They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

Although I didn't hear what Ning Ruoxin said, the stillness in the air didn't lie.

Flowing water has no shape, drifting wind leaves no trace. Today's case involves a training camp that was already inexplicable, and I wonder if the only one who sees through the truth is the child detective—

But I know that it's best for the deceased to choose a burial plot.

"My stomach isn't feeling well. Please tell my seniors that I have to go now."

I made arrangements for my funeral with Xu Xingxin.

"Ning Ruoyu! Have you set up your tents yet?"

I'm going to eat this prop and stomp you to death! Pipe-eating plant!!!

"We're almost done here! Come over and help us skewer the food when you're done!"

An Yu jogged over with small, quick steps, looking excited for lunch.

"You prepared a lot of meat for lunch today? Wow, is this the only one left?... Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

Before I could explain anything—

"Long time no see, An'an~"

Ling Qingxue greeted them as she walked over.

"Eh?"

An Yu looked in the direction of the sound and blinked.

"We met at the end of the semester, remember?"

"Oh, of course!" An Yu smiled, but unlike his usual slightly goofy demeanor, he seemed more sociable. "Long time no see! Are you camping too?"

"Yeah, it's the basketball team's training camp. I brought my little sister along~"

Ling Chuqing waved to Ling Qingxue.

"Hello, Sister An Yu."

"Ah, it's you! So you are..."

An Yu hesitated for a moment.

"Ling Qingxue," I whispered to her.

"So you're Ling Qingxue's younger sister!"

"Yes, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you before."

"It's alright, it's alright, I think Ning Ruoyu should be too!"

An Yu, who was smiling and looking in my direction, met my gaze.

I glared at her.

"...I don't think Lü Ning would take it to heart."

An Yu finally understood my hint.

"Yes, actually I met Brother Lü Ning later, and I'm really grateful to him."

Ling Chuqing, who had walked up to us with her sister, smiled a little shyly.

"Huh? How come I didn't know about this?" It was An Yu's turn to glare at me. "This guy left me alone at the buffet, and then he actually went and secretly met up with cute girls? What a jerk."

I really don't understand what she's unhappy about.

"No, no, it was just a chance encounter. Please don't misunderstand, senior." Ling Chuqing waved her hand somewhat hesitantly. "I... I don't really keep in touch with Brother Lü Ning privately."

I can attest to that; it's not like it's work, and I wouldn't bother with creating another set of contact information for a fabricated identity. Therefore, I subtly avoided asking the two sisters about my contact information.

“Ah, after all, that guy is really reclusive, he has very few contacts.” An Yu nodded in agreement.

This person has such a cute face, so why does he speak with such sarcasm?

"...Is that so?" For some reason, Ling Chuqing seemed a little listless after hearing that.

"An Yu, do you also participate in club activities? It seems like we rarely see that."

Ling Qingxue took over the conversation.

"When I heard you were going to the track and field club's training camp, the entire basketball team went to the track and field club for a get-together—I heard that it caused some conflict."

"?"

An Yu didn't seem to understand the logical connection between them.

Sure enough, this pigeon feed supplier showed absolutely no awareness of this.

"—So it's hard to imagine that you would participate in the club activities that Ning Ruoyu is in."

She looked at me with a smile.

This sentence instantly shattered the harmonious atmosphere and made it impossible for me, who had been trying to keep a low profile, to remain a passerby.

Compared to Ling Qingxue's always gentle yet sharp words, I admit that An Yu's complaints are just childish banter.

"...So you really are Ning Ruoyu?"

Ling Chuqing's face instantly darkened, and her eyes were filled with undisguised hostility as she looked at me.

"Chu Qing, you can't be rude."

Ling Qingxue frowned and reminded her.

"…………" Ling Chuqing withdrew her gaze and stopped speaking.

"...Sorry, this child is a little shy."

Ling Qingxue lied through her teeth.

"How could this be! As expected of Qingxue's younger sister, she's so cute!"

My smile was so bright it bordered on humble and ingratiating.

Xu Xingxin and An Yu, standing to the side, showed expressions of horror, Ling Chuqing's disgust was clearly visible, while Ning Ruoxin's expression was blank but a fleeting sadness crossed her face.

"Hehe, thank you. Chu Qing is indeed very cute~"

Ling Qingxue replied in a friendly but distant tone.

Unlike her gentle and shy demeanor when talking to "Classmate Lü Ning," Ling Qingxue's conversation with "Ning Ruoyu" felt more like a reserved and aloof person.

"It's getting late, let's go back and have lunch first. If you don't mind, would you like to join us for the afternoon's activities?"

Xu Xingxin looked at me with an expression of extreme reluctance.

I even hallucinated his inner thoughts.

"We have so many high-quality girls here! There's no need for a blind date!!!"

"Is that alright, Ning Ruoyu?"

