Beauty and the Beasts

“Your eyes are just playing tricks on you. Go back to sleep,” Bai Qingqing reassured her.

Tang Li climbed towards the window and looked outside. She didn’t see anything unusual and assumed she was just seeing things.

…

As dawn broke, the school’s high-pitched morning folk song began to play.

After Bai Qingqing woke up, the first thing she did was look out the window. Before her eyes could focus, she heard the sound of something rustling in the tree.

Curtis was still there!

The sun was about to rise!

Bai Qingqing’s heart clenched. The area outside would soon be filled with people. Once the dormitory was empty, there would be many people in the field and other places. How was Curtis going to leave when he walked around naked?

Curtis, on the other hand, wasn’t the least bit worried. He even moved along the wall to the bed and briefly touched her hand before he left.

Bai Qingqing scrambled out of bed and pressed her face against the railing as she looked outside.

“Hurry, Bai Qingqing. Let’s go together!” Tang Li said while getting out of bed.

“Oh.” Bai Qingqing responded. Too worried about Curtis, she got ready as fast as she could and rushed off, leaving Tang Li behind.

Pockets of students had already gathered downstairs. Bai Qingqing looked around and did not see any sign of a snake.

Phew! With his speed, so long as there wasn’t anyone around, he should have left the school already.

Bai Qingqing continued to stand by the metal gates waiting for Tang Li, then the two headed to the field together.

At the field, they bumped into Zhang Xin. He immediately smiled at Bai Qingqing, but she looked down and quickly joined the rest of the class, intending to explain to him when no one was around.

When it was breakfast time, Bai Qingqing bought the cheapest and most filling steamed bun and ate it while walking to the classroom.

“Hey, Bai Qingqing. That’s all you’re going to eat?” a voice sounded from behind. She stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Zhang Xin running towards her with a bag of steamed buns in his hand.

Since there wasn’t anyone she knew around, Bai Qingqing waited for him to run over before walking beside him.

Zhang Xin glanced at the steamed bun in Bai Qingqing’s hand, then took out a meat bun from his bag and passed it to her. “Here. You have to eat well in the morning so that you have enough energy for the rest of the day.”

Bai Qingqing noticed that he had bought quite a few steamed buns. He’d clearly brought an extra bun for her, and it would be a waste if she didn’t eat it. She thanked him as she took the bun.

Hm. Now that I’ve eaten a full breakfast, I don’t have to buy as much food for lunch.

Zhang Xin chuckled and happily ate his steamed buns.

Bai Qingqing took out a small, square-shaped letter from her pocket and passed it to him. “I’ve read your letter. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept it,” she said.

The smile on Zhang Xin’s face immediately disappeared. He didn’t take the letter and instead turned to look at her. “Why?” he asked.

“I don’t like you,” Bai Qingqing said bluntly as she kept the letter, afraid that someone would notice something was off.

Zhang Xin immediately replied, “We’re still not close yet. You can try to get to know me first.”

To make him completely give up, Bai Qingqing had to bite the bullet and go all out. “I have a boyfriend.”

Sigh. She’d already said it in the dormitory, anyway. Telling one more person wouldn’t make a difference. She just hoped that no one would tell the teacher about it.

“Who?” Zhang Xin asked coldly.

Bai Qingqing suddenly noticed his strong aura. He didn’t seem like he grew up in an average family.

As expected, he was well off!

Bai Qingqing vaguely replied as she continued to munch on the steaming bun, “He’s not a student. In any case, I won’t date anyone else. No one knows about your letter, so you can just pretend that you’ve never given it to me. Goodbye.”

Bai Qingqing placed the letter in Zhang Xin’s hand before running off with her half-eaten bun.