Chapter 69. Marked as a Target?
The table where Liu Zihan was having lunch was only about 10 meters away from the one shared by Liu Fengying and Hua Shu. How much of this was mere coincidence and how much was deliberate—well, only Liu Zihan knew. However, it was worth noting that by the time she entered the cafeteria, Hua Shu was already seated.
Although the bustling clamor of the student crowd in the cafeteria made it impossible to overhear the conversation at the neighboring table, Liu Zihan believed she had a fairly clear idea of what had transpired there. Guided mainly by the shifting expressions on Ye Wen’s face, she deduced that Liu Fengying had just rejected yet another admirer.
"Your sister’s charm is truly something else. Even after she announced that she likes girls, her male suitors refuse to back down. Though in Ye Wen's case, it's understandable that he thought he’d try his luck after all; with his frail build and delicate features, if he grew his hair long, he could easily be mistaken for a girl, haha..." said the girl having lunch with her.
Unlike Zhang Mei, whom she had kept close lately solely out of self-interest, Liu Zihan shared a somewhat more sincere relationship with Hu Ning, the girl sitting across from her.
It wasn't that Hu Ning was a better person than Zhang Mei; in fact, it could be said that her intentions were even worse. While Zhang Mei committed misdeeds to gain something, Hu Ning mostly stirred up trouble just for the sake of it, finding pleasure in witnessing conflicts break out around her.
Liu Zihan had not associated with Hu Ning on her own initiative. Rather, her mother had insisted on it, as Hu Ning was the daughter of one of her mother's new friends.
Initially, Liu Zihan didn't view her as anyone of importance. Never one to cause an open scene and always wearing a smile, Hu Ning seemed like the type of person who flattered everyone just to get by. However, it didn't take long for Liu Zihan to realize that she was actually a smiling tiger. Although she kept herself out of conflicts, more than a few disputes arose due to circumstances she had contributed to, directly or indirectly.
When Liu Zihan confronted Hu Ning about this, not only did the latter make no attempt to excuse herself, but she actually seemed delighted that someone had finally credited her for her handiwork. In her own words, she felt like a highly skilled painter whose masterpieces had been gathering dust in a closet, unappreciated by anyone.
Liu Zihan's first instinct was to distance herself from Hu Ning. After all, who could feel safe with a venomous snake lingering nearby? However, once Hu Ning stopped pretending around her, Liu Zihan discovered that she was far more intelligent than she had anticipated. Hu Ning was capable of analyzing situations from completely unconventional angles and finding connections between things that, at first glance, seemed entirely unrelated.
So, in the end, she changed her mind. She concluded that the advantages of keeping her close outweighed the risks, as long as she never placed her trust in her. She viewed her like a summoned demon: you can make use of its powers, but it would be absolute madness to follow its advice.
Despite hearing what Hu Ning said, Liu Zihan didn't bother to reply. At that moment, she was too preoccupied trying to figure out what was going on in Liu Fengying's head. Frankly, Liu Zihan suspected once again that her sister might not be thinking clearly.
She was well aware that Liu Fengying was not one to shy away from drastic measures; leaving home without any prior preparation was proof enough of that. Still, she couldn't comprehend what would drive Liu Fengying to imply that she liked girls. Even if she found it irritating to be approached by boys, it wasn't as if any of them could force her into a relationship; she could simply tell them she wasn't interested. Furthermore, it was quite obvious that the rumors about her being "bent" would do nothing to deter those who were crazy about her. Liu Zihan was certain there would be others like Ye Wen, eager to try their luck.
But if the benefits of Liu Fengying's "coming out" were minimal, the same could not be said for the potential damage it could cause her. Since Liu Zihan believed her sister intended to enter the business world, she was already imagining how many obstacles she would have to face due to these rumors. If the business environment was already a hostile place for women, for a lesbian woman, it became almost impossible to navigate.
"Tsk...", Hu Ning was not pleased that Liu Zihan was completely ignoring her; after all, she had grown used to having her full attention whenever she spoke. Besides, it was unpleasant for anyone to deliver a good joke only to have it go completely unappreciated.
However, Hu Ning wasn't worried that the situation would last for long, as she had already thought of a topic guaranteed to capture Liu Zihan's attention.
"What do you think, Hanhan? Do you think I'd stand a chance with your sister?" Hu Ning whispered. It wasn't as if she was afraid of being overheard, but rather as if she wanted to keep her intentions secret, lest someone else steal her idea and beat her to the punch.
Just as Hu Ning had expected, even though she had spoken in a much lower tone this time, her words were instantly picked up by Liu Zihan.
