Chapter 26: Confirmed, a God-Tier Performance

Seeing that Lin Siqing was in a bad mood, Fu Siqiao was about to ask what was wrong when he suddenly turned around, swinging his arm forcefully as if swatting away something annoying.

Fu Siqiao couldn't dodge in time and was violently shoved aside.

Losing her balance instantly, she stumbled backward, her feet tangling in a panic, and she fell heavily to the ground. Instinctively, she reached out to steady herself, and with a dull thud, her palms scraped harshly against the rough ground.

A sharp pain shot through her palms. She lifted her hands with a slight tremble, only to see the skin torn away, revealing raw, red flesh oozing blood mixed with dirt—a shocking sight. She bit her lower lip, her brows knitted tightly together. Tears welled up in her eyes, swirling there, threatening to spill over at any moment. She sniffled hard, trying to swallow the urge to cry; she didn't want to show her vulnerability in front of Lin Siqing.

Lin Siqing stood where he was, his brow furrowed into a deep crease. There was not a trace of guilt or pity in his eyes. He was already agitated, and seeing Fu Siqiao hovering nearby only deepened his disgust. In his heart, he had never truly accepted this so-called sister. He crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing her askance, and said coldly, "Why are you so annoying? Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?"

His voice was laced with thorns, cutting into Fu Siqiao like a sharp blade without mercy. Hearing this, she shuddered, feeling as if a heavy stone were pressing down on her heart, making it hard to breathe. She looked up, staring straight at Lin Siqing, hoping to find a flicker of apology on his face, but found only coldness and disdain. Her lips trembled, and she wanted to say something, but a sob caught in her throat.

"I don't want to see you at all," Lin Siqing continued. "Can't you just stay away from me?" As he spoke, he took a few steps forward, his heavy footsteps emphasizing his irritation. Anger burned in his eyes, as if Fu Siqiao were his greatest enemy.

Suppressing her tears, Fu Siqiao slowly stood up. She brushed the dust off her clothes, though the pain in her palms made her movements slow and difficult. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "Fine. I understand."

With that, she turned and walked away slowly, her back looking lonely and desolate.

***

*Ugh, Lin Siqing, you jerk. I’m done with you.*

In the corner of the campus, the shadows acted like a massive curtain, cleverly concealing an unknown figure. He gripped his phone tightly, his eyes fixed coldly on the scene between Lin Siqing and Fu Siqiao through the screen. With a faint click of the shutter, the moment of conflict was captured, recorded into a secret digital archive. Immersed in their emotional turmoil, neither Lin Siqing nor Fu Siqiao noticed the voyeur in the dark.

Fu Siqiao walked back with a heart full of grievance and pain. She kept her head down, eyes fixed on the ground, watching her toes move forward step by step, as if the whole world had lost its color. When she returned to where she had been waiting with Fu Xiaotao, she found only empty seats. She stood there, dazed.

As it turned out, Fu Xiaotao had grown anxious when Fu Siqiao hadn't returned for a long time, and with the class performance about to begin, she had rushed backstage to verify the cast list with Liu Zhou.

Fu Siqiao’s lips trembled slightly. She slowly walked over and sat down, her hands instinctively clasping together. The pain from her injured palms felt sharper now, as if constantly reminding her of the humiliation and hurt she had just endured. She gazed hollowly toward the stage; the lights were flashing and music drifted over, but she couldn't bring herself to join in the festive atmosphere.

The students around her were chatting excitedly about the upcoming performances, their laughter sounding particularly jarring to her ears. She sighed softly, trying to adjust her mood, but Lin Siqing’s cold, disgusted gaze and hurtful words kept resurfacing in her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to banish these painful memories, but they clung to her like stubborn ghosts.

Time slipped away in that agonizing wait. Fu Siqiao sat there quietly, thinking about the performance on stage. *How boring.*

Zhang Chenxi approached her with a steady gait, a hint of concern in his eyes. When he drew near and asked softly, "What’s wrong?", Fu Siqiao, lost in her thoughts, was startled and gave a slight jolt. She turned her head quickly, a trace of lingering alarm in her eyes, and responded instinctively, "What do you want?"

The two stared at each other, and for a moment, the atmosphere fell into an awkward stalemate. Zhang Chenxi scratched his head, trying to break the tension, but found himself at a loss for words.

***

Fu Siqiao lowered her head, staring at the ground, her fingers twisting together unconsciously. The pain from her palms made her frown slightly.

Just then, Xu Zhixing walked over, light as a breeze. Her stride was elegant and confident, and a faint smile played on her lips—a smile that seemed to possess a certain magic, making everything around her pale in comparison. She sat down next to Fu Siqiao naturally, and the faint scent of her perfume instantly filled the air.

Fu Siqiao felt even more restless and uneasy. Her body stiffened, and her eyes darted away, not daring to look at the two beside her. She felt as if she were caught in the eye of a storm, the air pressure around her dropping.

Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, Jiang Chaozhou—who rarely socialized with classmates—also headed their way. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes, but his focus was clearly on Xu Zhixing. He sat down next to her, his posture slightly stiff, stealing glances at her every now and then; the emotions hidden in his gaze seemed ready to overflow.

*Great,* Fu Siqiao muttered to herself, *another handsome guy. This situation is getting more and more complicated.*

Jiang Chaozhou cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. "This performance is actually pretty good." His voice sounded dry, clearly lacking conviction. Zhang Chenxi nodded in agreement but offered only a hollow laugh.

"Yes," Xu Zhixing replied with a smile. "Every class really put a lot of effort into it." Her voice was clear and melodious, echoing like silver bells.

Fu Siqiao listened in silence, feeling like an outsider who couldn't join the conversation, yet unable to escape the awkward scene. She pretended to watch the performance intently, though her mind was entirely elsewhere.

*Oh my god, what kind of divine lineup is this? Is the school's aesthetic finally aligning with mine? Someone tell me how to break the pressure of sitting next to the school beauty and two handsome guys.*