Volume 1 Chapter 32: I’m Not Jealous, Really
Girlfriend? Girlfriend???
The light instantly disappeared from Qin Xiyao’s eyes, like the bright moon being covered by dark clouds, leaving only... endless darkness.
She stumbled back a few steps and slowly turned around like a machine.
The strong wind was still howling outside the window, but Qin Xiyao suddenly felt as if the whole world had stopped moving. In her ears, Grandma Zhang’s words repeated again and again like a dull knife cutting into her heart.
Girlfriend... girlfriend... girlfriend...
Everyone knew that Miss Bai loved to have fun. Almost every time she went out, she would bring a large group of friends with her.
But although the free-spirited Miss Bai always brought beautiful girls with her, she had never openly called any of them her girlfriend before...
If even Grandma Zhang said that, then she must really have a girlfriend now?
No wonder Xiao Xue seriously told me tonight that we should start as friends first...
No wonder Xiao Xue suddenly ended the video call for no reason. Maybe her girlfriend was right beside her and forced her to hang up!
No wonder Xiao Xue had become so distant toward me recently...
So it was because she found a girlfriend, and that’s why she wanted to keep her distance from me!?
All the confusion from before seemed to be answered at this moment.
But Qin Xiyao only felt a sharp pain in her heart. The pain and bitterness were like an invisible hand pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
“I...”
Qin Xiyao took a deep breath and was about to speak again when she heard a panicked voice from the other side of the phone.
“Oh dear, look at my memory. What little girlfriend?”
“It’s a tutor! A tutor Young Lady hired because her grades are bad!”
Eh?
A... tutor?
Qin Xiyao froze instantly. What she wanted to say was forgotten at once.
She blankly repeated, “A tutor?”
“That’s right. Young Lady contacted the tutor just last week.”
Even though they called her a tutor, everyone in the Bai family clearly knew what Miss Bai was really thinking when she hired Shen Jingyi as her tutor.
After all, if you wanted a tutor, there were plenty of famous teachers from schools and education centers.
But instead, she chose a beautiful young woman with good manners and elegant temperament who was only one year older than her.
Wasn’t it obvious what kind of thoughts she had?
Of course, these words could not be said to Qin Xiyao.
The old woman had worked for the Bai family for many years, so she was not foolish. She could only awkwardly try to cover for her young miss.
“Oh dear, Xiyao, you know Young Lady’s personality. Daytime tutoring is one thing, but how could she study late at night? Besides, tutors need sleep too.”
“I see... so it was a tutor... ahaha...”
Qin Xiyao gave an awkward smile. The suffocating feeling from before slowly faded away.
“Really, Grandma Zhang, don’t make jokes like that.”
That joke was not funny at all.
The girl quietly added that in her heart.
“Ah, when people get old, their memory becomes bad. Like that one time when I went out, I was supposed to...”
“Ah, speaking of that!”
Seeing that the old woman seemed ready to start chatting about daily life, Qin Xiyao quickly interrupted, afraid the topic would drift farther and farther away.
“Well... what kind of person is the tutor Xiao Xue hired?”
“What kind of person...” the old woman fell into thought.
“She should be about the same age as you and Young Lady. She is usually very polite, tall and slim, and quite a pretty young lady.”
“Right, she should be a student at the same school as you. Her name... I think it was Shen Jingyi?”
Oh?
The same age? I didn’t expect her to be the same age...
And she is even from the same school as me?
After getting the answer she wanted, Qin Xiyao lightly bit her lip, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of her clothes.
“Ah, if that’s the case, then Student Shen must be a very outstanding person. If I get the chance, I would really like to meet her.”
“Thank you for telling me all this, Grandma Zhang. It’s getting late, so please rest early too~”
She politely ended the call, but the smile at the corner of Qin Xiyao’s lips slowly disappeared.
Why would Xiao Xue hire a classmate from my school to be her tutor...
If she really wanted help with studying, I could tutor her myself!!
If that happened... then naturally I could...
Hold Xiao Xue’s hand while teaching her...
“Hehe, Xiao Xue, if you solve this question, there will be a reward. If you can’t solve it, there will be punishment~”
“Eh~ Xiyao, no~”
—Wait, wait, wait! What am I thinking about!?
Stop! Stop right now!
That is way too shameless!
Strange and unspeakable scenes started appearing in her mind. Her fair little face turned bright red at a speed visible to the eye.
Qin Xiyao quickly patted her cheeks, trying to calm her messy thoughts.
She let out a soft sigh and looked again at the poetry book and notebook resting quietly on the desk.
For some reason, even though she could normally sit there and read for hours, now those books and notes had no attraction at all.
The key words from the old woman’s earlier words kept repeating in her mind:
Same age... very pretty... same school...
Very pretty...
“Pretty, huh... If I get the chance, I must ask Xiao Xue to introduce her to me.”
Yes, she absolutely had no bad intentions.
As Xiao Xue’s friend, it was necessary to properly “check” the person for her, to stop strange people from getting close to Xiao Xue.
Yes.
She was not jealous.
She was not overthinking.
No.
As a friend, this was normal behavior. It had to be right.
Qin Xiyao collapsed directly onto the bed. Her right hand slowly reached toward the ceiling.
As if talking to herself, she stared blankly at her clean white hand and softly said,
“Shen Jingyi... is it?”
…………………………
Meanwhile, Bai Muxue, who was in the amusement park hallway, suddenly sneezed for no reason.
She felt a deep chill, as if some hard-to-describe malice was wandering around her.
“You okay?”
Along with a clear gunshot, a star-shaped bullet shot out from Amber’s gun and directly pierced the chest of the Nutcracker guard still patrolling in front of them.
Shooting star bullets from a gun really does feel like magical girl style...
I wonder whose weapon is stronger, her gun or Teacher Shen’s bow.
Looking at the broken Nutcracker pieces scattered everywhere, Bai Muxue’s thoughts wandered for a moment.
“Um... your name is Xiao Xue, right? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Seeing someone standing there blankly, Amber blew the smoke from the gun barrel and turned back to ask with concern.
The name “Bai Muxue” had a rather bad reputation in Wangdu, so naturally the girl could not tell Amber her real name.
“I’m fine.”
Bai Muxue shook her head and looked at the large group of soldiers not far away.
As if casually, she softly said,
“If I go attract their attention, can Amber get close to that Disaster Beast and destroy it?”
“How could that be okay!?”
Amber’s eyes widened a little after hearing that.
“It’s way too dangerous for you to go alone and act as bait!”
Uh... what she said does make some sense...
Without transforming, whether she could escape from those soldiers was still unknown.
If she got into danger, Amber would have to turn around and save her instead.
Wouldn’t that be more trouble than it was worth?
“Mm, I was just saying it casually. Don’t take it seriously, Amber.”
Bai Muxue replied carelessly while thinking of a new plan.