Chapter 598: The Enigma of the Campus Belle
by xennovelPreviously, Little Meng would boast about being the high-quality campus heartthrob—a handsome guy who not only knew how to spend his father’s money but could play basketball and charm the ladies—yet he could never catch the campus belle adored by everyone. This pointed to two things:
First, this guy is pretty confident.
Second, the campus belle must have rejected his advances for some reason.
Not only hers, but also the school’s coolest thug and even the class monitor’s kid…
…So, shall we call this case: The Campus Belle’s Single Mystery?
Well, the mystery has now been solved.
When Lu Xin and everyone else glanced over, they saw the girl happily examining some trinkets by the roadside. Most importantly, she wasn’t alone—there was a guy with her, and they clearly seemed close. The girl kept turning to him with playful laughter.
Seeing this, the girl reached for the boy’s hand and coyly acted out a flirtatious gesture…
…And that was the reason the campus belle remained single!
…Does this answer really fetch 200,000 won?
……
“Well…”
After a quick glance, everyone in the cafeteria understood. They exchanged looks and then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Guoguo, do you still need Mr. Lu’s help investigating?”
“See? The case is cracked already.”
“She’s just not into you—she’s already in a relationship…”
……
“I…”
Despite the answer being right there, Little Meng looked conflicted, his face flushed with anger.
He stubbornly refused to accept the answer: “Th-this just isn’t right…”
“How could Chen Wei possibly like that guy?”
……
“Hahaha…”
Everyone around him laughed sympathetically and patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Just admit defeat, brother.”
“It’s really strange, though…”
Little Meng insisted, puzzled: “I know that guy from the next class—he’s so annoying, ugly, and stingy, with barely any cash. Not one person in our entire school likes him.”
The onlookers exchanged dubious glances and laughed along.
Maybe Little Meng was just jealous and deliberately badmouthing him.
That couple clearly shared a relationship so perfect that anyone would approve.
Still, seeing Little Meng’s anxious, flushed face, they felt too sorry to tease him further and only patted him on the shoulder helplessly: “No matter what you say, if she likes him, nothing can be done. I guess love is just like that.”
“When you love someone, must you really have a reason?”
……
Little Meng grew a little impatient: “Believe me, there’s more to this story…”
“That guy, Cao Ye, always acts all proper but is actually sleazy. He pretends to be a bookworm while lurking in the hallway to peek under girls’ skirts. Everyone despises him. Worst of all, during a late study session, he trailed Chen Wei and a few girls to the restroom trying to snap some pictures—and got caught, falling off the wall…”
“We later suspected him because he didn’t come to school for an entire month—supposedly nursing a leg injury.”
“That incident really frightened Chen Wei. Even with barely anyone to accompany her, she still dared to go to the restroom…”
“How on earth could she fall for someone like him?”
……
Only then did the laughter around fade, leaving everyone exchanging puzzled glances.
If everything Little Meng said was true, then the situation was indeed rather odd…
Yet, deep down, even if it sounded unbelievable, it appeared exactly as described…
Some things, perhaps, only she truly understands…
“Well…”
At that moment, Lu Xin’s gaze shifted back from the girl with a hint of doubt as he remarked, “Something seems off here.”
“Hm?”
Instantly, all the laughter died away as everyone stared at Lu Xin in astonishment.
Beside him, Little Meng was both startled and secretly delighted as he looked at Lu Xin.
Lu Xin’s expression was serious and curious.
At first, he presumed it was simply that she had found a partner.
But because the girl was so attractive, he couldn’t help but look a little longer—and gradually noticed something amiss.
It wasn’t that he sensed any mental disturbance emanating from her.
Quite the opposite—apart from minor emotional fluctuations, she seemed perfectly normal. Yet, watching her laugh and chat with that man in Little Meng’s eyes felt strangely off.
The oddest part was…
…her gaze?
Lu Xin began to piece things together. When the girl looked at the boy, her eyes lit up with a noticeable sparkle…
It was clear she adored him; she chattered nonstop and eagerly tugged at his hand to show him every little trinket on the roadside, her smile radiating pure joy with every word.
The boy, however, appeared listless, replying only in brief.
While the girl excitedly admired the trinkets and quirky little items by the roadside, he lazily sat behind her.
His eyes were fixed solely on her waist, legs, and rear.
This was truly abnormal—it was like watching two mismatched gears grind uncomfortably together.
……
……
“What?”
“Brother Lu, are you saying Chen Wei really encountered a ghost…or, no, got contaminated or something?”
Little Meng immediately reacted, nervously asking.
He rested his hands on the table, as if ready to dash out and play the hero at any moment the suspicion was confirmed…
The others stifled their laughter and crowded closer, their expressions turning grave.
Or rather, they were all curiously intrigued.
After so many hectic days with not a ghost in sight, they finally awaited Lu Xin’s remark: “Something’s not right.”
