My Upperclassman Wants me to confess my feelings - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Three’s a Crowd

“Young lady! Are you getting in or not?!” Inside the taxi, the driver turned his head and shouted at Xia Xiaohan.

Just as the newly steady Xiaohan was about to respond, the phone in her pocket suddenly stopped vibrating. In that instant, she had an epiphany.

Supporting herself on Cheng Wu’s arm, Xiaohan waved apologetically at the driver. “Sorry, something came up. I won’t be taking the car after all.”

Before she could finish her sentence, the taxi sped away in a cloud of exhaust.

Cheng Wu opened her umbrella and held it over both their heads, gently brushing the snow off Xiaohan’s hair and clothes. “Why such a hurry? Is something wrong at home?”

As she brushed, Cheng Wu noticed water stains from melted snow on the side of Xiaohan’s waist. She fell more than once?

Xiaohan grabbed Cheng Wu’s hand and squeezed out a forced smile. “Sorry, Senior, I made you worry. I’m fine.”

Cheng Wu saw she didn’t want to talk, so she simply nodded and held the umbrella, accompanying her back toward the school.

Snow had begun to accumulate on the road, and the wind grew stronger, biting into their faces like a cold blade. But Xiaohan felt nothing. She was thinking: Why won’t Brother let me help?

Beside her, Cheng Wu watched her from the corner of her eye. This was the first time she had seen such an expression on Xiaohan’s face—lost, helpless, dejected, and aching.

The two walked side by side without a clear direction, a thin layer of snow silently coating the top of the umbrella.

As they crossed the school’s arched bridge, Sun Wenze, who was walking ahead, suddenly stepped back two paces and turned around.

“Sister Cheng! Xiaohan!”

Sun Wenze ran over. Just as he was about to squeeze under their umbrella, he noticed the strange expressions on their faces and stopped himself. He walked on Xiaohan’s side, carefully observing them.

Xiaohan seemed to have lost her soul; from the moment he greeted them until now, she hadn’t seemed to notice him. As for Cheng Wu, she looked deeply concerned about Xiaohan.

After a moment of silence, Sun Wenze asked cautiously, “Xiaohan, was the method I taught you useless? Did that boy reject you?”

Cheng Wu’s footsteps faltered. She turned and fixed her gaze on Sun Wenze. “What method? What boy?”

Xiaohan’s arm was linked with Cheng Wu’s, so when Cheng Wu stopped, she was forced to stop too. Coming back to her senses, Xiaohan knew Sun Wenze had spoken, but she hadn’t heard what he said. She looked left and right, asking vacantly, “Senior, what did you just say?”

“I was talking about the boy you like. Did he reject you?” Sun Wenze repeated immediately.

The moment the words fell, Cheng Wu’s gaze darkened abruptly, making Sun Wenze shiver. Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind—that night in the Math department corridor, Sister Cheng and Xiaohan embracing.

Sun Wenze instantly turned his back to them, his eyes wide with shock. Does Sister Cheng actually like Xiaohan?!

Her gaze deepening, Cheng Wu leaned in, one hand holding the umbrella and the other gripping Xiaohan’s waist. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed the scarf around Xiaohan’s neck was a men’s style.

Cheng Wu tightened her grip, forcing Xiaohan closer. Her voice was as cold as unmelting Arctic ice: “I didn’t know Xiaohan had a boy she liked?”

“No, no, no! I lied to Senior Sun! The one I like is… is—” Xiaohan’s heart was in a panic, and she denied it frantically. But facing her Senior’s forceful and aggressive gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to say “It’s you, Senior.”

Under the high pressure, Xiaohan instinctively chose to evade. She tilted her head to avoid Cheng Wu’s eyes and muttered softly, “It’s a girl.”

Sun Wenze, standing behind them, heard this too. In a flash of insight, he realized the “boy” Xiaohan had mentioned was actually Cheng Wu! He whirled around and cried out, “You actually lied to me! You almost made Sister Cheng mis—”

Before he could finish, he saw a smile blossom on Cheng Wu’s face—a smile as tender and pleasant as a March spring breeze, with a bright and moving charm in the corners of her eyes. He was completely dazed by the sight. His voice trailed off into a peaceful, “understand.”

Cheng Wu let go. Seeing the blush on Xiaohan’s face, her mood brightened instantly. She patted the girl’s head and said softly, “Don’t tell lies anymore. And don’t go looking for someone like Sun Wenze, who understands nothing, to give you advice.”

