Me: “!!!”

What’s he going to do?!

He’s not going to hit me, is he?

He finally stopped somewhere, breathing heavily, which was a bit strange.

He said, “Qi Mengmeng, I’ll make this quick.”

Annoyed, I immediately raised my hands to cover my ears: “I don’t want to hear it.”

He looked helpless.

He reached out and poked my cheek.

Then gently pinched it, a slightly intimate gesture.

His youthful voice held a hint of helplessness: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pretend I didn’t know you.

“Remember that mind-reading thing you mentioned last time?”

I could actually hear what he was saying, but I’d just forgotten to take my hands down, so I nodded vaguely.

He chuckled, a fine mist of sweat seemingly forming on his forehead.

“There really is mind-reading in this world.”

I was startled, taking a wary half-step back until my back was flat against the wall.

“You… you don’t have mind-reading powers, do you?”

He shook his head, perhaps thinking I’d moved too far away.

He took a half-step forward as well.

“I don’t, but I know a girl who does.” Lu Xiao swayed slightly, bracing himself against the wall beside me with his arm to steady himself.

His tone was light, yet it revealed a dark despair.

“That girl is a crazy person who likes me.

“She’s my mom’s ex-husband’s daughter, from when we lived in Japan.

“When another girl gave me a love letter, she stabbed the girl in the neck with a pencil.

“She was only twelve that year, and she became a juvenile delinquent.

“She was locked up for four years. After being released from the Japanese juvenile detention center, she came to China with her dad.”

Lu Xiao suddenly seemed to lose all strength, bending over and leaning half his body onto my shoulder.

His voice was tired and irritable,

“And then she found me again.”

Me: “!!!”

What is he trying to do?!

He wouldn’t actually hit me, would he?

He finally stopped in a secluded spot. Lu Xiao was breathing heavily, sounding a bit strange.

He said, “Qi Mengmeng, I’ll keep this short.”

I was so annoyed that I just raised my hands to cover my ears. “I don’t want to hear it.”

He sighed helplessly.

He reached out and poked my cheek.

Then he gave it a gentle squeeze, the gesture feeling a bit too intimate.

His youthful voice was filled with resignation: “I’m sorry. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to acknowledge you on purpose.”

“Remember that mind-reading thing you mentioned last time?”

I could actually hear what he was saying, but I’d forgotten to take my hands down, so I just nodded blankly.

He let out a soft laugh; there was a fine mist of sweat on his forehead.

“In this world, mind-reading is actually real.”

I was startled out of my wits. I took a defensive half-step back, pressing myself directly against the wall.

“Y-you… you don’t have mind-reading powers, do you?”

He shook his head, probably thinking I’d backed away too far.

He took a half-step forward as well.

“I don’t, but I know a girl who does.” Lu Xiao swayed slightly, bracing his arm against the wall beside me to steady himself.

His tone was flat, yet it revealed a dark, underlying sense of despair.

“That girl… she’s a lunatic who’s obsessed with me.”

“She’s the daughter of my mother’s ex-husband, from when we lived in Japan.”

“When a girl tried to give me a love letter, she stabbed her in the neck with a pencil.”

“She was only twelve that year, and she became a juvenile delinquent.”

“After being locked up for four years, she was released from a Japanese juvenile detention center and followed her father to China.”

Lu Xiao suddenly seemed to lose all his strength; he hunched over, resting half his body on my shoulder.

His voice was weary and agitated.

“And then, she found me again.”

Me: “!!!”

What is he doing?!

He wouldn’t actually hit me, would he?

We finally stopped somewhere. Lu Xiao was breathing heavily, which was a bit strange.

He said, “Qi Mengmeng, I’ll make this quick.”

Still sulking, I immediately covered my ears. “I don’t want to hear it.”

He looked helpless.

He reached out and poked my cheek.

Then he gave it a light squeeze, the gesture feeling somewhat intimate.

His youthful voice was full of resignation. “Sorry. I didn’t ignore you on purpose.

“Remember that mind-reading thing you mentioned last time?”

I could actually hear everything he was saying, but I’d forgotten to lower my hands, so I just nodded blankly.

He let out a short laugh. A fine mist of sweat had formed on his forehead.

“In this world, mind reading actually exists.”

I jumped in fright and took a wary step back, pressing myself right against the wall.

“Y-you… you don’t have mind-reading powers, do you?”

He shook his head. Perhaps thinking I’d backed away too far,

he also took a half-step forward.

“I don’t, but I know a girl who does.” Lu Xiao’s body swayed slightly, and he braced his arm against the wall beside me to steady himself.

His tone was flat, yet it carried a hint of dark despair.

“That girl… she’s a psycho who’s obsessed with me.

“She’s the daughter of my mother’s ex-husband. Back when we lived in Japan,

“a girl gave me a love letter, and she stabbed a pencil into that girl’s neck.

“She was only twelve that year when she became a juvenile delinquent.

“After being locked up for four years, she was released from a Japanese juvenile detention center and followed her father to China.”

Suddenly, as if all his strength had left him, Lu Xiao doubled over and slumped half his weight onto my shoulder.

His voice was exhausted and irritable,

“And now, she’s found me again.”