Volume One, Chapter 179: The Supernatural Club (Part 3)

Chen Xiaoxue gave Zhang Wei a strange look, her face showing obvious embarrassment.

As if completely oblivious, Zhang Wei bumped his elbow against Chen Xiaoxue and asked, "Don't you think so, Xiaoxue?"

Chen Xiaoxue took a deep breath and forced out a smile. "Th-that's right, of course."

Ke Li's tightly furrowed brows relaxed at that moment. She affectionately linked her arm through Chen Xiaoxue's, completely ignoring the blatant discomfort on Chen Xiaoxue's face. An innocent smile bloomed on her face. "Sister Xiaoxue, you're just too nice!"

[Why do I feel like Ke Li's words are a blatant provocation?]

[+1]

[Why do I smell the scent of a green tea bitch?]

[Sister, be confident and drop the "feel like," okay?]

[What are you guys talking about? What green tea? Are you guys advertising something?]

[Dude upstairs, are you seriously clueless or just pretending to be?]

[What am I pretending to be?]

[Diagnosis complete: genuinely clueless!]

[Bro, you're way too innocent. The live chat is saying Ke Li is a green tea bitch!]

[This is green tea? How can you not tell, isn't this just a completely normal conversation?]

[...Is this a man's ability to spot a green tea bitch?]

[Please don't lump all men together. I'm a man, and I can tell this Ke Li is genuine green tea.]

[...]

Although Chen Xiaoxue felt deeply uncomfortable inside, she couldn't afford to fall out in public. She tried to pull her hand back, but failed.

The three of them entered the experimental building with this subtle, tense atmosphere.

Qin Yu followed a short distance behind the five of them, and soon the five of them converged.

Liu Yingyong's eyes lit up when he saw Ke Li and he ran up to her, while Guo Pei, who had been leaning against the wall panting heavily, immediately straightened his back the moment he caught sight of Chen Xiaoxue in the crowd.

[Hahahahaha, why do I smell a multi-cornered romance?]

[There are only 5 people in this tiny paranormal club, yet they're putting on such a high-concentration melodrama.]

[What are you guys talking about? Why can't I see anything at all?]

[Bro, should I call you straight-laced or just slow-witted? Isn't it obvious: Liu Yingyong likes Ke Li, Ke Li likes Zhang Wei, Zhang Wei and Chen Xiaoxue are a couple, and little chubby Guo likes Chen Xiaoxue!]

[The most melodramatic part is that Ke Li is a green tea bitch, and Zhang Wei actually can't tell!]

[What the fuck???? Is this for real or fake?]

Zhang Wei announced, "The place we're heading to next is the rumored haunted anatomy lab. If anyone is scared, you can drop out now."

A dead silence fell over the group.

Zhang Wei looked around, nodded, and said, "Since no one is dropping out, we'll keep moving forward."

Zhang Wei handed out mountaineering flashlights from his backpack to the others. "These flashlights have alarm devices on them. If anyone runs into trouble, press the button immediately. This alarm is loud enough to alert the entire school."

As Zhang Wei spoke, his gaze swept over everyone with a solemn expression.

The subtext was clearly a warning: do not joke around with the alarms.

Standing behind the crowd, Qin Yu sniffed with her delicate nose and looked at someone near the back, feeling a vague sense that she had seen her somewhere before.

After Zhang Wei gave a few more precautions, the group continued forward.

Qin Yu faintly felt that things were about to unfold, so she quickened her pace.

Anyway, no matter how close she got now, these people wouldn't be able to see her.

Sure enough, the group arrived at the first basement level.

All of the medical school's "silent mentors" (cadavers) were kept in a specially designated storage location. Except when students needed them for classes, they were kept in the cool, dark environment of the basement at all other times.

As soon as she approached the basement level, Qin Yu involuntarily tightened her brows.

Logically speaking, the silent mentors made great contributions to human development and civilization. Although these bodies carried ghostly yin energy, they should also be wrapped in a glow of accumulated virtue and merit.

However, the feeling this place gave off was deeply unsettling.

The five of them felt it too, and Ke Li was so scared she hid behind Zhang Wei—a sight that made Liu Yingyong grind his teeth in jealousy.

Little chubby Guo also clenched his fists in indignation.

Chen Xiaoxue's gaze darkened, but mindful of the others present, she said nothing. Instead, she quietly pulled Ke Li out from behind Zhang Wei. "Lili, if you're scared, you can hide behind me."

The expression on Ke Li's face froze for a second, but she quickly masked it, flashing a sweet smile whose shallow dimples could practically intoxicate anyone.

"Sister Xiaoxue, you're so kind!"

Seeing that Ke Li was scared, Liu Yingyong volunteered for the boys to go scout the path ahead while the girls waited in place for updates.

Little chubby Guo originally wanted to stay behind, but he couldn't resist Liu Yingyong dragging him away.

Once the boys had walked out of earshot, Chen Xiaoxue no longer wanted to play the role of sisterly affection. She violently shoved Ke Li's arm away.