As she spoke, Cheng Wu looked up and gave Sun Wenze a look of pure disdain.

This look snapped Sun Wenze back to reality. He wanted to argue, but in front of Cheng Wu, he was as obedient as a little lamb. The words reached his throat but were swallowed back down. Watching Xiaohan’s bowed, obedient head, Sun Wenze felt a surge of indignation. Xiaohan was the one who asked me for advice; how is it my fault in the end?

He had even broken up early just for Xiaohan’s sake. Thinking of the extra money spent on that ring, Sun Wenze felt a pang of regret. If I’d known Xiaohan liked Sister Cheng, why would I have bothered? With Sister Cheng’s skills, she doesn’t need outside help!

Glancing at their re-linked arms and Xiaohan’s submissive posture, Sun Wenze couldn’t help but reveal an “auntie-like” proud smile. Sister Cheng is truly Sister Cheng—charming everyone, regardless of gender!

After a few steps, Cheng Wu suddenly turned back to Sun Wenze. “So the red thread you said you were helping to tie was this one. Thank you.”

Sun Wenze hadn’t been praised by Cheng Wu in a long time. He was so overjoyed he practically jumped, waving his hands and shouting, “You’re welcome! You’re welcome!”

…

On the way back to the dorm, Cheng Wu kept glancing at the scarf around Xiaohan’s neck. The more she looked at it, the more it bothered her. This beige scarf didn’t look like it belonged to Ding Ming or Yang Xing; she hadn’t seen either of them wear a scarf all winter. Whose is it?

Xiaohan didn’t dare look at her Senior. Her arm was linked with Cheng Wu’s and she didn’t dare move it; it was nearly numb. She was filled with regret—she shouldn’t have lied to Sun Wenze, and she definitely shouldn’t have sought him out. She had almost caused a misunderstanding with her Senior.

But from what her Senior just said, it seemed she had known all along that Senior Sun was helping her. Xiaohan suddenly remembered the time the yellow-haired girl came to find her. Her Senior’s arrival had been perfectly timed! With her Senior’s intelligence, she must have known Sun Wenze’s ex-girlfriend would come looking for trouble!

“Senior.” “Xiaohan.”

Both spoke at once, then both deferred: “You go first.”

Cheng Wu stopped, shaking the snow off the umbrella. “You go first.”

“Oh.” Xiaohan nodded, organizing her thoughts for a while before stammering, “The last time Senior brought me Lava Egg Custard… was it because you knew Senior Sun’s ex-girlfriend would come to find me?”

Cheng Wu held the umbrella steady, her smile deepening. “Silly girl, that wasn’t the reason. I had just found out that the person Wenze was helping was you, and I wanted to see who had captured Xiaohan’s heart. Meeting Wenze’s ex-girlfriend was purely a coincidence. If I had known she would cause you trouble, I would have dealt with her beforehand. I would never let her make a scene in front of you!”

Thinking of the misunderstanding on the bridge, Xiaohan felt ashamed. “I’m sorry. I caused you to misunderstand. I won’t do it again.”

“Why are you saying sorry?” Cheng Wu took her hand and led her toward the dorm, smiling at the path ahead. “Speaking of which, I’m actually a bit curious… how exactly did Wenze teach you?”

At the mention of Sun Wenze’s “method,” Xiaohan’s face turned red to the very roots of her ears. She shook her head repeatedly. “It’s nothing! It’s nothing!”

Cheng Wu looked at her blushing face, and a thought began to form. Knowing Sun Wenze, it was likely some chuunibyou or embarrassing confession style. If I applied Sun Wenze’s experience to Xiaohan… At that thought, Cheng Wu actually felt a spark of anticipation.

A moment later, Xiaohan’s phone rang. It was her brother. After the walk with her Senior, Xiaohan had realized that outsiders really shouldn’t interfere in matters of the heart. Just as she was about to answer, Cheng Wu suddenly looked ahead and called out, “Zhou Rui?”

Xiaohan froze and looked up. Not far away, at the dormitory entrance, Zhou Rui was holding fruit and talking to Ningning. The drifting snowflakes blurred her vision. If her Senior hadn’t spoken, Xiaohan wouldn’t have noticed her brother was right there.

