Chapter 13

The mall.

As soon as Li Xueshan stepped inside, the warmth from the air conditioning hit her, and she felt her whole body warm up. She immediately wanted to exclaim, “Finally, it’s warm in this miserable weather,” but then quickly remembered who was standing next to her. She clamped her mouth shut and casually tucked her hair behind her ear.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the two people beside her, catching a glimpse of their reflection in the McDonald’s window, and her pupils practically shook.

Standing in order were: the school beauty, a cold and stunning athlete, and her, a plain little potato.

She was done for.

On her own, she could pass as a cute girl, right? So why, when standing next to these two, did she look short, stubby-legged, plain-faced, and oily-haired? Were they running a beauty filter just for themselves, excluding her?

Li Xueshan could deeply feel how biased Nuwa must have been when creating people. She couldn’t take it anymore and started regretting why she had agreed to come along with Song Cheng and Wen Xiangyi. She would’ve been better off by herself.

Passing by a bubble tea shop, seeing that the other two showed no interest, Li Xueshan stopped. “I want some bubble tea. You two go ahead and shop.”

Song Cheng: “Okay.”

Wen Xiangyi: “No worries, we’ll wait for you.”

Li Xueshan: “?”

She was the one who suggested it, but Song Cheng didn’t need to agree so quickly! And then there was Wen Xiangyi, someone she had just met for the first time, yet she was so kind, considerate, and approachable. Li Xueshan was taken aback and, without thinking, her voice became sweeter: “No, no, it’s okay. I’ll have to wait in line anyway.”

Wen Xiangyi: “Alright, if we run into each other again, we’ll meet up.”

Li Xueshan: “Mm, okay, sure.”

Meanwhile, Song Cheng was already looking off into the distance, as if just waiting for the moment to ask, “Can we go now?” Li Xueshan made a face at her when Wen Xiangyi wasn’t looking, but Song Cheng, with an expressionless face, just looked back, and Li Xueshan felt embarrassed for trying. Fine, there was no point talking to someone so indifferent. As if Song Cheng would ever enjoy shopping with anyone.

Thinking this, Li Xueshan felt more at ease and turned to buy her bubble tea.

Song Cheng followed Wen Xiangyi further into the mall. She couldn’t figure out what that expression on Li Xueshan’s face had meant earlier. Maybe Li Xueshan was just a girl with a lot of expressive reactions?

Song Cheng stopped thinking about it. She had more important things to focus on.

The location of the elevator was obvious, and Song Cheng quickly made her way over, stopping at the mall directory. This mall was as familiar to students as their school’s secondary campus. No one really needed to look at a map.

Wen Xiangyi followed her over. By the time she arrived, Song Cheng had almost finished reading the directory.

Looking at the mall through modern eyes, it felt a bit simple. Some of the brands were still around, while others had completely disappeared, adding a sense of nostalgia. But Song Cheng wasn’t here to reminisce. She asked Wen Xiangyi, “Where do you want to go?”

Wen Xiangyi responded with a question: “Why are you asking me first?”

Of course, she had to ask! Song Cheng only had two roles to play in the mall: following Wen Xiangyi’s lead or carrying her bags. She was reading the map so she could take Wen Xiangyi wherever she wanted to go.

Song Cheng: “I don’t really have anything I want to shop for.”

Wen Xiangyi gave a noncommittal “oh” and looked at her. “Then why did you come?”

Song Cheng: “?”

Word by word, she replied, “I’ve never been here before. I was curious.”

Wen Xiangyi had the nerve to ask that! If she hadn’t wanted to come to the mall, Song Cheng would’ve been home studying history by now. It was already dark outside, Qin Li wasn’t around, and Wen Xiangyi was alone—who could relax under those circumstances? Thank goodness she ran into her, a genuinely good person.

Feeling a bit wronged, Song Cheng fell silent, but her eyes remained expressive.

Her eyes always had a certain brilliance to them, perfectly suited to the phrase “bright eyes and fresh brows.” Despite her delicate and striking appearance, the radiance in her gaze washed away any trace of over-the-top beauty, leaving behind a pure, snow-like coolness.

But sometimes, Wen Xiangyi felt like she could see something else beneath the surface. Like snow gradually melting into water, trickling quietly between the cracks.

For example, right now, Song Cheng’s eyes made her feel a sense of softness. She wasn’t sure if she was the only one who could see it.

Song Cheng blinked, her long lashes brushing lightly. Wen Xiangyi naturally averted her gaze and continued, “Since you don’t come to the mall often, just follow me.”

Song Cheng was momentarily stunned before realizing how perceptive Wen Xiangyi was. She could always read people so clearly, even figuring out little secrets! Song Cheng felt a deep sense of understanding.

The only thing she had successfully kept from Wen Xiangyi so far was the stash of instant noodles and sausages hidden in her wardrobe at home. She wondered how they were doing now that she wasn’t home. In hindsight, she should’ve eaten them when Wen Xiangyi was away on her business trip.

With a mix of regret and vague melancholy, Song Cheng followed Wen Xiangyi throughout the mall, not paying attention to where they were going, just following Wen Xiangyi’s steps. Wherever Wen Xiangyi stopped, Song Cheng stopped too.

They eventually ended up at a Korean restaurant. Song Cheng glanced around. There were a few students inside who, while not in uniform, were clearly from their school based on the way they started whispering when they saw Wen Xiangyi and her.

The two found a seat, and Song Cheng pulled out some alcohol wipes from her pocket, starting to clean the table. She asked for hot water to sterilize the utensils and bowls, completing each step with an efficient precision, like she had done this countless times before.

Wen Xiangyi watched her for a while before asking, menu in hand, “What do you want to eat?”

Song Cheng poured herself some of the complimentary tea. “I’ve already eaten. You go ahead and order.”

