Chapter 039: A Girl's Secret Thoughts

Mingli Lake was vast, and standing on the small island at its heart made its expanse feel even more profound. All around was a sweep of emerald water, with numerous waterfowl drifting across the surface, weaving between the water lilies and lending the scene an unusual tranquility.

Though called a small island, its size was hardly modest; besides two large flowerbeds, it boasted a petite grove, reportedly one of Zhonghai University’s legendary wild rendezvous spots—though in broad daylight, no one dared so brazenly stage their “battles” here.

The two arrived at a little pavilion. Li Huan spread a napkin for Su Dieyi to sit, while he simply brushed at the seat beside her before settling down—not out of indifference, but because his pocket held only a single napkin, and he was embarrassed to share it with a girl.

In their shared apartment, the pair had never felt this awkward; even when conversation ran dry, it never felt uncomfortable. But in this new setting, on such an island, their moods shifted subtly, and it felt more like two university students on a first date.

“I heard from Zhu Zhu that you’re also working part-time?” Li Huan, ever the gentleman, didn’t want to leave the initiative to her. He recalled seeing Su Dieyi working weekends, so he asked.

She nodded, glancing at him—relieved to see his eyes wandering to the lake. “Yes, I’m a part-time coach at a Taekwondo studio. Sometimes I help with dance training, too.”

“Taekwondo?” Li Huan blinked, surprised. He hadn’t expected her to be so capable; if she’d merely been learning, that would be one thing, but as a coach, she surely had real skill.

“I’m a third-degree black belt now. The fourth is so hard to test for, and I haven’t had time to practice lately!” Talking about Taekwondo, Su Dieyi relaxed—this was her domain, and she felt at ease.

Li Huan nodded, recalling their meal together when Su Dieyi had, seated on a stool, performed a split with ease. Such prowess wasn’t so rare, but to do it with her speed and strength was truly remarkable.

Seeing Li Huan quietly wiping his brow, Su Dieyi pursed her lips. “Now you know how impressive I am. Don’t mess with me, or you’ll regret it!”

She deliberately kicked her leg—a clear gesture of warning. Li Huan understood, but said nothing. Apart from his low-level teleportation trick, he’d be hard-pressed to match her in a real contest. Taekwondo might be mostly for show, but at her level, it carried real force.

“And you? Working at a bar—aren’t you worried about getting into fights?” Su Dieyi plainly thought bars were rife with shady types.

Certainly, some bars fit that description, but most were third-rate establishments. Upscale bars and nightclubs, though chaotic, rarely saw staff assaulted; a boss would lose face if a guest roughed up an employee.

“Yes, sometimes!” Li Huan nodded, stifling a laugh as Su Dieyi’s face lit with shock. “Usually it’s the troublemaking guests—there are bouncers to handle them.”

“Wow, that’s so violent! Why not work somewhere else?” She was curious; university students rarely worked in bars, preferring safer part-time jobs.

“There’s nothing wrong with the bar. A senior’s there, so I don’t have to worry about being bullied.” Li Huan almost mentioned Sun Feifei, the manager, but held back, feeling oddly compelled to keep it secret.

“Oh.” Su Dieyi had nothing more to say. Their conversation felt a bit awkward, as if good friends had suddenly become lovers—there was an inevitable unease.

Li Huan struggled for a topic. The sweet words he used to charm “aunties” at the bar wouldn’t suit Su Dieyi; a girl so pure and innocent would hardly accept the world’s flirtations.

“Li Huan?” A voice broke their silence. Both looked up at once.

The pavilion was tucked at the edge of a flowerbed, a secluded spot, though a stone path ran nearby. Occasionally, someone would pass. Li Huan recognized the voice as female, and when he looked up, he saw Wang Lin, with Sun Xiao beside her—the very one Li Huan had verbally provoked at lunch.

He hadn’t expected them here, but his surprise lasted only a moment before he regained composure. He could now talk to Wang Lin calmly, without the old tangled feelings.

