Chapter 58 (First Release)

Qi Lin couldn't quite describe the complex emotions he felt.

There seems to be some dislike, and also a rather subtle... aversion and displeasure.

As expected, Zhou Yanyao's overly love-obsessed behavior is really annoying.

As far as Qi Lin knew, although Zhou Yanyao really wanted to get in touch with the person he "fell in love with at first sight" and had been making various efforts, he was only able to actually get in touch with her a few times because she deliberately avoided him.

Is this talent?

Zhou Yanyao, still lost in thought, added, "Actually, it's mainly intuition. I can feel that it was definitely sent by Wanwan."

As he finished speaking, Zhou Yanyao's mood sombered again.

"Sigh, I thought I was the only one."

Qi Lin remained silent for a while longer. He didn't want to say anything more, but after a pause, he couldn't help but ask casually.

"So you're not the only one now, and breakfast isn't the only one either."

"So what do you plan to do with this extra portion?"

"From what I've seen with my own eyes, you just ate this morning, didn't you?"

Zhou Yanyao looked at the breakfast in his hand, then stared intently at Jiang Chengran's direction with the critical eye one would use to judge a love rival.

It's impossible for him to pay it back! That guy surnamed Jiang doesn't appreciate Wanwan's feelings at all!

Qi Lin also knew that Zhou Yanyao had gone to all this trouble, and there was no way he would return the breakfast or throw it away like Jiang Chengran did.

He remained silent for a moment, expressionless, before finally speaking, "Actually, I didn't..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Yanyao had already picked up his breakfast and started stuffing it into his mouth in large, vicious bites!

"I'll eat it myself! What's wrong with eating another serving? I can still eat!"

He eats all the breakfast I buy every night!

Before he could finish speaking, Qi Lin watched helplessly as Zhou Yanyao stuffed his breakfast into his mouth: "..."

How could you be so wasteful?

Qi Lin held back for a long time, but finally couldn't hold back and spoke in a bad tone.

It's just breakfast, is it really necessary to make it like this?

Why can't it be given to those who need it?

Why be so greedy and eat two portions at once?

Qi Lin's unusual reaction finally caught the attention of Zhou Yanyao, who was feeling resentful and aggrieved.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, narrowed his eyes slightly, and thoughtfully examined Qi Lin's expression.

"Old Qi, what's wrong with you?"

Under Zhou Yanyao's direct, slightly suspicious gaze, Qi Lin's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm.

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" he asked back.

“Something’s not right with you,” Zhou Yanyao frowned.

Qi Lin could feel his heart beating faster and faster in his chest, as if a secret was about to be revealed.

The next second, he heard Zhou Yanyao say—

"Old Qi, tell me the truth, do you still dislike Wanwan?"

Qi Lin: "..."

Qi Lin breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a strange sense of regret.

If Yoko really finds out, then... if he really finds out something...

He and Zhou Yanyao have a very close relationship. They have been friends for over ten years since childhood, and there is basically nothing between them that they cannot talk about or need to hide.

Qi Lin was unusually confused about his own thoughts.

He might indeed be acting strangely lately.

In Zhou Yanyao's eyes, Qi Lin's silence was tacit agreement.

Although Zhou Yanyao still felt that Qi Lin seemed to have become a little strange, he didn't think too much about it. After all, this wasn't the first time he had known that his good brother was deep-seated, but that didn't stop the two of them from being the best of brothers.

"Old Qi, Wanwan is really a good person."

"Okay, if you really have a problem with her, I'll do those things myself from now on and won't mention them to you."

"Anyway, you're not in the same class, so you won't run into each other many times."

Qi Lin listened, remained silent for a while, and then said, "No need, just say what you want to say."

He paused for a moment, then added, "I have no problem with her."

"Is that so?" Zhou Yanyao scratched his head and chuckled. "I knew it. I always thought that if you really met Wanwan, you wouldn't dislike her."

Qi Lin's mind flashed back to that one and only meeting, the girl timidly raising her head, her eyes misty with tears.

"Um."

Qi Lin's pen returned to the question book, and he continued writing the answers as if indifferent.

After a long while, he finally replied with a single, flat word.

...

Meanwhile, Ning Wanwan sat in her classroom, listening attentively to the lesson while worrying a little that Jiang Chengran might throw away her breakfast.

Although Ning Wanwan had anticipated being rejected, she still hoped to succeed on her first try.

She quickly received a message from Lin Ruowei, who had informants in Class 1 and received the information very quickly.

[Didn't work, Ning Wanwan. Jiang Chengran threw away that lousy breakfast you bought.]

[I knew sending this thing as a gift wouldn't work.]

[If you have no other options, then if you do, please share them instead of hiding them.]

Ning Wanwan looked at the messages for a while, but didn't reply. She turned off her phone, stuffed it into a drawer, and sighed with a troubled expression.

As expected, it didn't work.

She had originally thought that combining the methods used by Zhou Yanyao and Mu Xijue might have a useful effect.

I was definitely overthinking it.

What a pity, the few dollars I spent on breakfast went down the drain.

Can Lin Ruowei get reimbursed? Every penny is very important to her right now.

"Host, you're alright. Your method is quite good. We still have time to try other methods." The system encouraged Ning Wanwan.

"I'm out of ideas, I can't figure it out. Should I try learning something online?"

Ning Wanwan rested her chin on her hand, absentmindedly scribbling on the draft paper with a pen.

However, there are too many methods online, which are mixed and difficult to distinguish. Moreover, many of these methods are not very feasible for Ning Wanwan, who has severe social anxiety.

