Novel Turned Yuri – Chapter 91

The world will become different because of one person

Is the world real? Will it become different because of one person?

Recently, Lin Qing once again deeply understood this sentence.

Due to the fact that her university and home are in the same city, Lin Qing usually does not stay in the dormitory unless there is something special, and on top of that, she is not really keen on socializing with others, maintaining a lukewarm relationship with her classmates.

But even with this kind of relationship that is a bit better than just nodding at each other, her roommate noticed the recent changes in her.

“…Lin Qing, do you have a boyfriend?”

After hesitating and speculating for over a week, a few people could not overcome their curiosity and finally sent a representative to strike up a conversation with Lin Qing during their dorm room standby time.

“What?”

Today was the day when Qiao Yu, a senior high school student, received the results of her first monthly exam. Lin Qing, who was focused on checking her phone for messages, suddenly raised her head and blinked involuntarily. Upon realizing the intention of the other party, she paused for a moment in her breath, slightly averted her gaze, showing clear signs of panic in her movements.

When the three roommates exchanged glances, they each understood what was going on.

“…No, I don’t have a boyfriend.”

But Lin Qing quickly calmed down, returning to her usual indifferent and unchanging demeanor. The three of them assumed she wanted to conceal something, so they each came forward, patting their chests as if to make a promise.

“We just casually asked, if there’s something you don’t want others to know, we won’t say a word about it!”

“That’s right, that’s right. The main thing is to clarify so we can help you reject those persistent boys in the future—anyway, the snacks they bring don’t look very appetizing.”

“Are you serious? We’re dissatisfied with those people because of their lackluster snacks? They don’t deserve Lin Qing in the first place!”

After hearing their words, Lin Qing finally understood that these three had been frequently approached by boys for information about her, and they had steadfastly refused, using the unified reason of “if they can’t even go after you themselves, what kind of men are they?”

Although the underlying reasons might exist and even though everyone in the dormitory may not be very familiar with each other, the current situation of being better at matchmaking for oneself than their roommates was quite apparent. Lin Qing nodded slightly with a hint of gratitude towards them, and the three of them awkwardly waved their hands in refusal.

“Ah, meddling carelessly in other people’s affairs will incur divine retribution. Besides, I could tell at first glance that you don’t seem too interested in dating, and those boys clearly can’t see it.”

“But you’ve been acting differently lately! Honestly, Lin Qing, if you’re trying to keep something hidden, it’s best not to be so obvious…”

Roommate B pointed towards Lin Qing’s phone, trying to delicately convey, “You’re blatantly glued to your phone waiting for messages.”

Initially thinking about refuting their assumptions that she might be involved in a romantic relationship against her will, Lin Qing’s face suddenly flushed as she was caught off-guard by this comment, and she hastily changed the direction of her defensive response, “I’m not—”

As the conversation was halfway through, it was abruptly interrupted by the vibration of her phone, causing Lin Qing to quickly turn her head.

Upon seeing the familiar sender’s name on the screen, Lin Qing suddenly awakened to the reality, but it was too late. Her roommates had already sensibly returned to their respective seats, one of them gesturing for her not to mind them, with narrow eyes fixed on her.

… A mix of emotions.

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed this time, but as it was already done, Lin Qing could only blame the mastermind behind her outburst unreasonably in her heart, and reluctantly picked up her phone according to her true feelings.

Qiao Yu: Sorry, it didn’t work out this time.

Then, the next message contained a photo of the report card, indicating that her current rank in the class was seventh, unfortunately falling short of the top five expectations.

However, this was already better than Lin Qing had anticipated. Considering the academic ability that she initially sensed when teaching Qiao Yu in class, it seemed that she was at least ten places behind in the class initially.

To make such progress in just two weeks was truly remarkable; this rate of improvement could be described as a leap forward.

As a new teacher, Lin Qing felt it was time to provide encouragement. Initially not intending for Qiao Yu to achieve a top-five ranking in one go, it now seemed that this goal might be reached faster than she had anticipated. So, contemplating her response, she replied.

Lin Qing: Making progress, keep it up.

Qiao Yu: Are you not going to punish me?

Lin Qing: Why would I punish you for improving? Or is it that you have such a desire?

Qiao Yu: … No, no.

Through the screen of the phone, everything was good; concise text couldn’t reveal emotions, and Qiao Yu couldn’t see the relaxed smile on Lin Qing’s face as she chatted with her. Feeling happy, Lin Qing glanced at the time and asked in a whimsical yet good-natured manner.

Lin Qing: If I’m not mistaken, isn’t it class time for you over there?

Although Qiao Yu had been carrying her phone with her every day since they became friends and often messaged her during break times, this was the first time she had messaged during class hours. Lin Qing couldn’t help but wonder if Qiao Yu had forgotten that she was technically her teacher, thinking she should reprimand her at this point.

Qiao Yu: The teacher suddenly had to attend to something and went out, so I’m self-studying now, that’s why I couldn’t resist…

Qiao Yu: Today is the day for getting grades back, do you mind, teacher?

Of course, she cared, she certainly did care. After all, Qiao Yu’s grades were related to many things in the future — ah, it’s too early to talk about these things now.

