Chapter Sixty-Five: An Encounter While Running

The girl concealed the mockery in her eyes, returning to her usual innocence, her expression filled with remorse as she whispered, “I’m sorry for making you worry.”

Yu Qian, who had been standing nearby, was originally quite angry. But seeing the girl apologizing so pitifully to Lin Yuexin, she couldn’t help but feel irritated again. You don’t really care about Jiujio, so why pretend to be concerned? Such a good actress.

She shot Lin Yuexin a glare, then took the girl by the hand and led her away.

At that moment, Lin Yuexin was seething inside. Yu Qian always seemed to be at odds with her, which was incredibly frustrating. Yet when she saw the naïve, sweet girl offer her such an apologetic look, her anger eased a little. She forced herself to appear wounded but strong, shaking her head to show it was nothing, only dropping the act when the girl looked away.

A sense of triumph bubbled within her: So what if you don’t like me? Jiujio trusts me! All you can do is stew in your resentment, hmph!

Once they were aside, Yu Qian immediately scolded her in exasperation, “You know she’s faking it, so why apologize? Are you stupid?”

The girl, feeling warmed by such genuine concern, affectionately squeezed Yu Qian’s hand. “I know, but there’s no need to make things unpleasant right now. Besides, I have you, Qianqian, don’t I?”

Seeing such trust in her eyes, Yu Qian’s heart swelled, and she straightened her back proudly. “Of course! I’ll always protect you.” Suddenly, she added with concern, “But you still have to be careful yourself.”

“Mm, don’t worry, my Qianqian. You’re so thoughtful and gentle—it’s no wonder Senior Wen likes you!” The girl laughed, teasing glint in her eyes.

These two had somehow become a couple without anyone noticing, and she was genuinely happy for them. Watching Yu Qian blush, she silently wished: I hope Qianqian finds lasting happiness. She’s such a wonderful girl—heaven must surely bless her.

The two of them played around for a while, and when they were tired, they grabbed something to eat, chatting with classmates and reminiscing about the joys of their freshman year. From time to time, bursts of laughter drifted through the air.

Lin Yuexin watched from the sidelines, green with envy. Why did she have to go to such lengths to get even a faint smile from her classmates, while these two could have everyone in stitches with just a few words?

She felt the sting of being treated differently, her grip on the sofa’s edge growing so tight her fingertips turned white.

The girl and Yu Qian paid her no mind—if they did notice her expression, they would simply ignore it. Why let someone with a twisted heart spoil their good mood?

Time always seemed to slip away too quickly, and before they knew it, the delightful gathering had come to an end. Fortunately, the new semester was only half a month away.

What puzzled the girl was that Mu Zichen had said he’d come to B City to visit her, but as the start of term drew near, there was still no sign of him. All she received was a text apologizing, saying he probably wouldn’t make it and asking her not to be upset.

[System, do you know what happened to him?] She didn’t really believe anything serious had occurred, but curiosity got the better of her.

[It’s all thanks to your dear Uncle Tingye. After he got jealous last time, he gave Mu Zichen a mountain of work—he’s been so busy he barely has time to breathe.] The system grumbled. It really couldn’t understand why even the most outstanding men could be so possessive…

The girl chuckled softly, her cheeks tinged with pink. Well, Uncle Tingye was finally seeing sense. He’d done her a big favor—if it weren’t absolutely necessary, she truly didn’t want to see Mu Zichen. Every time she faced his devoted gaze, she couldn’t help but remember how heartlessly he’d rejected her in her past life.

What fault is it of a simple-hearted girl to fall in love? Why take things so seriously? Her pure, clear eyes grew deeper, and her lips curved into a subtle smile, as if she were plotting something.

……

The holiday drew to a close, and everyone gradually returned to campus. On the first afternoon of the new term, just as the girl was about to change into her sportswear, Lin Yuexin called out to her, “Jiujio, are you going running again?”

The girl nodded. She made a point of exercising every day at school to keep her figure in perfect shape.

“I want to lose weight this semester too. Let’s run together,” Lin Yuexin said, forcing a smile.

The girl laughed. “Sure, I’d love the company. Let’s get changed, then.”

Oh, what scheme was she up to now? Not very well-behaved!

“Alright.”

And so, Lin Yuexin joined her, running together every afternoon.

One evening, after dinner, Cheng Yanran went for a walk on the sports field and saw a striking scene:

The girl was dressed in sportswear; her skin was creamy and luminous, her eyes round and bright as a fawn’s, blinking with innocent charm. In the sunlight, her jade-like cheeks glowed with a rosy blush, exposed to the golden rays. Up close, one could see she wore no makeup at all—her face was bare, pure and fresh.

As he approached, the last light of sunset brushed her features with gold, making her seem even more dazzling and gentle.

Almost without realizing it, he drew nearer and greeted her softly, “Jiujio, are you running?”

Noticing Cheng Yanran heading their way, Lin Yuexin instinctively adjusted her makeup. But when she saw her idol’s gaze fixed on the girl beside her, disappointment and jealousy flashed plainly in her eyes.

Spotting Mu Tian trailing behind Cheng Yanran, the girl was momentarily surprised before greeting them naturally, “Oh, Senior, are you and Senior Mu out for a walk together?”

“Hm?” Cheng Yanran turned in puzzlement, and sure enough, Mu Tian was a few steps behind him. His gentle expression cooled—he had already told her not to follow him, yet here she was again, making Jiujio misunderstand.

Realizing her cover was blown, Mu Tian jogged over and replied smoothly, “Yes, we had dinner and decided to walk on the track together.”

“That’s not true. I’m alone.” The words came out simultaneously, but their meanings couldn’t have been more different.

Mu Tian hadn’t expected Cheng Yanran to contradict her so openly, and her eyes blazed with anger.

Cheng Yanran ignored her, looking at the girl with earnest sincerity. “I have nothing going on with Minister Mu. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

Hearing this near-confession, the girl’s delicate face flushed even redder, and she didn’t dare meet the boy’s gaze. She sneaked a glance at him and mumbled a soft “mm.”

Maybe it was the adorable way she blushed, or perhaps her helplessness was just too endearing, but Cheng Yanran suddenly broke into a radiant smile, dazzling enough to make several girls nearby unable to look away.

Unwilling to be overlooked, Lin Yuexin grabbed the girl’s hand and exclaimed excitedly to Cheng Yanran, “Senior, you’re so handsome!” Her voice was deliberately crisp, but not especially pleasant.

At the sound, Cheng Yanran finally noticed the other girl standing beside Jiujio. He glanced at her coolly, feeling a strange sensation—not love at first sight, but a sudden sense of ease, as if some unseen constraint had fallen away. He studied her carefully, searching for what made her different, but found nothing particularly remarkable after all.