Chapter 917: Sudden Sting

Throughout the day, Happy was extremely awkward and upset. At the table, Xu Xin and Xu Yao, acting like sisters, discussed which goods were on sale and which clothes and cosmetics were good, ignoring their host as they picked at their food. While silently enduring the pain of being ignored, Happy thought about how to get rid of Xu Xin, but it was difficult with the two girls always sticking together.

“Xin.”
“What?”
Xu Xin looked up, still showing the shyness and wariness from the earlier ambush.
“What should Xu Yao do about playing games?”
Although there was a guest room, the bed wasn’t big enough for two people to lie in together. On the contrary, Happy really wanted to offer her half of the large bed.
“What do you mean?”
Xu Xin froze for a moment before answering innocently, “By this afternoon, Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei will deliver the new bed. I’ve already asked Brother Silver Fox to come down and help.”
“…”
Happy was completely taken aback. She thought to herself, “It’s one thing if Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei act recklessly, but why is Silver Fox involved too?” Sensing the tense atmosphere, Xu Yao wisely didn’t look up, continuing to pick at her food—no trace left of the dignity of a school discipline officer.

“…”
Failing to make progress, Happy couldn’t think of what to do next. She waited until Xu Yao went to wash the dishes, then stopped Xu Xin from clearing the table and pulled her into her own bedroom. Bang! She closed the door and pressed Xu Xin against it, who stared at her in shock.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
“No.”
The girl wasn’t very good at lying; Happy saw through her instantly. Her face showed panic. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Now everyone knows you’re my woman, yet you brought an outsider here to live with us. Tell me, what’s your intention?”
Xu Xin’s eyes darted around before she surrendered under Happy’s intense gaze, blushing. “I just didn’t want things to progress that fast.”
“So you brought in a rival? Why not bring in a girl from your dormitory—someone as pretty as you? That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about me falling for someone else.”
“Weren’t you annoyed by her?”
At that moment, Xu Xin revealed her slightly cunning thoughts.
Happy took several deep breaths in frustration.
“Xu Xin! You knew I hated her and still brought her in!”
“…”

Xu Xin blurted out something carelessly, then panicked and stuck out her tongue, quickly explaining, “But Sister Xu Yao isn’t wrong either—she’s just the president of the Discipline Committee. I know you guys guys hate the Discipline Committee, and I know there were unpleasant incidents before. But now that Sister Yao is in that situation, you have no reason to keep hating her.”
“So you brought her here…”
Kai Xin stepped closer, sarcastic and annoyed, “Are you trying to get me to get close to her?”
“Sure.”
Xu Xin’s stubborn reply made Kai Xin realize for the first time that this gentle girl also had a stubborn side.
Yet at that moment, her stubborn expression and tilted head were quite adorable.
His heart warmed, and he couldn’t help but lift Xu Xin’s smooth, delicate chin, turning her slightly shy and flustered face toward him before leaning in.
Just as their lips were about to touch, Xu Yao’s voice came from outside: “Xin, I can’t find the dishcloth… Huh? Oh! I found it. You don’t need to come out…” Her sudden exclamation sounded like she was trying to fix things after the fact, as if reminding the two in the bedroom to continue.
Damn it.
Based on what Kai Xin knew about Xu Xin, Xu Yao’s attempts to cover up were enough to destroy the courage Xu Xin had mustered.
Sure enough!
Xu Xin’s face turned red, and she reflexively pushed Kai Xin away, ready to go out.
But Kai Xin was determined to make her forget Xu Yao, to drive away that woman—from this room, from his heart.
He reached out and pulled her close.
Ah!
Xu Xin screamed and fell back into Kai Xin’s arms. Before she could react, she was enveloped in intense heat.
“No…”
“Sister Yao is outside.”
Xu Xin’s lips were sealed. Two seconds later, her struggles grew stronger.
But Kai Xin was confident he could make her stop struggling in no time.
Just then, a sudden, mild pain flashed in his mind—like a needle prick.
All his strength vanished.
Thud!
Kai Xin was pushed onto the bed by Xu Xin with a heavy thud.
Not only was Kai Xin shocked, but Xu Xin was also surprised by her own strength. She stared at him strangely, as if wondering if he had done it on purpose.
But when she saw his dazed and astonished expression as he examined his body, she sensed something strange and off.
In that instant…
Kai Xin’s face seemed to lose all color, turning pale and ugly, as if he were desperately trying to recall something.
“…”
Xu Xin finally realized something was wrong with Kai Xin.
“What’s wrong?”

