After that awkward moment, I had no idea how to continue. We finished the meal in silence. I patted my full little belly, then dumped the leftover food—more than half the plate—feeling deeply ashamed.
Two liang of rice and two spoonfuls of veggies, unfinished. For the veggies, I could blame the lunch lady for scooping too much. But the rice? No excuse.
No wonder Su Xiaoxi is so petite—she can’t even finish half of two liang of rice.
All the way back to the dorm, neither Qin Xue nor I spoke. I didn’t know what to say, so we walked in quiet silence to the building entrance.
Just then, Qin Xue got a text. She turned away and took a few steps in the opposite direction.
As I stood there unsure, her voice came: “I have something to handle. I’m leaving.”
“Oh… okay.”
The aloof, emotionless beauty actually said goodbye before leaving? I felt pleasantly surprised.
“Hmm… maybe we actually got along pretty well before,” I muttered to myself, then headed up to the dorm alone.
...
Though Zhendong University sat on the city outskirts, transport was super convenient—right at the cross of multiple subway lines. Reaching the bustling downtown shopping street took no time at all.
“Take the subway?”
Qin Xue glanced coolly at the woman across from her. “In this short time? Unless you flew here, subway was the only option.”
The young woman opposite looked just past twenty, yet noticeably taller than Qin Xue. Still, the two shared a striking resemblance—both with long, straight black hair, both radiating that same icy aura.
Two beautiful women, one taller, one shorter. Looked like sisters.
…And they were.
“If you want, get a car,” the older icy beauty said. “Your campus has parking lots, right?”
“Pass,” the younger icy beauty shot back flatly. “Traffic’s a nightmare.”
Unfazed by her sister’s bluntness—clearly used to it—she sipped her coffee. “Last time you said you were dating. Where’s your little girlfriend?”
Anyone overhearing would’ve blinked: *Dating? “Little girlfriend”? Weren’t you both girls?*
Qin Xue shot her a displeased look. “You mean over a year ago? We broke up ages ago.”
“Oh?” Her sister arched a delicate eyebrow, surprised.
Qin Xue gripped her cup lightly. “She dumped me.”
“When?”
“Two months ago.”
“Oh~” The older beauty smiled, amused. “Guess you don’t know how to sweet-talk girls.”
Qin Xue tightened her grip, annoyed. “That’s irrelevant… And who are *you* to talk? At least I’ve dated. What about you?”
“What’s it to me? I’ve said it—your secret, hidden relationship was doomed. If I find a wife, I’d never go underground like you.”
“Tch. Big talk. Can you even do it?” Qin Xue spared no courtesy. “Anyway, why are you in Zhendong City?”
“This city’s nice. Opening a store nearby,” her sister replied just as casually. “No matter how Europe turns out, I’m retiring here.”
“You? You barely visit once a year, and you’re talking retirement?” Qin Xue scoffed, then added offhandedly, “What kind of store?”
“An anime store,” she said. “Low barrier, no deep expertise needed—just cash and suppliers. Perfect retirement biz.”
“Profiting off otaku? Better hire some cute girls.”
...
At that moment, the lovely Su Xiaoxi had just returned to the dorm.
“Xiaoxi, didn’t you say you weren’t eating lunch?” The side-ponytail girl lunged at me the second I stepped in, eyes glistening. “Why’d you go eat with someone else behind my back?!”
“Did I?” I blinked innocently. “Nope.”
“You didn’t go with someone else?” Xu Qianqian’s face brightened.
“I never said I wouldn’t eat lunch.”
“Waaah—!”
Back at my desk, waiting for my computer to boot, an idea struck. I patted the pouting Xu Qianqian. “C’mon, I just wrapped something up and grabbed lunch. Next time, I’ll totally go with you.”
“Re-really?”
“…Really.”
Once she perked up, I casually dropped, “Qin Xue stopped by earlier.”
Xu Qianqian didn’t know about my amnesia—I couldn’t ask outright. But this slightly airheaded girl was easy to lead. One hint, and she’d…
“Tch, that ice queen was here?” She dramatically hugged herself. “No wonder the dorm felt chilly.”
*No, it’s chilly because I turned on the AC before leaving…*
Yep, the emotionless ice queen I imagined. Yet she talked to me that much—we must’ve been close.
“Oh right,” I remembered. “Did we ever exchange photos?”
Xu Qianqian’s eyes sparkled. “Xiaoxi! You finally agreed to swap photos?!”
“Eh… huh?”
Oblivious to my shock, she gushed, “I begged you forever—even one photo, you refused! Did you finally come around?”
I forgot to hide my amnesia. Lips trembling: “Wait… we never exchanged? You don’t have *any* of my photos?”
“Nope! Not one!” She shook her head like a rattle drum. “Not me, not the whole class or dorm—even skipped the class group photo!”
My mind buzzed. A storm of confusion erupted inside.
If that’s true… why does Qin Xue have my photos?
So many—through all four seasons?!
