Who left their last words here?

Chapter 47 I heard you're looking for me? (Second update)

Charmander breathing...

No, it's Fang Xiaoxia—

Fang Xiaoxia has been feeling depressed lately.

As a high school student, her grades weren't ideal... and as a high school girl in the prime of her youth, she was practically a loser.

Objectively speaking, her looks and figure are really not bad. Apart from being a little gluttonous and a little lazy, she can be described as youthful and cute.

Someone like her should have been incredibly popular in class, a top-scoring and popular girl...

However, the reality is quite the opposite.

Because nobody likes a seventeen-year-old who doesn't know anything about makeup and is always dressed in a school uniform, completely covered up.

After school, he would slouch home with his shoulders down, his backpack strap slipping down to his arm, kicking pebbles as he went...

A socially anxious, homebody girl.

Lazy and listless.

And he's an idiot.

In the always relaxed and sunny classroom, students would often gather in twos and threes to chat, creating a very loving and harmonious atmosphere.

Everyone looks so happy, like sunflowers that are constantly getting 50 points of sunshine.

This is youth!
But even in such an environment, in the second-to-last row by the window in the corner...

It was as if there was an invisible barrier, and there was a trembling mushroom huddled there.

This is how Fang Xiaoxia sees herself.

She felt like a dark mushroom growing in an underground city.

Yes, it's that kind of puffy color, and it's dark gray...

They were completely out of place among these noble and radiant humans.

She didn't want to either.

On her way to school, she fell headfirst into a sewer while rescuing a stray cat, resulting in a three-day hospital stay and causing her to miss the initial social circle formation at the start of the school year...

Nobody could have predicted this!
—Who was the wicked person who stole the manhole cover?!

By the time they returned to school, small groups had already formed.

Fang Xiaoxia, this aloof woman who always kept to herself and wore a cold expression, became an oddity in everyone's eyes...

I can't say I was invited to join a small circle...

I've accidentally overheard people talking badly about me behind my back many times.

"What are you pretending to be?"

"She's just relying on her good looks, who knows what she's really up to behind the scenes..."

And so on, and so forth.

Heavens above! This is an injustice!

She wasn't faking it! She just didn't know how to start a conversation with people.

I really can't understand how those "supermen" who laugh and joke around and take the initiative to strike up conversations are trained!
As for always having a cold face...

If no one is joking with her, she can't just laugh to herself, can she?

She might be a tiny bit not very bright... but she's not mentally ill!
However, since people say it looks good, I guess it's alright.

That's the only way I can comfort myself...

"Hey, really nobody's going to talk to me?"

"Anything like 'Have you done your homework?' is fine, or even just 'Are you acting a little strange?' would be okay!"

...There isn't.

—Where did this aloof, ostracized female protagonist template come from?

Where did the male lead she lost for eighteen years go?
...Speaking of which, are there any "aloof female leads" who are at the bottom of the class academically?

Is there a cold, aloof female protagonist who gets publicly criticized by the teacher in front of the whole class, who is told that her essay lacks any student vitality and has a lazy, listless feel from top to bottom, just like her own lack of ambition?

Unheard of!

In view of the above situations,

Fang Xiaoxia is determined to make a change.

There's no other way, Xiaxia! You have to take the initiative!
Come on!

...In recent years, anime and games have transformed from games for loners into tools for socializers.

Isn't this just a coincidence? Fang Xiaoxia is practically a seasoned expert in this area!

She would argue fiercely with others over the female lead's factional struggles, even going so far as to unleash her pure love fist on the bullies in front of her.

...Then her family paid the man a large sum of money for medical expenses.

But it's okay, she still has a chance to showcase her "special skills".

For a while, people in the class started discussing games, forming a food chain where console games looked down on PC games, and PC games looked down on mobile games.

—Then Fang Xiaoxia is too noble; in this respect, she is a true superior being.

She is a hardcore fan of all kinds of classic hardcore games, and the higher the difficulty, the more she likes them.

For this reason, she specially collected various game discs and related figurines.

He even became a well-known "grind hunter" on the website, reviewing Anritsu's hardcore games.

"As soon as I take out those limited edition items, people will definitely exclaim, 'Wow, so cool! Xiaxia actually knows about this, that's amazing!'"

Then they'll gather around...hehe...maybe you can even make friends to play games with..."

With this in mind,
Fang Xiaoxia pulled out an official setting book for "The Soul of the Gong Clan," which was thicker than a dictionary, from the desk drawer. The cover featured a hideous demon, and she slammed it onto the desk with a "bang."

It startled the boy next to him who was secretly eating a pineapple bun.

Next up was a 1:1 scale model of the Bloodborne meat saw.

This thing had a very metallic feel, and the edges were treated with an antique bloodstain finish. Fang Xiaoxia awkwardly tried to lean it against the table.

