The Frail, Alluring O Always Wants Me to Mark Her (GL) - Chapter 14: 014
Seeing Yan Mian’s expression grow more rigid, Zhu Lexing was afraid of a backlash that would drop her already precarious favorability rating by another dozen points. She was about to call the system when the bell suddenly rang, startling even Zhu Lexing with its perfect timing.
She looked down and saw an unexpected name on the caller ID—Lin Yang.
Zhu Lexing raised her hand to hang up, but someone behind her had already seen the name: “Lin Yang?”
That person probably knew Lin Yang and was about to stir up trouble, but in her peripheral vision, Yan Mian’s expression had completely frozen.
Outsiders didn’t know the relationship between the three, but Li Nian did. In an instant, she snapped out of her daze and let out a cold snort.
The atmosphere suddenly became icy. Everyone was at a loss for words, just as they were about to bother Zhu Lexing, Qiao Qiao said, “Alright, others still need to perform.”
Only then did they realize that the actors on stage were ready. Due to the temporary commotion, the play was stuck at the beginning, and most eyes in the auditorium were focused on them.
Zhu Lexing glanced at Qiao Qiao, who mouthed “you’re welcome.”
…Who’s going to thank you!
Thinking this, Zhu Lexing hung up on Lin Yang.
Lin Yang called several times and was hung up on several times. Finally, she realized that Zhu Lexing wouldn’t answer her calls and switched to harassing her via text messages: [Lexing, I heard from Uncle Zhu that you guys are having dinner at XX tonight? It’s perfect, I’m also going to be near there tonight…]
After copying and sending the same message ten times, she sent another one: [Lexing, I’ll come find you later, okay?]
Zhu Lexing resisted the urge to block her and replied succinctly: [I don’t want to see you.]
Lin Yang was quite shameless: [But even if we don’t meet now, we’ll meet tonight anyway.]
Zhu Lexing didn’t want to waste time arguing and just blocked her. Not long after, she heard a system alert: [Lin Yang is only 200m away from the Host—]
Zhu Lexing didn’t want Lin Yang to appear in front of Yan Mian, so she simply got up and went outside, wanting to hear what Lin Yang had to say. Her sudden departure, however, was interpreted by others as her accepting Lin Yang’s invitation.
Yan Mian felt a lot of eyes on her face. Qiao Qiao said casually, “This plot is quite exciting, isn’t it?”
Everyone’s attention was instantly diverted, and they responded with cheerful “mm-hmms.”
Outside the auditorium.
The sun was scorching. It didn’t take long for Zhu Lexing to see Lin Yang. Although they were on school grounds, she wasn’t wearing her uniform. Instead, she wore a designer jacket with a long skirt, all in white, making her look innocent and remarkably similar to Yan Mian.
Zhu Lexing had thought she was so desperate to see her for an important reason.
To her surprise, as soon as they met, Lin Yang’s gaze was still on the auditorium. She didn’t forget her original purpose: “Lexing, is your stage play really not short on people? I heard you’re missing an actor.”
Zhu Lexing: “…Are you talking about Zhou Yang?”
Lin Yang’s lips curved into a smile. She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said softly, “I don’t know his name.”
…She’s even more like her now!
Lin Yang’s resemblance to Yan Mian made Zhu Lexing, for the first time, genuinely feel someone’s “scheming.”
The original owner “liked” Yan Mian partly because Yan Mian’s personality satisfied her desire for control, and partly because she liked her appearance. Lin Yang’s two-pronged approach made it a natural fit for her to be with the original owner.
But this Zhu Lexing was no longer that Zhu Lexing.
Zhu Lexing said mercilessly, “Thanks, but even if we were short on people, I wouldn’t let you act.”
Lin Yang: “…”
Even before, Zhu Lexing had never spoken to her like this. She was stunned and subconsciously said, “Why? Is it because of Yan Mian?”
“Yan Mian?” Zhu Lexing, worried she would put more malice on Yan Mian, said bluntly, “It has nothing to do with her. I’m just not interested in you.”
“I’m not interested in either of you.”
Zhu Lexing’s last-minute addition to her statement softened Lin Yang’s expression slightly. Still a bit unwilling, she asked, “…Then what are you interested in? Music? Screenwriting? Stage plays? Or acting—”
From her tone, it seemed that whatever Zhu Lexing was interested in, she would go there and learn it.
Zhu Lexing pondered for a few seconds and decided on an answer that would be good for both of them: “Studying.”
“It’s just—”
Lin Yang’s smile froze: “Studying?”
Zhu Lexing said, “I’ve recently discovered that studying is what brings a person strength. In books, we can realize our own narrow-mindedness—”
She was spouting maxims off the top of her head. Lin Yang’s gaze grew stranger. Before Zhu Lexing could say much more, Lin Yang found an excuse and left.
Zhu Lexing was a little disappointed she couldn’t recreate the “If you like me, go get into Tsinghua University” line.
But with Lin Yang gone, she let out a long sigh of relief.
Zhu Lexing didn’t go back to the auditorium, so she wouldn’t be caught by Qiao Qiao again. After eating, she lingered in the lounge for a while before returning to the classroom. Even so, she was still cornered by Song Yingying before the afternoon class, who hesitated to ask, “Are you and Lin Yang dating?”
Zhu Lexing: ?
“…Why would you think that?”
Song Yingying said tactfully, “It’s not just me. A lot of people think so.”
Zhu Lexing instantly realized: Oh no, I’m being misunderstood again!
