Chapter 34: The Bad Woman
A Silent Listener
Fu Qingyue remained quiet, as if waiting for the girl to pour out her emotions.
“I thought coming here would change things, but in the end, I’m still alone.”
The girl paused, lowering her head, lost in memories.
“I was just an ordinary person before. I had plans with my friends for the future.”
“But… I awakened successfully. On the third awakening day, I thought everyone would be happy for me…”
Taking a deep breath, the girl’s expression grew forlorn.
“Reality… was completely different from what I imagined. I lost all my friends. The way they looked at me changed, like I wasn’t the same kind of being anymore.”
Pain flickered in her eyes, her face etched with sorrow from the memories.
“So I ran. I escaped to this school for ability users.”
Lifting her head, her silver pupils trembled as she looked at the expressionless Fu Qingyue.
“But… why?” The girl’s question seemed directed at no one in particular.
“Why can’t I fit in here either? Why is everyone so different from me? Why did I awaken at a time like this? Where do I even belong?!”
Her voice grew hoarse, breaking as she shouted at Fu Qingyue, venting her pent-up frustration. Tears streamed down her face once more.
Having lived as an ordinary person for years, she found ability users entirely alien at this school. Unable to adapt, she felt like an outsider everywhere.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to act like this.”
Perhaps having vented, the girl realized her outburst was inappropriate for a stranger. She hurriedly wiped her tears, forcing a strained smile as she apologized to Fu Qingyue.
An Unexpected Gesture
Watching the distraught girl, Fu Qingyue was momentarily stunned. Before she could process it, her hand moved on its own.
She reached out, gently patting the girl’s head.
“Eh?”
The teary-eyed girl looked up, bewildered by Fu Qingyue’s sudden action.
Before she could react further, Fu Qingyue spoke, her voice as cool as ever:
“I just felt… I should do this. If it upset you… sorry.”
Looking at the girl, Fu Qingyue couldn’t help but recall a small, white figure from her past—a figure always alone because she struggled to express herself.
The girl before her began to overlap with that lonely figure. If Ye Sheng hadn’t pulled her out of that isolation, Fu Qingyue might have been no different from this girl—a version of herself left unsaved.
Having been saved once, she could now save someone else.
Thus, Fu Qingyue extended her hand, forcing a less rigid smile:
“Let me… be your first friend here.”
Her voice remained cold, almost devoid of emotion.
Yet… it carried a trace of warmth.
“What?”
The girl blinked, still processing, her eyes clouded with confusion.
“I said, let’s be friends.”
Thinking the girl hadn’t heard, Fu Qingyue repeated herself.
“…Are you serious? I don’t… need pity or charity.”
The girl stared into Fu Qingyue’s eyes, as if searching for any hint of deception.
“I’m serious. It’s not pity or charity.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Even if I’m a gloomy girl who hides and cries?”
“…I’ve done that too.”
A New Bond
The girl fell silent again, perhaps overwhelmed by the sudden offer.
Seeing her hesitation, Fu Qingyue grabbed her hand, looking into her eyes with unwavering sincerity:
“I used to cry alone because of loneliness, but someone pulled me out. I can’t ignore someone like you.”
“…Would you let me be your first ability user friend… or rather, would you be my first friend at this school?”
Fu Qingyue’s expression was earnest—she was always earnest.
“…Yu Li.”
“What?”
“My name… Yu Li.”
The girl softly spoke her name, a faint smile spreading across her face. Then, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Fu Qingyue in a tight hug.
“Thank you…”
Feeling the warmth of the embrace, Fu Qingyue froze. As a child, her cold demeanor had made others dislike her; as an adult, her power and status kept people at a distance, save for sycophants.
She had never been this close to anyone—not her parents, not even Ye Sheng.
This unfamiliar sensation… wasn’t bad. Instinctively, Fu Qingyue hugged Yu Li back, catching a faint, pleasant scent.
A Rush to Class
“Crap! Class is starting!”
Yu Li suddenly pulled away, shouting in panic as she remembered the time.
“I-I-I, I’m Yu Li from Class 1A!”
Fu Qingyue, still reeling from the warmth of the embrace, took a moment to register Yu Li’s introduction.
“Class 1B, Fu Qingyue.”
“We’re in the same year! That’s perfect, we can go together!”
Yu Li’s earlier sadness was gone, replaced by a newfound cheerfulness.
“Wait, no, this isn’t the time to be happy! We need to hurry!”
Scratching her head, Yu Li urged anxiously.
“Let’s take a shortcut.”
Fu Qingyue grabbed Yu Li’s hand and ran, cutting through a nearby park. Soon, they reached the teaching building.
“Huff… huff… you… you know all the shortcuts… and you’re so fast.”
Arriving just before they’d be late, Yu Li panted heavily.
Fu Qingyue didn’t respond. Curious, Yu Li looked up, only to see Fu Qingyue staring coldly ahead.
Following her gaze, Yu Li spotted a blue-haired, well-endowed girl standing nearby, looking at them in surprise.
Before Yu Li could react, Fu Qingyue wordlessly grabbed her hand and dragged her away.
“Hey, hey, hey! What’s wrong, Little Qingyue?!”
Fu Qingyue didn’t answer, striding past Lan Yi without pausing.
A Lingering Doubt
Watching their retreating figures, Lan Yi stood frozen, her expression dazed:
“Fu Qingyue and… Yu Li… Why are they together?”
Unbeknownst to her, a trace of disappointment laced her voice.
A Warning About Lan Yi
“Stop, stop, stop! What’s going on, Little Qingyue?”
Yu Li’s voice carried confusion as she questioned the visibly agitated Fu Qingyue.
Hearing Yu Li, Fu Qingyue regained her composure and stopped, turning to look at her seriously:
“That person just now… she’s a bad woman. Don’t have any contact with her.”
“Huh? A bad… bad woman?”
“Yes… the kind who’s… utterly wicked, who steals things others cherish… a bad woman.”
Though Fu Qingyue’s voice remained flat, her resentment toward Lan Yi was unmistakable.