"Since when do you like girls?" she asked Hu Ning in turn. It wasn't that she was worried, but rather that her voice carried a hint of exasperation. She felt like a duty-bound king whom the court jester kept pestering with silly antics.
However, Hu Ning's reply made her less certain that the girl truly had no intentions toward Liu Fengying.
"Did I ever say I didn't? Well, maybe it's true that I've never thought of any girl that way before. But look at her! And it's not just her looks that make her highly attractive, but also the power, or rather the self-confidence she exudes; it's not hard to see why I'd be tempted. Compared to her, the boys in this school are like puppies next to a tigress.
And I bet I'm not the only girl in this position, especially now that the rumor about her liking girls has spread. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if more than half the girls in school have started having thoughts about her; if not real intentions, at least wondering, 'what if I were in a relationship with her?'
Besides, even if there isn't much sexual attraction, just knowing someone is highly desired is enough to make you want to have them too. In my case, I must admit this fact only amplifies my attraction to her; just picturing myself riding the face of the one so many are drooling over gets me extremely turned on..."
After listening to Hu Ning, Liu Zihan sat in silence for a few moments, not knowing how to react. Although her intuition told her that her so-called friend was just playing with her, she found it difficult to refute the arguments she had brought forward.
Moreover, she couldn't ignore the possibility that Hu Ning might try to get close to Liu Fengying even without being genuinely attracted to her; after all, the girl never missed an opportunity to cause trouble. So, just in case, Liu Zihan intended to discourage her.
"I don't know what to say; it's not like you look bad, but your appearance is rather unremarkable. So, even if Fengying did like girls, she would have better options. Take Hua Shu, for example; do you think you look better than her?" Liu Zihan said.
It wasn't that she was trying to demean Hu Ning; on the contrary, she was being quite objective. While no flaws could be found in Hu Ning's appearance, it could just as well be said that she had no striking features either, making her the type of person who easily blended into the background.
Her temperament, or rather the mask she wore—that of a person who didn't want to bother anyone—also contributed to this. Only in moments like this, when she was up to no good, could a spark be seen in her usually lifeless eyes.
It is probably very difficult to find a girl who doesn't get upset when someone criticizes her looks; after all, from a young age, they have been conditioned to believe that the better they look, the more praiseworthy they are. Is this fair? Well, not really; in the end, no matter what diet people follow or how much care they put into their appearance, they still hit genetic barriers. But just because something isn't fair doesn't mean it doesn't exist; no matter how superficial someone tries not to seem, their eyes still involuntarily drift toward someone attractive.
The same trap catches those who claim that intelligence is what truly gives you value; after all, no two people are born with the exact same information-processing abilities. Furthermore, the environment in which someone is raised plays a highly important role: it's one thing to grow up in a family of doctors and another to be brought up in a family of pickpockets. But in this case too, it does not depend on the individual.
Thus, one could conclude that any comparison between human beings involves an inevitable dose of superficiality. If someone could fully analyze a person's life, they would discover that, in reality, that person had almost no say in how they developed as an individual.
In any case, it could be said that Hu Ning had a much deeper understanding of the principle of cause and effect than other young people, as she didn't seem particularly bothered by Liu Zihan's opinion regarding her looks. On the contrary, she was in the mood for joking.
"It's not like I don't have my own advantages..." Hu Ning said, looking down at her own chest. Although she wasn't wearing very revealing clothes, it was quite easy to notice that her curves were extremely generous, light-years ahead of Hua Shu's.
"Besides, shape might be more important to her than looks. Under the cover of night, in bed, outlines become all that is discernible. Sinking into each other's softness by turns, feeding on velvety skin, rubbing against one another until our sweat tastes the same... Yes, it would be an indescribable experience," she added, her tone growing increasingly ambiguous. She seemed genuinely turned on by the scene she was describing.
"……", Liu Zihan, who had been preparing to also make a sharp remark about Hu Ning's academic standing, stopped herself. She realized that while her strategy of discouragement would have borne fruit with an ordinary girl, there was little chance it would work on Hu Ning. Since the girl saw herself as a sort of superior being, a chess player who had descended among the pieces, it was impossible to convince her that she wasn't good enough for someone.
Furthermore, seeing how Hu Ning described increasingly graphic scenes between herself and Liu Fengying, Liu Zihan became more and more confused about her true intentions. After all, no one could describe in detail something they hadn't previously imagined, and to vividly picture a scenario that would not appeal to them at all was extremely difficult for anyone. From this simple fact, a clear conclusion could be drawn: Hu Ning, in reality, had no reservations about sharing a bed with another girl. Especially with Liu Fengying.