Oh no, the aloof school beauty has been reborn too!

Lu Xing felt a sudden throbbing in his temple.

The next second—

"Thump."

He raised his hand and tapped Zhao Lin on the forehead cleanly and decisively.

Zhao Lin covered his forehead, and a crack finally appeared in his lazy expression.

"hiss."

He looked up at Lu Xing, his tone filled with disbelief:

"You hit me so hard?"

Lu Xing remained expressionless.

"Are you awake now?"

Zhao Lin rubbed his forehead and said slowly:

"...I'm clear-headed now, but I'm a bit vengeful."

Lin Yuanzhou almost burst out laughing while watching from the side.

"Ha, Zhao Lin, you've finally met your match."

Zhao Lin glanced at him sideways.

"Don't be so happy, you might be next."

Lin Yuanzhou immediately took a half step back and wisely shut his mouth.

Lu Xing ignored them.

After knocking on Zhao Lin's head, he turned around and looked at Shen Qingyi.

The night breeze swept through the entrance of the hot pot restaurant.

The neon lights along the roadside reflected off the group, casting an ambiguous and somewhat subtle light over the space.

But Lu Xing only felt embarrassed.

Just now, Lin Yuanzhou and Zhao Lin's back-and-forth singing pushed the situation in a direction that was very easy to misunderstand.

If it's just a joke, then so be it.

But the other person was a girl.

Although it's a bit far from the school, this area is a commercial district close to the school, and quite a few students come out to eat and shop in the evenings.

They had been standing at the door talking for so long that people had already started looking in their direction out of curiosity.

In addition, Shen Qingyi is already eye-catching. If they continue to make trouble like this, several outrageous versions of the story will circulate on campus tomorrow.

Lu Xing didn't like this kind of thing.

He didn't want a girl to become the subject of gossip for no reason just because of a chance encounter.

Lu Xing paused for a moment, then spoke frankly:

"Feel sorry."

Shen Qingyi was slightly taken aback.

Lu Xing looked at her, his tone serious and direct:

"My friend just likes to joke around; he didn't mean to offend you."

Anyway, I hope you don't mind.

He spoke these words without the slightest hesitation or attempt to show off.

Straightforward and frank.

Shen Qingyi gazed at him quietly.

The girl, of course, understood the nuances and intentions behind those words.

He was trying to help her out of a difficult situation.

Because of her face, Shen Qingyi has heard too many annoying comments.

She knows better than anyone what it feels like to be talked about and have rumors spread about you.

Shen Qingyi is not stupid.

It is precisely because she is not stupid that she realizes this all the more clearly—

Lu Xing is still the same Lu Xing; he is still as gentle as ever.

She is so gentle that she subconsciously puts others first.

This realization was like a fine needle, gently pricking Shen Qingyi's heart.

The pain wasn't sharp, but it made her catch her breath slightly.

The gloomy sky, the words left unspoken, the pain of helplessness.

Even though a lifetime had passed, Lu Xing was still standing properly in front of her.

But the pain buried deep in my heart never dissipated even a little bit after starting over.

Shen Qingyi bit her lower lip hard.

She was afraid that she might accidentally reveal too many inappropriate emotions in front of the boy.

Xu Zhixia had originally intended to watch the spectacle.

It was clear that Lu Xing's apology was sincere. Then, Shen Qingyi suddenly quieted down, and the smile in her eyes gradually faded.

Tang Xiaoman didn't dare to say anything.

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

After a few seconds, Shen Qingyi nodded gently.

She looked up at Lu Xing, her voice soft but clear:

"It's okay."

Lu Xing quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Shen Qingyi paused, then said softly:

"Actually... it's the same here."

Lu Xing was stunned for a moment.

Shen Qingyi's ears were still slightly red, but she tried her best to appear calm.

"Girls can be quite mischievous and gossipy sometimes."

She glanced at Tang Xiaoman and Xu Zhixia, and added softly:

"So, you shouldn't take it to heart."

Tang Xiaoman: "..."

Xu Zhixia: "..."

The two of them felt as if they had been called out, and their expressions froze for a moment.

Tang Xiaoman was the first to protest in a low voice:

"Qingyi, how did I misbehave?"

Han Shuyan casually replied:

"You just asked her if she was your ex-boyfriend."