“It’s too early to be sure,” Lu Xin mused slowly.
He pondered for a moment, “There’s just too little evidence…”
After a pause, he glanced at Little Meng and said, “Why don’t you go chat them up so I can gauge their reactions?”
“Me?”
Little Meng, eager yet confused, asked, “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Handle it however you see fit,” Lu Xin replied.
He continued, “I want to see how close they are and watch for any shifts in their mood…”
“Uh…”
Perhaps because Lu Xin’s instructions were vague, Little Meng struggled to respond.
Meanwhile, Vice President Xiao, from beside, whispered, “Be bold and put on your most defiant look…”
“Yeah, remember last time when Gao Yan and I went to school and saw you? You were hanging out with a bunch of kids behind the wall, puffing on cigarettes like a big shot. Think about it—we confiscated your cigarettes and even beat you up that time…”
……
“Ah, so you mean the time you beat me up, told my dad, and docked my allowance for a month?”
Little Meng suddenly caught on: “Ah, I get it now.”
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned back with a troubled expression, saying, “But wouldn’t that ruin my image in Chen Wei’s eyes?”
The others sympathetically reassured him, “Go ahead—no pressure. After all, she’s never really taken notice of you anyway.”
“You really know how to comfort someone. Just remember, when Chen Wei gets better, you owe me an explanation…”
Resolutely, Little Meng pulled a pair of sunglasses from Gao Yan’s pocket and put them on.
Then, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, he swaggered out of the cafeteria.
The others hurried after him, each grabbing a plate and a cup as they crowded around the table by the window, craning their necks to watch how Little Meng would provoke the couple. Meanwhile, Lu Xin arrived only to find there were no seats left.
He lightly patted CEO Xiao’s shoulder and coughed.
CEO Xiao quickly realized the situation, got up, and offered his seat, saying, “Sit, sit.”
……
……
“Yo, Chen Wei, and you… what’s your name again?”
Meanwhile, Little Meng had briskly approached the couple, deliberately blocking their path as he grinned, “Cao Ye, right? Haha, what’s up? You two just graduated from high school and can’t even recognize your old friends?”
“Meng Guoguo, what are you doing here?”
The young couple, startled by Little Meng’s sudden appearance, looked visibly surprised.
The boy, Cao Ye, instinctively took a step back and hesitated to respond.
Instead, the girl, Chen Wei, showed a flash of surprise before confidently grabbing his hand.
She laughed, “I’m out shopping with my boyfriend. Didn’t expect to run into you.”
“Huh? Boyfriend?”
Little Meng immediately feigned surprise: “Oh, so you two are together now?”
“Really? Didn’t see that coming, huh?”
Chen Wei hugged Cao Ye’s arm, tilting her head as she smiled, “Don’t you think we make a good match?”
Cao Ye looked rather awkward, as if about to pull his arm away.
But with Chen Wei holding on tight and him at a loss for what to do, he simply stopped resisting and naturally looked up.
In his eyes, a hint of provocation mixed with smug satisfaction shone through.
“Not even close!”
Remembering his mission, Little Meng swallowed his bitterness, put on a nonchalant smile, and teased,
“Oh, Chen Wei, you really have no taste. I chased after you all through high school for three years without even a glance from you, and now, just days after graduation, how did you end up… ending up with this guy?”
He tilted his head to scrutinize the guy, laughing, “He’s not handsome, he isn’t tall, and…”
“…I bet his family isn’t exactly rich either?”
……
“You…”
The man, Cao Ye, visibly clenched his jaw as blue veins emerged, but he forced himself to stay calm.
“Well, excuse me then.”
Chen Wei’s face showed a hint of displeasure, yet she remained courteous, smiling at Little Meng as she said, “I already told you once that I have feelings for someone. If you don’t believe me, listen up—I’ve always loved him.”
“Now that we’ve started working and have stable jobs, we’re planning to get married soon.”
……
She squeezed Cao Ye’s hand and laughed at Little Meng, “We’re off shopping now—promise to treat you to our wedding banquet later.”
In Little Meng’s dumbfounded gaze, she led Cao Ye forward.
After a few steps, Cao Ye suddenly turned back, glancing at Little Meng before resting his hand on Chen Wei’s shoulder.
He flashed a cold, victorious grin at Little Meng.
……
……
“This is so infuriating, it’s driving me mad…”
When Little Meng returned, his mood was still sullen—like a half-defeated rooster, both angry and dejected. His hair, styled in an explosive gelled mess, now looked limp and deflated. He insisted, “I… I never really talked to her…”
“But it feels like I’ve been cheated on…”
……
The others stifled their laughter, watching him with a mix of pity and barely concealed amusement.
……
Only Lu Xin wore a deeply furrowed brow.
Seeing the odd conversation among the trio made that strange feeling deepen even further.
Love—something he never quite understood.
Yet, a nagging feeling told him that it shouldn’t be this way…