Ten-Year Loyal Dog’s Road to Chasing Her Wife (GL) - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The competition required wearing the full school uniform, and it proceeded class by class. Since there was an entire morning and the equipment setup took quite a while, it was impossible for the students to remain standing while waiting. However, the blue pleated skirts worn by the girls meant they couldn’t simply sit down on the ground, as that would be quite ungraceful.

For a moment, they were in a dilemma.

Should they keep standing, or just sit down?

Undoubtedly, sitting down was more comfortable.

Class 11’s position was toward the front, so slipping away to rest was out of the question. In case it suddenly became their turn, it would be impossible to gather everyone back on short notice gathering a crowd always took five to ten minutes, and currently, they had no way of knowing where people had wandered off to, nor did they have devices to contact them.

By the time they actually had to take the field, people might have vanished.

The homeroom teacher was someone who cared a lot about “face.” If such a situation occurred, he would surely punish them all by making them run ten laps around the track afterward.

“Brother Tianci!” The leader of the boys in Class 11 was undoubtedly Yuan Tianci. Upon seeing him approach, the boys were very excited: “Are you participating in the competition later?”

Hearing someone call his name, Yuan Tianci walked over. The school uniforms looked like a couple’s set; the boys’ version wasn’t much different from the girls’, except the sailor collar on the top was replaced by a blue stand-up collar, and the blue pleated skirt was replaced by blue trousers.

The school, of course, would not allow high school boys to wear shorts.

Some say that if a person is good-looking, they look good even in a rag. This theory applied perfectly to Yuan Tianci; besides, he was naturally a very “sunny” boy. “I’m not participating in the competition later,” he said, pointing toward the first floor of the mysterious administration building. “It happens to be my shift in the broadcast room today. I’ll help you play the music a bit.”

As his gaze swept across the area, he saw Qiao Wan sitting quietly and obediently on a small rock. Her posture was upright, and her skirt was pressed down such that the color of what was underneath couldn’t be seen at all.

Such is the importance of upright sitting posture.

Qiao Wan looked like a beautiful oil painting. The lighting in that particular spot wasn’t great; anyone else sitting there might have looked dim or even faceless, but not Qiao Wan. She seemed to be born with her own light, carrying a built-in fill light so that no matter where she was photographed, the lighting always seemed just right.

Yuan Tianci felt a bit of an itch in his heart. Just as he was about to pull out his DSLR to snap a photo, Qiao Wan turned her face over expressionlessly. A pair of eyes, so light in color they seemed almost cold, fell squarely upon him. The emotion within them made Yuan Tianci immediately retract his little scheme.

She was displeased.

But Yuan Tianci was “thick-headed”; he still waved at Qiao Wan, who simply turned away expressionlessly again.

What an idiot.

“What are… you looking at?”

In just a momentary lapse, Qiao Wan didn’t even realize when Qiao Mo had appeared. Those who lived off-campus generally arrived a bit slower since their journey was longer; everyone understood this, and as long as they weren’t late, the homeroom teacher could accept it.

Qiao Wan loved this feeling never having a set time or place to meet Qiao Mo, yet always feeling a surge of surprise when they did. She liked it and was confident that Qiao Mo would definitely find her; she was so sure, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Qiao Mo would definitely find her. No matter the time, she only needed to wait.

She believed Qiao Mo would come, even though she knew Qiao Mo was just a mortal, and even though she knew Qiao Mo didn’t have any “cheats” to use.

She waited for the day Qiao Mo would come over unexpectedly, just like today.

“Looking at Yuan Tianci,” Qiao Wan said.

She felt Qiao Mo sit down beside her, asking softly: “What’s so good-looking about Yuan Tianci?”

“He looked at me first.” Qiao Wan crossed her arms, looking unhappy. “Is he the only one allowed to look at me? I can’t look at him?”

“Of course you can.” Qiao Mo nodded. “As long as you are happy, there is nothing you cannot do.”

By this time, Yuan Tianci had entered the administration building. Because of his sexy “deep bass” voice, Yuan Tianci had been successfully recruited by the school radio station to be an announcer. The daily shifts rotated, and no one ever knew which day was his.

However, more and more girls were getting into the habit of listening to the broadcast before going home after school.

The School Grass’s deep bass was truly very sexy.

So, as soon as Yuan Tianci started testing the microphone, there was a commotion in the area in front of the administration building where the radio gymnastics competition was to be held—Holy crap, that voice, it’s the School Grass.

Qiao Wan looked down at this group of people who were acting almost like fools, remaining silent. Do you know what he’s like in private, yet you like and admire him like this?

Blind worship is a no-go, okay?

