Chapter 14: Joining Xiaoli’s Chat

“Hopefully, this will work…”

Holding the note tightly, Su Xiaoxiao stole another glance at Xiao Li, who was chatting with her friends about a group’s distance away.

Besides Liu Yun, there were three other girls whom Su Xiaoxiao didn’t even know.

The girls were happily chatting about something, their faces bright with joy, while Su Xiaoxiao just watched from the side.

This went on for almost ten seconds.

“Ugh, forget it.”

After some thought, she still didn’t dare to speak up first.

“…..”

Returning her gaze to her own desk, Su Xiaoxiao began packing her bag.

Actually, there wasn’t much to pack, since she didn’t have to bring books back—no one was supervising her anymore.

And she didn’t feel like doing any homework; she’d already gotten used to it.

So… leaving her bag behind wouldn’t be a big deal, just take the key and some snacks.

But it looked strange not carrying a bag.

Better to carry it after all; everyone else took theirs back…

“Swish,” finally, Su Xiaoxiao decided and pulled out her Biology Book and today’s Biology Homework, tossing them into her bag as a form of tidying up.

“Hmm…”

As she got ready to leave and stood up, the white-haired girl cast one last glance at them.

***

“Um… wait for me.”

Liu Yun had just been talking to her Xiaoli about recent Club matters.

Just as she was happily chatting, she suddenly noticed someone watching them.

Looking over, she realized it was the usual culprit from before.

“Yun Yun, what’s wrong? Need to go to the bathroom?”

“No, wait here. I’m going to bring someone over.”

“What kind of person? Do you have a boyfriend now?”

The girlfriends all looked at her with surprised expressions.

“…Shut up, no.”

***

“Ah.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Su Xiaoxiao noticed the girl getting closer and closer, seemingly coming specifically to catch her.

She’d been caught sneaking a peek!

Can she slip away…

Slip away.

“Still staring?”

But she was too slow—before she could even take a step, Liu Yun’s hand grabbed her shoulder.

“Hehe… sorry.”

Su Xiaoxiao put on a silly smile but told the truth.

“….”

Expecting scolding, Su Xiaoxiao lowered her head, but no reprimand came.

“You must be bored being alone. Come chat with us, how about it?”

Liu Yun gently tugged Su Xiaoxiao’s hand, inviting her to join their conversation.

“Ah eh… really?”

Su Xiaoxiao could hardly believe her ears.

This girl was actually inviting her to play with them.

“I don’t want someone just sitting there staring all the time.”

“So pitiful, isn’t it?”

She suppressed a laugh, feeling Su Xiaoxiao was just too lonely and shy to reach out—an adorable kind of personality.

Pitiful…

“No, it’s not like that….”

“Well… thank you.”

Su Xiaoxiao said shyly.

Though the method was a bit unusual, it seemed she could finally talk to Xiao Li.

Agreed!

“Here she is! This is the one. She really wants to play with us.”

Liu Yun excitedly pulled Su Xiaoxiao over and introduced her new little catch.

Xiao Li noticed Liu Yun’s whole maneuver and had been keeping an eye on the new girl all along.

“Ugh, hello…”

Covering her half-burning, flushed face with her hand, Su Xiaoxiao struggled to handle talking to so many girls at once.

She felt like her soul might drift away any second.

And they were all looking at her so closely…

“No need to be so shy. Didn’t we greet you this morning?”

“Doesn’t she look like how Xiao Li was when school first started? Xiao Li was a shy little girl then too.”

“Don’t say that!”

“Haha,”

“…..”

For a moment, the five of them started teasing each other, exposing each other’s little secrets.

But this made Su Xiaoxiao realize Xiao Li had once been shy like her.

She’d never known before. In her impression, Xiao Li was always cheerful and lively, a teacher’s good helper.

“Well, it’s your turn to say something.”

Liu Yun patted Su Xiaoxiao.

Since arriving, the little one hadn’t spoken.

“I… I’m Su Y, Xiaoxiao.”

Her mind was a mess, almost letting slip the name from her past life.

Saying it out loud would be suicide.

“We know that already. Anything else? Like your hobbies or something?”

The girls looked over expectantly.

“My hobby is… eating…”

Under their intense stares, Su Xiaoxiao mumbled out the words.

Xiao Li was still watching…

She felt like she was about to fly away.

“Eating? Pfft, no wonder you’re always eating in class. So you’re a big foodie.”

“But you eat so much and you’re still so skinny, and your figure looks pretty good too.”

They were surprised and started to size her up.

One girl even crouched down to check her figure from the side.

“Should be okay, haha…”

If you didn’t count what was in front of her chest, it might even be called perfect…

But she had never really seen other girls’ bodies before, so she had no idea how to judge.

Don’t stare…

“Alright, don’t do that. It’s embarrassing. Besides, you can tell from her hands.”

Liu Yun noticed Su Xiaoxiao’s discomfort and stopped the overly curious girl.

She then took Su Xiaoxiao’s delicate hand from under the table and showed it to the others.

“Ooh, so pretty.”

The girls all said in unison.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but compare.”

“It’s nothing…”

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at Xiao Li again, who seemed to be looking her over just as intently.

Ugh… so embarrassing. It was the first time anyone cared about her figure.

***

The girls kept chatting about her—asking about where she lived, which middle school, what she liked to do.

Of course, Su Xiaoxiao answered casually.

She said her home was near the school, very close.

The middle school was just some nearby one; no one would know if it was true or not.

Finally, because the girls had Club activities, by about 5:47, they all left.

“Bye…”

Waving to them, Su Xiaoxiao’s face was already flushed bright red, like a warm little apple.

She explained that she was shy and that was why she acted like this when chatting.

But actually, the reason was that they were girls, and she was still a socially withdrawn kid from before.

Not to mention the chaotic thoughts inside her were almost killing her.

“Not a bad experience….”

Tugging at her bag strap, she felt excited inside.

She had Liu Yun to thank—she had been so scared of her earlier.

“Excuse me, please move.”

Suddenly, a girl passed by, and Su Xiaoxiao, standing dazed by the classroom door, apologetically made way.

“…..”

As she left, the girl shot Su Xiaoxiao a sharp glare filled with complex emotions, completely unbefitting a high school girl.

But in summary, Su Xiaoxiao felt it was the kind of look for sizing someone up.

She’d heard about it before—this girl…

“Xia Bingrou, such a scary person…”

After watching the aloof girl disappear from sight, Su Xiaoxiao finally dared to move.

Though this cold vibe was strangely attractive (to herself), that was for sure.