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Chapter 27: Encounter

The last class is a class meeting.

Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Wang, stood on the podium, talking excitedly about the final arrangements for the school anniversary this Friday.

“…Regarding the school anniversary event this Friday, I would like to emphasize a few points…”

“…Each class has almost finished rehearsing their performances.

Costumes and props must be prepared in advance…”

“…On the day of the school celebration, everyone must pay attention to their appearance.

Everyone must wear school uniforms.

No…”

To Xiahou Ming, these words were just a bunch of meaningless background noise.

She lay on the table with her face tilted to the side, her eyes never leaving the empty seat.

‘She really didn’t come.

Is it because of what happened yesterday?

Is it because of the kiss that I pushed away and the order that I didn’t fulfill?

Or is it that she is completely disappointed in me?’

Xiahou Ming felt her vision was a little blurry.

She had to do something.

She couldn’t just wait like this.

She wanted to know why Yu Yuhui hadn’t come.

She wanted to know where she was now.

She wanted to know… if she really didn’t care about her anymore.

But who could she ask?

There was no one who could serve as a bridge between her and Yu Yuhui.

Their relationship is built on a vacuum.

Teacher Wang?

That middle-aged man probably wished that Yu Yuhui would never appear in his class again.

Squad leader?

That girl who only cared about doing homework all day and seemed to keep a polite distance from everyone, would she know?

Even if she knew, would she tell me?

Xiahou Ming was calculating in her mind impatiently, crossing out name after name.

Then, the last name, like a life-saving straw, emerged in her mind.

Wen Xuelan.

Yesterday, it was Wen Xuelan who brought the lunch box.

Yu Yuhui must have had contact with her.

‘But…

How should I find Wen Xuelan?

Even if I found her, how should I ask for her advice?’

Wen Xuelan was in another class, she didn’t even know which class it was.

Moreover, the girl was timid and shy, and if she saw my face, she probably wouldn’t have time to hide.

Most importantly…

Wen Xuelan probably doesn’t know that I have become a girl yet.

In her eyes, Xiahou Ming is still that hideous boy.

‘What should I do?

Should I question her as “Xiahou Ming”?

Or should I approach her as a girl of the same grade?’

The former would scare her away, and the latter…how would the latter explain my relationship with Xiahou Ming?

She must have seen me at the door yesterday.

‘Am I saying that I am her twin sister?’

As soon as this idea came to her mind, she rejected it herself.

‘This is ridiculous.’

She lay on the desk, feeling like she was stuck in a vicious circle.

“…Xiao Ming?”

A hand gently pushed her shoulder.

“Are you… okay?”

Xiahou Ming suddenly came to her senses, raised her head, and met Ling Yicai’s eyes.

“Ah?…Is it over?”

She asked blankly.

Most people in the classroom had left, with only a few students still dawdling to pack their bags.

“Well, it’s over.”

Ling Yicai looked at her distraught appearance, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a soft sigh.

“Well, I still have to go to cram school, so I’m leaving first.”

“Oh, okay.”

Xiahou Ming watched her turn and leave.

When Ling Yicai walked to the back door of the classroom and brushed past a figure, she didn’t even glance at the person, as if the person was just a piece of air.

Lin Xiaomei leaned against the door frame, crossed her arms, and looked over here with an unhappy look on her face.

When she came to her senses, she abruptly looked away, uttered a heavy “tsk,” turned around, and disappeared into the corridor.

The classroom became empty in an instant.

Only she and two students on duty were left cleaning.

She looked around and her eyes fell on the empty seat again.

‘No.

We can’t wait any longer.’

She grabbed her schoolbag and almost ran out of the classroom.

She stood in the noisy crowd downstairs of the teaching building, looking around like a headless fly.

Just when she felt a surge of despair, a familiar figure walked out from the stairs not far away.

It’s Wen Xuelan.

She was holding a thick stack of exercise books, with her head down, walking carefully through the crowd.

Xiahou Ming’s heart skipped a beat.

Almost instinctively, she pushed aside the two boys who were still fighting in front of her and rushed towards the figure.

“Um… classmate, please wait a moment!”

Her voice was a little loud because of her urgency, and even had a slight echo in the empty corridor.

Wen Xuelan was frightened by the sudden shout and trembled all over.

Her feet slipped and the pile of homework books in her arms, which was taller than her face, instantly lost her balance.

Crash!

White paper pages fluttered all over the ground.

“Ah!

I’m sorry!

It’s my fault!”

Wen Xuelan apologized repeatedly almost as if it was a conditioned reflex, without even seeing who called her.

She squatted down in panic, like a little animal that had done something wrong, and just wanted to quickly clean up the disaster caused by her own “mistake.”

Xiahou Ming felt nauseous when she saw her humble appearance.

She had bullied the girl.

At that time, Wen Xuelan was also like this, squatting on the ground, picking up the things that were emptied from her schoolbag without saying a word, and she didn’t even dare to cry out loud.

And I, just like that group of scum, stood by and looked down at her, admiring her embarrassment.

She immediately rushed over and squatted down as well.

“No, I was wrong.

I scared you.”

She apologized as she frantically gathered the scattered notebooks.

The two of them were like two clumsy quails, their heads almost bumping into each other, and they were both trying desperately to push the notebook on the ground towards them.

“No…it’s okay, it’s my fault for not holding it firmly…”

Wen Xuelan still lowered her head and took the responsibility on herself in a low voice.

In the chaos, Xiahou Ming reached out and tried to pick up an exercise book that fell at Wen Xuelan’s feet.

At the same time, Wen Xuelan also stretched out her hand.

Without any warning, their fingertips touched each other in the air.

Xiahou Ming’s fingers were cold, but Wen Xuelan’s fingertips were a little hot because of nervousness.

“!”

The two of them pulled their hands back at lightning speed, their movements surprisingly fast and in unison.

The air froze instantly.

The only sounds left in the corridor were the two people’s somewhat rapid breathing due to nervousness.

“…Sorry.”

They spoke in unison again, and then fell into an even more awkward silence, their heads buried even lower, and no one dared to reach out first.

In the end, Xiahou Ming gritted her teeth and picked up the last few exercise books as if she was defusing a bomb.

She stacked them together with the ones in her hand and handed them to Wen Xuelan.

“For you.”

“Thank you…thank you…”

Wen Xuelan lowered her head, took the notebook, hugged it tightly to her chest, turned around, and wanted to escape from this scene that made her feel helpless.

“Please wait a moment!”

Xiahou Ming had no choice but to stand in front of her again.

This time, Wen Xuelan finally had nowhere to hide and was forced to raise her head.

When her eyes finally met Xiahou Ming’s face clearly and completely.

Her breathing paused noticeably.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out of her throat.

Her body took a step back uncontrollably, and her back hit the wall heavily.

“Who…who are you…?”