Hearing Cheng Wu’s voice, Zhou Rui opened his umbrella. Cheng Wu led Xiaohan over. As they met, Cheng Wu introduced him to Xiaohan with a smile: “This is Zhou Rui. He’s the one who returned to the country and invited us to lunch today.”

Xiaohan stared at Zhou Rui blankly. Her brother’s expression was calm, but her heart was in turmoil. Could it be… could the sister Brother likes be—

By now, Zhou Rui had already learned about Cheng Wu and Xiaohan from Ningning. He had been shocked when he first heard it. He hadn’t wanted to tell Xiaohan that he liked Cheng Wu because he was afraid Xiaohan would bother her. After all, while Cheng Wu was a good person, she particularly disliked being pestered. He just never imagined that Xiaohan would meet Cheng Wu on her first day and end up in the same dorm.

From the way Ningning described their ambiguous relationship and the sympathetic look she gave him, Zhou Rui understood: Cheng Wu had fallen for Xiaohan. And it seemed Cheng Wu liked Xiaohan even more than he had imagined.

Zhou Rui spoke first: “Xiaohan, I was right, wasn’t I? You would really like Sister.” He felt a pang of sadness, but he was more happy for Cheng Wu and Xiaohan.

Cheng Wu noticed the panic slowly appearing on Xiaohan’s face and heard Zhou Rui’s suggestive words. Suddenly, she understood everything. Just as she was about to speak, Xiaohan abruptly pulled her hand away from Cheng Wu’s, hiding it behind her back in distress. “I… I do like seniors, but—but don’t misunderstand!”

Xiaohan looked up and said against her heart, “Brother, I think of Senior as my own sister!” But before she could finish, her tears began to fall.

At the word “Brother,” several details flashed through Cheng Wu’s mind. They were both abroad, they were sent identical necklaces, and they were given the same blueberry chestnut cakes. Cheng Wu looked at the scarf around Xiaohan’s neck—that style, and in beige. She should have realized it was Zhou Rui’s scarf. Once, because she said beige looked good, Zhou Rui had always favored the color.

Coming back to her senses, Cheng Wu looked at the forced smile on Zhou Rui’s face and then at the terrified Xiaohan, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. She had heard Xiaohan’s words clearly. Even though she knew Xiaohan said it in an unstable state of mind, Cheng Wu still felt a sharp pain, as if countless needles were piercing her heart in waves. It wasn’t a world-shattering pain, but it was the kind that was harder to endure.

Zhou Rui felt deep regret. He should have told Xiaohan earlier; if he had, this situation wouldn’t have happened. He stepped forward to comfort her, but Xiaohan recoiled in fear.

“Cheng Wu likes you, and you like her. That’s enough. You don’t need to worry about me,” Zhou Rui tried to soothe her.

But Xiaohan kept backing away, shaking her head. “No! It’s all my fault! I was greedy. I stole the person Brother likes. I shouldn’t have stolen her.”

Behind them, Ningning covered her mouth: This… this is too terrifying! Xiaohan and Zhou Rui are siblings, and they both like Sister Wu!

With a thud, Xiaohan stepped into thin air and fell to the ground. Cheng Wu and Zhou Rui both moved toward her, but Xiaohan shrank back in terror, her face turning a frightening shade of pale. Her tone was wrong: “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I was wrong! I know I was wrong!”

Zhou Rui’s expression changed. Seeing the lack of focus in Xiaohan’s eyes and her face full of terror as she repeated her apology, he quickly reached out to stop Cheng Wu. “Don’t go over! You’ll scare her!”

Once they stopped, Xiaohan curled into a ball, hugging her knees. She wasn’t crying or acting afraid anymore; she simply grew quiet. Standing in the wind and snow, she looked like an abandoned child.

Only when her eyes regained focus did Zhou Rui slowly walk over. He crouched in front of her and asked gently, “Are you cold?”

Xiaohan looked up blankly, a hint of confusion in her eyes, but she quickly became lucid. “Why is Brother here?”

“To see you.” Zhou Rui smiled and helped her up, gently brushing the snow off her.

