What a Bitch

In the club building, the vending machines were distributed in a unique pattern, placed only on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th floors.

Gu Luo, driven by curiosity about the mission hint, stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor.

As the elevator doors slowly opened, a chilly draft brushed against his face.

The hallway was nearly empty of students, making it eerily quiet.

Only the faint sound of melodious music drifted from the distance, blending the crisp notes of a piano, the mellow tones of a violin, and the lively strumming of a guitar...

Gu Luo glanced at his phone—three minutes left until the half-hour mark.

Looking up, he spotted the conspicuously placed vending machine, so there was no need to rush.

He strolled leisurely down the fifth-floor hallway, scanning his surroundings.

At first glance, this floor seemed to belong entirely to the Music Club.

They even occupied several empty classrooms, making the space unusually spacious.

The extravagance of Guangya Academy was on full display here.

The club building had ample space, with four floors more than enough to accommodate all the clubs' needs.

Of course, part of the reason was that third-year students were semi-banned from club activities.

Once students reached their third year, the school no longer required them to participate in clubs.

Instead, they were encouraged to reduce their visits.

They were also barred from holding leadership positions like club president.

Since Guangya Academy’s annual school festival was held within the first month of the new semester, club presidents could delay handing over their positions until after the festival to ensure smooth performances.

Gu Luo approached the half-open door of the Music Club and peeked inside.

Most of the members were girls, with only a handful of boys.

At the moment, the music had stopped, and the members were split into two groups, sitting in circles as if discussing something.

Without lingering, Gu Luo checked the time and walked up to the vending machine right on schedule.

After scanning the QR code, a soft "click" sounded as the compartment door automatically opened.

He retrieved two ice-cold cans of Cosi-Cola from inside.

The door slowly closed, and his phone automatically processed the payment.

Holding a can in each hand, Gu Luo looked around.

Nothing.

What was going on?

Was the mission hint wrong?

His gaze then fell on the advertisements printed on the cans. Surely this couldn’t be about winning a prize?

But that had nothing to do with the school festival performance.

Unless... drinking these two cans of soda would trigger some miraculous effect?

Might as well try.

With that thought, Gu Luo opened one of the cans.

A faint "hiss" escaped as bubbles fizzed up, but nothing else unusual happened.

He took a small sip, and the familiar taste of cola spread across his tongue.

Still, nothing special occurred.

?

Are you kidding me?

Just as Gu Luo was puzzling over this, a girl with a face full of freckles walked out of the Music Club.

She headed straight for the vending machine and instinctively glanced at Gu Luo, immediately stunned by his good looks.

This new freshman is so tall and handsome.

First come, first served.

Strike while the iron is hot.

"Hey, junior, you’re really handsome. Do you have a girlfriend?" The freckled girl—Qu Meimei—flipped her hair and deliberately straightened her posture, trying to showcase her charm.

"......"

Gu Luo sighed inwardly. This was already the second time today someone had tried to hit on him.

But it couldn’t be helped. At this time of year, any new face in the club building was almost certainly a freshman.

Though, to be fair, some girls these days were pretty bold.

Straight-up asking if he was single.

But honestly, his standards had been raised sky-high by Gu Ximan. Unless it was someone on the level of the Luo sisters, most girls’ looks simply didn’t interest him.

Just as Gu Luo was about to explain, another tall girl strode out of the Music Club.

Her sharp gaze locked onto Qu Meimei like an arrow.

Then, with visible anger, she marched over.

"Qu Meimei, didn’t I warn you about spreading rumors about Vice President Luo in the club?!" the tall girl—Ren Lei—snapped furiously.

Hearing this, Qu Meimei crossed her arms and shot back, "Ren Lei, you’re such a loyal lapdog. Your master hasn’t even called for you, yet here you are, barking first."

"What’s that saying again? Oh right—the emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is."

"You—!" Ren Lei’s face flushed red with rage, her chest heaving.

She was clearly pushed to her limit by Qu Meimei’s words.

