A Secret Clash

Kushida Kikyo lightly rose onto her toes, lowered her eyes, and said shyly, "Horikita only talks to you, Shi Cheng. I can only ask you."

As she spoke, Kushida Kikyo seemingly realized she was asking too much.

She stepped forward, took his hand in both of hers, and looked at him pleadingly. "Shi Cheng, can you help me one more time?"

Shi Cheng lowered his head expressionlessly. That's it? Who are you looking down on?

Still, Shi Cheng had no intention of pushing his luck.

He had always felt that there was something strange about Kushida Kikyo.

Shi Cheng looked forward to her continued performance.

He wanted to see.

What exactly was going on with Kushida Kikyo constantly clinging to Horikita Suzune.

"Fine, I'll agree."

"Great!" Kushida Kikyo flashed a radiant smile, then seemingly casually asked, "Horikita only talks to you, Shi Cheng. Did you know each other before?"

Hm? Shi Cheng's brow furrowed slightly. He had a feeling this question was not so simple.

Would there be a problem if he had known Horikita Suzune before?

Was she simply gathering information?

Shi Cheng thought it over. There were too few clues for him to uncover the truth.

For the moment, Shi Cheng put aside his urge to investigate and calmly replied, "No. We only met here."

Kushida Kikyo lightly nodded, clearly believing him.

But then she changed the subject. "It seems Shi Cheng is quite special. Horikita must have shared many topics with you."

Shi Cheng did not answer directly. "Does Kushida think Horikita looks like someone who talks a lot?"

"And if we're talking about someone special, I'm this handsome, yet Kushida's eyes are always on Horikita. That really hurts my feelings."

Kushida Kikyo covered her mouth and chuckled. "Shi Cheng is indeed very handsome, but..."

Kushida Kikyo suddenly gave him a playful smile, leaning forward slightly as a pleasant fragrance drifted from her. "Is Shi Cheng jealous?"

Shi Cheng rolled his eyes. What a joke. Would he be jealous of a girl?

He would rather the two of them had a relationship beyond friendship.

That way, he would have less trouble to deal with.

Seeing that Shi Cheng had no ulterior intentions and was merely teasing her, Kushida Kikyo did not dwell on the subject.

She clapped her hands. "Oh, right, Shi Cheng, you should call me Kikyo."

Kushida Kikyo puffed out her cheeks, seemingly dissatisfied with how formally he addressed her.

She had clearly said during her introduction that he could call her Kikyo directly.

"Got it, Kikyo." It was only a form of address, so Shi Cheng naturally agreed.

"How do you want me to help this time?"

Shi Cheng handed the initiative over to Kushida Kikyo.

Kushida Kikyo tapped her chin and put on a thinking pose. "I have a good idea."

It was actually the plan she had not used last time, only because Shi Cheng had not let her use it then.

After hearing the plan, Shi Cheng's mouth twitched.

She really was not afraid of Horikita Suzune falling out with him.

She was not even trying to act anymore.

Shi Cheng thought about it. Considering that he and Horikita Suzune were still cooperating.

And considering her personality.

Horikita Suzune probably would not care.

Shi Cheng nodded in agreement.

"Fine."

A strange competitive spirit welled up in her. Kushida Kikyo seemed not to have learned from last time as she hummed, "There definitely won't be any problems this time."

She said it as though her plan were so good.

It reeked of scheming.

"Hopefully. I'm going to eat." After being delayed for so long, he was already starving.

Kushida Kikyo quickly caught up to him and said apologetically, "Shi Cheng, let me treat you."

Shi Cheng naturally did not refuse. He would love it if someone treated him to meals every day.

"Then I won't hold back."

"It's fine. Order whatever you want." Kushida Kikyo did not mind in the slightest.

She had many friends, so her expenses were different from other people's.

But the school gave them even more money.

Kushida Kikyo truly did not take it to heart.

Shi Cheng glanced at Kushida Kikyo walking beside him with a cheerful grin.

I hope you can still smile when the time comes.

Still, Kushida Kikyo was basically an excellent student too.

It seemed there really was nothing to worry about.

The two arrived at the cafeteria together, where many people were still eating.

Shi Cheng turned and teased, "Kikyo, aren't you afraid people will misunderstand?"

Kushida Kikyo innocently replied, "We're just having a meal as friends."

Shi Cheng said no more and ordered an ordinary set meal.

Kushida Kikyo ordered a snack and sat across from Shi Cheng.

She teased him in return. "I thought Shi Cheng would order something really expensive."

Shi Cheng swallowed the food in his mouth. "If there's a next time, I'll definitely fulfill Kikyo's request."

Kushida Kikyo giggled. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Here." While the two were happily eating, a beautiful figure suddenly joined them.

Shi Cheng looked toward the voice.

The black stockings were eye-catching, but the fair, tender thighs left exposed seemed just as appealing.

Still, his gaze could not linger for too long.

Shi Cheng regretfully moved his eyes upward.

What entered his sight was an icy yet breathtakingly beautiful face.

Horikita Suzune glanced at Kushida Kikyo beside him. With no intention of greeting her, she sat directly beside Shi Cheng.

"Horikita, what a coincidence. Did you come here to eat too?"

Horikita Suzune glanced at Kushida Kikyo again, still with no intention of responding.

She simply waited for Shi Cheng to inspect it.

She could have handed it to Shi Cheng in the classroom.

But thinking she should balance work and rest.

She had come out for a walk.

She had not expected to be so lucky.

She had actually run into the two of them together.

The corners of Horikita Suzune's lips rose slightly.

This way.

Kushida Kikyo would not keep pestering her, would she?

Who said she had no friends?

Wasn't Shi Cheng one?

Shi Cheng covertly looked at Kushida Kikyo.

Why don't you put in some effort here?

Let's just abandon that plan.

With Horikita Suzune acting like this.

Shi Cheng did not want to waste time playing along with Kushida Kikyo.

Kushida Kikyo pretended not to see him and did not mind Horikita Suzune's disregard either.

Kushida Kikyo stood and moved to the empty seat on Shi Cheng's other side.

"What is this, Shi Cheng? Can I take a look?"

She could see it from across the table, but she deliberately came over beside Shi Cheng to ask.

Sandwiched between the two of them, Shi Cheng was not flustered at all. He frankly said, "Go ahead. I don't mind."

Horikita Suzune's brows drew together, and she looked somewhat displeased.

Kushida Kikyo's eyes curved into crescents. She had regained some ground.

"What is this?" To provoke Horikita Suzune further, Kushida Kikyo deliberately leaned very close to Shi Cheng.

Unfortunately, it did not work well.

Horikita Suzune's face remained calm.

Slightly disappointed, Kushida Kikyo could only turn her attention back to the school guide.

Anything related to Horikita Suzune made her extremely curious.

"The distribution of the school's security cameras," Shi Cheng said indifferently.

"Huh?" Kushida Kikyo was startled.

She looked at the two of them with a strange expression.

If there was nothing suspicious about this, who would believe it?

Her goal achieved, Horikita Suzune did not care about Kushida Kikyo's gaze at all.

She only wanted to get rid of this clingy nuisance.

Seeing that neither of them explained.

Kushida Kikyo also realized she had overthought things.

But just as Kushida Kikyo relaxed, Shi Cheng dropped a bombshell.

It left her completely stunned.

"Just like you think, we're preparing for a date." Shi Cheng wanted to look at Horikita Suzune, but the instant his eyes swept over, her icy glare made him quickly avert his gaze.