When the Tsundere Rival Turns Into a Cat - Chapter 36

Walking to the door, Li Xingcan turned back for one last look. “You promised you’d sleep early. Tomorrow the driver will take us to school.”

“Mhm, I know.”

Jiang Qingyue didn’t even lift her head, her pen continuing to move across the paper as she gave a perfunctory response.

Li Xingcan glanced at her again, finding nothing else to remind her about before finally closing the door behind her.

As she trudged slowly back to her own room, Li Xingcan felt an inexplicable sense of loss. She turned to look at Jiang Qingyue’s door once more when suddenly, a terrifying realization struck her—

Was she actually falling for Jiang Qingyue?

Her scalp prickled with dread. Li Xingcan’s eyes widened. Sure, she’d wanted to treat Jiang Qingyue better, even considered trying to reciprocate her feelings—but if she genuinely fell in love, what good would it do? Jiang Qingyue’s departure was inevitable. All it would accomplish was doubling the heartbreak—from one person to two.

Falling in love only to be separated forever? That was just too cruel.

No, no, no. Li Xingcan patted her cheeks and shook her head vigorously. She’d just have to accept being the villain here—there was no way she could return Jiang Qingyue’s feelings.

Not daring to look back again, Li Xingcan hurried into her room.

Despite telling Jiang Qingyue to sleep early, Li Xingcan spent the entire night tossing and turning. The next morning, she greeted a well-rested Jiang Qingyue with dark circles under her eyes and a yawn. “Morning.”

Jiang Qingyue sighed at the sight of her. “You told me to sleep early, but did you stay up gaming again last night?”

“Nope.”

Li Xingcan shook her head like a zombie. If only it had been gaming keeping her up. Instead, her mind had been flooded with endless scenarios about her and Jiang Qingyue’s future, leaving her wide awake. She’d even tried playing a few rounds to distract herself, only to horrifyingly discover she’d lost interest in games altogether!

Two miserable, half-hearted matches later—complete with crushing defeats and angry teammates—Li Xingcan couldn’t bring herself to care. Because she was pretty sure she was doomed.

When had Jiang Qingyue gained this much influence over her?

She didn’t want to admit it, but she had no choice.

Having tasted none of love’s sweetness but already drowning in despair, Li Xingcan concluded she was just a glutton for punishment.

Watching Li Xingcan drift toward the car like a ghost, even forgetting breakfast, Jiang Qingyue frowned in confusion before grabbing the forgotten meal and following her out.

Inside the car, Li Xingcan stared blankly as the opposite door opened. Jiang Qingyue slid in and wordlessly pressed warm breakfast into her hands.

The heat seeped into her palms. Li Xingcan lowered her head, emotions churning as she stared at the food. How could she abandon Jiang Qingyue to heartbreak when she treated her so well?

Unaware of Li Xingcan’s internal turmoil, Jiang Qingyue stepped on the gas, and they arrived at school in no time.

Normally, they’d exit separately without a word. This time was no different—except when Jiang Qingyue went to close her door, she noticed Li Xingcan still sitting frozen inside.

This person is acting really strange today. Jiang Qingyue frowned in confusion as she held the car door, but after checking the time, she still reminded her to get out.

“Li Xingcan, hurry up.”

Startled by Jiang Qingyue’s voice, Li Xingcan snapped out of her daze and looked up to see Jiang Qingyue waiting by the door.

“Oh…”

Her heart pounded as she gripped the seatback and walked toward Jiang Qingyue.

“Your side has…” Jiang Qingyue watched Li Xingcan approach hunched over, about to remind her that her side also had a door, but by the time she reached her, she swallowed the rest of her words and let go, watching Li Xingcan step out.

“What did you say?” Li Xingcan’s sleep-deprived brain was slow to react as she looked at Jiang Qingyue in confusion.

“Nothing, let’s go.”

Jiang Qingyue picked up her backpack and walked ahead toward the school.

Li Xingcan lagged behind, glanced at the distance between them, then quickened her pace to walk side by side with Jiang Qingyue.

Walking in silence, Li Xingcan kept stealing glances at Jiang Qingyue, but the other girl remained focused straight ahead, completely ignoring her.

