If someone had been capable of killing with a glance, their eyes would probably have looked just like Liu Zihan's as she stared at Hua Shu.
Hua Shu's words had really rubbed her the wrong way. If she hadn't been in Liu Fengying's arms, with whom she didn't want to start a conflict, Liu Zihan would most likely have used force to shut her up.
"What? Did I say something untrue?", Hua Shu wasn't even slightly intimidated by the fury radiating from Liu Zihan. After all, justice was on her side, wasn't it? Besides, she was convinced that, beyond shooting her a dirty look, Liu Zihan wouldn't do anything because she cared too much about her image as a goddess above worldly matters.
Hua Shu was only half right, because Liu Zihan no longer gave a damn about her image. Still, it was true she didn't know how to argue back, because Hua Shu's accusations made sense; even she would have thought the same thing about someone in her situation. That was precisely why Hua Shu's words had cut so deeply.
Even so, Liu Zihan still hoped she hadn't fallen too far in Liu Fengying's eyes. They had been best friends for about five years, after all.
"Sister, Hua Shu is wrong. I didn't come to you with such intentions…", Liu Zihan raised her head to make eye contact with Liu Fengying, who stood behind Hua Shu, her voice filled with bitterness, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"Hmph, everyone thinks she's an ice queen, but when she opens her mouth and says more than two words, her green tea tendencies show through…", Hua Shu muttered, turning to look at Liu Fengying to see what her attitude was.
".....", Liu Fengying, who had until then remained on the sidelines with an expression that seemed to say, "You two fight, and I'll love whoever wins," didn't know what to say now that she was suddenly the center of attention.
"Ahem, it's not that I suspect you came with bad intentions… but there's a good chance the outcome of your visit will be just as Hua Shu described…", Liu Fengying didn't want to let the conflict drag on now that the ball was in her court, so she gave a neutral answer that wouldn't upset anyone.
As for how sincere Liu Zihan was, Liu Fengying didn't bother analyzing it too deeply. How could anyone trust the sincerity of someone with one foot in each camp? Still, since she didn't intend to rekindle her relationship with Liu Zihan, the girl's sincerity—or lack thereof—wouldn't make any difference.
The only problem was that Liu Zihan seemed obsessed with the change in her behavior. So, to avoid being pursued in the future, Liu Fengying decided it would be better to offer an explanation.
"As for my changes, they're not because of a head injury or some strange illness; I just had some revelations that made me see the past in a new light. As you can see, I'm in great shape…"
No matter how thick the sick-person filter through which she viewed Liu Fengying was, Liu Zihan couldn't deny her words—she really did look great at that moment. Her face showed no signs of fatigue, and her body seemed healthy and strong. She couldn't help but wonder if her suspicions had been wrong.
On the one hand, that brought her some relief, as she felt guilty for not stepping in sooner to stop Zhang Mei from hurting Liu Fengying. On the other hand, it left a bitter taste in her mouth, making her realize how far she and Liu Fengying had drifted apart—she could no longer read her sister's thoughts.
Moreover, the reason Liu Fengying gave for her behavioral change raised more questions than answers. What kind of revelations had she had? Had she realized she was better off not caring about her anymore? Considering the way Liu Fengying had treated her now and during their last meeting, Liu Zihan had to admit that possibility was likely.
As if Liu Fengying wanted to confirm her suspicions, she handed her an eviction notice before Zihan could say another word.
"Anyway, break's almost over, so you'd better head back to your class…"
Liu Zihan didn't want to stay either because she no longer knew how to behave around Liu Fengying. Also, since she couldn't bring up her mental health without sounding nagging, she had no safe topics left. Maybe small talk, like the weather or some new TV show, but Liu Zihan, who had developed a bit of a spoiled-girl attitude from being constantly flattered and having everything, wasn't the type to stick around and beg for attention.
"You're right. Sorry for bothering you…", said Liu Zihan, trying to maintain the same calm demeanor she'd had when she arrived. But when her eyes met Hua Shu's smug expression, she couldn't help but add, sarcastically, "Have fun, then…" before turning her back and heading toward the door.