"Oh, did I say something wrong?" Qu Meimei sneered, her expression dripping with mockery. "Isn’t Luo Shuning’s private life just filthy?"

"Everyone in the club knows about it, right?"

"That’s a lie!"

Ren Lei was practically shaking with fury, her fists clenched tight.

"A lie? Hah, then tell me, if your precious Vice President Luo isn’t like that, why hasn’t she denied it?"

"Her silence is basically an admission, isn’t it?"

"You—!"

Ren Lei nearly laughed at the sheer audacity of this twisted logic.

"Oh, so because you people spread vicious rumors in the club, and Vice President Luo chose not to escalate things for the sake of harmony, that means she’s admitting to it?"

"Qu Meimei, do you have any shame? Resorting to such low tactics just to snatch the president position?"

Qu Meimei’s temper flared at this. "Ren Lei, I’m still a vice president here. Is that any way to talk to me?"

"And you’re always hanging around Luo Shuning—who knows what kind of person you really are?"

That was the last straw. Ren Lei snatched the can of soda from Gu Luo’s hand and, without hesitation, flung its contents at Qu Meimei.

Since it was a can, only a small amount splashed out, but it was enough to stain Qu Meimei’s uniform.

"Are you insane?!" Qu Meimei’s eyes widened in shock and fury as she hastily pulled tissues from her pocket, frantically dabbing at the mess.

Meanwhile, Gu Luo, who had been quietly observing the drama, finally pieced together the situation.

Vice President Qu Meimei had been spreading malicious gossip about Luo Shuning in the club, and now Luo Shuning’s best friend had seized the chance to retaliate.

Nice.

This soda purchase was totally worth it.

"Ren Lei!" Qu Meimei, realizing the stain wouldn’t come off easily, flew into a rage and lunged at her.

It looked like a hair-pulling brawl was about to break out.

Seeing this, Gu Luo swiftly stepped between them, arms outstretched, and raised his voice:

"Hey, hey, no fighting!"

"Calm down, everyone. Let’s talk this out."

—Protect Ren Lei at all costs.

Qu Meimei, however, was beyond reasoning. "Ren Lei, go ask the members who handled recruitment today! Didn’t Luo Shuning openly flirt with that new transfer student?"

"What else can Luo Shuning do besides use her looks to seduce men?!"

"Junior, move! I’m going to tear her apart!"

"......"

Gu Luo, the so-called "new transfer student" in question, twitched his lips.

Seriously, this was all just a huge misunderstanding!

“Huh?! So that’s what you call seduction?” Ren Lei laughed in anger, pointing at Qu Meimei and snapping, “Trash talk from a trash mouth—do you even know what their relationship is before barking like a dog?”

Hearing this, Gu Luo raised an eyebrow. Judging by her words, Ren Lei must already know about his relationship with Luo Shuning.

Luo Shuning had indeed asked him before whether she could share their status with her closest girlfriends.

Well, that’s what best friends are for.

When things go down, they really step up.

The two women exchanged several more heated insults, and if Gu Luo hadn’t intervened, they would’ve surely ended up pulling each other’s hair in a full-on brawl.

Finally, Ren Lei spat in disgust, set down her cola, and pulled a ten-yuan bill from her pocket, stuffing it into Gu Luo’s before turning to leave for the elevator.

Left with no other option, Qu Meimei could only glare furiously at Gu Luo, who had been holding her back the whole time, and snapped, “Why did you keep stopping me?”

“She’s tall, armed, and ready to throw down—wasn’t I just worried you’d lose?” Gu Luo replied with a deadpan expression, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

Qu Meimei slowly cooled off, mulling it over. The logic did sound reasonable.

Yet something about it felt off—she just couldn’t put her finger on it.

Right then, Gu Luo stared straight at her and sighed, “Honestly, some people really are just shameless.”

Assuming he was siding with her against Ren Lei and Luo Shuning, Qu Meimei eagerly nodded. “You’re damn right—total bitches!”

“Yeah, absolutely shameless.”

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