Running away from the Love-Brain

Tropical Fish

Q: So why did you nominate Cui Muhuo as your class's cultural committee member?

A: Haha, it's a secret

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To be precise, Cui Xijin felt that her attitude towards Chi Buyu couldn't be completely summed up as "dislike."

Saying "dislike" was too exaggerated.

She simply disagreed with Chi Buyu's way of handling many things, akin to a natural clash of energies.

Just like even now.

She still sometimes thought of Chi Buyu, who had nearly cried from embarrassment at the welcome party, and she still found that person to be incredibly foolish and unreasonable.

—They hadn't been classmates for long, and yet because of two names, how could it make sense that one would sprain their ankle and still insist on sharing joys and sorrows?

The night of the first snow had passed, and now the streets were filled with people playing in the snow, leisurely dragging their steps and creating vague, shadowy reflections.

Just as Chi Buyu inadvertently looked over.

Another little electric bike slowly cruised past, stirring the air like a state of tension.

From across the road, as the blurred figures floated by, they appeared like a still frame from a movie. Everything proceeded in order, whether noisy or frantic.

Only the two of them stood apart on opposite sides of the street. She held the mango she had just bought, while Chi Buyu's hands were empty, gently biting her lip.

They gazed at each other, motionless.

It seemed that only they two were static, or perhaps only they two were in motion.

"Hey, why do I see Shui Shui?" Chen Wenran's high-pitched voice rang out.

Cui Xijin suddenly snapped back to reality.

Through the flashing car lights, the thin layer of snow on the road, and the green beams from the traffic light, along with the sweet aroma from the little pudding in Chen Wenran's hand...

She saw Chi Buyu hesitate for a moment, first taking a few steps toward the record store, then stopping and struggling for a few seconds.

Then she turned back and walked to the crosswalk, making her way over.

Slowly, with her hands tucked in her pockets, the bun on the side of her head swayed gently in the wind.

Like a soft, fluffy persimmon. And a very... traffic-rule-abiding persimmon.

"Is Shui Shui coming over?" Chen Wenran seemed to be live-commentating.

Cui Xijin remained expressionless.

That nearsighted persimmon with nearly three hundred degrees, lowering her head to cross the road, showed no fear of being hit by a car.

She said flatly, "Your pudding is going to melt."

"Really?" Chen Wenran exclaimed in surprise, hurriedly tidying up, and mumbled, "How do you know without even looking?"

Cui Xijin didn't answer immediately.

She waited until Chi Buyu had crossed the road before leisurely shifting her gaze to the mess Chen Wenran had made.

Disdainfully, she pulled out a whole pack of tissue from her pocket and casually tossed it to her.