They entered the pavilion. Sun Xiao cast Li Huan a cold glance, then forced a false smile. “What a coincidence, Li Huan!”

Li Huan nodded, saying nothing; his distaste for Sun Xiao was profound. Sun Xiao, oblivious, glanced at Su Dieyi, who sat beside Li Huan with her head slightly bowed, and smiled. “Hope we’re not interrupting your date—the scenery’s nice here.”

“Oh? So you’re here for a date too?” Li Huan looked up, ignoring Wang Lin’s startled expression, fixing Sun Xiao with a cold stare.

“No… you misunderstand!” Wang Lin interrupted before Sun Xiao could speak, wanting to clarify the lunchtime incident between Li Huan and Sun Xiao.

Sun Xiao’s face darkened, surprised at Wang Lin’s eagerness to deny it. His pride stung, he felt Li Huan was deliberately provoking him, and anger flared.

Li Huan couldn’t be bothered with Sun Xiao. His words had been intentional, but Wang Lin’s strong reaction caught him off guard and left him guilty—it was unnecessary to use her to rile Sun Xiao, even with their irreconcilable differences.

Wang Lin, seeing Li Huan’s lack of response, felt an indescribable pang. She hadn’t realized her tone was so forceful, but seeing Li Huan with another girl left her quietly disappointed.

“Is she your girlfriend?” Wang Lin finally couldn’t resist, looking at Su Dieyi, who sat with her head bowed, and asked softly.

“No…” Now it was Su Dieyi’s turn to become flustered. Already shy, she was embarrassed by the question and hastily denied it.

Li Huan truly didn’t care; he wasn’t pursuing Su Dieyi. Though she was stunningly beautiful and he liked her, he wasn’t head-over-heels in love, so her denial didn’t trouble him. He smiled lightly, feeling no shame.

Sun Xiao, however, smirked coldly. Fate had turned; though Wang Lin’s rejection had been awkward, seeing Li Huan likewise denied by a girl restored his balance. Wang Lin had rejected him before, so seeing her rebuff Li Huan felt perversely satisfying.

But as he took in Su Dieyi’s face, Sun Xiao was dumbstruck, staring as if caught in a vortex. This girl’s beauty was flawless, so much so that Wang Lin, beside her, seemed to fade.

Wang Lin noticed, and jealousy flickered in her gaze. She’d always seen herself as outstanding—beautiful, well-born, with countless admirers—but faced with Su Dieyi’s beauty, she felt inferior, astonished by the contrast and momentarily lost.

Su Dieyi knew nothing of the history between Li Huan and Wang Lin, but she wasn’t oblivious. From their expressions and tone, she sensed something amiss, especially Li Huan’s instinctive distance from the two. It made her uneasy—had she been too harsh in her denial?

Torn by this, Su Dieyi suddenly thought of something. Sensing Li Huan’s stronger hostility toward Sun Xiao, she looked at Wang Lin and said, “We’re roommates sharing an apartment. We came to discuss next month’s rent…”

She hadn’t finished when Wang Lin exclaimed in shock, clearly believing they were living together—not just flatmates. Why else would they come to Mingli Lake to discuss rent?

Li Huan, equally startled, stared at Su Dieyi, but then caught the mischievous glint in her eyes and understood her intent. He smiled wryly; Su Dieyi wanted them to know their relationship, though not romantic, was special and ambiguous. Yet others might read more into it—people always preferred to guess at deeper truths.

“Li Huan, you really disappoint me!” Wang Lin bit her lip, threw out the words, and turned to leave, never looking back.

Sun Xiao paused, sensing Wang Lin’s reaction was far more than mere shock at a classmate living with a girl—she was clearly angry, which could only mean she still cared for Li Huan.

“Li Huan, just you wait—I’m not done with you… Wang Lin, wait up!” Sun Xiao glared at Li Huan, then hurried after her.