"Me? Lose?"

"Impossible!"

Ying Yuanyuan shook her head without a shred of worry, staring at Liu Xiyun. "You just confessed without me even pressing you. Now I’m a hundred percent sure I took the fall for you. But I refuse to believe the diary’s owner doesn’t know your names!"

"Well..." Liu Xiyun paused, recalling the details. "I just wanted to tell you this—hypothetically, *just* hypothetically—if the diary’s owner never asked for the names of those two kids recorded inside... would you believe it?"

"Huh!?!?" Ying Yuanyuan’s jaw dropped.

Her wide eyes locked onto Liu Xiyun. "You’re joking, right?"

"No joke."

Seeing Liu Xiyun shake her head, utterly serious, Ying Yuanyuan’s face fell instantly.

Glancing at the murmuring crowd around her, she whispered to Liu Xiyun beside her, "Xiyun... if I back out now, is it too late?"

"What do *you* think?" Liu Xiyun shot back.

"Mmph..." Ying Yuanyuan slumped face-first onto her guest table, eyes hollow as she stared at the public screen displaying the diary. "I’m doomed..."

She turned her head toward Liu Xiyun and muttered, "Xiyun... come collect my body at my place tomorrow at noon..."

"And get me the finest coffin!"

Liu Xiyun rolled her eyes at the dramatic girl but said nothing. Instead, she followed the crowd’s gaze to the public screen revealing a new diary page.

[Today, those two unlucky kids seemed to have planned it—one after another came to say goodbye. They said they’re leaving tomorrow. After so many days together... for some reason, my heart suddenly felt a little...]

[Happy~!]

Liu Xiyun’s expression froze. The faint smile from Ying Yuanyuan’s antics vanished instantly.

Beside her, Ying Yuanyuan—who’d been slumped in despair—couldn’t help but open her mouth wide in silent laughter.

*Hahaha! So I’m not the only unlucky one!*

*I’ll stay quiet now and watch who gets roasted next!*

Ying Yuanyuan focused eagerly as the diary flipped again.

[Truly happy. Those two troublemakers were exhausting. They’d spar nonstop, wrecking my entire backyard wall. I had to patch it myself before the rains came. How infuriating!]

[But honestly... after nearly half a month here, rising at dawn and resting at dusk, sharing meals and play... it’d be a lie to say I felt nothing. Especially Little Mute...]

[Every day, that kid dragged me to train. Annoying, yes—but when I returned from gathering herbs to find a steaming bowl of porridge waiting by my bed, all the exhaustion melted away. My heart would warm. It’d been so long since I felt that kind of comfort.]

[The unlucky boy? Forget him. Strutting around like a peacock every day—I always wanted to smack him. But Little Mute... I really will miss her. That night, I couldn’t sleep...]

"Eh? Feelings grew with time! They really did!" Ying Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up as she stood.

But the audience stared at her strangely, likely thinking:

*Ying Yuanyuan, you shameless? Seriously?*

"Goddess Yuanyuan, you...?" The host on stage gave her a meaningful look. Ying Yuanyuan finally realized she’d blurted out loud again. She cleared her throat twice.

"Ahem! You amateurs wouldn’t understand! This is called *childhood sweethearts*! Don’t you dare sully it!"

"Ohhh, *that’s* it! So *that’s* what you meant, Ying Yuanyuan!"

"Childhood sweethearts, huh!? Then spit out your ‘bamboo horse’s’ name already! Let’s see who could possibly match thick-skinned you!"

"Hmph! *You’re* the thick-skinned ones!" Ying Yuanyuan snapped back. "So chatty. Just keep reading the diary!"

"Right, right—continue!" The host nodded hastily and flipped the page.

New text appeared:

[The night was cold, stars sparse. I lay awake, unable to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Little Mute leaving tomorrow. It made my chest ache—I didn’t know why.]

[I decided to get up and walk around. Just then—a soft knock sounded at my door. Before I could speak, a small figure pushed it open. Little Mute!]

[My expression turned serious. Not for the reason you’d think. She’d barged into my bedchamber at night. I guessed the beginning—but not the end. She was fully dressed. This didn’t look like someone offering herself to me before leaving.]

[I invited her inside.]