Lin Qing shook her head, deciding to attribute her concern to her role as a teacher and replied with an air of authority: “Of course, I care. After all, I am getting paid. It’s important to fulfill my responsibilities as an employee, right?”

Lin Qing: Self-study is also a part of class time, stop playing with your phone. If you devote more time to studying now, you might improve by two ranks next time.

Qiao Yu: Hmm… Alright then, I’ll come find you after my class.

Just reading this conversation alone truly did give off a teacher-student vibe.

Lin Qing had originally intended to send another message advising Qiao Yu not to always play with her phone even after class, but although the words were typed out, she hesitated to press the send button and eventually gave up, deleting the message.

If encouraging Qiao Yu to focus on her studies was a matter of duty, Lin Qing’s current concern was driven by her personal intentions.

Letting out a long sigh, Lin Qing turned off her phone screen, stood up to get some water to drink, and caught the eye of her roommate A, who was sneakily glancing at her.

“”…””

The other person stiffened their neck, acting like nothing had happened, slowly turned their head, and focused on reading.

It was only at this moment that Lin Qing belatedly realized that the dormitory had been unusually quiet during this time, as if creating a conducive environment for her to chat on the phone. She couldn’t help but chuckle silently.

“…Just now, that person really isn’t my boyfriend.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Lin Qing received three skeptical gazes. She couldn’t hold back a smile, her lips curling slightly as she looked down, feeling a sense of mischievous satisfaction, like she had played a secret prank.

“If there’s a chance, I’ll introduce her to you for you to get to know.”

Without saying much, she lightly brushed it off, and her roommates tactfully didn’t pursue further. After briefly sitting in the dorm room, Lin Qing saw that the time was approaching for the next class she had chosen, so she left.

If everything goes smoothly, by this time next year, Qiao Yu would be—

Her heart started beating with a sweet excitement, causing Lin Qing to lower her head, using her bangs to cover her soft eyes.

The Student Council, the Chairpersons, and the Ministers’ regular meeting.

The Minister of the Sports Department, Cong Ye, absentmindedly played with his phone, half-listening to the speeches of the other ministers. From time to time, he shot a fierce glare at the Academic Department Minister, Li Hua, who sat beside him without a care.

Tsk, didn’t expect this guy to make it here, seems like he’s quite capable in his studies.

He was pretty furious when he first found out about this, boldly volunteering to be Lin Qing’s bodyguard, diligently guarding her to never leave her alone. It was only after realizing that Li Hua seemed to have truly given up that he stopped. Nowadays, you’d only see him at these darn Ministers’ weekly meetings—what bad luck.

Every time he saw Li Hua’s face, he felt annoyed, so he nonchalantly changed direction, propping his head and smoothly tapping open the chat with Qiao Yu on his phone. He wanted to complain to her for a bit but thought it might affect her mood, so he ended up repeatedly sending hand clapping emojis to her profile picture.

Yet, even halfway through the meeting, still no response. Cong Ye looked at his phone with a hint of concern, thinking it should be high school’s break time now, could something have come up during the break without her checking her phone? She had been on her phone quite often recently.

Anyway, high school should be almost over, she’ll reply later. He brushed it off and put his phone away, casually glancing around, but was suddenly startled by Lin Qing’s expression.

As the youngest member of the Chairpersons’ team, Lin Qing should have been used to this kind of meeting scene. However, at this moment, she looked pale, tightly pursed her lips, devoid of color as if she was exerting great effort, appearing tense and fearful.

Cong Ye’s heart was stirred, watching with concern. But their seats were not close, so he could only feel anxious.

With no response to his messages, Cong Ye watched as Lin Qing’s complexion worsened. Unable to bear it any longer, he decided to take a break during the tedious meeting and find an excuse to inquire about Lin Qing’s condition.

“Sorry.”

However, before he could act, the other person took the initiative, standing up apologetically, bowing as a sign of acknowledgment.

“I’m not feeling too well… Can I leave first?”

“Ah, of course, go back and rest, take care of yourself. Do you want me to walk you——”

After hearing the first sentence, Lin Qing quickly left, not even waiting for the Student Council President to finish speaking. She slammed the door shut, leaving the other person feeling awkward, touching his nose and coughing to redirect everyone’s attention back to the meeting.

If it wasn’t for worrying about Lin Qing’s situation, Cong Ye would have burst out laughing—this guy definitely has feelings for Lin Qing! He sincerely hoped that he would realize the reality through this incident.

Just as he was considering if he should come up with an excuse to follow, he felt a gentle tug on his clothes. Cong Ye clicked his tongue unceremoniously, glaring angrily at Li Hua beside him, impatiently observing the startled expression on Li Hua’s face.

“I, I just wanted to say… Aren’t you going to accompany Lin Qing? Clearly, she is your girlfriend…”

“…”

Cong Ye looked at Li Hua as if he were looking at a Neanderthal, until Li Hua began to feel uncomfortable, then gradually turned into a pitying gaze.

“…Truth be told, your one-sided love affair really ended inexplicably.”

