Chapter 38

To be ashamed, whether before or after responding to the confession, Xia Xia Xia Mujun knew very little about Tsukishima Rin.

He didn't know her identity, nor did he know what club she participated in at school, which led to this awkward thing happening.

But right now, he really needed this violin very much...

Because his body had an attribute imbalance, he had to collect special equipment as soon as possible to obtain attribute points to improve his constitution.

But considering the awkward relationship between the two, how to naturally contact Tsukishima Rin and obtain this violin without causing her misunderstanding became a new problem...

At the same time, Tsukishima Rin also saw Xia Xia Xia Mujun.

That silent heart began to beat violently again.

Feeling the real palpitation in her chest, a complex expression of both joy and sadness appeared on her intellectual face.

Sure enough, the heartbeat wouldn't lie—liking is liking, no matter how many times you look at it, it simply couldn't be hidden!

But at this moment, what made her care more than Xia Xia Xia Mujun was Saionji Nanase beside him.

The two were walking side by side, clearly traveling together.

This made Tsukishima Rin’s heart ripple with sourness.

Not long ago, she had just asked a former schoolmate of Xia Xia Xia Mujun and confirmed that his family was indeed in difficulty, and the reason for the rejection wasn't an excuse.

This reignited her hope—maybe it was just the wrong timing, and it wasn't completely impossible.

She didn't care at all whether Xia Xia Xia Mujun's family was poor; even if he didn't work in the future, she could work to support him herself.

But at this moment, seeing the picture of him with Saionji Nanase, her heart was completely messed up.

Saionji Nanase’s appearance didn't lose to hers, and standing beside Xia Xia Xia Mujun, they looked so well-matched that it wouldn't be strange to call them a couple.

What's more, it was after school, and a man and a woman were visiting clubs together, which was already enough to make people imagine...

Could Saionji Nanase really be Xia Xia Xia Mujun's girlfriend?

And he did have a decline in family fortune, but just used this as an excuse to politely reject her?

Thinking of this, Tsukishima Rin’s heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by something, so uncomfortable that she could barely breathe.

Finally, she couldn't hold back and stepped forward.

"Good afternoon, Xia Xia Xia Mujun." She greeted softly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was slightly startled, not expecting her to take the initiative to greet him, but it was hard not to respond at this moment.

"Good afternoon, Senior Tsukishima."

Tsukishima Rin’s gaze turned to the girl beside him, trying to keep her voice steady: "Who is this person by your side?" ===== CHAPTER 77 =====

Xia Xia Xia Mujun explained:

"She is my classmate, Saionji Nanase."

Saionji Nanase blinked her lively eyes, stunned for a moment before finally reacting to the subtle situation.

Her fair cheeks were instantly dyed with a faint blush.

She hadn't expected at all that the first club she brought Xia Xia Xia Mujun to would be the orchestra department where Senior Tsukishima Rin was...

And just at lunch break, this Senior Tsukishima had just confessed to Xia Xia Xia Mujun and been rejected...

Now that she appeared here with him, the atmosphere seemed a bit awkward...

Saionji Nanase bowed in a panic, greeting politely with standard honorifics:

"Hello, Senior Tsukishima, I am Saionji Nanase."

Tsukishima Rin’s gaze flowed between the two, and after hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help but pursue:

"You two came over, are you also looking for a club you like like other students..."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun nodded:

"Mm."

"She is my desk mate, and neither of us has a club we particularly want to join for the time being, so we came over to take a look together."

Saionji Nanase nodded vigorously, echoing somewhat naturally:

"Yes! That's exactly it!"

Hearing this, Tsukishima Rin breathed a slight sigh of relief, a smile finally appearing on her face as she turned to Saionji Nanase:

"Then, Saionji-san, are you interested in experiencing the instruments of our club?"

She pointed to several instruments placed beside the stall.

"We have experience instruments prepared for beginners here."

Saionji Nanase’s eyes lit up instantly, her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her chest, her pupils slightly dilated from excitement, her voice filled with joy:

"Please, by all means, let me try!"

Tsukishima Rin signaled to a club member behind her who was also a first-year freshman:

"You are in the same grade as Saionji-san, please guide her."

That member didn't refuse—after all, assisting with recruitment was also part of the club's tasks.

"Okay, no problem."

Saionji Nanase was immediately gripped by curiosity, following that member to the instrument area full of curiosity and excitement.

After sending Saionji Nanase away, Tsukishima Rin turned around, bit her lip slightly, and stared at Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s eyes calmly and unblinkingly for a long time, but didn't say a word.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun felt a bit uncomfortable being looked at by her, thinking about her "violin," and decided to explore it later.

He coughed slightly, trying to break the silence:

"Senior, I'm suddenly a bit thirsty, I'll go to the school's convenience store to buy water first, you continue to be busy..."

However.

The girls to the side who had been listening with their ears pricked up to watch the excitement immediately handed over a bottle of mineral water enthusiastically.

"Wait a moment, junior, we have water here!"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun waved his hand somewhat awkwardly:

"Uh... thank you, senior, but I want to drink some lemon tea now..."

Before he finished speaking, that group of girls seemed to have been prepared, pulling a box of lemon tea from behind them like magic, stuffing it into his hand without question, their smiles cunning:

"We have it, junior, we have it!"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun looked down at the lemon tea that appeared out of thin air in his hand and fell into a brief silence.

Tsukishima Rin looked at his helpless appearance and couldn't help but let out a light "pfft" laugh.

Immediately, she took the initiative to reach out, gently grabbed Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s wrist, and took him behind the teaching building.

There were few people here, which could cleverly separate most of the curious gazes, no longer exposed to the public eye like just now.

Tsukishima Rin raised her head, her gaze burning, looking straight into Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s eyes frankly, her voice clear and firm:

"Xia Xia Xia Mujun, actually... after I went back, I asked some classmates from your former school about you."

"After understanding some of your situation, I finally understood why you replied to me like that at the time."

"And I also realized that my rash confession was indeed too reckless."

"Doing that without understanding you must have caused you trouble."

"But—"

Her tone deepened, carrying an unquestionable sincerity.

"My feelings are true and real, without half a lie!"

She paused, a complex expression appearing on her face.

"But in this situation now, if I say 'I don't mind your situation, I will wait for you forever' again, it would sound very strange, right?"

Tsukishima Rin took a deep breath, as if she had made some kind of determination, straightened her back, and said generously:

"So this time—let's start over, let's get to know each other from zero!"

Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling, and her cheeks quickly dyed with a deeper blush after the words were spoken.

"During this period, it's fine if you go to know other girls... and I, will also use my way... to conquer you!"

"I really like you, so I will definitely make you like me!"

After finishing this declaration-like statement, Tsukishima Rin’s face was already as red as a ripe apple.

That heart that was originally calm and waveless was now beating violently in her chest, the sound of the thumping almost breaking her eardrums.

She saw Xia Xia Xia Mujun seemed to want to speak to respond, and fearing to hear a rejection, she reached out and gently covered his mouth in a hurry.

The action was so fast that even she herself was surprised.

"I, I am Tsukishima Rin, seventeen years old this year, I am your senior..." ===== CHAPTER 78 =====