Chapter 3: That’s enough

Ever since that night, Lu Mingfei hadn’t set foot in school.

He was scared Zhao Menghua and his crew would jump him.

Getting slapped by a girl—who was sticking up for him, no less—wasn’t a good look for anyone.

Cassel College’s new term didn’t start until October, and it was only April.

Lu Mingfei didn’t mind a longer break, but six months was way too damn long.

Still, he got a kick out of watching his cousin, Lu Mingze—five-foot-three, 160 pounds—grind away at his studies.

Every morning and evening, when their aunt lectured him, Lu Mingze pulled a sour face, then kept studying under her nagging.

After watching Lu Mingze head to school in the morning, Lu Mingfei left the house with a grin, hands in his pockets, clutching a few blue bills.

He made a beeline for the internet café, bought two bottles of Nutrition Express, and hustled to a small room on the second floor.

A familiar figure was, as always, gaming there.

“Bai Ci.”

Lu Mingfei tossed a Nutrition Express onto the table, plopped into a chair, and called out with a goofy smile, handing her the bottle.

Bai Ci glanced up, giving him a flat look. “Mm.”

Same old, same old.

But this time, he stared longer, like he was trying to figure something out.

If this girl dressed up even a little, she’d outshine anyone.

Instead, she wore a black jacket, hood up to hide half her face, gaming all day, every day.

Maybe she gamed too much—dark circles ringed her eyes, giving her a gloomy vibe.

But even so, her features were stupidly perfect, her skin so smooth you’d wanna take a bite.

His staring made Bai Ci uneasy.

She looked up, frowning. “Stop staring at my face.

It’s creepy…”

Lu Mingfei awkwardly looked away, rubbing his nose, and sat beside her.

“Why aren’t you chasing after your Chen Wenwen?”

Bai Ci took a sip of Nutrition Express, her tone cool but laced with a hint of mockery.

“No way I’d dare! If I went after her, I’d get my ass kicked.

I don’t wanna be chased around the field by Zhao Menghua with a broom…” Lu Mingfei shrugged, then looked at her. “I’m really just here to game with you this time.”

“Fine, I’ll believe you.”

Bai Ci turned back to her screen, focused.

Lu Mingfei wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved, watching her snipe the enemy base with a tank, then send soldiers charging in to mop up.

He opened Red Alert and joined her game.

Classic map—everyone gets a small plot.

It demanded fast hands, sharp thinking, and keen eyes.

Lu Mingfei thought players on these maps were sneaky bastards—one slip, and someone’s stealing your oil field or base.

Some even hid a superweapon at home, making everyone else’s life hell.

Bai Ci was the oil-field-stealing type.

Every match, she’d seize the advantage early, then wipe out the enemy while their defenses were weak.

Clean and brutal.

“Wanna go out and do something?”

Lu Mingfei clicked his mouse, half-distracted.

“You paying?”

“Uh… I’ve got cash.”

Lu Mingfei hesitated but agreed.

Fifty bucks could cover a lot! Plus, with his saved-up money, he had about two hundred—enough to splurge with Bai Ci.

“How much could you have?

Save it for yourself,” Bai Ci said, glancing at him before diving back into her game.

The click-clack of her mouse made Lu Mingfei slump, dejected.

“Come on, it’s to thank you for having my back the other day, alright?” he said through gritted teeth.

Senior Sister Nono told him: when asking a girl out, you gotta be thick-skinned, or it’s a no-go.

“I’d feel bad otherwise.

Bai Ci, for the sake of our years of friendship…”

After a few seconds, Bai Ci sighed, yanked off her headphones, and tossed them on the desk.

“Fine, I’m bored anyway.

I’ll go with you.”

Lu Mingfei grinned like an idiot, practically bouncing. “For real?”

Bai Ci rolled her eyes.

He’s sharp at games—how’s he so dumb otherwise?

“For real.”

She nodded, stretched, stood up, and headed out.

Lu Mingfei scampered after her like a puppy, following her out of the room and downstairs.