Looking ahead, Xiaohan met Cheng Wu’s worried gaze and slowly clenched her palms. Beside her was her brother; in front of her was her Senior. How do I choose? Her brother had taken care of her since she was small; her Senior was the first person she had ever loved. What should I do? Xiaohan couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

She hadn’t meant to fall for her Senior. The sudden encounter had triggered her, and the surge of avoidance and guilt brought back painful childhood memories. Ultimately, Xiaohan avoided Cheng Wu’s gaze. Her heart ached terribly, but she had to pretend she didn’t care. The me who fell, the me whose words were a mess… I must look awful! The senior surely didn’t know I could be like this.

Xiaohan turned to Zhou Rui and said through tears and a smile, “Brother, you go with Senior. I’ll have Ningning stay with me. I’m grown up now, I’m strong, and that person has been caught. I won’t be afraid.”

“Xiaohan.” Zhou Rui’s heart ached with sadness. No matter what, Xiaohan always felt she owed him, always thought of him first—even though she clearly loved Cheng Wu too.

Xiaohan forced her lips into a smile and wiped away her tears. “You rarely get to come back; go on, hurry!” With that, she turned and ran toward Ningning, trying her best not to look at her Senior.

As she passed Cheng Wu, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Xiaohan froze. After a moment’s hesitation, she forced a smile and turned back. “Senior.”

Seeing her fake smile made Cheng Wu feel even worse. “Xiaohan, if you don’t want to smile, you don’t have to. If you’re hurting, cry. Don’t force yourself.”

Just as Xiaohan was about to say she was fine, Cheng Wu waved Ningning over. “Come and stay with Xiaohan. I have some things to discuss with Zhou Rui.”

“Oh, okay!” Ningning ran over immediately.

Cheng Wu let go and walked straight toward Zhou Rui. Xiaohan looked down at her wrist, feeling the residual warmth. As she stood in a daze, Cheng Wu suddenly turned and said, “Don’t worry. We’ll all have dinner together tonight.” Xiaohan nodded blankly.

…

Ningning helped Xiaohan back to the dorm, carefully asking if the fall hurt. She had seen Xiaohan’s abnormal behavior just now. Sitting on her stool, Xiaohan drank a cup of hot water. Her body gradually warmed up, and her trembling hands steadied.

Ningning sat beside her, worried about Sister Wu and hurting for Xiaohan. How could Xiaohan and Zhou Rui like the same person? She looked at Xiaohan’s vacant expression, wondering if Xiaohan was going to give up Sister Wu. Knowing Xiaohan’s personality, she probably would. But there was no way Sister Wu would accept Zhou Rui, and to protect Xiaohan’s feelings, she wouldn’t be with Xiaohan either. At the thought, Ningning’s head throbbed. Why is Sister Wu’s love life so difficult?

“Ningning.” “Yeah!” Ningning straightened up.

Seeing Ningning’s nervous attempt to look relaxed, Xiaohan said with a bitter smile, “Don’t worry. I’m not a child. What happened outside was just an emotional moment.”

Whether Xiaohan was truly calm or not, Ningning chose to believe her. “I know. You’re fine now, aren’t you?”

Xiaohan looked down at the scrapes on her palms. A flash of blood-red suddenly crossed her vision, scaring her into closing her eyes and turning her palms over.

…

It wasn’t mealtime yet, so the cafeteria was largely empty. Cheng Wu brought Zhou Rui there. Zhou Rui closed the glass door and went to the counter to buy two hot drinks.

As soon as he sat down, Cheng Wu got straight to the point: “Did Xiaohan go through something in the past?”

“Yes.” Zhou Rui handed her the drink. “Xiaohan never mentioned her father to you, did she?”

Cheng Wu nodded. “I’ve always known she was from a single-parent family.”

Looking at the steaming oolong tea, Zhou Rui’s tone grew solemn. “Xiaohan lived with that man for several years. It caused her severe psychological trauma.”

“Domestic violence?” Cheng Wu immediately thought of the scars on Xiaohan’s back. Ordinary domestic violence wouldn’t leave scars that severe.

Zhou Rui shook his head. “More than that. He beat her so badly she almost died.”

Cheng Wu’s hands clenched instantly, her breath hitching. She had always thought she was the unfortunate one, but it was Xiaohan.

Zhou Rui didn’t know the full details either. “I don’t know the specifics, but the twice I went to see her, she was either lying in bed or on an IV drip. Later, my mother helped Auntie Xia collect evidence, called the police, and filed a lawsuit to strip that man of his custody rights.”

Cheng Wu’s hands trembled. Zhou Rui’s tone became even heavier. “After leaving that home, Xiaohan’s physical wounds healed quickly, but her psychological wounds took nearly two years of seeing a psychiatrist to start improving.”