Honestly, she thought that since Mu Xijue was so amazing, the method of drawing smiley face notes that she learned from him would be useful, but it didn't work on Jiang Chengran either.

So, that guy surnamed Mu is nothing special after all!

Thinking of this, Ning Wanwan felt a little vengeful and secretly complained in her mind about Mu Xijue, who had scared her so badly in the office last time, trying to dispel the terrible influence he had left behind.

Knowing that this class was Mu Xijue's, Ning Wanwan quietly straightened up, peeked out from behind her textbook, and glanced at Mu Xijue who was lecturing on the podium.

But they ended up meeting Mu Xijue's gaze.

Ning Wanwan was startled. When did he start watching her?

"Ning Wanwan, please stand up and answer this question," he said, raising an eyebrow slightly, his pleasant voice carrying a smile.

Ning Wanwan instinctively stood up and looked up at Mu Xijue's expression, which was signaling her to speak.

Ning Wanwan was just thinking about getting the plot back on track, so she had no idea what he was asking: "..."

Ning Wanwan hesitated, but Mu Xijue didn't seem surprised and tapped the podium lightly.

"Alright, sit down."

"Ning Wanwan, you need to concentrate on the lesson. Daydreaming is a bad habit."

"Come to my place after class, and I'll help you correct your mistakes."

Mu Xijue's voice was very pleasant, his tone was gentle and kind, and his peach blossom eyes were filled with laughter, but Ning Wanwan felt as if she had seen the most terrifying existence.

Why this trick again!

Seeing the girl's face turn red and how she hurriedly hid her head behind the pile of textbooks after sitting down, Mu Xijue's smile deepened.

So, given his amusing reaction, it's not entirely his fault that he wanted to tease her a little.

Time ticked by, and with get out of class almost over, Ning Wanwan grew increasingly anxious.

Mu Xijue called her to his office again, using the same script as last time.

However, good tactics don't last forever. Mu Xijue now has the advantage of being a teacher, and Ning Wanwan, as an ordinary student, is completely powerless to resist.

However, Ning Wanwan really didn't dare to repeat her previous experience in the office.

She was lucky to escape that time, but who knows what outrageous things Mu Xijue will do this time, or how she will scare or even threaten her.

If you want to avoid it, you can only—

The moment the bell rang and Mu Xijue left the classroom, Ning Wanwan immediately stood up, head down, ignoring the surprised looks from others, and rushed out!

Mu Xijue is tall and has long legs, so she walks very fast. In addition, there are many people in the corridor after class. Ning Wanwan hurriedly caught up with her just as she was about to enter the office.

Mu Xijue had already noticed that Ning Wanwan was chasing after him.

He not only didn't slow down along the way, but also deliberately added some obstacles for her without any guilt.

The girl was panting slightly, her eyes trembling, standing in front of him with a mixture of nervousness and determination.

He had one hand on the office doorknob, but he didn't force it open.

Instead, his gaze slowly fell on the girl's hand that was clutching his sleeve.

Then, little by little, his fingers slowly traced their way up her body from her slender, curled fingers.

In the laboratory, the researchers who knew his temperament well, and were well aware of his eccentric fastidiousness, never dared to touch him like that.

If she were an experimental subject, a subordinate, or an enemy, it would be easy to deal with, but the girl in front of me doesn't seem to belong to any of those categories.

This is really a headache.

In an instant, Ning Wanwan sensed an indescribable aggression emanating from this nonchalant man.

She hurriedly withdrew her hand, somewhat regretting that she had grabbed the other person in her haste.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't exactly "tough," it was more like a light touch.

Even out of instinct, Ning Wanwan only dared to touch a small part of the sleeve of the white coat.

However, the fact that the once pristine white cuffs are now slightly wrinkled and disheveled is undeniable.

Mu Xijue's voice turned serious: "Ning Wanwan, messing up the teacher's clothes is not the behavior of a good student."

Ning Wanwan sensed danger looming over her, and her eyes began to mist over again.

Mu Xijue raised an eyebrow slightly and leaned closer: "Are you going to cry again, Ning Wanwan?"

Ning Wanwan: "...No!"

She doesn't want this to happen! Why does it sound like she's always crying?

Ning Wanwan felt inexplicably ashamed and wanted to say it very loudly, but in reality, she could only make a small, low sound.

The girl's eyes are still beautiful and endearing, and her reactions are adorable.

Mu Xijue was in a good mood and decided to be magnanimous and not hold a grudge.

But he still didn't go into the office.

"Ning Wanwan, are you blocking my way because you don't want me to leave?"

"Such enthusiasm will really touch my heart."

The young man's voice was filled with joy; if one ignored the hint of mockery, one might actually think he was a good teacher who was easily moved by his students.

Ning Wanwan: "..."

"Mu, Mu Bo...Teacher Mu, you asked me to come here, so you could have just come here..." she stammered.

I had intended to speak with great confidence, but my cheeks, hidden behind the mask, grew increasingly hot with embarrassment. The courage born of my anger deflated like a punctured balloon.

Mu Xijue observed the girl's reaction with great interest. He could guess her expression without even looking at her, and once again felt that the mask was a bit of an eyesore.

"Ning Wanwan, is it inconvenient to walk in the hallway?"

Mu Xijue winked at her with her captivating eyes, which were a stark contrast to her serious and clean white coat.

Yet, it inexplicably possesses a contrasting allure, almost like a bewitching enchantress leading people into an abyss.

"Why don't you come to my office with me and I'll explain things to you carefully... take it slow."

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Author's Note: Ning Wanwan: The Spider Cave!