Chapter 12: Let’s Change Seats First

There was no need to think about it—Chu Luoxi's mindset had long since changed. She had surpassed the restless mentality of youth and, from the depths of her heart, had no desire to be thrust into the spotlight. To speak of it, Xiao Jingxuan was certainly her idol—always had been, without question. He possessed real talent and strength. Though they were schoolmates, in her previous life she, like others in the circle, had simply looked up to this luminary. Their only intersection had been today’s brief interaction on stage.

“Hey, Jia?” Chu Luoxi tugged at Liu Yujia’s sleeve, shaking it vigorously. This girl was far too absorbed!

“Huh? What is it?” Liu Yujia turned her head, bewildered, her gaze still lingering on the stage. She was in a half-crazed, heart-rending state.

“I have something to discuss with Xue. Let’s switch seats,” Chu Luoxi said calmly, deciding to pass the opportunity to her fervent friend.

“Oh!” Liu Yujia didn’t even stop to ask why, nor did she question what urgent matter could arise at a time like this. She simply stood up instinctively and let Chu Luoxi take her place.

The venue was so noisy that Zhu Xueshuang hadn’t caught what was said between Chu Luoxi and Liu Yujia. She merely looked on in confusion as the two switched seats and then did nothing, feeling a strange sense of disquiet.

Stepping out from the cacophony, Chu Luoxi stretched languidly and released a genuine sigh. Her ears had suffered enough!

Because their seats were near the front, by the time they left, the crowd had already dispersed.

The freshmen’s gala was always scheduled for Friday night. Each week, only Friday and Saturday nights were spared the regular lights-out, granting boarding students a breath of freedom to fully enjoy this rare celebration.

“Luoxi, thank you for swapping seats with me. Otherwise, how would I have gotten the chance to interact with Senior Xiao Jingxuan up close? Ah, I’ve never had such luck in my life!” Liu Yujia was still basking in the thrill of having been chosen, oblivious to the fact that she and Chu Luoxi, along with Zhu Xueshuang, had chosen a quieter path, where the voices still echoed but no figures could be seen.

“Why thank me? That was your luck,” Chu Luoxi refused to admit any credit, knowing well that such matters were best kept away from herself.

But lies are easily exposed. Now, Liu Yujia, though not malicious, was quite curious. Mentioning the seat swap, she naturally recalled Chu Luoxi’s reason: “By the way, Luoxi, before the spotlight picked the lucky audience, didn’t you say you had something to tell Xue? What was it?”

“Uh…” Chu Luoxi was momentarily stifled, wrestling with herself before finally forcing a smile under Zhu Xueshuang’s odd gaze. “Yes, I meant to say something, but with all the commotion, and seeing you go up for the interaction, I forgot what it was.”

“Oh, I see!” Liu Yujia, never one for guile, accepted Chu Luoxi’s explanation without question. Besides, she was still excited from her interaction with Xiao Jingxuan and had no mind for anything else.

Thankfully, she was not as dazed as she had been right after stepping down from the stage; otherwise, Chu Luoxi and Zhu Xueshuang would have dragged her back to the dormitory, sparing her any embarrassment. Lucky, their seats were close to the stage; if they had been farther, they would have doubted whether Liu Yujia could even find her spot again after coming down.

“Well, tell me when you remember,” Zhu Xueshuang said, her smile tinged with irony as she glanced at Chu Luoxi. She was certainly not as oblivious as Liu Yujia.

Given the circumstances, attention had been fixed on the stage. To have swapped seats so urgently—how could it simply be forgotten?

She pondered, suspecting Chu Luoxi was avoiding selection or perhaps making way for Liu Yujia’s idol worship. But the idea was too fantastical—how could Chu Luoxi have known the spotlight would pause at that seat? It was beyond explanation.

Seeing Zhu Xueshuang’s reaction, Chu Luoxi knew she could not fool her, so she smiled without speaking, offering no further explanation. Some things could not be clarified.

The three walked together, laughing as the cool night breeze enveloped them. Suddenly, a shadow flickered from the woods beside the path, stepping into the halo outside the streetlamp, gazing thoughtfully at their retreating figures.

The elongated night shadow cast by the lamp made the figure seem even taller, their tranquil aura blending with the darkness, evoking a sense of profound serenity and comfort.

Originally, all was peaceful, but the tranquility was shattered by the sudden arrival of a breathless figure beside the shadow, who, not content, leaned on the shadow’s shoulder as if about to collapse—only to be gently brushed aside, never quite falling. “Come on, I’ve been looking for you forever. Would it kill you to let me lean on you for a moment?”

“There’s a tree over there.” Implied: if you want to lean, do it on the tree, not on me.

Bathed in darkness, with the light beside, there was a strange line dividing them, yet it felt oddly harmonious. The figure spoke slowly, lazily, voice magnetic and melodious, truly captivating and seductive.

Hearing this, the breathless newcomer finally calmed a little and rolled his eyes. “Xiao Jingxuan, you heartless man! Is there any agent more miserable than me? Every other agent just arranges their artist’s schedule, but you insist on meddling yourself and changing plans at random. Tell me, is there anyone else like you? Do you know I have to smooth things over constantly because of your whims? Would it kill you to act with a little principle and consistency? Otherwise, how am I supposed to do my job?”

“And another thing—can you stop disappearing all the time? I’m busy enough contacting jobs for you every day, and then I have to search for you everywhere. What is this? Especially here, your own turf, you vanish in the blink of an eye and I spend half the night looking for you. Goodness, can’t you stay put? Haven’t you noticed I’ve gotten so thin I’m like a stick? If this keeps up, I’ll turn into a skeleton—how will I ever find a wife?”

Cold Lu continued his breathless tirade, but Xiao Jingxuan was used to it, treating it as a solo performance and doing as he pleased.

Not until the rambling touched on life’s major issues did Xiao Jingxuan finally frown slightly, pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose, and the streetlight traced his perfect jawline. He interrupted, “Congratulations. The trend is for a slim figure now—lift your shirt and you can count those abs! And keep your words less ambiguous; we’re both men, remember—like charges repel.”

He glanced again at the three girls whose silhouettes were nearing the end of the path, then turned, striding forward with his long legs. “Other agents aren’t as chatty as you. If you’ve got such free time, help me check on that girl in the red dress. Was it really just coincidence that she switched seats beforehand?”