“So you were the one taking care of her?” Cheng Wu couldn’t imagine how Xiaohan had endured it.

Zhou Rui didn’t deny it. “Yes. Xiaohan is very good; if someone shows her even a little bit of kindness, she’ll pay them back tenfold.” Recalling their school days, he sighed. “Xiaohan is cute and had good grades. Teachers and classmates all liked her, but there were always people who were jealous and bullied her in secret. She never dared to tell us.”

“In elementary school, people tore up her homework and made her clean the classroom alone. In middle school, someone discovered her scars, and all sorts of nasty rumors started. In high school, she was always getting love letters and confessions; the girls who hated her were countless.”

Cheng Wu’s eyes reddened. With a bang, she slapped the table and stood up. “Stop it!”

Whenever he thought of these things, Zhou Rui felt no less pain. Every time, Xiaohan would say she was fine and her classmates were all very nice. “Cheng Wu, Xiaohan is a good girl. She treasures everyone around her. I’m relieved that you like her and are by her side.”

When Xiaohan previously said she was doing well at university, he had been skeptical. Now, seeing that Xiaohan’s roommate was Cheng Wu, his heart finally settled. Cheng Wu also had a cousin who cared for her, so she understood that Xiaohan’s feelings for Zhou Rui were deeper than mere blood relations.

“Thank you.” Cheng Wu suddenly smiled, tears shimmering in her eyes. “If you hadn’t been by Xiaohan’s side, I might never have met her.”

Zhou Rui stood up too, looking a bit regretful. “I used to be afraid she’d bother you, so I didn’t dare tell her your name. I didn’t expect it would lead to this situation. If I had known—”

“There are no ‘if I had knowns’,” Cheng Wu calmed down and interrupted him. “Even if Xiaohan had known from the start that you liked me, I would still have fallen for her, and I believe she would still have fallen for me.”

Hearing this, Zhou Rui felt a mix of emotions—both happy and sad. It was precisely this Cheng Wu that made him unable to forget her.

At the west entrance of the cafeteria, someone walked in. Just as they stepped a foot inside and saw the people within, they immediately recoiled. The newcomer stared fixedly at Zhou Rui, clenching their fists. Why is he back?

…

In the dorm, Xiaohan suddenly stood up and said to Ningning, “Do you think if I told Senior that I’ve always seen her as a sister, she would like my brother?”

Ningning nearly fell off her chair. She grabbed the desk to steady herself, shaking her head in rejection. “Don’t you dare!”

Ningning walked over to Xiaohan and said earnestly, “Didn’t you say it yourself? You can’t interfere in other people’s feelings. Even if you do, it won’t work!”

“Oh, right.” Xiaohan’s mood sank again. Her Gao Kao score was high enough to get into a university in Beijing, but for her brother’s sake, she had decided to stay in Jiangcheng. She never expected this situation. Ningning was just as conflicted, scratching her head in frustration.

“Ningning, then what should I do? I’ve never dealt with something like this. I want Senior to be happy, and my Brother to be happy too.”

Looking into Xiaohan’s hopeful eyes, Ningning hesitated, wanting to say that she had never dealt with anything like this either! On one side was Zhou Rui, who was like a blood brother; on the other was the Senior kept in her heart. Poor Xiaohan was caught in the middle, willing to suffer herself rather than let her Senior or brother be sad. This truly is a ‘Three’s a Crowd’ situation where someone has to get hurt.

In the midst of their anxiety, the dorm door was pushed open, making them both jump. Zhao Ru entered holding books, closing the door while looking at them. “Why are you two so nervous?”

“A-Ru! Save us!” Ningning flew over and pulled Zhao Ru in, explaining the situation in the briefest possible terms. She looked at her expectantly. “A-Ru, hurry and give us an idea!”

Before Zhao Ru could react, Ningning rubbed her face to snap her out of it. Pushing Ningning’s hand away, Zhao Ru asked Xiaohan seriously, “Are you really willing to give up A-Wu to fulfill your brother’s wish?”

Xiaohan didn’t answer immediately. She bit her lower lip and thought for a long time before finally making up her mind. Meeting Zhao Ru’s gaze, she said, “I want my brother to be happy.”

Cheng Wu, who had just reached the door, suddenly stopped. Her raised hand dropped.

