Stepping down the brick-built step of the convenience store, Lin Yu turned right and walked towards the exit of the housing complex nearby. He hadn't gotten far when his progress abruptly halted at the sight of a familiar figure around the corner. It appeared to be Tang Manman—there she was again, the third encounter today.

Tang Manman stood there, having changed out of the baggy tracksuit into a yellow hoodie and faded white denim jeans, convenient for moving around. She tied a black apron around her waist and was carrying a steaming plate of grilled skewers towards a table of waiting customers.

From a distance, her left cheek looked swollen and red, seemingly from the slap delivered by those aggressive girls earlier. Alongside her was a young man helping with the skewers, the same amiable boy Lin Yu had seen moving things at school.

Behind the pair was a modest kebab cart adorned with various grilled delicacies. A middle-aged woman stood inside the cart; she bore a striking resemblance to Tang Manman but with a mature charm that spoke of life’s experiences. Her worried gaze continuously swept over her daughter, clearly concerned about the cause of Tang Manman’s swollen face.

By all accounts, this woman seemed to be Tang Manman's mother. The familiarity of her face sent a shiver down Lin Yu's spine as a wild, unnerving thought crossed his mind—could she be one of the protagonists from that risqué comic?

Shaking off the chilling thought and hiding from their view, Lin Yu prayed the author would not dare to be so outrageous.

Peering from behind the lush foliage of a tree, Lin Yu saw nothing through the unruly hair obstructing half of his face.

"Cursed hair!" he muttered, vowing to cut it at the first chance. Leaning to the right, he stealthily observed Tang Manman and her mother with his unobstructed eye.

After a careful observation, relieved that Tang Manman’s mother bore little resemblance to the other comic characters, Lin Yu was convinced of his earlier inkling. The resemblance to her daughter was the sole reason for the feeling of familiarity.

With clarity, Lin Yu made a decisive turn and left. The plan to distance himself had to continue. To prevent any disastrous ending from the events of the comic, he must not forge any further connection with Tang Manman. Absolutely not.

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Back in his modest but tidy rental, Lin Yu carefully wrapped the planned 12,000 yuan cash in a t-shirt and tucked it into a corner of his wardrobe, intending to deposit it in the bank the next day. After taking care of these tasks, he began tackling his assignments.

His homework didn't take too long—two hours, thanks to his high school knowledge not being too rusty. Finished with his homework, Lin Yu lay in bed, eyes closed, ready to rest.

However, sleep eluded him. The delicate features of Tang Manman and her mother, though similar, each had its uniqueness, haunting his thoughts and rekindling a quelled notion. Could Tang Manman’s mother actually be one of the female leads from that comic?

...

No, it wasn't possible.

After a moment, Lin Yu shook his head, dismissing the idea once again. The characters from the comic each had distinctive figures, not resembling Tang Manman's mother, whose body was slender and curves far from ordinary...

Could it be that clothing had obscured it?

"Thump, thump, thump!" Lin Yu slapped his forehead, attempting to rid his mind of such distasteful yellow thoughts. It couldn't be. Tang Manman's mother couldn't possibly be one of the four main characters.

The thought seemed undeniable.

But then again...

Lin Yu found himself puzzled. Why did she seem so familiar? After much thought, he concluded it must be her resemblance to Tang Manman.

Resolving this, Lin Yu stepped out toward Haiyuan Middle School, Haiyuan City's third middle school, not far from the school's entrance gates.

Just as he was about to proceed through the gates, Tang Manman appeared once again. Standing to the side of the entrance, neatly folding the same tracksuit, her beautiful eyes scanning the incoming crowd—clearly, she was waiting for someone.

Her left cheek was slightly swollen, but not too noticeable. Her pure and beautiful face remained unobscured, drawing the attention of many, especially from those older students with greedy eyes.

Under their unsettling gaze, Tang Manman seemed uneasy but resolute, clutching the tracksuit and refusing to leave her spot by a stone pillar near the entrance.

Observing this scene, Lin Yu hesitated momentarily, unsure if he should continue to avoid her. Yet, not facing her might only encourage the silly girl to pursue him with the tracksuit. Meeting her, though, would bind him to an unnecessary relationship once more.

After pondering at the spot for a while, Lin Yu made up his mind. He would return what was hers, with an attitude cold enough to deter her from approaching him in the future.

But to Lin Yu's surprise, Tang Manman dashed off before he could approach, clutching the tracksuit and looking as if fearful of being seen, heading rapidly towards the school's interior.

It wasn't long before Lin Yu spotted the reason for her hasty departure—the ubiquitous purple-haired tormentor from the previous day and his equally violet-locked girlfriend were approaching.

"Damn couple colors, huh?" Lin Yu thought to himself.