Chapter 5: Guan Yizhou Is Here!

【Wow~ (❁´3`❁)】QQ fizzed with pink bubbles of excitement: 【You hugged! You hugged! Kiss, kiss~】

Before Wen Tingxia could react, the arms around her waist loosened in a flash.

He Xulin politely put distance between them, his voice low and a little rough: "Sorry. There was a bike behind us."

A small bicycle rolled past on the wide road. As it went by, the male rider grinned and gave He Xulin a thumbs-up: "Bro, smooth."

Wen Tingxia stood frozen, answering stiffly, "N-no, it's fine."

Who am I?

Where am I?

What just happened?

"Little Penguin, the Male Lead hugged me, didn't he?" It had all happened too fast, too suddenly—unreal, like a hallucination.

【Yes, yes! Xia Xia, you're amazing! The first date's intimate-contact mission, done just like that.】

QQ was over the moon, happier than if it had completed the mission itself.

Wen Tingxia stared blankly at He Xulin. The man stood tall and elegant, the hand that had just held her waist now tucked behind his back, his expression as calm as ever.

Under the dim yellow streetlight, Wen Tingxia saw that the tips of his ears were red enough to drip blood.

【Hehe, the Male Lead's embarrassed. He's shy!】 QQ had noticed it too—the awkwardness hidden beneath He Xulin's placid exterior.

"The Male Lead's pretty innocent."

【Of course! The Male Lead keeps himself clean. Before you, there'd never been a single girl by his side. This level of closeness with a girl—it's his first time. That's why there were rumors he likes men.】

"Oh ho~ So does he actually like men?" Wen Tingxia's gossip soul ignited.

QQ played coy: 【Guess.】

"Let's go," He Xulin said, as if nothing had happened.

"Mm, okay."

They continued toward the girls' dormitory, as though that little interlude had never occurred, back to their initial barely-acquainted state, a wide gap between them.

QQ sighed silently. It had thought the recent closeness would pull them together.

Two blocks of wood.

The system was dying of anxiety.

Then again, what else could they do? This was only their first date. Surely they wouldn't immediately hold hands, hug, kiss, and book a hotel room.

QQ: 【Xia Xia, you did great. Today's romance sweetness is about enough. You can head back and rest early.】

"Thank god."

The tension of dinner with the Male Lead finally eased. Wen Tingxia let out a relieved smile.

From a side path of stepping stones emerged a tall, clean-featured male student, calling out, "Wen Tingxia, it really is you."

Wen Tingxia turned. It was a sophomore who had received her during freshman orientation.

Her smile didn't fade. She gave him a sweet grin, a shallow dimple blooming on her cheek: "Hello, Senior. Are you heading to the library?"

This path was close to the library.

"No, just came out of the dorm. About to go grab dinner." The male student's gaze swept over Wen Tingxia's delicate, pretty face, his admiration impossible to hide: "Have you eaten, Classmate Wen? Want to join me?"

I have. I ate so much.

Wen Tingxia was about to answer when a tall shadow fell over her slender frame. As the man drew near, that familiar faint scent of lime drifted around her again, and her small hand, hanging at her side, was caught in a warm, broad palm.

Wen Tingxia turned her head. He Xulin was looking down at her, expression flat.

"Thanks, Senior, but my boyfriend and I just finished dinner and we're heading back," Wen Tingxia said, pulling her gaze away to answer the male student.

Only then did the male student notice He Xulin.

Earlier the two had stood so far apart he'd assumed they didn't know each other.

One look at their joined hands, and there was nothing left to wonder about.

The male student smiled at Wen Tingxia with a helpless, unmistakably regretful tone: "Then I won't disturb you two. Goodbye."

"Little Penguin, why did the Male Lead suddenly hold my hand?"

【Who knows. Maybe he thought you walk too slow and wanted to drag you along faster.】

He Xulin didn't let go of Wen Tingxia's hand until they reached the entrance of the girls' dormitory.

Finally free, Wen Tingxia tucked her hand behind her back and squeezed it. Her palm was damp, slick with sweat.

Too nervous.