Remembering how Song Cheng and Li Xueshan had bought snacks earlier, Wen Xiangyi didn’t ask again. She ordered a set meal of army stew, along with tofu soup and a salad.

Soon, the steaming army stew was served, placed between them. The aroma of melted cheese filled the air, and the ramen in the middle was likely going to taste amazing after a few more minutes.

Song Cheng sipped her water. Thankfully, the generous portion of rice noodles from Aunt Wang’s stall outside the school had left her full.

Despite worrying secretly about Wen Xiangyi, Song Cheng never forgot that they were still just ordinary classmates. Wen Xiangyi probably wouldn’t care whether or not she shared this meal, but Song Cheng was determined not to take advantage of her.

After all, the clear boundaries between her and Wen Xiangyi were the result of her constant self-restraint!

Song Cheng didn’t touch her chopsticks, and Wen Xiangyi didn’t urge her. Instead, she casually asked between bites, “So, you’ve had your mall experience. I still have some things to take care of later, and next week we have exams. I don’t want to waste your time. Will you head back now?”

Her words were flawless—polite and thoughtful.

Song Cheng, however, only caught the part about Wen Xiangyi having other things to do later.

Hmm?

What things?

Song Cheng replied, “I’m in no hurry. Since we came together, let’s head back together.”

Wen Xiangyi nodded and didn’t say anything more.

She didn’t eat much, leaving plenty of rice cakes and barely touching the ramen. As they left, Song Cheng found herself still thinking about the poor, uneaten ramen.

She absentmindedly followed Wen Xiangyi into the second store.

The lighting was so bright.

The sound of whooshing air entered her ears, and she looked up.

“A hair salon?”

Wen Xiangyi replied, “I’m just getting a trim.”

Soon, a familiar hairstylist came to greet Wen Xiangyi, taking her to the back for a hair wash. Song Cheng expertly found an empty seat and sat down to wait, just short of pulling out her phone to play.

“Song Cheng!”

Hearing her name, Song Cheng glanced up towards the mirror.

Oh, she ran into a classmate.

Chen Zihao was sitting there with a head full of spiky curls, and Xie Rixin and another boy, Sang Yuan, were waiting for him.

Chen Zihao couldn’t move, so Xie Rixin leaned over. “Song Cheng, you’re here with Wen Xiangyi?”

Song Cheng nodded. “We’re on the same route.”

Seeing how calm Song Cheng was, Xie Rixin’s understanding was refreshed once again. He admired her, saying, “Besides a fixed few, Wen Xiangyi rarely hangs out with anyone alone.”

But after saying that, he suddenly realized — wasn’t Song Cheng the more aloof and reclusive lone wolf?

Why was she hanging out with Wen Xiangyi?

Xie Rixin was confused.

Song Cheng asked Chen Zihao, “Is the school okay with you getting a perm?”

Chen Zihao: “No, they’re not.”

Song Cheng: “Then why…?”

Chen Zihao chuckled, “This is a foil perm. I’ll just say it’s naturally curly.”

Song Cheng: “…” Good luck with that.

At this moment, Wen Xiangyi came out as well and sat down next to Song Cheng.

As soon as Wen Xiangyi appeared, the boys seemed unchanged on the surface, but their voices lost the duck-like tone, and they suddenly seemed to evolve from invertebrates to having spines, standing up straighter.

The hairstylist, who overheard their conversation, smiled while trimming Wen Xiangyi’s hair and said, “Actually, there are good hairstyles without perms, ones that won’t get you in trouble at school.”

Sang Yuan was intrigued. “What kind?”

“I’ll show you.”

The hairstylist then turned to Song Cheng and said, “You’re really pretty, wouldn’t you want to get a haircut?”

Not only was this girl beautiful, but she also had perfect shoulder-to-head proportions, and the stylist noticed her perfectly round skull right away. Faced with such an ideal head shape, it was hard for him to resist.

Before Song Cheng could answer, someone else had already brought a booklet.

“Turn to the third page. Yes… this is the most popular hairstyle this year. It’s good for both boys and girls.”

Chen Zihao and his friends saw it first: “Looks kind of cool, actually.”

The hairstylist kept persuading Song Cheng: “Your hair length is perfect for it.”

Hearing this, Song Cheng suddenly had a bad feeling.

Could it be…

The hairstylist handed the booklet to her.

“This is called the wolf cut, also known as the mullet.”

Damn.

Song Cheng almost uttered her first curse word since being reborn.

She turned to look at Wen Xiangyi, her eyes overflowing with uncontrollable accusation!

So it was Wen Xiangyi who kept her in a mullet for ten years!

But Wen Xiangyi, who was being told to look straight ahead by the hairstylist, couldn’t see Song Cheng at all from the side.

Hearing the word “mullet,” Wen Xiangyi thought about it for a moment. Such a chic medium-length hairstyle did suit Song Cheng’s vibe, so she considered it.

She gave an honest assessment: “Not bad.”

Song Cheng internally snorted heavily.

In her mind, images flashed of Wen Xiangyi fondling her hair over the past ten years.

Gentle, firm, dangerous, fingers trembling weakly as they sank into her hair.

Not bad?

Wen Xiangyi, you loved it!

The hairstylist picked up a comb, and Wen Xiangyi was able to move. She glanced at Song Cheng and noticed her staring with a strange, frustrated yet slightly proud expression.

Can human eyes really be this expressive?

Wen Xiangyi asked, “Do you want to get a mullet? I have a membership card here. You can use mine.”

What are you daydreaming about, Wen Xiangyi?

Trying to lure me with freebies? How sneaky.

Song Cheng replied instantly, “No.”

She looked directly into Wen Xiangyi’s eyes and solemnly declared, “From now on, I’m growing out my hair.”

No more mullets.

Freedom!