She tried several times to think of a topic—something light and funny—but all the jokes and conversations that usually came so easily with Fu Duosui and the others now eluded her.

After struggling for a while, hesitating repeatedly, Li Xingcan finally spoke up just as they were about to reach the school building. “Jiang Qingyue.”

“Hmm?” Jiang Qingyue responded, turning to look at her.

Li Xingcan immediately averted her gaze, staring instead at the distant sky, the birds, and the hazy autumn morning sun—anything but Jiang Qingyue.

Jiang Qingyue grew even more puzzled. “Li Xingcan, what did you just call me for?”

“Ah, I… just…” Pressed for an answer, Li Xingcan desperately needed a reasonable excuse, but the more she panicked, the blanker her mind became. Stumbling over her words under Jiang Qingyue’s increasingly suspicious gaze, she finally blurted out, “I was asking if you finished your homework?”

“Didn’t you tell me not to do it yesterday?” Jiang Qingyue thought Li Xingcan wasn’t just acting strange—her brain might actually be malfunctioning.

“Oh, right. That did happen.” Li Xingcan was now so embarrassed she didn’t even know where to put her hands. After a brief silence, she pretended nothing had happened and switched her breakfast to her other hand.

Jiang Qingyue: “…”

“Were you trying to trick me into admitting if I secretly kept working on the test papers? Don’t worry, I went to bed right after finishing that one.”

Jiang Qingyue helped her save face by offering an excuse to smooth things over.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I meant,” Li Xingcan seized the lifeline gratefully. “You did well. Pretty self-disciplined.”

“Like I need you to tell me that?” Jiang Qingyue shrugged and stepped onto the school building’s stairs.

Li Xingcan trailed behind, looking up at Jiang Qingyue’s back. While she felt relieved, a vague sense of loss lingered in her chest.

That wasn’t what she had actually wanted to say, was it? But the moment had passed, and bringing it up now would be awkward.

When Li Xingcan and Jiang Qingyue appeared at the classroom door together, the lively chatter inside instantly quieted for a second. Li Xingcan glanced back suspiciously—the homeroom teacher wasn’t following them, was she?

Jiang Qingyue calmly took her seat, her expression unreadable. As Li Xingcan passed by her desk, he paused briefly, resting a hand on its surface before continuing down the aisle as if nothing had happened.

The classroom soon returned to its usual noisy state, everything appearing normal—except for those poorly concealed glances that kept darting in their direction.

Li Xingcan plopped his breakfast onto his desk and turned to Fu Duosui, who had returned to her seat across the aisle. Normally chirpy around him, Fu Duosui was unusually quiet today, even stealing furtive glances at him like a thief.

“Fu Duosui!” Li Xingcan’s sudden shout made her jump. She clutched her chest and glared at him. “What’s your problem?”

“You’re acting suspicious,” Li Xingcan said, adopting an interrogative tone. “Out with it—what did you do this time?”

“I didn’t do anything! I didn’t say anything!” Fu Duosui protested loudly, but her voice couldn’t mask her guilt.

“Spit it out. Don’t make me ask twice,” Li Xingcan pressed.

“I…” Fu Duosui’s guilty expression betrayed her. She glanced up at Li Xingcan’s face and finally confessed, “Okay, fine! I really didn’t do much. It’s just… remember when you asked me what you could do for Jiang Qingyue since she’s leaving? I thought it was weird how you got involved with her, so I might’ve accidentally mentioned it to someone…”

A sinking feeling settled in Li Xingcan’s stomach. “Who did you tell?”

“Ou Jin…” Fu Duosui’s voice trailed off. Li Xingcan’s eyes widened. Telling Ou Jin—the biggest gossip in school—was no different from broadcasting it on a giant screen in the town square!

“Fu Duosui!”

“Wait, don’t get mad yet—it gets worse,” Fu Duosui covered her ears and peeked at him nervously, her voice dropping to a whisper. “After I told Ou Jin, basically the whole class found out. But then the rumor started twisting. People began saying you’d been targeting Jiang Qingyue all along as some childish way to get her attention, that you’ve had a crush on her forever but just suck at pursuing her. And now that she’s leaving, you’re panicking and planning some grand confession…”

By the end, her voice was barely audible, but Li Xingcan heard every word. He sucked in a sharp breath, furious.

