Gaze

Afternoon

"Ding ling ling~"

The club dismissal bell rang, and the setting sun cast its golden glow across the campus, draping the entire school in a crimson hue.

"Whew~ Finally done!"

Zhao Yan stretched her arms overhead as she stepped out of the building, her cheeks gilded by the evening light. Combined with her naturally flowing golden hair, she looked like a radiant goddess straight out of a manga—youthful, dazzling, and glowing.

Her unintentional display had a devastating effect on the boys walking past the club building nearby. Some flushed red, their hearts pounding like drums, while others secretly gulped.

"Come to think of it, we rarely run into him at this time," Zhao Yan remarked, glancing back at the crowd behind her before turning to Xuan Ying beside her.

Xuan Ying, who had also been scanning the crowd for Su Cheng, snapped out of her search and replied, "Well, the Practice Department sometimes holds activities off-campus, so it’s normal not to see him."

With a class gathering planned for the weekend, the two had agreed to go shopping together after school. But after last time’s incident, they had hoped to have Su Cheng accompany them. Unfortunately, since they couldn’t find him, they had to drop the idea.

"Guess there’s no helping it then," Zhao Yan sighed regretfully. Though she didn’t fully agree with the plan, she couldn’t out-stubborn Xuan Ying. In the end, they compromised: if they ran into Su Cheng, they’d invite him; if not, they’d let it go.

"Ugh…"

Xuan Ying let out a dejected sigh. She had really, really wanted to go shopping with Su Cheng.

Like trying on clothes and asking him how they looked.

The whole scene would’ve been so sweet and picture-perfect, straight out of a rom-com. The store staff might’ve even mistaken them for a couple. But now, none of that could happen.

"Just the two of us is fine too," Zhao Yan said with a light chuckle, noticing Xuan Ying’s sulky expression. Then, she added, "Besides, wouldn’t it be even better if you dressed up and blew him away next time he sees you?"

"But what if we run into trouble?" Xuan Ying pouted, unwilling to let it go. "It’s totally normal to want a guy friend around for safety."

"What kind of trouble? Need help?"

A male voice suddenly cut into their conversation. The two girls stopped talking and turned toward the source.

A tall basketball club member walked over, holding a ball. He had a buzz cut, sharp features, and sun-tanned skin, exuding an athletic, sunny vibe that made several girls nearby sneak glances.

He was a well-known heartthrob on campus—a senior two years above Zhao Yan and Xuan Ying.

"Go away."

Xuan Ying, however, had nothing but disdain for him. In fact, she was hostile to every guy except Su Cheng. Without hesitation, she snapped, "It’s rude to butt into other people’s conversations, you know? And who said you could talk to me?"

Her sharp words, delivered in front of a crowd, would’ve made even the most easygoing guy freeze in embarrassment. And this guy had approached with good intentions. His expression darkened instantly.

But what he didn’t expect was that their little scene had already drawn an audience.

They weren’t far from the club building, and this was a main pathway for students leaving. Classmates, basketball club members—people were gathering around, staring, whispering. The mix of awkwardness and humiliation was unbearable.

He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. "Look, I just overheard you mention ‘trouble’ and thought I’d ask if you needed help. No need to be so harsh, right?"

"Um… Senior, sorry about that. She’s just blunt. Please don’t take it to heart. We’re really sorry."

Zhao Yan, realizing the situation, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. This was, after all, their fault.

Then, she pressed a hand on Xuan Ying’s head and whispered a warning, "Xuan Ying, apologize. Don’t make this worse."

The basketball guy’s anger cooled slightly at her intervention. He gave a stiff nod and turned to leave, deciding not to escalate things.

But Xuan Ying wasn’t having it. She lifted her chin, pointed at him, and spat, "Why should I? He’s the one who barged in! We were talking privately!"

The moment those words left her mouth, the crowd’s expressions shifted. The basketball guy was fairly popular on campus, and now, hearing the "real story," people started murmuring.

His steps faltered. A wave of humiliation crashed over him. He turned back, glaring at Xuan Ying, but his voice was eerily calm. "So, you want me to apologize to you?"

"Ugh…"

Zhao Yan facepalmed. She could already see where this was headed. Knowing Xuan Ying, she’d keep pushing until things exploded.

Sure enough, before Zhao Yan could even finish the thought, Xuan Ying shot back, "Duh! But forget the apology—just learn some manners. Don’t go sticking your nose into girls’ conversations like some knight in shining armor."

"Enough!"

The guy’s patience finally snapped. He took a deep breath, fists trembling, but kept his voice low. "I clearly heard you say ‘danger.’ As an upperclassman, I thought I’d check. If you don’t want help, fine. My mistake."

"Senior, we’re really sorry!"

Zhao Yan bowed again, then grabbed Xuan Ying’s arm to drag her away. If they stayed any longer, Xuan Ying would only dig them deeper.

"Hmph. At least you admit it!"

Xuan Ying rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Who does this guy think he is? Acting all noble. Like anyone falls for that act."

That did it.

The guy’s last thread of restraint snapped.

"ENOUGH!"

With a roar, he hurled his basketball straight at Xuan Ying’s face.

For a split second, time froze.

Zhao Yan gasped.

Xuan Ying stood there, stunned.

