Chapter 40: Oh no! Vivian is at home

In front of the iron railings covered with dark gold European patterns, He Ranran’s hands that were resting on the railing turned to grasp Li Ruoxi’s wrists.

The two stood face to face.

When He Ranran’s clear eyes met Li Ruoxi’s gaze, He Ranran’s nose stung and her eyes turned red.

“It’s alright. You have to trust your feelings.”

He Ranran looked at Li Ruoxi with firm, clear eyes.

“We should both be fine, Xiao Xi, you too.”

Seeing He Ranran’s empathetic expression, Li Ruoxi felt a warmth in her heart.

She brushed away the worry from her brow and put on a sunny smile.

“Mm.”

Li Ruoxi replied softly.

“It’s already quite late, Xiao Xi. Why don’t you have dinner with me before heading back?”

The setting sun on the horizon had already half-sunk behind the mountainside.

As He Ranran spoke, she suddenly hugged Li Ruoxi.

“I don’t know how to say it.”

He Ranran gently stroked Li Ruoxi’s back.

“Even though we’ve only just met, Xiaoran still really hopes you can be happy.”

He Ranran grasped Li Ruoxi’s arms and looked her over seriously.

She reached out her thumb and pressed it carefully against the center of Li Ruoxi’s brow.

“Xiaoran…”

Li Ruoxi stopped her softly.

The gesture was so intimate that Li Ruoxi didn’t know how to respond.

“Xiao Xi, Xiao Xi~ The stars in the sky, twinkling bright, forever shining, forever peaceful~ Ah, why is your face red again…”

He Ranran exclaimed in surprise.

Li Ruoxi once again became that shy and bashful version of herself.

He Ranran casually pinched her nose.

“I know, are you thinking about something strange? Girls shouldn’t do that~”

“N-no… no, I’m not.”

Li Ruoxi said guiltily, averting her eyes and not daring to meet He Ranran’s gaze.

“It’s getting late. My… my sister is waiting for me. I need to go back for dinner today.”

Li Ruoxi awkwardly refused He Ranran’s invitation.

He Ranran pinched her soft little cheek.

“Then I’ll invite you to have a meal together tomorrow~ Make sure to find time~”

Li Ruoxi’s smooth skin was so delightful that He Ranran couldn’t stop touching it.

One moment He Ranran stretched her cheek, the next she pressed it into a pout.

“Xiao… Ran… don’t… do th-this…”

“Hehehehe~ Xiao Xi, you look really adorable.”

He Ranran’s eyes curved into crescent moons, revealing a hint of white teeth.

“Alright~ Then should I have Brother Ziyuan see you back?”

He Ranran stopped playing around and took out her phone to ask.

Li Ruoxi rubbed her cheeks and hesitated before saying, “N-no need to trouble Brother Ziyuan. I…”

‘Seems like she didn’t know how to get back…’

It was only then that Li Ruoxi realized she had absolutely no way to get back.

“Can you tell me… how to get back?”

Li Ruoxi asked shyly and awkwardly.

He Ranran couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Xiao Xi, are you afraid that Ziyuan might actually pursue you? How amusing. I’d love to see how you handle such a pursuit~”

“Not at all… It’s just that making him do that…”

Li Ruoxi was also confused.

She asked, “I’ll contact Sister Xue and ask her to arrange a car to take me back.”

“There’s no need to trouble Teacher Xue. Tell you what, just stay here and have dinner first. For now, just call your sister and let her know.”

“Ah…” Li Ruoxi became even more troubled.

‘Even though Vivian hadn’t said anything about her coming home late, if Vivian really got angry…’

“Then…”

“Oh dear, if you keep hesitating like this, we’ll have enough time to finish eating and go back. Besides, I need to go back to the dorm…”

He Ranran paused.

“Uh… that… Xiao Xi, where do you live?”

He Ranran asked curiously.

“Live? My family has a place here I can stay, but it’s a bit far to walk. It’s not very convenient.”

Seeing Li Ruoxi’s troubled expression, He Ranran suddenly thought how nice it would be if she were Li Ruoxi.

“Is it Mannila Manor?”

He Ranran mentioned a location unfamiliar to Li Ruoxi.

“I’m not really sure what it is. It’s just… um… seems like a few small villas, with a courtyard of about six hundred square meters or so, and some unused facilities… It’s not really a manor.”

Li Ruoxi was someone who had seen what a real manor was like.

“Let’s just have dinner first and then talk about it.”

He Ranran pulled Li Ruoxi and went downstairs.

“This is dangerous. You don’t have to hold me like this.”

He Ranran walked very fast.

Li Ruoxi almost tripped over her own feet and was suddenly pulled into a jog.

“No way~ Xiao Xi, if I don’t hold you, I’m afraid I’ll lose you. Then I won’t be able to find you later~”

He Ranran ran ahead, turning back to say with a smile, followed by a melodious laugh.

Then she added, “You walk too slowly. If I don’t hold you, I’m afraid you won’t be able to keep up with me.”

“I don’t…”

Before she could catch her breath, Li Ruoxi felt the pace quicken again as they strode toward the first floor.

As for where they were going, Li Ruoxi had no idea—she’d just follow He Ranran.

—

A pot-bellied middle-aged man in a tight black suit lowered his hat, whether to hide his shiny forehead or to lower his own line of sight.

