A few days later, XinYue took the longer way home.
The alley was quieter than usual—too quiet. The kind of quiet that made footsteps sound louder than they should.
She noticed them before they spoke.
Three seniors, leaning casually like they owned the place.
"Got some money?" one of them asked, not even trying to sound threatening.
XinYue stopped.
Her heart kicked hard against her ribs, but her face stayed calm.
"I know Lin Jue," she said.
The name worked instantly.
They straightened.
"Lin Jue?" one of them repeated. "That Lin Jue?"
She nodded once.
Another guy smirked.
"So what, you're his girlfriend?"
XinYue didn't even pause.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—annoyed clicks of tongues.
"Fine," someone muttered. "Tell him we don't want trouble."
They left.
XinYue stood there for a full minute after they were gone, letting the air return to her lungs.
The next day, the basketball court was loud with shoes scraping the ground and balls hitting concrete.
Li Hanyan was there.
So was XinYue.
She didn't notice the seniors at first—until they called her name and gestured for her to come with them.
Li Hanyan's head snapped up.
Whispers spread fast.
"Isn't that Lin Jue's group?"
"Didn't someone come back bruised last time?"
"Don't get involved."
Li Hanyan didn't listen.
He followed.
---
Lin Jue was leaning against the railing when XinYue was brought to him, blond hair catching the light like he didn't care who was watching.
"I heard," he said calmly, eyes amused,
"that I got a girlfriend yesterday."
XinYue sighed.
"I said it for safety."
He tilted his head, studying her.
Then he smiled.
"Then let's make it easy," he said.
"One week. We act like we're together. Then we break up."
She frowned.
"That's ridiculous."
"Effective," he corrected.
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
Li Hanyan arrived just in time to see them talking.
Too close.
Too relaxed.
"What's going on?" he asked sharply.
Lin Jue glanced at XinYue instead of answering.
"I'm fine," XinYue said quickly. "No one's doing anything to me."
Li Hanyan searched her face.
She didn't look scared.
She looked… normal.
He left—but something stayed knotted in his chest.
The deal turned out to be strangely fun.
Lin Jue walked her to class like it was a joke only they shared.
Stole her pen and refused to return it unless she laughed.
Sat beside her at lunch just to watch people stare.
"People are going to believe this," XinYue warned.
Lin Jue shrugged.
"Let them."
And they did.
Rumors spread fast.
"They're dating."
"She tamed him."
"Lin Jue's different now."
XinYue knew it was fake.
Still—she laughed more that week than she had in months.
---
Li Hanyan noticed everything.
Her smile.
The way she didn't look toward the court anymore.
The way Lin Jue's name followed hers like a shadow.
Every laugh felt personal.
One afternoon, XinYue passed the court with Lin Jue beside her.
She didn't look at Li Hanyan.
That hurt more than if she had.
Lin Jue noticed the direction of her gaze anyway.
"So," he said lightly,
"you like him."
XinYue stopped walking.
"That's not part of the deal."
He smirked.
"Relax. I'm not changing the rules."
But the game had already shifted.
And Li Hanyan—
Li Hanyan was losing without ever being asked to play.