Chapter 57 – I Want to Be Your Fan for the Rest of My Life

Zhao Xinning’s face was bright red.

She had gotten a little too worked up just now. That line-“You’re the only protagonist in my world”-sounded practically like a confession.

Part of her was embarrassed. The other part was quietly expectant.

What would Xi think?

What would she say?

“Xinning, you’re my best friend too,” Lin Xi said, deeply moved.

Zhao Xinning: “…”

Friend?

It seemed Xi hadn’t picked up on that meaning at all.

What an innocent child…

In Zhao Xinning’s eyes, Lin Xi’s pure, guileless innocence was her most “delicious” quality.

Oh well. If she didn’t get it, she didn’t get it. Zhao Xinning had planned to play the long game anyway-cast a long line to catch a big fish, slowly nurture their feelings, and when the time was right, go in for the one-hit kill.

You couldn’t rush good tofu. Zhao Xinning wasn’t in a hurry. After all, Lin Xi didn’t have anyone she liked, nor had she received any confessions from other “pests.”

In short, the situation was currently safe.

…

When they arrived at school, Lin Xi slipped into the classroom through the back door, sat down at her desk, and became a quiet, beautiful girl.

Entering the classroom through the front door had already become something “high-profile” for Lin Xi.

Was this the burden of fame?

Heh heh heh… Lin Xi laughed to herself. Maybe she was getting a little too narcissistic.

In her opinion, the only reason she had become so popular was because she had ridden on Xia Xun’s coattails.

She really had no idea which “genius” had gone and created a fan club for her.

Lin Xi hoped Zhao Xinning would dissolve the Lin Xi Fan Club on the spot, or else let Zhao Xinning take her place.

But Zhao Xinning refused. She was determined to be the president of the Lin Xi Fan Club.

There was nothing Lin Xi could do. It was rare to see Angel-sama being willful, so Lin Xi could only let Zhao Xinning have her way.

Fan club, whatever…

“Goddess Lin Xi-sama-” A ghostly call came from behind her.

Lin Xi turned around with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Miss Shanshan, if you keep calling me that, the little boat of our friendship is going to capsize just like that.”

Yang Shanshan: “…”

Like a startled little squirrel, she shook her head in a panic. “No, please. You’re the only friend I have, Miss Lin Xi.”

Yang Shanshan was the most socially anxious girl Lin Xi had ever met. Lin Xi planned to slowly guide her out of it.

At the very least, she wanted to turn this “Invisible Girl” into a “semi-transparent” one.

“Which problem is it?” Lin Xi asked.

Every time Yang Shanshan called for her, it was because the poor girl had gotten stuck on a difficult question.

And every time, Lin Xi managed to rescue Yang Shanshan-who had been thinking so hard she was about to start tearing her hair out-from the mire of some impossible problem.

“I don’t have a question to ask you,” Yang Shanshan said.

“Oh?” Lin Xi paused. Yang Shanshan rarely came to her just to chat, even though Lin Xi was her only friend in class. “Then you… ?”

“Miss Lin Xi,” Yang Shanshan suddenly became incredibly serious, “can I become your fan and join your fan club?”

Lin Xi: “…”

“Miss Shanshan, you really are bored out of your mind.”

But Yang Shanshan looked like she was about to cry. “I knew it. I’m not qualified to join your fan club after all…”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean, there’s no need for that,” Lin Xi hurriedly explained, afraid that if she was even one second slower, Yang Shanshan’s tears would spill over. “I don’t care about any fan club at all. I don’t even know which busybody went and founded a fan club for me.”

Lin Xi had asked Zhao Xinning, but Zhao Xinning didn’t know who had first suggested establishing the Lin Xi Fan Club either.

Had Z City No. 1 Middle School gained a new campus mystery from now on???

“So that means you’re agreeing to let me join your fan club?” Yang Shanshan asked, her eyes full of anticipation.

