Chapter 7

Yun Zhuoqing, in her own little world and not listening at all, completely missed how weird Jiang Nuan sounded when she said it. Anyone else would call it an “edgy fake-casual tone.” The rest of the group, including Bai Jiajia (who’d just arrived) and Chen Huo (dragged along), were all left speechless by the outburst.
Bai Jiajia mustered up all her courage and called out to Chen Huo:
“Chen, Chen Huo…”
Everyone stared in surprise at Bai Jiajia, just barging into their conversation like this. Wasn’t she the one who usually went out of her way to avoid them?
What possessed her today? And she actually dared to call Chen Huo by name?
Thoughts raced through the group, their eyes flicking between Chen Huo and Bai Jiajia with a ripple of gossipy amusement. When Chen Huo noticed, he shot them all an impatient glare, his tone with Bai Jiajia was no friendlier: “What do you want?”
Bai Jiajia only turned paler, but she still stammered through, “You, you wanted me to bring someone, so I, I brought her. But she…”
Chen Huo only just remembered, thanks to Bai Jiajia’s prompt, and the light dawned. “Oh, right. I did tell you about that.”
Bai Jiajia didn’t get to finish her sentence before Chen Huo got laser-focused, using the same serious tone he used to plot revenge on bullies with his dad: “Is her hair about this long?” He gestured at his waist for reference.
But then he seemed to think better of it and raised his hand higher. “No, should be about here, actually.”
Bai Jiajia’s borrowed bravery was nearly gone. She barely managed to recall Xiaoxue’s hair length. “Yeah, that’s about right, I guess.”
“Is her hair jet black? Shiny? Super pretty?” Chen Huo’s eyes sparkled with hope.
Bai Jiajia didn’t have details like that, but she’d definitely heard Xiaoxue brag that everyone loved her hair, that’s why she stubbornly kept it long.
Honestly, Chen Huo wasn’t even sure if the girl he’d met had literal “gleaming black” hair. That night, she was just, glowing. Her hair included.
Bai Jiajia, unaware that Xiaoxue only dyed her hair black that very day, gave another hesitant “yes.”
Chen Huo got more excited, but now he had one last question: “Did she ever hang out on Hehua Road?”
This was the deal-breaker, and suddenly Chen Huo’s eyes looked sharper than usual. He wasn’t about to get duped by first impressions.
But when Bai Jiajia heard the place, she froze.
Any other spot, maybe she wouldn’t be so sure. But Hehua Road…
She hesitated, then gave a definite answer: “Yeah, because that’s where I met her today.”
Hehua Road was local delinquent central. And as luck would have it, Xiaoxue was actually classmates with the ones who’d tried to set up Chen Huo, so she hung around there all the time.
Except, until now, Xiaoxue always rocked bleach-blonde hair when she went there.
Chen Huo could tell Bai Jiajia wasn’t lying. He hadn’t actually expected things to line up this well. He’d tossed out the request to Bai Jiajia on a whim, never imagining she’d really come through, and suddenly, here he was.
Chen Huo shot to his feet. “Take me there, now!”
Bai Jiajia rushed ahead, while Yue Hao and the guys tried to follow, only to get shut down by a single look from Chen Huo. They could do nothing but watch as he and Bai Jiajia headed off.
Halfway there, Bai Jiajia suddenly realized something was off. Wasn’t there something important she’d forgotten?
Crap. She forgot to warn Chen Huo, Xiaoxue was about to pick a fight with Yun Zhuoqing! Judging by Chen Huo’s urgency, he was clearly not out to start beef with Xiaoxue, what if, instead of backup, she’d just fetched a new accomplice for Xiaoxue?
But it was way too late now. Chen Huo was almost jogging, and soon he just left Bai Jiajia behind, charging forward on the only road ahead.
Before they’d even gotten close, Chen Huo caught the sound of his cousin’s voice: “Who told you I liked her?”
A girl’s voice followed: “You don’t like her? Then why’d you come after me?”
Chen Huo froze. That voice, it was identical to the one he’d heard that night!
He had zero bandwidth to wonder why his cousin was even here right now; he just broke into a run, came to the poolside, and stopped in stunned silence at the sight of the three.
