In just a short time, the newly transferred student overshadowed the once-popular figure Xia Miao, becoming the center of attention. He was like a rapidly spreading virus, highly contagious—within mere days, discussions about him echoed throughout the school.
"Did you see? Fu Lan smiled at me today! Just because I spent all my allowance to buy him a gift, he smiled at me!"
"I skipped class to buy the finest caviar from the neighboring city for Fu Lan. He praised me and even glanced at me twice—it was amazing! He looked at me twice today!"
"Fu Lan said the trees behind Dexin Building are too tall and block the sunlight. Let's go burn them down!"
...
Even in the quiet library, murmurs about Fu Lan frequently arose. Strangely, the librarian didn’t intervene but instead joined the crowd, arguing over who Fu Lan had glanced at more that day.
Xia Miao watched as Luo Xiaoluo suddenly stood up beside her. She asked, "Where are you going?"
Luo Xiaoluo’s eyes gleamed with madness as she exclaimed excitedly, "Fu Lan doesn’t like those trees. I’m going to burn them too!"
"Are you insane? Starting a fire at school—do you even want to graduate?" Xia Miao grabbed Luo Xiaoluo’s wrist, unable to tell if she was truly deranged or just joking.
The grip seemed to snap Luo Xiaoluo out of her trance. The frenzy in her eyes faded, replaced by clarity. She murmured dazedly, "You’re right… Arson is wrong. How could I even think of that?"
She slumped back into her chair, her expression still slightly vacant.
Xia Miao sighed in exasperation. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out an unopened limited-edition eyeshadow palette—"Mermaid’s Tears." "Here, take it. Instead of losing your mind, why not spend time making yourself prettier?"
Luo Xiaoluo’s spirits instantly revived at the sight of the coveted makeup. Clutching the palette, she adopted Xia Miao’s favorite exaggerated tone, "Miao, you’re the best friend ever!"
If moments ago, Luo Xiaoluo had been like a mindless victim of a virus, her desires reduced solely to Fu Lan, Xia Miao had now reignited her other passions—rendering the barely acquainted Fu Lan insignificant.
Luo Xiaoluo suddenly remembered something in her bag. She pulled out a packet of cookies. "Miao, you said you liked the macarons I made last time, so I baked some more."
Just as she opened the package, a bright, cheerful voice chimed in.
"Wow, those look delicious! Can I have one?"
Normally, such a brazen request would be off-putting—but this was Fu Lan.
His eyes curved into crescents, his lips—red and upturned, as if stained with rouge—parted in a smile. The moment his obsidian-like gaze met hers, an inexplicable thrill surged through her.
He’s looking at me. Only at me. Doesn’t his love for me overflow from his eyes?
Luo Xiaoluo’s expression turned infatuated as she offered the cookies. "Fu Lan, please help yourself."
Fu Lan picked up a pink macaron and took a delicate bite. The sight of his perfect lips grazing the cookie stirred an irrational jealousy in onlookers.
"Truly delicious," he praised warmly, without restraint.
Xia Miao might have imagined it, but she swore his eyes flicked to her—mocking, disdainful, dripping with venom.
Fu Lan casually settled into the seat beside Luo Xiaoluo, resting his chin on his hands. His enchanting face glowed with a bewitching smile as he blinked innocently. "Since you shared such tasty treats, let me treat you to ice cream."
Luo Xiaoluo, already spellbound, forgot Xia Miao entirely and eagerly prepared to follow him.
Then—splash!
A water bottle inexplicably flew out of Xia Miao’s bag, its cap popping open before drenching Fu Lan.
Xia Miao gasped, covering her mouth in faux shock. "Oh no! I’m so sorry—it was an accident!"
Luo Xiaoluo jolted, her mind clearing slightly.
Fu Lan’s jacket and pants were soaked. A tempest of fury churned in his eyes, his malice nearly bursting forth to tear the audacious girl limb from limb.
Yet, in seconds, he suppressed it. His face morphed into pure innocence, his eyes reddening pitifully as he whispered to Luo Xiaoluo, "Don’t blame your friend. She must’ve had a reason… Maybe I did something wrong to deserve this."
The stench of green tea was overwhelming.
Luo Xiaoluo’s fervor reignited. "Miao, how could you—"
Xia Miao slid an airline ticket and an event pass across the table. "Didn’t you say you wanted to be a designer? Milan Fashion Week is coming up. I got you tickets."
Luo Xiaoluo snapped back to reality, snatching the tickets before turning to Fu Lan. "You’re right. Miao didn’t mean it. I won’t hold it against her."
Fu Lan’s eyelid twitched imperceptibly.
Xia Miao added, "I’m craving Ding Ding’s Four Seasons Milk Tea."
Luo Xiaoluo, ever the eager lackey, declared, "I’ll go buy it!" and dashed off.
Now, only the two rivals remained in the corner, locked in a silent battle.
Their gazes clashed, neither willing to yield. The air crackled with tension, as if the brink of World War III loomed.
Whoever blinked or looked away first would lose this round.
Then—thud!
A high-heeled foot slammed into the boy’s shin under the table.
He grunted in pain, instinctively blinking and doubling over to clutch his leg.
Xia Miao blinked her dry eyes a beat later, rubbing them for effect before straightening her posture.
Fu Lan’s fake smile vanished. His glare turned venomous, his malice seeping into the air like poison.
The young miss tilted her chin up, arms crossed, her exquisite face mirroring his scorn. "Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. You’re deliberately provoking me."
From the moment Fu Lan arrived at this school, he’d noticed Xia Miao was the center of attention.
But it didn’t matter. Soon, he’d seize everyone’s adoration. Stealing the spotlight, becoming the sole obsession in every heart—that was the essence of his greed.
As for Xia Miao? She was just a pitiful fool.
But Fu Lan noticed something was different this time. Xia Miao's influence still lingered, yet she wasn't like those others who had been madly infatuated with him.
This shouldn't be happening.
She should have been like those ugly, foolish, laughable pigs, screaming his name in frenzy.
Instead, she stood her ground against him, and to make matters worse, she even had the audacity to kick him!
