Chapter 61 : Chapter 61
Chapter 61
The second person he visited was Ling You’er.
As the only girl in Class S, Ling You’er had been assigned to the same dorm room as Feng Youyou. Compared with the others, Feng Youyou’s promotion spot was already set in stone, so the school was more than happy to see the two of them getting along.
Ji Qing stopped at the door and knocked lightly on the wooden panel.
Knock, knock.
After the dull knocking sound, hurried footsteps came from inside the room.
“Ji Qing?” Feng Youyou pulled open the door and looked at the visitor outside in surprise. But when her gaze caught Shao Huayu behind him, a sharp gleam flashed through her eyes.
The next second, she put on a professional smile and politely pressed, “May I ask why the First Seat and the Second Seat have come to visit this humble room? And when exactly did your friendship take such a dramatic leap forward?”
“Before the team match, the two of you didn’t seem to get along very well. Was that just my imagination?”
“I refuse to answer.” Ji Qing lifted a hand and declined at once.
“Please don’t talk to us in a reporter’s tone.” Shao Huayu maintained a polite fake smile.
“Well, the story walked right up to me.” Feng Youyou leaned against the door with a sorrowful look. “Being able to see it but not ask about it is making me itch all over.”
Ji Qing did not comment on that. He could understand Feng Youyou’s feelings, but from the bottom of his heart, he had no desire to talk about it. Lifting his eyes indifferently, Ji Qing asked, “Is Ling You’er here?”
“She is.” Feng Youyou regretfully pulled the door wider open. “So you came for You’er. Come in and sit for a while. Talking at the doorway just feels a little strange somehow.”
His view opened up at once, and the full layout of the dorm room spread before Ji Qing’s eyes.
Wearing an exquisite little black dress, Ling You’er was sitting in front of the vanity, applying lipstick. When she saw Ji Qing, she blinked in surprise. “You came this quickly?”
Only then did Ji Qing notice that neither of the girls was wearing a school uniform.
Feng Youyou was dressed in a lace blouse and a skirt, and her makeup looked light and fresh. The two of them were obviously preparing to go out and have fun that afternoon. They had not even had time to unpack their luggage yet.
“Am I interrupting you?” Ji Qing asked thoughtfully.
“Not at all.” Ling You’er used a cotton pad to wipe away the lipstick she had smeared, then said with a serious expression, “It’s still a long time before the dinner we planned. I just didn’t expect you to want to see me, Ji Qing.”
The two of them had already discussed the visit beforehand over the terminal.
Hearing that, Ji Qing immediately relaxed.
He pulled over a chair and sat down, then explained politely, “I just wanted to ask about what your team experienced during the team match.”
“Wow.” Ling You’er’s eyes widened in surprise.
Only then did she notice Shao Huayu standing behind Ji Qing.
Her lively purple eyes blinked in confusion, and then she turned to Ji Qing and asked, “But why didn’t you go to Song Xiaoran? It feels like you boys would have more to talk about.”
But as she went on, Ling You’er’s voice grew quieter and quieter. The next second, she made a gesture of sudden realization. “I get it. Song Xiaoran ignored you, right?”
“Yes.” Ji Qing nodded seriously.
Looking pleased with herself, Ling You’er rubbed the bridge of her nose and complained, “I knew something like this would happen! Before the team match, whenever I went looking for him, I could never find him anywhere. At one point, I was starting to wonder whether he even knew how to use a terminal…”
“Given the way Song Xiaoran is, that would be perfectly normal.” Ji Qing smiled and went along with it.
“You two…” Shao Huayu’s gaze turned complicated at the sight.
His eyes moved back and forth between Ji Qing and Ling You’er, yet he still could not find the point where their relationship had warmed up. If he had not deliberately come along, then in Shao Huayu’s impression—
Ling You’er was still that timid girl.
When did Ji Qing get so close to Ling You’er? Shao Huayu wondered to himself.
Meeting Shao Huayu’s gaze, Ji Qing showed an easy smile. After all, he could hardly say it was because of their daily greetings, could he?
Ling You’er’s biggest problem was her social anxiety.
But in front of people she knew well, or in a private setting, she behaved perfectly normally.
“Speaking of which…” Ling You’er’s gaze moved back and forth between the two visitors before she asked slowly, “How did you two end up together?”
“Is that so strange?” Shao Huayu asked with a raised brow.
This was the third time he had heard that question.
At this point, the situation no longer allowed him to ignore it. Although he and Ji Qing had not interacted much before the team match, it had not been so bad that merely seeing them together should shock people, had it?
“I honestly just never expected it.” Feng Youyou pondered aloud at the side. “I’m really curious now about when you two actually became close.”
“Don’t tell me your relationship improved after staying together for one night? Are boys’ friendships really that cheap?”
“Right, right.” Ling You’er hurriedly chimed in after hearing that.
She looked the two boys up and down curiously, obviously waiting for an answer as well. Ji Qing smiled faintly and said, “Boys’ friendships really are that cheap.”
The moment those words came out, all three people present looked at Ji Qing.
Shao Huayu frowned instinctively. Although he wanted to deny it, the reason the two of them had grown closer was an embarrassing black history that could not be spoken aloud.
So Shao Huayu turned his face away in displeasure.
He did not agree with Ji Qing’s wording, but he had no way to explain the real reason.
Shao Huayu’s attitude instead confirmed Feng Youyou’s guess. She had long sensed that there was something different in the way the two of them interacted, and now she was completely certain.
But from her perspective, the two of them becoming friends was a good thing.
