"Su Li"
A familiar voice filled with warmth and affection called out to her.
Su Li stopped mid-step
Her fingers curled slowly at her side before she turned around.
Standing a few meters away was Zhou Qian, dressed in a pale cream cardigan, her long hair tied loosely behind her back. She looked exactly as Su Li remembered gentle, harmless, the kind of girl people instinctively wanted to protect.
And beside her—
Lin Hao.
His brows were already drawn together, irritation written plainly across his face.
"There you are," Zhou Qian said softly, reaching Su Li first. "I've been calling you all morning. You scared me." She smiled, then sighed as if relieved. "I thought something might've happened."
Wei who was standing beside Su Li scoffed quietly.
"I was busy," Su Li said evenly.
Lin Hao didn't like that answer.
"Busy?" he repeated, voice rising slightly. "You ignored my calls."
Several nearby students glanced over and whispered quietly.
Wei shifted closer to Su Li. "She doesn't have to pick up every time you call, you know."
Lin Hao looked at Wei for the first time, clearly annoyed. "This doesn't concern you."
Wei smiled tightly. "She's my roommate. It kind of does."
Zhou Qian stepped in immediately, her tone gentle and placating. "Hey, hey, let's not argue. Hao was just worried." She turned to Su Li, eyes full of concern. "Li, if you were upset, you could've told me. I hate seeing you like this."
Like this.
As if Su Li were the unreasonable one.
Lin Hao crossed his arms. "You promised you'd meet me today."
"I didn't," Su Li said.
His expression darkened. "You said you were free."
"I said I'd see."
Wei sucked in a sharp breath. "Wow. That's not the same thing."
Zhou Qian laughed lightly, waving a hand. "You know Hao he just gets anxious. Li, don't be mad at him. He's been under so much pressure lately." Her voice dropped, intimate. "I've been helping him manage things, but he still worries about you."
Helping him.
Managing him.
Claiming him.
Su Li finally looked directly at Zhou Qian.
Her smile was flawless. Her eyes were sincere. Anyone watching would think she was kindness itself.
"I'm not mad," Su Li said. "I'm just busy."
Lin Hao scoffed. "You've changed."
"Yes," she agreed. "I have."
The certainty in her voice made him pause.
"Since when do you go to job fairs without telling me?" he demanded. "You don't even know what you want to do."
Wei laughed, short and incredulous. "Excuse you? She knows exactly what she wants. Maybe you just never bothered asking."
Zhou Qian's expression flickered, then softened again. "Wei, right? I've heard a lot about you." She smiled warmly. "Li always talks about you."
Wei's smile sharpened. "Funny. She never mentions you."
Silence.
Lin Hao's jaw tightened. "Enough. Su Li, come with us. We're leaving."
The words weren't a suggestion.
They were an order.
Su Li looked at his outstretched hand.
In her last life, she would have taken it without hesitation.
Now, she stepped back.
"No."
The single word landed heavily.
Zhou Qian's eyes widened, hurt blooming instantly. "Li… are you sure? Hao's just worried about you. We all are."
Su Li met her gaze calmly. "You don't need to worry about me anymore."
Wei hooked her arm through Su Li's. "We're going."
They turned and walked away.
Behind them, Lin Hao stared, disbelief and anger churning on his face.
Zhou Qian watched Su Li's retreating figure, her fingers slowly curling into her sleeve.
Her smile never reached her eyes.
Lin Hao's expression darkened as Su Li's figure disappeared into the crowd.
"She's doing this on purpose," he said sharply. "Ever since this morning, she's been acting like she doesn't know me."
Zhou Qian placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"Hao, don't be like that," she said softly. "Li's probably just overwhelmed. You know how sensitive she is." She glanced in the direction Su Li had gone, worry creasing her brow. "She's always been bad at dealing with pressure."
Zhou Qian shook her head, a faint, helpless smile on her lips. "She's always been like this. When something bothers her, she pulls away instead of talking. It's my fault—I should've noticed earlier." Her voice lowered, full of guilt. "If I'd paid more attention, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
His anger faltered slightly.
"She listens to you," Lin Hao muttered.
Zhou Qian squeezed his arm reassuringly. "Because I understand her." She looked up at him, eyes gentle. "Let me talk to her, okay? You don't need to argue with her like this. It'll only push her further away."
He hesitated.
Then nodded. "Fine. Go."
Zhou Qian smiled faintly, already turning. "I'll bring her back."
"Su Li, wait!"
Su Li slowed but didn't stop.
Zhou Qian caught up quickly, placing herself just close enough to feel intimate, just far enough to seem respectful.
"Li," she said, lightly touching Su Li's sleeve. "Don't be mad at Hao. He really is worried about you."
Wei's grip tightened on Su Li's arm. "We're in a hurry."
Zhou Qian smiled apologetically at her. "I know. I'll only take a minute."
She turned back to Su Li, voice dropping into a cutesy tone. "You don't have to shut us out like this. We're your friends."
Friends.
Su Li looked at her.
Up close, Zhou Qian's expression was flawles concerned eyes, softened lips, a faint trace of hurt in her round face.
"I'm not shutting anyone out," Su Li said calmly. "I'm just choosing what I want to do."
Zhou Qian's brows knitted together. "But you never used to choose without telling us." She sighed softly. "Hao's been so stressed lately. He keeps asking me if he did something wrong." Her voice trembled slightly. "It hurts him when you ignore him."
Wei let out a short laugh. "Wow. That's… impressive."
Zhou Qian blinked at her, startled. "I'm just trying to help."
"By making everything about him?" Wei shot back.
Zhou Qian's eyes shimmered instantly. "I don't understand why you're being hostile. Li means so much to me. I only want things to go back to how they were."
How they were.
Su Li finally spoke.
"They won't."
The certainty in her voice made Zhou Qian freeze.
"You don't need to talk to me on his behalf," Su Li continued. "And you don't need to worry about me anymore."
Zhou Qian's lips parted. "Li…"
Wei tugged Su Li forward. "Come on."
They walked away.
Zhou Qian remained standing there, her hands clenched at her sides, her gentle expression slowly fading and a malicious smile crossing her lips.Just for a moment.
Then she turned back toward Lin Hao's direction already rehearsing the concern she would wear on her face.