Young people in Zhenzhong City love gathering around hot pot. The anime club’s meetup spot turned out to be a lavishly decorated hot pot restaurant.

Rumor had it the place was famous for its fiery spice and incredible flavor. But after sizing up Su Xiaoxi’s stomach, I figured clear broth was probably the only safe choice.

"Welcome, welcome! You’re finally here!"

Inside the private room, seven or eight members were already seated, with only two empty chairs left at the table. Meaning—we were the last to arrive.

"Xiaoxi’s last exam was this afternoon. No helping it," Xu Qianqian explained for me. "I can’t exactly hand in my paper early just to aim for a retake like I did."

…Did she really have to throw herself under the bus while defending me?

Still, a snide voice cut in: "You didn’t *have* to wait till the very last second to submit, did you? Miss High-and-Mighty just *has* to make a grand entrance."

The room went still.

The speaker was only slightly taller than me. Her makeup made her passably pretty, but that sharply pointed chin screamed "influencer."

Since I didn’t know her, I had no comeback ready. With everyone’s eyes on me, I murmured softly, "The questions were… a bit tough. It was the final exam."

*What could I do if the test was hard? Half the time I was distracted, mind wandering… sorry for taking so long.*

No one spoke up for me—not surprising. A quiet girl who barely talks? How could she be popular?

Friendship doesn’t grow from silence.

"Is that so?" the influencer girl sneered. "Then why was *everyone else’s* exam easy, and only yours took forever?"

A flicker of heat rose in my chest—just as someone stepped in: "Enough. Don’t pick on others just because the club president’s not here."

*Ah. So the president’s absent. No wonder. Guess the anime club president was the only one who ever showed me kindness.*

"She’s just jealous," Xu Qianqian whispered beside me. "Jealous the president dotes on you… and that your bonus is bigger."

*Drama? Whatever.* I leaned close and whispered back, "Didn’t you say *everyone* was excited to see me?"

*If only one person likes me—and they’re not even here—why am I here?*

"Come to think of it…" Qianqian tilted her head. "Last time, she kept murmuring how much she missed you."

…

I pieced it together. Last time, that influencer-faced girl was probably being sarcastic too—mocking me as "Miss High-and-Mighty who scorns club gatherings"—but thick-headed Qianqian took it literally.

My expression cooled.

Back then, I stayed meek for that tiny bonus.

Now? Do I still need to care?

*Think of the whole cabinet of cash registers back at the shop.* Confidence surged through me.

"If you don’t welcome me," I walked straight up to her, "I’ll leave. It’s not like hot pot shops are rare."

Silence crashed over the table. No one expected the quiet, pushover girl to snap.

Just then—the door swung open. A bright voice cut through the tension: "Whoa! I step out for *two seconds*, and you’re already fighting? And you even riled up Xiaoxi, our little lamb? What unforgivable thing did you do?!"

I froze—then heard Qianqian chirp beside me: "President! I brought Xiaoxi!"