Seeing that it was almost time for work, Yu Hua pushed open the door and walked out.
Lin Ling also stood up and followed behind Yu Hua.
“Lin-ge, why are you heading out to play at this hour too?”
Yu Hua noticed Lin Ling tailing him, guessing that the suspicion hadn’t been lifted yet, so he could only pretend to grumble, “Getting curious about my exciting social life?”
“Mm, I don’t have anything planned today. I’ll tag along and maybe learn a thing or two.”
Lin Ling looked determined to keep a close eye on Yu Hua no matter what.
“I have a date with a girl this afternoon, you know. Can you not be a third wheel?”
Yu Hua thought this excuse was both polite and firm enough to refuse him.
“It’s fine. I’ll just watch from a distance.”
Realizing even this excuse couldn’t shake him off, Yu Hua couldn’t help but say, “Lin-ge, what’s gotten into you today? Why are you glued to me all of a sudden?”
“I think you’re Shuihua.”
Lin Ling was brutally honest.
“Lin-ge, have you missed her so much that you’re seeing things?”
Yu Hua immediately put on a confused look.
“I’ve worked hard to help you chase after Shuihua, and this is how you see your bro?”
“That doesn’t contradict anything.”
“Well… How about this? Try inviting Shuihua out sometime, and when you see both me and her together, that should clear up any doubts, right?”
Yu Hua decided to bluff—he figured there was no way Lin Ling would still be suspicious after this.
“Alright, I’ll transform into Liujin in a bit and try to set up a meeting with Shuihua.”
Yet Lin Ling seemed stubbornly determined to get to the bottom of things.
“I have a date this afternoon, you know? Isn’t that a bit more important than your pointless suspicion?”
“But this is really important to me. If you won’t help, it just means you’re hiding something!”
Cornered like this, Yu Hua could only put on a bit of a scowl and played a card he hadn’t used in a long time.
“Lin-ge, don’t forget I’m still holding something over you. Was I just too easy-going before, or are you in your rebellious phase now?”
Hearing this, Lin Ling immediately fell silent.
It seemed Yu Hua really had to be tough with her.
But being too tough might also arouse more suspicion, so Yu Hua decided to use a mix of hard and soft tactics.
“Look, it’s not like I don’t want to help you clear things up, but this girl this afternoon is really my type. It’s hard to spare the time. But I can tell you this: I’ll be at the Jimi Cat Cafe near the school for my date. As long as you don’t come running over to interfere, you can confirm things however you want.”
After saying this, Yu Hua strode off without looking back.
But Lin Ling was as stubborn as ever, keeping a bit of distance but still sticking close.
“Fine, fine, if you want to follow, then follow.”
Yu Hua walked through the dorm stairwell, pretending to play on his phone while actually thinking up countermeasures.
Soon, a plan to fool Lin Ling formed in his mind.
“Ow, my stomach really hurts, I need to use the bathroom.”
Yu Hua immediately clutched his stomach, feigned a pained expression, turned and dashed back to the dorm room and into the bathroom.
Someone as stubborn as Lin Ling, of course, wouldn’t budge—she followed Yu Hua right back into the dorm.
Hearing the footsteps outside, Yu Hua thought, Lin Ling really is this hard-headed.
He quickly pulled out his phone and called for help from the Magical Girl Club.
Shuihua: “@everyone Emergency! I need backup!”
Star Li: “What happened?”
Shuihua: “Star Li, at 2:30, come meet me at the Jimi Cat Cafe on the South-North Road at Shuicheng University of Technology and pretend to be my date. Don’t transform, just wear any casual clothes. Fei Xing, log in to my computer. When Liujin messages later, just say you’re busy with something, stall her as much as you can, got it?”
Star Li: “Why?”
Shuihua: “Because my identity’s about to be exposed… If my roommate, who’s got a crush on Shuihua, finds out I’m actually Shuihua, my university life is basically over…”
Star Li: “Says who?”
Shuihua: “If I’m exposed, I’ll resign the very next day.”
Star Li: “Lady Shuihua, just give the order. Our Magical Girl Club will live and die with your social identity.”
Fei Xing: “But I know nothing about Senior Liujin! The Director’s the one obsessed with Liujin. How about I go on a date with you instead?”
Shuihua: “If I went on a date with you, I’d end up at the Police Station… Just follow my instructions.”
***
Once everything was arranged, Yu Hua breathed a sigh of relief, flushed the toilet for show, and walked out.
Lin Ling was still waiting outside—she was definitely dead set on this.
“My stomach’s not feeling great—must’ve been that barbecue yesterday,” Yu Hua emphasized yesterday’s excuse again.
He made his way to the cat cafe near campus.
The place was warm and cozy, and the cats were very affectionate.
Every time he passed by, Yu Hua thought, once I get a girlfriend, I’ll bring her here.
Unfortunately, even though he was always surrounded by girls and his reputation among his roommates was that of a hopeless flirt, he’d never actually brought a girl here before.
He paid the entrance fee, put on shoe covers, and entered the cafe. Now, with full confidence, he pointed at Lin Ling and said, “You can keep your distance now. Don’t make the girls think I brought a third wheel.”
Lin Ling obediently moved away, picked a spot in a corner with a good view, and sat down.
She pulled out her phone to try and contact Shuihua, all while keeping an eye on Yu Hua.
Yu Hua, meanwhile, sat far away from her, waiting for Star Li to arrive.
At exactly 2:30, the numbers on his phone changed and Star Li pushed open the door right on time.
She wore a cute, light blue dress, had hair accessories on, and even her dark circles were hidden by foundation.
She must have taken this crisis seriously—it was a stark contrast to the usually lazy magical girl, Star Li.
“Yu Hua-gege, I’m here!”
Star Li waved as she came over and sat across from Yu Hua.
Then she lowered her voice and said, “What’s going on today? Can you give me the details?”
Yu Hua didn’t dare say much.
He lowered his voice and quickly offered her a plate of dessert.
“It’s not convenient to talk right now—my roommate’s in the corner. Make sure your acting is convincing. Once this crisis passes, I’ll treat you to barbecue.”
“Alright.”
Star Li took the dessert, then leaned forward slightly and got into character:
“Dear, this orange cat is so cute! Doesn’t it look just like you?”
“Don’t overact—it’ll look fake.”
Yu Hua quietly reminded her, glancing at Lin Ling’s position.
She was still busy messaging, so that was a relief.
“Just stay natural. Act like you usually do.”
“You don’t like me acting gentle either, huh?”
Star Li assumed her usual lazy expression.
“So, what do we talk about on a date? I only know your ‘work self’ anyway.”
“No need to rush the conversation. Just have some dessert for now—I’ll deal with Fei Xing’s issue first.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.