Ji Siyue walked past Qin Chengyao. The distance was just a brush - by, but it felt as if her flesh and blood were being ripped open, causing excruciating pain.
Why didn't Qin Chengyao talk to her? Was he really angry? But... she was sure she had done nothing wrong. It was he who had suspected her first. She was innocent.
After going upstairs, Ji Siyue looked at the battle records absent - mindedly. She found that the performances of the others were okay, just as usual. Only Qin Chengyao's record...
It was incredibly stable!
No matter how his teammates played, his strength was always there. Whether it was a favorable or an unfavorable situation, he remained the same.
He was never affected by anything. Even when she was missing him desperately, he seemed untouched.
Seeing this, Ji Siyue's nose suddenly felt sour. She murmured softly, "Heartless guy. He doesn't even miss me."
She didn't want to look anymore. She packed up the keyboards and chairs of the group, then looked around. There was no trash, so there was no need to clean. There was no smell of cigarettes either, and there was no need to open the window. Even in the restroom, everything was in order.
Bai Yu was stuffing food into his mouth while watching Ji Siyue walking back and forth. He asked, "Junior sister! What are you looking at?"
Ji Siyue turned around abruptly, then shook her head and smiled, "It's nothing. I just thought... it's nothing. You guys eat. I'll go back to the apartment today."
Just as she finished speaking, someone spoke up.
"I'll walk you back."
Ji Siyue looked at the speaker and unconsciously bit her lips.
This was the first thing Qin Chengyao had said to her today, and it was when she was about to leave.
Did he really want her to leave so quickly?
Ji Siyue said nothing and just walked outside.
Qin Chengyao stood up, picked up Ji Siyue's things from the sofa, and followed her silently.
Xing Xing curiously poked her head out and asked, "Will something bad happen?"
Zhu Zhiyao reached out a hand from the side and mercilessly pressed her head down, saying, "Just eat your food. Don't be so curious about adults' business!"
After leaving Ji Di's villa, a gust of wind blew towards them, messing up Ji Siyue's hair.
She tried to tie up her hair and felt around her wrist for a hair - tie but couldn't find it.
Strange. Didn't she bring a hair - tie out today?
Forget it. She wouldn't tie it up then.
Just as Ji Siyue was about to lower her hand, a strong and big hand suddenly appeared. In this big hand, there was a black hair - tie, which looked rather out of place with his hand.
She turned her head and saw it was Qin Chengyao.
"Do you need it?" He moved the hair - tie forward a bit and asked.
Ji Siyue hesitated for a moment, then took it and skillfully tied her hair into a ponytail. She said, "I'm surprised you still kept it."
She still remembered that this hair - tie was one she had casually tied around his wrist a long time ago. Since then, she hadn't used it again. When he took it out suddenly today, she just remembered.
"I kept what you gave me," he replied.
Ji Siyue opened her mouth but didn't say anything in the end.
After walking for a few minutes, she stretched out her hand towards Qin Chengyao and said, "Give me my things back. I can go back by myself."
Qin Chengyao looked at Ji Siyue's fair and delicate little hand. His eyes flickered for a moment. Then he reached out, grabbed her wrist, pulled her into his arms, and held her with one arm.
Ji Siyue was a bit flustered by this long - awaited hug. A hint of struggle flashed across her eyebrows, and then she reached out her hands to try to break free.
But he just tightened his grip.
"Don't move! Let me hug you. I've really been so tired these days!"
It was really exhausting to maintain his pre - match state without being affected while missing her.
Ji Siyue didn't understand. She thought of Qin Chengyao's battle record and felt a bit sour and uncomfortable in her heart.
Since his record was so good and he played normally, was he really that tired? He clearly didn't take their argument to heart. Was that considered being tired?
That night, Ji Siyue didn't know how she got back to the apartment. Before falling asleep, her mind was just replaying the words Qin Chengyao had said when he saw her into the door.
"Siyue, think it over carefully."
"Think it over..." Ji Siyue mumbled into her pillow before falling asleep. It was as if she was talking to herself, "Think about what... bastard..."
The next day.
"Whoa——!!"
Ji Siyue suddenly opened her eyes.
The first thing she said was, "What does he want me to think about?!!"
After saying that, she was stunned herself. She lay in bed for a long time in silence, then slowly sat up, hugging her knees and putting on a defensive posture.
What had she just said?
What did he want her to think about?
Why had she said such a thing right after waking up? Did she even think about Qin Chengyao unconsciously?
The more Ji Siyue thought about it, the angrier she got. Remembering the man's unaffected look, she got even more annoyed.
"Annoying! I'm going to get an explanation today!"
After getting up, she asked for leave from her tutor as usual to report her safety.
Since the incidents of online violence and threatening phone calls, she had asked for leave and stayed at home. Anyway, the first semester of junior year was mainly about social practice and career - related courses, so the tutor didn't really care and agreed. But to prevent Ji Siyue from doing anything bad during this period, she still had to video - call the tutor every day to report her safety.
Ji Siyue took a video of her room, took a selfie, and sent them together with her current location. Then she packed her things and left the apartment.
As soon as she stepped out of the apartment, her stomach growled twice. She suddenly stopped, covered her stomach, and remembered that she hadn't eaten anything yesterday. Now she was so hungry that her stomach seemed to be hollowed out!
Helplessly, she had to cancel the car she had booked and went to a breakfast shop outside the apartment area to buy a bowl of porridge to fill her stomach a bit.
As soon as she stepped out of the shop, Ji Siyue was hit on the head by a water - filled beverage bottle that was thrown at her.
"Ah——!"
It hurt so much. Her forehead instantly turned red, looking rather frightening.
"Ouch... Who did that!"
Ji Siyue covered her head and looked around, but all she saw was an empty street. There was no one in sight.
The shop assistant came up and asked, "Miss, are you okay?"
"I was just attacked. I'm going to call the police. Please cooperate with me later," Ji Siyue said, thinking this matter was not that simple.
As soon as the shop assistant heard that Ji Siyue was going to call the police, his face instantly changed.
"This... Maybe it was just a prank. Isn't it too serious to call the police?"
"But I'm injured."
"Oh, just put an ice pack on it and it'll be fine! Girl, we're doing business here. Don't call the police. I'll give you some free food!"
Looking at the shop assistant's non -chalant attitude, the last bit of kindness in Ji Siyue's heart vanished.
She let go of her hand, with a red and swollen forehead, and said, "There's a surveillance camera at your shop entrance, right? Keep it well. If the surveillance footage is missing, you'll be deliberately covering up! I'm going to the hospital now to get an injury appraisal!"
When she left the shop, she could still hear the shop assistant scolding her behind her back.