Chapter 20: Flower of Evil, Lin Biqi

Li Xiao still wore an expression of lingering shock on his face. As he looked up, he saw Shen Ci walking toward him.

He hurriedly pulled his arm out of Lin Biqi's grasp. This instinctive movement caused Lin Biqi to instantly pout, looking up at him with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Seeing Li Xiao's eyes flicker with excitement as he looked ahead, Lin Biqi followed his gaze, only to see the fair and beautiful Shen Ci.

Her pink face flushed with indignation, and an alarm bell instantly rang in her head.

At that moment, Shen Ci also noticed Li Xiao and the Lin Biqi beside him.

The moment she saw Lin Biqi, Shen Ci felt a bone-chilling numbness spread from the soles of her feet upward, as if countless ants were crawling over her feet, the backs of her hands, and her back, finally exploding like television static inside her skull.

Shen Ci's pupils trembled slightly. The inner sides of her forearms began to feel hot, itchy, and faintly painful in her subconscious.

It was the aftereffect of being burned by a curling iron.

*Lin Biqi, long time no see. You've finally come.*

Just as those painful memories were about to surge forth, Shen Ci inconspicuously touched her right arm. The smooth sensation instantly brought her back to reality and restored her composure.

She walked straight toward the cafeteria entrance, ignoring the expectant Li Xiao.

Li Xiao froze momentarily, then bolted after her.

"Brother Li Xiao!"

Seeing this, Lin Biqi stomped her foot in anger and hurried after them.

"Shen Ci! Shen Ci!"

With his long legs, Li Xiao covered the distance in a few strides and intercepted Shen Ci.

Before Shen Ci could tell him to leave, he preemptively spoke: "Shen Ci, I'm sorry. I was too impulsive yesterday. I apologize to you."

"Brother Li Xiao, who is she?" Lin Biqi approached, looking at Shen Ci with a wary expression.

Li Xiao couldn't care less about Lin Biqi. With an apologetic and affectionate gaze, he explained urgently to Shen Ci, "I was just so anxious because you were ignoring me, that's why I said those bastardly things. I'm truly sorry, Shen Ci. Please don't be angry anymore, okay?"

"I'm not angry," Shen Ci said softly.

Hearing this, Li Xiao's face instantly brightened. His fingers trembled with excitement. "Really? You're not angry with me anymore?"

As he spoke, he moved to embrace Shen Ci, but was halted by her stepping backward.

He froze with his arms halfway raised, his large eyes filled with confusion.

Shen Ci looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Because nothing you say holds any weight with me, nor does it affect me in the slightest."

"Hey! You aren't allowed to talk to Brother Li Xiao like that!" Lin Biqi shouted at Shen Ci.

Though she didn't know who this girl was or what had happened between her and Brother Li Xiao, she felt the girl shouldn't speak to him with such an attitude.

"Qiqi, don't interrupt!" Li Xiao turned to glare at Lin Biqi, rebuking her, "This is between her and me!"

Lin Biqi shuddered at the volume of Li Xiao's voice. Immediately after, her eyes welled with tears and her thin lips trembled, looking as if she were about to burst into tears from shock.

Brother Li Xiao had never yelled at her like that before!

Looking at Lin Biqi, Shen Ci bit her molars hard to suppress the surging hatred in her heart. She let out a disdainful cold laugh. "Did you scare your little white rabbit? Hurry up and coax her."

With that, she turned to leave. At that moment, Lin Biqi's tears began to fall.

However, Li Xiao's reaction was to grab Shen Ci's wrist, explaining anxiously, "Shen Ci, don't misunderstand. She is my sister."

*Misunderstand?*

*Sister?*

*Would a sister take such risks for you, sneaking into someone else's dormitory to steal their thesis, and then damaging the computer hard drive afterward so they couldn't even save the drafts?*

*Would a sister undergo two abortions for you, and then intentionally mail the medical certificates to her face?*

*Would a sister get jealous and corner her in a bathroom, using a preheated curling iron to burn her forearms?*

Every single evil deed Lin Biqi had inflicted upon her—which one of them could a sister have done?

Shen Ci's expression darkened slightly as she forcefully shook off Li Xiao's hand. "There is no need to explain your relationship to me."

"Shen Ci..."

As Li Xiao tried to persist, Qu Yang suddenly appeared the next second, stepping forward to block Shen Ci.

Shen Ci felt a shadow fall over her, obscuring the light. When she looked up, she saw Qu Yang's broad back.

He was roughly the same height as Li Xiao, but as a student of the sports department and the vice president of the basketball club, Qu Yang's physical conditioning was clearly several levels higher than that of the wealthy heir, Li Xiao.

"Stop pestering her."

Qu Yang spoke softly, his voice calm and emotionless, making it impossible to tell his mood.

But Li Xiao was enraged. He was already furious from seeing Shen Ci talking to Qu Yang, and now Qu Yang dared to interfere. Li Xiao's eyes widened in anger as he cursed, "Get lost! What the hell does this have to do with you?"

Shao Yu and several other classmates rushed forward to pull them apart, fearing a fight might break out.

The rules at USTC were very strict; fighting on campus would result in a major demerit.

"Oh, oh, don't be angry, don't be angry. You're all classmates, let's talk this out calmly."

Several boys forcefully pulled Qu Yang away from the space between Shen Ci and Li Xiao. Qu Yang intended to struggle free, but he couldn't resist three or four people holding him at once.

"I'm fine, you should go," Shen Ci said, looking at Qu Yang.

This matter had nothing to do with Qu Yang. He lived in the same dormitory as Li Xiao; if he stepped in like this, Li Xiao would surely take his anger out on him.

Hearing Shen Ci speak, Qu Yang relaxed his strength and allowed Shao Yu to drag him away.

Once they were a distance away, Shao Yu spoke up, "Are you crazy? Li Xiao and Shen Ci's breakup is still so messy and unclear. Why did you stick your neck out!"

"Exactly. Even if you really like Shen Ci, now is not the right time. Seeing how Li Xiao keeps pestering her, they clearly haven't broken up completely."

"If a fight actually breaks out, Li Xiao's family is rich and won't care, but you'll be the one getting a major demerit!"

While his companions talked incessantly, Qu Yang didn't hear a word. He only turned back from time to time to check on Shen Ci.

Seeing that Shen Ci had turned and walked away without a word, and that Li Xiao hadn't chased after her, he felt slightly relieved.

Li Xiao stared intently at Shen Ci until she was far away, then lowered his head. Although Shen Ci hadn't forgiven him, he had no intention of giving up.

Turning around, he found Lin Biqi standing aside, her makeup ruined by crying.

He sighed silently and lowered his voice, saying helplessly, "Qiqi, I wasn't angry at you just now. I just couldn't control my emotions. Stop crying."

Lin Biqi sniffled aggrievedly and demanded arrogantly, "Then let me ask you, who was that girl just now?"

"She's my girlfriend. We had a fight, it was just a misunderstanding," Li Xiao explained.

Though he had a premonition, hearing Li Xiao admit with his own ears that the girl was his girlfriend made Lin Biqi feel as if the sky were falling.

"Brother Li Xiao! You actually have a girlfriend?" Lin Biqi screamed, completely breaking down into loud, wailing sobs. "Then what about me? I came to USTC just for you! What am I supposed to be!"