“Oh, whatever.” Lin Xi waved a hand. “Join the fan club, leave the fan club-do whatever makes you happy.”

“Yay!” Yang Shanshan broke into an innocent, radiant smile. “I’m never leaving.”

“I’m going to be your fan for the rest of my life!”

The rest of her life??? Lin Xi suddenly felt the weight of those words. She decided she needed to speak to Yang Shanshan from the heart.

“Miss Shanshan, I’m really not cut out to be an idol.”

But Yang Shanshan had already made up her mind. She was going to be Lin Xi’s fangirl forever.

Lin Xi: “…”

Am I really that charismatic?

“Ugh, fine-whatever.” Lin Xi had no way to deal with this stubborn girl. She could do as she pleased.

“Can I have your autograph?” Yang Shanshan handed over her most treasured notebook.

Lin Xi had no choice but to pick up a pen. “Where do I sign?”

Yang Shanshan pointed at the notebook. “Right next to my name.”

“All right,” Lin Xi said. “Just don’t complain that my handwriting is ugly.”

Lin Xi’s handwriting really was ugly. Yang Shanshan’s, on the other hand, was beautiful. She had practiced calligraphy before, and Lin Xi had even been planning to ask her for some pointers.

“Okay-” After signing, Lin Xi handed the pen back to Yang Shanshan. Yang Shanshan stared at the autograph, practically glowing with joy.

Once Lin Xi turned away, Yang Shanshan took out a red pen and drew a huge heart, circling both her name and Lin Xi’s inside it.

Just as she was considering whether to draw an arrow through the heart, Lin Xi suddenly turned back around.

Startled, Yang Shanshan immediately flopped onto the desk, covering the enormous heart.

“Did… did you see it?” Yang Shanshan asked, her face burning and her heart pounding wildly.

All Lin Xi had seen was Yang Shanshan suddenly collapse onto the desk with a very red face.

“Miss Shanshan, are you okay?”

“Sudden illness? Come on, I’ll take you to the school nurse.”

Yang Shanshan: “…”

After confirming Lin Xi hadn’t seen anything, Yang Shanshan let out a sigh of relief, and the heat in her face slowly faded.

“I’m fine. I just felt like lying down for a quick rest.”

“Oh. If something’s wrong, tell me right away, okay?” Lin Xi took out a folded piece of paper. This was why she had turned around in the first place. “Did you see who put this letter in my desk?”

“A letter? Sorry, I didn’t see who put it there,” Yang Shanshan said. “Is it a love letter? Miss Lin Xi is so popular, so of course you’d get a love letter…”

“It’s not a love letter,” Lin Xi said.

“Huh? That’s good…” Yang Shanshan smiled quietly, then put on a serious expression again. “What does it say?”

Lin Xi unfolded the letter. There was only one sentence written on it:

[Meet me on the school rooftop after school. Don’t bring anyone. Come alone.]

“How is that not a love letter?!” Yang Shanshan said. “They’re going to confess to you on the rooftop!”

Lin Xi: “…”

“How could this be a love letter?”

“Isn’t it obviously a challenge to a fight?”

“Think about it. Haven’t I been in the spotlight lately? So someone can’t stand me and is planning to beat me up.”

“They even went out of their way to send a challenge letter and told me not to bring anyone. They’re probably trying to duel me one-on-one.”

Yang Shanshan and Lin Xi-one thought it was a love letter, the other thought it was a challenge letter. Neither could understand the other’s line of thinking.

But the matter still had to be resolved. Yang Shanshan asked, “What are you going to do?”

“Go alone, of course,” Lin Xi said. “With my relationship with Senior Chu Wenmu, if they dare lay a finger on me, I’ll have the Discipline Committee investigate them to death!”

“What if Senior Chu Wenmu is the one who sent you the challenge letter? Think about it. Didn’t you make her lose a lot of face that day?”

“Ah, well-” Lin Xi froze on the spot.