Standing beside him was a woman half a head taller, wearing a loose white T-shirt fit for a runway show, and long cropped wide-leg pants that revealed slender ankles.

Hu Xi, wearing sunglasses and holding an umbrella, walked alongside the middle-aged man.

The two of them walked along the path in Zone B of the campus.

Since it was the beginning of the semester, many people with similar appearances were also on campus, so they didn’t draw much attention.

“Buddha Lord, Lilith Academy may have declined for many years… but to make a move here…”

Hu Xi, looking through her sunglasses at the young girls and boys, felt quite envious.

“Now is the best opportunity. What? You don’t want to do it?”

The two were arm in arm, and their outfits exuded an air of luxury.

“Buddha Lord, with so many people watching, can we pull it off?”

Hu Xi asked the Buddha Lord with a stiff smile, lowering her voice.

“The planning time may be short, but this move has the highest chance of success. If we miss this opportunity, there might not be another. Besides, haven’t you already failed? It seems even our Jade-faced Fox has her limits.”

“Hmph~” Hu Xi conceded.

She had never even had the chance to get close to the target, let alone use all her skills to deal with her.

“This time it’s up to you, little darling.”

Bamianfo reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, giving Hu Xi’s soft chest a rough squeeze.

“How annoying~ There are so many people here~”

Hu Xi pretended to be shy.

A middle-aged couple happened to pass by in the opposite direction.

Seeing Hu Xi’s rare coquettish act, the man instantly couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Look, look, look! If I ever find out you’re keeping a vixen outside, I’ll wring your neck!”

Seeing her husband so pathetic, the big-haired, blonde woman beside him viciously pinched his waist.

“Giggle~”

Hu Xi generously let out a light laugh at the bald middle-aged man.

At the same time, she lowered her sunglasses and threw him a wink as they passed by.

“Alright, I’ll take care of that flirtatiousness of yours tonight. Just plague me, don’t plague others.”

Bamianfo put his arm around Hu Xi’s waist.

“There’s a banquet for new students’ parents before dinner. We need to go now.”

Bamianfo glanced at the hands of the ancient bell tower not far away.

“How do we get in without an invitation?”

Hu Xi asked curiously.

“What do you think?”

Two thin cards made of gold leaf were tucked into the valley of Hu Xi’s cleavage.

“How annoying~ You just love teasing me in public~”

Hu Xi ignored everything else and planted a big kiss on Bamianfo’s cheek.

Flirting and bantering, the two walked past Zone B.

—

“Huff… huff… how is it this far…”

Li Ruoxi’s description of “a bit far” and “inconvenient” made He Ranran doubt her own understanding of those terms.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

Li Ruoxi sat sideways on the back of the bicycle.

He Ranran was carrying her, heading back to Mannila Manor.

“No need.”

He Ranran pedaled vigorously.

This old-fashioned Phoenix brand bicycle was He Ranran’s mode of transportation.

“I’ll…”

They reached an uphill road ahead.

“I’ll sit here and cheer you on.”

Pfft…

He Ranran burst out laughing, and half her strength left her.

“Xiao Xi, don’t be funny! I finally muster up my strength, and you laugh it away.”

He Ranran looked at the uphill slope as she rode.

“Get off and walk up this slope. Then ride about a kilometer and we’ll reach Mannila Manor.”

“Let me do it.”

Li Ruoxi got off the back seat, smiling, and took the bicycle.

The bicycle was a bit heavy, and Li Ruoxi struggled a little to lead it.

He Ranran, beside her, placed her hand on the handlebar next to her and directly grasped Li Ruoxi’s hand.

Feeling the warmth from the other’s hand, Li Ruoxi’s heart suddenly started pounding.

“Why don’t you have a dedicated car to pick you up?”

He Ranran asked in confusion.

“Mm… I don’t know either…”

Li Ruoxi slowly pushed the bicycle.

With He Ranran’s help lending some strength, she found it much easier to push the bike uphill.

“I probably just got here… I’ll ask when I go back.”

Li Ruoxi thought of Nangong Li. She should also ask when Nangong Li would come…

‘No… Vivian lives with me. If Sister Li also comes, wouldn’t that harm her? Besides, I still don’t know why Vivian is here…’

“Xiao Xi? Xiao Xi?”

He Ranran noticed that Li Ruoxi had zoned out while talking, and gently called her a few times.

“Xiao Xi~ What are you thinking about so intently?”

The entire slope wasn’t long; they had only exchanged a few sentences when they crossed it.

Ahead, a tree-lined road curved downward.

The bright streetlights on both sides were the only light after the sun had set.

The moon in the sky hadn’t woken up yet, and the sky was hazy with no light to be seen.

“Xiao Xi~”

The bicycle in her hands was taken by He Ranran, and only then did Li Ruoxi notice.

“Ah… sorry…”

Li Ruoxi looked into the distance.

They were almost at her courtyard.

From the Scholars’ Pavilion to here, it had already gotten dark.

“You’re almost there. Get on quickly~”

He Ranran mounted the bicycle, urging Li Ruoxi to take the seat.

“Hurry~ I still need to go eat dinner~”

He Ranran complained a little.

“I told you to eat with me, but you refused~”

“N-no… it’s not that… I didn’t… it’s just…”

“Hehehe~”

He Ranran let out a silvery laugh.

“So you’ll treat me to dinner?”

“Sure.”

Li Ruoxi agreed readily.