A pleasant Saturday was spent ranking with “Invincible Kitty Punch” and “The Internet’s Number One Good Son.”
Unfortunately, Sunday got shot down, so today is Monday 😋.

(The planned Sunday outing never happened—Huaxin didn’t wake up at all, sleeping straight through until 6 p.m., only then seeing more than twenty missed calls and over fifty worried messages from Xiayan, afraid something had happened to her.)

Times Square, Magic City.

All kinds of bizarre, oddly dressed people moved back and forth here. Nearby, there were plenty of influencer types holding cameras and phones, frantically posing and filming like roasted 🐔 and 🦆.
Clearly, this was a place standing right at the forefront of modern trends.

Even so, Xiayan didn’t lose to those heavily filtered internet celebrities in the slightest.

He wore light blue casual jeans and a white T-shirt with six Tom faces printed on it.
The well-fitted clothes outlined his muscle lines perfectly—not excessive, just right.
The faint, pleasant men’s cologne gave off an impression of someone who genuinely took care of himself.

Most lethal of all…
was his incredibly handsome face and bright, confident aura.

And with a camera in his hand…
he was simply the best of the best, the peak of peaks.

Xiayan had long since attracted the attention of many beautiful women, all staring straight at him, desire blazing in their eyes 🔥—hot enough to nearly burn through his pants 🥵 and turn them into a bird window.

And yet, the person who should’ve been hiding was standing right next to him.

Huaxin stood by Xiayan’s side.

They were in a spot with lighter foot traffic.
The girl wore her usual black pants, hoodie, and mask. Compared to the surrounding demons and monsters, she actually looked much more normal.

Different from her usual silence and timid panic, in this crowded scene Huaxin stared through her bangs at the women ogling Xiayan, her beautiful eyes resembling a stagnant pool of dead water.

Her pale, slender fingers clenched tightly inside her sleeves.

(What are you looking at, huh? Keep looking. Keep staring.)
(Never seen a man before? 😡)
(Heh… heh… ☠️)
(Why didn’t I bring my hammer today 🔨🩸…)
(Like wearing camisoles, like white stockings and black stockings, like short skirts, like short shorts, like staring at my friend, huh?)
(I’ll gouge out every single one of your eyes… 😈)

“Handsome guy, can I add your VX? I’m free tonight… you know~”

A woman in a black camisole showing her navel appeared beside them at some point. Her denim shorts weren’t even buttoned, and the exposed pale skin below her waist, along with faintly visible black fabric, was enough to stir endless imagination…

As she spoke, a smug expression appeared on her carefully made-up face. She squeezed her arms inward toward her chest.

Waves 🌊.
Waves 🌊.
Waves 🌊.

Judging by the bounce and softness, this wasn’t Hextech—this was real strength.

Still, compared to Huaxin, she fell a bit short 😎.
If the seal were lifted, the girl’s power would absolutely be enough to achieve the legendary OIO pose (seriously).

The curvy woman flashed her QR code aggressively, her gaze roaming over Xiayan’s face… Adam’s apple… and faintly visible collarbones… 😍

Such an outstanding man—how could you resist squeezing him dry?

“Sorry, I already have a girlfriend.”

Xiayan blinked, wearing a textbook sunny smile as he gently refused.

“Ah… we can just be friends. I never said we had to be lovers. Being (bang) friends is fine too, you know~”

The woman stared into his eyes, her words dripping with implication.

“I love my girlfriend very much. Please respect yourself.”

Xiayan dropped his smile, his expression cold and serious.

But the one who was shocked wasn’t just the woman.

Huaxin’s eyes filled with hurt and betrayal, her gaze toward the curvy woman turning even colder.

(Gi… gi gi gi… girlfriend??? 🤯)
(When did he get a girlfriend?)
(So he already has one? 🥺)
(Why did he hide it from me…)
(Was being my friend a lie?)

“Alright then…”

The woman regretfully lowered her phone and reluctantly pulled back her gaze.

Huh?
Wait… why does it feel so cold?

She looked around, confused about the source of the bone-chilling sensation.

😨

When did there get to be a non-mainstream kid next to her target?

Swallowing nervously, she forced a smile and quickly turned to leave.

“Phew…” Xiayan let out a breath.
Maybe I should wear a mask next time. I wonder if Huaxin got scared.

“You… when did you get a girlfriend?”
The girl suddenly asked, her soft shota-like voice sounding pleasant.

Xiayan froze for a moment, then laughed.
“That was just an excuse to deal with her.”

Huaxin’s frozen heart instantly melted.

(An… excuse? Haha.)
(Of course it’s an excuse… He’s totally the type who doesn’t date during college, right?)

As if thinking of a certain cat, Xiayan smiled slightly and added,
“My standards for a girlfriend are really high.”
“When I find one, I’ll definitely tell you.”

He didn’t want people knowing about his online relationship yet. Once his bond with his “wife” deepened—after exchanging photos and meeting up—then he’d go public.

After all, there were very few women who truly interested him 😉.
Definitely not because of prison guards and legs 🥵…

Since becoming a sunny extrovert, he’d been approached by all kinds of girls—too many gazes full of lust but lacking love.
Online dating, where looks weren’t the prerequisite, was a surprisingly novel experience.

(…………)
(🥺🥺🥺)

Huaxin’s eyes instantly welled up, as if tiny pearls were about to fall any second.

She understood. She understood too well.
Once men get a girlfriend, they devote everything to their lover.
They stop being honest and earnest with friends like before, even needing their girlfriend’s approval for everything. (Saw it on TikTok 🎶.)

So the first friend she had ever made would just… 🥺… 😭… disappear like that 🤧…

“But the fact that we’re good friends will never change.”

Xiayan looked at Huaxin seriously.

The girl froze. Hearing that made her want to cry even harder.

(That’s more like it. 🥺)
(I knew you wouldn’t forget us just because of some woman.)

Oh right!
The friend fee she prepared!

Huaxin put her backpack on the ground, unzipped it, and solemnly took out ten cookies as if performing a ritual, presenting them proudly to Xiayan.

“Friend fee!”

Xiayan froze, his smile fading.

It was the first time he truly looked at her hands.

Pale to an unhealthy degree. Thin. Fragile.
Was this really a boy’s hand? Obviously malnourished. (Heart aching.)

He took the cookies, his fingers brushing against hers.

Cold. Ice-cold.

Xiayan didn’t look down on the cheap cookies. Instead, he carefully stuffed them into his pocket—even though it bulged awkwardly.

“We’ll always be friends.”
“Xiayan and Huaxin.”
“Always good friends.”
“I promise.”

He said it softly.

The girl nodded happily.

“Mm!”

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