Everyone has their own emotional anchor. For a stunning girl like Mu Yao—who entered Yingshengya Academy radiating natural idol charm—it was only natural to become the dream crush of the majority. Nangong Ruihui understood that. Still, this was getting absurd. Even he, sitting right beside her, felt precarious.
Thankfully, curtains hung by the window. With a casual tug, Nangong Ruihui blocked the perfect peeping angle toward them. Otherwise, it would’ve been deeply uncomfortable. Mu Yao, constantly in the public eye, was probably more used to it.
“I’m sorry for causing you trouble, Ruihui…” Mu Yao pursed her lips slightly, voice apologetic.
“Then how will you make it up to me?”
“Huh? I was just being polite—you actually want compensation? Weren’t you satisfied after I played maid for you all day last time? If you had to meekly call me ‘Master’ for a whole day, I’d be thrilled to death.”
“Tch. Knew you didn’t truly feel bad for me.” Nangong Ruihui shook his head with a sigh. “Guess I’ll apply to Brother Chuanqi for a seat change. Someone clearly doesn’t see me~”
Reading Mu Yao’s mind came easily to Nangong Ruihui—he’d mastered it long ago. Who wouldn’t find “teasing” a kind-hearted person amusing?
“Oh dear~” Mu Yao wore a helpless expression. “Don’t go. I’ll agree. You really know how to seize the moment…”
“Mm, much better~” Nangong Ruihui glanced at her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Mu Yao didn’t want to sit apart. Having him as a desk mate made class fun—never boring. Besides, if he left, her grand plan to win his heart would collapse. Every girl in class was ready to become his girlfriend any second.
“So… what are you going to do to me?” Mu Yao asked, a trace of panic in her voice. Nangong Ruihui wasn’t easy to shake off.
“Oh? So eager to know?”
He lunged toward her. The mischievous glint in his eyes flustered Mu Yao further. *He must be thinking something lewd… Boys are always so fixated on that.*
“That’s not what I meant…” she murmured.
“I’ll tell you once I’ve thought of something.”
…
Just as Nangong Ruihui predicted, the moment class ended, Mu Yao was swarmed by layers of fans. Face etched with despair, she reached out, hoping he’d rescue her.
But that hope vanished. Nangong Ruihui was swarmed too—the second Mu Yao moved, girls closed in around him.
Mu Yao was hoisted up and carried off amid cheers; girls kept gathering around Nangong Ruihui. For a fleeting second, both wished to stay glued together forever—strength in unity beat being picked off one by one.
“Cut it out!” Nangong Ruihui yelled weakly, his voice swallowed by shrieks.
Admirers of Nangong Ruihui were exclusively girls. Among Mu Yao’s fans were many girls too—pure idol devotion. When news spread that Long Xueer was in Grade 10, Class C, the whole academy erupted. Teachers couldn’t hold students back after class; everyone rushed to glimpse their beloved idol.
“Marry me, Mu Yao!!!”
“Are you *really* Long Xueer from *Angel Show*? You’re even prettier in person! I thought it was just makeup and camera tricks!”
“Ugh, how is her skin so flawless bare-faced?!”
“Kawaii!! Are you single?!”
Boys were losing their minds. Dating Mu Yao wouldn’t just earn bragging rights for three years—it’d be a lifetime trophy. A rare pure-hearted beauty; no guy could resist her charm.
“I… I’m single,” Mu Yao hesitated, “but I want to focus on studies now. Thank you for your support~”
*If only I could mention Ruihui…* But publicly declaring their engagement? Disaster. A leaked video would be impossible to explain. Joking privately was harmless—but not here.
She knew idol life had constraints. And since Nangong Ruihui was a boy too, marriage was impossible anyway. This silence protected him.
“I’ll wait three years for you!”
“Can I get your contact? For when you change your mind~”
“Can’t believe Long Xueer’s here! If only I’d known sooner… Now I’m stuck in line. Ugh~”
The frenzy lasted until second period. Mu Yao felt sick—someone had groped her chest and butt in the chaos. Unknown culprit. Disgusting.
Thankfully, Long Xueer’s public image had always been “flat-chested.” Otherwise, she’d have been exposed.
Back in class, they exchanged a quiet smile. Awkwardness melted instantly.
“Yaoyao, still calling yourself a has-been idol? If *this* is ‘past prime,’ what’s ‘popular’?” Nangong Ruihui gently tucked a stray strand behind her ear, gaze soft.
“I really retired for three years. Just came back. This crowd isn’t even that big for the whole academy.”
“Good thing you retired. Otherwise, I’d be way out of my league—might’ve even gotten dumped.” He added with a meaningful glance.
“No. Ruihui deserves my feelings. I was just a girl from a fallen family back then. You set goals for us—I *can* reach them. You’re doing this so we can be together properly later. I’m not a child. I understand.”
Her sincerity touched him. *Such a naive little fool… so trusting, so defenseless.*
Elder Sister… Do you think that title is earned lightly?
That evening, Nangong Ruihui wandered the academy grounds. Sometimes wondering what Mu Yao was doing in her dorm; sometimes gazing at the glittering stars.
Then—a fully grown girl stepped into view. An unfriendly aura hit him. Trouble.
Beneath the streetlamp and faint moonlight, he saw her face. As beautiful as Mu Yao, yet utterly different—a mature, elegant charm. Her chest badge marked her as a third-year senior.
“You’re Nangong Ruihui, correct?”
Silver hair swayed in the breeze as she approached. Ruby-red eyes gleamed. The blinding flash of her absolute territory was impossible to ignore.
“I am. What do you need?”
Before his words faded, her fist shot forward with full force toward his face—a roaring gust of wind trailing the blow.