But it wasn't placed securely.

It crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

The grotesque appearance and what appeared to be bloodstains caused several girls in the front row to gasp in shock.

This is not over yet.

Fang Xiaoxia was also showing off her prized collection.

She then pulled out a Biohazard Tyrant and a small Pyramid Head statue...

They were carefully placed on either side of the "Miya" setting book, like guardian deities at the left and right.

Then, she proudly raised her head, like a victorious old general, and surveyed the class.

She forced a smile that she thought was friendly, but was actually incredibly stiff and even a little strange due to nervousness.

Her eyes darted around, yet she secretly observed her surroundings with anticipation.

"Look! These are all my treasures!"

"Has anyone struck up a conversation and asked what game this is? Should I praise it... or even criticize it?"

"..."

On this day, Fang Xiaoxia successfully attracted everyone's attention.

From then on, no one was jealous of her beauty or spread rumors about her behind her back anymore...

Because they usually say it to your face:

"She's usually quiet, so she likes this kind of thing?"

"very scary……"

"I feel... she has a bloodthirsty and violent maniac hidden inside her."

"Completely from a completely different world... I feel like getting close would be a curse."

"I always feel like if I look at her too much, she'll drag me into playing those games that look like they hurt so much..."

"..."

Become famous in one battle.

Rumor has it that a prodigy has emerged in Class 3 of the second year of high school.

Miss Puji turned into a dull, dried mushroom, broken into several pieces.

From then on, she gave up trying to fit in with everyone.

She finally realized that her interests and hobbies were out of step with everyone else's.

This further exacerbated social anxiety.

As soon as get out of class ended, she would bury herself in her arms and fall asleep, even though she often didn't actually fall asleep at all.

But it seemed that as long as she did that, people wouldn't notice her and wouldn't give her strange looks.

The joy of everyone, the noise of get out of class ending, and the teacher's scolding...

As long as you bury your head, everything seems like it's from another world.

Anyway, as long as I can hold out until I get home, there will be cartoons and games, and they won't look down on me.

Although her head was spinning from her mother's yelling, at least she knew that her parents loved her.

There's a funny character in the textbook named Ah Q.

There was a cartoon I watched when I was a kid, featuring a character called Lazy Sheep King.

Sometimes Fang Xiaoxia would stare blankly at the ceiling, feeling like she was Ah Q or Lazy Sheep King.

Knows how to make herself happy, is an optimist, ordinary, not particularly good, but not bad either.

A socially awkward, introverted girl who longs to be popular but has no way to achieve it and is forced to live a solitary and aloof life.

Special skills include skipping stones on water and accurately kicking roadside cans into trash cans...

He also taught himself guitar.

Every year when students graduate, the teacher racks her brains for a long time, and when she really has nothing else to write, she can only give her the following positive review:

"This student is kind-hearted and loves the Federation very much."

Fang Xiaoxia is just that kind of person.

She is beautiful, has a sweet voice, and a kind heart, but she will always be single.

So, she really is a vampire queen, isn't she?

Whenever she thinks of this, she will briefly and proudly puff out her budding breasts and laugh heartily at herself.

Another summer vacation has arrived in the blink of an eye...

Fang Xiaoxia, lying lazily in bed, secretly peeked into the class group chat.
A new opportunity has been discovered.

Many girls who secretly have boyfriends will post various updates on social media to show off their affection, attracting envy and jealousy from their classmates who will give them many likes.

Exquisite food, beautiful ambiance, and an intimate atmosphere...

According to Fang Xiaoxia's observation, girls who are good at managing their social media presence will still be very popular in their class even if they have a boyfriend temporarily.

You'll naturally attract a lot of people around you.

oh……

Fang Xiaoxia understood.

A good-looking social media profile and a popular persona mean that people will want to be her friend.

She understood completely!

Coincidentally.

A month ago, she had a stroke of luck on the "Masses Review" app and won a dining opportunity at Tinghai City's most famous Michelin three-star restaurant.

Simply put, it means being able to reserve a dining spot a month in advance.

It cannot be used as money.

For Fang Xiaoxia, this was even less reliable than winning a 100-yuan coupon for a Ferrari.

But now, she dug it out from a corner of her phone.

I spent ages calculating the recent revenue from game videos on the website, looking quite distressed...

Gritting her teeth, Fang Xiaoxia decided to go eat!
She's going to take a ton of photos!
With some time still remaining before the start of the senior year of high school,

—The Second Season of "Miss Fang's Leading Lady Makeover Project"

Officially launched!

I stole my mother's old evening dress from when she was young. The dress was almost faded, and it felt awkward to wear it.