“Can you not do that?” Bai Ci’s mouth twitched. “It’s creepy…

Just act normal, like before…”

Lu Mingfei went quiet.

Back in the day, he’d mess with her without a second thought—toss a Nutrition Express on her head, stuff snow down her shirt, even hide a chili in her bread once.

Sure, he’d smooth things over, but that was because he kept forgetting she was a girl.

He barely noticed how she looked.

What kind of girl spends all day in an internet café, gaming, no makeup, no nice clothes, hair a mess straight from the shower, chatting like one of the guys?

But after she showed up looking stunning to back him up, how could he keep acting like that?

It’d be heartless.

She was a natural beauty who could outshine Chen Wenwen a hundred times over—without even trying!

So now, Lu Mingfei played it safe.

He didn’t dare grab her hand, let alone ruffle her hair.

Lost in thought, he flinched as Bai Ci flicked his forehead.

“What’re you spacing out for?

Where are you taking me? Say something.”

Bai Ci crossed her arms, unintentionally accentuating her figure.

How’d he never notice his childhood friend had that kind of body?

Lu Mingfei swallowed hard, forcing his eyes away. “What do you wanna eat?”

“Whatever.

I’m not picky.”

“Seafood?”

“Too expensive.”

“Barbecue?”

“Too expensive.”

“Hot pot?”

“Too expensive.”

In the end, Lu Mingfei and Bai Ci sat on stools outside the internet café, munching on jianbing guozi and sipping Coke, watching an old man write calligraphy on the sidewalk.

“Got any tissue?”

“Yup.”

Lu Mingfei whipped out a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Cool.”

Bai Ci wiped the grease from her mouth.

Lu Mingfei suddenly realized—damn it, he brought 250 bucks to take her out, and here they were, squatting on the street eating jianbing?

“Let’s go do something!” Lu Mingfei decided he needed to take charge, not let Bai Ci steer.

He stood up fast. “Follow me.”

Bai Ci watched him, hyped up like a monkey spotting tourists on Mount Emei, and briefly considered ditching him.

But after a moment, she followed.

After wandering half the day, Lu Mingfei took her to a Ferris wheel.

Sunset, dusk, stars, city lights, traffic… Lu Mingfei sat on the Ferris wheel, gazing out the window as the night deepened.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, savoring the brief calm and quiet.

Heard confessions had the best shot at times like this…

Should he try?

Bai Ci pressed against the window, taking in the view.

Nervous, hopeful, scared of failing.

“Bai Ci.”

“Hm?”

“I’ve got something to say.”

“Oh.”

Bai Ci turned to face him, listening.

“I…” Lu Mingfei paused. “I’m at Cassel College too.”

“Then I’ll be counting on you.”

Bai Ci gave him a small smile.

They said nothing more, watching the sun sink below the horizon.

“Brother, is that it?”

A voice came from the seat beside him.

All the lights went out, the world turning into a sealed black box, except for two spotlights illuminating Lu Mingfei and a small boy next to him.

The boy looked Chinese, maybe thirteen or fourteen, dressed in a sharp black suit, his skinny legs dangling under the seat in polished shoes.

“Brother? Who are you?”

“I’m Lu Mingze.”

“Lu Mingze?”

No way.

Lu Mingze was a five-foot-three, 160-pound kid with a face full of acne from puberty.

This polished little boy couldn’t be him.

“Too scared to even look up at the stars, brother? She might say yes,” Lu Mingze said, sitting next to Bai Ci, gently smoothing her messy hair to reveal her stunning face. “Brother, you know what’s really pathetic?”

“What?”

“People so afraid of loneliness, of getting hurt, of losing more, of things changing—they’re so weak they lock themselves in a glass cage, cut off from the world.”

Lu Mingze’s gaze was cold but clear, making you believe every word.

Lu Mingfei looked at Bai Ci.

She seemed oblivious to the weirdness, still staring at the distant sky.

What should he say right now?

“She might not like you, but she’d probably say yes.

You’re her only [friend], after all,” Lu Mingze went on. “So, is that enough for you, brother?”