When she woke up, Zhuang Chi felt a splitting headache.
Of course, she had tossed and turned last night. In the end, it was less that she had finally fallen asleep and more that her body couldn’t take it anymore, causing her thoughts to short-circuit as she passed out. Her body, which had always maintained a good sleep schedule, couldn’t handle this treatment and was now wailing in protest.
…As for why she had stayed up so late, it was, of course, because of what Gu Ximian had said yesterday.
Zhuang Chi shakily rolled out of bed, feeling sore all over. She didn’t know if it was from lack of sleep or because her newly differentiated Alpha body was still growing. In any case, she staggered to wash up, and only after splashing her face with water did she manage to regain some of her senses.
It wasn’t like she’d stayed up all night for nothing, Zhuang Chi thought. At least she remembered… there was indeed a banquet in the novel at the time Gu Ximian mentioned. It was definitely part of the plot. She had tried very hard to recall it last night, and her efforts paid off. She even remembered the participants involved in the plot—
A new character would appear, Zhuang Chi thought. A girl… she remembered it was supposed to be the “little sweetheart!” type of character.
And the other important character… was An Chen. In the book, this banquet was undoubtedly An Chen’s turn. It was about time for him, too, since it felt like Ling Jing had gotten most of the screen time recently. On a side note, the previous sports warehouse incident in the novel was supposed to end with Ling Jing knocking herself unconscious to ensure she wouldn’t do anything reckless. It sounded very unreliable, but surprisingly, it was something Ling Jing would do. It was hard to say if Ling Jing had escaped disaster this time and turned it into a blessing in disguise. Ling Jing’s arc should be temporarily over at this point, which was probably a good thing for Zhuang Chi.
Zhuang Chi had been completely unprepared when she received the invitation from Gu Ximian yesterday. Even though she quickly realized the banquet was likely part of the plot, she couldn’t recall anything at that moment. She could only say to Gu Ximian, rather troubled, “Can I think about it before I give you an answer?” and received her permission.
After that, she had no appetite for dinner. After remembering that this was indeed part of the plot, she spent the whole night thinking about countermeasures, and then…
…She still hadn’t figured it out. Zhuang Chi’s ears drooped sorrowfully. But at least, unlike the previous plot involving Ling Jing, this seemed to be a more “gentle” event. She vaguely recalled that the main event was supposed to be An Chen successfully getting to dance with Gu Ximian. The whole process was calm and peaceful, with no strange animals appearing and no major physical conflicts.
On the other hand… as for what Gu Ximian had said about “matchmaking,” she couldn’t recall any related information at all. When she had set up this banquet back then, to put it bluntly, it was because she didn’t know what to write and just had a sudden idea. She had never even considered the “purpose of the banquet,” let alone matchmaking… Why would Gu Ximian need matchmaking? It was a wonder she wasn’t tired of having too many suitors.
So Gu Ximian’s words seemed a bit strange. Zhuang Chi had tried to ask Gu Ximian for more details later yesterday, but Gu Ximian just smiled and chatted idly with her, not revealing anything useful.
If she were really Gu Ximian’s official match, she would definitely be bothered by this, Zhuang Chi thought. But she wasn’t.
She wasn’t. So why was she so… conflicted?
A corner of her mind had even started to think, “It wouldn’t hurt to agree to go to the banquet with her, right?” For example, a new character was appearing, so she should go and see what they looked like to make future actions more convenient. Also, the banquet was supposed to be quite high-class, so it would be a good experience to broaden her horizons.
And finally… Zhuang Chi thought, if she agreed, she wouldn’t have to see Gu Ximian’s disappointed expression.
Although it was possible she was just overthinking it—perhaps Gu Ximian wouldn’t think much of it even if she refused, but… hmm…
Sigh, she understood all the reasoning, but when she faced Gu Ximian… it always seemed hard for her to be firm and do things to distance herself from the other girl.
Perhaps it was a sense of responsibility…? Zhuang Chi tried to explain this feeling to herself. It was probably because Gu Ximian was the female protagonist she had put the most effort into creating, and she had indeed suffered a bit because of her immature settings… So her attitude towards Gu Ximian was a bit delicate. She really didn’t want to see Gu Ximian unhappy, especially not because of her.
…These thoughts had been spinning in her head all night. She should take a break. Zhuang Chi shook her head, trying to clear these distracting thoughts from her mind. She had to attend the Alpha education class today as well, but before that, she planned to go to the library to borrow some of the recommended reference books mentioned in yesterday’s class… This was also a very important matter.
With the thought of going out for a walk to change her mood, Zhuang Chi changed her clothes and left.
