The next day, Tang Coco walked into class with her usual awful makeup, blotchy like ink splashed across rice paper. An entire period slid by like rain on tiles. Meng Xiaoxiao kept her head down, eyes fixed on the textbook like a pebble sunk in a stream. Even when the bell chimed, bright as a brass bird, she didn’t lift her head. Unease pooled in Coco’s chest like cold tea. She reached out and tapped Meng Xiaoxiao.

“Hey, class is over. What are you doing? Why aren’t you talking?”

Meng Xiaoxiao stayed still, statue-still beneath the classroom’s pale light.

“What’s wrong? Say something.”

Coco nudged her. This time Meng Xiaoxiao finally moved. She lifted her face, tears glassy as dew clinging to lashes, a picture of helplessness.

“Uh… what are you doing? What happened?”

“Coco-jie, do you not like me anymore?”

She said it, then began to cry, small sobs like rain pattering under eaves. Coco froze, dread rising like a winter draft. She hated it when girls cried. She still remembered Gu Xin’s tears after a teammate fell on a mission. Tang Ke’s rage had scorched that terror cell to ash. Coco hated tears most, especially from girls she liked.

“Don’t… don’t cry! I don’t dislike you.”

Coco blurted it, hands fluttering like startled sparrows.

“You ignored me yesterday. You must not like me anymore. Wuu…”

Her soft cry rippled through the room like a dropped stone. Heads turned, curious eyes pricking like thorns. Coco felt the pressure tighten like a band around her ribs.

“Stop, stop, don’t cry. Listen to me. I wasn’t mad yesterday. I was teasing you, that’s all.”

Coco rushed the words out, breath clipping like a runner’s.

“Really? Don’t lie to me.”

“Really. I swear to the sky.”

“Then, no matter what, you’ll never get mad at me?”

“Mm. For sure. How could I be mad at a girl as cute as Xiaoxiao? Right?”

“What if you break your word?”

“Do what you want with me!”

Coco was flustered, her promise slipping out like a fish from wet fingers. Meng Xiaoxiao wiped her eyes, then pulled out her phone from the desk and waved it like a silver coin.

“You said it. I recorded it. If you go back on it, hmph.”

“……”

Damn, tricked by this little fox again, Coco thought, heat rising like steam as she glared at Meng Xiaoxiao.

“Coco-jie, are you angry?”

Meng Xiaoxiao dangled the phone in front of Coco’s eyes like bait.

“……”

“No, how could I be angry… right…”

Coco’s voice sagged like a tired kite. This time she truly had no way to handle Meng Xiaoxiao.

“Heehee, Coco-jie is the best!”

She said it, then threw her arms around Coco, warm as a summer shawl.

They were chatting when a tall girl drifted to their doorway, a crane among reeds, gaze sweeping the room like a lantern seeking someone. The class monitor, Liu Mengyao, went up to meet her.

“Hello. Can I help you?”

“Hello, I’m from the Arts Committee. Our chair wants your classmate, Tang Coco, at the Arts Committee office.”

“The Arts Committee? What do they want with Tang Coco?”

Liu Mengyao asked, curiosity flickering like a moth.

“I don’t know. I’m just delivering the chair’s message. Is Tang Coco here?”

“Oh, she’s here. I’ll call her.”

Liu Mengyao walked to Coco’s desk, steps crisp as chalk lines.

“Tang Coco, a senior from the Arts Committee is calling you. Go for a bit.”

“The Arts Committee? What do they want with me?”

Coco’s eyebrows lifted like the edge of a fan.

“No idea. She didn’t say. Go take a look.”

“Alright. You play here by yourself.”

Coco said to Meng Xiaoxiao. The latter kept tapping her phone, lights blinking like fireflies. Coco went to the door.

“You looking for me?”

“You’re Tang Coco?”

The girl didn’t answer Coco’s question. She asked her own, cool as a willow in shade. Coco felt a prickle of annoyance, like grit in the shoe. But she reminded herself the girl was a senior. A little pride was normal. She leveled her tone, steady as a lake.

“I’m Tang Coco.”

“Good. Come with me. Our chair wants to see you.”

“Your chair? Who?”

“Xu Yinuo.”

Coco rolled the name around like a pebble in her palm. She didn’t know anyone like that. Strange. Curiosity tugged like a thread, and she followed the senior toward the Arts Committee office.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.”

They stopped on the fifth floor. The senior knocked. A girl’s voice floated out, clear as a wind chime.

Nice voice, Coco thought, curiosity flaring like a match. Worthy of the Arts Committee chair.

The senior pushed the door open and led Coco inside. Two girls were there. One stood at a table like a reed by a river. The other sat in a chair, calm as a lotus on water. The seated one had to be the chair.

Wavy long hair spilled down her back like a dark waterfall. A light red dress rippled, showing a white neck like porcelain. The line at her chest curved, a shadowed ravine drawing the eye.

Mm, that face, that chest—no wonder she’s the Arts Committee chair. She’s got the goods, Coco thought, amusement flicking like sun on wine.

“You’re Tang Coco?”

The seated girl lifted her head and asked with a smile, a voice smooth as silk.

“That’s me. You’re Xu Yinuo? Chair of the Arts Committee?”

“Oh? You even know my name.”

“She told me earlier.” Coco pointed lightly at the senior, gesture quick as a bird’s beak. “You wanted me for something?”

Coco’s tone stayed even, not a ripple of fear because of titles. Interest sparked in Xu Yinuo’s eyes like stars.

“What’s your relationship with Ye Yiyi?”

“Ye Yiyi?”

At that name, Coco’s heart tightened like a drum skin. This didn’t feel aimed at her. It felt like a net cast for someone else.

“I’m Yiyi-jie’s distant cousin. I just came to Ninghai City for university this year.”

Coco slipped into screenwriter mode, words flowing like ink.

“Distant cousin? I’ve never heard she had one.”

“Maybe she didn’t mention it.”

Coco let the lie drift like smoke. Xu Yinuo seemed to chew on something invisible. After a moment, her gaze pinned Coco like a needle.

“Those thick glasses—aren’t they heavy? Take them off and let me see.”

A stab of alarm flicked through Coco, sharp as a thorn. The girl had noticed what she shouldn’t.

“Uh, no. If I take them off, I can’t see.”

“What does it matter? You’re not studying right now.”

Xu Yinuo’s tone pressed like a palm. She was determined to make Coco remove them.

“Ahem… Chair Xu, if there’s nothing urgent, I’ll go. Class is starting.”

Coco felt the ground tilt, bad wind rising like a squall. She set her face and turned to leave.

“No worries, I can excuse your class. Stay a little longer. Let’s chat.”

Xu Yinuo’s words came smooth as oil, entitlement warm as a brazier.

“Er… since there’s nothing important, I’ll head back to class.”

The unease roared now, a drumbeat under Coco’s ribs. She hardened her tone, spun, and moved for the door.

“Ah—didn’t I say I can excuse your class? So you’re not going anywhere. You two, grab her!”

Xu Yinuo’s voice rang out, bright as a bell, cold as rain. The other two girls moved at once, lunging like cats.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”