Side Story 11:

Lu Xiao clearly wasn’t buying it. She said her piece and turned to leave without even sparing the other girl an eye roll.

’If Su Da really had what it takes, she’d just go win Ares over. But since she doesn’t, all she can do is bark up the wrong tree at other people. I can’t even be bothered to give her a second glance.’

Lu Xiao might not have cared, but the rumors surrounding Ares began to multiply again.

When it was just Su Da, things were a bit more manageable. After all, everyone knew about Su Da’s reputation and felt some sympathy for Ares’s predicament. But now, Lu Xiao had suddenly been thrown into the mix.

Two girls were fighting over one guy, which made many people start to wonder if Ares had done something to encourage it.

Otherwise, why would one girl after another fall for him?

Of course, it was a well-known fact that Ares was handsome and a top student, but was he really so amazing as to cause all this drama?

And so, more and more people started paying attention to Ares.

This turned Ares, who already hated being disturbed, into an even greater center of attention. But this time, he didn’t seem to mind as much.

One day, right before evening self-study, Ares even suddenly appeared at the door of Lu Xiao’s classroom, a cup of milk tea in his hand.

Everyone noticed. Students on their way out slowed their steps. After all, a juicy piece of gossip never lacks an audience.

As Lu Xiao walked out of her classroom, her eyes immediately fell on the boy standing by the door, whose posture was so much straighter and more imposing than anyone else’s.

’I really don’t want to admit it,’ she thought, ’but Ares just has a way of standing out, of making you spot him in a crowd instantly.’

’Looking like that, it’s no wonder people are always after him. He brings it on himself.’

She didn’t think Ares was there to see her. Slinging her backpack on, she walked out of the classroom. Just as she was about to head downstairs, Ares called out to her. "Wait. This is for you."

Lu Xiao glanced at the milk tea he held out to her and raised an eyebrow. "What’s this? A bribe?"

The refined-looking boy before her was clearly a little awkward, but he shook his head. "It’s not a bribe. It’s a thank you. Thanks for helping me out the other day."

Lu Xiao hadn’t expected that. She took the drink. "But you’ve heard the recent rumors, haven’t you?"

Ares knew exactly what she meant. He nodded. "I have. But it doesn’t matter."

Seeing that he genuinely didn’t seem to mind, Lu Xiao poked the straw into the cup and took a sip. Hmm, not too sweet. Just right. "Well, I’ve accepted your thank-you gift. You can go back now."

Without another word, Lu Xiao turned and walked away, sipping her milk tea as she left the academic building.

Ares watched her until she was out of sight before turning to leave.

By now, the hallway was packed with onlookers—

"What’s going on? Ares gave Lu Xiao milk tea and said it was a thank-you gift?"

"Oh my god, did Ares choose Lu Xiao? This is the first time I’ve ever seen him take the initiative like this!"

"Actually, I think he and Lu Xiao make a pretty good couple, don’t you? Lu Xiao is way prettier than Su Da!"

"Shh! Don’t let Su Da hear you say that, she’ll lose her mind!"

"I have a feeling she’s about to lose her mind right now. Ares is in for it!"

...

And sure enough, Su Da was already on her way.

Twenty minutes after Lu Xiao left the academic building, Su Da appeared at Ares’s desk. "You. Come outside with me."

"Evening self-study starts in ten minutes." Ares didn’t move. This was the first time in all their interactions that he had ever explicitly rejected Su Da.

Su Da could feel everyone’s eyes on her, and she began to lose face. "I’ll say it again: come outside. Don’t make me say it here!"

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here." Ares remained unfazed.

Su Da stared at him. "You think just because you have Lu Xiao, I won’t dare to do anything to you? Do you really think she likes you? She’s only going after you to get back at me! Wake up!"

Ares remained silent.

Su Da felt like she’d just punched a wad of cotton. "So what is this, then? An official rejection? Do you have any idea what the consequences are for rejecting me?"

"We’ve never had any kind of relationship, so how can there be a rejection?"

"Ha! Fine. You’ve got some nerve, Ares. You like Lu Xiao, is that it? I’ll just wait and see how this ends for you!" Su Da furiously kicked Ares’s desk and stormed off.

No one expected Su Da to just leave like that. They had all been thinking Ares was a dead man!

Once she was gone, a classmate leaned over to Ares. "You okay? Man, you’ve got guts. You actually rejected Su Da. Aren’t you scared?"

Ares glanced at him and shook his head.

It was unclear whether he meant he wasn’t afraid, or that he didn’t know.

"Ares, are you and Lu Xiao a real thing?"

This time, Ares just pressed his lips together and shook his head again. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

It wasn’t until the next day that Lu Xiao found out Su Da had confronted Ares after she left and had been thoroughly rejected.

When she heard the news, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. ’This kid’s pretty decisive,’ she thought. ’Guess he’s not scared anymore?’

So, when school let out, she went and knocked on his classroom door. "Ares, come out for a second."

At Lu Xiao’s sudden appearance, everyone in the class instinctively looked toward Ares. Just as they were waiting to see if he would reject her the same way he’d rejected Su Da, Ares stood up and walked out. "Where are we going?"

He didn’t ask what she wanted or question why she had come for him. He simply asked where they were going.

It was as if he would agree to anything she said.

Lu Xiao naturally sensed his attitude. She looked up at him, only to discover a hint of a smile in the depths of his eyes.

’It’s a little strange. A little unsettling.’

Lu Xiao feigned a casual air, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let’s go to the athletic field."

"Okay."

Ares followed Lu Xiao out of the academic building. Their appearance together naturally drew a lot of attention, but neither of them seemed to care.

Lu Xiao turned to look at Ares. "So you’re not afraid of rejecting Su Da anymore?"

Ares shook his head. "I was never afraid. I just thought it was a hassle."

"Then why reject her so suddenly?"

Ares lowered his gaze to look at her. Lu Xiao’s eyes were beautiful and bright, as if they held an endless, dazzling radiance. "Mm. Because I didn’t want anyone to misunderstand and think there was something between us."

His answer was a little surprising, but not unwelcome. Lu Xiao nodded. "That’s good. But she’ll probably cause more trouble for you. She’s very petty."

"Mm. Let her. Where do you go every day when you skip evening self-study?"

Lu Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. "Getting curious about my business now, are you?"

"Is it okay if I want to know?" Ares tilted his head down slightly, putting on a pitiful, innocent expression that would inexplicably soften anyone’s heart.

’This guy’s playing dirty,’ Lu Xiao thought. "It’s nothing special. I just work part-time at a coffee shop."

Ares seemed surprised by her answer. "They say your family is..."

"That I’m from a rich family? We’re well-off, I guess, but that’s all my dad’s money. I don’t want to use it. Oh, but it’s not because we have a bad relationship or anything. I just want to have something to do for myself. You know?"