Xia Jiuli deliberately left the last bite.
As they reached the entrance of Right Turn Malatang, a girl with glasses and a round face looked up.
At that exact moment, Xia Jiuli took the final bite—nearly chomping Chen Dao’s finger along with it.
“Wow…”
Yu Xin’s eyes lit up. She dashed into the shop. Chen Dao rubbed his fingernail, watching Xia Jiuli—who’d even bitten through the paper wrapper—and felt utterly confused.
A warning shot?
A move to stake her claim?
Or…
Was she just showing off in front of her friend?
Xia Jiuli followed Yu Xin inside. Chen Dao had no choice but to hurry after them.
Yu Xin led them to a corner booth—a four-seater where one seat hid behind a pillar. From outside, anyone there stayed unseen.
“Hi, I’m Yu Xin.”
She gently pushed up her glasses, gaze fixed entirely on Xia Jiuli’s face. Not that she wasn’t curious about the boyfriend—it was that bite.
Undeniably a claim-staking move.
Of course, Yu Xin had zero interest in Chen Dao. Still… this tall, fair-skinned, handsome guy really did save Xia Jiuli, didn’t he?
“Chen Dao. My good friend.”
Xia Jiuli introduced him while sliding into the pulled-out chair. Yu Xin blinked, slightly puzzled.
Weren’t they a couple? Why “good friend”?
“Hello—”
Chen Dao smiled, nodded, and took the seat before the pillar as Xia Jiuli indicated.
“Yu Xin, lend me your phone?”
“Okay!”
Once seated, Yu Xin passed it over immediately. She was providing cover—had to do it right, or Xia Baixiao would get suspicious.
More importantly, she *wanted* to help. Seeing Xia Jiuli this lively again made the whole class happy—especially her deskmate.
“Where’s the class monitor?”
“The restroom.”
No sooner said than the class monitor hurried back and greeted Chen Dao.
With all four seated, questions about Chen Dao and Xia Jiuli were inevitable. But since Xia Jiuli needed to call her aunt, Chen Dao handled the answers.
He skipped the despair, skipped how she’d ended up in Xinchi. Just said she’d hidden away—and he found her.
Period.
He kept his own background vague too. A student? From eight hundred kilometers away? Way too implausible.
“Is this Yu Xin’s phone? Where are you? I’ve been waiting forever!”
Xia Baixiao tried to sound calm. She knew Yu Xin—Xia Jiuli’s deskmate, someone she’d met before.
“Xin Xin and I are having malatang at Right Turn. I’ll be home later. Okay?”
Xia Jiuli wanted more time with Chen Dao… but didn’t want to worry her aunt. She was still a girl who’d lost both parents barely half a month ago.
And she wouldn’t burden Yu Xin unnecessarily.
After thinking it through: stay until nine tonight, meet again tomorrow.
Mm.
“Right Turn? Behind school? Sure! But let Xin Xin take the phone? I’ll say two words!”
Xia Baixiao wouldn’t object outright—but something felt off. Unusual behavior meant reason. She suspected a lie.
Yu Xin took the phone promptly, exchanged pleasantries, gave a quick report.
Even had the class monitor chime in.
Chen Dao watched quietly: the serious “bookworm” monitor, the well-liked “Xin Xin,” and the “ice sculpture beauty” Xia Jiuli—an oddly charming trio.
“Mm, got it! We’ll keep Jiuli company, Auntie. Don’t worry.”
Yu Xin handed the phone back. Xia Jiuli wrapped up the call. All three exhaled.
Then giggled.
*That’s it?*
You girls are *so* new to mischief…
“Go enjoy your alone time! Congrats, congrats!”
Yu Xin and the monitor clapped, grinning mischievously on either side.
Chen Dao flushed slightly. He glanced at Xia Jiuli—unusually calm—gently stroking her chin, as if weighing something.
“Don’t rush. Stay ten more minutes.”
Xia Jiuli’s voice was soft. She bought a two-yuan bottle of mineral water and set it before Chen Dao.
“Why?” Yu Xin leaned in.
But the class monitor answered with a faint, confident smile:
“Auntie Xia will come. She already asked for the address.”
True. With Xia Jiuli’s history of running away and past struggles, asking to stay out late—phoneless—*would* raise alarms.
Five minutes later, Xia Baixiao’s car pulled up outside Right Turn. She didn’t enter. She clearly saw Yu Xin across from Xia Jiuli… and another girl with braids.
Chen Dao, hidden by the pillar, stayed unseen.
After a pause, Xia Baixiao started the engine. Today, she’d believe Xia Jiuli was truly moving forward.
“Wow… really?”
Yu Xin peeked out the window. She recognized the car—seen it countless times.
“She left?”
“Mm. Gone.”
Reassured, Xia Jiuli didn’t hurry off. She stayed, calmly chatting with Yu Xin about class gossip.
They were *this close* to getting caught—yet Xia Jiuli remained perfectly composed.
Chen Dao stared at her serene profile… and almost forgot *he* was the one who’d get scolded if found out.
A playful grin tugged at his lips.
“Didn’t know you had so many little schemes. What if I get sold off someday?”
Xia Jiuli’s almond-shaped eyes lowered. Her delicate face turned blankly toward him. She furrowed her brow, thinking.
“But I wouldn’t sell you.”
