Chu Xubai’s tone was calm.
He was well-mannered.
He opened his mouth and said:
"Where I come from, people who deliberately make their friends look bad aren’t called good besties."
"Is it different where you all are from?"
Dong Jiaoyan was stunned: "..."
Chu Xubai continued unhurriedly:
"I came to find Liuyue for something, and besides..." He paused, then went on, "Even if I did have feelings for her and wanted to get to know her better, how is that any of your business?"
"Meddling in others’ affairs, and even spouting a bunch of twisted nonsense before anyone has said a word—where I come from, that’s called being a gossip."
"Dong Jiaoyan, have some sense of boundaries!"
He adjusted his glasses.
Behind the lenses, his gaze was deep and sharp.
Dong Jiaoyan’s face had turned completely pale.
The faint sounds of laughter and whispers from the classmates around her reached her ears.
She had never been embarrassed in front of so many people before. After turning pale, she blushed red from awkwardness.
Immediately, she turned her head and looked at Qiao Liuyue.
Her voice was aggrieved: "Liuyue, I’m your best friend since we were kids. I’ve always had your best interests at heart. I was just joking when I said a few things earlier."
"But now Monitor Chu is making such a big deal out of it, like I’ve done something unforgivable."
"I’m really being wronged!"
After her dramatic wail, she threw out a killer question:
"Tell me, whose side are you on?"
If it had been the old Qiao Liuyue, she would have instinctively comforted Dong Jiaoyan not to be angry, cautiously trying to appease her.
Then she would have told Chu Xubai that bullying her bestie was bullying her.
But this Qiao Liuyue—
She just tilted her head slightly in confusion:
"Jiaojiao, what are you crying about?"
Dong Jiaoyan’s aggrieved sobs hitched.
"Monitor Chu scolded me!"
Qiao Liuyue: "He just stated the facts."
Dong Jiaoyan’s emotions flared, her eyes reddening.
"I’m your best friend! What do you mean by this? Are you saying I’m wrong, that I’m just here making a scene for no reason?"
"Are you?!"
Qiao Liuyue met her gaze evenly. "Yeah."
Dong Jiaoyan’s knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists, her whole body trembling slightly.
"Fine! Fine! Fine! Qiao Liuyue, I see you now. I might as well say that all my past feelings were wasted on a dog!"
"I won’t bother with you anymore from now on...!"
With that, she hurriedly ran off without stopping.
When she reached the small flower bed near the teaching building, she suddenly paused and turned around.
Behind her was empty air.
Qiao Liuyue hadn’t chased after her at all.
The fury in Dong Jiaoyan’s heart nearly consumed every bit of her reason. How dare she?! How could she?!
The old her was a little follower who did whatever she said, and now she’s grown a spine.
Was she actually standing up to her over a guy?
Fine.
Very well.
Dong Jiaoyan’s anger had nowhere to vent.
She pulled out her phone and immediately dialed a number.
"Hello?" came a deep, magnetic male voice on the other end.
Dong Jiaoyan burst out: "Xie Linchuan, I’m breaking up with you!"
The person on the other end was taken aback.
"What’s wrong, Jiaojiao? What happened? Calm down and tell me slowly."
"Do you think I don’t know you’ve been playing games behind my back with my bestie?"
She had actually spilled the beans herself about this matter.
Xie Linchuan paused, then replied, "Jiaojiao, wasn’t that alt account yours? Did you get your bestie to test me?"
"Heh!" Dong Jiaoyan gave two cold laughs, then said, "Do you think you’re so innocent? Why would I have Qiao Liuyue test you?"
"Wasn’t it because you were playing games with others behind my back? You’ve already cheated, haven’t you?"
Xie Linchuan sighed helplessly.
"I haven’t."
"Jiaojiao, there’s a reason for that, but I can’t tell you right now."
Dong Jiaoyan had no patience left and pressed him: "Don’t say ‘later.’ I don’t want to hear it. Either tell me now, or we’re done!"
Xie Linchuan thought of the big gift box he had carefully put together with several presents, prepared with great care.
"Jiaojiao, I haven’t cheated, and I haven’t flirted with anyone else. Trust me."
"And besides, you had your bestie test me, and after all that time, nothing came of it. I keep the same distance when I play games with others."
In fact, he was hinting that those games behind her back were work-related.
But Dong Jiaoyan, in her fury, couldn’t hear it.
When he mentioned Qiao Liuyue again, she couldn’t help crying out:
"What bestie? Qiao Liuyue never treated me as a true friend."
"We’ve been friends since we were kids, known each other for over ten years. I’ve always thought about her, and what does she do? She betrays our friendship over a guy."
As she spoke, she started crying again.
Xie Linchuan said calmly, "Don’t rush. Tell me slowly."
After Dong Jiaoyan sniffled and recounted the story, she still felt unsatisfied.
"Tell me, isn’t she infuriating?"
...
Qiao Liuyue and Chu Xubai walked side by side down the teaching building steps.
He spoke first: "Liuyue, you’re really good at games. Interested in taking on some commissions?"
Qiao Liuyue paused mid-step and looked at him.
"Commissions?"
Chu Xubai nodded and explained, "A few friends and I are planning to start a gaming companion studio. The cut from big guilds was too much before."
"We’re still in the recruitment phase. Since I’ve played games with you, I know your skills are solid, so I wanted to ask."
"The income might not be much at first, but as a side gig, it could at least cover bubble tea."
"Of course, if you’re not interested, just forget I asked." He smiled, his tone light.
Qiao Liuyue thought it was something serious.
She nodded immediately.
"Sure."
Chu Xubai hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly, and he was slightly caught off guard.
Then he extended his hand.
"Welcome aboard."
Qiao Liuyue paused for a moment, then asked, "Do we have to shake hands?"
Chu Xubai kept the smile on his lips.
He started to pull his hand back.
"Not at all, it’s just a habit of mine. Sorry."
As his hand was halfway back, Qiao Liuyue reached out and gently shook it.
A brief touch, then it was over.
A mischievous smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Monitor, I was just joking."
Chu Xubai’s eyes flickered, and he smiled. "Don’t call me Monitor; it’s too formal."
Qiao Liuyue’s brows curved. "Then Big Hammer?"
Chu Xubai: "My friends call me Xubai. You can too."
Qiao Liuyue: "Okay."
...
"Little Fatty!" came a somewhat familiar male voice from the voice channel, deep and magnetic.
A few members of the gaming studio were all logged into the channel.
After the ID "Thanks and Goodbye" joined, the voice called out in a familiar tone.
Qiao Liuyue was puzzled.
She repeated, "Little Fatty?"
Who was that referring to?
In the voice channel, Chu Xubai was very quiet, very quiet, very quiet.
The next second, Xie Linchuan seemed to have noticed something.
His tone turned sharp.
"Little Qiao Loves Jungling? Qiao Liuyue! What are you doing here?"
