Lu Mingfei, why are you slaying dragons if you're not involved!

Chapter 178 Lu Mingfei's Counterattack! Zero's First Feeling of Love (1661)

Everything has a reasonable explanation.

But Lu Mingfei clearly sensed that something had changed.

Zero's words were as direct and impactful as ever, hitting right where it hurts. But he no longer gave that feeling of surrendering at the slightest provocation, the feeling of his heart instantly overloading.

"This turn of events... is too big."

Lu Mingfei hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up.

"I might not be able to accept it in a short period of time."

"It doesn't matter," Zero said calmly.

But is it really okay?
Lu Mingfei stared at her blankly. Now, he finally had to face a fact: he had never been able to distinguish which of Ling's words were true and which were false.

Perhaps it's because there are absolutely no emotional fluctuations. A person who has no emotions can almost be considered half a robot, and robots can lie very easily. They just need to follow the program and say what they are supposed to say.

By simply weaving a flawless narrative of a lie, one can avoid considering the most crucial aspect: the expression of the story.

Something's not right!

Lu Mingfei glanced at the letter in his other hand. If the purpose of this letter was truly as stated in its contents, then it had succeeded.

Because he has now developed a sense of vigilance; he has learned to be suspicious. But this suspicion has begun to spread uncontrollably, including… the letter itself!

What if this letter is fake?

There's not much skill involved in forging this; you can find identical handwriting and paper materials, right?
Or perhaps it is true, but...

Lu Mingfei's fingers unconsciously clenched until they turned white; the situation was simply too terrifying, and he didn't want to delve any deeper into it.

Moreover, if a person reaches the point where everyone needs to doubt and be wary of them, what is the point of living?
A name subconsciously surfaced in Lu Mingfei's mind: Chu Zihang. He felt that he really needed his senior brother's advice at this time.

Chu Zihang didn't come to the social dance. He went home after his performance, saying, "I don't have a dance partner, so it's inconvenient for me to attend the dance." Even though if he wanted to, the line of girls could probably stretch from the dance hall all the way to the gate of Shilan Middle School.

At least for now, he can only rely on himself.

And didn't Chu Zihang say the same thing? We must learn to doubt everyone!

Let's pretend this is real... let's start right now.

So, does a lie that is completely flawless really exist?
The answer is definitely not.

"Something...is not right..."

Lu Mingfei thought to himself that from the beginning until now, he had a vague feeling that the seemingly perfect lie must have a fatal flaw, and that flaw was right in front of him... but he had ignored it.

what exactly is it?
Before he could figure it out, the band's performance of "Moon River" gradually stopped, and a new overture was about to begin.

"Por Una Cabeza" is a piece by Zero and him.

Ling stood up, and Lu Mingfei, after throwing all the devices into the trash can, also stood up. A small gasp of surprise spread around them, followed by quiet, focused gazes.

The magnificent dance that everyone has been waiting for is about to begin.

The moment Zero's hand touched Lu Mingfei's, her arm became strong, and in just a moment, Lu Mingfei straightened the posture that he had been unable to master even after three months of practice.

Do you know why I chose this piece of music?

Ling suddenly spoke softly.

"know."

Lu Mingfei nodded subconsciously.

After learning that Zero had specially added this piece, he specifically looked it up during a break. It's a composition by Argentine tango legend Carlos Gardel, and it's a favorite tango track in films, appearing in movies like "Scent of a Woman" and "Schindler's List."

This is a noble piece of music, with an attitude of looking down on everything, while also showing a flirtatious and entangled relationship with the dance partner. It is a competition and teasing between the dance partners, who are intoxicated yet remain sober.

“This is…” “No.”

Zero interrupted him, her usually calm words now seeming to carry a deeper meaning, and she gazed intently at him.

"It's not that complicated."

It's not that... complicated?
Lu Mingfei was somewhat stunned. These words made him feel as if he didn't have [emotional perception] but rather that Ling had mastered some kind of mind-reading ability, and all his thoughts were transparent to this girl!
By this time, the dance had moved past the prologue and was on its main course.

Lu Mingfei found that he had completely caught up with the rhythm. His past "lack of coordination" or "unbalanced hand and foot movements" had completely disappeared. His performance in this dance with Zero was world-class!

Every movement seemed etched into his mind; how to place his arms and how to walk required no thought whatsoever. The two danced with unrestrained freedom, as if they had rehearsed together for years, their silver skirts fluttering and reflecting dazzling light and shadow.

It's not that complicated.

Yes, there's no need to ponder the meaning behind this piece; simple things only require looking at the surface. This is a piece without lyrics; the only text exists in the title!

As if lightning had struck his mind, the phrase "just one step away" flashed into Lu Mingfei's thoughts. In that instant, he realized it was Zero's reminder.

Just one step away.

What is it just one step away from?
the truth!

But where exactly is this step?

The music continued, about to reach its climax. Without Zero saying a word, Lu Mingfei subconsciously took her hand, and Zero, unsurprisingly, began to spin in response.

The vibrant light and shadow seemed to have been sedimented in the most distant memories for many years, surging and emerging at this moment.

It is familiar.

Another surge of electricity coursed through his mind, and Lu Mingfei suddenly realized the most puzzling detail, which he had long overlooked.

"Why,"

He looked at Zero, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the music.

"You know me so well?"

Lu Mingfei has been away from his parents for almost six years, so long that he can hardly remember what they look like without looking at photos. Moreover, people change, including all sorts of details... But Ling seems to know all of this. She is strangely familiar with everything related to him!
"this is very simple."

Zero replied calmly, "I've reviewed all your information; a professional team has analyzed it."

Consistently devoid of emotion, making it impossible to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

But Lu Mingfei wasn't fooled this time. A smile appeared on his face, a smile that seemed to indicate that his scheme had succeeded and he was finally confident.

"Alright, let's assume it's true."

As Zero spun around in the melody, he pulled her into his arms. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down, and Zero leaned back in response.

The extremely dangerous yet close distance, like the perilous tug-of-war between lovers, has finally come to an end, and the winner will be decided.

"Why……"

Lu Mingfei made a move with nonchalant ease.

"How could I be so familiar with you?"

It sounded like a thunderclap.

Visibly, in Zero's eyes, the lake that had been frozen for millennia was shattered, its tranquility shattered, and turbulent waves surged forth.

The iceberg that blocked out all emotions finally cracked open with a huge fissure, enough to allow people to explore its depths, under this blow that was as light as a feather but as powerful as thunder!

For the first time in history, the Ice Queen's emotions changed in Lu Mingfei's [Emotional Perception]. It was all the emotions that had been accumulating for years, whether sadness, joy, longing, or sorrow, that finally condensed into a single point.

joy.

(End of this chapter)