It would still take some time to get back to the suburban park.
Chen Xiaoyan, feeling bored, took out her phone and started scrolling through it.
“It’s not a good look to have your phone in your hand all the time. Plus, it’s easy to lose it.”
Mu Qingxue saw her playing with her phone and remembered how Chen Xiaoyan had anxiously searched for it right after getting in the car earlier. She chuckled as she spoke.
“Your dress design doesn’t have pockets, so there’s nowhere to put the phone,” Chen Xiaoyan complained.
“You don’t use a Handbag?”
“I’m just not in the habit.”
Mu Qingxue was stunned, staring at her with a look like she was observing an alien.
Chen Xiaoyan felt a little nervous under her gaze.
“What? I’m really poor, so it’s totally normal that I don’t use a Handbag.”
Mu Qingxue said nothing, just continued to quietly watch her.
The longer she stared, the more anxious Chen Xiaoyan became.
“Xiaoyan, you don’t seem to have any Makeup on?” Mu Qingxue said, reaching out to gently slide her finger across her face.
“Nope.”
“How do you usually take care of your skin? What Skincare Products do you use?”
“None at all.”
Mu Qingxue pouted with envy.
No Handbag, no Skincare Products, no Makeup, and yet she was still as beautiful as a flower.
Was there any justice left in the world?
Even the most beautiful woman, if she doesn’t take care of herself or maintain her looks, will definitely lose her charm after a few months.
There’s no such thing as an ugly woman, only a lazy one—this has always held true.
But someone like Chen Xiaoyan was a complete anomaly, the kind Mu Qingxue had never seen before.
She was simply the ultimate rival for women.
In the front passenger seat.
Chongchong listened to the bursts of laughter from the backseat (her mind automatically filtering out the noise), pouted, and pulled the seatbelt back and forth like a rubber band to vent her frustrations.
San Yue Bu Xia Xue glanced at her while driving.
“Missy, do you have a grudge against the seatbelt?”
“No.”
“Then let it go.”
Chongchong didn’t answer, but her movements only grew more reckless, tugging at the seatbelt like it was a bowstring.
Suddenly, her hand slipped.
The seatbelt snapped back in an instant, landing with a “pa” right on her chest.
“Hiss~” Chongchong bared her teeth in pain.
“Pfft…” San Yue Bu Xia Xue couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
Serves you right, you little brat. That’s what you get for messing with the seatbelt.
“This stupid seatbelt, I’m not wearing it anymore.” Chongchong, angry, yanked the buckle out.
“Missy, that’s dangerous. If something happens and there’s a sudden stop, you’ll slam right into the windshield—or even get thrown out,” San Yue Bu Xia Xue warned.
Chongchong frowned, glancing at her.
In the end, she obediently buckled the seatbelt again.
I’m not being a coward, I’m just worried it would look bad if I go flying.
A beautiful girl has to stay beautiful at all times—no accidents allowed.
After chatting for a while, Chen Xiaoyan and Mu Qingxue soon ran out of topics.
She noticed a new notification from Penguin Backend.
She quickly tapped it open.
Liu Yue: What are you up to? (An hour ago)
Chen Xiaoyan: Xiaoyue, didn’t you have a dinner party? How come you have time to message me?
Liu Yue replied almost instantly.
Liu Yue: Don’t mention it. I thought it was just a normal dinner, but my dad actually dragged me out to a blind date.
Reading this, Chen Xiaoyan felt her heart clench.
Chen Xiaoyan: So how did it go?
Liu Yue: Actually, it turned out pretty well.
Chen Xiaoyan: ………
Chen Xiaoyan was completely numb. She was planning to woo this girl, and now… you actually went on a blind date?
Damn it!!!
Right now, she felt incredibly uncomfortable.
It felt like someone was stealing away the person she’d had her eye on.
Chen Xiaoyan: Then congratulations.
Those five words—Chen Xiaoyan didn’t even know how long she hesitated before sending them.
She really was happy that Liu Yue was a normal girl.
But the regret was real—she’d missed her chance.