He even rare warmly patted Li Hua’s shoulder, saying with deep meaning, “I hope next year you’ll have a pair of eyes that find pleasant surprises.”

After sending off the puzzled and confused Li Hua, Cong Ye once again opened his phone, checking the chat interface where the top two conversations showed no new messages, causing him to furrow his brows involuntarily.

What exactly happened?

One of the protagonists he was concerned about had just finished a long day of classes, now staring indignantly at their exam scores.

“…Just two marks away.”

If it were a difference of a dozen marks, it would’ve been acceptable, but such a close gap was truly disappointing. Qiao Yu murmured, grinding her teeth in frustration, then let out a sigh of resignation.

At this point, there’s no use dwelling on it; all I can do is try harder next time.

Rarely did the post-school mood turn out to be less than pleasant. Qiao Yu hastily packed up her things, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Just as she was about to step out, she casually glanced through the window and saw a crowd gathered near the school gates.

“Hmm?”

She stopped in confusion, and many of her classmates were also drawn to the scene. Some who were quick on the uptake already received the news from the front lines.

“I heard there’s a very pretty girl out there, looking for someone and claiming to have graduated from our school, but she got stopped by security because she didn’t have any proof.”

“How pretty? How good-looking?” High school students’ curiosity always veers off in strange directions; the conversation quickly led to odd topics, and some do-gooders were already planning to join in on the commotion.

Qiao Yu’s heart suddenly tightened, putting aside many thoughts as she hurriedly ran out.

The corridors after school were already crowded, so Qiao Yu took a while to make her way out of the classroom building. She then sprinted towards the school gate, her unzipped uniform jacket flapping in the wind, but she had no time to care at that moment. It was the first time she felt like the teaching building was so far from the school gate.

A small group of people at the school gate blocked her view ahead. Qiao Yu pushed aside the person obstructing her path and quickly stepped forward.

The unexplained premonition always seemed to come true quickly, and the casually dressed figure stood out among the group of high school students in uniforms.

“Lin Qing!”

In the midst of a standoff with the security guard, upon hearing this call, she stiffened, then immediately turned towards it. Panic and helplessness were unmistakable on her pale face, causing a sharp pain in Qiao Yu’s heart.

“Lin Qing…”

Qiao Yu hurried forward, nodding to the security guard to indicate that Lin Qing was here to see her. She reached out and took Lin Qing’s hand, leading her away from the school gate, away from the crowded area.

Lin Qing’s hand was very cold, making Qiao Yu feel like she was holding a block of ice.

But there was no resistance in her hand; Lin Qing obediently let herself be led, matching her steps to stand beside Qiao Yu.

“…What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

Sensing that Lin Qing’s current state was very strange, Qiao Yu softened her voice, suppressing her worries, and asked as calmly as possible.

“…”

Lin Qing, however, didn’t answer. Her entire demeanor seemed sluggish, with a hint of desolate redness at the corners of her eyes. She gazed blankly at Qiao Yu for a long time before suddenly grabbing her forearm with a surprisingly strong grip.

“Why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

Both her voice and hand trembled. Qiao Yu winced slightly, looking at Lin Qing. Her eyes were unusually dark and dull, causing an unsettling feeling.

“Didn’t you say you’d find me after class… but you didn’t.”

“I sent messages but didn’t get a reply, and calls… no one picked up…”

With strong emotions suppressed in her words, Qiao Yu was at a loss and could only firmly grasp Lin Qing’s shoulders, attempting to stop her from trembling as if she was afraid of something.

“My phone was confiscated by the teacher.”

Under such tense circumstances, stating such a reason seemed ridiculous, but Qiao Yu said so with a forced tone, looking directly into Lin Qing’s eyes and repeating herself.

“I took it out during class too hastily, and the teacher saw it… so…”

“…”

A hint of confusion flitted across Lin Qing’s eyes, and a glimmer of light shone in the depths of her dark eyes as her voice faltered and became uncertain.

“…Just because your phone was confiscated?”

“Just like that.”

No more words were needed. Qiao Yu saw the furrow in Lin Qing’s brow loosen and then relax, as if gradually regaining composure and warmth.

After a long while, Lin Qing finally released Qiao Yu’s forearm as if awakening from a dream, trembling as she covered her own eyes.

“I know.”

“I should… have known.”

The world can become different because of one person.

Receiving a message can bring joy, making the world brightened with a gentle light. Not receiving a reply can lead to pain, causing the world to fall into silence and darkness, as if sinking back into the sunless depths of a dark lake.

Even though reason repeatedly tells oneself that it’s just a matter of not receiving a message for a little over half a day, and it’s not a big deal, with several possible explanations roughly considered, Lin Qing couldn’t control her mind from anticipating the worst outcome. The suffocating feeling lingers, and even now, she still feels lingering fear.

A warm hand gripped her wrist, gently but firmly moving her hand away from her eyes.

“I’m here.” Qiao Yu stood in front of Lin Qing, her voice clear, gentle, and soothing. “I won’t go anywhere, I’m right here.”

She was rescued from the dark depths of the lake and embraced in the arms of Qiao Yu.