It’s not that Yuan Tianci was bad, it’s just… When did high school life start feeling like an idol drama, where everyone is constantly talking about “liking” someone? They’re just little kids; who knows if their current “liking” is even real?

“Do you like Yuan Tianci too?”

“…Too?” Qiao Mo sat on the rock just like her, but her expression was clearly indifferent. “What kind of ‘like’ is it? Like how you like Qiu Liannan, or like how you like me?”

Qiao Wan couldn’t help but look back at her, asking seriously: “Is there a difference?”

“A difference in weight,” Qiao Mo said expressionlessly. Her hair today was clearly not done by herself; it looked a bit messy, more like the result of Qiao Rui helping out. Qiao Rui had even braided a crooked little braid that hung behind her ear.

Though this little braid was ugly, it looked exceptionally cute on Qiao Mo. Qiao Wan couldn’t help but pick it up to look: “Is there one on the other side too?”

Qiao Mo obediently let her tilt her face. Qiao Wan saw that there was indeed a tiny braid on the other side as well: “Braided so small if one isn’t close, they won’t be able to see it at all, right?”

“But did you see it?”

“I saw it. It’s ‘ugly-cute’.”

Qiao Mo smiled slightly, the curve of her lips so slight it was almost nonexistent. “Then that’s enough. Its meaning is limited to this.”

To let the person who should see it see it that was the entire purpose of its existence.

She thought for a moment, reached out to pat Qiao Wan’s head, and before Qiao Wan could swat her hand away, she said: “One who warms one person is called ‘warm’; one who warms a crowd is called a ‘central air conditioner’.”

Qiao Wan suddenly felt that she was different from the others, and she wished no one else could see the little braid behind Qiao Mo’s ear.

In truth, such a tiny braid was just as she said unless one was particularly focused, they wouldn’t see it at all.

And in the whole class, who else besides her would look at Qiao Mo without blinking?

“You seem to have become a little bit better looking.” At first, Qiao Wan thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but after focusing on the little braid for a while, she could say with almost certainty that Qiao Mo had become a little bit more beautiful.

Although it wasn’t much, her face was never truly ugly to begin with. As the skin on her face changed even slightly, it began to show. “Is your skin starting to get better?”

Qiao Mo was stunned; she hadn’t expected such a tiny change to be noticed by someone else. But there was nothing to hide, so she gave an “un” ascent and said, “I went for a check-up a few days ago. My illness is almost cured, so I’ve started reducing the dosage of my medicine. The doctor said I should be able to stop the medication soon.”

“That’s great,” Qiao Wan said. Once she actually stopped the medicine, Qiao Wan would give her some of the expensive skincare products she had bought. Given Qiao Mo’s foundation, she would surely become the “second” school beauty soon, wouldn’t she? Hmph, she didn’t want Qiao Mo to become the first school beauty; otherwise, wouldn’t her own status be threatened? “Then at that time, you must not become more beautiful than me. Wow, both Qiao sisters are great beauties… Just thinking about it makes me happy. When we dance the swan together then, we’ll be even more of a match, won’t we?”

Previously during military training, Qiao Wan had seen that large handful of colorful, spine-chilling pills. Although she couldn’t tell what their purpose was, a single glance made her back feel cold. But thinking of Qiao Mo after putting on makeup the way her eyes moved, her aura of captivating elegance Qiao Wan felt that she should keep taking the medicine. Take it sooner, get well sooner, and become a great beauty sooner.

That way, when they danced the swan dance again, everyone would surely marvel:

Look at how well those two swans match.

She would always remember when Qiao Mo had gently placed the Black Swan mask over her face; the gentle, itchy feeling produced by the feathers on the mask rubbing against her ear like a kitten using its pink, tender paws to lightly scratch a shallow scar in the depths of her heart.

The starlight that day was beautiful, just like when they were rehearsing on the grass.

“The year we graduate is the school’s 100th anniversary. I heard there will be a week-long celebration that summer, and of course, every class has to put on a performance. Accompany me for another swan dance, okay?” Qiao Wan said, looking seriously into her eyes.

She was a person who placed great importance on a sense of ritual; she liked to end things exactly where they began.

Just like when she used to play games every time she was about to give up on a game, she would take off all her character’s high-end clothes, change into novice gear, and go to the starting village to take one last look at the very first NPC.

Her high school life began with the swan dance, and it should end with the swan dance as well.

Before Qiao Mo could answer, she added: “You’ll choose the Science track, right?”

“Don’t be so anxious,” the gentle laughter of the person beside her reached her ears, and Qiao Wan couldn’t help but recall the touch of the feather mask again. “I haven’t had the chance to give you a reply yet.”

“Then…”

What is your reply?

“I accept. To be able to dance with Her Highness the Princess is a great honor.”