Chapter 116: Bullying

Lin Luyao finally managed to push her way through the crowd. Just as she squeezed off the bus and stood on the platform, the doors slammed shut behind her with a “bang,” and the bus drove away, leaving Lin Luyao to inhale a deep breath of exhaust fumes.

Helplessly, she raised her hand and waved it in front of her face a couple of times, dispersing the lingering smoke. Squinting slightly, she relied on her memory to head toward Dormitory A.

As she neared the dormitory, Lin Luyao spotted a handsome young man standing at the building's base. He seemed to be looking in her direction and was now walking toward her.

Surely, he’s not here for me.

Lin Luyao was always clear-headed about herself. She was just an ordinary female college student; there was no way a handsome guy would come looking for her.

But before she had taken many steps, the young man was already standing right in front of her.

This street is so wide—why is he blocking my way?

She thought as she stepped aside.

Unexpectedly, the young man followed her and called out,

“Senior, wait a moment!”

Hmm?

Lin Luyao looked up and studied him carefully. Suddenly, he seemed somewhat familiar.

“You’re...?” Lin Luyao furrowed her brow, struggling to recall his name. “You’re number 15 on the basketball team?”

“Oh, right! I didn’t expect you to remember, senior,” the young man said bashfully, scratching his head. “I’m Wang Xiao.”

“Oh, Wang Xiao,” Lin Luyao repeated his name. “So, what can I do for you?”

She was eager to get back and sleep and didn’t really care whether his name was Wang Xiao or something else.

“Senior, um...” Wang Xiao rubbed the tip of his nose and clenched his sleeve nervously. “Do you know where Senior Jiang Xiaohan is?”

Looking for Xiaohan?

Lin Luyao raised an eyebrow, her drowsiness temporarily driven away by curiosity.

“Looking for her? What’s up?”

“She asked me out yesterday... but I didn’t see her all night. I messaged her but got no reply... so I wanted to check if something happened to her.”

Yesterday? Wasn’t she in Southern Su these past few days?

Though Lin Luyao was full of questions, she kept them to herself. What if this was Jiang Xiaohan’s intention? If she let something slip, it might mess up her plan.

So she decided to probe a little further.

“You said Xiaohan asked you out yesterday?”

Wang Xiao rubbed his nose again and hurried to explain. After listening, Lin Luyao realized that Wang Xiao had sent the invitation on Thursday night, and Jiang Xiaohan had agreed that same evening.

As for what the invitation was about, judging by Wang Xiao’s hesitant tone, Lin Luyao guessed she probably already had a good idea.

Wasn’t she already in Southern Su on Thursday?

Lin Luyao pondered quietly.

In that case, either Xiaohan hadn’t paid close attention to what Wang Xiao said, or she was deliberately toying with him. Given the fierce expression Xiaohan showed the last time Wang Xiao was mentioned, Lin Luyao leaned toward the latter.

Though it was late autumn, the mosquitoes by the lakeside hadn’t lessened much. Waiting an hour by the lover’s lake, those mosquitoes must have feasted well.

Thinking of this, Lin Luyao’s expression softened with sympathy.

Why pick a fight with Jiang Xiaohan? And after offending her, you even hand yourself over on a silver platter. If Jiang Xiaohan didn’t “retaliate,” her name might as well be written backward.

“Maybe... have you considered that her absence is her way of replying to you?” Lin Luyao hinted delicately, unwilling to see such a handsome and well-behaved junior continue being tormented by his mischievous senior.

“Impossible. She said she would come.”