Chapter 261

Continuing. The two cats, who previously had a somewhat hostile relationship and couldn't stand each other, are now... The girl covered her face with one hand, remaining silent about the cat video she had just seen, and at this moment, she thought of something unrelated to the topic. Spring has arrived. 198. Unexpected Situation In the blink of an eye, after the relaxed and joyful time of her trip, the girl's life gradually returned to calm, and the days passed slowly and steadily once again. However, unlike before, instead of the unchanging work and school routine, after losing her only comforting companion in her Little Black —her computer— Hua Xin would also take some time to meet with someone. After all, there wasn't anything interesting or time-consuming to do at home. At least when she was with Xia Yan, they could play games and cards together, and Hua Xin still felt a great joy at being able to use Xia Yan's computer and game console for free. Perhaps the purest thing in the world is the joy that comes from getting something for free? "It's so much more fun playing games on other people's computers..." Ever since she spent the last night of her trip in an internet cafe, the girl seemed to have discovered a new continent and fell in love with this place where it was inexpensive yet incredibly comfortable to play games on. If she were using her old friends at home, she'd have to be careful about the game's graphics settings and consider whether her computer could handle them. If she accidentally set the configuration too high and the computer spontaneously combusted or exploded, she'd have nowhere to cry. So, Hua Xin usually played games on the lowest settings, enduring the worst possible conditions. For example, when playing Black Myth, sometimes even streaming, she would only continue playing with all the settings on the lowest possible, even if the game graphics and character animations were choppy like a PowerPoint presentation. After experiencing the magic of internet cafes this time, the girl couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of being able to set the configuration to whatever high she wanted. What kind of miserable life had she been living before? So, occasionally, she would go online with Xia Yan, much like two middle or high school students skipping class to relieve their internet addiction. The girl, whose life was gradually improving, wasn't too bothered by the expense of a few dollars; after all, it was an exchange for happiness. Consequently, her relationship with Xia Yan grew closer, no longer harboring any sense of secrecy or defensiveness. Previously, Hua Xin had to constantly be vigilant, remembering that she couldn't reveal her identity. Therefore, when with Xia Yan, she subconsciously considered her words and actions, or concealed certain things. But since that night in Weihai, the girl had made a decision. Regardless of whether she would one day reveal her two identities to Xia Yan, she would cherish the present moment and use both identities to stay by his side, even if it meant becoming his girlfriend. Therefore, during these days, Hua Xin also experienced a tenderness she had never felt before. If the girl harbored a sense of distance in their interactions, Xia Yan also maintained a similar distance. This was because he didn't fully understand her. He could also sense her reserve and the subtle, unspoken barrier between them. Just as many things are reciprocal, Xia Yan also maintained his distance from the girl. But when Hua Xin became "Hua Xin," this distance disappeared. However, life isn't static. Thinking of this, a hint of worry flashed in the girl's eyes, and she turned to look at the empty seat beside her. Xia Yan, who should have been sitting to her left, was gone, leaving only an empty chair. The teacher on the podium was still lecturing, and the Morning Eight O'Clock Class atmosphere hadn't kept the students alert; most were drowsy in their seats. No one noticed her. A semester of classes had made most students accustomed to having a somewhat aloof person in their class, a tacit rule where only the Class Monitor would play along. But not for Xia Yan. Hua Xin arrived at the classroom a little late in the morning. Normally, she would have sneaked in through the back door, with Xia Yan keeping watch for her. But she wasn't very familiar with today's teacher; she'd only attended a few of his classes this semester. However, Hua Xin knew his habit of never taking attendance. Everything seemed normal, but the girl knew her world was missing a large part of its color. She lost interest in the funny videos and female bodhisattva on her phone, instead constantly switching between WeChat and QQ, looking somewhat restless. Because Xia Yan was nowhere to be found. A full half hour had passed since she inquired, and Xia Yan hadn't replied to any messages. Not only "Hua Xin," but also "Gu Xin Hua"—they hadn't responded either. What had happened? Did Xia Yan take leave or oversleep...? The girl, completely unaware of the reason, leaned against the wall in frustration. She hadn't paid attention to the teacher who was lecturing, but now his monotone voice suddenly seemed incredibly chaotic. Hua Xin pulled up her mask, hesitated slightly, and then opened the only remaining group chat in her contact list. "Share the good times, leave the bad." This was originally a group chat for Xia Yan, Xiang Guan, and Xiang Guan Mu Feng's dorm, and she had been added to it. However, apart from exchanging a few auspicious greetings during the New Year, she hadn't sent any messages. Hua Xin: "@I I love playing QQ Speed @Why is your head so pointy? Do you know what happened to Xia Yan? Why didn't he come today?" The girl unusually asked Mu Feng and Xiang Guan, then looked up in their direction, her eyes filled with unease. Xiang Guan was already asleep, lying face down. Mu Feng saw her message and switched from landscape mode to portrait mode while playing his game. He turned to look at Hua Xin, who was sitting in the corner, equally puzzled. Xia Yan's seat, usually where he sat with Hua Xin, was empty. Mu Feng was also a little confused. "I love playing QQ Speed. " Brother Yan has rarely come back to the dorm lately, he's been staying at home. I think the last time he came back was last week." "He probably overslept, it should be fine."Hua Xin frowned tightly. Although she wanted to believe Mu Feng's reassurance, the tension in her heart kept her from settling down. The girl quickly replied with an "OK," nodded to Mu Feng, and Mu Feng gave an "OK" sign with one hand before going back to his game... Restless. Hua Xin tried to convince herself that Xia Yan's phone might be dead, or he might not have paid his internet bill and was out of data to send messages, or maybe he was stuck in traffic and had traveled back to the last century, or maybe he was playing Monsters in the bathtub at home... The girl silently stopped fantasizing. Well, whatever the situation, Hua Xin felt restless; she simply couldn't continue the class. She couldn't stand it anymore... so she decided to skip class! She placed her backpack, which only contained a notebook, on the ground, and then, taking advantage of the teacher's inattention, bent over and squatted...