The crowd held their breath.

If that ball hit, things would get ugly.

Even the guy seemed to regret it the moment the ball left his hands—but it was too late. The ball soared in a perfect arc, hurtling toward Xuan Ying’s forehead.

"Whoosh—"

A sharp whistle of air.

Then—

At the last possible second, the ball veered midair, swerving away from the girls before thudding to the ground.

"Did that ball just… curve?"

"No way!"

"Holy crap!"

Gasps erupted from the crowd. Everyone, including Zhao Yan and Xuan Ying, stared in shock.

The only one still clueless was the sunny boy, looking utterly bewildered as if he had no idea what was happening—his expression was downright comical.

Clearly, the basketball’s bizarre mid-air deflection hadn’t been his doing, and he himself hadn’t even processed it yet.

“How could you?!”

“You think it’s funny to throw a basketball at someone?”

“What, are you the ‘Basketball Prince’ or something?”

“You think you’re cool?”

“Even if you missed, this behavior is unforgivable!”

“……”

The crowd, now recovered from their shock, erupted in outrage. Leading the charge were Xuan Ying’s male classmates, who swarmed around the sunny boy in groups, hurling accusations, curses, and even shoving—chaos ensued.

The sunny boy, no longer as cocky as before, could only bow repeatedly and apologize profusely to placate the furious crowd. After all, his earlier actions had been undeniably terrible, and now that he’d provoked public anger, there was no way out without a sincere apology.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yan stared thoughtfully at a white Go piece lying near her feet. She’d heard the sound of impact just before it appeared there.

Xuan Ying, though seething with anger, found herself at a loss when faced with the boy’s relentless apologies and lack of resistance. In the end, the matter was dropped.

After Xuan Ying and her classmates thanked everyone briefly—

“Huh?”

When she turned to look at her best friend, she suddenly noticed Zhao Yan holding a white Go piece between her fingers, her gaze fixed on a distant spot.

Following her line of sight, Xuan Ying saw nothing and couldn’t help but ask, “What are you looking at?”

“Ah?”

Zhao Yan snapped out of her daze, hurriedly hiding the piece as she stammered, “N-nothing. Anyway, is everything settled now?”

In truth, she’d just caught a glimpse of Su Cheng’s retreating figure—and beside him, another slender silhouette, undoubtedly Gu Ruoxue.

She knew Su Cheng had intervened.

If he hadn’t been involved, he wouldn’t have left without so much as a word.

They were classmates, after all. Common courtesy—let alone friendship—would’ve demanded he check in.

So, everything made sense now.

The Go piece in her hand? She saw it as a crucial token, a way to initiate a conversation with Su Cheng. That’s why she’d panicked and hidden it, afraid Xuan Ying might notice.

After all, she’d discovered it first.

…………………………

Ding-dong~

A luxury car glided down the road, its black-haired, straight-haired passenger gazing out the window at the blurring cityscape. A faint frown marred her delicate, beautiful face as she sighed softly.

“Ding-dong~”

Her phone, resting atop a book on her lap, chimed with a notification. The book’s title was obscured by the device, but the screen lit up with a message:

Su Cheng: “Hoshino Yikui just came to the Practice Department.”

Reading this, Li Guanqi’s eyes narrowed slightly as her mind raced. She quickly pieced together the situation and murmured, “Of course. It was never going to end that simply.”

She was fully aware of the tangled history between the “Penguin Prince” and the Hoshino Siblings, so Hoshino Yikui’s motive was instantly clear: he’d undoubtedly come to ask Su Cheng for help.

Without hesitation, she picked up her phone—revealing the book’s title beneath it:

The Fundamental Laws of Web Novel Heroines

Her fingers flew across the screen as she replied: “So it’s not over yet. What was your answer?”

Su Cheng: “I agreed. But… can you act in a little play with me tomorrow?”

Li Guanqi’s brow furrowed briefly before smoothing out. Her slender index finger tapped the screen rhythmically, as if weighing options or considering implications.

She recalled her afternoon at the Archery Club, when she’d told the Ji family master and servant, “I believe he’ll tell me everything tomorrow noon.” Their reactions had been… odd.

Ji Qingyi had seemed almost competitive, as if provoked by her words, while Liu Qingyue had looked like she was biting back words—holding something back. It all felt strange, as if her statement had been a declaration of war.

Though she dismissed the thought immediately, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the Ji family would make a move tonight, trying to seize the initiative before she could.

“Hmm…”

She pressed a finger to her red lips, deep in thought.

A moment later, she typed her response: “Fine. But you have to promise me one thing.”

Su Cheng: “What is it?”

Li Guanqi: “Whatever you plan to tell me tomorrow noon—don’t breathe a word of it to anyone else. Not a hint. Not until after tomorrow noon.”

She could demand Su Cheng tell her tonight, of course. But that grassy field, that noontime moment… they held special meaning. A memory worth preserving.

Su Cheng: “Deal.”

Satisfied, Li Guanqi put her phone away and flipped absently through the book on her lap before setting it aside. Her gaze drifted out the window—toward Su Cheng’s home.

If she’d possessed clairvoyance, she’d have seen two graceful figures standing at the very spot her eyes were fixed upon: Su Cheng’s residence.