Bai Jiajia, hearing Huo Jing’s steady tone, finally relaxed a bit. As long as Huo Jing was around, Chen Huo wouldn’t help Xiaoxue do anything crazy. Plus, Huo Jing was known for being a total gentleman, he’d never let Xiaoxue get away with it.
But wait, Yun Zhuoqing had asked if Huo Jing was out to mess with her? Bai Jiajia suddenly felt out of the loop. Just then, Chen Huo glanced back at her, looking baffled and almost pained as he asked, “Uh… where’s your friend?”
Of the three by the pool, he recognized one, his cousin, and another he’d seen before, the new transfer student. The third, a girl in a revealing outfit slumped on the ground, did not look like his “dream girl” in any universe.
The three turned to look at him, and the girl on the floor called out first, her tone thrilled: “Chen Huo! Quick, help me! They’re bullying me, it’s so unfair!” Clutching her chest, she gazed up at Chen Huo, eyes brimming with dramatic innocence.
Well, now he knew for sure it wasn’t her voice he’d heard. Chen Huo, relieved, immediately distanced himself: “Whoa, hang on, do we even know each other? Don’t randomly call my name!”
Xiaoxue stared back in disbelief. “You’re not the one who wanted to see me?”
“...She’s, uh, my friend…” Bai Jiajia’s voice faded to barely a whisper. She finally understood, Xiaoxue wasn't the one Chen Huo was searching for at all.
But Chen Huo didn’t seem to care. He switched gears easily: “Got it. Huo Jing, who was talking to you just now?” He turned, eyes sharp. Chen Huo had heard that voice clear as day.
Huo Jing rubbed his forehead, unable to believe his idiot cousin. “Who else? Aside from the three of us, did you see anyone else here?”
And then, in the shadows, another person, unseen, thought quietly: There is one more…
But he had no intention of stepping out; besides, the voice just now hadn’t been his.
Chen Huo looked from Yun Zhuoqing to Huo Jing again. “You, uh, ”
Huo Jing sneered, “My dumb little cousin. What’s next, are you gonna ask if I can talk in a girl’s voice now?”
Chen Huo’s whole world crumbled.
Eyes wide, he shook his head. “No, no way, there’s no chance it was you.” After all, Yun Zhuoqing’s entire vibe was nothing like the girl from that night, no overlap whatsoever. How could it possibly be her?
Still, as if compelled, Chen Huo blurted out, “Did you ever meet me before you came to Yuying?”
Yun Zhuoqing’s gaze lingered on Chen Huo, making him inexplicably anxious inside.
He felt so sure it wasn’t her, and yet, why did she make him nervous?
“No, never,” Yun Zhuoqing said, entirely honest.
She’d long ago forgotten whatever happened in that alley, if she remembered anything at all, it was just “some idiot trying to take on a whole gang.” As for Chen Huo himself, he didn’t register at all.
Chen Huo prided himself on standing out, he was no background extra, so if Yun Zhuoqing had actually seen him before, she’d definitely remember.
With her denial, Chen Huo finally relaxed, but somehow felt a hollow pang inside.
He fell silent, zoning out, yet his eyes kept flicking toward Yun Zhuoqing, over and over again, before darting away.
Weird. When did I start thinking this transfer student was so… easy on the eyes?
Meanwhile, Yun Zhuoqing ignored him and returned to her conversation with Huo Jing: “So you mean, you don’t like her?”
Huo Jing had no idea how he’d given her that impression. He immediately abandoned his original plan and explained to Yun Zhuoqing, “Today was the first time I met her, in the seat right next to where you are now.”
“……”
Yun Zhuoqing was starting to believe it, these people were all absurd. Confession at first sight? Maybe this really was some melodramatic romance novel after all.
Huo Jing caught the look on her face and immediately sensed trouble. He hurried to explain, “I swear, that was really the first time I’ve ever met her. I didn’t know her before and I won't have anything to do with her after this, either.”
“Oh? Then why were you antagonizing me?” Yun Zhuoqing still couldn’t figure it out. What, did he just randomly decide to come pick a fight?
Huo Jing looked awkward. He didn’t dare voice his real thoughts, so he just promised, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it would mess things up for you this much. I won’t let anything like this happen again, ever.”
