Chapter 62: Mind Reading (3)

With Lu Yifan around, there was never any chance for quiet.

Lu Yifan pulled out a crumpled promotional poster from his pocket, smoothed it, and placed it on the coffee table before everyone. “Ta-da! The drama club’s latest production, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Reimagined)’, with scripts and costumes all ready—just missing the actors!”

“Is this Shakespeare’s romantic comedy?” Tong Ling glanced at the main characters depicted on the poster, noting there were precisely four of them.

“Aren’t the leads supposed to be two men and two women?” Tong Ling asked.

Lu Yifan’s smile shone brightly. “That’s right! I don’t think it’s a problem at all. We can draw lots; whoever gets a female role will perform cross-dressed! It’ll definitely be loads of fun!”

“I refuse,” Gu Li stated firmly.

Jin Yingyao, momentarily distracted from his stomachache, echoed, “I refuse too!”

“Don’t be like that!” Lu Yifan stared at the pair with his bright green eyes, sounding pleadingly aggrieved. “Come on, come on, I’ve already promised the drama club that I’d get you guys involved. You wouldn’t want me to lose credibility, would you? Don’t be so cold-hearted—we’re good friends, aren’t we? Please, let’s stick together as buddies, don’t be so unfeeling…”

Once Lu Yifan’s chatterbox mode kicked in, he could prattle on endlessly.

During this time, his thoughts echoed simultaneously with his words.

For Jin Yingyao, it felt like hearing everything twice—his head was about to burst from the noise!

“If you can convince Xiao Lingfei, then we’ll agree to participate,” said Gu Li, who was adept at identifying others’ weaknesses. To deal with Lu Yifan, mentioning Xiao Lingfei was always effective.

Among everyone present, Xiao Lingfei was the least likely to give Lu Yifan any leeway. If he didn’t want to do something, no one could persuade him otherwise.

As expected, Lu Yifan wilted, sounding dejectedly, “Why doesn’t anyone appreciate such a fun activity?”

The only person supporting Lu Yifan at that moment was Tong Ling.

Tong Ling agreed, “This story is indeed quite intriguing.”

“Right, right! And the drama club has newly adapted the script, making the tale even more engaging. I truly love it and really want to perform together with all of you…” Lu Yifan hung his head, utterly disheartened.

“If you need assistance, I can join the performance,” Tong Ling said gently, “I just don’t know if Yifan would be willing…”

Lu Yifan’s head snapped up, his eyes sparkling. “Of course I’m willing! With the college goddess joining us, how could I not be thrilled!”

Tong Ling: [Will Yifan, like in the play, have fairy flower juice dripped into his eyes and passionately fall in love with the first person he sees?]

Tong Ling: [Madly loving me, madly chasing me, madly possessing me—my adorable Yifan, I want to see that love reflected in his eyes. Come, love me, love me, love me…]

Lu Yifan: [Wahh, the college goddess is amazing! Only she supports me; she truly is kind and wonderful!]

Jin Yingyao, startled, raised his voice sharply, “No way!”

It had been such a short time since Lu Yifan met Yan Ling, yet he already held so much affection for her. If this continued, it was only a matter of time before he’d get locked away!

Yan Ling was incredibly skilled at feigning innocence; someone as gullible as Lu Yifan would undoubtedly fall under her spell!

Jin Yingyao emphasized firmly, “Absolutely not! He cannot perform with her!”

Gu Li found nothing unusual about Yan Ling wanting to help Lu Yifan; given her character, she wouldn’t let anyone bear a troubled expression.

However, Jin Yingyao’s reaction… seemed quite off.

Gu Li: [Does Jin Yingyao remember that Yan Ling is Xiao Lingfei’s fiancée? Is he trying to steal his friend’s betrothed?]

Gu Li: [Ever since meeting Yan Ling, he behaves like a fool. Does love at first sight really have such a strong influence? His conduct is worse than that of a grade schooler!]