Inside, Xiaohan looked down at her toes. “I’m always causing trouble for Brother. Back in high school, Brother broke up with Sister Kejun because of me. Now that he likes Senior, I can’t compete with him.”

“But have you considered that A-Wu doesn’t like Zhou Rui? She likes you,” Zhao Ru sighed. Thinking of Cheng Wu’s previous relationship, she felt even more sorry for her. “You can reject A-Wu, but A-Wu can also reject your brother. You can’t make her like him.”

Xiaohan gripped the hem of her shirt, trying her best not to let tears fall. She whispered, “If it weren’t for Brother and Auntie, I don’t even know if I would… if my mom knew, she would definitely scold me.”

Seeing she was about to cry, Zhao Ru stood up and patted her back. “Don’t cry. Think about it carefully. A-Wu really likes you, more than you think.”

“I know, but what about my brother? Since my senior year of high school, I’ve known he likes Senior. My reason for coming to Jiang University was originally to help him pursue her.” Xiaohan looked up, her eyes wide, but tears still fell betrayingly.

Outside the door, a complex emotion welled up in Cheng Wu’s heart. Xiaohan came to Jiang University to help Zhou Rui pursue me?

Just then, Xiaohan’s phone vibrated. She quickly wiped her tears and saw it was a call from her brother. “Hello, Brother!” Her voice sounded completely normal.

Downstairs, Zhou Rui looked up, feeling that Xiaohan was just pretending to be fine. Since she didn’t want him to worry, he also pretended nothing was wrong, saying with a smile, “I’ve arranged to have dinner with Cheng Wu tonight; she’s already gone up. You girls should dress up a bit before coming out.”

Xiaohan immediately looked at the door. A second later, the dorm door was pushed open. Cheng Wu appeared in the doorway, her expression normal, with even a hint of a smile. She entered and closed the door, looking at Zhao Ru and Ningning. “Get ready. We’re all having dinner together tonight.”

“Oh! Okay!” Ningning immediately went to her desk and picked up a comb, pretending to comb her hair while secretly peeking at Cheng Wu.

Taking off her silk scarf and coat, Cheng Wu suddenly looked over with a smile, scaring Ningning into straightening up and combing more vigorously. “Ningning, the teeth of your comb are facing the ceiling,” Cheng Wu reminded her helplessly.

Ningning looked at the comb, turned around, and bumped her forehead against the bedpost twice. Beside her, Zhao Ru couldn’t take it anymore and gave her a way out. “Ningning, let’s go wash our faces on the balcony.” Ningning agreed hastily and pulled Zhao Ru out, closing the balcony door immediately.

Inside the dorm, only Cheng Wu and Xia Xiaohan remained. It was so quiet they could almost hear each other breathe. Xiaohan nearly stopped breathing herself; she had nothing to pack. The sound of Cheng Wu opening and closing cabinets, changing clothes, moving her stool, opening lipstick caps… Xiaohan didn’t need to look to imagine exactly what her Senior was doing. She had seen every movement countless times, and they could be reproduced perfectly in her mind.

“Xiaohan.”

Cheng Wu’s voice suddenly sounded by her ear, scaring her into backing away. The moment her gaze met her Senior’s, she quickly looked away. Holding an eyebrow razor in her right hand and an eyebrow pencil in her left, Cheng Wu had wanted to ask if Xiaohan wanted her eyebrows shaped. But seeing her frantic retreat, devoid of her usual shy tenderness and replaced by panic and a fear of closeness, Cheng Wu’s hands slowly dropped. With an unmistakable trace of disappointment in her voice, she asked, “I wanted to ask… do you need your eyebrows done?”

Xiaohan looked up cautiously. Seeing disappointment in her Senior’s eyes for the first time made her nervous, and she blurted out, “Sure!”

“Then I’ll help you.” Cheng Wu smiled instantly, pointing to the stool. “Come and sit. Close your eyes.”

Xiaohan didn’t dare go over, but since she had already agreed, she had to sit down. She closed her eyes. Cheng Wu tilted her chin up slightly, pressed her left hand against her forehead, and used the razor to gently remove the stray hairs around her brows. Unlike before, her Senior’s hand was a bit cold, but her movements were as gentle as ever. Xiaohan gradually relaxed, feeling that perhaps she didn’t need to be so nervous.

