“Everyone is the protagonist of their own story.” Hearing Zero’s words, Lu Mingfei paused, then chuckled, “Yes, we are all the protagonists of our own stories.”
Lu Mingfei felt very comfortable being with Zero, although he didn't know why, he had an inexplicable trust in Zero, like family. When you live with family for many years, you naturally trust them unconditionally.
Lu Mingfei had that kind of feeling towards Zero. Even if he knew in his previous life that Zero approached him with a purpose, he still trusted her. How many people in this world would risk their lives to save you and face life and death with you?
Lu Mingfei felt there wouldn't be a cooler girl than Zero.
Please, a girl who can fly a fighter jet at an altitude of ten thousand meters without batting an eye to hold off a Dragon King-level enemy for you is super cool, okay?
After entering the classroom, Su Xiaoqiang approached Lu Mingfei, “Lu Mingfei, come here for a moment, I need to talk to you about something.” As she spoke, her gaze flickered to Zero. Zero remained expressionless, showing no reaction, and only then did Su Xiaoqiang turn back to Lu Mingfei.
Lu Mingfei nodded and followed Su Xiaoqiang out of the classroom. He was a bit curious what Su Xiaoqiang wanted to talk about. “Little Heavenly Maiden, is there something you need me for?”
Su Xiaoqiang didn't rush to ask, but stared at Lu Mingfei for a while. Lu Mingfei felt a bit unnerved by her gaze before Su Xiaoqiang finally asked, “Lu Mingfei, what did you do this summer? You seem to have changed so much.”
Lu Mingfei thought to himself, 'I've been reborn, how could I not have changed?' He recalled what he did during his first year of high school summer vacation. “I went to internet cafes to play games, sometimes climbed to the rooftop to look at the stars, or look at the city and things like that.”
“Then you must be really bored.” Su Xiaoqiang was a bit speechless, “What’s the deal with that new foreign girl? Is her name Zero?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s the deal’? Just say what you want to ask directly.”
“Don’t pretend, you knew that girl before, didn’t you? You clearly don’t look like it’s your first time meeting.” Su Xiaoqiang was very certain, “And yesterday I even saw you and her get into the same car. I didn’t realize it, Lu Mingfei, you can even get a foreign girl now, and she even came to China to study for you.”
“What are you talking about? I…” Lu Mingfei was about to refute, but on second thought, Zero really did seem to have come here because of him, and he did know Zero before. Su Xiaoqiang's reasoning process was completely wrong, but her conclusion was surprisingly correct.
“I do know her, but yesterday was our first time meeting. Getting in the same car was just because we were close, she gave me a ride. She didn’t come to China to study for me; I don’t have that kind of charm.”
“So that’s how it is. Do you like her?” Su Xiaoqiang suddenly asked.
“?” Lu Mingfei had a huge question mark on his face.
“I saw yesterday you didn’t even go up to Chen Wenwen to fawn over her, you didn’t even glance at her twice.” Su Xiaoqiang looked suspicious, “This isn’t like you. Normally, you’d be fawning over Chen Wenwen, and you’d be overjoyed if she said just a few words to you.”
“Did I used to be that obvious?” Lu Mingfei rubbed his forehead, a little helpless, “Does the whole class know about this? Also, what do you mean by ‘fawning’?”
“Maybe the whole school knows. I’m not wrong, it was fawning. She wasn’t even that willing to talk to you, and you still fawningly followed her around.”
Lu Mingfei was speechless for a moment. It turned out his once carefully hidden crush was so obvious in the eyes of others.
“But now you don’t seem to like Chen Wenwen anymore, have you fallen for someone else? Is it that Zero?” Su Xiaoqiang boldly guessed.
“Don’t guess wildly. It’s my own reason; I just figured things out. Chen Wenwen is great, but she’s not suitable for me.”
