No matter how he thought about it, Tang Zhe couldn’t figure out why this guy would even bother wearing his clothes.
Seriously weird. No normal person would just shove themselves into someone else’s oversized shirt like that.
Just… weird.
“What’s so weird about it?? And I don’t even care that your clothes are dirty—you’re the one being picky!”
“I’m not picky! I never forced you to wear it! Besides, I just changed this shirt—where’s the dirt?”
This guy was impossible.
Li Mo had a million ways to shut him up. Arguing with him always ended the same: Li Mo speechless and fed up. After so many losses, he’d gotten used to it. Time to activate Plan B.
“You just finished rehearsing outside. Sweating buckets—how’s that not dirty? And you call yourself a germaphobe? Do you even shower?”
“…………”
Silence.
“Hey. I’m talking to you.”
Li Mo patted Tang Zhe’s shoulder.
“…………”
Still silent.
*What the hell? Playing mute now?*
“Cat got your tongue? Talk.”
A kick to the butt.
Nothing.
Tang Zhe was dead set on ignoring him. And just as he’d predicted, Li Mo couldn’t stand the quiet.
On the short walk back, Li Mo chirped Tang Zhe’s name endlessly. Only silence answered.
But Tang Zhe looked like he was holding back laughter, not actually mad.
Damn it.
This bastard was forcing her to play dirty.
Fine. No mercy.
“Think you can play mute?”
Her fingers dug into the soft flesh at his waist. Squeezed hard.
“AOOOWWW—”
Mouths lie. Flesh doesn’t. The trick worked on almost anyone—including Tang Zhe. His face went pale. His scream sounded like a slaughtered pig.
“Holy crap! You’ve been asking for this!”
A giant hand *smacked* down on Li Mo’s head. Crushed with terrifying strength.
“AAAAH—! MY HEAD! IT’S GONNA EXPLODE!”
………………
………………
Now it was Li Mo’s turn to fall silent.
Her head throbbed. Tang Zhe’s head-scrambling assault left her dizzy.
They’d already entered the multipurpose hall. Students sat in neat rows by class, waiting their turn backstage for rehearsals.
After today’s run-throughs, everyone knew which acts were worth watching—and which were just snack-time filler.
“You good?”
Li Mo shrank into her seat, rubbing her head. Silent. Tang Zhe thought she was nervous.
“…I’m fine.”
Her voice was a mosquito’s whisper. Only the quiet hall let him hear it.
“Think anyone’ll care about our stupid act?”
“Hmm…”
Tang Zhe watched the skit onstage. School talent shows always had these—same tired jokes, same recycled gags. Boring. He was about to doze off.
“Probably not.”
*Definitely* not as interesting as theirs.
For students, anyway.
“Honestly? I think everyone but the teachers zones out after hearing the program description.”
“Yeah.”
He had a point. Li Mo wouldn’t care either if she were in the audience.
Why listen? She barely understood those acts anyway. Scrolling her phone was way better.
*Phew…*
Actually… that sounded perfect.
If everyone’s glued to their phones, no one would stare at her. No spotlight. Way less pressure!
…Like hell.
“Sis, are you shy?”
“You’re the shy one!”
Li Mo wanted to die. Just let her die already.
Tang Zhe was heading home with his mom tonight, so only this annoying guy walked her back.
“You were stumbling over your words earlier. Nervous wreck. You sure you’ll survive tomorrow’s real show?”
“You’re the nervous one!”
Li Mo refused to admit weakness in front of Wang Ziheng.
But he’d seen it all—he was backstage crew. Her meltdown.
Waiting in the audience seats? Fine. But stepping backstage, seeing all those eyes fixed on each class’s acts? She’d shattered. Turned into a fool.
The rehearsal itself…
She’d completely fallen apart. Missed notes everywhere. Wang Ziheng even saw her eyes go swirly by the end.
Humiliating!
How could she perform tomorrow? Her confidence was already dust.
And after hours of calming down, he had to bring it up *again*.
Worse—back when she was a delinquent, she knew kids from other classes…
And her cross-dressing act? Shen Yi and his idiots had already spread it…
*High school life… should just end. Maybe I’ll switch to home study tomorrow.*
“Sigh… Sis, you really don’t need to be like this.”
Wang Ziheng couldn’t watch her self-destruct. He patted her shoulder. “Yeah, you’re… uh… a special kind of girl…”
“………”
Her eyes lost all light.
*Shit. Too long a setup.*
Wang Ziheng rushed the rest:
“But you’re genuinely cute! Not ugly at all. Dressed up, you’d crush every other girl in school. No one’ll laugh.”
“………I’m… really cute?”
“Uh… yeah. Cute.”
He almost said “pretty,” but “cute” fit her tiny frame and chaotic charm better.
“………Got it.”
But instead of relief or joy, Li Mo’s scrambled brain twisted his words.
“I’m cute. A *boy* who’s cute. I get it. I’ll just die.”
She marched straight toward the road.
“WAIT! That’s not—why would cute make you wanna die?! HEY!”