“Could you guys make it any more ridiculous? It’s Jiang Qingyue who likes me—how did this turn into me having a crush on her?” He grabbed Fu Duosui’s collar, enunciating each word through gritted teeth.

“Wait—Jiang Qingyue likes you too?” Fu Duosui’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

“That’s not the point right now. You go fix this mess immediately. If this rumor reaches Jiang Qingyue’s ears, I swear I’ll strangle you.”

After delivering his threat, Li Xingcan released her and watched as Fu Duosui scurried off to find Ou Jin. But unease still gnawed at him.

Normally, he wouldn’t care if rumors about him liking Jiang Qingyue spread. But the problem was—Jiang Qingyue actually did like him. If she heard these rumors, she’d definitely misunderstand. And when the truth eventually came out, it would crush her. Yet lying to her wasn’t an option either.

For now, all he could do was hope these rumors would spread quietly—and fade away just as silently.

But now there was another issue—what exactly could she do for Jiang Qingyue?

It was downright agonizing. Li Xingcan slumped over her desk, just catching a glimpse of Jiang Qingyue’s back. She was absorbed in writing, seemingly completely unaffected.

How unfair. Clearly, it was Jiang Qingyue who liked her, so why was she the one left agonizing over it?

Ah, whatever. Who could blame her for having a soft heart?

As Li Xingcan mulled it over, her eyelids grew heavier. After staying up all night, sleepiness finally crept in. Truly, nothing worked better as a sedative than a school desk—more effective than sleeping pills.

She fell into a deep sleep, only to be jolted awake by the class bell. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, momentarily disoriented about what year it even was. Stretching, she spotted Fu Duosui grinning as she sidled up beside her.

Yawning, Li Xingcan propped her head up with one hand, recalling the earlier matter. “All settled?”

“Absolutely!” Fu Duosui declared with unwavering confidence. “I already talked to Ou Jin and cleared things up. I told her it definitely wasn’t you secretly crushing on Jiang Qingyue—it’s Jiang Qingyue who likes you! One hundred percent true!”

Thud!

At those words, Li Xingcan’s hand slipped from under her chin, sending her forehead crashing onto the desk with a loud bang.

“Fu Duosui!”

Her shout was like a thunderclap, instantly drawing everyone’s attention—including Jiang Qingyue’s.

Li Xingcan immediately clamped her mouth shut, shooting Fu Duosui a glare before dragging her outside.

“How could you just blurt that out to everyone?!” Li Xingcan was on the verge of losing it. She genuinely wanted to know what exactly filled Fu Duosui’s head—was it just junk food?

“Didn’t you ask me to clear up the rumor? And what’s the big deal about Jiang Qingyue liking you?” Fu Duosui couldn’t make sense of Li Xingcan’s reaction. This girl was seriously unpredictable.

“Of course it’s a big deal! Jiang Qingyue has so much pride. Where’s she supposed to save face if you go around saying that?” Without even thinking, Li Xingcan could already picture how humiliated Jiang Qingyue would be upon hearing this—and how she’d probably never speak to her again.

The thought made Li Xingcan want to strangle Fu Duosui right then and there. The original rumor about her secretly crushing on Jiang Qingyue would’ve been better.

“You understand her that well and even care about her pride? You’re really confusing me here. So, do you like her or not?” Fu Duosui was genuinely baffled. After years of friendship, she’d never seen Li Xingcan act like this.

“I—” Li Xingcan’s reply stuck in her throat. Under Fu Duosui’s probing gaze, she waved a hand impatiently. “Why do you care so much? Just go fix the rumor!”

“And how am I supposed to fix it this time? At this rate, my words are gonna start sounding like nonsense.” Fu Duosui grumbled while eyeing Li Xingcan skeptically.

“Deny everything! There’s no such thing as anyone liking anyone!”

Li Xingcan emphasized to Fu Duosui.