Chapter 26: Break Decisively, Avoid Chaos
The moment the air seemed to freeze, I couldn’t even let out a cry of surprise, let alone break into a cold sweat. This was because her statement was too sudden, too impactful, and delivered when we were completely unprepared. None of us present could react in time.
The situation, which should have been a harmonious introduction, was completely ruined by that one unnecessary sentence. Was she waiting for me to finish drinking my milk before saying it, just to prevent me from spitting it out? Even if I didn’t spit it out, my expression was undoubtedly one of shock!
Although I was somewhat taken aback, I’m a man who has navigated many “big scenes” and “Shura fields.” I quickly calmed down (thanks to Thought Acceleration).
However, Keling was the first to snap out of it. The corners of her mouth trembled uncontrollably, writhing like waves, and cold sweat poured down her face. In a voice so shaky it sounded like radio static with poor signal, she stammered, “Huh?! H-huh, Xinran-jie, are you…?” Her gaze conveyed, ‘You must be joking! You’re definitely lying!’
“Heh heh~” Xinran suddenly broke into a smile. It was a radiant, sun-shining smile, like that of a Healing Type Female Lead in a Hot-blooded Manga. She then happily delivered her second prepared line: “It’s only natural you’d be surprised. This is something I’ve never told anyone before. In truth, Juncheng and I have been dating for a while now.”
Still with a sweet smile, Xinran hugged my arm and nuzzled her cheek against my upper arm, acting incredibly affectionate. I was utterly suffocated by this display!
Keling was equally breathless. Saliva dripped from her slack jaw, her soul floats upwards, and she stood there giggling inanely, clearly having retreated into her Spiritual World.
“That’s right, we were a loving couple even before he lost his memory, you know? Sorry, Keling, but Juncheng isn’t Zi’ai-jie’s boyfriend; he’s mine!”
She didn’t sound like she was lying at all, and her explanation held no inconsistencies. Everyone here knows I lost my memory in the past (which is a lie, of course). Thus, Xinran became my girlfriend with perfect logic.
But! My little sister persona is completely ruined!
She’s not cold to the bone, nor is she so passionate she’d melt into the sheets! Not too cold, not too hot, just right in the middle – “gentle.” Speaking of which, Xinran’s original image was close to that of a Yamato Nadeshiko, but her infrequent expressions and overly cold tone made her seem unapproachable. But now she’s “perfect”! This is undoubtedly the kind of woman every man dreams of as a wife.
At that moment, I thought I was seeing Ruansui. Although we are completely different, at this moment, Xinran’s and Ruansui’s figures overlapped. The familiar affectionate gesture, the familiar smile, the familiar tone – it was like an illusion, making me mistake Xinran for Ruansui. Only when I’m facing Ruansui do I relax naturally. As a result, I didn’t manage to utter a word of protest.
In this situation, “staying silent” was also a fatal choice. Because generally, people equate “silence” with “acquiescence.” The misunderstanding deepened. Lan, who was waiting for my explanation, didn’t get one. Instead, she saw me passively letting another woman hold my arm. She, who had already turned into a sculpture, was now struck by lightning, shattering into pieces – Lan was broken!
“Cheating in front of me!” The words flashed through my mind. Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, I felt a tightness in my chest.
“What is Xinran doing suddenly saying this?” While questioning this, I realized I needed to clarify things first. “Uh, Lan, Xinran she…”
“Is your dear girlfriend?”
“No! That’s not—”
“Don’t interrupt me!”
“I really don’t understand you. Didn’t we agree you’d only stay by my side? Why are you meddling in my private life now! Do you know what would happen if Lan misunderstood your personality?”
*Splat.* A tremor ran through me. It was the sound of a plastic bag containing something falling to the ground.
An even more ominous premonition washed over me. Like a second hand swinging back and forth in an instant, I slowly turned my head. The sound!
As I stiffly turned around, I saw Li Nai at the intersection behind me. I hadn’t seen her for two days because she had a cold. Of all times, she had to pass by now! And she had to hear Xinran say that!
Before I could even utter a single syllable, my abdomen was struck. The hand holding my wrist concealed the movement within, silently covering my mouth. “What exactly do you want, Xinran!”
“Excuse me, who are you? What relationship do you have with my Juncheng?”
*Hoo.*
Li Nai’s mouth was half-open as she looked at me with a complicated expression, then turned her head and said, “I’m his friend, Li Nai. I tutor him at the cram school. We don’t have any particular relationship, nor any strange agreements.”
The latter part of her statement was dripping with sourness. Was Li Nai jealous? And she treated me as a friend, which was unexpected. I thought she would have said something like, ‘I’m merely his cram school teacher.’
This means she still cares about me, doesn’t she? Hmm. I felt a bit happy for some reason. Until recently, when we studied together, she had a poker face, making me think she wasn’t interested in me at all. Now, it seems I have some charm.
The Li Nai of this world is a very serious girl, the type who loses two of the three Buddhist scriptures (the serious ones). Being around her gives me motivation to move forward. Seeing her makes me feel like I have to work hard. Both the current her and the her who became a zombie and enjoyed freedom give me confidence and drive.
