Chapter Eight: Liu Miaomiao’s Invitation

July 7, 2004, Sunny.

Just yesterday, this city was still being baptized by the lingering remnants of that torrential downpour. In just one night, the dark clouds that had stifled the city for days quietly dissipated.

The sun was scorching, and the sky was as clear as glass. Even the turf on the Shilan High School playground, which had been ravaged by the rain, had been freshly replaced by someone at some point. It was as if that rain had never happened at all.

Though the sky had cleared, for some, that storm would forever be raining in their world.

Lu Mingfei’s head was buzzing from the noisy chatter around him. He had intended to rest his head on the desk to catch a quick nap, hoping to look more energetic when it was time for the group photo later. He had spent three years of junior high in a slump, and there was a high probability he would spend another three years in the same state in high school. At the very least, he didn't want to look too pathetic on graduation day. He had even made a point to go to bed early last night for today's sake.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, the rain, the dead servants, Odin, the Maybach, and that final pair of pale golden eyes haunted him like a nightmare.

From the room next door came the wailing of Lu Mingze; he was likely being steamrolled by someone in a game of Chenghai 3C. He had been shouting like that all night. If he kept it up, Auntie would surely take her frustrations out on him tomorrow, blaming him for corrupting Lu Mingze with video games.

But he didn't even play Chenghai 3C; he played StarCraft. One was a MOBA and the other an RTS—they weren't even the same genre. But Auntie couldn't tell the difference. She couldn't distinguish between the colorful little characters on the screen; to her, all games were equally dark and harmful.

Whatever. He had been Auntie’s punching bag for years. At least he still had a room of his own—he was better off than Harry.

Lu Mingfei’s consciousness was drifting, and just as he was about to fall asleep, someone tapped his shoulder and woke him up.

"Lu Mingfei, didn't you sleep well last night?"

Looking up to see Liu Miaomiao’s beautiful face, Lu Mingfei didn't react for a moment. In his past life, Liu Miaomiao had always been decent to him and was willing to talk to him, but she rarely sought him out on her own. There were very few girls Lu Mingfei could actually hold a conversation with; aside from Chen Wenwen, Liu Miaomiao was one of them, though they hadn't reached the level of friends.

Then again, it was hard to say if he and Chen Wenwen were even friends. Back in high school, he had felt certain they were, and quite close at that. But later, he realized that to Chen Wenwen, he was perhaps just an ordinary classmate who had a crush on her. She showed kindness to everyone, so as long as Lu Mingfei didn't point it out, she could pretend to be oblivious and allow him to stay by her side.

When Liu Miaomiao blushed slightly and coughed, Lu Mingfei realized he had been staring at her like a lecherous middle-aged man. He quickly cleared his throat as well.

"Yes, yes, I didn't sleep very well last night."

"Oh," Liu Miaomiao nodded gently.

Today, she was wearing the Shilan High School junior uniform—sky blue and white. The hem of her pleated skirt was precisely positioned a few centimeters above her knees, revealing fair calves and slender ankles.

"By the way, the high school entrance exam results are out. Have you checked yours? How did you do?"

"Hmm... I barely passed the admission threshold for Shilan High."

"That's great! I wonder if we'll be in the same class in high school."

"Hahaha, that depends on fate, I suppose..."

Lu Mingfei thought to himself that it wouldn't just be the two of them; her first love, Zhao Menghua, would be in the same class. And so would his rival in love, the object of his first crush—Chen Wenwen—along with Su Xiaoqiang, the "Little Goddess" who was always at odds with her.

After the conversation died down, a silence fell between them. In truth, this was the normal state of affairs; he and Liu Miaomiao had nothing to talk about. Not only were they not close, but their grades and seating positions were like opposite ends of the spectrum, light-years apart. Even their interests didn't align—one liked video games, the other loved playing the piano and listening to classical music. That was why he had been so stunned when she suddenly approached him.

"So, uh, for next week’s class graduation trip, have you found a group yet?" After staring at each other for a moment, Liu Miaomiao started looking for a new topic.

The class graduation trip had been Liu Miaomiao’s suggestion, under the pretext of gathering one last time before everyone went their separate ways. Such class activities were largely meaningless, as they always ended up with the same fixed cliques playing together. But this time, the rules required them to form groups, with class officers acting as group leaders and maintaining a balanced ratio of boys to girls.

What felt even more absurd to Lu Mingfei was that the proposal had actually passed the class vote. He later found out why: almost all the boys had voted in favor because they all wanted to be in the same group as the entertainment committee member, Liu Miaomiao. Only Lu Mingfei hadn't voted for it, and his reason was simple: Auntie probably wouldn't give him the money.

"Not yet," Lu Mingfei answered truthfully.

"Then why don't you join our group? We’re just short one boy."

"Huh?" Lu Mingfei was stunned, wondering if he had heard her correctly.

This was Liu Miaomiao! One of the three school beauties of Shilan High, the piano prodigy who stole the show at the school anniversary party. The boys vying for her attention could line up around the playground. What fortune had bestowed upon him the honor of being personally invited by her?

With Liu Miaomiao’s innocent-looking eyes fixed on him, Lu Mingfei felt both tempted and alarmed, thinking that this must be the same look Diaochan used when she employed the beauty trap on Dong Zhuo. But Diaochan used the beauty trap to drive a wedge between Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo, father and son. What could Liu Miaomiao possibly want from him? It couldn't be that she wanted him to play StarCraft on her behalf in a grudge match, could it?

"Why me?" Lu Mingfei asked instinctively.

"Lu Mingfei, you’re so funny," Liu Miaomiao said, lips pursed and eyes bright. "Aren't you a member of our class?"

"Yes."

"And am I the group leader?"

"Also yes."

Liu Miaomiao spread her hands, which had been resting on her knees, and tilted her head. "Then what’s the problem with me inviting you?"

"That’s true, but..."

"Fine, to be honest, I do have a selfish motive." Liu Miaomiao lowered her voice. "Our group is missing a boy, but you know... many of the boys who want to be in my group don't have the purest intentions. Among the rest, I feel like you’re a good person, so..."

"Just because of that?"

Liu Miaomiao’s cheeks flushed again. This time, it wasn't the embarrassment of being stared at, but a bashful, girlish shyness. She had always spoken in a soft, delicate voice, and now, having lowered it further, it was barely a whisper—a mosquito’s hum that required him to lean in close to hear. Her breath brushed against his face, feeling slightly ticklish.

"Are you close with Senior Chu?" she asked softly.

So that was it. Lu Mingfei had a sudden epiphany. The reason Liu Miaomiao invited him wasn't just because he was a "good person" who posed no threat. It was more likely for the sake of Chu Zihang, trying to reach him through a roundabout path.

The boys in the class swarmed around Liu Miaomiao, but she only had eyes for Chu Zihang.

In Lu Mingfei’s mind, a scene suddenly appeared: he was sitting in a palace of wine and meat, shirtless and living a life of debauchery. Suddenly, his subordinates reported that a great general was attacking, and Chu Zihang, clad in Lu Bu’s armor and wielding a halberd, burst in. He walked right up to him, eyes blazing with fury, and roared, "You brat, return Diaochan to me!" And Diaochan—Liu Miaomiao—would immediately throw herself into Lu Bu’s arms, weeping, "General, save me!"

Damn it, what kind of Three Kingdoms drama was this?

"We're alright," Lu Mingfei said, thinking he couldn't very well tell her he was incredibly close with the deadpan senior. He had once shot him in the head, helped him dispose of his girlfriend's body, worked as a host with him in Harajuku, and had just survived a life-and-death ordeal alongside him...