Chapter 25.

 Here's the translation of the text from Chinese to English:

This was the second time today that Yu Luoyin had asked about Mu Anping.

The first time, Bai Xunyin couldn't be bothered to respond, and she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge him. This time, however, she couldn't help but frown and typed back: "[What do you mean?]"

A faint fragrance lingered around the girl daily, a scent of unknown origin—possibly perfume or shampoo, both equally possible, as Yu Luoyin had often noticed before.

This scent seemed to have a magical charm, always giving a feeling of comfort and pleasure. At this moment, it also considerably eased his restless mood.

Yu Luoyin fell silent for a moment and slowly said, "I watched you from outside the door for over an hour. I saw you smile at him thirteen times."

Bai Xunyin was stunned.

Yu Luoyin asked again, "He likes you. What about you?"

Before she could reply, a crisp slap 'pa' resounded, abruptly ending all pretenses between them.

This was the first time in Bai Xunyin's seventeen years of life that she had struck someone. Her palm still throbbed with a burning pain, and her fingertips trembled slightly.

It was also the first time in Yu Luoyin's eighteen years of life that he had been slapped. He seemed stunned, five distinct finger marks visible on his fair, delicate cheek, staring blankly at Bai Xunyin.

Throughout their relationship, Yu Luoyin had been adept at showing vulnerability, adept at "acting cute," often effortlessly making Bai Xunyin feel sorry for him, pampering him—

For instance, during Christmas when he complained about not receiving a holiday apple from her, Bai Xunyin went home and packed a bag full of holiday apples for him, even leaving a note in each apple as compensation.

For example, Yu Luoyin mentioned being accustomed to escorting her home and to school. Lately, he was too lazy to wake up early, so Bai Xunyin started making breakfast herself, sharing it with him on their bicycles...

Later, Yu Luoyin told her he liked the breakfast she made, couldn't get used to anything else.

Unconsciously, Bai Xunyin devoted more effort, occasionally even bringing him lunch... but now she wasn't sure if all this was just deception.

In any case, Yu Luoyin was good at acting cute to make her heart soft, to make her feel tender.

But now, in the clear black depths of the boy's eyes flickered an incredible shattered light, and Bai Xunyin remained unmoved.

There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died, no greater sadness than silence.

Bai Xunyin thanked Yu Luoyin for allowing her to experience what it felt like to "hit someone" for the first time.

He had given her sweetness, anticipation, deception, shock, and sorrow, among many flavors, a complete spectrum.

Bai Xunyin faced Yu Luoyin's gaze fearlessly, typing each word to him deliberately—

[Don't think everyone is like you, standing with one foot in two boats.]

Bai Xunyin never thought that Yu Luoyin would suspect her of having an ambiguous relationship with another boy, making her feel she had slapped him too lightly.

Overcome with emotion, she simply vented it all at once—

[Yu Luoyin, stop bothering me. I know you're with me because of a bet, just like Lu Ye chased me before. I heard your words that day. You must have won.]

[Acting with a mute person like me is tiring, annoying, and tedious. Please spare yourself and spare me.]

[The person you are now truly disgusts me.]

Bai Xunyin finished typing the last line on her phone screen, inadvertently causing Yu Luoyin's pupils to contract slightly.

Taking advantage of his stunned moment, Bai Xunyin pushed him away forcefully and 'escaped'.

From the impatient silhouette of the girl, it was evident that she regarded herself as a wild beast.

Yu Luoyin's eyes unconsciously followed her, watching as Bai Xunyin met Amo and Mu Anping. The boy urgently asked her something, and the girl gently shook her head. The three then got into a car together.

The taxi drove away, completely escaping his sight.

Yu Luoyin withdrew his gaze, his slender fingers unconsciously touching his face where he had just been slapped.

The girl hadn't held back with that slap, using all her strength. It temporarily cleared his mind, making him realize his current thoughts and actions were all completely wrong.

How could he suspect Bai Xunyin of having something with that boy? He was really being confused.

She had high standards, seeming gentle but actually proud. How could anyone else so easily catch her eye?

Yu Luoyin could tell, during their relationship, Bai Xunyin had genuinely liked him.

Just now, he had been too impulsive, lost all self-confidence, and misunderstood Bai Xunyin. The girl must be even more angry now.

Her accusations, word by word, made Yu Luoyin feel for the first time that he had done something wrong.

But a bet was just that, just talk. Could it really be so important?

Even if the motives for dating weren't pure, could they be more important than the actual relationship?

Yu Luoyin couldn't help but sneer, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly where the girl had slapped him. The pain of a slight tear—Bai Xunyin had hit hard.

However... Yu Luoyin unconsciously squinted his eyes, licked the corner of his mouth, and unexpectedly 'relished' that slap just now.

For the quiet and aloof girl, there was a hint of 'spiciness' beneath her simplicity.

It was intriguing and made him inexplicably want more.

*

Bai Xunyin had no idea that Yu Luoyin's thoughts were gradually becoming twisted. She had vented, hit someone, typed out a lot of words to scold him, then escaped back into the taxi, and all the way home the hand that had just hit Yu Luoyin was trembling faintly.

Although it was out of anger, after all, it was the first time she had ever hit someone. Bai Xinyin's mind was buzzing and in complete disarray. She couldn't quite hear what Amo and Mu Anping were saying beside her, as if all she could see were their moving lips—everyone around seemed to have turned into strange creatures, only capable of opening their mouths to swallow.

"Yinyin! Yinyin?" Amo, after exchanging a few words with Mu Anping, keenly noticed that something was wrong with Bai Xinyin's mood. He couldn't help but reach out and shake her shoulder. "What's wrong with you?"

