There are many things to deal with.

Mu Qingxi’s words instantly shifted everyone’s attention. Qin Yu let out an “ah,” while Guo Chen uttered an “uh,” and their reactions only deepened the group’s curiosity about what was really going on between them.

Watching the awkward Qin Yu, Mu Qingxi could more or less guess the truth: there was clearly something between those two. But Qin Yu’s nervousness over Dongzi didn’t seem fake either. What a complicated situation.

Guo Chen glanced at Qin Yu, then grinned and said, “I like Qin Yu, but I guess I was too late to pursue her.”

Bai Fanhao lifted his hand and patted his forehead as if a sudden realization had struck him. “No wonder,” he exclaimed.

“No wonder what?” Mu Qingxi and Xi Haifei asked at the same time. Qin Yu also looked at Bai Fanhao in confusion, waiting for his next words.

“No wonder? Of course it’s no wonder Guo Chen insisted on having Qin Yu as the host!” Bai Fanhao explained.

So that was it. Now everything was clear—why, after inviting the famous Mu Qingxi who was renowned across campuses, they had also invited her best friend Qin Yu. Now it made sense.

Guo Chen wore a look of smug satisfaction and shot a provocative glance at Bai Fanhao. “You were the one who insisted on inviting Mu Qingxi. If we didn’t, you wouldn’t even participate.”

“Ah, so that’s how it is!” Mu Qingxi now deeply regretted changing the subject. What a mess. She’d always thought she was chosen as host for her reputation, only to realize it was all about connections. What a blow to her pride.

She glanced at Qin Yu, who now sat there in a daze, staring back at her. Mu Qingxi picked up a slice of meat with her chopsticks and chewed it fiercely; Qin Yu did the same. Their self-confidence was utterly shattered!

Since the topic was out in the open, they might as well discuss it fully. Mu Qingxi raised her head to look at Qin Yu. “Wei Yu, what’s going on with Dongzi? You haven’t agreed to Guo Chen, so what’s he trying to do? Avoiding him isn’t a solution. I’ve looked for him three times and he’s ignored me every time!”

Qin Yu, unsure how to respond to her tirade, finally said softly, “Mu Mu, don’t be angry. He said he wants to break up with me.”

Those two words, “break up,” stopped Mu Qingxi’s next outburst in its tracks. She set down her chopsticks, sat up straight, and asked seriously, “When did this happen? Was it last night, when you called me?”

Qin Yu nodded.

Guo Chen’s eyes widened in shock. “He came to talk to me.”

All four of them turned to Guo Chen in surprise. He nodded and continued, “It was the night of the New Year’s Eve party, after it ended and you all left. Xu Dongjin came and said he wanted to talk.”

Xi Haifei interrupted, “Alright, let’s eat. The meat’s done, and look, the corn’s already burnt. We can talk about this after dinner, or we’ll lose our appetites.”

“Exactly, let’s eat and drink our fill before tackling state affairs,” Guo Chen joked.

Xi Haifei used her left hand to turn the corn, while her right used chopsticks to place roasted food into Mu Qingxi’s dish—thoughtful to a fault. Bai Fanhao glared at her for her attentiveness, and Xi Haifei felt annoyed. Why glare at her?

Just as they were trying to forget the earlier awkwardness and enjoy their meal, Xi Haifei’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, frowned, and quickly hung up.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Qingxi hadn’t meant to ask, but seeing Xi Haifei’s displeased expression, she couldn’t help herself.

“It’s nothing. Let’s eat and sing karaoke—just have fun,” Xi Haifei replied, feigning innocence.

At that moment, Bai Fanhao’s phone rang. After glancing at the caller, he looked up at Xi Haifei. Xi Haifei gave her a quick look and shook her head, so Bai Fanhao also silenced her phone.

Mu Qingxi, though not a top student, wasn’t stupid. She joked, “Is it Wang Feiyan? Ha, I bet the next call will come to my phone.”

Bai Fanhao and Xi Haifei exchanged glances, then looked at Mu Qingxi. “Impossible,” they both said.