“And I wasn’t even trying to provoke you…”
He sounded genuinely sincere. Yun Zhuoqing had no doubts, and didn’t bother questioning whether he was antagonizing her or not.
The only issue, Yun Zhuoqing thought Huo Jing meant he’d stop bothering her in the future, but in truth, Huo Jing meant he’d stop using others to mess with her. As for not bothering her… not a chance.
With Huo Jing’s business wrapped up and Xiaoxue posing no real threat, Yun Zhuoqing was about to deal with her once and for all. But just as she was getting ready, Xiaoxue, who’d been quietly sitting on the ground, suddenly lunged at her, intent on clinging to Yun Zhuoqing’s leg and shoving her into the water.
“Watch out!” Both Huo Jing and Chen Huo reacted quickly, trying to stop it, but someone moved even faster.
Yun Zhuoqing sidestepped ever so slightly, drawing her leg back. Xiaoxue lunged right past her. To everyone else, it looked like Yun Zhuoqing should have been knocked into the pool by Xiaoxue but remained perfectly dry on the pool edge, while Xiaoxue, unable to stop herself, plunged straight into the water and started screaming for help, thrashing frantically beneath the surface.
The sign for the deep water was in plain view. Anyone could guess what Xiaoxue had planned.
Huo Jing’s face turned cold as iron. He slowly pulled out his phone and called security, telling them to come deal with this mess. He shot a frosty glance at Xiaoxue, still flailing in the water, and made no move to save her himself.
The rest of the people present didn’t lift a finger either, including usually soft-hearted Bai Jiajia.
Yun Zhuoqing figured as long as no one actually drowned, it was fine. She’d already scoped out the area, the security staff here were all well-trained. Xiaoxue would be pulled out soon enough. No need to bother herself over it.
True, she’d learned a bit of rescue training, but risking her life for someone who tried to drag her down? Not happening.
Sure enough, security arrived within moments. Yun Zhuoqing saw the situation was handled and turned to leave, brisk and unconcerned, pointedly ignoring the heated stares from Huo Jing and Chen Huo.
Bai Jiajia hesitated for a second, then hurried after Yun Zhuoqing.
Once security dragged Xiaoxue out of the water and hauled her away, only Chen Huo and Huo Jing were left poolside, along with that shadowy figure still lurking in the dark.
Though, by now, he’d lost interest in watching and wandered off, bored and indifferent.
What a snoozefest, he thought.
That girl, though… she’s kind of interesting.
A chilly breeze drifted by, sending tiny ripples across the water. Neither of the two boys felt cold, instead, they felt a restless excitement sparking inside.
Chen Huo couldn’t help but turn to Huo Jing. “Dude, I didn’t expect that new transfer student in our class to actually have some tricks up her sleeve. I thought for sure she’d get pushed in, but she dodged it!” His voice was full of surprise. There were subtleties Chen Huo missed, maybe because he hadn’t been through much, but Huo Jing caught on in an instant.
And suddenly, he felt seriously annoyed. Not that he showed it. He just shrugged, “What, you’re saying you wouldn’t have dodged it?”
Sure enough, Chen Huo snapped back reflexively, “No way! Of course I’d dodge it!”
The other girl was literally screaming and charging like she’d lost it, anyone with half a brain could dodge that. No way he’d get caught.
Huo Jing smirked lightly. “So basically, she’s not that special, is she?” His tone was all innocent curiosity, as if just asking meant he didn’t actually have an opinion, and whatever blame might come could land safely on Chen Huo’s shoulders.
But this time, Chen Huo hesitated.
“Well… I wouldn’t say that, exactly.” Somewhere inside, he just didn’t want to badmouth the girl. And he actually turned it back on Huo Jing: “You don’t have to talk about people like that.”
Huo Jing: “……” When did this guy get so clever?
He decided to go straight for the kill: “So, what? Are you interested in her? Didn’t think you’d catch feelings this early in the semester.” His tone was smoothly detached, like a responsible cousin just looking out for his younger bro.
Sure enough, having grown up together, Huo Jing knew exactly how to push Chen Huo’s buttons. Chen Huo sprang back, “No way!”
“I already like someone else!”