Bai Ling’s heart pounded wildly—thump-thump-thump—as if it might burst from her delicate chest and fly straight to that exasperated-looking boy!

She saw him. After so long, she finally saw you again, Junior Li Ming!

Her blood boiled over. Every inch of her body, every single cell, trembled with excitement at seeing her longed-for target!! Bai Ling felt a roar surge inside her—a fierce love so intense it made her cheeks flush as if burning.

Ah, she couldn’t take it! Junior Li Ming was shyly gazing at her!! Such an adorable Junior Li Ming~!

She wanted to fly to his side right now, this instant, to pour out her most sincere, burning love!

Seeing her long-lost love made her whole body scorching hot. Bai Ling could barely control herself against this deep, inner craving. After over a year of separation, her beloved Junior Li Ming stood right there!

To hide any slip-up and preserve her long-cultivated image of grace, Bai Ling gently swept stray strands of hair behind her ear.

Noticing his breath hitch, her clear, bright eyes grew hazy.

Perfect! Brilliant!

[My dearest, dearest Junior Li Ming, haven’t you realized yet? You… can’t forget me anymore!]

Bai Ling had never found traffic lights so wonderful. She even loved being watched by Li Ming. But!… Not yet, not yet—don’t rush. The finest wines grow more fragrant with time.

Following her planned path, she yearned for the days ahead. Bit by bit, she’d capture his heart. Bit by bit, she’d make him unable to leave her. Bit by bit, she’d embed herself into his life.

Like a spider weaving its web in dark, overlooked corners, the moment you’re caught, it’s checkmate.

The Black Joker excelled at performance. No matter how shabby the stage, she could dance gracefully, moving the audience to tears.

The red light turned green. Bai Ling’s hazy eyes narrowed slightly. Her gentle, dignified smile twisted into something terrifying for a split second—then snapped back to normal. That fleeting horror must have been an illusion. Senior Bailin remained the poised, graceful Senior Bailin.

Indeed, heartless machines were as annoying as ever.

A faint smile curved at the corner of her lips, teeth hidden. Her clean, gentle face was the picture of a reliable, neighborly older sister. From start to finish, she held herself perfectly, not sparing a single glance toward Li Ming.

To outsiders, Bai Ling maintained an educated, upright posture—her appearance perfectly matching her refined aura.

“Seems you’re in a good mood today, Senior Bailin.”

The speaker’s voice carried a hint of respect, unlike the casual tone of ordinary Qianning High students. Only one person in the whole school could be so familiar: her vice president and Discipline Department head, Xu Xiaoyan.

She was a girl who always wore thick, brown-rimmed glasses. She had decent looks, but poor fashion sense—and those heavy glasses ruined her charm.

“Bai Ling, good morning—ah! Ow! Ow! Xu Xiaoyan, let go!”

“I’ve told you many times—even outside school, show respect to the president. As your sister, I’d be so embarrassed otherwise.”

The girl with a big braid yanked the ear of a boy who looked like a delinquent. Yep, pulling that hard—definitely siblings.

“Alright, alright! Good morning, Senior Bailin! Stop pulling!”

Finally escaping his sister’s grip, Xu Peng glared grumpily but avoided looking directly at the gentle, lovely Senior Bailin. His tough face couldn’t hide his nervousness.

Though called siblings, they were actually twins—she’d just been born first.

Strictly speaking, neither should call her “Senior Bailin” since they were all second-years. But at Qianning High, it was a title of respect for her abilities.

Xu Peng wasn’t a model student, and his sister, as Discipline Department head, kept him on a tight leash.

A classic case: poor at studies, but top-notch at sports.

“You two are always so full of energy. Seeing you makes me feel energetic too.”

After nearly a year of working together, Bai Ling showed neither excessive warmth nor coldness. Gracious and poised, she maintained her image without ignoring others—this was her well-known persona at Qianning High.

“Well, we’re second-years now. Seeing the new batch reminds me of when we first joined the Student Council, struggling on our own. Back then, we really owed it to you, Senior Bailin. Without you, we might not have made it.”

“It was everyone’s hard work. Without you all, there’d be no Student Council today. I’ll host recruitment this year, screening suitable candidates. I’ll notify you.”

Xu Xiaoyan wasn’t flattering her. When Bai Ling’s group joined, the Student Council was like a dying old man—rotten and stagnant.

If not for Bai Ling, with her background and ability pushing bold reforms, even the most passionate new students would have been crushed.

Back then, she alone shielded the council from upper-level pressures, twice openly stopping corrupt troublemakers.

Without Senior Bailin, there’d be no thriving Student Council at Qianning High today.

That was a fact acknowledged within the council.

“Be careful you don’t work yourself to death. Running between three departments all day, watching out for those old guys who boss you around. You’ve made too many enemies. If you get sick, they’ll be thrilled.”

His tone wasn’t polite. Xu Peng’s tough face soured even more.

He’d once seen people ambush Senior Bailin after school. Xu Peng charged in to save her—luckily, his tall build kept him from being beaten down.

But he’d almost been expelled for fighting. Rumor said Bai Ling intervened, sparing him any punishment—not even a demerit.

“Thank you for your concern.”

The brief chat ended. The green light ahead lit up. After crossing the crosswalk, Bai Ling’s smile turned oddly cryptic.

And the traffic light, faithfully doing its duty, suddenly shattered and went out at the same moment.