Extra Chapter 10:

Alternate Universe: High School Special.

Lu Xiao was packing her schoolbag with her head down when she overheard someone nearby. "Did you hear? Su Da from Class Three has her sights set on Class One’s biggest heartthrob, Ares."

"For real? I heard he’s super cold and aloof. When girls try to talk to him, he just ignores them. He won’t accept love letters, and even if you stuff one in his desk, he just throws it in the trash. He’s got a serious attitude!"

"But isn’t that what makes guys like him so attractive? And you know what Su Da is like. She loves a challenge. Remember Luo Yinglie from Class Two? He had an attitude, too, but didn’t Su Da conquer him? She dated him for less than a week before dumping him, and now he’s still hitting her up, trying to get back together!"

"Speaking of which, the speed at which Su Da goes through boyfriends is insane. Her longest relationship lasts a week, tops, right?"

"I wonder how long Ares will last. I hope he holds out for a while, though. I think he’s so damn handsome!"

...

Lu Xiao tuned out their mindless chatter, slung her packed bag over her shoulder, kicked the classroom door open, and left.

The noise made everyone else in the class look over. "What’s her problem? Who pissed her off?"

"Who knows. Lu Xiao’s pretty intense herself. I once saw her arguing with Su Da at a bar. Su Da’s so fierce, but she didn’t seem to dare say much in front of Lu Xiao. Do you guys have any idea what her story is?"

"I heard she was living abroad before this. She came to our school right after returning to the country. Her family’s probably loaded, right?"

"Honestly, I’d love to see her and Su Da actually face off. If those two really went at it, I wonder who would come out on top!"

"Me too!"

...

Lu Xiao had no idea the others were talking about her after she left, not that she would have cared if she did.

She’d originally planned to leave through the main gate, but the thought of being seen—and getting an earful from her dad later—made her head for a side gate instead. It’s not like she was going to evening study, anyway.

Just as she got there, she heard Su Da’s voice coming from a nearby thicket of trees. "Ares, am I not giving you enough of a chance here? What is it you want? Just spit it out. Why are you playing so hard to get?"

Lu Xiao rolled her eyes in exasperation. She took a running start and leaped onto the top of the wall. From her higher vantage point, she could clearly see Su Da pinning the boy, Ares, against a corner.

The boy wore a thin, faded school uniform, but his posture was ramrod straight. Even from the side, his features were sharp and defined.

The boy said nothing, his eyes half-lidded, not even sparing Su Da a glance.

He looked like a white swan fallen into the mire—noble and graceful, even when mired in filth.

But there was a fragility to him, too. In that moment, Lu Xiao could almost understand why Su Da was so fixated on him.

’Who wouldn’t want to be the one to pluck such a rare, unattainable flower?’

"Hey," Lu Xiao’s voice cut in, causing the two below to look up at her. "He’s clearly not interested, so why don’t you take a hint? Do you have to be so desperate?"

Su Da frowned, her eyes filled with annoyance at being interrupted. "What’s this got to do with you? Mind your own damn business!"

Surprise flickered in Ares’s eyes the moment he saw Lu Xiao.

It was only then that Lu Xiao realized he had a pair of stunningly beautiful eyes.

She raised an eyebrow. "Wanna come with me?"

Ares hadn’t expected the girl on the wall to suddenly invite him. For some reason, he found he had no desire to refuse. He gave a slight nod. "Okay."

A smile played on Lu Xiao’s lips as she extended a hand to him. "Come on!"

Seeing this, Su Da fumed. "Lu Xiao, what do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to steal him from me?"

Lu Xiao pulled Ares up onto the wall beside her, then turned to face Su Da. "Didn’t you say this had nothing to do with me? Well, it does now. He’s under my protection from now on. Let’s go!" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Without waiting for Su Da’s reaction, Lu Xiao leaped off the wall.

Ares followed her down. From the other side of the wall, Su Da shrieked in fury, "Don’t get cocky, Lu Xiao! I won’t give up just like that! Anyone I set my sights on will be mine, sooner or later!"

Lu Xiao dug a finger in her ear with a look of utter disdain.

She turned to the boy standing meekly behind her. "Okay, you can go now."

Ares watched as she tossed the words over her shoulder and turned to leave. He subconsciously reached out and grabbed her sleeve. "Wait."

Lu Xiao turned back to him. "What? You’re not gonna try and latch onto me, are you? I only said all that because I think Su Da is annoying. She’s always pulling this crap, acting like she can’t live without a guy. You don’t need to feel obligated or anything. Just focus on your studies. If she bothers you again, just drop my name. I’ve got your back. Later, good student!"

"Um... can I go with you?" Ares didn’t let go, still clutching her sleeve. His beautiful dark eyes, glistening with hope, were fixed on her.

’Damn, this guy is so good-looking it should be illegal.’

She averted her gaze. "Why would you come with me? Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on me or something. Let me tell you, I’m not Su Da. That puppy-dog act won’t work on me. Either go back to class or go home. Just don’t follow me!"

Lu Xiao yanked her sleeve free and took off running.

’This is gonna be the death of me!’

Ares watched her go, a look of disappointment clouding his eyes. He didn’t know why, but from the first moment he saw her, he’d felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

’I want to get closer to her!’

「The next day」

When Lu Xiao showed up at school, the news that she and Su Da were fighting over Ares had already spread like wildfire.

She didn’t have to guess who started the rumor. Su Da must have spread it herself, embellishing the story for dramatic effect.

’There were no security cameras at the side gate. I definitely didn’t say anything, and Ares doesn’t seem like the type to gossip—besides, he’d want to avoid this kind of drama, not spread it.’

’So it had to be Su Da. She has no sense of shame.’

’I really can’t understand the way these people’s minds work.’

Sure, she skipped class and got into fights, but even she had her limits.

But she didn’t care what rumors the school spread about her.

But inevitably, some fucking idiot just had to come up and question her. "Lu Xiao, I heard you’re going after Ares, too. Don’t you know the meaning of first come, first served?"

Lu Xiao looked at the person who’d run up to stick up for Su Da. "What’s it to you? Are she and Ares official now? He won’t even give her the time of day, so what’s with all the wishful thinking? If she doesn’t have a mirror at home, I’ll buy her one. She needs to take a good, long look at herself!"

"This isn’t... Do you have to be like this, Lu Xiao? There are plenty of handsome guys out there. Why do you have to fight Su Da over this one? Why are you always so obsessed with what belongs to other people?"

"Are you incapable of understanding plain English? Or should I make you an appointment to get your ears checked? Are you deaf? Are she and Ares together? Did Ares agree to be her boyfriend? So he’s her property now? Fine. I’ve decided I want the money in your pocket, so hand it over. Stop bothering me with your twisted logic and double standards. If Su Da has a problem, she can come talk to me herself. Everyone else can piss off!"