Xia Xiaoxi stood frozen, wishing she could bury herself in a hole from sheer embarrassment.
Hu Ming crossed his arms, expression calm.
He hadn’t expected to run into her here—according to the plot, their first meeting should’ve been six months later.
*Xia Xiaoxi*. The so-called campus idol. The supposed female lead.
Per the story, she’d transfer schools, be instantly drawn to Han Shuyi, and their bond would deepen.
As for Hu Ming? She barely interacted with him.
He hadn’t planned to engage either—he knew nothing about her true nature.
But this early encounter made him find her oddly amusing.
Adorably clumsy, she’d panic the moment she realized her mistake.
Head bowed, she couldn’t even meet his eyes.
*Xia Xiaoxi—the girl who dreamed of worldwide fame. Yet here she stood, utterly unrecognized. How far she still had to go.*
Disappointment flickered, then vanished. She straightened up.
Pulling her mask back on, she whipped out her phone and searched her name.
"Look! This is me—Xia Xiaoxi, in person!"
Her Baidu Baike page (China’s Wikipedia) listed her official profile, hobbies included.
No one knew she was a hardcore otaku with a secret stash of merch.
By day, she radiated idol energy; by night, she deep-dived into anime forums, geeking out over voice actors and limited-edition figures.
Fans might adore her relatability—but she guarded this side fiercely.
*Too many fans meant chaos. Simple collectibles would skyrocket into overpriced scams. She refused to be dragged into that mess.*
Today’s solo outing was just for new merch. She’d mistaken Hu Ming for a fan—only to find him completely indifferent.
Worse, she couldn’t even complain about being unrecognized.
*No way she’d become a "crush-killer" girl.*
She had to make him remember her. Maybe gain a fan.
Lifting her head, she met his gaze with hopeful eyes.
Hu Ming skimmed her profile, nodded—and his expression stayed utterly blank.
*To him, even a superstar meant nothing.*
A strange ache filled her chest.
*Xia Xiaoxi actually wanted to kneel before this guy.*
"Um... don’t you have *any* reaction?"
"You didn’t want your identity known. My lack of reaction is good, right?"
"It *is*... but not even a little surprise?"
"I get it," Hu Ming said kindly, patting her shoulder. "Wanting to stay hidden but craving that shock? Totally normal. No shame."
*Xia Xiaoxi now genuinely wanted to die.*
*He’d seen right through her. Every thought laid bare.*
*[Life’s meaningless... might as well vanish. No—dying hurts. Better if the whole world ended with me.]*
Hu Ming walked past her, yawning as he checked his phone.
*1:00 AM. If he didn’t sleep soon, he’d crash during tomorrow’s math drills.*
He stopped abruptly.
Xia Xiaoxi trailed behind him like a shadow.
Turning, he caught her full-speed collision by the shoulders.
"Sorry! So sorry!" She flushed crimson, stammering apologies.
"Why so tense?" he asked.
"I’m... mortified," she whispered. "You’re not my fan, and I dumped all that on you."
*This moment would haunt her deathbed memories.*
Hu Ming sighed. He opened his mouth to reassure her—
"—I won’t pay a *cent*, you beggar!" A shrill voice cut through the night.
"But we agreed on a hundred yuan when I returned it!"
A crowd had gathered down the street, buzzing like spectators at a show.
Hu Ming shoved his hands in his pockets, ready to leave.
Xia Xiaoxi tugged his sleeve. "Aren’t you curious what’s happening?"
"Not my business."
"Pleeease?" Her voice turned soft, almost coquettish.
*Oddly, his indifference made her trust him.*
*Just like those CEO romance novels: Hmph. Woman, you’ve caught my attention.*
Shouts escalated. Fists seemed imminent.
Resigned, Hu Ming followed her toward the commotion.
"—She lost her phone. That auntie tracked her down on her tricycle—rode *ten kilometers*! Waited over an hour!" a bystander explained. "The girl promised fifty yuan. Got her phone back and turned nasty. Now she’s *hitting* the poor woman!"
Onlookers murmured disapproval but stayed frozen.
The girl shrieked curses, face twisted with rage as she yanked the tricycle driver’s hair.
"Who asked you to wait? Leave if you want! But you won’t get a *single coin* from me!"
"We agreed on fifty!" the auntie pleaded.
"I agreed to *this*!" The girl raised her fist.
A cacophony of jeers erupted. Some shouted warnings; no one stepped forward.
Hu Ming watched, face unreadable.
Beside him, Xia Xiaoxi seethed behind her mask, teeth clenched.
"How *dare* she treat that auntie like this? She’s the one in the wrong!"
