According to Fang Keai, the boy she had a crush on had injured his leg and was now staying in the infirmary. He was a quiet, reserved guy, and though Fang Keai had wanted to talk to him many times, she could never muster the courage.
"Maybe... he doesn’t even know who I am," Fang Keai mumbled, her head drooping in disappointment.
Xia Miao encouraged her, "You’re so cute, and your personality is amazing—how could he not remember you?"
Fang Keai’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Then... what should I do now?"
"Make him pursue you!"
Fang Keai blinked in surprise. "How would he ever pursue me?"
"Don’t worry, leave it to me!" Xia Miao thumped her chest confidently, her eyes gleaming with wisdom.
After school, instead of hurrying back to the dorm, Xia Miao stayed in the now-empty classroom, scribbling furiously as she drafted a "love strategy" for Fang Keai.
Her phone buzzed incessantly, but she couldn’t be bothered to check it. She didn’t notice the tree outside shaking violently, its leaves rustling and falling in waves, heavy with a certain boy’s resentment.
"Alright, just follow this plan—it’s foolproof!"
Fang Keai examined Xia Miao’s love strategy:
[1. Love is a battlefield. Whoever surrenders first loses the upper hand and will forever be led around like a dog on a leash.
2. Create opportunities to appear in front of him frequently, leaving a deep impression.
3. Investigate his hobbies and interests, then use subtle details to make him feel like you share common ground.
4. Most importantly—never confess first!]
Fang Keai hesitated. "But I’ve barely spoken to him... I don’t even know what he likes."
"No problem, I’ll handle it!"
Xia Miao, feeling like she was playing a fun little game, took on the task and sneaked to the infirmary door. Peeking from behind it, she cautiously observed the boy lying on the bed inside.
The boy had an ordinary face, his left arm in a cast, leaning against the headboard as he played on his phone.
Was this really the guy Fang Keai liked?
She muttered, "Utterly unremarkable."
Another head popped up beside hers, echoing, "Utterly unremarkable."
Startled, she turned to see a familiar face and quickly dragged him away, crouching behind the wall. "What are you doing here?"
Lu Yan grumbled, "Just passing by."
His clear voice was thick with sulkiness, too embarrassed to admit he was upset because she hadn’t replied to his messages in ages.
Stealing a glance at her face, he added awkwardly, "School’s over. Let’s go eat together."
Xia Miao shook her head. "Can’t. I still have to help someone."
Lu Yan: "With what?"
Xia Miao: "I need to find out more about that guy inside—his hobbies and interests."
If she had to investigate everything herself, who knew how late it’d be by the time she finished?
Lu Yan’s eyes flickered with thought. "I know that guy well. I’ll ask for you."
Xia Miao brightened. "That’d be perfect!"
"I’ll go in alone. Don’t follow me—if he sees a stranger, he might clam up and not say anything."
Xia Miao found his reasoning sound and nodded. "Fine, I’ll wait here."
Lu Yan gave a reliable "Mhm," shoved his hands in his pockets, and strode into the infirmary, closing the door behind him.
The boy with the broken arm, recovering from his injury, was named Ding Renlu. He had gotten hurt in last night’s "game" but had at least survived.
Not long ago, he’d added a friend named Lin Gaoshan, who looked much older than his age.
[Ding Renlu, since we’ve both survived so many games, it means we’ve got some skills, right? If we team up, we’ll have a much better chance of staying alive.]
In Red Moon Academy, lone wolves rarely survived. Only by forming teams could one increase their odds.
Ding Renlu was tempted and typed back:
[What’s your plan?]
Lin Gaoshan replied quickly: [Do you know Xia Miao?]
Ding Renlu: [That really pretty girl?]
Lin Gaoshan: [Exactly. I’ve got insider info—one of the players this time has a special ability, and I suspect it’s her. You must’ve heard, right? Xia Miao faced the Murder Ghost and lived. That’s never happened before!]
Ding Renlu’s heart skipped a beat. [What do you want to do?]
[Work with me. We can force her to reveal her secret.]
"Force" was just a euphemism for kidnapping.
Ding Renlu still hesitated. [Why should I trust you?]
Lin Gaoshan sent a photo. [I’m with SU.]
The image was an employee ID card bearing a sunflower emblem.
SU—short for Sunflower Company—was a 21st-century corporate giant, especially in life sciences and technology, leading the world. There were even rumors that the fog-shrouded Red Moon Academy was once one of SU’s old sites.
Since Lin Gaoshan claimed Xia Miao had special abilities and was affiliated with the renowned tech company, Ding Renlu couldn’t help but trust him a little more.
He replied: [Fine, I’ll help.]
Just as he sent the message, the door clicked shut. He looked up—and screamed.
Xia Miao waited outside for a while before the infirmary door opened again. Lu Yan sauntered out, still looking as aloof as ever.
She rushed over. "Well? Did you find out?"
Lu Yan waved a hand dismissively. "Of course. We’re good friends—just a quick chat, and he spilled everything."
He handed her a slip of paper. "Here, all his info’s written down."
About ten minutes later, the note reached Fang Keai’s hands.
[Has dated three people. Likes men, not women.]
The moment she read that, Fang Keai’s face twisted in shock. Then, clutching the note, her eyes welled up as she whimpered, "So... he likes men?"
Xia Miao hurried to console her. "It’s not your fault! There are plenty of guys out there—you’re amazing, you’ll definitely find someone better!"
"But... but..." Fang Keai sniffled, burying her face in Xia Miao’s shoulder. "Do I still have a chance if I get a sex change?"
"That’s—that’s going too far!"
Fang Keai let out a loud "Waaah!" and finally burst into tears.