Her detached soul was jolted back. Bai Xinyin's scattered eyes gradually focused, and she looked down at her fingers.

After a moment, she shook her head lightly, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

She wasn't troubled by the nonsense about not agreeing to break up that Yu Luoyin had spouted during PE class.

She didn't care about the lies that brought them together, never having truly been together in the first place, so what was there to break up from?

Yu Luoyin wasn't worthy.

The next day, from the teachers to the students, everyone noticed the vivid slap mark on Yu Luoyin's left cheek.

With his fair and tender skin, the heavy slap naturally wouldn't fade quickly. Instead, it seemed to have "deepened" after a night of settling, appearing with shades of green and purple that were somewhat frightening.

Almost everyone's initial reaction upon seeing it was: Did Yu Luoyin's parents beat him up like this?

Those who were close to him directly approached to ask, while those who weren't couldn't help but snicker. Even the class teacher, Yu Shen, called him to the office for inquiry—a special treatment for a good student. His brow furrowed. "What happened to your face?"

Yu Luoyin stood before Yu Shen's desk, with slightly lowered black eyes and an expressionless face. "Nothing, ran into... some trouble on the way home, got into a fight off-campus."

In fact, it was the first time he had been so embarrassedly surrounded by people, but he was calm about it, not understanding why everyone around him was making such a fuss. It was just a beating, not some unheard-of tale. Those kids who hadn't seen each other before acted as if they had just encountered some big news.

Except for the "assailant" Bai Xinyin, that little hoodlum.

Previously in the class, Yu Luoyin had heard Amo jokingly call him "Pig Face," but Bai Xinyin pretended not to hear, continuing to write in her exercise book as if she hadn't caused the wound on his face.

Damn, she was ruthless.

Yu Luoyin couldn't help but tug at the corners of his mouth. He forgot about his "injury" for a moment and frowned in pain.

"It's almost time for the first mock exam. Can't you behave yourself for once?" Yu Shen watched Yu Luoyin, who looked like a "grinning fool," and couldn't help but sigh with frustration. "At such a crucial moment, you get into a fight. Couldn't you call the police if you ran into thugs?"

"Uh-huh." Yu Luoyin lazily nodded. "I know, thanks for your concern, teacher."

"..." Yu Shen stared at him. "Why do I feel like you're just brushing me off?"

Yu Luoyin blinked innocently. "No."

"Forget it, let's talk about something else." Yu Shen couldn't be bothered and looked around. Like a thief, he confirmed there was no one else in the office before speaking. "There have been some rumors at school recently about you and Bai Xinyin having an early romance. Is there any truth to this?"

Yu Luoyin's brows subtly twitched, but before Yu Shen could capture the slightest change, he resumed his calm demeanor, casually shrugging. "No, who's spreading these rumors?"

Yu Shen stared at him seriously. "Really nothing?"

Yu Luoyin shook his head. "Nothing."

As he spoke, he quickly thought of those who knew about him and Bai Xinyin—those opponents at Sanzhong who were fanatical about cracking down on early romances but didn't advocate for them. If a teacher really found out, they would be severely criticized and their parents called. However, if they weren't caught, it was no big deal.

So who would come to the teacher to report this?

His buddies couldn't possibly do it, and Amo, Bai Xinyin's only friend around, couldn't either. So...

"So you mean someone is spreading rumors about you and Bai Xinyin?" Yu Shen scrutinized him sternly. "But I've heard quite a few of these rumors recently. I can't just ignore them, especially during such a restless time in senior high."

Yu Shen didn't know what he was recalling, his face remaining impassive. After a moment of contemplation, he knocked on the desk. "Here's the deal: is this period a self-study session? Go get Bai Xinyin and bring her here. I'll check with both of you."

Yu Luoyin's eyes lit up. "Teacher, you want me to go get Bai Xinyin?"

Yu Shen impatiently said, "Hurry up, what are you waiting for?"

Yu Luoyin smiled and graciously accepted. "Okay."

After saying that, he turned and left the office with lighter steps.

Back in the classroom, Yu Luoyin's blush and green face still managed to attract quite a few glances at first. He ignored all the "gazes of attention" around him and walked straight to Bai Xinyin's desk. Leaning slightly towards her ear, he whispered, "Lao Yu wants you, says to come to the office."

The sound of his breath lingered around Bai Xinyin's fair earlobes, and Yu Luoyin keenly noticed her fingers tightening around the pen.

He couldn't help but smile faintly.

Two minutes later, with many eyes in the classroom watching them strangely, the two walked out of the classroom, one after the other. In the empty corridor, Bai Xinyin's steps were extremely fast, as if she was rushing to fight someone.

But with a long-legged young man like him, he soon caught up.

"You slapped pretty hard yesterday. That mark probably won't fade for three or four days." Yu Luoyin walked up beside her and lazily asked, "Feeling better now?"

Bai Xinyin's steps froze.

"If you're not feeling better..." Yu Luoyin also stopped, turned around, and looked down at the girl with chestnut-colored eyes. Slowly and deliberately, he said, "Do you want me to slap your right cheek too?"

...

Bai Xinyin couldn't help but find it funny.

At this moment, Yu Luoyin actually thought she was "holding a grudge."

Taking a deep breath, she took out her phone and typed a message to him: [Did the teacher really call for me?]

Yu Luoyin nodded.

[Then I won't waste time. Let me tell you.] Bai Xinyin typed each word decisively, her fingertips light yet resolute—

[I'm not holding a grudge. I really just dislike you.]

..................................................................................................................

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