Jin Yingyao glared at Gu Li with a twisted expression. As the top-ranked student and president of the student council, why was he so dramatic inside?!

How could he possibly want to steal his friend’s fiancée? Besides, she’s downright creepy! Gu Li, you’re the real fool! thought Jin Yingyao.

“Yao, what’s wrong?” Lu Yifan asked, frowning. “Why can’t I perform with Lingling?”

“What did you just call her?” Jin Yingyao felt like shaking some sense into Lu Yifan’s head. “You’ve barely met her, yet you’re calling her ‘Lingling’?”

Gu Li: [Such intense jealousy… Looks like I need to remind Xiao Lingfei to keep an eye on things.]

Yan Ling: [Jin Yingyao is so annoying. My Yifan can call me whatever he wants; it’s none of his business!]

Jin Yingyao remained speechless, feeling utterly exasperated.

Feeling mentally exhausted and wanting to leave, Jin Yingyao couldn’t abandon his friends though. How had he ever considered Gu Li clever before? Hah, truly too clever!

“What’s wrong with calling her Lingling?” Perhaps due to growing up within the royal family, Lu Yifan possessed exceptional social acuity. He instinctively knew whom he could easily approach - like Jin Yingyao, who despite appearing aloof, was deeply emotional and loyal at heart. In S4, Lu Yifan felt most comfortable around Jin Yingyao, affectionately nicknaming him “Yaoyao.”

With Gu Li, Lu Yifan was more reserved, and when it came to Xiao Lingfei, he remained even more cautious.

From the moment he met Yan Ling, Lu Yifan sensed that she would be very accepting of him. Given how remarkable she was, Lu Yifan’s desire to befriend her stirred, confident that Yan Ling wouldn’t reject him.

Upon hearing Lu Yifan’s thoughts, Jin Yingyao was speechless:

”…Of course she won’t reject you! She’s already imagined all sorts of scenarios involving you, yet you still want to be friends with her, Lu Yifan!”

Lu Yifan turned to Yan Ling, “We’re friends now, right? Can I call you this way? If you don’t like it, just let me know and I’ll change!”

Naturally, Tong Ling responded with a beaming smile, “Yifan, I’m delighted to hear you call me that.”

Lu Yifan proudly raised his eyebrows at Jin Yingyao, asserting, “See? Even if none of you accompany me, I still have others who will!”

“If you want someone to join you for a play, just announce it at the academy; countless people would willingly volunteer,” Jin Yingyao considered briefly before deciding to use the ‘fiancée’ card again. “She might soon get engaged to Xiao Lingfei, so it’s best to maintain some distance from her.”

“Others?” Lu Yifan pursed his lips, “Performing this play with anyone else could bring unnecessary trouble.”

Lu Yifan was not naive about social dynamics. In Saint Hieria, where status mattered greatly, casting himself as the lead in a romantic comedy meant the other main roles also needed actors of similar standing. Otherwise, those with lower status risked being targeted by jealous peers.

Given Lu Yifan’s own position, it was inevitable that his friends within the academy would predominantly belong to higher social tiers.

Casual conversations with classmates were fine, but forming friendships required careful consideration.

Apart from S4 members, Lu Yifan didn’t have any true friends. Yan Ling was different; she was revered as the college’s goddess, held an A-grade status, and had a genuinely kind personality. To Lu Yifan, Yan Ling seemed like the perfect choice for his leading lady.

“I’m performing alongside Lingling!” As a member of the royal family, Lu Yifan occasionally allowed himself moments of stubbornness.

“Let’s worry about engagements when they come up. Even if we were engaged, it wouldn’t stop me from making friends, right?” Lu Yifan scoffed at Jin Yingyao’s objections. “Honestly, I can’t believe you’d say something like that, Yao!”

Jin Yingyao found himself without any further grounds to prevent their interaction. Lu Yifan, seemingly convinced of Yan Ling’s suitability, eagerly grabbed the poster and began discussing the plot with her enthusiastically.

