LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 26
Zhang Wei's heart pounded as the news of Li Miao's collapse hit him. Instinctively, he lurched toward her classroom, but his buzzing phone brought him to an abrupt halt.
[Ying Lian]: “Don't even THINK about coming here.”
With a frustrated sigh, he thumbed out a reply:
[Zhang Wei]: “Just checking on a classmate. What's the big deal?”
Her response was almost instantaneous:
[Ying Lian]: “The last thing she needs is a whiff of your disgusting sweat. Stay away. Preferably out of the country.”
[Zhang Wei]: “Disgusting? I’ve already visited before!”
Zhang Wei was seething. This girl! Then, another message, and this one cut deeper:
[Ying Lian]: “Idiot. Ever wonder why Li Miao practically shrinks away when you’re around? Don't ruin her recovery.”
[Ying Lian]: “Back. Off.”
[Ying Lian]: “I’m warning you.”
A barrage of rapid-fire replies came from Ying Lian.
His anger fizzled in a wave of cold realization. It wasn't just annoyance – Ying Lian held up a harsh mirror to his memory. Last night, Li Miao's strained smile upon seeing him... had she been dreading their meeting?
It’s true… she doesn’t want to see me right now.
[Zhang Wei]: “Alright, take care of her then.”
[Ying Lian]: “Duh, of course I will. I’m surprised your brain is still working. Don’t hurt yourself thinking. [eye_roll.gif]”
Yep, this girl pisses me off.
The fading sunlight painted the classroom in warm hues, contrasting the frantic energy inside. With the festival looming, excitement hummed through the halls of Qingfeng High. Still, for Li Miao, it was a nervous energy.
Anxiety drove her steps, making a mindless circuit around the room. Checking, rechecking... did that lantern need adjusting? Were the supplies secure? Her hands hovered over everything, unsure where to settle.
Xu Yue watched from amidst the quiet bustle. An amused smile touched her lips. Li Miao's restless dance of worry had an almost endearing quirk. She crossed the room, gently capturing Li Miao in a firm yet soothing embrace.
Li Miao froze and leaned into the touch, tears clinging to her lashes. She looked up at Xu Yue, a desperate question in her eyes: "Xu Yue… What if something messes up? I'm so afraid..."
Xu Yue's fingers stroked Li Miao's cheek, tender reassurance against the tremble in her voice. "The festival hasn’t even begun."
“I know… I’m just worried something is going to go wrong tomorrow.”
She didn’t want all her classmates' hard work to go to waste.
Xu Yue's soft touch on her hair was supposed to be comforting, and it was. And yet... "It'll be fine. You can trust in your classmates," she reassured.
Li Miao couldn't help but look beyond Xu Yue. Her classmates weren't exactly a perfect picture of harmony, as she could hear laughter interrupting focused muttering and chairs scraping against the floor. However, combining all these sounds created a vibrant tapestry of youthful energy that warmed her heart.
Had it really been so long since this felt unfamiliar to her? Once, their casual closeness only amplified the echoes of those icy whispers, fueled by half-truths and sidelong glances she never bothered to correct.
As she stood amidst the scattered lanterns, something shifted within her- like a thread being drawn loose. Then, catching her eye, a classmate offered a small wave. She responded with a wave of her own, which was hesitant yet genuine.
She had truly found a spot where she belonged.
The class observed the intimate moment between the two. They were accustomed to such behavior despite Xu Yue's cold indifference towards anyone else.
“Fuufuu~ You two, get a room!” Their classmates teased.
“I want to hug kitty Li Miao myself!”
The teasing and jeers continued as Li Miao blushed, staring at Xu Yue’s unwavering gaze towards her.
“I-It’s not like that! We’re just friends!” Li Miao averted her sight, moving her head towards the floor.
Me? With the female protagonist? It’s not like that. We’re just friends… but it’s comfortable like this. I wish we would stay like this forever.
Xu Yue silenced the class with a cold glance. "That's enough," she said sternly.
Feeling embarrassed, Li Miao slipped away, drawn instinctively towards the warmth of familiar voices.
“Yeah! Totally, I get what you mean~” Ying Lian's giggle punctuated the air.
“Ying Lian, what are you chatting about?” Li Miao leaned in, a flicker of curiosity mirroring the twinkle reflected in Ying Lian's eyes.
“Everyone thinks you’re super cute now. It’s like you're our class mascot!” Ying Lian beamed, the glee unmissable. “I just said that I knew from the start!”
“W-what class mascot? Don’t look down on me like that!” Li Miao sputtered, pretending to be offended, sparking a playful light chop directed at Ying Lian's forehead.
Ying Lian theatrically rubbed her forehead, “Owie… But you’ve changed so much. Before you were like all, ‘Grrrrr!’ Now you’re like, ‘Purrr.’”
“Y-you!”Li Miao blushed, and before she could respond, their classmates echoed Ying Lian's sentiment with gentle teasing and nods of agreement. One girl squeezed Ying Lian's arm, breaking the playful confrontation.
“Li Miao, don’t blame Ying Lian.” This time, the warmth came through without teasing.
“It’s true, though. We have been thinking you’re a lot more friendly. I guess you're easy to talk to now.” Another girl chimed in.
“We were just wondering if you wanted to become friends now.”
Ying Lian fixed Li Miao with those wide, earnest eyes, the teasing bravado of earlier replaced by something tender. “Mhm, I just wanted to be your friend too…”
Li Miao blinked, then blinked again. Something was off... “W-we weren’t friends already?”
“Huh?” The confusion rippled outwards, and for a moment, it was Ying Lian's turn for bewildered silence.
Ying Lian had become a constant presence in Li Miao's life, her boundless energy serving as a light of hope amidst the dull monotony of everyday routine. Despite her occasional clumsiness, Ying Lian's warmth and unwavering loyalty were a source of comfort in the new world that she was placed into.
Over time, like a ray of sunlight coaxing a bud to bloom, Ying Lian had slowly but surely helped Li Miao open up and embrace the world around her.
"...friends? For real?" Ying Lian's squeal seemed to fill the room, her joy transforming into a hug that squeezed Li Miao's breath.
"Yes! Now get off, you're suffocating me!" Li Miao struggled, laughter mixing with the breathless plea.
Xu Yue acted with quiet determination, deftly separating Ying Lian from Li Miao smoothly and efficiently. There was no need for dramatics, but a charged silence fell between them when their eyes met. Words were unnecessary.
In Xu Yue's gaze, a warning hummed beneath the usual chill.
Don’t overstep your boundaries.
Ying Lian met the challenge head-on.
My, my. Try not to be so envious. Okay, Miss Xu?
Ying Lian: You figured me out?
Xu Yue: It was obvious.
Innocent Kitty Li Miao: Huh? What are you two talking about?
