"I'm fine with it, really. If Xiaoxiao accepts me and lets me stay by your side too, then of course that's good. If she doesn't, I'll just quietly watch over the two of you from the sidelines!" Tang Yun said with an easy, carefree laugh.

Wei Zhao nodded and said nothing more. He truly had never imagined things would come to this, nor that Feng Xiaoxiao would have such a wretched background — something absolutely impossible to tell from appearances. Had Feng Tianlong not told them the truth, Wei Zhao would probably still have thought Feng Xiaoxiao was a perfectly healthy, mischievous little girl...

The car reached the school and parked at the snack street behind it. Wei Zhao and Tang Yun returned to school together.

Wei Zhao and Tang Yun parted at the door of Class 9, Senior Year. Before they parted, Tang Yun winked at Wei Zhao and said: "I'm going back to class first. You can start your... girl-chasing plan! But don't let the fake turn real. I don't mind either way — I'm only afraid you'll be the one who ends up hurt."

"Heh..." Wei Zhao chuckled, nodded, and headed toward his own classroom: "Aren't you going to the cafeteria to get something to eat?"

By the time Wei Zhao got back, the last class of the afternoon had already ended, and evening self-study was about to begin. Evening self-study for the senior year ran until past six, so at this hour most students went out to buy something to eat.

"I'll go by myself," Tang Yun said. "You'd better go keep Xiaoxiao company, no?"

"A sudden change would make her suspicious. Better to change gradually," Wei Zhao said, shaking his head. "In a bit I'll ask her, and the three of us can go to the cafeteria together."

"That works too!" Tang Yun nodded. Wei Zhao was right — if he had abruptly done a complete one-eighty in attitude, Feng Xiaoxiao would surely have grown suspicious.

Back in the classroom, Wei Zhao saw Feng Xiaoxiao sitting alone in her seat, and his heart ached despite himself. Feng Xiaoxiao had no real friends to speak of; at that moment the other students had all gone off in twos and threes to buy food, leaving her by herself.

Wei Zhao walked quickly to his seat and sat down.

Hearing movement beside her, Feng Xiaoxiao looked up. Seeing that it was Wei Zhao, she brightened: "You're back? How come you took so long?"

"Didn't you go buy something to eat? Evening self-study doesn't start until six-thirty — that's two hours. Aren't you hungry?" Wei Zhao asked, instead of answering her question.

"Huh?" Feng Xiaoxiao was taken aback. She had never expected Wei Zhao to take the initiative to care about her, and for a moment she was rather excited: "I haven't eaten yet. Have you? Shall we go to the cafeteria together?"

"I'm going with Tang Yun in a bit," Wei Zhao said flatly. He could not let Feng Xiaoxiao see through him; that one sentence was already far kinder than usual, so he had to keep the measure just right.

"Oh... then I'll come too!" Feng Xiaoxiao was secretly annoyed. She had thought Wei Zhao was starting to care about her, but it seemed he had only asked offhandedly! So, unwilling to be outdone, she said it.

"Suit yourself." Wei Zhao did not refuse as he usually would. He said it indifferently, then rose and walked toward the classroom door.

Feng Xiaoxiao hurried after him, walking at his side. She refused to believe that with her pursuing him so fiercely, Wei Zhao could resist. He was bound to fall for her!

At the door of Class 9, Senior Year, Wei Zhao called Tang Yun. Seeing Feng Xiaoxiao beside Wei Zhao, Tang Yun frowned at once and, with some "surprise," said: "Wei Zhao, she..."

"She wants to come to the cafeteria too..." Wei Zhao said.

Tang Yun glanced at Feng Xiaoxiao — that counted as a greeting. She knew she could not act too friendly; that would not suit her character.

And so this strange trio set off together toward the school cafeteria. Wei Zhao held Tang Yun's hand; Feng Xiaoxiao walked on Wei Zhao's other side. She wanted to hold his hand too, but feared he would simply shake her off, which would be utterly humiliating.

Feng Xiaoxiao felt like such a third wheel. How could Wei Zhao and Tang Yun be so close?

It seemed that breaking Tang Yun and Wei Zhao apart would not be so easy. Feng Xiaoxiao also knew that after Tang Yun had seen through her last scheme, whatever she did now, Tang Yun might not react much. And as for hoping Wei Zhao would fall for her and then dump Tang Yun — that was an even more impossible task. At least, Feng Xiaoxiao felt the odds of pulling it off in her lifetime were rather slim.

Should she change her strategy? Watching Wei Zhao and Tang Yun, so inseparable, Feng Xiaoxiao's little head began to spin again.

Hmm, how about this: instead of making Wei Zhao dump Tang Yun, she would make Wei Zhao fall for both her and Tang Yun at the same time. Then when she died, Wei Zhao would surely grieve, wouldn't he? But then, he would still have Tang Yun. If she died and he felt nothing, what then? Wouldn't she have died for nothing?

Forget it. She was going to die sooner or later anyway. If she could not take revenge on Wei Zhao, she might as well treat it as an experiment in what love felt like, using Wei Zhao as her test subject. And she need not worry about hurting him, either. Fine, that settled it, Feng Xiaoxiao comforted herself.

With that thought, Feng Xiaoxiao felt relieved, and her hostility toward Tang Yun diminished considerably.

The three of them arrived at the cafeteria. Wei Zhao went to buy food. He knew what Tang Yun usually ate, but had no idea what Feng Xiaoxiao liked, so he asked: "Xiaoxiao, what do you want to eat?"

"I... whatever you two are having, I'll have the same. Are you treating me?" Feng Xiaoxiao was delighted to hear that Wei Zhao was going to buy her a meal. She herself did not even know why she was so happy. Sometimes the person one understands least is oneself.

Wei Zhao nodded: "You didn't even eat that beef noodle soup properly at noon, so I'll just treat you to another meal."

"Then whatever you two eat, I'll just have some of the same!" Feng Xiaoxiao was not a picky eater, and said so directly.

"All right." Wei Zhao nodded and went to buy the food. As he left, he glanced at Tang Yun, and Tang Yun gave him a look that said, don't worry.

"Feng Xiaoxiao, what exactly are you trying to do?" Once Wei Zhao had gone, Tang Yun turned to Feng Xiaoxiao and asked coldly.

"I... I like Wei Zhao. What, is that not allowed? Does it bother you?" Feng Xiaoxiao had not expected Tang Yun to attack so suddenly, but she was no weakling either, and her answer came out rather self-righteously.

"What would I mind?" Tang Yun curled her lip. "Someone's being silly enough to want to play the other woman for Wei Zhao — what do I have to mind? I'm delighted, if anything. My only worry is that Wei Zhao won't think you're good enough."

"Huh?" Feng Xiaoxiao was stunned. She had not expected Tang Yun's words to be so cutting. She had thought Tang Yun would oppose it with all her might, but never expected her to say this. Still, Feng Xiaoxiao quickly recovered — Tang Yun must be speaking out of anger.