Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 69

Holding it in made her angrier by the second; stepping back only stoked the fire in her chest.
Ji Qingqian had already stepped off the sports field, her hand firmly in Lu Yibei’s.
She didn’t have much experience arguing with people, and it wasn’t until afterward that she finished rehearsing her comebacks in her head.
Suddenly, she tugged her head sharply, as if wanting to march back and scold Zhou Zhou a few more times.
Lu Yibei caught her hand and let out a light laugh.
“What’s wrong?”
Ji Qingqian furrowed her brows, her cold, pale cheeks clearly tinged with displeasure.
“You can still laugh after being bullied?”
“See, you wanted me to be angry, but I refused. Guess who ends up getting frustrated in the end?” Lu Yibei asked.
Ji Qingqian froze. Her anger slowly drained, and she no longer insisted on going back—she merely walked beside him.
Under the dim yellow streetlights, the two of them took a few steps together.
Her gaze fell to their intertwined hands.
At first, it had been her hand gripping his palm, but now… his fingers gripped hers more firmly than hers did his.
Even if she tried to pull away, it would be difficult.
…Doesn’t matter. She didn’t want to let go anyway.
“And heroine, don’t scold me either. The fact I can laugh like this… isn’t it all because of you?” Lu Yibei said.
Ji Qingqian raised an eyebrow.
“Quite the excuse,” she remarked.
“Not at all,” Lu Yibei said softly. “Every little boy, after making a fool of himself once, secretly hopes a pretty, long-legged lady will come, grab his hand, and take him for a ride in a red Ferrari.”
And, somehow, the heroine had just fulfilled that wish.
“No Ferrari,” Ji Qingqian said.
“Then we can rent a shared e-scooter next time,” Lu Yibei said casually.
“I’m a junior,” Ji Qingqian reminded him.
“But your birthday’s before mine, and you’ve already said you’re the elder sister. Are you going to back out now?” Lu Yibei teased.
Ji Qingqian tilted her head, considering briefly. “Oh.”
“Huh? And you’re not going to question the ‘pretty’ and ‘long-legged’ part?” Lu Yibei asked.
Ji Qingqian shot him a cool glance. “Mainly the long legs, right?”
Lu Yibei thought for a moment. “Secondary is the long legs.”
“Primary is the looks?”
“Primary is you.”
The streetlight cast a warm glow, highlighting the blush on Ji Qingqian’s fair cheeks. She bit her lip gently and heard Lu Yibei continue:
“Heroine, let’s find a place to sit and talk for a bit.”
He glanced back toward the sports field… Zhou Zhou had spoken like that, so Sun and the others had probably seen her too.
…But with Fatty watching, nothing would happen.
Almost every university had a lake; Jiangnan University was no exception.
Almost every lakeside had willows, and Jiangnan’s lakeside was lined with them.
Late summer turning into early autumn, the night wind stirred, and the willow branches brushed the water.
Even though it was September, the air still carried warmth, yet compared to the previous days, the night breeze now brought a gentle, considerate coolness.
Lu Yibei and Ji Qingqian sat side by side on a public bench by the lake.
Most students were watching the freshmen’s final night performances. It was still early, and the area had grown quiet.
Ji Qingqian recalled: “At night here before, someone was… creating life…”
“Stop!”
Lu Yibei called sharply. Heroine, stop.
He didn’t want to remember.
Ji Qingqian glanced at him, then down at her shoulder.
“Want to lean on me?”
“…What?”
“My shoulder.”
Lu Yibei: …
Ji Qingqian said calmly: “If you want to cry, go ahead. I won’t hear it.”
Her feelings for Lu Yibei were real.
But she couldn’t deny that, over the past two years, Lu Yibei’s feelings for Zhou Zhou had been equally genuine.
If he cried for Zhou Zhou now, she’d mind—but she could bear it. She didn’t want him to suppress his sadness.
Lu Yibei didn’t cry; instead, he laughed lightly.
“Don’t worry. I’ve told you many times… I can’t cry.”
“But you don’t look happy.”
“I’m not unhappy… it’s just…”
“Just what?”
“Just a little lost.”
He exhaled, staring at the calm lake. Even in the darkness, the water reflected a somber shade.
After the fallout with Zhou Zhou, he couldn’t claim he was untouched inside—but he no longer felt sorrowful: “Thinking about what I’ve done over these two years… If I’d spent it all studying, maybe I could’ve gone to Beijing…”
Ji Qingqian remained silent.
She slightly raised her long legs.
“…Not wearing a skirt,” she noted.
“Huh?”
“Otherwise, I could let you touch them a little.”
“!?”
“I read online… if a boy’s unhappy, touching his legs can make him feel better.”
Lu Yibei: …
Her gaze was icy, yet playful.
“Though… it’s fine. Some people aren’t sad anyway. Forget it.”
He thought to speak, wondering if he could change his mind now—but he didn’t. Smiling, he said:
“Yes, not sad.”
Ji Qingqian looked at him and said suddenly:
“Don’t move.”
“Huh?”
Then she pulled his head toward her, letting it rest in her lap.
The soft yet firm touch made Lu Yibei’s mind spin, and he could hear the steady beat of her heart.
“Not sad means you’re smart. Good boy—here’s your reward,” Ji Qingqian said softly.
Lu Yibei froze. His body stiffened slightly as her fingers twirled through his hair.
“And another thing.”
Her tone sharpened: “My limit is Jiangnan University. If you keep studying hard, you’ll have to rely on some other rich dad in Beijing to carry you forward.”
Lu Yibei chuckled. “So in a way, I should thank Zhou Zhou for messing up my grades?”
“Don’t. Even joking, don’t.” Ji Qingqian’s tone was icy.
He didn’t argue.
But thinking carefully, she realized she had a reason to thank Zhou Zhou in some way.
She had always been emotionally detached, especially toward liking someone.
She only realized she liked Lu Yibei when she felt her heart constrict in an indescribable way, the moment he mentioned pursuing Zhou Zhou.
Lu Yibei was that good—if Zhou Zhou were normal, she’d already be out of luck.
Good thing her mind had a few quirks.
“I actually saw Zhou Zhou before,” Ji Qingqian whispered. “During military training, she passed by. She’s very pretty… no wonder she became your white moonlight.”
Lu Yibei tried to say something but was cut off:
“But Chu Chu said I’m prettier, and I also got more votes than her on the school beauty ranking.”
“…Hmm.”
“So, Yibei, from now on, don’t look at her. Look at me.”
“I’m already only looking at you.”
Ji Qingqian continued twirling his hair, her fingertips pausing for a brief moment.