Chapter 109: Favoring Desire Over Friendship

After finishing their meal, the two returned to the classroom together, only to find Chen Ziyi and He Shi already waiting for them.

Perhaps because she was still piqued by Xie Xu’s earlier remarks, Lu Yiqi did not look at him once on the walk back, maintaining a distance of exactly one fist’s length between them the entire time.

He Shi and Chen Ziyi noticed the strangeness, but with a silent, mutual understanding, they both refrained from asking questions in front of the pair. Instead, they both reached for their phones to send WeChat messages.

He Shi messaged Xie Xu: "Brother Xu, what’s up with you and Yiqi? Did you upset her?"

Chen Ziyi messaged Lu Yiqi: "Yiqi, why do I feel like things are weird between you and the class monitor? Did you two have a fight?"

Xie Xu, refusing to admit he had provoked her, replied: "How would I know? She’s been like this ever since we started walking back. She’s acting so strange."

Seeing Xie Xu’s reply, He Shi furrowed his brow. That didn't seem right; Lu Yiqi had a fairly good temper and was certainly not the type to lash out at those around her for no reason.

Then, another possibility occurred to him. He Shi asked earnestly: "Could it be... is Yiqi on her period?"

When Xie Xu read the reply, he nearly burst out laughing. It was the first time he had truly marveled at the inner workings of He Shi’s brain—what on earth was he thinking about all day?

He blinked and typed back: "I think that’s very likely."

He Shi: "Then you’d better keep your distance, Brother Xu. Whatever you do, don’t make her angry. I’ve heard girls get incredibly irritable when they’re on their period; it’s best not to provoke them."

Xie Xu stifled a laugh: "Fine, fine, I’ve got it."

The two returned to their seats and bowed their heads to play with their phones. Lu Yiqi saw the message from Chen Ziyi.

She replied: "We didn't fight, I’m just unilaterally angry! That guy just insulted me!"

Chen Ziyi didn't quite understand. Didn't Xie Xu like Lu Yiqi? Why would he insult her?

Chen Ziyi: "What did he call you?"

Lu Yiqi tilted her head, recalling the moment, then tapped at her keyboard: "He said I was dis-gust-ing! Don't you think he deserves a beating?"

While replying with a "He definitely does," Chen Ziyi took a screenshot of their conversation and sent it to He Shi.

She added: "What is going on with Xie Xu? He insults my Yiqi the moment I’m not around? The 'liking' you told me about was a lie, wasn't it? Who insults the person they like by calling them disgusting?"

He Shi’s head began to throb as he read Chen Ziyi’s message.

Xie Xu said he hadn't upset Lu Yiqi, but Lu Yiqi claimed he called her disgusting?

He Shi finally reached a conclusion.

These two were going to be the death of him!

He Shi: "Don't panic, this has to be a misunderstanding. I’ll go ask about the situation for you. Wait a moment."

He then forwarded the conversation logs to Xie Xu, along with a string of question marks: "Brother Xu, didn't you say you didn't upset her?"

Xie Xu: "..."

Damn it. It seemed he couldn't hide it anymore.

Although it was a bit pathetic, Xie Xu tried to defend himself: "It’s not what you guys think. How could I ever dare to insult her? I was just teasing her. The situation isn't what you imagine; I never intended to actually insult her."

He Shi: "Then what are you going to do? Brother Xu, you’ve offended two women at once, and one of them is my future girlfriend! How about I betray you? I really can’t protect you; if I stick my neck out for you, I’ll never stand a chance with her."

Xie Xu gritted his teeth. He Shi was a man who prioritized romance over friendship and would sell out his own brother for glory.

Xie Xu: "Then tell me, how do I coax her?"

He Shi replied with righteous indignation: "How would I know? I’ve never had to coax a woman."

Xie Xu: "..."

Ultimately, they were brothers of many years, and He Shi couldn't bring himself to be truly cruel. He began to offer his counsel.