Chapter 252: Proof of Friendship

The chocolates made by Xia Liang were clearly more elaborate in shape than those of Bai Jingxuan. Although Lin Xiaolu could only see a semi-finished product that was only half done, whether it was the deliberately shaped leaf-like form or the slightly distorted patterns on its surface, all demonstrated the maker's own attempts and efforts.

"Truly impressive, you. You've done quite a convincing job."

Walking over to the counter where Xia Liang was, Lin Xiaolu tried to distinguish the other's work: "This shape... is it a leaf? Or a flower?"

"It's the Heart Gem."

Xia Liang wiped her hands with a towel nearby and explained with a light laugh: "What you are looking at now is made to imitate your Heart Gem, so it is in the shape of a sprout."

"I see. That's why it looked a bit like nothing in particular; it turns out it's my Heart Sprout..."

Lin Xiaolu rubbed her chin and nodded, but then, somewhat belatedly, looked at Xia Liang: "Eh, mine?"

"What else? Xiaoxuan can make chocolates for you, but I can't?"

Xia Liang shrugged: "Valentine's Day is originally about giving chocolates to the people you like, right? So I prepared one for each of you."

"No, I'm just a bit surprised."

Lin Xiaolu shook her head: "That girl Bai Jingxuan is still young, so she can casually say things like 'I like everyone'. I thought someone as mature as you would be more particular about this, thinking things like 'chocolates can only be given to the person you like the most'."

"It's not a real confession to the opposite sex, where do all these formalities come from?"

Hearing Lin Xiaolu evaluate herself this way, Xia Liang couldn't help but roll her eyes at her: "Rather, who says that if I give you chocolates, it's just because of that broad sense of etiquette? Can't it be that I really like you?"

"Ah, oh..." Lin Xiaolu blinked her eyes, and then her calm voice suddenly rose in pitch: "... Ah? What did you say?"

"I said I actually really like you."

Xia Liang repeated it with a slightly reproachful tone: "Is that such a terrible thing? Why are you acting like you've seen a ghost?"

"You, you like me?"

The other's bold confession made Lin Xiaolu startle in fear, pointing a finger at herself, her chaotic thoughts seeming to swirl in her eyes: "This, this is a bit... but I, I only thought of you as an ordinary friend..."

"Over here, it's also the kind of liking between teammates and friends. Is there a problem with that?"

Xia Liang had originally felt Lin Xiaolu's reaction was a bit strange, but quickly realized where Lin Xiaolu had misunderstood, then grinned, showing a teasing expression: "Otherwise, what kind of liking do you think it is? Did a love-struck brain take over?"

"Hah? What love-struck brain? How is that possible!"

Lin Xiaolu finally sobered up a bit, then refuted: "I, I of course know it's just between friends! It's clearly you, your way of expressing things is too strange!"

"You know it's said between friends?"

Xia Liang blinked innocently, then her gaze trembled, her eyebrows slanted downwards, instantly revealing a sad expression: "So that means, do you not think Xiaoxuan and I are your friends? Shouldn't we like you, and aren't we worthy of your liking?"

"Why would there be such an interpretation?" Lin Xiaolu widened her eyes.

"Sigh, I thought after spending a year together, fighting side by side, staying up late together to make up lessons, we were already as close as gold, sisters by choice but not by blood. I didn't expect that in your heart, I would actually be someone who doesn't even qualify as a friend."

Xia Liang lowered her gaze slightly, pretending to wipe away tears: "You are so heartless, Xiaolu."

She didn't put on any particularly exquisite acting, so that even Lin Xiaolu could easily discern the fact that "the other person is acting". Even during this process, Xia Liang deliberately lifted her hair, revealing the earring Lin Xiaolu had given her on her birthday. But when Lin Xiaolu wanted to refute, she found she had unknowingly already stood on the unreasonable side, instantly revealing a disgusted expression as if she had eaten a fly.

Crack!

Furthermore, Xia Liang's commotion had somehow attracted Bai Jingxuan nearby; she walked behind Lin Xiaolu and also patted Lin Xiaolu's shoulder:

— "Don't bully Sister Xia Liang!"

Then, she delivered her own "verdict of justice".

The expression on Lin Xiaolu's face instantly became even worse.

She glared at Xia Liang, who was still pretending to cry, but the other person blatantly stuck her tongue out at her while crying, which instantly made her furious. But the other person's intention of "let's see how you comfort me" was also very obvious; one could say the correct answer was laid out in plain sight, and even Lin Xiaolu knew that going along with the other person's wishes would be better at this time.

"... You guys misunderstood."

