CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91: SIS, I WAS WRONG

Xie Qingci and Song Xi walked side by side at the back of the group, while Wei Yaoyao was chatting animatedly with Pei Lu and Guan Yang at the front.

It was lively at the front, silent at the back.

After a long while, it was Song Xi who spoke first, lowering his voice and chuckling.

"She seems very upset."

Xie Qingci replied coldly, "None of your business."

"Did she do it on purpose for me to see?" Song Xi continued to smile, "But I’m not upset, she’s the one who’s angry. Isn’t it a losing trade for you?"

His words seemed to mock him for being childish.

After a pause, Song Xi asked, "So cautious of me?"

"Ha," Xie Qingci sneered, "Cautious of you? What are you, really?"

His eyes were sharp and the nonchalance was gone, replaced by flamboyance, and he repeated, "What are you?"

Song Xi smiled more elegantly, "Spouting harsh words now won’t help; the fact is, she was quite displeased with you today. Is impatience really your character, Xie Qingci? Is my threat to your position with her greater than my threat to your debut position?"

"No need to emphasize, you’re nothing to her. After today, even if you were dying in front of her, she wouldn’t lend a hand." Xie Qingci said.

Because Yu Xia would definitely see him as a threat, even if he showed sincerity, she’d think he had ulterior motives.

"Just for this?" Song Xi frowned swiftly.

Just because she helped once, he remembered till now?

Not really, but why say more?

Xie Qingci said calmly, "What, isn’t this the reaction you wanted?"

Song Xi’s smile paused, disappearing from his lips.

They passed through a dark area and after a few minutes of silence, Song Xi spoke again.

"Xie Qingci, don’t forget why you’re here. Once you debut, any romance rumors these years will equal career suicide."

"This advice goes for you too," Xie Qingci’s half-covered face in the darkness, the flickering sensor light illuminating his tightened jawline as he raised his chin, he said, "Song Xi, don’t forget why you’re here."

Was Song Xi here to monitor his relationship with Yu Xia? Certainly not.

He was here to debut, approaching Yu Xia to provoke him. But this less-than-aboveboard tactic seems to consume too much of his attention.

That hand almost reaching out, those frequent glances, eyes smiling when calling Yu Xia "sis," the lowered head standing behind her, and the deliberately shifted gaze.

He’s already trapped in the web he wove, unaware.

Xie Qingci passed him, moving to the front to return to the dorm with Wei Yaoyao, listening to her talk while absentmindedly thinking—

If Yu Xia really put a lot of effort into seduction, no one would escape.

Thus, he must ensure that no one else but him would catch her interest, to allure her they’d have to pass through his gate first.

Wei Yaoyao was talking about the youthful vampire Yu Xia drew, hoping Xie Qingci would agree, but seeing his smile, she forgot what she wanted to say.

"Wow, dude, what are you thinking, smiling so creepily?"

Xie Qingci had entered the dorm, sitting down and fiddling with the Diao figurine, "Nothing, just thought of something funny."

Ning Yunchao felt a bit better, casually asked, "What’s funny?"

"The picture of Wei Yaoyao’s chicken pecking at rice."

Wei Yaoyao: "... I told you several times, it’s an eagle soaring through the sky and fish swimming at the bottom!"

The dorm became lively again, Xie Qingci took clothes to wash up.

These days, they had no rehearsal tasks, being the most relaxed days before Saturday’s ranking release, with lots of time to visit during the day, and not staying up late at night, he could cover the camera early and sleep.

Hours had passed since Yu Xia messaged him harshly.

Xie Qingci knew how upset Yu Xia would be, obediently messaging an apology, and called her.

Yu Xia didn’t answer.

Called again, still no answer.

He sighed in frustration, kept calling, four, ten, fifteen times; the stuffy space under the blanket made him uneasy, the screen’s faint glow lighting his furrowed brows.

Indefinable fear gripped his chest, his sweaty palm holding the phone.

Finally, Yu Xia answered after midnight.

He exhaled in relief, lifted the blanket to the bathroom, and immediately apologized sweetly.

[Xie Qingci: Sis, I was wrong]

[Xie Qingci: Please don’t ignore me, I know I was wrong]

[Xie Qingci: Just say something, scold me if you want]

"What’s the use of scolding you!"

Yu Xia hadn’t slept, her hand looping a belt, whipping it through the air making a loud snap.

As if whipping Xie Qingci.

"Are you out of your mind?! Was that the place and time to pull such stunts? Now you’re caught, wait to be bashed online back at school!"

If things really blow up, the effect on her wouldn’t be less than on him.

They both knew this.

[Xie Qingci: He already knew]

[Xie Qingci: He guessed during the first public show, so don’t worry]

"What?" Yu Xia stopped, disbelief in her voice, "He already guessed? Guessed what?"

[Xie Qingci: Guessed we probably knew each other before and I was pursuing you]

"Just that?"

She thought Song Xi either saw them holding hands and assumed she was giving Xie Qingci a leg up, or guessed they were a couple before the show.

If his speculation went further, he might guess about events a year ago between her and Xie Qingci.

Was that all?

She half-relaxed, "How do you know that’s what he guessed?"

[Xie Qingci: Because he threatened me with it]

[Xie Qingci: And no one around me knows we were together]

"... Xie Qingci, do you have issues?" Yu Xia shouted again, "He threatened you and you still dared to hold my hand today?!"

She paused, squinting slightly, "You held my hand on purpose today?"

[Xie Qingci: He said you’d like him more]

"Ha? What do you mean?"

[Xie Qingci: It means he wants you to favor him, dual safeguards make C-position debut easier, after all, my signing with Changhui greatly impacts his chances]

Yu Xia read the message several times before suspiciously agreeing, "No wonder."

[Xie Qingci: No wonder what?]

"No wonder he saw it and smiled saying ’I saw it’... He’s definitely trying to use this to coerce me into accepting him!"

The message from the other side took a minute to arrive.

[Xie Qingci: You make a good point.]

[Xie Qingci: Will he coerce you?]

Yu Xia thought for a while, "Yes."

[Xie Qingci: ?]

[Xie Qingci: What did you say?]

She confidently and impatiently replied, "You caused this mess, now asking me to fix it, you still have the nerve to ask what I said! If you have guts, sell your looks to solve him."

[Xie Qingci: I’m yours, that’s not appropriate.]

Yu Xia: "..."

Is appropriateness the issue?

——

ps: Song Xi: Xie Qingci, you truly have no shame, did I ever say that?

Xie Qingci: Whether I have no shame is none of your business.