Several times she'd wanted to pull her hand back, to wipe the sweat off, but she didn't quite dare. She could only repeat to herself: "His life force sustains me. His life force sustains me. His life force sustains me."

"Thank you for walking me back, Senior. And thank you for dinner. I had a really wonderful time tonight. Next time it's my treat." On the verge of parting, Wen Tingxia recited her prepared lines in one breath.

"Okay. Tomorrow noon, then."

"Huh?" Wen Tingxia's pretty almond eyes went round.

"Weren't you going to treat me? Tomorrow noon—works for you?"

Gazing at the girl's bewildered expression—those innocent almond eyes full of alarm, like a soft, easy-to-bully little white rabbit—a faint curve surfaced at the corner of He Xulin's mouth.

Wen Tingxia nodded mechanically: "That works."

"See you tomorrow, girlfriend."

It was getting late. He Xulin lowered his head slightly and said goodbye in a low voice, his tone gentle, maybe even a little doting, his voice pleasant enough to make someone pregnant.

"Mm, s-see you tomorrow, my boyfriend."

At such close range, right at the dormitory entrance, Wen Tingxia's pretty face flushed scarlet. She stammered, stole a glance at He Xulin's handsome face, and instinctively backed up a few steps.

She didn't notice the steps behind her. Just as she nearly tripped, a strong arm hooked tightly around her waist.

This time, it felt so real.

The Male Lead had hugged her again!

And Wen Tingxia, caught mid-stumble, instinctively wound her slender arms around the man's waist, pressing tight against him.

An ambiguous pose.

Their eyes met.

Wen Tingxia clearly saw the man's sharp Adam's apple bob.

"Sorry, I—I didn't mean to." Wen Tingxia hastily let go.

"It's fine."

He Xulin released her as well.

Her face burning hot, Wen Tingxia said nothing more and turned into the dormitory building.

【Ahhh, I'm dying of excitement! I almost thought the Male Lead was going to kiss you!】 QQ wailed.

"He wouldn't kiss me. Isn't he the ascetic, aloof campus heartthrob?" Wen Tingxia's heart was still racing from the tension.

【True.】

The enthusiasm fizzled out. QQ wilted: 【The Male Lead's whole persona is pure and indifferent to women. Even with the Female Lead, theirs is a Platonic love—no physical intimacy at all.】

Ugh. Shipping everything only hurts the system.

So disappointing.

"Ah~" Wen Tingxia suddenly smacked her forehead, remembering something.

QQ: 【What? What is it?】

"I remember He Xulin said at first that he had a project to work on tonight. Then he took me out to dinner on the fly and walked me back—that ate up a lot of time. Won't it affect his project progress?"

QQ: 【Definitely will.】

"Then what do I do? I shouldn't have gone out to dinner with him. I heard He Xulin's project is a collaboration with official departments—super important." Wen Tingxia was drowning in guilt: "He's so busy, and here I am clinging to him for romance. Isn't that awful? Am I dragging him down?"

QQ was dismissive: 【Of course. Otherwise, why would you be the Side Character? The Male Lead's life is glorious, brilliant. On the road to success for a man like that, there are always a few stumbling blocks, a few people dragging him down. That's the whole point of your existence.】

【The Male Lead and the Side Character aren't on the same wavelength. Different levels of awareness. The Male Lead has a vast career, grand ideals—his life is busy and full. And you? Vain, shallow, empty, insecure, oversensitive, petty. All you think about is romance, clinging to the Male Lead, wanting him with you every second. You can't help him at all—you just hold back all his big undertakings.】

【The Female Lead's different. She's not just beautiful—she's a violinist, thriving in high-society circles. She's the Shen family's daughter, the darling everyone fawns over, and her family background is...】

QQ stalled there, anxiously monitoring Wen Tingxia's mood.

"Why'd you stop?" Wen Tingxia asked, puzzled.

【Xia Xia, do you feel wronged? That identity—the Shen family's daughter—should have been yours.】

QQ probed cautiously: 【Even though that was the Original Host's doing, you're Wen Tingxia now.】