LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 12
Li Miao's eyes were glued to her phone, the blue glow painting her face in the darkness. Under the blankets, her finger twitched over the screen, then stilled. Worry lines creased her brow as she reread Xu Yue's message:
[Xu Yue]: “Thank you for the wonderful date. I look forward to our next one.
What should I reply back to her? Wuwu… Why did the female protagonist end up going on a date with me instead?
Li Miao scrolled up and down. Her finger tapped out a response, then backspaced - again and again. Her lips tightened a silent battle playing out on her face. On one hand, who wouldn’t want to get close to their idol? On the other hand… if she saw Xu Yue’s beauty frequently, her heart might not be able to take it!
It’s too much pressure to talk to her! Alright! I’ll just tell her that it was a mistake!
With a final tap, she sent:
[Li Miao]: “You’re welcome. But I think there was a misunderstanding.
Xu Yue's response came lightning fast.
[Xu Yue]: “A misunderstanding? I thought you were the one to invite me…”
Her fingers fumbled, deleting and retyping.
[Li Miao]: “Yes, but… I don’t like you in that way!”
Xu Yue's next message hung in the air, gentle, pleading:
[Xu Yue]: “But I thought it was a date between friends?”
A flicker of relief showed on Li Miao’s face…and then Xu Yue dropped a bombshell:
[Xu Yue]: “And because we’re friends, could I bother you more in the future? I feel quite lonely…”
[Li Miao]: “ Don’t you have other friends, Xu Yue?”
[Xu Yue]: “Unfortunately, I don’t have many other friends because of a certain someone. You won’t take responsibility? [Screenshot.jpg]”
The screenshot, a barren chat history except for Li Miao, slammed into her like a cannonball.
T-this coquettish female lead! You just got this phone! B-but my heart feels so heavy…
Her hands shook as she typed:
[Li Miao]: “Okay… I’ll talk to you then.”
[Xu Yue]: “Great, I expect daily messages from you.
How did it end up like this!? Li Miao groaned, covering her face with her hands. Curse my weak willpower…
Tang Jia was unsure about the changes she witnessed in her friend Xu Yue.
“Sister Xu, I think there might be something wrong with you…” Tang Jia took a small step back, her eyes widening in playful alarm. "You're creeping me out." A shaky laugh escaped her lips as she grasped the back of a chair for support, a flicker of actual discomfort crossing her face.
Xu Yue barely glanced at Tang Jia, raising a single eyebrow ever so slightly before returning her gaze to her phone. Playing with the acrylic phone strap, she smiled slightly.
“That! That’s what I mean!” Tang Jia pointed directly at Xu Yue. “Why are you smiling so much? I haven’t seen you like this from the day we met. Have you gone insane?”
Xu Yue ignored her, focusing on her phone screen.
Tang Jia began circling Xu Yue slowly, mimicking a dramatic detective. "The smile... the phone fixation...it's a classic case.”
Tang Jia pointed at Xu Yue with the flair of a particular video game lawyer. "The only logical explanation – you've been replaced by an alien!"
“You’re noisy.” Overruled! Xu Yue brushed off all the evidence without missing a beat.
She casually swiped her fingers on her phone, the flashing lights dancing on her face. Li Miao’s timeline was pulled up on it. There were plenty of photos of food and plushies of Cinder the cat. The next image was one of Li Miao smiling brightly, hugging a giant plushie.
The scrolling slowed down, and her thumb delicately traced the image of Li Miao smiling, using her fingers to zoom in slightly. A faint smile softens her expression.
Lately, she’s been getting cuter and cuter… why is that?
Continuing her scrolling, her features darkened slightly. The phone that brightly illuminated the area around it dimmed down. The cute and warm photos were replaced with cold, elegant photos of Li Miao adorning evening dresses at formal parties.
These were… from the dates before she fell. It’s almost like she’s a different person.
Xu Yue noticed some changes in Li Miao's behavior. As she thought back on her memories, she recalled Li Miao's apology, her weak appearance when confronted, the love letter and gift Li Miao had given her, and even their most recent date.
Without Xu Yue's knowledge, her guard had been gradually weakened.
A sudden buzz startled her fingers, followed by a sharp 'ding' from the speakers that pierced the bubble of her thoughts. It was a text from Li Miao, who had made it a habit to message her.
[Li Miao]: “Xu Yue! Make sure you stay warm, okay? It’s been getting cold lately, and health is important! [Cat_shiver.jpg]”
Xu Yue always smiled at the little images Li Miao decorated her messages with.
It’s hard to imagine someone like this being even a bit malicious towards me. Those memories seem to be so distant.
[Xu Yue]: “You too.”
[Li Miao]: “[Thumbs_up.gif]”
Tang Jia, who was watching this from the side in disbelief: “There’s something seriously wrong here…”
Behind the gym, the air was tense. Qi Rui and her clique huddled together, plotting with a singular focus: undermine Xu Yue in the upcoming home economics class. They turned their attention to Ying Lian, hoping to leverage her admiration for Li Miao.
“Ying Lian,” Qi Rui began, her voice dripping with faux camaraderie, “we need that bitch Xu Yue to fail the next class. Can you sneak extra sugar into their dish?”
Ying Lian's stance was noncommittal, arms crossed, a facade of innocence firmly in place. “And why would Ying Lian do that?” she queried, her tone light yet probing.
Caught off guard by the resistance, Qi Rui scrambled for leverage. “It’s Li Miao’s wish. She dislikes Xu Yue, in secret. She sent us to you,” Qi Rui lied, banking on Ying Lian’s loyalty to manipulate her.
