Chapter 20: A Schoolwide Blackout During Evening Study—A Romantic Scene Unfolds?

“Is it tasty?”
Bai Qingxia asked the man gently, her expression soft.

The man’s mouth was slick with oil as he ate, his legs swinging happily. “Delicious, delicious! Xiaxia, did you eat any?”

He seemed to forget his question as soon as he asked it.

Bai Qingxia patiently repeated, her voice as melodious as a nursery rhyme, “I did, I had two. Chicken drumsticks are really tasty.”

She wiped the man’s mouth with a napkin, then continued to feed him white rice with her chopsticks.

At that moment, a little girl with short hair bounced out of the gates of No. 65 Middle School, holding a freshly bought pineapple bun. She was about to cross the street when she noticed that beautiful big sister was once again sitting there, feeding the man in overalls.

Lu Yidong paused to watch, a smile spreading across her face. Still clutching her pineapple bun, she bounced back towards the school, her ear-length black hair quivering like the tendrils of a drifting jellyfish.

Well, it seemed that once again, that big sister had beaten her to feeding the overall-clad uncle.

It was a little after one in the afternoon. Bai Qingxia returned to the classroom with her backpack, only to find Lu Yuanqiu already at his desk, engrossed in a book.

For once, upon reaching her seat, she took the initiative to smile and say, “Good afternoon.”

Lu Yuanqiu turned in alarm, looking at her as if he’d seen a ghost.

Bai Qingxia felt embarrassed under his gaze and averted her eyes, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yuanqiu spoke. “Did the sun rise in the west today? The usually cold and aloof girl is actually greeting me of her own accord?”

Bai Qingxia said nothing, looking awkward as she put down her backpack, unzipped it, and took out her textbook for the first period.

Lu Yuanqiu asked offhandedly, “So, did your father enjoy his meal?”

Bai Qingxia’s voice was filled with happiness as she replied, “He did.”

Lu Yuanqiu looked at her, noticing the faint smile at the corners of her lips. “So that’s why you’re in such a good mood this afternoon?”

Bai Qingxia stared at him dumbly for a moment, then nodded slowly.

“Pfft.” Lu Yuanqiu snorted.

He truly couldn’t think of what else to say.

But then, what was there to say? The girl was filial—how could anyone fault her for that?

Lu Yuanqiu reminded her, “Come with me to the supermarket after evening study. My dad is waiting for you there—he’s the owner and wants to interview you.”

Bai Qingxia turned her head in shock, her delicate face full of surprise.

Lu Yuanqiu raised his eyebrows. “Don’t be nervous. My dad might be a bit dense, but he’s easygoing. He won’t give you a hard time.”

Bai Qingxia finally let out a breath of relief.

It was her first interview—she truly didn’t know how to handle it. Was she supposed to recite trigonometric formulas to the interviewer?

“Why do you say that about your own father?” she asked quietly.

Lu Yuanqiu looked at her. “What?”

“A bit dense,” she clarified.

---

Lu Yuanqiu’s expression was odd. “Not only do I say that about him, I could say your dad’s ten times worse.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a small but forceful fist landed squarely on his chest. Unlike previous, half-hearted attempts, this punch actually hurt.

Lu Yuanqiu looked at her in surprise, seeing the girl glaring at him with red-rimmed eyes, tears gathering in the corners.

But soon, Bai Qingxia looked away, her feelings complicated. She knew Lu Yuanqiu had no idea what was really going on.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized.

An uneasy silence fell between them.

Lu Yuanqiu rubbed his chest and took a deep breath. “…Fine, I’m sorry too. I know you’re a filial daughter. I shouldn’t have spoken that way about your father.”

Bai Qingxia turned her head so he wouldn’t see her tears.

In that moment, a wave of grief and injustice welled up inside her, her nose stinging with sorrow.

It was as if, with that single apology, all the grievances she’d held inside for years suddenly spilled over.

The shadow of the past had always pressed down on her, suffocating her. But Bai Qingxia had never given up. She thought of herself as strong, told herself to be strong.

Yet when the boy beside her offered words of comfort, Bai Qingxia realized she had only been pretending all along.

In that instant, her façade of strength crumbled.

Hidden behind her hair, her tears flowed freely.

Lu Yuanqiu couldn’t help but speak. “I really don’t know what’s going on in your family. If your father has some special reason and can’t…”

Bai Qingxia interrupted at once. “My father is perfectly fine.”

Lu Yuanqiu nodded.

He sensibly closed his mouth; it was clear she did not want to talk about it.

But if Bai Qingxia protected her father so fiercely, maybe he wasn’t a bad person after all—just had his own reasons?

Bedridden, perhaps?

But Lu Yuanqiu couldn’t understand. How could a seriously ill person eat all those packaged drumsticks, spicy sausages, and marinated eggs? Even he, a muscular guy, would get an upset stomach from eating so much of that stuff.

That afternoon, Bai Qingxia remained silent through all four classes.

Lu Yuanqiu wanted to talk to her, but seeing the chill on her face, he thought better of it.

Yet during evening study, something happened that surprised the entire school.

The teacher supervising Class 28’s evening session was the English teacher, Su Miaomiao.

Zhong Jincheng, not doing his homework, was grinning wickedly as he admired Su Miaomiao’s crossed legs in sheer black stockings up at the podium.

Suddenly, everything went dark.

The classroom was plunged into total darkness.

The students cried out in surprise, then turned to look out the window, only to see the entire campus had lost power.

Gao Qiang, ever the master at stirring up excitement, immediately bellowed, “Damn! Power’s out!”

“A blackout across the whole school!”

---

The students of Class 28 erupted in wild howls and shrieks, every manner of mischief taking the stage at once.

Su Miaomiao, young and inexperienced, struggled to control the chaos, repeatedly banging on the desk. “Quiet! Quiet! Everyone, get back to your seats!”

Just then, a shrill scream pierced the air.

“Ah! Who touched my leg? Pervert! Disgusting! Disgusting!”

Su Miaomiao’s face turned ashen—because the voice belonged to a boy.

It was clearly a deliberate attempt to cause an uproar.

She gave up, slumping into a chair, unable to control the pandemonium.

The blackout during evening study left the air thick with darkness.

Teenage boys and girls, each with their own secret thoughts, cheered and laughed, hoping, waiting for something romantic to happen to them.

Like someone suddenly holding their hand.

Or someone unexpectedly kissing their cheek.

If this were the kind of melodramatic teen drama where the heroine is always afraid of the dark, the male lead would have the perfect chance to show his protective side and win her heart.

Sure enough, from a corner in the back row by the window, there was a sudden thud.

Lu Yuanqiu had fallen to his knees on the floor.

Damn it!

He hadn’t expected that this wretched “afraid of the dark” trait would befall him!

Had he gotten the wrong script and become the heroine by mistake?

When he was six, back in his rural hometown, Lu Yuanqiu had stumbled out to the toilet in the dark and fallen into an abandoned, pitch-black well.

He spent the entire night at the bottom, calling for help with no response. The surrounding fields even had graves.

Meanwhile, his absent-minded father thought his son was fast asleep in bed, and went on dreaming with his wife, drooling in bliss, completely unaware that his son was crying for his parents from the bottom of a well.

Ever since, Lu Yuanqiu had always slept with the light on.

Now, on his knees, his chest tight and his mind in a panic, he felt as if tentacles were reaching for him from every direction.

Just as despair took hold—

A voice, clear as a heavenly melody, sounded at his ear.

“Lu Yuanqiu!”

The aloof girl who’d ignored him all afternoon was now calling his name anxiously.