It's worth noting that Fang Xiaoxia is used to wearing sportswear, so you couldn't say she's overly conservative—

He can only be described as "a person in a shell".

"Excuse me, are you alone?"

The waiter asked this question as soon as we arrived.

—Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about?
Fang Xiaoxia felt it was necessary to question the restaurant's service.

Just then, the waiter handed him the menu.

Fang Xiaoxia pretended to be familiar with the menu, but felt dizzy looking at the French menu above.

The words were completely illegible, but the prices listed afterward were quite alarming.

"Um... this, this and this."

After clearing her throat twice, Fang Xiaoxia pointed to the two cheapest ones.

To avoid only the cheapest desserts and appetizers, she ordered something slightly more expensive.

"Okay." The waiter smiled.
"I've put the playlist away for you."

"—You requested two piano pieces and one violin piece."

Xiao Fang: "?"

What order?

Do you have a preference for alcoholic beverages?

As he spoke, the waiter handed over another order form.

"Is there no menu...?" Fang Xiaoxia asked timidly.

The waiter's reply was polite and courteous:

“Our chef will create a menu for you; you just need to tell us your dietary restrictions and preferences.”

That's very domineering.

But she dared not speak out against it. She casually ordered two of the cheapest drinks from the menu, did a quick calculation, and felt a pang of pain in her throat.

...As for why there are two cups?

Xiao Fang smiled but said nothing.

“Crack, crack…”

Fang Xiaoxia took out her phone to take a picture.

Well, despite everything being unpleasant, at least the environment here is satisfactory.

In the quiet atmosphere, the clinking of silver cutlery made Fang Xiaoxia feel as if she had entered high society.

Just like during the Industrial Revolution, when starving child laborers talked about the great Industrial Revolution and wealthy capitalists...

They would proudly raise their necks as if they were taking pride in it.

Soon, the waiter brought two brightly colored cocktails with a faint blue flame and placed them elegantly in front of her.

Fang Xiaoxia: "?"

How can you drink this?
You upper-class people are different, huh?

They look so well-dressed, yet they're all secretly here to "eat hot pot."

"..."

So, do you want to eat?
Looking at the two flames in front of him, Xiao Fang fell into deep thought.

Since things have come to this, let's take a picture first!

Place one cocktail with blue flames on the opposite side of the table, and another on your side.

Find the right angle, and snap a picture!

Photo taking completed.

With text:
[A mundane, everyday drink with someone]

The post on WeChat Moments has been edited.

send!
This is the significance of "two cups".

Based on her experience of spying on other people's WeChat Moments...

Soon people will be asking, "Which store is this? It's amazing!"

Or you could say, "Oh my, who are you going on a date with?"

It's so fulfilling.

Then she can casually answer...

Once you go back and forth, you'll start chatting, won't you?

Then you'll have friends.

Anyway, I can't reveal that I'm eating at this kind of restaurant alone.

The aloof gourmet, Xiao Fang, looked around and realized he was all alone.

Oh, and there's one more—

That mysterious man who was just surrounded by everyone!
At first glance, they seem ordinary; I might even think they're one of my kind...

Before long, something happened.

Those waiters who used to be so arrogant in front of her changed their attitude in a flash. The manager and head chef all came over, eager to serve her hand and foot.

Fang Xiaoxia was speechless.

However, I definitely won't have any interaction with that kind of person, so there's nothing more to say...

"Snap!"

Slowly put down the phone.

Xiao Fang stared wide-eyed as he began to intently examine the two flames in front of him.

We can't waste this; it costs hundreds of yuan a cup!

at this point……

She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.

—This fire, others can drink it.

Why can't I drink it?

……

The other diners were speculating about the identity of the young man, or whether he was engaged in business dealings.

Suddenly, the smell of burnt hair filled the air.

Then, out of the corner of their eyes, they saw flames flashing across the sky.

It must be admitted that,
These self-proclaimed celebrities were indeed terrified by Xiao Fang.

—And then, the "breathing little fire dragon" was born.

Then came the crying that occurred when someone accidentally entered the men's restroom.

It was drizzling outside the restaurant.

Fang Xiaoxia practically fled the door.

The excessive humiliation completely shattered the girl's already fragile self-esteem.

"I'm so useless, waaaaah..."

Looking back at the magnificent signboard above, she couldn't help but squat down, tears welling up in her eyes again.

There was a "click" sound,
The girl's room key was lying on the ground; the keychain was a cute pink puppy.

A light drizzle fell on it.

Dirty.

"Doro..."

The girl scooped up the pink puppy, held it in her arms, and her eyes were filled with tears.

go home.

I will never fantasize about anything again.

Being alone is pretty good, isn't it...?

abruptly—

The rain overhead seemed to have disappeared.

