Poisonous!

Not just the chopsticks—Jilianbing herself was poisonous. Poisonous on multiple levels!

“Where’s the most basic trust between people…”

“Oh my, I never lied to you~ I only said I didn’t poison the bento. I never promised I wouldn’t poison *other* things.”

“She set a wordplay trap like this?!”

Not a single moment to let my guard down!

“And it’s not even highly toxic. It’ll just make you feel like you have food poisoning~ I only wanted to try taking care of Master Cheng…”

She wore an expression of heart-wrenching devotion, as if deeply in love. Just by looking, you couldn’t tell if it was real or an act.

Her words did nothing to ease my terror.

One glance at what came next painted a clear path:

Stomach discomfort → Ask teacher for sick leave → Rest in infirmary → Jilianbing visits → Murdered in infirmary → Dead ending.

One wrong step, and I’d be on a one-way train straight to death!

“Stop.”

Jiang Xueqing finally spoke, her voice cutting through the silence.

*Stop?* Did she know Jilianbing was a killer too?! Or did *everyone* know except me?!

“Oh? Jiang Xueqing? You’ve been so quiet, I thought you weren’t even here~”

Whoa. That verbal jab out of nowhere. Her gentle face hid such a vicious personality.

“Leave.”

Jiang Xueqing stepped in front of me, arm outstretched like a shield.

“Oh dear… shouldn’t *you* be the one leaving?”

That smile!

Jilianbing was angry again.

Not a forced grin—a naturally perfect, picture-perfect smile. A textbook example for poker-faced beginners.

But here, now? That smile radiated not warmth, but malice. A dangerous smile.

Her lips curved, her eyes crinkled—but its very perfection pressed down like invisible weight.

Someone weaker might’ve already knelt, kissing her feet while begging, “Spare me, Great Jilianbing!”

Honestly? I was barely holding on.

“You barge into a couple’s peaceful moment, interrupt our intimacy—don’t you think you’re overstepping, *classmate* Jiang Xueqing?”

Peaceful moments between couples don’t involve traps and poison! Or girlfriends trying to kill their boyfriends!

This was worse than her “mystery meat” cooking!

“Could it be… you like Master Cheng too? Or are you just one of those romance-hating types who can’t stand public displays of affection?”

Every sentence cut deep. No outright insults, yet each struck a nerve.

How could she wound people while smiling like that?!

Terrifying!

I bet anyone negotiating with her would end up sobbing on the spot.

Yet Jiang Xueqing stayed silent. I couldn’t see her face—she had her back to me—but anyone would flinch at those words. Trying to keep peace, I stepped between them.

“Hey, that’s enough. You’re being too—”

“Don’t speak, Master Cheng.” “Be quiet.”

“Uh…”

I always shriveled around strong women. Two at once? I was toast.

Did men get zero say in moments like this?

“I like him.”

The words dropped abruptly. It took me two seconds to realize she was answering Jilianbing.

She didn’t mean she liked *me*—she meant *I like doing this. Mind your business.* Don’t ask how I knew. I just… understand quiet people.

Jilianbing’s smile vanished. Her gaze sharpened, almost glowing.

“So you’re my ‘kind’ too.”

“…I’m nothing like you.”

“He’s mine. Are you interfering?”

“…No interest.”

I couldn’t even squeeze in a word. Was this what “women’s talk” meant? (It wasn’t.)

I felt like prey. Like merchandise. A sinking sense of degradation.

“Then why—”

“But.”

Her voice was soft, clear, and carried a sharp turn.

“He’s my friend.”

*A friend. So I won’t let you hurt him.*

Watching that small back shielding me, safety flooded my chest.

I’d gained *two* friends in one day!

Wow. A personal record. So moving!

“Oh? *Friends*?”

The pressure lifted.

“Heh heh heh… Quite popular, aren’t you? I’ll withdraw for now. Walk home together tonight, Master Cheng~”

Jilianbing lifted her skirt with angelic grace, flashed a radiant smile, and glided away with her bento box.

*She retreated?* A miracle!

I wiped sweat that wasn’t there.

“Phew… You saved me, Jiang Xueqing.”

This was practically a life debt! Words couldn’t express my gratitude.

Jiang Xueqing turned, looking up at me. She held out a hand.

“Payment.”

Payment?!

Well… no free lunches in this world (only poisoned ones). She’d helped me—I owed her.

“How much? I should warn you, I’m broke…”

My total cash rarely hit triple digits. Usually just a few coins.

But this was a *life debt*. Paying in cash would cheapen my life.

Mixed feelings.

Thankfully, Jiang Xueqing gave the answer I hoped for.

“No money.”

“What do you want then?”

A favor? A task?

“…Hair.”

She shook her head, making a strange request.

I pointed at my own head, confused.

“Hair?”

A nod. Definitely hair.

I bit back questions. Jiang Xueqing was… odd. Her nickname proved that. Strange requests weren’t surprising.

Surely she wasn’t collecting hair for a curse?

“Weird, but if you want it… How much? All of it?”

If she wanted it all, I’d shave my head without hesitation!

Jiang Xueqing set her book aside and leaned in close—*way* too close. Our noses almost touched.

“What?”

“…(murmur)…(murmur)…(murmur)…”

She was whispering, but her voice was faint static.

“Wait—I can’t hear you! Just tell me how many strands!”

She tilted her head, then pulled both hands from her sleeves. Ten fingers spread before me.

“Ten strands?”

“Mm.”

This time, her short reply was clear. Her voice volume and sentence length were inversely proportional.

Ten strands? Barely noticeable. People shed more naturally every day.

I ruffled my hair, counted exactly ten fallen strands in my palm—though a few white hairs mixed in.

I looked up.

“White hairs okay?”

“Yes.”

Her expression changed less than Xinran’s. Most wouldn’t read her emotions. But used to quiet people, I sensed her mood: pleased.

“Just hair? That’s too little…”

“Enough.”

She seemed genuinely happy.

I didn’t get why hair made her happy.

After taking the strands, she pulled a clear storage bag from her pocket. She tucked them in carefully, then hid it in her cloth satchel.

Come to think of it… last time, she’d saved her own fingernails too. Weird habit.

Well, if it made her happy, no judgment. I don’t discriminate against friends’ hobbies!

If it’s just hair… I could afford a bodyguard, right?

But hiring tiny Jiang Xueqing as my guard? My pride wouldn’t survive.

Hmm. I’d figure it out myself for now. If desperate, I’d ask my dear friend Jiang Xueqing.

What I didn’t realize then:

This small payment of hair would spiral into debts I could never repay.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.