Darn! Too late!

By the time Liu Shishi arrived, it was already over.

She spotted Liu Jia and Zhang Wanting hovering around Tang Zhe.

And Li Mo, silently slipping away alone.

*This kid must be heartbroken.*

Liu Shishi watched Li Mo’s dejected figure.

Then she saw Li Mo tilt her head back and glug glug down half the water bottle in one go—like she’d given up entirely.

Refreshing!

Clearly drowning her sorrows.

This was partly her fault. She’d seen Li Mo’s plan from the start but ignored her two besties’ words when they left. Liu Jia had dragged Zhang Wanting to volunteer for Tang Zhe during the 200m finals. Liu Shishi hadn’t intervened. That tiny lapse let those two wreck Li Mo’s chance to reconcile with her little boyfriend.

*Feeling pretty guilty here.*

Even Liu Shishi felt a twinge of shame.

So when the sports meet wrapped up and everyone headed to the multipurpose hall for dinner, Li Mo—holed up alone in the classroom—got a surprise.

Something icy brushed her cheek.

"Hello~★ Who’s the silly girl skipping dinner to sulk in class all afternoon?"

"…………Weren’t you already out the school gate?"

Expecting Liu Shishi’s usual mischief, Li Mo glanced sideways—only to spot an iced boba milk tea touching her face. Her deadpan retort followed instantly.

"I’m class rep. Got permission to use my ‘campus exit pass’—the one I never run out of."

Liu Shishi didn’t flinch. *That’s power.* Even if Li Mo tattled, who’d the teachers believe? The model student rep or the troublemaker with decent grades?

"Besides," she added, "I went out *for you*."

She carefully pulled a pink gift box from her backpack. Inside lay a cute cheesecake.

*Cheese… so fragrant…*

Just looking at it made her mouth water. Perfect triangular slice, topped with pink strawberry decorations…

Fancy toppings didn’t guarantee taste—but the cheesecake? Definitely delicious!

*It’ll make me fat…*

*But I wanna eat it…*

"This boba tea and cake are yours. Eat here or take them home—just don’t miss your cue."

"Mmm… wait."

The foodie almost caved, but snapped back fast. Something felt off.

"Why buy me cake and tea? What’s your angle?"

*Alert mode: ON.*

"Ah… mostly ’cause you looked upset?"

"We’re not even friends… and I don’t accept unearned gifts. With your track record, you’ve got an ulterior motive."

Li Mo narrowed her eyes, suspicion written all over her face—trying to make the other squirm into confessing.

Useless! Liu Shishi’s thick skin was armor-plated.

"Aww, we’re not friends? And you’d say that after rejecting me? That hurts."

"Mmph…"

*So underhanded.*

Liu Shishi’s words made Li Mo flash back to when she’d upset Tang Zhe. Her heart clenched.

*Al… although this shameless, boundary-free pervert has been weirdly nice to me… If I’d been born a girl from the start, maybe we really could’ve been friends…*

"Fine… How much? I’ll transfer you."

She wasn’t about to freeload.

Money was happening!

"If you pay me," Liu Shishi grinned, "I’ll announce on the multipurpose hall stage that you’re actually a girl."

"You’re despicable!"

"I’m treating you. Since when do I let friends pay? Take it or leave it?"

"Take it! Why wouldn’t I?!"

In a flash, she snatched both cake and tea, tearing into them without ceremony.

*Ravenous ghost mode?*

You’d think that—but on a cute girl, it’s just an *adorable little foodie*.

*Hehehe… She’s gotta taste better than this cake… I wanna try…*

"Huh?"

Feeling a stare, Li Mo looked up—straight into the lecherous grin of a drooling predator.

"You’re just too cute! Why so cute?! Aaah, why’s a treasure like you obsessed with a clueless straight guy like Tang Zhe?! So weird!"

Li Mo’s cream-smeared lips and wide, confused eyes shattered Liu Shishi’s last restraint. Ignoring the mess, she pounced, hugging and nuzzling that silly face.

"My mom always said the girls I dated were ‘meh’—not as cute as her high school sweetheart. She mocked my love life for years. Now I’ll prove her wrong!"

"So you two share the *family tradition*, huh?! Let go! I’m eating!"

Li Mo wriggled free—not just because eating was impossible, but because being cuddled by this class weirdo would spark wild rumors. *Wait… where is everyone?*

Lost in her funk, she hadn’t noticed the classroom emptying.

"Ah! Your performance starts early!" Liu Shishi checked her phone. 6:30 PM.

The show began at 7. She’d come back to the classroom after failing to find Li Mo at the hall. But fawning over this cutie scrambled her brain—time slipped away.

"Ah! I forgot!"

Panicked at first, Li Mo slumped again.

*Don’t wanna go.*

Playing piano in front of everyone? Impossible. Especially with Tang Zhe.

He won’t even look at me.

"Why sit back down? Seize your chance, you silly girl! Be bold for once!"

Liu Shishi yanked her up, more frantic than Li Mo herself.

"Hey! My cake! My tea!"

"Buy you more later! Priorities, Li Mo!"

Liu Shishi dragged the snack-obsessed girl downstairs, shoving her toward the multipurpose hall’s backstage entrance.

Wang Ziheng waited there—he’d just realized his sister never showed up and was about to search the classrooms.

"Who are you?" Liu Shishi blocked him like a protective guard dog.

"My… little brother."

After a quick explanation, Liu Shishi reluctantly handed Li Mo over, warning Wang Ziheng not to let her escape.

No need to tell him twice. Trapped, Li Mo let herself be led deeper backstage.

Tang Zhe—already in a performance suit, makeup done by Zhang Wanting—spotted her and sighed in relief. Before Li Mo could internally fangirl over his look, he rushed over with a bag of clothes:

"Holy crap, bro! You’re finally here. Change in the restroom—fast. I’ll get Zhang Wanting to do your makeup."

Huh…?