Tang Xiaoman was immediately speechless.

Xu Zhixia coughed lightly and casually shifted her gaze to the trees by the roadside.

"The moon is beautiful tonight."

Lin Yuanzhou actually looked up and glanced at it.

"Huh? Is there a moon today?"

Xu Zhixia: "..."

She turned and glared at Lin Yuanzhou.

How can this person be so oblivious to the atmosphere!

Lin Yuanzhou then realized he had blundered the situation and silently shut his mouth.

Lu Xing breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't let his apology go unpunished, nor did she take the opportunity to shift all the blame onto him.

Instead, she naturally accepted the awkwardness and then gracefully let it go.

What a smart and sensible girl...

The family must have excellent upbringing.

He smiled, and his tone softened:

"That's good."

Shen Qingyi's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the faint smile on his lips.

She had never seen land travel like this before.

Shen Qingyi's fingertips tightened slightly.

For almost a second, she instinctively reached out and grabbed him.

But she can't do that.

They had only just met in this lifetime.

In Lu Xing's eyes, she was just a strange girl he was meeting for the first time.

Thinking of this, Shen Qingyi forced herself to look away.

Lu Xing did not linger any longer.

Tonight's encounter was bizarre enough; continuing to stand there would only attract more attention.

So he turned to Lin Yuanzhou and Zhao Lin and said:

"Let's go."

Lin Yuanzhou was clearly still somewhat unsatisfied.

He glanced at Shen Qingyi, then at Lu Xing, his eyes clearly conveying a single message—

Are you really not going to take this opportunity?

Lu Xing ignored him expressionlessly.

What he was trying to grasp back made him quite embarrassed.

Zhao Lin rubbed his forehead and lazily followed.

"Let's go, let's go."

After saying that, he muttered something under his breath:

"If we're truly destined to meet again, we'll meet once more."

Lu Xing turned his head to look at him again.

Zhao Lin immediately raised his hand to protect his forehead:

"I didn't say anything wrong this time!"

Lin Yuanzhou suppressed a laugh:

"That sentence is actually quite normal."

Lu Xing was too lazy to argue with them anymore and took the initiative to leave.

Just a few steps later, a slightly nervous voice came from behind him.

"...Land journey!"

As soon as the two words were spoken, Lu Xing paused in his steps.

Lin Yuanzhou also stopped, and Zhao Lin slowly opened his eyes wider.

The three girls looked at Shen Qingyi at the same time, their surprise almost impossible to hide.

Lu Xing turned around.

"Um?"

He looked at Shen Qingyi with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

How did she know her name?

Oh, she must have heard Lin Yuanzhou calling her earlier.

Shen Qingyi stood still.

The night breeze ruffled the stray hairs by her ears, and she gently tucked them behind her ear.

It's as if he's using this action to bolster his courage.

She knew that her actions were sudden and unlike her usual self.

But she knew even more clearly that if she let Lu Xing go like this tonight—

Who knows when we'll see each other again?

not to mention……

What if we never see him again?

Since this life has begun anew...

She no longer wanted to keep her thoughts to herself, nor did she want to miss an opportunity to step into his youth.

Shen Qingyi pursed her lips and looked up at Lu Xing.

"Your friend just said..."

Her voice was soft, yet it stood out clearly amidst the noise.

"We are quite destined to meet."

Lu Xing suddenly had a bad feeling.

next second.

Shen Qingyi looked at him, as if she had finally mustered all her courage, and asked softly:

"Since we're destined to meet..."

"Should we add a contact method?"

The moment the words were spoken, there seemed to be a half-second of silence at the entrance of the hot pot restaurant.

Lin Yuanzhou's mouth opened slightly, and Zhao Lin slowly lowered his hand.

Can it really be a V-shaped shape?

Tang Xiaoman's eyes widened, and Xu Zhixia froze on the spot.

Han Shuyan also showed a rare look of surprise.

No, sisters—

Were you really this strong?

Everyone was so shocked that they couldn't say a word.

It was only at this moment that they seemed to truly understand Shen Qingyi.

As for land travel—

He stood there, completely stunned by those words.

Could you please provide contact information?

Lu Xing stared into her clear and earnest eyes, his mind going completely blank.

A gentle night breeze swept by.

Lu Xing opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

He was completely at a loss.