This was her first time visiting the library since school started. Perhaps it was to be expected, but St. Blaisedon’s library was enormous, not at all the size a university should have. It successfully made Zhuang Chi, who was stepping inside for the first time, dizzy and disoriented. She walked among the rows of bookshelves for a long time but couldn’t find the book she was looking for.
Just as she was helplessly thinking she might as well go ask the front desk, she heard a gentle male voice from behind her: “Do you need help?”
It was a somewhat familiar voice. Zhuang Chi’s ears twitched. She turned around and saw An Chen, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, nodding at her amicably. “Good morning, Zhuang Chi. I saw you looked like you didn’t know which way to go. Are you looking for a book?”
Although she had met An Chen on the first day of school, this was the first time Zhuang Chi had spoken to him alone. A corner of her heart worried that meeting An Chen at this time meant something was about to happen, but she didn’t want to refuse someone’s kindness based on mere speculation. So she nodded and said, “Yes, there are too many books here, so I got a little lost…”
“It’s like that at the beginning. It gets better once you’ve come a few more times,” An Chen said with an understanding smile, readily offering, “Let me help. I come here often. The Student Council President needs to be very familiar with the library.”
Slightly puzzled, thinking that being the Student Council President probably didn’t have such a requirement, Zhuang Chi ultimately accepted An Chen’s help and, under his guidance, quickly found the books she needed.
“Thank you,” Zhuang Chi said, quite happy as she walked out of the library with a few books after checking them out. She sincerely thanked An Chen, “If it were just me, who knows how long it would have taken… You’ve been a great help. You’re really familiar with the library.”
“Don’t mention it,” An Chen replied with a warm smile. “I have my reasons for doing so.”
…Reasons?
The meaningful word made Zhuang Chi pause. Before she could properly ponder what An Chen meant, she heard him speak again.
“If you have time now, could you chat with me for a bit?” An Chen suddenly proposed, pointing to a nearby bench. His tone was still as gentle as a spring breeze. “Just consider it… my reward for helping you find the books, okay?”
It felt like she’d been set up.
Zhuang Chi sat at one end of the bench, feeling quite at a loss.
…The term “set up” might be a bit strong, but the meaning was about the same—An Chen had helped her with a purpose, right? Just to make it impossible for her to refuse to chat with him?
Feeling that her worries might just come true, Zhuang Chi tried to suppress her ominous premonition and asked first, “…Is there something you need to see me about?”
“It’s not really anything specific, just a casual chat.”
An Chen, on the other hand, was calm and composed. His handsome face wore a smile that now seemed rather inscrutable, and he spoke as if making small talk, “I heard you differentiated into an Alpha a couple of days ago. Let me start by congratulating you.”
…For her, “my condolences” might be more appropriate, Zhuang Chi grumbled inwardly. But she didn’t say something so provocative in front of a fellow Alpha. She gave a reluctant “mm-hmm” in response. An Chen didn’t seem to mind her reaction and continued, “I also heard you were trapped in the sports warehouse with Ximian when you differentiated… That must have been tough.”
She wasn’t sure what An Chen was trying to say, so she just vaguely said, “It was okay,” and fell silent. An Chen was quiet for a moment, then chuckled lightly, “You and Ximian seem to have quite a bit of fate between you.”
“…”
Oh, this seems to be the main topic, Zhuang Chi thought.
“You see, you met at the school gate on the first day of school, right? And this time too, St. Blaisedon’s facilities have never had a problem before, but this time the door just happened to break, trapping the two of you alone in the sports warehouse, and then you differentiated into an Alpha right at that moment…”
An Chen spoke slowly, smiling at her. “The probability of that should be very, very low, right? What a coincidence.”
…Wow, there was no smile in this person’s eyes at all, Zhuang Chi thought. It felt like she was being tested… The next step wouldn’t be a threat, would it?
An Chen, who knows how long he’d been holding it in, hadn’t stopped talking yet. “And before, the Alpha who suddenly entered his susceptible period in front of Ximian’s dorm was also dragged away by you and Ling Jing, right? I heard you even sent Ximian flowers afterward—”
“…Huh? You even know about that?”
That had happened a while ago. Just how long had this person been watching them? Zhuang Chi was alarmed and uncertain. She saw An Chen give her a brilliant smile. “Because I’m the Student Council President.”
…Although he looked as if it were a matter of course and had no intention of explaining further, she honestly didn’t quite grasp the cause-and-effect relationship here. Maybe he meant that’s why he was so well-informed, Zhuang Chi thought, trying to come up with a reason for him. Or maybe it meant that as the Student Council President, he had many spies… Huh? Is that okay? It feels like he’s toeing the line of criminality, doesn’t it?