Happy looked up upon hearing this, her gaze somewhat confused and reticent, with a hint of shyness that Xu Xin found hard to decipher… It was as if it were the scene from over a year ago beneath the teaching building when she handed him an umbrella! That shy, introverted Chen Kaixin… not the confident, in-control Happy. In that moment of shock, Happy hesitantly spoke words that shocked Xu Xin greatly: “Xu Xin, are you okay?” Happy even stepped back slightly, seemingly embarrassed to get close to her. Hearing Happy’s address and his instinctive reaction, Xu Xin suddenly felt the atmosphere between them vanish completely, as if an unbridgeable gap had appeared. Xu Xin panicked immediately. The eyes! Especially the eyes. People’s eyes don’t lie when they’re lying. But Happy’s eyes at that moment truly reflected a relationship where they weren’t close enough to get near each other, mixed with concern from a distance. “…Stop teasing.” A myriad of thoughts flashed through Xu Xin’s mind in an instant, and her face turned pale: “You scared me.” When she grabbed Happy’s hands, she could clearly feel his body tremble—a genuine tremor, as if he were recoiling in distress. “Xu Xin, you… I didn’t…” Happy’s words, expression, and eyes all resembled those of a naive boy meeting a girl up close for the first time in college, looking as adorable as possible. It was worlds apart from his usual demeanor… And Xu Xin was certain that over the past year, Happy had never played such jokes on her. Panicked, she even thought she might have caused him some terrible harm by being too forceful, her eyes turning red: “Happy, stop teasing. Don’t scare me.” She hugged him desperately. Happy stood frozen, at a loss for what to do, staring in shock at the girl in his arms, inhaling her fragrance as his body temperature soared and his face turned red. Xu Xin was completely terrified. She held Happy tightly, afraid that if she looked up, she’d find him leaving her again, staring at her with that distant, unsettling gaze. It took some time before Xu Xin felt the muscles in his arms relax. The previously cold temperature also began to warm up slowly. His slightly cold palms gently stroked her soft hair: “Got fooled, right?” It was Happy’s familiar voice by her ear, but it seemed to carry something more than usual. Xu Xin hesitantly raised her face. “…”

The smile on Happy’s face and her confident gaze finally convinced her that everything that had happened just now was indeed fake on his part.
“You’re such a jerk.”
Xu Xin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes while biting her lower lip and attacking Happy’s chest, yet she didn’t move away for even a moment.
Happy grabbed Xu Xin’s small hand and pressed it against his chest.
The two of them were pressed tightly together.
At this moment, it seemed they had merged into one.
Xu Xin’s little face turned red.
It seemed she had forgotten that Xu Yao might still be outside, imagining things, washing dishes, or eavesdropping. She felt as if a sensual atmosphere filled the bedroom, making her ears burn, and her body gradually melted away.
“Your heart is beating so fast.”
Xu Xin, still pressed against Happy’s chest, realized her voice sounded strange—like a groan coming from deep within her throat.
At such a moment, anyone could tell that Xu Xin was completely at his mercy.
But Happy didn’t act…
Holding his beloved tightly, his eyes flashed with pain and a hint of fear.
“Happy?”
“Mm.”
“Do you really hate it that Sister Xu Yao is here?”
“No, I was just joking with you.”
Happy stroked Xu Xin’s soft hair as he replied, seeming somewhat listless and weak.
“I thought you were really angry and wouldn’t talk to me anymore.”
“How could that be? My performance just now was quite convincing, right?”
Happy smiled and rubbed Xu Xin’s head.
“Hmph, still daring to say that! If you scare me like this again, I really won’t talk to you.” Xu Xin threatened weakly, then suddenly raised her head and kissed him on the lips under his surprised gaze.
“With Sister Xu Yao here, we can’t…” She couldn’t finish her sentence, her voice already faint and her face red with shame.
“Alright, she called you just now. Go outside. Otherwise, if we stay too long, there might be misunderstandings. I need to go back to work too.”
At the mention of Xu Yao, guilt flashed in Happy’s eyes. He took a deep breath, smiled, opened the bedroom door, and pushed Xu Xin outside.
This time, it was Xu Xin who was slightly puzzled.
“Misunderstandings?”
But Happy quickly closed the door, not giving her a chance to speak.
Xu Yao poked her head out of the kitchen, her eyes scanning everything like a gossip scanner.
“Xin, are you okay?”
The latter still stood puzzled at the bedroom door.
“What could possibly be wrong?”
Xu Xin came to her senses.
“Did he not eat you?” Xu Yao teased in a suggestive whisper.
“Nonsense. Go wash your dishes.”
“I can’t find a dishcloth.”
Xu Yao spread her hands.

“You just…” Xu Xin’s face turned bright red instantly.
…
Unaware of this, two women, just behind and separated by a door, saw Happy already communicating with another version of herself—the other Chen Kaixin.