Volume 2 Chapter 25
by Need_More_SleepVolume 2 + Chapter 25: A Long Distance
Since the night of Ouyang Qianxue’s birthday, Bai Yuxuan hadn’t come to school for an entire day.
“Is he okay?” Looking at the empty seat beside him, Ouyang Qianxue felt somewhat uneasy.
Meanwhile, outside Bai Yuxuan’s apartment…
“Young Master, are you home?” Xiao Liu had been knocking on the door for a long time with no response. Left with no choice, she used the spare key Bai Yuxuan had given her to unlock the apartment door.
Upon entering, she found all the curtains drawn, plunging the entire apartment into darkness. When she reached the living room, she discovered Bai Yuxuan slumped on the sofa, hair disheveled, with an extremely pale complexion.
“Young Master, why are you lying here?” Bai Yuxuan, however, did not respond.
“Could it be…” Seeing Bai Yuxuan’s pallor, Xiao Liu anxiously reached out to feel her forehead.
“So hot! A fever, as I thought!”
“You’re burning up so badly, you can’t just lie here like this.” Xiao Liu promptly helped Bai Yuxuan to her bed.
“To think the Young Master would fall ill…” After settling Bai Yuxuan into bed, Xiao Liu couldn’t help but sigh. Since childhood, Bai Yuxuan had practiced martial arts and had always been in robust health. In all the years Xiao Liu had served her, she had never seen her fall sick before.
“It seems the inner turmoil has manifested physically. The impact of this recent event must be truly severe for her. She didn’t even fall ill last time when her own father used her as a shield…”
After placing a cool towel on her forehead and preparing some fever-reducing medicine, Xiao Liu turned to go to the kitchen to make some congee.
Just then, Bai Yuxuan suddenly grabbed her hand.
“Don’t… Don’t leave me, Ouyang Qianxue.” Bai Yuxuan’s eyes were half-open as she spoke haltingly.
Her expression was filled with anxiety, as if afraid the person before her would depart.
“She must be delirious from the fever, mistaking me for Ouyang Qianxue. Sigh, you said you’d give up on her yesterday, but your heart still clings to her, doesn’t it?” After a moment’s thought, Xiao Liu gently took Bai Yuxuan’s hand in hers and, leaning close to her ear, softly imitated Ouyang Qianxue’s tone.
“How did you manage to get yourself into such a state? Fine, I suppose I can reluctantly take care of you for a bit.”
Hearing Xiao Liu’s imitation, the furrow in Bai Yuxuan’s brow gradually smoothed, and she slowly released her grip.
Looking at Bai Yuxuan lying in bed, Xiao Liu’s heart ached for her. She secretly vowed to help her Young Master achieve her wish and decided to start investigating Ouyang Qianxue more deeply again, this time without Bai Yuxuan’s knowledge.
Meanwhile, in a room at a five-star hotel…
A tall, shirtless young man was awakened by the insistent ringing of his phone.
“Hey, Dad, what’s up?”
“What’s up? Where did you run off to fool around last night, you brat? Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
“Sorry, I went to bed early last night, probably didn’t hear it. And I’m old enough now, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Lin Shao, what’s the matter?” A woman lying next to him, also unclothed, asked seductively.
“You little punk, fooling around with women outside again, aren’t you?!” On the other end of the line, Lin’s father roared furiously upon hearing the woman’s voice.
“Why do you think I sent you to that key high school in the capital in the first place? It was so you could surpass the Bai family’s Bai Yuxuan and restore our Lin family’s standing! And what have you done? Spent three years learning nothing but how to chase women! Starting tomorrow, you’re coming back to Xijiang to attend Sakura International School. The transfer procedures are all arranged. This time, you will apply yourself seriously to your studies!” With that, Father Lin hung up.
“Lin Shao, are you leaving tomorrow?” The woman in Lin Shao’s arms asked anxiously upon hearing the phone conversation.
“Well, it’s my old man’s order. Annoying, but gotta listen, right? Don’t worry, I’ll be back before long.”
After saying this, Lin Shao kissed the woman on the forehead, put on his clothes, and started packing.
“Hmph, damn old man. Can’t compete with the current head of the Bai family himself, so he pushes me to compete with Bai Yuxuan. I’m not his tool. Why should I dance to his tune? I just want to live my own carefree life. My life is mine to decide!” With that, Lin Shao left the hotel.
And now, at Sakura International School…
With the monthly exams approaching, Ouyang Qianxue was, as usual, buried in his books. Suddenly, the chair next to him was pulled out.
“Ah!” Ouyang Qianxue looked up in surprise. The person taking the seat was none other than Bai Yuxuan, who had been absent for three days.
“Where have you been these past few days? You had everyone worr—” The words slipped out instinctively but caught in his throat as he realized Bai Yuxuan wasn’t paying him any attention.
(Ah… I was the one who told her to keep her distance.) Remembering this, Ouyang Qianxue stole a glance at Bai Yuxuan. He noticed her eyes had regained their former coldness, now tinged with an added layer of loneliness.
Thus, neither spoke further, each quietly tending to their own affairs.
“So? Has Bai Yuxuan approached you since then?” During lunch break, Wang Qian took the opportunity while Ning Caiwei was away to ask Ouyang Qianxue.
“He hasn’t spoken a word to me all day. It’s like before…”
“That’s good, Qianxue. Once this semester ends, we’ll be second-year students. Just get through the next two years steadily, and you’ll get what you want.” Having said that, Wang Qian walked away.
Recalling the lonely look in Bai Yuxuan’s eyes that night left Ouyang Qianxue feeling unsettled. He went to the music room, sat at the piano, and began to play.
“Qianxue, you seem a bit off your game today.” A voice came from behind him just as he finished playing. Turning, he saw it was Ning Caiwei.
“No, I’ve just been feeling a bit troubled lately.”
“Let me guess… Bai Yuxuan?”
“Why bring him up?”
“Because lately, when I come to the classroom to find you, the atmosphere between you two seems different from before. It feels… more distant?”
“Things have always been like that between us.”
“Is that so? Well, whatever. Bai Yuxuan is irrelevant. As long as I can hear you play Qianxue, and spend lunch breaks with you, I’m happy.” After all, from Ning Caiwei’s perspective, the fewer rivals, the better. She had no interest in poking her nose into other people’s business.
At that moment, a young man arrived at the school building. This young man was Lin Shao.
“So this is Sakura International School?” Lin Shao remarked, glancing at the school gate.
“Well then, I suppose I should go say hello to the top dog around here first.” With that, Lin Shao stepped through the school gates.
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