After a frantic scramble, they finally managed to turn off the stove.
Zane sat dejectedly on the sofa while Derek Su and the Stella Club's Mecha Girls formed a semicircle around him, making him look like a prisoner awaiting interrogation.
"Spit it out. What are you up to? First the cheesy love lines, then the roses, and now there's a huge pig trotter cooking in the pot. What exactly are you trying to do?" Derek Su crossed his arms and glared at Zane.
Zane kept his head lowered in silence for a moment before forcing a smile that looked worse than crying.
"I've been pursuing Lily Zhao for a while now, haven't I? I feel like she has some affection for me. I can't keep being so passive. I need to make my move!"
In truth, he felt that his relationship with Lily Zhao was progressing too slowly. With less than a month until the provincial-level track race, he had to gain her trust as quickly as possible.
Becoming Lily Zhao's boyfriend was naturally the best option. After all, his looks were about the only thing he had going for him.
"So you really plan to date Lily Zhao?" Derek Su's lips twitched as he once again felt sorry for Lingwind.
"Of course I do." Zane guiltily glanced at Lingwind from the corner of his eye. When he saw her sitting there without expression, he relaxed slightly.
He had deliberately revealed the matter early on to give her time to adjust. Now it seemed Lingwind had probably accepted it, so it should not hurt her too badly later.
"Fine. I can't be bothered to meddle in your affairs. Just don't let anyone deceive you and lead you around by the nose. No one will feel sorry for you when that happens." Derek Su curled his lip.
He did not think the woman Zane had chosen seemed particularly reliable, but it was not his place to interfere that much.
Zane choosing Lily Zhao instead of Lingwind might simply be personal preference, or it might be due to other considerations, such as lifespan.
Viewed from that perspective, it could even be considered a responsible decision. Lingwind would most likely never sign a Core Contract with Zane, so after he died, she could choose another pilot and continue racing.
With the matter settled, Derek Su returned to his room to sleep.
Absolute Shadow called over a functional Mecha Girl to clean the kitchen. Imperial Scale placed the trophy in the display case in the club lobby, then carried the prize money to the warehouse. Tunbao yawned, picked up two dumbbells, and returned to her room to sleep. Blazing Wind went out to find Vanessa.
Purple Lightning sat upright on the sofa, her gaze moving between Stella, Lingwind, and Zane. She unconsciously hugged a cushion to her chest, already sensing the storm that was about to break.
Zane did his best to avoid the gazes of Stella, Lingwind, and Purple Lightning.
He picked up the bouquet of roses, returned to the mirror, and continued practicing.
On the sofa, Stella noticed Lingwind's gloomy expression. Her eyes shifted thoughtfully, then she took Lingwind by the hand and led her onto the balcony, where the two began whispering and plotting.
"Lingwind, we still have a chance!" Stella winked at her.
Only then did Lingwind finally lose her composure. Her lips trembled as she spoke tearfully.
"What chance do we have? Zane is already planning to make his move. Just look at how eager he is!"
Zane had never been that eager with her!
The last time she tried to sleep in his room, Zane had thrown out all her pillows and blankets and called her a blonde little brat.
She was a Mecha Girl!
Age restrictions did not apply to her!
"Why is he in such a hurry? Because he hasn't succeeded yet. And since he hasn't succeeded, we can become obstacles on his path to success." Stella's lips curled upward as she narrowed her eyes mysteriously.
"My original plan was for you to simply outlive Lily Zhao. But I'm worried Zane will fall into Lily Zhao's romantic trap, never recover, and lose all interest in the glory of the racetrack and becoming a world-class pilot. So now, we need to make our move too!"
Stella went on at length.
Lingwind stared at her with wide, bewildered eyes. She understood less than twenty percent of it, but she caught the final part about making their move.
"Whoa! We're making our move!"
She clenched her little fists with fighting spirit and gazed at Stella as though she were looking upon a sacred figure.
"Great King! What should I do?"
Being called Great King filled Stella with delight. She patted Lingwind on the shoulder and spoke mysteriously.
"As the saying goes, a craftsman must sharpen his tools before beginning his work. Preparing properly will save us effort later. First, we need to gather some props."
Lingwind straightened her back, thrust out her chest, and saluted.
"I await your command, Great King!"
In the living room, Purple Lightning watched Stella and Lingwind whispering together and occasionally flashing strange smiles. She silently grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from the fruit bowl on the coffee table.
...
Stella and Lingwind went out for a while.
When they returned, they were carrying bags of all sizes. Judging by what could be seen inside, they appeared to contain clothes.
Stella pulled Lingwind straight over to Zane.
She looked him up and down, then spoke sternly beneath his bewildered gaze.
"Zane, do you know why you haven't managed to win over Lily Zhao? You've been going about it the wrong way from the very beginning!"
Zane stared blankly at Stella and Lingwind.
After a long moment, he smiled helplessly.
"What would two little blonde brats like you know?"
He turned back toward the mirror and continued adjusting his suit and appearance.
Stella stepped in front of him, planted her hands on her hips, and glared with her eyes wide.
"Look at how you're dressed! Failure!"
"Complete failure!"
Lingwind nodded vigorously. "Mm-hmm! Complete failure!"
"You need to understand that the woman you're pursuing is in her forties, but you're dressing far too young." Stella circled Zane as she spoke. "And what about your hair? Who taught you to wear a center part? Do you think you're Kool Kenny?"
At first, Zane had assumed Stella and Lingwind were only there to cause trouble.
But once Stella pointed out every problem, he began to think she might actually have a point.
His current appearance really was a little too youthful.
He had simply assumed from the start that Lily Zhao would prefer a handsome young man.
Wasn't the soft, youthful look fashionable these days?
He might no longer be young enough to qualify as a pretty young man, but with some foundation and contouring, he could still make himself look the part.
Now, however, it seemed he might have been putting his efforts in the wrong direction.
Lily Zhao had mentioned something similar to her best friend before.
She had said he did not look mature enough and seemed unreliable.
"Then what do you think I should do?" Zane was desperate enough to try anything.
With the provincial-level track race drawing closer, he was genuinely becoming anxious. Under normal circumstances, he would never have asked Stella and Lingwind for advice.
"We've already worked out a solution for you."
Stella dumped the bags onto the floor. They were filled with brightly colored clothes, shoes, and various kinds of hair dye.
"We've decided to give you a complete makeover. The moment Lily Zhao sees you, you'll win her over!" she declared confidently.
"Are you really that kind?" Zane looked deeply suspicious.
"Of course we are." Stella's lips curved into a broad, toothy grin. "Because Lingwind and I are so very kind~"
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.