Chapter 5

After finishing a class, Kim Hyo-ri passed the message to Liu Yan that there was a dinner gathering in the evening. However, she didn't pretend to invite Liu Yan for dinner under her own name as Wang Bai had requested, because it would be troublesome to come up with a reason out of nowhere. Moreover, if she really did that, and Wang Bai later asked Liu Yan to perform, wouldn't Liu Yan realize that she and Wang Bai were in cahoots?

So, she straightforwardly told Liu Yan that Wang Bai wanted to invite both of them for dinner. As for why, she said it was probably related to the cultural festival, and then asked if Liu Yan wanted to go.

Liu Yan suddenly realized, "Cultural festival? Oh~ You two were on the phone late last night, talking about this, right? You must have betrayed me, so he's inviting me to dinner to ask me to perform, isn't he?"

It has to be said that Liu Yan's insight was very sharp, guessing almost exactly what had happened. However, she had been thinking about this issue since she received Wang Bai's message last night, so she reacted quickly.

"What betrayal?" Kim Hyo-ri said, dissatisfied. "I'm creating an opportunity for you. Look, you haven't even helped yet, and you're already getting a free meal. Besides, even if he has an ulterior motive, it's up to you whether to agree or not. He can't force you onto the stage. You're the director's daughter; he wouldn't dare, right?"

Liu Yan huffed and pouted, not saying a word. Kim Hyo-ri saw her putting on an act and pretended to be regretful, "What, you don't want to go? Then I'll tell him. It's a pity, I haven't had my grandmother's braised pork for a while."

Liu Yan grabbed her and muttered, "Who said I'm not going? Let's eat first. If I don't take advantage of this, I'd be the fool!" As she said this, she raised her hand and made a chopping motion, grinning mischievously, her mouth almost reaching her eyebrows, as if she had made a huge profit.

However, Kim Hyo-ri thought that the reason she was so happy was because Wang Bai was the one inviting them. If it were someone else, she wouldn't even bother with such a small favor. After all, it's just a meal, and she can afford it. There's no need to give others a reason to talk. Liu Yan's agreement to the dinner made Kim Hyo-ri look forward to the evening, wondering how Wang Bai would make his request and whether Liu Yan would agree.

During the lunch break, Kim Hyo-ri told Wang Bai that the dinner gathering was confirmed and reminded him of the time. Wang Bai thanked her and then casually asked, "Do you know about our school's volunteer service team?"

Kim Hyo-ri, while doing her homework, replied, "Yes, I do. I even reported on their activities."

Wang Bai thought to himself that the school newspaper had published news about the volunteer service team, but he had never heard of it. He asked, "What's the situation with the team? Can you introduce it to me?"

"You're asking the wrong person. I'm not very familiar with the details," Kim Hyo-ri said, looking at him with a puzzled expression. She suggested, "It's a Youth League branch matter. Why don't you ask the Youth League branch secretary, Yu Jia? She probably knows more than I do."

After finding this out, Wang Bai didn't rush to find Yu Jia. He changed the topic and chatted a bit more before returning to his homework. The homework load for second-year high school students was quite heavy, and there was a dinner gathering in the evening. If he didn't finish some of it during the lunch break, he would have to stay up very late.

While he was working hard, a short-haired beauty with a healthy tan and a neat, short haircut walked into the classroom, exuding vitality. She was Huang Wen, a famous athlete in the second year. She was from Class 6, so everyone was puzzled about why she was in Class 7. Huang Wen walked straight into the classroom and asked a random student, "Is Wang Bai here? Call him out." The troublemakers in the front row immediately shouted, "Wang Dali, come out, Huang Daxian is calling you!" Huang Wen was a sprinter, known as "Feimaotui" (Flying Legs) and "Huang Daxian," a nickname that was widely known, but she didn't mind. She was more interested in Wang Bai's nickname.

Wang Bai walked up to her and saw her smile, trying to suppress a laugh, "You're Wang Dali?"

"Yes, it's me," Wang Bai nodded, still not used to the nickname.

"Teacher asked me to notify you that the track and field team is training tonight. Meet at the school gate at 5:30, don't be late."

"5:30? That means I have to go right after school. What about dinner?" Wang Bai was concerned about the dinner gathering he had planned, and he blurted it out. Huang Wen found the new member of the track and field team quite interesting, thinking about food before training. She patiently explained, "The team will arrange it. Just follow along."

"Oh, thanks," Wang Bai nodded reluctantly. Huang Wen, in a hurry to notify others, reminded him again about the 5:30 meeting at the school gate and then left. Wang Bai returned to his seat and couldn't help but sigh, "Sorry, the track and field team is training tonight. I probably can't make it."

Kim Hyo-ri put down her pen and said, "What do we do? I've already made the arrangements." She said this on purpose, to make the favor more solid and the act more convincing.

