Although Zhuang Lan’s face was full of reluctance, he still followed her closely, step by step.
Only then did a smile creep onto Jun Feifei’s face.
She was an academic underachiever, uninterested in studying, and had no idea how to help Zhuang Lan.
Even Jun Feifei could tell that Zhuang Lan wasn’t in the right state to study right now.
Mere reading and doing exercises couldn’t really help him improve.
She could only try to get Zhuang Lan to read less and disconnect from his current state.
Zhuang Lan couldn’t appreciate his childhood friend’s well-meaning efforts, feeling restless and planning to sleep late today to make up for the time.
"Where do you want to hang out?"
Zhuang Lan’s tone was perfunctory, like a husband who wanted to split after thirty years of marriage but had to make do and stay together.
As they left the school, Jun Feifei started blushing belatedly.
It seemed to be their first time together.
"Should we, maybe, visit the commercial street?"
Zhuang Lan was indifferent, just wanting to get it over with, "Anything is fine, it’s up to you."
Jun Feifei felt a sweet joy in her heart, fooling herself into hearing a hint of doting in his impatient tone (maybe?).
The commercial street was not far from the school; it had various snack stalls, stationery shops, and lots of small accessory stores.
Loudspeakers at the entrance automatically looped hawking sounds.
"Don’t miss out as you pass by, everything for one yuan, one yuan each, one yuan that won’t let you down, or scam you, everything for one yuan, all for one yuan."
"Latest Taiwanese novels have arrived today, available for purchase or rent, only three mao per day."
"Candied hawthorns, get your sweet and crunchy candied hawthorns here."
Zhuang Lan found it a bit noisy, while Jun Feifei, blushing, followed him closely, automatically treating these background sounds as the BGM of a romance drama.
Her mood was rippling with excitement.
Worried about being seen and gossiped about by classmates from the same grade but also hoping to be noticed.
The contradictory feelings led her to a shop entrance without realizing it.
It was a Tarot card fortune-telling shop with a witch cutout by the door.
The sign read "Astrological chart analysis, love fortune-telling, Tarot card fortune-telling, crystal transformations."
Jun Feifei had heard of this shop; it seemed quite popular among the students at school.
The busy final-year students seldom visited, while the first- and second-year students were more frequent visitors.
It was said to be quite accurate.
Looking at the words "love fortune-telling," Jun Feifei’s heart began to race,
and her gaze fell back on Zhuang Lan, the emotions that had built up over the years almost spilling over in her chest.
"Zhuang, Zhuang Lan." Jun Feifei mustered her courage, "Should we go in and have a look?"
Zhuang Lan was clueless, "Aren’t we supposed to be shopping?"
"Since we’re here already, aren’t you curious? Tarot cards, you know, I’ve never seen them before."
Zhuang Lan helplessly thought, do all girls like such unreliable things?
"This kind of thing is unscientific, can a few cards really determine what fate holds for you?"
The pink bubbles in the air were mercilessly popped, and Jun Feifei grew annoyed.
She reached into her backpack.
"So are you coming in with me or not? If not, the deal’s off."
"I’ll come, I’ll come!" Zhuang Lan had to give in to protect the integrity of his papers.
Only then did Jun Feifei hum softly and stride into the shop ahead of him.
A crystal curtain hung at the entrance of the fortune-telling shop.
The two parted the curtain and entered, generating a clinking sound.
A gust of wind blew in, causing the wind chimes hanging from the beam to ring as well.
Hua Miaofu, who was playing with an embroidered ball, seemed to sense something and looked towards the entrance.
Her lips curled silently beneath the veil.
"Ah, a visitor," she murmured to herself.
And it was the friend of the person she was targeting.
Indeed, no effort required.