Initially, I just treated her as a good companion. But recently, I’ve started to pay attention to the boys who always approach her. For what reason, I don’t know, but I don’t want those shallow guys getting close to her – perhaps it’s like an older brother watching over his younger sister? When I learned that Li Nai was Aunt Qing’s adopted daughter, I had the idea of treating Li Nai as my third younger sister, but it ended up making me feel more like buddies.
However, the Li Nai of this world – facing this quiet and serious Li Nai – I probably do see her as a younger sister. Although I think that, in the end, I’m the one being taken care of. It’s like a useless younger brother facing an excellent older sister, huh.
“Is that so? My name is An Xinran. Juncheng has been in your care for a while. Heh.” Heh.
Uh, looking at it now, aren’t I a scumbag too?
The situation has become like this. There’s no way to explain it now; I couldn’t clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River. That’s what I thought.
But Li Nai didn’t get angry and turn away. Instead, she called my name. “Uh, yes?” After taking a deep breath to steady herself, she looked at me seriously, trying her best to suppress her trembling voice, and asked calmly, “Is she truly your girlfriend?”
This is another chance! Li Nai is actively giving me a chance to explain! No matter what anyone else says, she wants to hear it from me.
At that moment, I noticed Xinran’s gaze. She had returned to her expressionless, cold demeanor, but her eyes, as she looked at me, were still serious. She wasn’t joking, nor was she deliberately causing trouble. Xinran isn’t that kind of person. So, the question is, why would she tell such a lie? And she did it precisely when Lan and Li Nai were present.
Thinking about it carefully, what was her purpose in doing this? There must be a reason for it.
With my brain working overtime, constantly thinking, my Spiritual Power spread out. Then I saw what was in front of me, beside me, and behind me. Ah, so that’s how it is. Xinran she… Yes, why is this perverted scum hesitating? There’s only one option.
Xinran had already told me the answer, and here I was, like a blind man feeling an elephant, searching for the answer. The only options I could give were ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ And here, wasn’t I forced to say just that?
I habitually wanted to give a wry smile, but after curling up the corners of my mouth, I forced them to relax as I frowned. Thus, the wry smile turned into a smile.
“Yes. An Xinran is my girlfriend.”
“Ah, I knew it. How could Xinran-jie… Eh? Eh? E-Eh? Ehhhhhh? ! ?! ??!”
Her jaw dropped. Poor Keling. Speaking of which, if you’re going to tell such a lie, why didn’t you tell Keling? Are you deceiving your own people in case you slip up?
Lan’s fragments turned to dust, the dust scattered in the wind, and then completely disappeared. The blow was that significant.
As for Li Nai, she lowered her head and murmured, “Is that so… So that’s how it is…”
When she looked up again, her expression had returned to normal, or perhaps she had become calmer. She didn’t cry. Does that mean she hasn’t fallen for me yet? I was actually mentally prepared for a girl to cry, and I really hated myself for that.
“I’m sorry, I misunderstood earlier.”
Misunderstood what? I didn’t ask, and Li Nai didn’t explain. She bent down, picked up the bag, and walked towards me. As she passed me, I heard her, biting her lower lip, say as if to me, or perhaps to herself, “I misjudged you.”
*Bag* *Light Novel*
Everyone parted on bad terms. Keling was no longer talking to me. At noon, I refused Yun Qingqiong’s invitation and came to the campus courtyard alone. Xinran, having completed her enrollment procedures, sat beside me, leaving about half a person’s distance between us. I took out my lunchbox, opened it, and placed it on my lap. After a moment of silence, I said to Xinran, “Thank you.”
“I know. Xinran, you are not a random, inconsiderate troublemaker, nor a crazy woman who stirs up bloody storms.”
“You understand me very well?”
“Of course. How could I not understand my own sister? That’s why I know there must be a reason for you to say something like that. I’ve figured it out. Although, it does feel a bit bad to use my sister as a shield.”
“That’s nothing. It’s only nominal anyway; there’s no need to mind it.”
“But I still have to thank you. Honestly, it was like a wake-up call, and I instantly came to my senses from my daydreaming.” I turned to look at Xinran, and she looked up at me.
My heavy heart felt a little lighter. “You’ve made me realize clearly once again that I don’t belong in this world. So, thank you.” I naturally smiled.
Xinran was silent for a long time before suddenly smiling faintly and tilting her head. “Heh heh, you’re quite optimistic. Didn’t you ever consider that I genuinely wanted to claim you as mine alone, and that’s why I said that in front of those women?”
“Heh heh, if it were my ‘Xinran-jie,’ it’s indeed possible she’d have that kind of intention. But you’re not my sister, are you? You’re my ‘girlfriend.'”
“That’s right, I’m not your Xinran-jie. Alright, let’s eat. I’ll be attending classes with you all this afternoon too.”
“Mhmm.”
Thus, in order to prevent me from becoming too emotionally entangled with the people in this world, “Break decisively, avoid chaos. Hesitate, and you will suffer.” Xinran, as my girlfriend, became a shield, standing in front of me. This also provided a universal excuse, severing all unclear relationships. Shura fields won’t happen again, right? This should be the best outcome.
That night, I had a beautiful dream where everyone was sitting together, laughing and chatting harmoniously. Having a good dream is nice, but isn’t there that saying, “Dreams are the opposite”?