The atmosphere in the air instantly became explosive and fraught with tension.

"Stay away from Zhang Wei! He is not someone you can covet."

Chen Xiaoxue didn't have a mild temper to begin with, and she issued a direct warning right off the bat.

Ke Li was no pushover either. She let out a disdainful, cold chuckle, brimming with a possessive confidence. "Sister Xiaoxue, why are you so scared? Could it be that you're afraid I'll steal Brother Zhang Wei away?"

"Ha! Me, scared? I'm just afraid some people will end up bitterly disappointed in the end!"

"Well, Sister Xiaoxue doesn't need to worry about that. Just focus on keeping a tight grip on Brother Zhang Wei's heart!"

As Ke Li spoke, she let out a muffled, triumphant giggle.

Chen Xiaoxue was so angry she felt like grinding her teeth to dust. She raised her hand and delivered a slap. "Shameless!"

The two hadn't been standing very far apart, and the heavy slap landed squarely on Ke Li's face.

A crisp "crack" echoed with piercing clarity in the quiet basement level.

Qin Yu saw the entire sequence clearly from her angle: Ke Li had actively leaned forward to receive that slap.

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

Chen Xiaoxue looked at her own hand in shock, then at Ke Li, who had fallen to the ground, bewildered.

"Lili!"

Liu Yingyong's anxious cry came from behind.

At that moment, Chen Xiaoxue understood everything.

Ke Li clearly had the chance to dodge just now, but she chose not to—all so she could stage a performance of being persecuted right in front of the men.

In that instant, the gaze in Chen Xiaoxue's eyes turned to ice.

Liu Yingyong rushed over to help Ke Li up from the floor.

When Ke Li saw it was him, a flash of disappointment crossed her eyes, but she smoothly used Liu Yingyong's support to stand up. "Brother Yingyong, I'm fine. Please don't make a fuss, this has nothing to do with Sister Xiaoxue. I just lost my footing and tripped."

"Can you trip and leave five distinct finger marks on your face?" Liu Yingyong raised his voice. "What are you afraid of? With me here, I'll stand up for you!"

He helped Ke Li aside and turned to confront Chen Xiaoxue, but Ke Li caught his sleeve. "Brother Yingyong, no need, it really was just a misunderstanding."

"Lili, you're just too kind, which is why people bully you! I must get justice for you!"

With that, she shook off Ke Li's grip and locked eyes with Chen Xiaoxue in a furious glare. "Apologize to Lili!"

Chen Xiaoxue kept her gaze cold as she looked at Liu Yingyong, who was being used as a pawn. She said coldly, "I know you probably won't believe it, but I still have to explain. Things aren't what you think..."

"Not what I think?" Liu Yingyong interrupted loudly. "Could it be that Lili deliberately tripped herself just now? And that the slap mark on her face was self-inflicted?"

Watching Liu Yingyong, who was hell-bent on sticking up for Ke Li, Chen Xiaoxue knew that no amount of explanation would work. She stopped wasting her breath and simply shut her mouth.

With a cold sneer curving the corner of her lips, she looked at Ke Li, her eyes clearly communicating: *What a brilliant little scheme.*

Ke Li clutched her burning cheek, wearing the smile of a victor.

As long as she could drive a wedge between Chen Xiaoxue and Zhang Wei, taking this slap was completely worth it.

Faced with Liu Yingyong's aggressive badgering, Chen Xiaoxue didn't say a single word.

In the end, little chubby Guo couldn't watch anymore. He rushed out from the shadows and pulled Liu Yingyong away.

"Liu Yingyong, why are you talking to a girl like that?"

Guo's sudden appearance startled Chen Xiaoxue.

Liu Yingyong, acting like a cat with its fur bristling, landed two punches straight onto little chubby Guo. "What do you know? She clearly bullied Lili!"

Guo didn't want his goddess to see him getting beaten up, so he shielded his head and bolted outside, and Liu Yingyong, fired up, chased right after him.

In an instant, the surroundings fell quiet.

Chen Xiaoxue cast a disappointed look toward a dark corner.

The three of them had gone in together, and they should have come back together.

Just now, she had thought the first one to rush out would be...

She took a deeply disappointed breath, and the rims of her eyes turned visibly red.

What hurt her more than being pointed at and chewed out by Liu Yingyong was the fact that her boyfriend preferred to stand back and watch coldly rather than stepping forward to defend her even once.

She glared fiercely at Ke Li, then turned around and walked away without looking back.

Not long after Chen Xiaoxue left, the person hiding in the shadows slowly emerged.

Ke Li feigned surprise, her mouth dropping open. "Brother Zhang Wei, why are you here?"

As if remembering something, she hypocritically covered her face. "Sister Xiaoxue just left. If you go after her now, you can still catch up."

The three of them had come out together earlier, meaning he had witnessed the entire process from start to finish.

The reason he hadn't stepped out immediately was because, as the president of the club, he had to maintain fairness and impartiality without favoring anyone—not even his own girlfriend.

