ALL NOVEL Chapter 23
The first hints of sunrise painted the classroom windows in soft pink and gold. Despite the early hour, the room echoed with the hum of activity. Students drifted in, blinking sleepily, only to find a surprising sight.
Li Miao, a blur of frantic motion, had already draped fabric over mannequins. Scissors snipped, pins flashed in the rising sunlight, and costumes emerged with unnatural speed. Beside her, Xu Yue handed her all the materials she needed as she asked for them.
“Why in such a rush?” Xu Yue asked, her voice low as if to avoid breaking the brittle energy crackling in the air.
Li Miao, already working on the next costume, said, “We have to get this done! There are so many things to prepare! We have to make sure it’s all perfect!”
Xu Yue had been observing Li Miao. This wasn’t mere dedication to work.
She caught the glimpses of black bags under Li Miao’s eyes, hastily covered by foundation and concealer.
This little cat…
Something was wrong.
She watched as Li Miao stifled a yawn behind her hand and then shook her head as if trying to pump herself up.
Ying Lian had brought lunch for Li Miao, seeing her be so busy. Xu Yue slowly ate from the lunch box, watching Li Miao work through their break.
“Are you not hungry?” Xu Yue asked, taking the bag of food to Li Miao.
Instead of the box, Li Miao snatched the water bottle from within. She drained it in quick gulps, a hint of desperation marring her usual composure. Then, without breaking stride, she ran a hand through her hair – the gesture rough, as if pulling herself together.
Xu Yue insisted. “Li Miao, take a break.”
Li Miao's only response was a pasted-on smile that was too bright. "I’m just not feeling hungry right now. Maybe later!" Her voice held a brittle edge, at odds with the cheerful words.
Ying Lian had been watching as well, her brow furrowed in concern.
“Li Miao… I don’t think what you’re doing is healthy…” She held up a bottle of green tea. “You’ve been yawning like crazy! At least get some caffeine in you.”
“Thanks!” Li Miao grabbed the tea, gently sipping it while contemplating the silhouette of the costume.
Xu Yue felt her heart sink a little.
The sun soon set, moonlight streaking through the classroom windows. The classroom was mostly empty, save for a few people still working through the night.
They were crafting lanterns. The resident expert, Li Miao, took it upon herself to ensure everyone knew how to make them.
“Put it here, be careful not to snap it.” She instructed one of her classmates.
While Li Miao was busy instructing her classmates, Xu Yue was paying close attention to everything around Li Miao. She also noticed Zhang Wei standing outside the door for a bit.
What is he doing here? Was he here to talk to Li Miao?
She was about to walk over and talk to him when she saw him turn around and immediately leave after staring at Li Miao. She felt the sinking feeling in her heart again.
Why… why does everything happening to the little cat bother me so much?
As the night went on, Xu Yue could see the fatigue on Li Miao’s face, but whenever a student talked to her, she forced a bright smile.
Each completed lantern accompanied a pair of feet leaving the classroom. Soon, only Xu Yue and Li Miao remained.
Li Miao was sitting in front of Xu Yue, hunched over her lantern. Her hand trembled as she reached for the tool beside her, failing to grasp it.
Xu Yue sat silently, accompanying Li Miao as she completed her lantern. She reached over and handed her the dropped tool.
Li Miao looked at Xu Yue with gratitude and continued working.
I can’t let this go on. Xu Yue thought.
Li Miao's voice faltered as she mumbled her lines, each word slurring into the next. It wasn't just a stumble in her lines; a tremor vibrated through her, visible in the script and trembling in her grasp. Xu Yue's earlier plea echoed with cruel irony: "I don't think I can show emotion with anyone else."
Still basking in the afterglow of their Hanfu transformation, their classmates barely seemed to notice at first. One off-key line blended into another until...
"Must s-see..." Li Miao's words became a choked gasp. As she swayed, her eyes widened with a strange mix of surprise and resignation – as if her body had betrayed her before her mind understood. She fought to blink away the encroaching darkness.
From offstage, Xu Yue could feel the tension coiling tighter with each missed cue. It wasn't in Li Miao's eyes anymore, but in the subtle hitch of her breath, the sheen of sweat along her temple that had nothing to do with stage lights.
The realization hit her like a blow – not frustration this time, but a cold spike of fear. Her voice cracked as Li Miao's knees buckled.
"Li Miao?!"
Li Miao didn't cry out as she dropped. Instead, there was a soft thud that echoed louder than any scream.
The world erupted in shouts and cries. In a blur of motion, Xu Yue was on stage, the worried cries of the class fading behind her urgent call. Li Miao lay still, and Xu Yue’s heart slammed into her gut as she ran towards Li Miao’s body.
“Li Miao! Are you okay?” Xu Yue knelt beside her, cradling Li Miao's head. No response.
In a surge of adrenaline, Xu Yue rose. Their classmates stood frozen, faces pale reflections of her own dread.
Then, she was running, with Li Miao limp in her arms, carried not with grace but with desperate urgency.
