Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 93

Wang Jue took the bag and said thanks.

Chu Chu flipped herself up in a sit-up and hopped off the bed.

“Senpai is the best! Love—ahem Qingbao, you better shower him with love!”

Ji Qingqian’s face remained expressionless.

But in her mind, she muttered: Yeah, sure, whatever you say~

That dessert had actually been her purchase.

But since she bought it, it basically counted as Lu Yibei’s gift.

Besides, when Lu Yibei had bought her the fruit tea earlier, he’d made her claim it was hers too.

“Didn’t expect you to get back first~”

Chu Chu’s fingers had smeared a little cream, which she licked off as she spoke. “I thought Ma Jiaojiao would be back before you.”

“She hasn’t returned yet?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Chu Chu grinned mischievously. “Jue Jue, how about we split her share? Just pretend it never existed…”

Before Wang Jue could respond, Ji Qingqian snatched the last little cream cake from the bag and shot Chu Chu a stern glare.

“…I was just joking,” Chu Chu said.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Ji Qingqian replied.

Chu Chu pointed to her tiny nose, incredulous. “Jue, do I look like someone who’d do something like that?”

Wang Jue scooped a bit of cream with her tiny plastic spoon and looked at Chu Chu seriously.

“The word ‘look like’ isn’t entirely accurate.”

Chu Chu: …

Ji Qingqian added, “‘Like’ can be removed too.”

Chu Chu pouted.

She climbed back onto her bed, turned her back to the two of them, silently protesting.

Secretly, she opened her cake and nibbled on it, making sure they didn’t see.

“Hmph!!”

Rain fell again, alternating on and off several times.

Ji Qingqian remembered that Ma Jiaojiao had left later than she did. With this weather, she’d surely have an umbrella, and if she said she was going to a movie, it was reasonable she’d be back late.

So there was no need to worry.

By the time Ji Qingqian had finished her shower and nearly dried her hair, the dorm door opened again.

Ma Jiaojiao stepped in with a slightly soggy umbrella.

“Ma Jiaojiao, there’s cake! A little gift from Lu Senpai,” Chu Chu immediately called out.

“Oh, thanks…”

Ma Jiaojiao sounded tired rather than happy.

She tossed her umbrella at the door, glanced at the cake, then sat in her chair and started typing on her phone.

Ji Qingqian noticed something odd about her.

She’d been out with her senpai—like Qingqian had been with Lu Yibei. Normally, she should have returned in high spirits.

But Ji Qingqian didn’t know how to ask.

Thankfully, Chu Chu had a naturally loud voice:

“What’s wrong, Ma Jiaojiao? Did you break up with senpai?”

Ma Jiaojiao raised her eyes to glare, and Chu Chu immediately realized she’d spoken too sharply. “N-no way, right?” she muttered.

She’d only been joking… she couldn’t have guessed correctly, could she?

Wang Jue quickly moved her chair closer.

Ma Jiaojiao weakly smiled at her: “It’s nothing… just a small misunderstanding with senpai. I’ll explain in a bit.”

She went back to typing on her phone, clearly chatting with someone.

Ji Qingqian was a little lost.

The first thing that came to mind was checking WeChat with Lu Yibei.

But he had said: if they didn’t want to talk, don’t pry.

Ji Qingqian agreed.

The room was a little awkwardly quiet.

After a while, Ma Jiaojiao’s lips curved slightly, as if her mood had improved.

Then she set her phone down and stood up to inspect the cake:

“Wow, this looks expensive. Qingqian, thank Lu Senpai for me, okay?”

She picked up the cake and told the other roommates, “Really, it’s nothing… just a little misunderstanding with senpai. Don’t worry, we’ve cleared it up—”

Ji Qingqian nodded, relieved.

She thought Ma Jiaojiao was the most eloquent and skilled at resolving conflicts in their dorm.

She couldn’t help but think—if she ever had a misunderstanding with Lu Yibei… she’d probably have no choice but to cry.

…But thankfully, Lu Yibei was resourceful.

“That scared me,” Chu Chu exhaled. “Let’s eat it already—it’s delicious.”

Ma Jiaojiao nodded, then looked at Chu Chu in surprise.

Chu Chu: “…Why?”

Ma Jiaojiao: “I came back so late, and you didn’t secretly eat my share?”

Chu Chu: “What kind of image do you think I have in your minds!!”

……

Another day of classes.

The 404 Boy Band, having completed attendance tasks, lounged in the dorm. Only Liu Jie was sent downstairs to fetch takeout.

Soon, Liu Jie returned, carrying Ah Rui’s bag.

“Lu Bei, yours…”

He began distributing: “…Extra strong Americano.”

“Fatty, yours… extra strong Americano.”

“Sun, yours… extra strong Americano.”

He glanced at the remaining vanilla Frappuccino, then at the three big guys.

They all sipped simultaneously, then exhaled loudly:

“Damn!!”

Lu Yibei continued typing at the table.

Hao Fatty strummed a few notes on his guitar, then grabbed his headphones to work on the computer.

Zhao Sun curled his legs on the chair, doodling on the tablet.

Liu Jie felt like he was surrounded by useless guys.

But it didn’t matter. Liu Jie chugged his Frappuccino proudly.

—If I admit I’m useless, then I’m invincible.

“…Aren’t you guys overdoing it?”

Liu Jie asked the three, noting their intensity had lasted days.

All wore headphones, only Lu Yibei noticed and took out his earbuds. “Ah, let’s take a short break…”

He sipped his Americano.

Unsweetened, it was bitter enough to keep him awake.

Zhao Sun seemed to remember something, patting Hao Fatty on the shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

Hao Fatty realized: “Ah… it’s that late already.”

He stretched, his chest jiggling like a mountain of beauty.

“Let’s go.”

Liu Jie knew they were heading to the club, continuing the recent rush of recruitment activities.

Lu Yibei pulled out his phone and opened the Shenhai car rental app.

He planned to go to the beach with Qingqian afterwards.

Along the Jiangsu-Zhejiang coast, Hangzhou itself had no proper beaches, but a two- or three-hour drive on the highway would reach one.

For highway travel, they had to rent a car.

This year, in June, the 404 Boy Band had rented two small hatchbacks for a midnight dash to Prince Peak in Hangzhou’s mountains before summer break. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and they missed the sunrise and sea of clouds.

Lu Yibei had gotten his license in senior high—driving was stable, so no worries on the highway.

One-day rental including insurance cost just over a hundred yuan. Plus tolls…

As Lu Yibei did quick mental math, Liu Jie slurped his Frappuccino and asked:

“Lu Bei, the clubs are recruiting again. Aren’t you curious?”

Club recruitment wasn’t just for freshmen; upperclassmen could apply too.

“No.” Lu Yibei said. “You not going either?”

“Not going,” Liu Jie said. “What serious otaku would join a club anyway?”

“Joining a club and still calling yourself an otaku?” Lu Yibei said.

“Attending social activities in a club and still claiming to be an otaku?” Liu Jie retorted.

Lu Yibei raised his Americano, Liu Jie raised his Frappuccino.

Just as they were about to clink cups—and call each other “filthy”—Lu Yibei’s WeChat pinged.

[Qingqian: Ah Bei]
[Qingqian: Wang Jue wants me to go with her to the Ancient Culture Club]

Lu Yibei immediately retracted his raised cup, inhaled deeply, and replied:

[Ah Bei: That’s great.]
[Ah Bei: Are you interested?]

Liu Jie: ?