"Since you've already made the arrangements, go ahead. I'll cover the expenses," Wang Bai said without hesitation, pulling out a wad of cash and handing it to her. Kim Hyo-ri pushed the money back, "Forget it, keep it. I'll tell Liu Yan to reschedule for tomorrow."

"That works, thanks for the trouble," Wang Bai said, feeling a bit embarrassed about troubling Kim Hyo-ri multiple times, especially since he was planning to drag her into his scheme. Tomorrow was a weekend, so there was more time, and rescheduling shouldn't be a problem. According to his plan, he was supposed to convince the two of them tonight and start rehearsals tomorrow, but now it had to be postponed.

Liu Yan was nowhere to be found during lunch, and she didn't return to the classroom until the lunch break was almost over. Kim Hyo-ri sent her a message: "Where are you? Come back to the classroom quickly." After another half hour, Liu Yan finally returned to the classroom, head down and moving slowly. As soon as she sat down, she whispered, "What do you need?"

Kim Hyo-ri looked her up and down, surprised, "You actually got a haircut? Is it that formal?"

Liu Yan glared and awkwardly smoothed her hair, "Is it that obvious? I barely cut it, how did you notice?"

Kim Hyo-ri said disdainfully, "You're lying. You secretly went to get a haircut." Liu Yan pouted, "It's my first time being invited by a boy, I didn't know what to do. I heard others get haircuts, so I went. Is it really that obvious? What if he notices? I'll be so embarrassed."

Kim Hyo-ri massaged her forehead, feeling helpless at her contradictory mindset. She wanted to look pretty but didn't want the other person to notice. "It's not obvious," she reassured her, "I hardly noticed, and boys definitely won't."

Just then, Wang Bai, who was discussing a math problem with the class representative, passed by and glanced at them, complimenting, "Oh, Liu Representative, you changed your hairstyle? It looks great." Then he walked away as if nothing had happened, leaving the two girls stunned.

Liu Yan clenched her teeth, "You said it wasn't obvious, how did he notice right away!" Kim Hyo-ri's voice was also strained, "How was I supposed to know he's so observant? You're the one who wanted the haircut. Can you blame me if he notices?"

Liu Yan huffed and fell onto her desk, poking her friend's chubby arm, "Do you think he'll misunderstand and think I like him? I don't want to go tonight."

Kim Hyo-ri knew she was putting on an act and went along with it, "Then don't go. I won't go either."

"Really? Why not?" Liu Yan sat up, alarmed, "I can't go on a date with him alone. If my dad finds out, he'll skin me alive!"

You're afraid your dad will skin that guy, right? Kim Hyo-ri thought to herself but didn't say it. She said irritably, "It's not that I'm abandoning you. He stood us up. He's busy tonight, so the dinner is canceled."

"Is that so?" Liu Yan relaxed a bit, then jumped up, "What, he stood us up? That guy has some nerve. Did he say why?"

Seeing her determined to get an explanation, as if she wouldn't let it go without a good reason, Kim Hyo-ri thought for a moment and added fuel to the fire, "It seems Huang Daxian from Class 6 came to see him. They talked for a bit, and then he came back and said he couldn't make it tonight."

"Huang Daxian? Which Huang Daxian?" Liu Yan was almost furious, then realized, "Oh, her. The mascot of Class 6 came to our class to poach? Did you just stand there and watch? President Jin, where's your sense of justice? Did it fall into the toilet?"

Seeing her incoherent, Kim Hyo-ri rolled her eyes, "Enough, stop acting. Huang Wen came to notify him about the track and field team training tonight, so the dinner is canceled. We'll reschedule for tomorrow."

Liu Yan, who had been scowling, suddenly looked demure, "Tomorrow? I have to be free then..."

"You're so capable," Kim Hyo-ri rolled her eyes again, "If you're not free, I won't go either. I have something to do. My parents are going to look at a house tomorrow."

Liu Yan suddenly remembered something and said seriously, "No, I really have something tomorrow. My cousin is getting married, and I have to attend the wedding."

"All day?" Kim Hyo-ri confirmed, and Liu Yan nodded, looking a bit annoyed. She couldn't avoid this, and she had to sit at the newlyweds' table, so she couldn't be absent.

"This is really inconvenient," Kim Hyo-ri was also a bit at a loss, "Why don't I tell him to reschedule for the day after tomorrow?"

Liu Yan asked pitifully, "Is that okay? Guests should follow the host, not the other way around."

"What's the problem? He insisted on inviting us and stood us up once. We can stand him up too, and it will be even. Let's reschedule for Sunday noon. I'll tell him."

Liu Yan smiled at her old friend, showing a dimple, "President Jin, you really have a sense of justice."

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