Dark-colored Fairy Tale: Seven Magicians - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
The abrupt shift in atmosphere made Liu Menglu feel uneasy. She looked at the primly seated Li Qiuyu and, noticing she didn’t have a lunch box, felt a pang of confusion.
“Where’s your lunch today?” Liu Menglu asked, trying to ease the tension with a simple question.
Li Qiuyu was about to warn Liu Menglu to stay away from Chloe, but before she could, Liu Menglu’s concern stopped her. Unused to such kindness, Li Qiuyu’s voice grew stiff and wooden. “I didn’t know the school required students to bring their own lunch.”
She was completely honest. As the heir to one of China’s most ancient families, Li Qiuyu had been raised with unwavering discipline; lying was not in her nature.
Her frankness, however, was tinged with a bitterness that Liu Menglu immediately picked up on. Looking at the girl’s perfect posture, a sign of strict training from a young age, Liu Menglu was reminded of Chloe. She thought of how Chloe had initially restrained herself when eating Liu Menglu’s food, despite clearly enjoying it. She also realized that no one had ever called to check on Chloe’s well-being during her time there.
These small details led Liu Menglu to believe that Chloe’s organization, while providing money and knowledge, had never taught them about human emotions or how to care for themselves. Seeing the girl in front of her who didn’t even know to bring her own lunch, Liu Menglu’s heart softened, and the earlier hostility between them faded.
She took out a pair of disposable chopsticks from her own untouched lunch box and offered them to Li Qiuyu with a genuine smile. “You must be new to our school, so you didn’t know the rule. Don’t worry, you can have mine today. I ate a big breakfast, so I’m not hungry.”
Li Qiuyu was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to understand why their confrontation had suddenly turned into an act of kindness. Her father’s strict lessons about never trusting strangers—that they could poison you or stab you in the back—made her reject the offer immediately.
“No, thank you. I’m not hungry,” she said, turning her head away to stare at the sky.
But just as she spoke, a loud grumble came from her stomach.
Liu Menglu burst out laughing.
Li Qiuyu looked at her, her face still expressionless, but Liu Menglu noticed that the tips of her ears, hidden by her hair, had turned a faint red.
“I’m not hungry. My stomach just made a noise,” Li Qiuyu insisted, her voice flat and unyielding.
Liu Menglu could see right through her stubborn facade. To prevent Li Qiuyu from leaving out of embarrassment, she quickly lowered her voice.
“Actually, it’s my fault.”
Li Qiuyu was confused by the non-sequitur, but Liu Menglu didn’t give her a chance to respond. She placed her lunch box in front of Li Qiuyu and pleaded, “I’m so full from breakfast that I can’t eat another bite. And lunch isn’t good after a certain time.”
“So, please—could you help me finish this extra lunch? It’s bad to waste food.”
Liu Menglu then clasped her hands together and gave Li Qiuyu a pitiful look.
Li Qiuyu wanted to refuse. Her training told her not to accept anything from a stranger. But looking at Liu Menglu, she suddenly felt helpless. The words of refusal got stuck in her throat.
She had never received such a request before—one that was based on kindness and concern. The entire situation was throwing her off balance. She appeared calm, but her mind was completely short-circuited.
As she hesitated, she saw Chloe, who was sitting in a lazy posture but with her legs slightly tensed, like a predator ready to pounce.
Looking at both Chloe and Liu Menglu, Li Qiuyu’s mind shifted. What if I just accept it?
Her mission was to observe Chloe. This morning, Chloe had acted like a normal student. Perhaps if she provoked Chloe, she would reveal the things she was hiding. And what better way to provoke her than to accept the lunch box?
With this new line of thought, Li Qiuyu pushed aside her awkwardness and slowly reached for the lunch box. In her haste, she wasn’t paying attention to Liu Menglu’s hand, and her fingertips brushed against the back of Liu Menglu’s smooth hand.
The sudden warmth made her freeze. Her mind blanked. What do I do now? Wash my hands? Disinfect them?
Her mother had always taught her that due to her special status, many people wanted to kill her, and some demons would try to drag her into the abyss. This was why she had been raised in such a dull and strict environment, where commands were the only form of communication. It was this isolated upbringing that made her so helpless in the face of a stranger’s kindness.
Liu Menglu had no idea the turmoil her small action had caused. With her own meal finished, she simply looked up at the sky. She felt a little sad that the stars were hidden during the day, but the sight of the constantly changing white clouds made her feel happy again.
As Liu Menglu was lost in the beauty of the sky, Chloe, who had been staring intently at Li Qiuyu, finally moved.