Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 58

Lu Yibei pierced the juice cup’s seal with a straw.

Ji Qingqian took the cup with both hands and sipped.

“So good… only one cup?”

“Otherwise?”

Lu Yibei glanced around, didn’t see a trash can nearby, and stuffed the paper straw into his pocket.

“I’m not going to buy a cup of juice just to see you after training, right? This one was originally mine. You earned it.”

They sat down on the steps.

Few people came here, and it was pleasantly cool and shaded.

By the rules, Qingqian should have returned to her class immediately after escorting her classmate to the infirmary to continue training.

But rules were rules, and people were living.

Lu Yibei trusted Monkey Brother wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Qingqian brought the straw up to Lu Yibei’s lips.

“Do you want some?”

Lu Yibei froze.

The straw glistened.

Was it condensation from the ice? Juice droplets? Or… the heroine’s saliva?

He looked into Qingqian’s eyes—clear and calm, like offering a candy.

He felt slightly dazed.

Judging from the first time she accidentally drank from his water, she seemed aware of boundaries.

Yet after shoving her chopsticks into his mouth during hotpot, and now this… she seemed unconcerned with such rules.

Lu Yibei stared at the straw for a while, frozen.

From Qingqian’s perspective, he seemed utterly indifferent.

“Oh, you don’t want it,” she said lightly.

“No.”

“Hmph~”

“…Then can I drink it or not?”

“If you want it, I’m not stopping you.”

Despite saying that, she took a quick gulp herself, then pressed the straw to his lips.

Lu Yibei opened his mouth, took a shallow sip.

Delicious.

Sweeter than before.

Rationally, he told himself it was an illusion.

Emotionally, he wondered if maybe Qingqian’s mouth really was sweet.

Morally, he knew he was getting a little perverse just thinking about it.

He glanced at her pink, slightly parted lips. She was in training—no makeup—but the natural color was just right: too bright, it would be gaudy; too pale, it would seem unhealthy.

Lu Yibei thought many things about Qingqian were just perfect.

Too much, and it’s excessive; too little, and it’s insufficient.

But together, everything was just right—shaping her into an almost flawless girl.

Noticing his gaze, Qingqian shifted slightly, moving a bit away.

Lu Yibei caught the small movement.

“…Are you serious about moving back just one step?” he asked. A tiny action, but it stung.

“I’m sweaty… it smells,” she admitted, embarrassed.

“And you just noticed now?”

“Mm.”

Lu Yibei couldn’t help but shake his head. When playing games or flirting, she reacted lightning-fast—but sometimes, she was a complete airhead.

He moved slightly closer to maintain the distance between them.

“Same here. I’m sweaty too… and I smell.”

Qingqian looked at him seriously:

“Is it possible that’s what you meant by ‘you smell’?”

“…!”

He went silent, then slapped his thigh: “Can I leave now!?”

Qingqian immediately grabbed his wrist, cool and composed:

“You really have no sense of humor.”

“Then at least smile.”

“Eheh.”

Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but the warmth of her palm on his wrist said it all. She was teasing.

She sipped her juice again, lightly flicked the hair tie on Lu Yibei’s wrist, and stood up:

“Rules of the Jianghu: I helped you, now you help me.”

“…What?”

“Are you still going to class?”

“A real man, if he skips, he skips—there’s no half-skipping.”

“Then you escort me back.”

“…Fine.”

Though Qingqian had taken this moment to chat with Lu Yibei, it was brief.

If she returned late, Monkey Brother wouldn’t just be annoyed—he’d probably send someone to look for her.

Even on campus, instructors feared something might happen under their noses.

As Lu Yibei had expected, Instructor Sun Bing glanced at the time, muttered about how she wasn’t back yet, and prepared to send a strong student to check, worried she might encounter trouble.

He chose Chen Wei, who had recently wrestled him and won:

“You, go see if Ji Qingqian…”

Before he could finish, Ma Jiaojiao shouted:

“Report, Instructor! Ji Qingqian is back—”

She pointed to the distance.

Everyone looked, and indeed, there was Qingqian.

But she wasn’t alone.

The tall, slim boy beside her wasn’t unfamiliar to the class, though they weren’t close either.

The same boy who had appeared twice before…

“Uh… Lu… Yibei senior?”

“Why is he with Ji Qingqian?”

“How would I know?”

“Wait… they know each other?”

“Remember, Qingqian rejected Chen Wei before, but accepted the reward from Senior Lu… Even if they didn’t know each other, they should now.”

“I don’t accept it! I absolutely don’t accept this relationship!”

“They’re a perfect match. Why resist?”

“If Qingqian dates, I lose once. But if she dates Senior Lu… I lose twice!”

“…Knew it, impossible man!”

Ma Jiaojiao was stunned. Weren’t Qingqian and Chu Chu just at the infirmary? How did she end up with Lu Yibei?

Qingqian hadn’t even used her phone… how did they connect?

“Coincidence?” someone suggested.

The discussion calmed down.

“Yeah, probably just coincidence.”

“…They really are fated.”

Just as everyone assumed they were merely walking the same path by chance, Qingqian approached Lu Yibei and placed her half-drunk juice cup into his hand.

Everyone: ??

What’s happening?

“This is enough,” Qingqian whispered to him.

“I can’t finish this, and leaving it in the sun will make it taste bad. Take it back with you.”

Lu Yibei glanced at Sun Bing.

Monkey Brother had no idea how to react… he had warned Lu Yibei that Qingqian was difficult to pursue, and now—just days later—they were sharing the same cup?

“…Mm,” Lu Yibei said.

“Also, I’m fine—super healthy. Don’t worry,” Qingqian added.