"Twelve o'clock direction. 😎"

"Makeup too thick—neck and face mismatched shades. Acts like a cool sis, but pure Hextech underneath."

"One o'clock direction. 😋"

"Decent looks, sweet style, but zero presence. Flat as a board."

"Two o'clock direction. 😨"

"Time to press F and roll in like a tank."

"Eleven o'clock direction. 🤫"

"I wanna have kids with her."

Watching Xiang Guan stare at Xiao Ling like a lovesick Tom cat, a trace of pity flashed in Mu Feng’s eyes. He took a sip of icy lemonade, face blank.

Poor Tom, toyed with by women.

This was his life.

Other PE students feasted like kings… while this guy…

*Sigh.*

He’d only calm down when Xiao Ling married someone else.

Mu Feng shook his head slightly, gaze shifting to the stage at the playground’s center. Dusk deepened; lights blazed on, flooding the area bright as day.

Not many showed up. Seniors preferred weekend all-nighters gaming or pool. But guys like Xiang Guan, here for the girls, weren’t rare.

Plus, there was a band and fireworks.

Free show? Why skip it…

*(Munch, munch, munch…)*

Hua Xin crouched with her back to them, head down, happily demolishing a bag of chips.

Their spot was a quiet corner—perfect for sneaking peeks at girls or mischief.

*(Xia Yan had specifically told them to bring Hua Xin somewhere less crowded.)*

She’d spent the afternoon in her dorm reading *I’ll Never Be Happy Again, Just Give It Back to Me* 👍🏻. When Xia Yan still hadn’t returned after the last chapter, she followed Mu Feng and Xiang Guan to the playground—figuring out the route to the teaching building along the way.

Then…

Well, who could resist "all-you-can-eat snacks"? 😋 Hua Xin sure couldn’t.

Anyway, she’d face Xia Yan and Lin Qingyu in a life-or-death showdown tonight. Might as well eat first.

Cucumber chips, Tang Monk meat snacks, Brazilian barbecue bites, veggie steaks… She hadn’t seen these for months! No coupons meant just staring helplessly.

Grateful, she gulped down half a cup of icy lemonade.

"Refreshing…"

She didn’t overeat—just one of each snack.

Mu Feng and Xiang Guan bought them. If Xia Yan paid… heh heh.

She wouldn’t leave him the plastic bag. 😈

Sneakily, she slipped the last cookie packs from her backpack into the big bag, then tucked the snacks away.

Know your limits.

But Mu Feng was gaming; Xiang Guan was glued to Xiao Ling. Neither noticed.

*Buzz.*

Hua Xin pulled out her phone, puzzled.

Xia Yan: "Look at the stage."

She glanced up.

A tall figure and a cool, elegantly dressed girl stepped onto the platform. They stood center stage under dazzling lights—perfectly matched in looks and aura.

"Respected teachers, dear classmates…"

They spoke in flawless sync, no pauses. Their clear voices carried across the playground.

Except…

Xia Yan’s voice wasn’t its usual gentle calm. It was low, magnetic…

Hua Xin frowned, pulling on her mask.

That voice… where had she heard it before?

"Hey Xiang Guan," Mu Feng teased, "when’ll you shine on stage with Xiao Ling like Yan-ge and Lin Qingyu?"

Xiang Guan’s eyes sparked with confidence—he remembered a promise with a certain tricky girl. Arms crossed, he declared firmly: "Ten days!! Just ten days to win Xiao Ling!! 😡"

After that: solo dinners… ambiguous confessions… drunken blushes… love poured out… hotel keycards…

Lost in fantasy, drool nearly dripped from his chin. 🤤

"Hopeless," Mu Feng thought, abandoning any rescue attempt.

Worse than VTuber stans imagining themselves as husbando/waifu, or gamers fusing with their favorite character’s spouse.

Speaking of which…

He peeked at Hua Xin.

Should he still "track" Xia Yan? Waiting till the show ended would turn him into a weathered Terracotta Warrior under the stage. 😭 His scrawny limbs couldn’t handle it.

Mu Feng shifted closer to her, whispering: "Chief… do I still need to ‘protect’ Yan-ge?"

Surprisingly, she wasn’t scared. Just shook her head gently.

"No."

"I’ll delete the recording later."

But "thank you" for the snacks and lemonade? Hua Xin couldn’t say it.

She always choked on her own feelings.

Who had time to guess her thoughts?

"Oh…"

Mu Feng sat back beside Xiang Guan, confused but relieved. The weight lifted.

Days of spy life… finally over.

His mood soared—mission accomplished. Even a twinge of missing the thrill.

Who said otaku couldn’t be spies?

Hua Xin sat on the grass, knees hugged. Her eyes lingered on the dazzling pair onstage, envious.

Her corner was dark; theirs blazed bright.

Was Xia Yan showing her their unbridgeable gap?

She lowered her gaze to the distant, roaring stage.

Actually… it was fine.

Without Xia Yan, she’d never have left her dorm, met Chun Qiu, or seen this childhood dream show.

No big deal. At worst, they’d mock her.

She’d survived worse.

Hua Xin tightened her grip on her legs.

*I’m okay…*

The show flew by.

School leaders finished speeches. Under Xia Yan and Lin Qingyu’s hosting, students performed—singing, dancing…

So many vibrant acts.

She watched wide-eyed as boys and girls radiated youth—nervous or calm, all glowing under the spotlight.

Night deepened. Cheers and chatter still roared.

Xia Yan had changed into a sharp white suit, sparking shrieks from his fangirls.

Admittedly, he was handsome. Anything looked good on him.

Hua Xin rubbed her eyes—damp corners from yawning or rubbing. She pushed stray hair aside, staring blankly at Xia Yan onstage.

Clear view now.

This would end soon.

Rhythmic music swelled. Xia Yan raised the mic.

*(What’s so funny…)*

*(Always acting kind… but so gross behind the scenes…)*

Hua Xin pouted.

Then the lyrics hit her. She froze. Her head lifted slowly, eyes locked on Xia Yan’s serious face.

Not a love song for Lin Qingyu. Not rap. Not childish pop.

A song she’d never heard.

Earlier lines slipped away. But the last few stuck:

*"I find I’m fragile, too scared to speak"*

*"When I turn from the starry sky"*

*"Groping blindly"*

*"In this endless cosmos—where’s the life I seek?"*

*"A hundred truths only make sense far down the road"*

She straightened, hands slipping from her sleeves. Fingers dug into the fake grass. Whispering the final line, her shimmering eyes held only Xia Yan bowing deeply:

*"My hundred truths."*

*"Life…"*