After shaping the brows, Cheng Wu picked up the pencil. Looking at Xiaohan’s closed eyes, she thought of the scene just now. As soon as she showed a hint of emotion, Xiaohan had rushed to agree to her request. The pencil strokes landed one by one on the brow bone. Xiaohan didn’t need to open her eyes to feel that her Senior’s hand had grown warmer. Whether it was because penciling was easier than shaving, Xiaohan felt her Senior was much faster this time.

Once finished, Cheng Wu brought a mirror over. “What do you think?”

Xiaohan opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, nodding. “It’s very good.” The shape felt somewhat familiar. Cheng Wu took the mirror away. When Xiaohan looked back, her gaze landed on Cheng Wu’s own eyebrows—her Senior was wearing the exact same brow shape today.

With the sound of voices in the room, Zhao Ru pushed the door open, bringing in a shivering Ningning to put on more clothes. Xiaohan knew they had gone out to give her and her Senior space and felt a bit guilty. After changing and doing their makeup, the four of them went downstairs. Unlike before, there was a one-person gap between Cheng Wu and Xiaohan. Behind them, Zhao Ru and Ningning exchanged a look and shook their heads helplessly.

Downstairs, Zhou Rui was there, along with Luo Xu. “You’re down.” Zhou Rui’s gaze landed on Xiaohan and Cheng Wu. Although the atmosphere felt strange, there didn’t seem to be any major problems. Feeling slightly relieved, Zhou Rui opened his umbrella and walked toward Xiaohan, only to find Cheng Wu had also opened hers and was looking at Xiaohan.

The two made eye contact. Caught in the middle, Xiaohan hurriedly backed away and squeezed under Ningning’s umbrella. “I’ll go with Ningning.”

“Then you take this.” Cheng Wu handed her umbrella to Zhao Ru and walked over to Luo Xu with a smile. “Mind if I share with you?”

Luo Xu was a bit dazed but responded, “Of course not.” He looked curiously at Xiaohan, then at Zhou Rui. “Do you know Xiaohan too?”

“She’s my sister. When I got into No. 2 High School, she came to see me off; you should have met her.” Zhou Rui found it strange—did Luo Xu not recognize Xiaohan?

Luo Xu was shocked, staring at Xiaohan incredulously. “This is that dark, skinny sister of yours?”

“Hey! Watch your mouth! How is Xiaohan dark and skinny?” Zhou Rui was unhappy. Xiaohan was definitely not dark. She was a bit thin, but young girls liked being thin these ages, so she didn’t need to spend time dieting.

“Not dark or skinny anymore. She looks nothing like before.” Luo Xu kept nodding, finding it hard to connect her with the “little radish head” of the past.

With Zhou Rui leading the way, the group headed out of the school. Everyone except Zhou Rui was from Jiang University, so they chose a place nearby—a hotpot restaurant just outside the gates. On the way, Xiaohan clung to Ningning, her head lowered, not daring to speak. Ahead, Cheng Wu took the lead in chatting with Luo Xu and Zhou Rui.

Hearing what Luo Xu said, Ningning was also curious. “Were you really dark and skinny before?”

Clinging to Ningning, Xiaohan felt relaxed. “Mm. During the three years of middle school, I ran for at least two hours every day. I got tanned.”

“Really?” Ningning freed a hand to examine Xiaohan’s face, wanting to pull down her scarf to see her neck, but she was stopped in time by Zhao Ru.

Xiaohan laughed as she remembered why she started running. “Of course it’s true. My health was poor back then, and I was always the one holding everyone back in PE class, so no one wanted to team up with me. Then I started running, doing push-ups and pull-ups. That’s how I got so strong.”

Ningning couldn’t believe it, looking her up and down. “Weren’t PE classes in middle school just for show? Your school actually took them seriously? How many push-ups and pull-ups can you do at most?”

Xiaohan thought for a moment. “Dozens, maybe? For about twenty minutes.” Hearing this, Ningning felt like kneeling in respect.

In front, Cheng Wu stopped speaking and tilted her ear to listen to Xiaohan. Back in middle school, it probably wasn’t just because her health was poor—she was likely being isolated by her classmates. Cheng Wu looked at the snow outside the umbrella. It shouldn’t have been this cold while it was snowing, but she suddenly felt a chill that seeped into her bones.