Zhuang Chi’s previous impression of him was nothing more than the four words “gentle and reliable,” especially when contrasted with Ling Jing, which made him seem exceptionally dependable. She had originally thought he was a relatively conventional and safe character, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case…
“…So what exactly are you trying to say?” Her head, already sluggish from lack of sleep, began to throb faintly. Zhuang Chi rubbed her temples wearily and said bluntly, “Just say it. There’s no one else here.”
“Don’t be in a hurry,” An Chen, in contrast to Zhuang Chi, was in no rush at all. He continued leisurely, “You might not know, but Ximian and I have known each other since we were children. She’s very outstanding, and it’s true that all sorts of people tend to gather around her. I originally thought you were just one of them…”
“…But things have gradually started to exceed my expectations.”
At this point, An Chen’s warm tone suddenly changed, and the color of his eyes subtly darkened. “I heard Ximian invited you to that banquet in early October?”
“…Wait a minute, where did you hear that from? No matter how well-informed your sources are—”
“Because I’m the Student Council President.”
“…Do you think you can brush everything off with that one sentence?”
“You’re quite favored, Zhuang Chi.” Ignoring her protest, An Chen continued on his own, “I’ve known Ximian for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen her take the initiative to invite someone… What on earth did you do to her?”
“…What do you mean, what did I do to her?” Zhuang Chi was baffled. For the moment, she ignored the thick sourness in the first half of his sentence and busied herself with deflecting the accusation he had suddenly thrown at her. “I didn’t do anything. You’re not trying to say I deliberately approached her—”
“It’s not impossible, is it? Otherwise, the things that have happened between you two are far too coincidental.”
“Are you trying to say that I planned to lock Gu Ximian and myself in the sports warehouse together and timed my differentiation perfectly?! Do you want to think carefully about what you’re saying?!”
“If it weren’t for the fact that Ximian wasn’t substantially harmed, I would have already concluded as much.” The smile on his face finally vanished. An Chen looked at her, his scrutinizing gaze falling mercilessly on Zhuang Chi. “…In any case, you’re different from before. You’re an Alpha now.”
“What I wanted to talk to you about today is actually very simple,”
He said, suddenly standing up. Under Zhuang Chi’s hesitant gaze, he elegantly extended his hand, stopping in front of her in a gesture awaiting a handshake. “Whether you have ulterior motives or just hit the jackpot, I hope your future actions will be more prudent. Don’t cause any trouble for Ximian.”
“And… this is also a greeting,” An Chen looked down at her, a polite smile returning to his lips. “I believe you’ve already figured it out. We should be considered competitors now. At the upcoming banquet… let’s see who comes out on top. Zhuang Chi, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“…”
…What’s with this guy, An Chen? Zhuang Chi was rendered speechless by him, looking back and forth between him and the hand still extended before her. It was both a threat and a declaration of war… But she hadn’t even agreed to go to the banquet with Gu Ximian yet. As the Student Council President, couldn’t his “intel” be more complete?
“…An Chen, I don’t know what misunderstanding you have about me…” Deciding to try and explain first, Zhuang Chi sighed wearily. “Gu Ximian did invite me, but I haven’t decided whether to—”
“—What?”
Before she could finish, she didn’t know which nerve she had struck, but An Chen’s relatively calm expression suddenly turned vicious. He didn’t even bother to pretend anymore and questioned her with an expression of someone who had just heard something absurd. “Are you trying to say… you plan to refuse Ximian’s invitation?”
“…”
It felt like things were getting troublesome again. Zhuang Chi silently shut her mouth. Sure enough, she saw An Chen glaring at her with a look of disbelief and rejection. “How could you have such a thought! Not just anyone can go to that banquet. If you… if you refuse, wouldn’t you be bringing shame to Ximian?!”
…It felt like he was about to yell “Don’t take your blessings for granted” at her any second now.
What the hell? Why did this person not want her to get too close to Gu Ximian, but also not want her to refuse Gu Ximian? Zhuang Chi was bewildered and confused. An Chen, for some reason, looked furious. He forcefully reached over, grabbed her hand, and shook it a couple of times, essentially forcing a handshake. After letting go, he emphasized again, “Get rid of your arrogant thoughts of being spoiled! What’s wrong with going to a banquet? It’s not like anyone’s going to eat you!”
“…No, that’s not why…”
“If you don’t have a formal dress, tell me! I can lend you one!”
“Eh, eh…”
…Seriously, besides Gu Ximian, were there really no other relatively normal characters in her novel?
Get instant access to all chapters now.