So she could only take a deep breath and speak in a volume almost like muttering: "I have always thought you were my friends."

"So perfunctory." Xia Liang evaluated thus.

"Fake." Bai Jingxuan also still puffed her cheeks, looking very dissatisfied.

"Mm-mm..."

Lin Xiaolu, whose criticism had been rejected, pouted: "I didn't say anything false! I definitely think you are my friends!"

"... Do you think so?" Xia Liang, at this point, was too lazy to pretend to cry, and instead stood with Bai Jingxuan, as if consulting like judges.

"I don't believe it, you always bully me." The statement from Judge Number Two, Bai Jingxuan, clearly carried personal emotion.

"You guys clearly know I'm telling the truth, right!"

Lin Xiaolu's face turned red with urgency: "You're just taking this opportunity to mess with me!"

"Don't use out-of-bounds logic, contestant Lin Xiaolu."

Xia Liang pushed a finger against the bridge of her nose, as if adjusting a pair of glasses that didn't exist: "We need you to prove yourself now, not defend yourself."

"That's right, that's right." Bai Jingxuan directly switched to the mode of backing her up.

"Th-this still needs proof?"

Lin Xiaolu was now truly a bit angry, pointing at Xia Liang: "You know perfectly well I don't have many friends at school! If I really have friends outside of school, besides you guys, who else could it be? Can I conjure friends out of thin air?"

"Oh, contestant Lin Xiaolu has given a quite persuasive statement."

Xia Liang clapped her hands, looking at Bai Jingxuan nearby: "I feel she is about to convince me, what do you think, Doctor Bai?"

"Indeed... Sister Xiaolu, usually doesn't seem to have any other friends."

Bai Jingxuan had already begun to show a sympathetic expression: "Every time she goes home as soon as school ends, or else goes on patrol."

"There are still some! I occasionally go out to play with friends, I'm not that lonely!"

Lin Xiaolu reflexively refuted, but realizing her current purpose, lowered her voice a bit: "But anyway, it's about the same, anyway you have to believe it even if you don't."

"Have to believe it even if you don't... Doctor Bai, what do you think?" Xia Liang asked Bai Jingxuan again.

"Seems to be true." Bai Jingxuan nodded to affirm.

"Mm, I think so too. Although contestant Lin Xiaolu cannot convince us from emotion and memories, after all she has always been a spoiled Young Lady, even if there are some 'gentle moments' belonging to friends, she herself seems unable to recall them. However, she has grasped the most critical part of the logic."

Xia Liang opened her mouth, announcing as if really awarding a prize: "That is— even at school, her friends are actually only Jiang Yuan. In other words, if she didn't make friends with us, no one would play with her!"

"You rascal! I'm really going to get angry!" Lin Xiaolu shouted.

"In any case, chocolate is pretty much just like that." After finishing her exaggerated performance, Xia Liang once again revealed her signature smile and then summarized it lightly.

"... Hah?" Lin Xiaolu clearly hadn't adapted to the shift in context, merely looking at Xia Liang with an unhappy expression.

"I mean, if you want to make chocolate but feel you lack inspiration, just refer to that mood from just now."

Xia Liang reached out and patted Bai Jingxuan's head beside her, speaking as if it were natural: "Just now, you needed to persuade us verbally that 'we are friends,' using this method to prove yourself. As for chocolate, it is about pouring all that desire to confide in the other person, to prove yourself to them, and to let them understand your feelings into the chocolate itself."

"I don't get it. You really aren't changing the subject?" Lin Xiaolu raised her eyebrows.

"In other words, tell the other person the answer to 'how exactly do I view you' through chocolate. Just like Xiao Xuan wrote directly on the chocolate, I would also specifically imitate your heart's gem."

Xia Liang once again revealed the earring on her ear: "When you gave me a birthday gift back then, didn't you understand quite well? It's that feeling of 'only the two of us would understand.'"

"Only the two of us would understand...?" This time, Lin Xiaolu truly lowered her head, slightly thoughtful.

"Mm, it's pretty much like that. Let's continue making chocolate, contestant Lin Xiaolu."

Releasing her hand from Bai Jingxuan's head, Xia Liang smiled: "You know, the judges tonight won't be the two of us. If you fail to convey your feelings, it will be you who regrets it."

"Mm, I know."

After such a chaotic "guidance," Lin Xiaolu indeed had some ideas:

"But, come to think of it, you were definitely deliberately messing with me just now, and now you're changing the subject again, right?"

No one answered her.

The only response to this question was the sound of the two of them working at their tables.

"Hey, you two—"

Yes, regardless of the final result, but in terms of the process, there was no doubt: Lin Xiaolu had been played.