I don't know why, but Ling Qingxue asked me.

"Of course, no problem!" I said. "Oh, but the club president is a senior student, I'll talk to her later. I think it'll be fine!"

"Are you crazy?!" I could almost hear Xu Xingxin roaring again.

...It seemed to be mixed with Ling Chuqing's screams of "No!!!"

"Troublesome? Hehe, I'm so looking forward to it~" Ling Qingxue smiled sweetly, while Ling Chuqing left with a reluctant look on her face, seemingly eager to complain to her sister.

Immediately afterwards, a cheer seemed to come from the basketball team's camp, which could be heard even here.

It was probably after Ling Qingxue returned that she told them about the social event.

"...I'm going to put the tableware away now. Goodbye, seniors."

With a cold expression, Ning Ruoxin didn't even greet me before leaving with her basket, her head slightly lowered.

"Are you crazy?!"

Xu Xingxin, who had been holding back for a long time, finally roared.

"Normally I could understand or even agree with this, but now it seems impossible to sacrifice our core supporters for the sake of these two sisters!!!"

"Why did you bring us girls to this social event?! Are you crazy?! This way there will be more guys than girls!!!"

"...Ning Ruoyu, do you really want to socialize with the basketball team members?" An Yu's attitude was slightly better, but it was still clear that she was unwilling. "I don't know many people in the basketball team, and I feel like it would be quite boring."

"I asked the senior student, and she said it's voluntary. So I'll be the only one going to the social event."

"Eh?"

I didn't want to keep my plans a secret and get scolded, so I just told them what I intended to do.

"Don't worry, there's just one thing I'm concerned about—you guys can have fun here by yourselves this afternoon."

"Wait a minute, are you going alone this afternoon?" Xu Xingxin asked with an incredulous expression.

"We're winning big here, you know? Do you have a grudge against winning or against pretty girls?"

"What do you mean by 'big win'?" An Yu asked curiously.

Xu Xingxin and I both pretended not to hear it.

"Well, I just said that to set the stage. I hate being asked to do things, and naturally I won't make decisions for others. So An Yu, you don't need to go to those social events where you don't know anyone at all. Please talk to your senior for me and let her know."

"Given my senior's personality, I think she would make this decision."

"Oh, I see—but what do you mean by 'big win' or 'huge win'?"

"Ask Xu Xingxin, I don't know either."

Ignoring Xu Xingxin, who was looking at me like I was a traitor, I stared at Ning Ruoxin, who was setting out the plates, and fell into deep thought.

[Next chapter preview: "Didn't I say I came alone? Why did you come along?"]

"That explains it! Don't worry, I promise I won't tell anyone!"

"Qingxue, you don't mind, do you?"

The burly man who was rejected smiled kindly, but as he turned around, he gave me a fierce glare.

I thought about it for a moment, then accepted the invitation with a smile.

Chapter 30: The Basketball Team's Least Wanted Guest

"Didn't I say I came alone? Why did you come along?"

I took a sip of Coke while the basketball team members stared at me with bloodshot eyes.

"You have the nerve to say that? Because I'm the only unrelated person here."

Ge Lanlan counted on her fingers.

“Although you said you could come by yourself, after you came here, Chen Di, An Yu, and the senior all wanted to come with you.”

"Chen Di is worried that you will get into trouble with the basketball club. An Yu thinks that you won't be bored if you are here. The senior feels that as a senior and the president of the club, she should protect the members."

"The problem is that if Chen Di comes, Xu Xingxin will be the only boy left, so he has to come too. If An Yu leaves, Hu Dan will have to go too, and the student council president seems a little worried about the senior coming..."

Are you playing cards here, trying to chain summons?

"So the final conclusion was that I, who can be on either side, would represent everyone and come over~" Grandma said with a smile. "Ah, although actually we decided it by rock-paper-scissors."

"In the end, it was just losing a game of rock-paper-scissors," I sighed.

Well, that's about right.

Ge Lanlan said with a smile, seemingly in a good mood.

"Seeing how calmly you mentioned Xu Xingxin, it seems everything is alright now—I thought you two still couldn't be together."

"Actually, it's still awkward when we're alone together. But we haven't really had any relationship. I gave him my answer, and he stopped expecting, so we were both able to move on."

Ge Lanlan looked around. "But you still have the mood to gossip about other people? Even though these eyes aren't on me, I'm a little scared—it's amazing how you can eat and drink so calmly."

When I learned that I was the only one who came, I seemed to hear the sound of those burly men, who were on average 1.8 meters tall, having their fragile hearts shattered after being deceived.

The gazes they felt back then were far more unbearable than this, and it wasn't until Ge Lanlan came over that their situation eased somewhat.

"Hey, Grandma, we're planning to play Truth or Dare, do you want to join us?"

"No, no, I'll just grab something to eat here. Thanks for the invitation!"