaoyuan and Yu Xiaoyan…”
Suddenly, the door opened, followed by a loud command.
“Shut up!” the two turned and yelled, then resumed glaring at each other.
“Yao, Xiaoyan…”
Ding~~~~
Class started.
Poor Xuebuchizhi sat behind the pair, observing them glare at each other throughout the class, seemingly witnessing sparks fly.
…
The last class was physical education. Despite the arrival of autumn, the weather remained scorching. “Today we’ll evaluate the 800 meters!” the teacher announced cheerfully.
Students dispersed to prepare.
Xuebuchizhi’s face turned pale as she thought, 800 meters!
Boys ran first.
“Geng Yaoyuan runs so fast!”
“His running style is so cool!”
“His girlfriend probably can’t run well…”
These comments made Xuebuchizhi’s face alternate between red and white.
Finally, it was the girls’ turn. Xuebuchizhi trembled as she approached the track.
Seeing Yu Xiaoyan in a white sports outfit waiting for the teacher’s signal, she mustered her courage.
“Ready—Go!”
The girls rushed out.
Xuebuchizhi struggled to keep up and, after only a hundred meters, lagged behind, her face pale and breathing heavy. As she pressed on, her legs felt like lead.
On the four-hundred-meter track, during her second lap, Yu Xiaoyan noticed Xuebuchizhi in the distance, frowning at her friend’s inability to continue.
On the final lap, as the other girls sprinted, Yu Xiaoyan slowed down, allowing several to pass her.
Suddenly, Xuebuchizhi fell hard to the ground, dust rising around her. No one came to help, perhaps because they didn’t see her or simply didn’t want to.
She lay alone, tears streaming down her face.
Yu Xiaoyan looked around, annoyed that Geng Yaoyuan had disappeared again. She bent down to assist Zhizi, who was limp from the fall, her pants torn.
“Get on!” she urged, but Xuebuchizhi didn’t respond. The other girls watched without offering help.
Then, two soft arms wrapped around Yu Xiaoyan’s neck, and she struggled to lift Xuebuchizhi. To her surprise, she found herself stronger than expected.
With people watching in astonishment, Yu Xiaoyan carried Xuebuchizhi step by step towards the school infirmary.
Yu Xiaoyan gritted her teeth and persisted, hating the size of the school more than ever. Sweat dripped down her forehead, soaking a large portion of her white sportswear. As she moved unsteadily, her delicate hand raised instinctively to wipe her forehead, causing her to lose balance. “Hey, don’t move around—ah!” she fell.
Yu Xiaoyan swore she had never felt so embarrassed. Yukifuki Tomoko landed on top of her, seemingly in shock and not moving. Yu Xiaoyan’s soaked sportswear quickly turned to mud upon hitting the ground, and she laid sprawled out, damaging her image as a beautiful woman.
