Li Wenya stared blankly at Xi Yanli as he walked into the classroom. His every step felt like a mini earthquake shaking her already fragile nerves. She wanted to run away and stay away from the male lead, but she couldn't. The world around her seemed to move in slow motion, her heart racing as he approached the empty seat next to her.
"Why? Why is he my desk mate?" she thought, feeling scared. Her previous determination to avoid the male lead had now completely shattered. She had been too naive to believe she could maintain a safe distance.
Fate, or the cruel design of the universe... or rather the plot of this world had decided otherwise. She felt like crying... what should I do?
He placed his bag on the desk with a thud, not sparing her a single glance. Li Wenya glanced at him nervously from the corner of her eye, trying to act as normal as possible, even though her hands were trembling under the table.
Xi Yanli, who looked as cool and aloof as always, sat down without a word. The slight scent of bamboo still lingered from their previous encounter, but now, it was overwhelming her senses. She instinctively shifted in her seat, trying to create a safe distance between them. but she still feels, they are too close.
"Okay, breathe," she reminded herself. "He's just a classmate... who happens to be the male lead... and who also happens to be dangerous." She gulped, stealing another glance at the bandage on his cheek. Her mind raced. What had happened after she left the alley? Did he get hurt because of her interference? Did he hold a grudge?
Peng Xiao continued with the lesson, but Li Wenya couldn't focus. Her mind kept spiraling, imagining worst-case scenarios. She knew she was living in a novel, and the original story had painted Xi Yanli as cold, calculating, and prone to violence. In the novel, he never hesitated to destroy anyone who got in his way. The fact that she, the 'vicious supporting character,' had interfered in his fight earlier made her stomach upset.
"Maybe he didn't recognize me from the alley?" she thought hopefully. But then she remembered his parting words: "Don't follow me."
Her fingers tightened on her pen, and she suddenly realized that her own voice had echoed through the alley with those embarrassing words. How could she ever face him again?
"Class, please pair up for the group discussion," Peng Xiao's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife.
Li Wenya froze. Her mind registered the word pair too slowly. She didn't dare look at Xi Yanli, but she already knew the inevitable.
"Of course," she whispered under her breath, "it has to be him."
"Li Wenya, you'll work with Xi Yanli," Peng Xiao said, completely unaware of the storm raging in her heart.
She felt like the world was laughing at her. What had she done to deserve this?
Stealing a nervous glance at Xi Yanli, she saw that he looked completely unbothered like this was just another ordinary task. She couldn't help but wonder, Is he not worried at all? Or maybe he didn't remember their earlier encounter.
"Let's just get this over with," she thought, her heart pounding.
She awkwardly cleared her throat and turned slightly toward Xi Yanli, who still hadn't acknowledged her. "Um... shall we start?"
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took out his notebook and pen, his movements calculated and precise. The silence stretched uncomfortably, and she shifted again in her seat. Was he ignoring her on purpose? Just like in those WeChat messages she had seen earlier with her 'brother'?
Suddenly, Xi Yanli spoke, his voice calm but icy. "I'll handle the first part. You can do the second."
His tone left no room for discussion. Li Wenya's mouth twitched. Handle the first part? Who does he think he is? Some kind of know-it-all? But then again, this was Xi Yanli—the male lead, the brilliant genius with a cold heart. She had no choice but to go along with it.
"Fine," she muttered under her breath, scribbling down notes without making eye contact.
As the discussion progressed, Xi Yanli remained silent, speaking only when necessary and keeping his words to a minimum. The only saving grace for Li Wenya was that their conversation was kept strictly academic. She had feared he might bring up their previous encounter in the alley, but he didn't. He seemed completely indifferent, which oddly made her feel relieved, even though his cold demeanor was unnerving.
As class came to an end, Li Wenya started packing her things quickly, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere. However, just as she stood up to leave, Xi Yanli's cold voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You should stay away from me."
Her heart skipped a beat. She turned to face him, her eyes widening. "What?"
He met her gaze, his blue diamond eyes piercing through her like sharp ice. "I don't need someone meddling in my business. I don't care what your reasons were in the alley. Stay out of my way."
His words hit her like a bucket of ice water. Her mouth went dry. She had known he was cold, but hearing those words directly from him stung more than she expected.
"I wasn't meddling," she muttered, feeling a twinge of frustration rise up. "I was just trying to help."
Xi Yanli's gaze didn't soften. "I don't need your help."
With that, he picked up his bag and walked out of the classroom, leaving her standing there, stunned.
As the door closed behind him, Li Wenya finally let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her mind whirled with conflicting emotions. She felt embarrassed, angry, and confused all at once.
"Stay out of his way, huh?" she muttered to herself. "Huh! You... who wants to meddle in your business"
Li Wenya sat back down in her seat, resting her forehead on her desk in defeat. "What did I get myself into? I feel so tired"