Confusion flickered across Ying Lian's face. “But Li Miao and I talk about everything…”
Qi Rui continued, " That's exactly why she chose us for this. It’s a secret mission. After all, you want to help Li Miao, right?”
Ying Lian paused, a moment of hesitation palpable. “Fine, I’ll do it,” she relented, her agreement laced with apparent reluctance.
Zhang Wei's presence went unnoticed at the entrance. His jaw tightened as he listened, a storm brewing in his gaze. The pieces fell into place, painting a picture he wished he hadn’t seen.
Ying Lian was talking with those girls… Li Miao really hasn’t changed.
Xu Yue was surprised when she found out that she was going to be in the same home economics group as Li Miao. It's possible that the teachers thought that since Li Miao had shown a positive change in attitude towards Xu Yue, there would be no problems.
Except there was definitely a problem.
Li Miao's knuckles turned white on the fire extinguisher, her shoulders rigid. Her eyes darted wide with a mix of determination and fear.
Pfft, she looks like that cat mascot of hers. A muffled snort escaped Xu Yue's lips. Despite the situation, there was something undeniably comical about Li Miao's stance.
"Can anyone cook here?" The question hung in the air, eyes shifting between Xu Yue and Li Miao, the latter still frozen in her standoff with the gas stoves.
“Mmm, a bit," Xu Yue offered, her gaze fixed on Li Miao. Approaching, she reached out, her fingers brushing Li Miao's cheek softly, reassuringly.
Tears welled in Li Miao's eyes, but her chin jutted out in defiance. Meeting Xu Yue's gaze, she seemed to draw strength. "Xu Yue, I’m being safe, okay!? I’m just magnanimous, after all, I have to look after my fellow classmates!"
Xu Yue responded with a soft smile, "Yes, Miss Li. We appreciate your hard work." Their closeness left the room in quiet whispers of disbelief and envy.
“D-did I just see that right?”
“I wish Xu Yue smiled at me instead!”
“When did those two get so close?”
Li Miao's flush spread down her neck. She puffed out her chest, but the wobble in her voice betrayed her nerves as she stepped back.
"Xu Yue, I’m warning you! Don’t mess with me while I’m in the line of duty!" Her attempt at sternness crumbled, and warmth flickered in her eyes.
"Yes, yes, I’ll do as you say," Xu Yue replied, her tone playful yet respectful.
Xu Yue’s knife was flashing, and pork hit the board in neat cubes. Carrots became a blur of orange before settling into a pile. Their group sped through the prep work, far outpacing the rest of the class. Xu Yue put a pot on the stove and turned on the fire.
Click Click
Li Miao recoiled slightly, each spark sending a jolt through her.
Xu Yue, seeing Li Miao’s eyes, realized something was wrong.
Is she… actually afraid of fire? A knot tightened in Xu Yue's stomach.
She quickly added all the ingredients to the pot and covered it. Other than the final seasoning, there wasn’t much left to do. Walking behind Li Miao, she cupped her hands over her eyes, her coldness calming against Li Miao's skin.
“Don’t look if you’re scared,” She said.
"W-who’s scared?" Li Miao's shoulders sagged with unspoken relief, yet her chin lifted, clinging to the facade Xu Yue crafted for her.
“Mmm… I’m scared.” Xu Yue gave Li Miao an excuse.
I'm scared that you’ll ruin the dish with that fire extinguisher.
"A-ah, then I’ll be gracious and help you out this time!" Li Miao declared, accepting the unspoken offer of solidarity.
The clatter of pans and the shouts of students faded. All that remained was Li Miao's quick breathing, the gentle sizzle of the pot, and the feeling of Xu Yue's hands against her skin. In that classroom filled with the buzz of activity, Xu Yue and Li Miao existed in a bubble of their own creation.
Zhang Wei's stomach twisted the overheard words gnawing at him. Ditching class wasn't like him, but he couldn't ignore this. He had to see for himself.
Li Miao, this time, I’ll stop you.
Peering through the classroom door, his heart slammed against his ribs. Xu Yue leaned close behind Li Miao, her hands shielding Li Miao's eyes. It was an oddly protective gesture, jarring against Li Miao's defensive grip on a fire extinguisher, its bright red paint screaming against the sterile kitchen tiles.
The kitchen buzzed with activity around them, yet at that moment, all eyes were drawn to the duo, their cooking left unattended. A flash of twin tails...then, swift and silent Ying Lian materialized by the pot. A sprinkle of something in her hand disappeared into the simmering broth. She vanished just as quickly. A jolt shot through him. She'd sabotaged it!
I knew it. This girl was up to no good.
But as he continued to watch, the expected chaos never unfolded. After some time, Xu Yue lifted the lid, confusion painting her face as she tasted the stew. Her brow furrowed, a silent question hanging in the air. She turned to her group, a wordless exchange passing between them. A taste test by another group member quickly turned into smiles and nods of approval—the dish was a success. They turned off the heat and served a bowl to the teacher.
Zhang Wei's mind spun. Ying Lian messed with it... But how? What was going on?
Meanwhile, Xu Yue was lost in her own thoughts. The dish was perfectly seasoned despite no one adding anything. Her group brushed off her concerns, attributing their unexpected success to luck.
Xu Yue: I must be going crazy…
Li Miao: You weren’t already?
Xu Yue: Crazy for you *hugs Li Miao*
Li Miao: *blushes and pushes Xu Yue away* You really are crazy!