If heaven would let her go back to yesterday, she’d have stopped Liu Yue from going to that dinner and chased after her with everything she had.
Liu Yue: What are you congratulating me for?
Chen Xiaoyan: Eh?
Liu Yue: Xiaoyan, I think you misunderstood.
Liu Yue: I told my dad I already liked someone, so he didn’t make me go on a blind date. Well… I guess it was still a blind date, but the purpose changed.
Chen Xiaoyan: My brain’s not working—so did you go on the blind date or not?
Liu Yue: You could say the blind date failed.
Seeing this, Chen Xiaoyan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, thank goodness, there was still hope.
Liu Yue: Xiaoyan, if my blind date had succeeded, what would you have done?
Chen Xiaoyan: Of course… I’d wish you happiness.
Liu Yue: Mm, I know.
Chen Xiaoyan: Xiaoyue, who’s the person you like?
Liu Yue: If I tell you, don’t get mad.
Chen Xiaoyan: I won’t.
Liu Yue: Really won’t?
Chen Xiaoyan: I promise (pats chest)
Liu Yue: It’s you.
It’s you!
It’s you!!
It’s you!!!
Those two words echoed in Chen Xiaoyan’s mind like a haunting refrain.
She stared at her phone, eyes wide with shock, unable to recover for a long time.
No way, no way.
Liu Yue is… also into girls?
No, please.
Damn you, heaven, are you kidding me? Why is everyone around me a lily?
Could I get someone normal, please? Even if she’s not that pretty, that’s fine!
Chen Xiaoyan covered her face, feeling like she could cry but had no tears.
“What’s wrong?” Mu Qingxue noticed Chen Xiaoyan’s odd reaction and asked with concern.
“Qingxue.”
“Hmm?”
Chen Xiaoyan put on a mournful face and turned to look at her.
“I feel like my life has no meaning anymore.”
Mu Qingxue tilted her head, looking utterly confused.
“Xiaoyan, did something happen?”
“It’s nothing.” Chen Xiaoyan pulled herself together, took a deep breath, and forced a smile she hoped looked relaxed.
But Mu Qingxue could still see a hint of bitterness in her smile.
“Xiaoyan, you should try to trust me.”
“I always trust you, Qingxue.”
Mu Qingxue stared intently into her eyes. “I feel like you’re hiding something from me.”
“Am I?”
Chen Xiaoyan couldn’t meet Mu Qingxue’s gaze, feeling inexplicably guilty.
“Then why don’t you dare look me in the eyes?”
Mu Qingxue leaned in, the two of them now face to face.
Breathing in that familiar Plum Blossom Scent, Chen Xiaoyan’s heart pounded anxiously.
“Qingxue, don’t get so close.”
“In the Game, you didn’t seem to mind being this close.”
“A Game is a Game. Reality is reality. How can you mix the two?” Chen Xiaoyan argued stiffly.
Mu Qingxue curled her lips in a smirk.
“So you mean the Game and reality are unrelated, and anything goes in the Game, right?”
Chen Xiaoyan was caught off guard and hurriedly denied, “I never said that.”
“What are you two doing?”
Suddenly, a questioning voice came from the front passenger seat.
Mu Qingxue frowned, silently cursing for the interruption, and returned to her seat.
She even waved her hand in front of her, looking annoyed. “So many buzzing flies, so annoying.”
“It’s you, the big fly, who’s up to no good. Hmph, you sent me away just so you could mess around with Sister Xiaoyan.”
Chongchong couldn’t care less whether Mu Qingxue was the young lady of the Mu family or not—she fired back directly.
Mu Qingxue just sneered, crossing her arms and leaning back against the cushion.
“I was talking to Xiaoyan. What’s it got to do with you?”
Chongchong instantly knelt on the seat and stuck her head out. “Peh! Is that how you talk? You were almost glued to Sister Xiaoyan—do you think I’m blind?”
“So what if I get close to Xiaoyan? She doesn’t mind—what’s it to you? It’s not like I’m sticking to you, so why are you freaking out?”
“I just can’t stand the way you act.”
“If you can’t stand it, then don’t look.”