Coming to Class S had truly been a wonderful choice. With deep emotion in her heart, Feng Youyou thought: At last, no more factional struggles… at last, I’m back to normal human relationships…
It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
Right now, even the thought of “repeatedly entering and leaving dangerous zones in the future” feels strangely adorable.
“So, can you tell me about your team’s route of action?” Ji Qing softly pulled the topic back.
“Ah… okay…”
Ling You’er froze for a moment, then finally nodded solemnly. But after a short while, she muttered softly, “Actually, I think Song Xiaoran might know better than I do.”
“Not long after we landed on the island, he said he had something he absolutely had to do.”
“Hm?” “What happened?”
The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of the three people turned serious at once.
Startled by their sudden change, Ling You’er timidly clarified, “It’s about that experimental variant… Ji Qing, do you remember? The vine the teacher gave him.”
“Song Xiaoran said it warned him not to go onto the island.”
Ji Qing was stunned when he heard that.
At that moment, he instantly regretted bringing Shao Huayu along, but after another thought, Ji Qing steadied himself. Even if Shao Huayu did not know now, he would definitely find out sooner or later.
There were divisions among Variant populations.
The deep-sea population and the land population did not get along. Even if the vine Variant could sense the danger on the island, it had no way of perceiving what was actually happening there.
With a conflicted expression, Ling You’er continued, “At the time, I felt like he didn't even know what was ahead. He just wanted to go over and take a look… but of course I had to go with him…”
“If he left, then wouldn’t I have been left alone with the other two…” Ling You’er muttered softly. “He was the only person there I knew…”
Shao Huayu asked, “Did he bring the vine onto the island?”
Ling You’er: “…No.”
The moment that answer came out, Shao Huayu’s expression immediately turned grave. Ji Qing guessed that he was already thinking about the connection between the professor from Snow City University and this matter.
Ling You’er asked weakly, “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t.” Shao Huayu cut in at once. “It’s just that the impact of this matter is rather large, so don’t tell anyone else for now. I’ll go ask Song Xiaoran about the details, then talk to the teacher afterward.”
In an instant, Shao Huayu had already decided on the next course of action.
He turned and left in a hurry, leaving the three people present looking at one another. Seeing that, Ji Qing raised his brows helplessly, then chuckled. “No need to be nervous. Have fun.”
After saying that, Ji Qing quickly followed after Shao Huayu. This left only Ling You’er and Feng Youyou staring at each other.
Ling You’er hesitated. “Are we still going out?”
Feng Youyou said firmly, “Of course! The makeup’s already done. It would be such a waste not to go.”
On the other side, Ji Qing caught up with Shao Huayu.
“Your reaction is making people nervous.” Slowing his pace, Ji Qing frowned in disapproval. “There’s no need to make it sound so urgent. It’ll still be a while before the investigators arrive.”
“…” Shao Huayu said nothing.
Just as Shao Huayu was about to speak, Ji Qing’s terminal suddenly lit up. Ji Qing opened it and found that it was Song Xiaoran’s delayed reply.
Song Xiaoran: [Sorry, I was just talking to the teacher. I didn’t notice the messages on my terminal in time.]
Ji Qing: [It’s fine. What happened on your end?]
Song Xiaoran: [Some unusual things happened during the team match. I just told the teacher, and in a bit I’ll probably need to talk to the others in the team as well.]
Ji Qing: [Has a way of handling it been decided?]
Song Xiaoran: [Hm? Don’t tell me, Ji Qing, you…]
Ji Qing: [I already heard about it from Ling You’er.]
Ji Qing: [What did the teacher say?]
Song Xiaoran: [Just tell it normally. The odds of something like this happening are too low, and not everyone can communicate with plants. But the professor in Snow City may be affected to some extent.]
Ji Qing’s fingertip paused at that.
A trace of urgency welled up in his heart at once. If the Federation used the laboratory-born Aberrant vine to trace the whereabouts of Intelligent Aberrants, it would absolutely affect the conflict between humans and Aberrants.
Ji Qing himself had not been detected, but that did not mean other Aberrants would be as fortunate.
The anxiety in Ji Qing’s heart grew stronger and stronger. He secretly warned himself: Calm down, Ji Qing. Right now, your identity is the First Seat. Don’t concern yourself with the affairs of the Aberrants.
Since it had already been exposed, then just accept it calmly.
The vine had not identified him as a Aberrant, which proved that this method of detection had serious flaws. For the time being, it would not reach him.
His current top priority was still the same: recover his identity.
With that thought, Ji Qing felt much more settled inside.
Seeing this, Shao Huayu, who had been waiting nearby, asked, “Did Song Xiaoran say anything?”
“See for yourself.”
Ji Qing calmly showed the terminal messages to Shao Huayu.
The deep furrow in Shao Huayu’s brow immediately relaxed quite a bit. He returned to his usual image of a noble young master and said with elegant composure, “Since the teacher already knows, then let’s proceed according to the teacher’s instructions.”
“It’s just…” His words suddenly halted.
Ji Qing raised a brow and cut in, “What bad idea are you thinking of now?”
“Heh.” Shao Huayu said displeasedly, “I’m only trying to control the damage. The influence of symbiotic Aberrants is far too great. Rather than wait for the professor to be harmed by some unknown force, or produce some dangerous result, it would be better to bring him under our own control sooner rather than later.”
Ji Qing: “…”
All right. That really was a good idea. Ji Qing thoughtfully rolled his eyes, then smiled and stepped back. “In that case, I won’t delay your discussion with the teacher.”
Under Shao Huayu’s name, it would be safer in the end.