The White Moonlight is So Scheming - Chapter 18

No unusual signs were detected.

Shen Juexia continued to pester Liu Yurou relentlessly. “Yurou, just tell me, I promise I won’t tell anyone else.”

“No way. I can’t possibly tell you. If you want to know, go ask her yourself.” Shaking off Shen Juexia’s hand, Liu Yurou sat down at her desk and ignored her no matter how much she pleaded.

How could Shen Juexia dare to ask Ji Zhijie?

Dejected, she slumped onto her desk, the repeated rejections filling her with frustration. If it weren’t for her sister, she would have given up long ago.

…

After the first class in the afternoon.

Students in the classroom began packing up their belongings, with some even retrieving various “treasures” from the storage cabinets at the back.

Some carried guitars, others held dance shoes, while Ji Zhijie, sitting beside Shen Juexia, simply picked up a water bottle.

Liu Yurou, sitting in the front row, stood up and asked Ji Zhijie, “Hey, genius, are we heading out now?”

The drama club was on the third floor of the activity center.

It was quite a distance from the teaching building, requiring a ten-minute walk.

“Sure.” After responding, Ji Zhijie turned to Shen Juexia. “Let me out.”

Instead of moving aside, Shen Juexia looked up and asked, “Are you guys going to the drama club?”

“Yeah.” Turning her face away, Ji Zhijie avoided Shen Juexia’s gaze.

Seeing her reluctance to engage, Shen Juexia could only glance pitifully at Liu Yurou. “Yurou, can I come with you?”

“Of course! The drama club is short on members lately. If you’re interested, you could even join!” Oblivious to Ji Zhijie’s mood, Liu Yurou enthusiastically started recruiting for the club.

Eyes lighting up, Shen Juexia beamed. “Yurou, you’re the best!”

Ji Zhijie, standing nearby.

Suddenly let out a cold snort.

Puzzled, Shen Juexia turned to her. “Ji Zhijie, what’s wrong? Is your nose bothering you?”

“…”

Suppressing the irritation rising in her chest, Ji Zhijie strode out without another word.

—

2:30 PM.

The sun was shrouded by thick clouds.

Ji Zhijie walked ahead alone, her expression icy, the air around her chillingly cold.

“Shen Juexia, you’re not what I imagined at all!” Liu Yurou chatted cheerfully as they walked, occasionally glancing at Shen Juexia.

Her eyes fixed on Ji Zhijie’s back, Shen Juexia forced a smile and replied, “Haha, really? What did you think I was like?”

“A spoiled rich kid? A slacker? Arrogant?” Counting on her fingers, Liu Yurou continued, “Bad-tempered, always skipping class—”

Reaching out, Shen Juexia gripped Liu Yurou’s shoulder, feeling as if she’d been shot with countless arrows. “Enough. I get what kind of person you all think I am.”

No wonder Ji Zhijie always reacted so strangely.

So, this was the terrible impression she had in her eyes.

Well…

If she were in Ji Zhijie’s shoes, being constantly bothered by a “notorious” classmate, she probably wouldn’t be friendly either.

Thoughts racing.

Shen Juexia felt she was one step closer to success. The reason for her repeated failures before was she hadn’t known the root of the problem.

But now…

Now we can tackle the problem at its root!

“Yurou, do you know what Ji Zhijie likes?” Shen Juexia looked at Liu Yurou with hopeful eyes. To her, Liu Yurou was like a key that could unlock Ji Zhijie’s heart.

“What does the academic goddess like?” Scratching behind her ear, Liu Yurou looked troubled. “She doesn’t seem to like much. Money, maybe?”

Money was the one thing Shen Juexia had in abundance!

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she pressed further, “Of course that counts! But besides money, what else does she like?”

“Quiet? Ji Zhijie doesn’t seem to like being disturbed.” Stroking her chin, Liu Yurou thought for a long while before finally giving this answer.

No wonder Ji Zhijie had suddenly turned cold earlier.

She must have been annoyed by the noise!

Shen Juexia’s furrowed brows relaxed as she gave Liu Yurou an approving thumbs-up. “You really do understand her!”

All the puzzling behavior now made sense. Ji Zhijie’s hot-and-cold attitude was because Shen Juexia had been clinging to her too much!

Got it.

From now on, she had to keep her distance from Ji Zhijie.

Without hesitation, Shen Juexia slowed her pace, grabbed Liu Yurou’s wrist, and widened the gap between them and Ji Zhijie. “Yurou, let’s walk slower. We don’t want to disturb Zhijie.”

The teaching building was located on the left side of Shengde High School.

The library stood in the center, while the activity center and auditorium were on the far right. The path from the teaching building to the activity center inevitably passed by the library’s glass façade.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ji Zhijie noticed the two behind her walking slower and slower, even huddling together conspiratorially, their behavior oddly intimate.

Ripples stirred in her tranquil, lake-like eyes as her amber phoenix gaze darkened. A cold smirk curled at the corner of her lips.

Ji Zhijie withdrew her attention.

No longer paying heed to Shen Juexia’s antics, she fixed her gaze straight ahead.

Shen Juexia’s almond-shaped eyes lit up as she covered her mouth and whispered excitedly, “Did you see that? Ji Zhijie almost smiled!”

Liu Yurou, who had also caught the fleeting curve of Ji Zhijie’s lips, nodded eagerly. “She really did!”

The two exchanged knowing smiles.

Shen Juexia lifted her chin, secretly clenching her fist in determination.

Don’t worry, sis!

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before she won Ji Zhijie over!

They came to a stop at the entrance of the activity center.

Before pushing open the glass door, Liu Yurou gave Shen Juexia a heads-up. “Oh, Juexia, if you want to officially join the drama club, you’ll probably have to pass a simple interview.”

“Is the interview hard?”

Staring at the brick-red building, Shen Juexia felt inexplicably nervous.

“Don’t worry, it’s not hard at all.” Noticing her tension, Liu Yurou reassured her in a lighthearted tone. “You’ll definitely pass!”

After all…

The drama club was seriously short on members.

Letting out a soft sigh of relief, Shen Juexia nodded and followed Liu Yurou up to the second floor.

The first floor of the activity center had high ceilings, while the second floor was suspended halfway.

The entire first and second floors comprised Shengde High’s grand auditorium, while the third floor housed over a dozen rooms with different functions—storage closets for props, dance studios, and empty classrooms furnished with chairs.

The drama club had claimed one of these empty classrooms.

It served as their clubroom.

Knock knock.

Liu Yurou knocked twice on the classroom’s front door, more as a formality than anything else.

“The door’s unlocked, just come in,” a voice called from inside.

She glanced back at Shen Juexia before pushing the door open.

Once they stepped inside, they saw that everyone in the classroom had moved their chairs together, forming a large circle.