Yan Ling possessed exceptional conversational skills; if she could engage Gu Li so effortlessly, handling Lu Yifan posed no challenge.

Jin Yingyao watched helplessly as their conversation grew increasingly intimate. Despite Lu Yifan’s chattiness, it didn’t seem to annoy Yan Ling at all. Instead, her thoughts filled with various whispers of affection—dangerous, passionate, and even impure notions that slowly invaded Jin Yingyao’s ears. Finally…

“I’ll do it! I’ll participate!” Jin Yingyao exclaimed, grabbing Gu Li beside him. “And Gu Li will act too; I’ll find a way to convince Xiao Lingfei. With all four main roles covered, there’s no need for Schoolgirl Yan to join!”

Gu Li looked at him quizzically.

“To isolate Yifan from Yan Ling, you’re dragging me into this?” Gu Li thought internally. “How childish.”

Jin Yingyao paid no heed to what Gu Li might think; his sole focus was achieving his goal—to keep his friends away from this woman!

“Gu Li, do you agree?” Lu Yifan blinked, teasingly adding, “Yingyao seems to be making decisions on your behalf!”

Unfazed, Gu Li calmly replied, “My stance remains unchanged. If Xiao Lingfei agrees, then so will I.”

Just as he finished speaking, the last member of S4, Xiao Lingfei, finally arrived at the club.

Xiao Lingfei had just finished playing basketball, still glistening with sweat from the exertion.

Xiao Lingfei was strikingly handsome, with a tall and slender build. He casually held his Saint Hieria A-grade school uniform jacket, several buttons of his white shirt undone, revealing glimpses of the youth’s toned abs.

His skin had tanned to a golden wheat hue, and his charming fox-like eyes added allure to every movement he made.

While Xiao Lingfei’s family background wasn’t as prominent, although the Xiao Group lagged financially compared to JS Corporation, his mother was a renowned top fashion designer internationally acclaimed in the fashion industry.

Even Queen Aura publicly expressed her admiration for Xiao Lingfei’s mother, often wearing outfits designed by her at significant events.

Xiao Lingfei shared the best relationship with Jin Yingyao; they had similar interests, both being avid sports enthusiasts. Unlike Jin Yingyao, however, Xiao Lingfei favored team-based ball sports. He enjoyed leading a group on the field, finding greater satisfaction in their collective achievements.

As Xiao Lingfei approached the clubroom amidst ear-piercing screams outside, he rubbed his ears and grumbled, “I’ve already said we’re not accepting new members, so why is there still a crowd? So noisy!”

Upon entering the club’s premises, Xiao Lingfei finally relaxed his expression. Just as he was about to head for the shower room, he noticed several individuals seated on the golden sofa. With a smirk, he walked over with keen interest and greeted them, “Hey, what’s going on today? A group meeting?”

Xiao Lingfei didn’t overlook the presence of his “fiancée.” To be precise, this was only their second encounter. During their previous meeting, Yan Ling had expressed her disinterest in arranged marriages, stating she came solely due to her parents’ insistence. She hoped that if he had someone he truly liked, he would find a way to halt the agreement between their families.

Personally, Xiao Lingfei was indifferent to the idea of an arranged marriage; even without Yan Ling, there would be others. After a brief conversation, Yan Ling left, and they hadn’t communicated privately since then. Consequently, he knew very little about this “fiancée.”

Seeing Yan Ling surrounded by Gu Li, Jin Yingyao, and others piqued Xiao Lingfei’s curiosity this time.

“Xiao Lingfei, you’ve arrived just in time!” Lu Yifan smiled expectantly and pointed towards Jin Yingyao, saying, “Yao has something important to discuss with you!”

Jin Yingyao, however, couldn’t immediately respond, preoccupied as he was.

With Xiao Lingfei’s arrival, those terrifying thoughts in the girl’s mind resurfaced once again…