"Don't worry! We can have fun even without your blessing…", Hua Shu called out after her as she didn't want to see Liu Zihan leave with such a proud expression. Hadn't she just been practically kicked out by Liu Fengying? Why was she acting like she was still in control?
But Liu Zihan either didn't hear or pretended not to hear her, walking out of the classroom without turning back, making Hua Shu's verbal jab bounce back uselessly.
"Hmph, I don't know what she's so proud of…" Hua Shu turned toward Liu Fengying, her eyes urging her to join in criticizing Liu Zihan.
Liu Fengying, who had spent her past life upholding the impeccable manners of a royal family member, didn't know how to respond to Hua Shu's invitation; she couldn't just start gossiping in public like the aunts at the market.
"It's not easy for her either. Her situation… it's complicated…", Liu Fengying found herself acting as a peacemaker, as if Hua Shu were the one in conflict with Liu Zihan, not her.
Hua Shu wasn't thrilled. Her expression reminded Liu Fengying of a general watching their troops celebrate a victory instead of pursuing the retreating enemy.
Hua Shu had been ready to lecture Liu Fengying about how scheming illegitimate children could be, but remembering the rumors about Fengying's conflicts with her family, she gave up the idea. Fengying probably knew better than anyone because she'd lived through it. Besides, she didn't want to ruin her friend's good mood over her recovery by bringing up painful memories.
"Anyway, you're way too soft on her…", Hua Shu eventually said, thinking Liu Fengying had gotten sentimental just by seeing her half-sister again. After all, it was well-known that they'd once been very close.
Liu Fengying didn't share that opinion; she simply didn't want to stir up more drama unnecessarily. Besides, it wasn't like she had any real reason to hate Liu Zihan—she had never seen any proof that the girl had caused her harm, directly or indirectly. In a way, their conflict was ideological.
But those were private thoughts she couldn't explain to Hua Shu in front of all those watching eyes, so she decided to steer the conversation away from Liu Zihan, who had become a boring topic, and toward something far more pleasant.
"Now that she's gone, tell me—how exactly are we going to continue having fun?", Liu Fengying leaned in until her face was just inches from Hua Shu's ear, ignoring the decision she had made moments earlier to stop acting ambiguous with her.
Hadn't Hua Shu just stood up for her? Liu Fengying thought it would be rude to treat her savior coldly now. Besides, once you've started eating dessert, it's a shame not to finish it.
"Huh?", Hua Shu didn't understand what Liu Fengying meant.
Liu Fengying was amused that Hua Shu had forgotten what she'd shouted just a minute ago.
"Didn't you just tell my sister we'd keep having fun after she left?"
Hua Shu's first instinct was to defend herself, to explain she'd only said that to irritate Liu Zihan, but thanks to the experience she'd gained from her interactions with Liu Fengying that morning, she realized the girl probably had mischievous intentions again.
'No, Hua Shu! Keep calm! Why does she sound like I cheated on her feelings? It's obvious this sly fox is just trying to mess with my innocent heart again…'
"Err… we could team up in an online game. What games do you have on your phone?", Hua Shu looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. She figured that as long as she kept her cool and didn't let her imagination run wild, Liu Fengying wouldn't be able to mess with her anymore.
Fengying easily saw through her strategy and, of course, immediately thought of several ways to counter it. But not wanting their relationship to become more complicated, just limited to harmless teasing, she decided to let it slide this time.
"Hmm, maybe next break. There's not enough time now…", Liu Fengying said. But before Hua Shu could get too proud of herself, she added, "Anyway, ShuShu, how much longer are you planning to stay on my lap? Not that I don't want to keep holding you, but I don't think the biology teacher would approve…"
Only then did Hua Shu realize Liu Fengying hadn't had her arm around her for a while. But when had she been released? She couldn't remember but guessed it must have happened during her argument with Liu Zihan, after she stopped wanting to escape.
Seeing Fengying's smug expression, if she hadn't still been shaken by how quickly she'd been restrained earlier, Hua Shu might have pounced on her.
'She can be so annoying. But what can I do? The gods probably put her in my path just so I'd be forced to learn what self-control means...', Hua Shu thought bitterly.
Final exams? Who cared? She was more worried about how she'd survive sitting next to a fox in human form, completely at her mercy like a baby chick.