…

In the hotpot restaurant, everyone sat down, and the broth and side dishes were quickly served. As the broth began to simmer, Luo Xu suddenly asked, “Zhou Rui, didn’t you call Sun Wenze?”

“I did. He said he feels like he’s going to fail his Level 4 exam again, so while he still has some fighting spirit, he’s going to stay in and study. He’ll come next time,” Zhou Rui replied while putting vegetables into the clear broth.

“Is that so?” Luo Xu was puzzled. Is Sun Wenze on a date or something? Probably only Cheng Wu knew that Sun Wenze wasn’t studying—he just didn’t dare show up at a meal she was attending.

Hearing this, Xiaohan asked curiously, “Really? But Senior and I ran into him in the middle of the afternoon.”

“When did you meet him?” Zhou Rui’s hand paused. No wonder Sun Wenze’s tone on the phone had been so strange.

“Just before Senior and I went back to the dorm.” Xiaohan remembered the scene at the dorm entrance, and her voice grew smaller and smaller.

Zhou Rui’s expression remained normal. He smiled. “Maybe something came up last minute.”

The meal was quiet; no one spoke much. Only Luo Xu couldn’t help but ask, “We’re eating and chatting, eating and chatting why is no one saying anything?” He noticed Cheng Wu had cooked some fatty beef and actually dipped it in chili sauce, which surprised him even more. “Sister Cheng, it’s one thing to switch to milk tea, but since when do you eat spicy food? Aren’t you afraid of getting pimples?”

“People’s tastes change. Lately, I’ve been drinking a lot of water and running, so it’s not a big problem.” After eating her beef, Cheng Wu cooked another piece and handed it to Xiaohan.

“Thank you, Senior,” Xiaohan whispered.

Cheng Wu paused her chopsticks and looked at Zhou Rui before asking, “If your brother gave it to you, would you still say thank you?”

Of course not… Xiaohan gripped her chopsticks, staring at the beef in her bowl, not daring to move.

The atmosphere froze for a moment; everyone tactfully stopped speaking and eating. Among those present, only Luo Xu was completely in the dark. Zhou Rui scooped up a few more pieces of beef for Xiaohan. “Hurry up and eat. Your Senior Cheng Wu is just joking with you.”

“Mm,” Xiaohan replied, but still didn’t move her chopsticks.

Luo Xu looked at the three of them, feeling something was very wrong. He knew about the sibling relationship between Zhou Rui and Xiaohan. Seeing the state they were in, Luo Xu had a sudden thought and joked, “Xiaohan, why aren’t you answering Sister Cheng? Didn’t you used to have a good relationship? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for your brother?”

The surroundings fell silent instantly. Not only was Xiaohan motionless, but Cheng Wu and Zhou Rui also stopped their movements abruptly. Zhao Ru looked away, pretending she didn’t know Luo Xu. Ningning stared at Luo Xu in shock, wanting to give him a thumbs-up: Expert at stepping on landmines!

The abnormality was so obvious that Luo Xu finally realized something. He shrank his neck and asked softly, “No… it couldn’t really be—”

“A brother is a brother. Senior Luo Xu, stop joking.” Xiaohan couldn’t sit there any longer. She interrupted him in a loud voice, stood up saying she was going to the bathroom, and hurriedly left the table.

Cheng Wu was in a terrible mood. She set down her chopsticks and also said she was going to the bathroom. Seeing them leave one after another, Zhou Rui felt things were going south and also got up to leave.

Luo Xu watched the three of them depart, his mouth agape in shock. “This… this is too melodramatic!”

Sitting next to him, an angry Ningning picked up a small steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth. “Just shut up, will you!” Looking back toward where the three had disappeared, Ningning turned to Zhao Ru. “It’s all Luo Xu’s big mouth. A perfectly good meal is ruined!”

Luo Xu quickly took out the bun and pressed, “Does Xiaohan really like Zhou Rui? How did I not see it before?”

“You didn’t even recognize Xiaohan; what could you see?” Zhao Ru mocked him expressionlessly.

Remembering what just happened, Luo Xu sensed something was off. Ningning, furious at his slow-wittedness, poked his forehead. “Zhou Rui is Xiaohan’s brother! The one who likes Xiaohan is Sister Wu! What on earth is going on in that head of yours?!”

Suddenly, the chopsticks in Luo Xu’s hand clattered onto the porcelain plate. He said blankly, “So it’s still a love triangle?”