Therefore, staying out of sight in that situation was actually to save Chen Xiaoxue from embarrassment.

He had originally wanted to say a few words on Chen Xiaoxue's behalf, but seeing that Ke Li hadn't mentioned a single word about what had just happened, Zhang Wei's guilt multiplied exponentially.

He felt almost too ashamed to meet Ke Li's eyes.

Seeing that Zhang Wei remained rooted to the spot, Ke Li looked up in confusion. "Brother Zhang Wei, what's wrong?"

Startled, Zhang Wei hurriedly shook his head. "N-nothing."

With that, he started walking away. After taking two steps, he paused again. "Applying a warm boiled egg to the injury on your face will help it heal faster. Xiaoxue isn't usually like this, she might just be in a bad mood these past couple of days. I'll apologize to you on her behalf."

After saying that, he even gave a deep bow.

Flattered and surprised, Ke Li hurried to pull him up. "Brother Zhang Wei, what are you doing? I'm not blaming Sister Xiaoxue, it really was my fault to begin with. Please don't blame Sister Xiaoxue either, she only acted like that because she loves you too much."

Ke Li's phrasing was undeniably sophisticated; on the surface, every sentence took the blame upon herself, while subtly insinuating Chen Xiaoxue's guilt.

"What's going on?"

Sure enough, the fish took the bait.

Ke Li stared down at her toes with a look of pained reluctance. "Sister Xiaoxue thought I was trying to seduce you, so she wanted to teach me a lesson."

Zhang Wei was deeply shocked, remembering that he indeed seemed to have heard Chen Xiaoxue shout "shameless" from a distance earlier.

His expression changed drastically.

Seizing the moment, Ke Li continued her explanation, "I admit, the very first moment I saw Brother Zhang Wei, I fell for you! But the moment I found out Brother Zhang Wei had a girlfriend, I never harbored any improper thoughts! I've only ever silently wished the best for Brother Zhang Wei and Sister Xiaoxue!"

Zhang Wei's eyes widened as wide as copper bells.

Tonight's events were simply too explosive, leaving him somewhat unable to process it all.

Subconsciously, he distanced himself from Ke Li.

"Ke Li, I'll pretend I never heard what you said tonight. I'm leaving now, you should head back early too! It's late and unsafe outside!"

With that, Zhang Wei fled as if escaping for his life.

Leaving Ke Li stunned all by herself in the spot.

She had originally thought that her deep, emotional confession would shake Chen Xiaoxue's position in Zhang Wei's heart.

Never had she expected that Zhang Wei would run away instead?

Unreconciled, she clenched her fists so hard that her long nails dug deep into her flesh.

At that moment, her desire for conquest reached its absolute peak!

There was no man in this world that she, Ke Li, couldn't get her hands on!

——

Chen Xiaoxue waited for a long time outside the experimental building before she finally saw a flustered Zhang Wei running out.

"What took you so long inside the experimental building?"

As soon as he came out, Chen Xiaoxue demanded an answer.

Zhang Wei hadn't wanted to believe what Ke Li said, but combined with Chen Xiaoxue's current tone, he suddenly believed every word of it.

"Xiaoxue, nothing happened between Ke Li and me. You know that, you're the only one in my heart."

Chen Xiaoxue's gaze was razor-sharp. "I didn't even say anything about you and Ke Li, why are you getting so defensive? Could it be that you really *did* have something going on with Ke Li?"

Zhang Wei felt aggrieved inside, but outwardly he still tried to soothe her. "Xiaoxue, we've been together for two years, don't you know my heart by now? I merely view Ke Li as a member of our club."

Chen Xiaoxue's gaze darkened slightly. She looked at Zhang Wei with deep probing in her eyes, as if trying to judge the truth of his words.

After a long while, she spoke again, her voice brimming with grievance. "Then why didn't you come out and speak up for me earlier?"

Chen Xiaoxue was an immensely strong and proud person; in the two years Zhang Wei had been with her, he had rarely ever seen her shed tears.

Yet because of this trivial matter, her eyes were already swimming with unshed tears.

Zhang Wei's heart melted completely. He pulled Chen Xiaoxue into his arms, resting his hand on her shoulder as he explained, "If I had stepped in, the situation would only have been harder to handle."

Chen Xiaoxue's rationality slowly returned.

She understood the logic, but experiencing it firsthand left her feeling deeply unsettled.

"Then promise me, stay away from that Ke Li from now on!"

Seeing Chen Xiaoxue yield, Zhang Wei immediately swore to the heavens, "I promise I'll stay far, far away from Ke Li starting today!"

Seeing how solemn he was, Chen Xiaoxue's expression finally softened.

The two of them left in each other's embrace.

After they had gone, Ke Li slowly stepped out from behind a pillar of the teaching building.

A paranoid, twisted smile hung on her face.

*Oh? Really? Want to stay far away from me?*

*I just won't let you get your way!*