Fang Xiaoxia looked up in surprise.
A young man in a trench coat, carrying a black umbrella, appeared at the restaurant entrance.

Raindrops slid down the edge of the large black umbrella.

—That mysterious man who had the manager at his beck and call!
—You even chased me out of the men's restroom?

"I...I...I was wrong!"

The distressed girl, who was squatting on the ground getting soaked in the rain, immediately buried her head in her arms as if startled.

Like an ostrich hiding in the sand.

Unfortunately, there were no trash cans nearby.

Otherwise, she would have definitely crawled in without hesitation!
But then Bai Zhou's voice came from beside him:

"—You look so cool, breathing fire like that."

"Hey?"

Fang Xiaoxia looked up and was stunned for a moment, instinctively wanting to ask her older brother if he had come to humiliate her.
But she soon realized that Bai Zhou was serious, because his expression was very solemn.

It was so serious that Fang Xiaoxia also became serious.

It was as if they were talking about something sacred and important.

"In my hometown, fire is a very sacred thing, and only a small number of people are allowed to use it."

Bai Zhou said:

"Therefore, I think it's amazing that you're not afraid of fire."

"—Not to mention fire-swallowing, becoming a fire-swallower."

Fang Xiaoxia: "?"

What is this guy talking about?
"I mean……"

Bai Zhou scratched his head, carefully choosing his words before speaking:

"No matter what you do, there aren't that many spectators in life."

Even the most wanted criminals in the city don't need to constantly worry about their image or feel like they're the center of attention... so why should you?

Fang Xiaoxia: "??"

What is he even talking about?!

Out of gratitude for the other party's help in getting him out of a difficult situation, Bai Zhou patiently offered some advice, even using his own personal examples to illustrate the point.

Although Fang Xiaoxia seemed completely confused after he finished speaking.

—But at least I'm not crying anymore.

"come on!"

Bai Zhou left with those final words and shook his umbrella.

"Huh? No need, no need..."

Fang Xiaoxia thought Bai Zhou was going to give her the umbrella, so she quickly waved her hand.

How could I possibly accept that!
"Crash..."

However, it only shook the water off the umbrella.

Bai Zhou turned to the side, holding up the black umbrella.

"I suggest you go back inside the shop to avoid the rain."

"I still have something to do, let's go first!"

She said this in a way that Fang Xiaoxia had never expected.

The man in the black trench coat, carrying a black umbrella, left with a nonchalant and carefree air.

She was left alone in the rain, lost in thought.

The umbrella left my head, and the rain started falling again.

Finally, all I remember is the hem of that person's trench coat swaying in the rain, gradually disappearing into the thick darkness of the night.

She never knew the man's name until they parted ways.

It felt like a dream.

"Crash..."

Fang Xiaoxia clutched the pink puppy keychain tightly, wrapped her coat around her head, and went back to the shop's signboard to take shelter from the rain.

Although that guy said a bunch of rather nonsensical things...

But perhaps he was right about one thing.

Life doesn't have that many spectators.

The rain seems to have stopped.

She felt much better.

……

"Dengdengdeng..."

Hurried footsteps passed by the door.

Several people dressed in black suits, carrying suitcases, splashed through the water...

He hurriedly passed Fang Xiaoxia and ran in the direction where the white boat had disappeared.

"them……"

Fang Xiaoxia couldn't help but feel curious as she watched these people rush past.

Don't they use umbrellas?

Why are you in such a hurry to go somewhere?
……

"Damn it, I think I've lost them?"

Where did he go?!

"Are you sure you didn't see it wrong? Why did you call us over in such a hurry?"

The arrival of several men in black suits at the alley entrance in the rain broke the tranquility that should have been empty.

"Let's look again, I think I didn't see wrong..."

They were talking.

At the same time, he looked around warily, carrying his suitcase.

"clatter……"

A sound of footsteps splashing through the water came from the alleyway next door.

"Who's there—"

With a sharp shout, several men in black suits immediately dispersed and assumed a fighting stance.

The rain-soaked ground reflected the flickering streetlights along the long street.

Neon lights and shadows intertwined, and white mist and water vapor spread out.

A large black umbrella casts a shadow on the ground.

The footsteps are approaching.

The boy holding the black umbrella slowly emerged from the shadows.

With one hand tucked into the pocket of his black trench coat, the familiar face appeared before them.

Good evening, old colleagues.

They looked somewhat familiar; I recognized them as senior members of the field team I'd met at the funeral.
While admiring their professional skills, Bai Zhou also felt a strange mix of emotions about this sudden reunion.

"However, it just so happens that I have something to ask you about."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone quietly reach into their coat, preparing to draw a gun.

Bai Zhou sighed, shook his head, and said softly:
"I heard……"

"You, or rather, all of you."

"—Looking for me?"

(End of this chapter)