After leaving home, I slipped on my headphones as usual and walked to school to the music composed by Hiroyuki Sawano.

I’d ask Lianbing about Miss Shirley once I got to school—though I had a feeling she’d just laugh at me over it.

I really hoped nothing weird would happen again.

Honestly, after getting hurt like that, shouldn’t it count as bad luck cleared away?

Surely no one would try to kill me again, right?

Arms crossed, I stepped through the school gates with mixed feelings. It was about the same time as my old school days—not many students were around yet. I was among the earliest arrivals.

Inside the main building, I climbed the stairs to the second floor. At the end of the corridor, someone stood by the window, taking deep breaths as if steadying their nerves.

Few classmates ever beat me here. Who could it be?

I slid my glasses down slightly and checked the title above that student’s head.

【Stalker (Intermediate)】

【Lan Hua】

Lan Hua? Wait—no. Intermediate?

Her title used to be Beginner, right?

When did it level up?

If a Beginner stalker just followed people secretly, an Intermediate might start taking photos… or even break into homes.

And her aura… it was weird. A muddy swirl of gray, green, blue, orange, pink—impossible to describe. Unpleasant. Glaring.

What even was that color? Like love, hate, longing, and grudges all mixed together?

Plain gray was infinitely better!

I shoved my glasses back up, relief flooding me.

Thank goodness I’d bought these on Saturday. Staring at that nauseating mess for long might’ve made me vomit.

What could’ve twisted her emotions this badly?

Come to think of it, even her appearance had changed.

No wonder I didn’t recognize her at first—she’d gotten a new hairstyle.

A youthful side ponytail brushed her shoulder as she turned her head slightly. Her bangs swept just above her eyelids. Long lashes trembled faintly, and her cheeks were flushed. Was it the warmer weather after the spring chill?

No. Must be makeup. She’d clearly dressed up carefully.

Was she planning to confess to someone?

Seriously impressive. She looked way prettier now—actually eye-catching.

Guess having a crush really changes a person.

Which poor guy had caught the eye of Lan Hua, a certified stalker? He’d probably lose all freedom once she latched on.

…Well, I wasn’t one to talk. Compared to Lianbing’s freakish hobbies, a mere stalker like Lan Hua seemed almost tame.

Wait! Didn’t Lan Hua have a crush on Lianbing?

Had she finally snapped and decided to confess to her beloved senpai?

Ah—that explained the emotional chaos. Coming out of the closet publicly would stress anyone out.

*Cough*. Hold on. If her "beloved senpai" was Lianbing… and I was Ji Lianbing’s (nominal) boyfriend…

No wonder Lan Hua had shot me those jealous glares last time.

Bad news. If she spotted me now, at this critical moment, she might snap and target me.

She could stalk me daily just to find dirt on me… Terrifying!

Nope. I had to avoid this.

Just walk past normally. Pretend I didn’t recognize her.

I quickened my pace, head down, eyes on my shoes, hugging the left wall.

Just as I was about to pass her, Gao Yingnai—who’d been standing behind Lan Hua—patted her shoulder and pointed straight at me.

*What are you DOING?!*

Lan Hua’s face flushed crimson. Her shoulders shook slightly, like she was holding back rage. Bloodshot eyes locked onto me.

That was a volcano about to erupt.

*Run!*

“Uh… Mas—”

I heard “Mas-”! She was definitely calling for me!

Heart pounding, I lengthened my strides, breezing past Lan Hua like I hadn’t noticed her. I forced a casual greeting to Luo Yingliang behind her.

“Yo, Yingliang. Early as always.”

I’d chatted a lot with this first friend of high school via messaging apps while hospitalized. He was easy to talk to—even when I was blunt, he always knew how to respond smoothly.

*Friend, please be my escape route this once.*

“Uh…”

Hey! I’d mustered courage to greet him first—why that constipated look?

“What’s wrong? Why the grimace?”

“J-just… please delete those files in my cloud drive…”

Online, Luo Yingliang acted like a veteran driver, hoarding rare “resources”—basically his life savings. Asking me to wipe them meant he’d given up.

“Since when did you start leaving last words?!”

“Burn the One Piece manga for me to read in the afterlife…”

“You’re really dying?!”

I babbled nonsense with Yingliang while slipping into the classroom. At the last second, I glanced back. She still stood there, back turned, lost in thought. Not looking back…

*Phew… Safe.*

I patted Yingliang’s shoulder gratefully. “Thanks.”

He adjusted his glasses coolly. “…I feel like you just used me.”

“Haha. Your imagination. Yeah. Just imagination.”

Dodging that landmine with such a cheap trick…

Near my seat, my girlfriend—who’d become part of the classroom scenery—turned from the window with a bright “Good morning.”

“Oh? Morning, Master Cheng. How was Miss Shirley’s technique? Did her hands alone make you come?”

“You—don’t start with that filth first thing in the morning!”

If your fans knew you were this vulgar, they’d be devastated!

Wait… If Lianbing was here, who was Lan Hua waiting for?

“What’s wrong, Master Cheng? Why that face—like waking up to find your naked little sister in bed with you?”

“What kind of messed-up comparison is that?!”

And way too realistic!

“I’m just worried about your health! Boys need regular release, or it’ll backfire.”

“But not with your maid!”

“Oh? Sisters are okay, but maids aren’t? I thought you were just a maid fetishist, Master Cheng. Turns out you’re a hardcore little sister fetishist too? Tsk tsk… Such a terrible boyfriend. Having special feelings for your sister… How will I ever share a bed with you if my sister-in-law might pop up?”

“Shut up!”

Panicked, I clamped a hand over Ji Lianbing’s mouth and scanned the empty classroom. Thank goodness no one was watching.

This woman would say anything… At least not in class!

I turned back to scold her—

*Slurp.*

Her tongue flicked my palm. I yanked my hand back like I’d been electrocuted, but she struck like a snake, snatching my middle finger between her lips.

Her plump lips pressed against my knuckle. My whole finger sank into a warm, doughy softness. My fingertip brushed something velvety—her tongue—while my nail scraped the roof of her mouth. She coiled that tongue around my finger, cushioning even the back of it.

She kept swallowing deeper, like a snake gulping prey whole… until my fingertip hit something soft at the very back. Her tonsils?

*Wait—why am I analyzing this?!*

This wasn’t the time to be calm!

I bent close, whispering urgently: “Spit it out!”

She didn’t let go. Instead, she smirked and started sucking… *Whoa!*

I tried yanking free, but she clamped down, sucking like she wanted to strip the flesh from my bones.

Then—

*Bite.*

“Yowch!”

My shout drew stares.

*Damn it!* If anyone saw this, my reputation was ruined.

“An Juncheng forces his girlfriend to suck his fingers”—by next period, that rumor would spread like wildfire.

Why bite me?! And so hard—I nearly lost a finger!

I glared at her. But Lianbing had already returned to gazing out the window, cheek propped on her palm, acting utterly innocent.

That…! *Grrr!*

Thankfully, Miss Shirley’s handkerchief saved me. I wiped my soggy finger and scowled.

“Why’d you do that?!”

“Hehehe… Why indeed?”

Lianbing giggled, eyes sliding past me.

I turned.

Jiang Xueqing stood behind me, arms full of books. Her gaze… fixed on my finger.

Lianbing’s voice dripped with challenge from behind me.

“Jealous?”

“…”

Jiang Xueqing said nothing. She stared at my finger a long moment, then silently walked to her seat.

Confused, I looked back at Lianbing. She covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with smug laughter.

“Hehehe~”

I was still utterly lost.

What was that about…?