My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Yi Shanshan didn’t reply to Ying Yuan’s message.
Ying Yuan found this perfectly normal.
She had only meant to inform Yi Shanshan in advance, giving her time to prepare so she could find alternative solutions when urgently needed.
After leaving the restroom, Ying Yuan opened the school’s part-time job group and found a temporary assignment: organizing files for a professor in the College Office. This would give her a legitimate reason to skip the sports meet tomorrow.
With her arrangements settled, Ying Yuan quietly ate the dinner Yi Shanshan had brought and went to bed.
Her dreams were chaotic, but she slept soundly until morning.
The dormitory corridors buzzed with activity as everyone, dressed in their class uniforms, headed to the stadium. Ying Yuan packed two books into her bag and went to the College Office.
The stadium was deafeningly loud; the College Office was eerily silent.
The entire three-story building was deserted, not a soul in the corridors.
Having done this job before, Ying Yuan was efficient. She dove into the stacks of files, organizing them chronologically and dusting the folders as she went.
Working like this brought her a sense of tranquility.
Before she knew it, a long time had passed.
When she picked up her phone again, it was already lunchtime. There were no missed calls, and her WeChat conversation with Yi Shanshan was still frozen at their last exchange from the previous night.
Everything was going smoothly here, and Ying Yuan was pleased.
What surprised her were some new messages from Lina, a classmate she had exchanged WeChat contacts with out of courtesy but had never actually communicated with since.
– Ying Yuan, are you coming to the sports meet today?
– The Class President said they’ll deduct points if we don’t participate, and they’ll be calling attendance later.
– Is something wrong? Did you get excused?
– Ying Yuan, please reply when you have a moment. I’m a little worried about you.
– Our college finally won a medal! It’s in the javelin throw.
These were all genuine expressions of concern and camaraderie from her classmates, which Ying Yuan felt obligated to respond to.
– I’m fine. I already got excused by the Counselor.
– That’s great! What place did we get?
Lina’s reply was immediate, popping up almost instantly:
– Second place—a silver medal!
– I’m so glad you’re okay! Where are you right now?
Ying Yuan pondered for a moment and decided there was no harm in telling Lina. After all, the only person she needed to be wary of was Yi Shanshan, and after yesterday’s incident, it was highly unlikely that Lina and Yi Shanshan would ever collaborate again.
Ying Yuan: At the College Office, helping a professor organize materials.
Lina: When will you be done? Want to grab lunch together?
Ying Yuan: The professor got us bento boxes. We have to get back to work right after eating. It’ll probably be evening before we’re completely finished. There’s a lot to do.
Lina: Oh, okay. Don’t overwork yourself! Take breaks.
Ying Yuan: I will.
Lina sent a cheering emoji, and their conversation ended there.
Ying Yuan continued to savor her quiet time. Truth be told, the workload wasn’t overwhelming, but she had no intention of leaving early. Once she finished her tasks, she curled up on the sofa with a book.
Time flowed quietly by, the sunlight slanting westward.
When Ying Yuan checked her phone again, she saw another new message from Lina:
Ying Yuan, Ying Yuan! The sports meet is over, and they’re doing the closing ceremony performances now. There’s a cheerleading dance—aren’t you coming to watch?
Ying Yuan didn’t reply immediately, but Lina wasn’t discouraged. She sent Ying Yuan several videos of the cheerleading squad dancing.
Ying Yuan: Looking good.
Lina responded with her usual lightning speed, as if she lived on WeChat:
Lina: Is it almost over?
Lina: Want to grab dinner later?
Ying Yuan’s fingers froze mid-typing, hesitating over how to reply. Cautious footsteps approached from the hallway, followed by a gentle knock on the half-open office door.
Ying Yuan glanced up to see half of Lina’s head peeking through the crack.
“Ying Yuan…” she whispered, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. “You’re really here?”
Ying Yuan was utterly stunned. She never imagined Lina would come to the College Office looking for her. When had their classmate friendship…suddenly blossomed to this extent?
Lina’s eyes darted around the empty office before she boldly stepped inside.
“I asked the Class President,” she said. “How much longer will you be? How much do you have left? I can help you finish.”
Holding a book in her left hand and a water glass in her right, Ying Yuan casually replied, “…Mm, it’s… almost done…”
“Great!” Lina clapped her hands. “Let’s go eat!”
Ying Yuan hesitated. “I’m… not in a hurry.”
Lina wasn’t stupid. She glanced around the tidy office, then back at Ying Yuan’s “I have a secret” expression, and suddenly wore a deeply sympathetic look. “Are you hiding from someone?”
Ying Yuan: “?????”
Seriously, what’s with these college girls? Do they have privacy-detecting radar built into their heads? Exposing people’s secrets with pinpoint accuracy in one second flat?!
Lina waved her hand dismissively, her tone now solicitous. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. No need to answer my question. I already know.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
What exactly do you think you know now?!
Lina stepped closer, met Ying Yuan’s gaze, and spoke with genuine sincerity: “I know who you’re hiding from. Something unpleasant must have happened yesterday. I understand you don’t want to cause any more trouble. We don’t have to talk about what happened before.”