“Chen Wenwen isn’t suitable for you? Isn’t she perfect in the eyes of you boys?” Although Su Xiaoqiang didn’t like Chen Wenwen, she had to admit her standing in the hearts of many boys.
“Stop it, there’s no such thing as a perfect person in the world. You’re much better than her,” Lu Mingfei said casually.
Su Xiaoqiang was startled, thinking Lu Mingfei was a bit off. She reached out and touched Lu Mingfei’s forehead to check his temperature. “You’re not running a fever.”
“Just talk, why are you getting handsy and taking advantage? We’re just buddies.” Hearing Lu Mingfei’s words, Su Xiaoqiang finally showed a slight smile. This kind of nonsense was Lu Mingfei’s style. “Alright, let’s go back. Knowing you’re still like this puts my mind at ease. I thought you really got together with Zero.”
— — — —
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the campus path red. Plane tree leaves rustled in the breeze, casting dappled light and shadow on the two walking side by side. Lu Mingfei and Zero stepped on the fallen leaves, their footsteps clear on the quiet path. The distant roar of traffic was filtered by layers of tree shadows, leaving only a faint hum.
The two walked in silence when Zero suddenly spoke, “Lu Mingfei, what you said this morning.”
Lu Mingfei scratched his head, his memory suddenly flashing back to the chuunibyou remark he blurted out that morning. Recalling it now, his ears involuntarily burned, and he let out a dry laugh. “Are you talking about the helicopter coming to pick me up? That was just my chuunibyou fantasy from back then, don’t take it seriously, haha.”
Zero didn't respond, just watched him quietly. Lu Mingfei suddenly had an urge to kneel and beg for mercy—if that Fingel guy found out about this dark history of his, he would definitely serialize it for three months on the Night Watcher Forum. But Zero’s character put him at ease; Her Royal Highness was never one to amuse herself with such things.
“Not that, the one before that.” Zero’s voice carried the crispness of fresh snow. Lu Mingfei thought Zero's voice was beautiful, just a bit cold.
“Not that one, then that’s good. I’m really not the protagonist, am I? Is that what you mean?” Lu Mingfei let out a long sigh of relief. Her Royal Highness truly wasn’t someone who would care about such things.
“No, the sentence after that.” Zero shook her head.
“The sentence after that?” Lu Mingfei blinked, and the fragments of his memory suddenly pieced together. “You see, someone like me becoming deskmates with a transferred beautiful girl, and then walking to school together the next day, doesn’t that sound like a protagonist from a novel or anime? Is that what you’re talking about?”
“Mm.” Zero nodded lightly.
“What about it?” Lu Mingfei was a little puzzled, not understanding Zero’s meaning.
Zero suddenly quickened her pace, her white shoes crunching over a patch of golden plane tree leaves. She turned and blocked Lu Mingfei’s path, forcing him to stop.
“You, walking to school with me, are the protagonist. Does that mean, me, walking to school with you…” Zero’s voice was very soft, yet every word was clear. Her ice-blue eyes looked directly at Lu Mingfei as she spoke the rest of the sentence, “have the aura of the main heroine?”
Lu Mingfei froze, looking at Zero. Lu Mingfei felt he would forever remember this moment. Zero was still expressionless, but her ice-blue eyes sparkled brilliantly at that moment, their flowing light more captivating than anything. Sunlight spilled over her, making her platinum-blonde hair appear even more translucent. Time seemed to stop at that instant.
Zero had always been dazzling, both in his previous life and this one, Lu Mingfei had always thought so. However, he had never seen Zero as dazzling as she was now, so dazzling that one couldn't look away, making it difficult to breathe. Somewhere in his heart, a faint stirring seemed to have begun.
Before Lu Mingfei could answer, Zero had already turned and continued walking, her steps as light as a cat’s. Lu Mingfei opened his mouth, but his throat felt as if something was lodged in it. He quickly caught up, and their shadows gradually lengthened in the sunset, finally merging into one, indistinguishable from each other.