Redemption from the Abyss: The School Beauty Insists on Pulling Me Out of the Mire

Su Qinghe looked at Lu Yi, who was holding a camera, and even with her excellent manners, the corner of her mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Xu You, standing next to him, pushed up her glasses and whispered to Su Qinghe:

"Su Su... has this new classmate gone mad from reading so much?"

Su Qinghe shook his head helplessly, and just as he was about to say something, his gaze inadvertently swept over the camera screen in Lu Yi's hand.

For a moment, her gaze froze.

The composition is extremely ingenious, even stunning.

The foreground of the photo shows her profile, with a cool and aloof look but gentle eyes, while the background features Xie Wang on the sports field.

As light and shadow intertwine, the boy's passion and the girl's tranquility perfectly overlap at this moment.

"...So beautiful." Xu You also came over for a look and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

Lu Yi glanced down at the screen, then at Su Qinghe's bright eyes, and shrugged listlessly.

"The composition is acceptable, the lighting is so-so. The main thing is that the model's emotion is right—that foolish look in his eyes, so deeply immersed in worldly affairs, is captured very accurately."

Su Qinghe automatically filtered out his annoying adjectives and extended his hand to him:

"Lu Yi, could you send me a copy of the photo?"

Lu glanced at her, then slowly pressed the camera buttons a few times to print the photos:

"Take it. Art should belong to the muse, even though this muse is already love-struck."

……

"Ring ring—!!"

The moment the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class.

"Wang Ge! Catch the ball!"

Shen Hao let out a loud shout and made a long pass from the baseline.

Xie Wang caught the ball, jumped, hovered in the air for a second, and then gently flicked his wrist.

The basketball traced a perfect parabola in the air.

"brush!"

A clean swish into the net, a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

"oh--!!!"

A cheer erupted around him. Xie Wang landed, casually wiping the sweat from his forehead. His black T-shirt clung to his back, outlining the lean, muscular lines of the young man.

Su Qinghe had already stood up and handed over a clean towel and a bottle of water that had been unscrewed.

Thanks.

Xie Wang took the water, tilted his head back, and gulped it down. His Adam's apple bobbed as he wiped his sweat, glancing at the figure behind the stands and raising an eyebrow.

"What was that artsy guy Lu Yi talking about with you guys just now? I saw him gesturing around with that old camera."

Su Qinghe pursed her lips, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She took out her phone, pulled up the photo that had just been sent, and handed it to Xie Wang:

"We didn't talk about much. But... he took a picture."

Xie Wang leaned over and took a look.

He was stunned at first glance.

The atmosphere in the photo was so strong that even he, the person in question, was struck by the overwhelming sense of destiny that overflowed from the screen.

"Tsk."

Xie Wang's lips curled into a satisfied smile, his tone tinged with surprise:

"This kid may seem a bit crazy, but his skills are undeniable."

"I'll treat him to milk tea later. This photo... I want to use it as my phone's wallpaper."

……

As school ended, the setting sun bathed the entire campus in a warm golden hue.

Xie Wang, carrying a bag on one shoulder, walked side by side with Su Qinghe towards the school exit. Shen Hao and Xu You walked ahead, the two of them engaged in a childish "rock-paper-scissors" duel over what to have for dinner.

"Why."

A faint voice suddenly drifted over from the side.

Lu Yi followed us without us noticing. He was still carrying the book and walked silently.

He glanced at Xie Wang and Su Qinghe's shadows side by side and sighed.

"The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it's nearing dusk. Did you know that every ray of sunset is actually the sun's corpse left on this world..."

Xie Wang's temple throbbed.

Can't this person speak in a more human way?

But remembering that photo, he still patiently and, unusually, with a good temper, praised it:

"Great photos, thanks."

Lu Yi was taken aback, seemingly not expecting to be praised by this seemingly fierce person.

He pushed up his glasses, a hint of arrogant melancholy flashing in his eyes:

"A vulgar compliment, but... since you enjoy the thrill of capturing fleeting moments, then my film isn't wasted."

The three of them walked to the school gate.

It was peak drop-off and pick-up time, and the entrance was packed with all kinds of cars.