Ying Yuan: “!!!!”
Why does it feel like the question is wrong, but the answer is right?
Lina: “But this whole thing started because of me, so I can’t just ignore it. I won’t do anything impulsive again. I thought about it all night, and I realized there are some things we can’t fight alone. We’re too small.”
Ying Yuan: A vague sense of foreboding settled over her.
Lina nodded. “So all I can do is stay by your side.”
Ying Yuan croaked out a dry, “Huh?”
Lina: “From now on, I’ll always be with you. We’ll go to class together, eat together, and walk back to the dorm together after class. If you want to go to the library, I’ll go too. We’ll spend the whole day together. As long as you’re never alone, that person won’t have another chance to bully you.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Ying Yuan finally understood Lina’s logic. Lina still believed Yi Shanshan had bullied her yesterday.
The fact that she didn’t go to the sports meet today only deepened Lina’s conviction. Now, Lina had stepped forward, feeling it was her duty to protect her.
She’s a good classmate, Ying Yuan thought.
Perhaps I could use this to my advantage.
Ying Yuan startled herself with the sudden inspiration that struck her.
She fell silent, and Lina waited quietly for her to consider.
Actually… it’s not entirely impossible.
Ying Yuan had been wanting to distance herself from Yi Shanshan. Making excuses every day like she had today would be exhausting.
Most importantly, on the same campus, Yi Shanshan could appear at any moment, seemingly omnipresent. Ying Yuan’s attempts to avoid her couldn’t be foolproof.
But with Lina by her side, it would be different. If Lina kept her promise to stick with her constantly, Yi Shanshan wouldn’t have a chance.
After all, Yi Shanshan would never want to expose their relationship in front of others.
I’ll do it.
Ying Yuan made up her mind.
From today on, she would be a manipulative woman who toyed with people’s hearts.
Ying Yuan took a deep breath and replied to Lina, “I accept your suggestion.”
“Ah, that’s wonderful!” Lina exclaimed, delighted.
“But,” Ying Yuan added, “this must remain a secret between us.”
Lina: “Absolutely.”
Ying Yuan stood up. “Let’s go grab dinner.”
Lina finally got her wish: a meal with Ying Yuan.
They went to a nearby restaurant. As soon as Lina stepped inside, she scanned the room meticulously.
“Safe,” she declared.
Ying Yuan: “……”
Well, that’s good enough.
After dinner, Ying Yuan headed to the library as usual. Lina followed, carrying her backpack.
But they hadn’t been reading long before Lina fell asleep, sleeping right up until closing time.
As they walked out together, the long staircase outside the library stretched as endlessly as ever. The spring night air was still warm. After a quick look around, Lina declared, “Safe!”
“Mm-hmm,” Ying Yuan replied, unsure whether she felt disappointed or reassured.
Her phone suddenly vibrated twice. Ying Yuan realized with a start that she had specifically set up a special notification for Yi Shanshan’s messages.
My phone isn’t safe anymore. Yi Shanshan is happily bouncing around inside.
– Ying Yuan, you’re finally done being busy now, right?
– I’ve been such a good girl today! I didn’t bother you once all day~
– Now, I have a surprise to share with you!
Ying Yuan immediately looked around, but Yi Shanshan was nowhere to be seen.
Lina joined her as they stepped down the stairs and headed toward the dormitory building.
Ying Yuan’s finger hovered over the chat box, unsure whether to reply to Yi Shanshan’s message.
Yi Shanshan: I see you~ Typing…
Ying Yuan: !
Ying Yuan quickly exited the chat.
Yi Shanshan: If you don’t know what to say, don’t worry, darling. After all, the surprise is waiting for you~
Goosebumps prickled across Ying Yuan’s skin. She instinctively glanced left, right, front, and back, Lina following her gaze.
“Don’t be nervous,” Lina reassured her. “I’m here with you.”
Despite her words, Lina was clearly nervous herself.
The short walk felt like navigating a minefield. Only as they neared the dormitory building did they gradually relax.
But just around the final corner—that beautiful turn framed by a blooming crabapple tree—an even more beautiful figure suddenly sprang out.
Bang! A deafening explosion erupted, sending countless colorful ribbons cascading from the sky. Bathed in the warm glow of the streetlights, the blooming petals transformed the night into a vibrant, kaleidoscopic world.
Lina screamed in fright, “Ah!” Ying Yuan’s eyes widened, her heart pounding fiercely as she locked eyes with Yi Shanshan.
Yi Shanshan’s eyes burned with fervent, mischievous intensity—a childlike innocence tempered by stubborn willfulness.
She gazed at Ying Yuan, her eyes crinkling with laughter, and shouted, “Surprise! The cheerleading squad’s ultimate after-sales service!”
Ying Yuan was speechless.
Having recognized the intruder, Lina’s linguistic circuits short-circuited, and she shrieked, “What are you doing?! Why are you trying to scare us like this?!”
Yi Shanshan turned to Lina as if only just noticing her.
The smile vanished from her face, her eyes narrowing slightly as her brow furrowed.
“Why is she here?” she asked Ying Yuan.
“Why is it her again?” she repeated, her tone turning venomous.