Chapter 48: PAST-NINE.
Xu Lingwei reached the institute just as she was already waiting at the entrance, her arms crossed, eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on him.
Without a word, she strode over and took his archery set bag from his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Xu Lingwei asked, startled.
"Let me," Hua Rong replied simply, gripping the strap firmly before he could protest. Then, before he could say anything more, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him along, quick on her feet.
Not into the institute, not all the way. Just enough inside that, from Yueming's perspective—likely peering from one of the upper windows—it would look like Xu Lingwei had gone in already. She glanced around, then handed him a folded slip of paper.
"I will hide your bag in the back hall. Now go before you're late for the audition!" she said, giving him a light shove toward the archery hall.
Xu Lingwei turned halfway, hesitant. "Will you not come with me?" he asked, almost under his breath.
Hua Rong smiled, brushing the hair away from her face. "I have to give my audition here."
Ah. That's right.
Unlike him, Hua Rong was here entirely of her own will. And unlike him, she'd been practicing archery with her whole heart.
He nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before heading off in the opposite direction, while she watched him go