Shen Hao was pushing his bicycle, ready to leave, when he suddenly saw Lu Yi walk straight toward a car on the side of the road. He immediately stopped and his eyes widened like saucers.

"Holy crap? Lu Yi, is that your car?"

Following Shen Hao's gaze, everyone looked over.

Among the rows of black, white, and gray cars parked by the roadside, there stood one that was extremely conspicuous, extremely incongruous, and could even be described as extremely "girlish"—

Pink Wuling Hongguang MINI EV.

Commonly known as: Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili.

Moreover, it was a very delicate Barbie pink, so pretty it looked like you could squeeze water out of it, and there were even two white rabbit ear decorations on the roof.

Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, the melancholic poet Lu Yi expressionlessly opened the door of the pink car.

The stark contrast seemed to freeze the air for three seconds.

"Pfft—hahahaha!"

Shen Hao couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, pointing at the car and laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

"Wait... Dude! This is so out of character for you! Weren't you supposed to be embracing the darkness? How come you ended up with a Barbie dream mansion?"

Even Xie Wang couldn't help but turn his head away, his shoulders twitching slightly.

Su Qinghe couldn't help but chuckle, covering the smile on his lips with the back of his hand.

Lu Yi got into the driver's seat and slowly rolled down the window.

He looked at Shen Hao, who was laughing so hard he was doubled over, his eyes still holding that detached indifference that came from seeing through the world's illusions.

He adjusted his glasses and, in a deep, melancholic tone, as if reciting poetry, slowly retorted:

"shallow."

"This isn't pink, it's... the last desperate cry of a flamingo before it dies."

"This is the most powerless irony of this bleak world."

After he finished speaking, he rolled up the car window.

The pink, chopped-chili fish head emitted a buzzing electrical sound, carrying the melancholy poet as it sped away amidst a group of luxury cars in an extremely cute and slow manner.

The crowd was left bewildered in the wind.

"What the hell is that flamingo's cry..." Xie Wang rubbed his face, which was stiff from laughing. "This guy is a real treasure."

"It is quite...unique," Su Qinghe said with a smile.

Xie Wang tossed his backpack behind him with one hand, freeing up the other to naturally take Su Qinghe's hand.

"Let's go home."

The two strolled slowly along the familiar riverside road, the evening breeze dispelling the daytime heat.

Twenty minutes later, the two arrived at the residential area.

The two walked through the parking area filled with luxury cars.

This area is usually filled with black Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, or minivans.

However, today...

In this gray and black landscape, a striking and dazzling bright color suddenly appeared.

Xie Wang and Su Qinghe stopped in their tracks at the same time.

Right next to the elevator, in that prime parking spot, a car was parked quietly—

Barbie pink chopped chili fish head.

The two white rabbit ears on the roof looked exceptionally cute yet... eerie under the garage's stark white lights.

Xie Wang: "..."

Su Qinghe: "..."

The two looked at each other, both seeing deep shock and a hint of absurdity in each other's eyes.

"This car..." Xie Wang pointed at the pink car, his lips twitching slightly, "It looks kind of familiar."

"If there's more than one..." Su Qinghe pushed up his glasses, his tone complicated, "then this world might really be broken."

Just then, the car door suddenly opened.

That familiar figure—Lu Yi—was still wearing that loose-fitting school uniform, holding that book in her arms, and carrying a bag of discounted noodles bought from the supermarket in her hand.

He slowly climbed out of the car, closed the door, and then drifted towards the elevator like a ghost.

Lu Yi was also taken aback when he saw Xie Wang and Su Qinghe standing not far away.

But he quickly regained his composure.

He pushed up his glasses and sighed in a melancholic tone, as if he had long since seen through his fate:

"well……"

"It seems this is what they call—an entanglement of fate."

"Not only will I be mentally polluted by you at school, but I'll also have to breathe the same air as you when I get home."

He pressed the elevator's up button and turned to look at the two dumbfounded people:

"Stop looking, I'm a homeowner here too."

"After all... to find inspiration in a decaying city, you have to live on higher ground."

"bite--"

The elevator doors opened.

Lu Yi floated inside, not forgetting to politely press the open button, looking at the two who were still in a daze:

"Should we go in? Even though this elevator car is also a metal coffin."