Senior, Stop Pretending to be an Alpha - Chapter 14

As it turned out, Xie Bufei’s questions were no different from her statements. No sooner had she spoken than she leaned in quickly, tucking herself into Yu Qiao’s embrace.

By the time Yu Qiao reacted, the two of them were already pressed tightly together.

Xie Bufei’s soft, stray hairs fell against the crook of Yu Qiao’s neck, tickling her slightly. Two slender, soft arms were wrapped firmly around her waist; even through a few thin layers of clothing, Yu Qiao could feel the heat radiating from the other girl’s skin.

A light fragrance surged toward her like a turning tide, slowly soaking into the sand—gentle, yet incredibly invasive.

This was the first time Yu Qiao had encountered such a thing. Her entire body stiffened, and her hands hovered instinctively in mid-air, unsure of where to land.

Her gaze swept over the other girl’s long dark hair, the delicate back of her neck, and her waist. It felt as if touching her anywhere would be impolite.

Sensing Yu Qiao’s stiffness, Xie Bufei tilted her face up slightly from the embrace, her dark pupils shimmering with a soft light.

Watching Yu Qiao’s awkward posture, she let out a little laugh. “Are you surrendering?”

Yu Qiao hesitated for a moment, slowly lowering one hand and pressing it lightly against Xie Bufei’s shoulder in a gesture of pushing her away.

Xie Bufei’s smile immediately collapsed. She drooped her eyes piteously. “Can’t I have a hug?”

Yu Qiao said in a low voice, “I’m covered in sweat.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Xie Bufei rested her chin on Yu Qiao’s shoulder, her long lashes trembling as she blinked. “I don’t mind.”

Her nose twitched slightly, and she said with curving eyes, “There’s no smell anyway.”

Yu Qiao pursed her lips and retracted her hand, standing ramrod straight like a wooden pole being hugged by an octopus.

Observing her wooden reaction, Xie Bufei chuckled and said, “Qiaoqiao, why are you so nervous?”

As she spoke, she intentionally or unintentionally blew a puff of air against Yu Qiao’s neck, causing the girl’s body—which had finally begun to relax—to stiffen once more.

Yu Qiao felt somewhat helpless against her mischievous behavior. She lowered her eyes and said, “Senior, please stop teasing me.”

Xie Bufei adopted an air of deep thought, her eyes curving into crescents. “Then give me a proper hug, and I’ll stop bothering you.”

Yu Qiao bit her lip. A second later, she placed her arms around Xie Bufei’s slender waist and slowly pulled her close.

The distance closed abruptly, and the smile on Xie Bufei’s face faltered.

The other girl’s warmth slowly seeped into her skin, and the unpleasantness caused by Xie Ke earlier vanished entirely. At this moment, all she could feel was her own heartbeat accelerating irregularly, echoing chaotically in her ears.

However, Yu Qiao only held her for a brief moment before politely and swiftly withdrawing her hands.

“Senior, is that enough?”

Xie Bufei adjusted her breathing and slowly let go. Her expression was one of satisfaction mixed with a lingering reluctance. She sighed, “Alright.”

“Then let’s go back.” Yu Qiao glanced at her phone. “It’s almost time to assemble.”

Xie Bufei smiled and nodded. “Mhm.”

Just as Yu Qiao turned to leave, the hem of her shirt was gently tugged. She turned her head and heard Xie Bufei whisper, “What happened just now, can Qiaoqiao keep it a secret for me?”

Yu Qiao thought about it and asked, “The fact that Xie Ke is your sister?”

“People will find out about that sooner or later,” Xie Bufei said, lowering her eyes. “But my family history, the things I said about hating her… I’ve never told anyone else.”

Yu Qiao’s heart stirred. She promised earnestly, “Okay, definitely.”

Xie Bufei smiled again. “Thank you.”

Yu Qiao couldn’t help but feel that she still didn’t look entirely happy.

Invisibly, the distance between her and Xie Bufei seemed to have closed a bit more.

Behind Xie Bufei’s gorgeous, smiling exterior resided a lonely, distant shadow.

Everyone envied her for her looks and her family background, but she was actually just like anyone else, possessing her own irrepressible loneliness and troubles.

Xie Bufei’s pain was just like that of most people on earth: the most common, ordinary joys and sorrows of the mortal world.

