Chapter 1: Lu Mingfei needs help

Bai Ci leaned back in the internet café chair, wearing headphones, watching SpongeBob SquarePants on the screen, and dozed off from exhaustion.

After an unknown amount of time, someone tapped her head, waking her up.
She scratched her messy hair in annoyance, glaring at the unremarkable boy in front of her with a resentful expression. “Lu Mingfei, are you sick?”

“Play a round of  StarCraft  with me.”

“Is it fun to crush me?”

“I’m bored, alright? I’ll play Red Alert with you later,” Lu Mingfei said cheerfully, handing her a bottle of Nutrition Express.

Bai Ci took the bottle, tilted her head back for a sip, then sat up from the chair, closed the browser, and opened StarCraft.

She and Lu Mingfei were classmates in junior high, bonding over this shady internet café.
They often hung out to play games, but she wasn’t too keen on them, only occasionally joining him for a few rounds.

However, she never lasted more than five minutes against him, which made her extremely frustrated.

As Lu Mingfei opened the game, he hesitated before saying, “Tomorrow… I’m going to confess to Chen Wenwen…”

Bai Ci’s hand froze on the mouse.

“You’ve thought it through?”

“Yeah, I’ve thought it through.
I think Senior Sister’s right—all girls need to be pursued.”

“Senior Sister?” Bai Ci glanced at him. “Since when do you have a Senior Sister?”

“A university Senior Sister.
I got accepted into a university in America.”

Bai Ci let out an “oh” and said nothing more.

With so many universities in America, it couldn’t be that coincidental, could it?

“You won’t succeed.”

“Get lost! How do you know if I haven’t even tried?”

“I’ve been playing games with you for six years.
I even know what color your underwear is.”

“What color?”

As soon as Lu Mingfei said it, he wanted to slap himself.
How brain-dead was he to ask that?

They’d been playing together so long he forgot this guy was a girl.

Bai Ci hesitated.
She didn’t actually know what color his underwear was—she was just making a point.
But this guy…

“No girl would ever like someone like you…”

Bai Ci muttered, then fell silent.

“I’ve got confidence,” Lu Mingfei said eagerly, convinced this bold confession would work.

“What about your American university?
Not going?”

“If Chen Wenwen says yes, skipping university in America is no big deal.”

Bai Ci glanced at him again. “Like a dog.”

“But a dog that doesn’t charge into gunfire isn’t a good dog!”

As he spoke, Lu Mingfei clicked his mouse, using a zergling to destroy Bai Ci’s base. “I’ve liked her for three years, Bai Ci.
Do you know where I can get cheap, decent roses?”

“There’s a bunch in the park.
You could try picking some at night,” Bai Ci said, taking a sip of Nutrition Express. “If you’re not afraid of getting caught.”

“Uh… never mind then.”

Bai Ci rolled her eyes, closed StarCraft, and opened Red Alert. “Get online.”

“Alright.”

Ding, ding, ding!

A rapid sound suddenly came through Lu Mingfei’s headphones.
He immediately opened QQ—it was Chen Wenwen!

“How about a graduation party for the literature club before we graduate?” she suggested. “Lu Mingfei, come with me to buy tickets.
Everyone can give their money to Lu Mingfei.”

Without thinking, Lu Mingfei agreed. “Sure.”

Then he turned to Bai Ci. “Sorry, Chen Wenwen’s calling me.
I gotta go.”

“You promised me…”

Before Bai Ci could finish, Lu Mingfei tossed his headphones onto the chair and rushed out.

“You promised me…”

Bai Ci murmured, watching his retreating figure.
She took another sip of Nutrition Express, then pulled out her flip phone, staring at the wallpaper.

Tap, tap, tap!

A faint sound reached the ears of the person next to her.
He glanced at Bai Ci curiously.

Why was she tapping her phone?

Bai Ci didn’t notice the odd looks from those around her and kept tapping the phone.

“Hey! What are you tapping?
Let me see!”

A cheerful voice reached Bai Ci’s ears.
She looked up at the speaker.

The girl wore casual sportswear and a baseball cap, frowning at the phone in Bai Ci’s hand.

“Senior Sister, please give it back…” Bai Ci stood up, extending her hand to signal for her phone, but the girl ignored her request, curiously glancing at the photo on the screen.

“A picture of you and Lu Mingfei?”

“Senior Sister Chen Motong, please give it back!”

Bai Ci’s tone grew heavier, her outstretched hand trembling slightly, clearly agitated.

“Don’t get mad~ You’re my cute junior sister.
How could I not give it back?” Chen Motong said with a smile, handing the phone back to Bai Ci.

Bai Ci sighed in relief, clutching the phone to her chest, looking at her warily.

“Uh… no need for that, Bai Ci…” Chen Motong smiled awkwardly. “I’m not some man-eating monster.
Besides, I’m the one who gave you that phone.”

“It was a gift from you… but it’s still mine…”

“So why were you tapping the screen?”

Seeing Bai Ci’s increasingly guarded expression, Chen Motong quickly changed the subject.

She suddenly leaned in, looking at the right side of the photo, and whispered, “Beat him up.”

Bai Ci lowered her head, her voice soft, looking wronged.

Holy sht… what kind of rare creature is this?

How is she so adorable?

“You like him?”

“How could any girl like a guy… like that?”

“Yeah, a guy that pathetic should definitely stay single… Wait, no, then why were you tapping the screen like that?”

“No reason.
I’m just mad…”

Bai Ci mumbled.

“Why?”

“I think he’s a bully.”

“Forget it.
I’ll help you beat him up later,” Chen Motong said, patting her shoulder to comfort her. “Don’t worry.”

Bai Ci shook her head. “Thanks, but no need.
I already hit him.”

What, by tapping your phone screen just now?

Come on, little sister!

That’s just self-soothing, isn’t it?

Chen Motong sighed.

“Fine, I’ll play a couple of rounds with you.”

Chen Motong sat in the chair beside her, opening Red Alert*.

She didn’t know much about this junior sister.

A-grade hybrid, orphan, isolated in the past for not having parents, average grades, introverted personality.
The only thing unclear was… did she like Lu Mingfei or not?

If she liked him… she didn’t show it much, just talked a bit more with him than others.
If she didn’t like him… those actions earlier…

Alright, Chen Motong could hardly bear to watch.

“There’s something you might want to get involved in.
It’s about Lu Mingfei.”

“What is it?”

Bai Ci asked.

Chen Motong paused, hesitating, but decided to tell her. “The literature club is holding a graduation party.
Lu Mingfei’s probably going to crash and burn.”

“I know.
He’ll definitely fail.
Chen Wenwen would never like him.”

Chen Motong shrugged, observing her reaction. “What if he succeeds?”

“No way.
I’m very confident.”

“Alright, I don’t think it’s likely either,” Chen Motong said with a smirk. “He’s probably going to embarrass himself.
Want to help him out?”

“How?”

Bai Ci looked at Chen Motong.

“First off… let’s get you dressed up.”