She looked at Yan Mian, who was doing problems in her seat. Her first instinct was to explain, but the girl, after a few seconds of silence, nodded at her. Her attitude wasn’t warm, but it was much better than the complete lack of interaction they used to have.
Zhu Lexing: ?
When she asked the system again, she found that Yan Mian’s favorability had actually increased slightly a few hours ago.
“Slightly” meant just that.
It was no longer -1000.
It was a noble -999!
What is this? Getting a gossip rumor with Lin Yang makes Yan Mian’s attitude towards me better?
The system explained: [Yan Mian believes that once the characters of Zhu Lexing and Lin Yang are together, Zhu Lexing will no longer pay attention to her.]
And therefore, she could be safe, keep her distance, and have no further connection after graduation.
Yan Mian was a person who could “act.”
Even if she couldn’t forgive her in her heart, she could show appropriate familiarity in front of others.
In the original work, there was indeed such a development.
After the original owner and Lin Yang got together, Yan Mian truly had a period of peace.
But after a few days, perhaps out of boredom or because she didn’t have much feeling for Lin Yang, the original owner started bothering Yan Mian again.
After this incident, Lin Yang completely saw Yan Mian as an enemy, and her actions became merciless and even more brutal.
“Zhu Lexing’s” temporary change of heart brought even greater disaster to Yan Mian.
Yan Mian’s “misery” was unimaginable. Although the original owner would always appear in times of crisis, the pain was like a clinging disease that would never go away.
Zhu Lexing withdrew her gaze in silence.
For the first time, she felt that transmigrating into “Zhu Lexing” wasn’t a bad thing.
At the very least, she could save Yan Mian and everything Yan Mian held dear.
For the Zhu family gathering, after school, Yan Mian waited for Qin Jun outside the school. She soon received a message from Qin Jun that Jiang Yue had given her the day off.
Yan Mian gripped her phone, her palm feeling cold. She turned her head, wanting to let out a sigh of relief, only to realize that the Zhu family’s driver in the car not far away had already opened the window and had been smiling awkwardly in the passenger seat for a long time, but Yan Mian hadn’t seen her.
On this day, Zhu Lexing and Yan Mian were in the same car, a rare occurrence.
To prevent Zhu Lexing from starting trouble, Yan Mian didn’t do any homework today. She just quietly looked down at her plaid skirt.
As the car was about to pull away, she said, “By the way, Uncle, I need to go back for a moment.”
The driver thought she had forgotten something: “Did you forget a gift? We can buy something on the way.”
Yan Mian said, “I didn’t wear the watch that Uncle Zhu gave me last time.”
In the passenger seat, Zhu Lexing, who had been playing with her phone, paused and looked up, secretly watching Yan Mian through the rearview mirror.
The day after Yan Xin was fired, the money was sent over. But a watch wasn’t readily available, so Zhu Lexing had instructed the driver to buy one when it was.
Even now, Zhu Lexing still hadn’t seen a hint of a watch.
“The car has already started. What watch?” Zhu Lexing said as if it were a casual matter. “You don’t mind the trouble, but I do.”
Yan Mian was stubborn: “I can get off first, get the watch, and then take a taxi to the hotel myself—”
Zhu Lexing: “…” Why are you like this!
Yan Mian’s thinking was simple: If Zhu Lin gave her a wearable gift, it was natural to wear and use it to leave a good impression on him.
This was basic etiquette.
Zhu Lexing was speechless. The driver, seeing this, thought their relationship was in an awkward phase.
He was biased toward Zhu Lexing. Even though he knew Zhu Lexing had a bad attitude towards Yan Mian, he believed that as long as Zhu Lexing had a change of heart, Yan Mian should accept it.
But Yan Mian was also half of the Zhu family.
The driver could only smile and say, “Xiaomian, the watch Mr. Zhu gave you last time was accidentally broken by a servant. But Miss has already ordered a new one for you. It will arrive in a few days.”
As his words fell, the car was silent, save for the wind that swirled in through the window.
Yan Mian looked up: “Broken?”
She had put it in a hidden spot. Unless someone deliberately looked for it, it wouldn’t be found.
She had a sharp mind. In an instant, she connected this phrase to the servants who had left.
Even if Yan Xin was daring, he wouldn’t dare to deliberately ransack Yan Mian’s room and not restore it.
Yan Mian didn’t need the watch and wasn’t interested in it. When she looked for it in the morning, she thought a servant had just put it somewhere else. But since it was almost time for Zhu Lexing to wake up, she had to go to school first to avoid her, planning to look for it in the afternoon.
Now it seemed it wasn’t moved or broken.
It was stolen.
Several events connected like a thread in Yan Mian’s mind. She pursed her lips and was about to speak, but Zhu Lexing frowned: “Don’t overthink it. It’s just a watch. If it’s broken, we’ll buy a new one. No one will care.”
She spoke casually. Yan Mian’s brows furrowed slightly. She asked, “The item went missing… why didn’t I know?”
Zhu Lexing considered her words for two seconds and said, “When something is lost in the Zhu family, it’s a loss for the Zhu family. It’s better for as few people to know as possible.”
The subtext was that Yan Mian wasn’t a part of the Zhu family.
This answer matched Yan Mian’s previous understanding of Zhu Lexing and made her heart grow colder.
The faint confusion she had felt was completely buried.
Before getting out of the car, she said in a low voice, “I know what to say when I see Uncle later.”
Zhu Lexing watched her back, listening to the system’s broadcast of [Yan Mian’s favorability -1]: “…”
Damn it!