But she had chosen to peel back these emotions and display them to Yu Qiao without reservation, like a kitten exposing its soft belly to its owner, seeking intimate comfort.

This made Yu Qiao feel that she should do something in return for the other girl’s sincerity and trust.

“Senior…” She looked at Xie Bufei, her voice softening unconsciously. “I hope you are happy every day.”

Don’t be sad; leave the bad moods to me.

Xie Bufei was stunned for a moment. She slowly nodded and curled her lips into a genuine, heartfelt smile.

“I’m already very happy today.”

She gently took Yu Qiao’s hand. Her bright fox-eyes were dyed light brown by the sunlight, looking beautiful and tender.

“Let’s go back.”

Stepping through the dappled shade of the trees, Yu Qiao returned to the playground.

Seeing her return with Xie Bufei, the students of Class One let out a collective, knowing laugh.

Yu Qiao was bewildered. Yao Rudong leaned in, her voice low and filled with gossip: “What’s the deal? How did you two come back together? Any secret little ‘off-the-record’ business?”

Yu Qiao spoke the truth: “We just happened to run into each other on the way.”

As for “off-the-record”… there actually was something. It was just that she had promised someone not to say anything.

Yao Rudong winked meaningfully. “Did anything… strange or special happen?”

Yu Qiao paused and, for once, made a joke: “You said it yourself, it’s ‘off-the-record.’ So of course I can’t tell you.”

Yao Rudong’s jaw dropped as she stared at her in shock. Lu Yun, standing nearby, giggled. “Qiaoqiao has grown up; she actually dares to say things like that now.”

A minute later, training began. Yu Qiao stood silently at attention, her back as straight as a pine tree. She had great self-control and could stand motionless for an hour.

Suddenly, she heard Yao Rudong whisper rapidly: “Qiaoqiao! Senior Xie is looking at you!”

Yu Qiao instinctively looked to the side. She saw several desks and chairs pushed together under a large tree where members of the Student Union were sitting. Xie Bufei was sitting in one of those chairs.

The autumn sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting faint golden spots on her long hair and cheeks, making her look like a beautiful, patchwork doll.

The girl rested her chin on one hand, her mesmerizing fox-eyes staring at Yu Qiao without blinking. Her expression was almost tender.

It seemed that no matter the time, Xie Bufei could always do this—look through the vast sea of people and cast her gaze accurately and intently.

Their eyes met from a distance. Xie Bufei suddenly arched an eyebrow at her, her smile looking a bit mischievous.

Yu Qiao was confused, but then she heard the instructor’s deep voice booming from above: “What are you looking at?”

Only then did Yu Qiao react. “…”

The instructor, intentionally making things difficult for her, acted stern: “Student Yu Qiao, what were you just looking at? You were so focused; why don’t you tell me about it?”

The students of Class One turned their heads curiously. They saw the normally silent, model student purse her lips and say, “I was looking at… a friend.”

Instructor: “A friend? Who is it? Someone so charming? Tell me so I can get to know them too!”

“Who else could it be but Senior Xie!” someone shouted immediately. The crowd burst into laughter, and the cheerful atmosphere rippled outward.

The instructor had some impression of Xie Bufei as well. He lowered his head and asked Yu Qiao jokingly, “You’ve been looking for so long. Is she pretty?”

Yu Qiao remained silent for a long time. Realizing he wasn’t going to let her off easy, she could only whisper, “She’s pretty.”

Instructor: “As long as she’s pretty. Now go over there and tell her to stop staring at you so you won’t get distracted so easily.”

Yu Qiao stepped out of the line expressionlessly. Under the gaze of everyone, she walked straight up to Xie Bufei.

Xie Bufei tilted her face up, her gaze flowing with an innocent expression. “What’s wrong?”

Several Student Union members nearby cast curious glances.

“Don’t look at me,” Yu Qiao said, looking down at her. “I get distracted easily.”

Xie Bufei curled her lips. She was perfectly composed, saying provocatively, “Why can’t I look? I’m going to look; what can you do about it?”

Yu Qiao paused, then reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

Xie Bufei’s eyes widened instantly, and she forgot what she was going to say.

Yu Qiao smiled and said, “Then I’ll just have to get my revenge.”

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