Chapter 163: Fu Hua's Evasion
A heavy silence descended on the living room. Everyone, including Rovel, stared at the small piece of cardboard on the table in utter disbelief. None of them could fathom why a brutal [Trap Card] like this had been mixed into a standard Truth or Dare deck.
"Trash game," Bronya declared flatly. Without a second of hesitation, the silver-haired girl swept the remaining deck off the table and dumped it straight into the nearby trash can. Her expression made it abundantly clear she had zero intention of ever playing this again.
Beside her, Fu Hua nodded in solemn agreement, her usual stoicism cracking just enough to show her solidarity with Bronya's extreme measures.
"So..." Rovel flicked the solitary Trap Card between his fingers, a triumphant, teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Who wants to go first?"
A stifling quiet answered him. The girls exchanged wary glances, none willing to step into the line of fire.
"Let this Headmaster set an example!" Theresa suddenly announced, slamming her hands on the table. She puffed out her chest, trying to project absolute authority. "How hard can it possibly be to stare at someone for ten seconds?"
Marching around the table, she plopped down directly across from Rovel. She crossed her arms and locked her gaze onto his, her blue eyes projecting a mask of utter indifference.
One second. Two seconds.
Theresa kept her chin high, but as the seconds ticked by, her focus began to drift. She found herself truly looking at Rovel. His eyes were peculiar. Usually, as people grew older, their eye pigment deepened, settling into a standard, muddy brown. Yet Rovel's eyes remained a striking, pitch-black abyss, as clear and unblemished as a child's. There was a strange, magnetic pull to them, drawing her in deeper than she intended.
They were sitting less than a meter apart. At this proximity, the faint, clean scent of his clothes drifted into her senses—a warm, reassuring fragrance that made her shoulders unconsciously relax.
Gulp. Theresa swallowed hard, the sound deafening in her own ears. It felt like an eternity had passed. Why hadn't anyone called time yet? The very fabric of time seemed to stretch and warp around them. In the quiet space between their locked gazes, Theresa felt a phantom rhythm echoing in her chest. It was as if the steady thumping of Rovel's heartbeat was slowly synchronizing with her own, forging a strange, ethereal connection that bypassed the physical world entirely.
A sudden, intense heat flared beneath her skin. Her blood rushed, warming her cheeks and making her breath hitch.
"Time's up!" Himeko's voice sliced through the silence like a blade.
Theresa jumped in her seat. "Ah? Oh!" She scrambled backward, nearly knocking her chair over as she darted to the side of the room.
"See? I told you it was simple!" Theresa patted her chest, forcing a haughty laugh to mask her fluster. Yet, beneath her palm, her heart was hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She took a few shallow breaths, waiting for the burning flush in her cheeks to finally subside.
"But Auntie, your face is completely red!" Kiana leaned in, a mischievous, death-defying grin spreading across her face. She reached out and poked Theresa's burning cheek. "Whoa, you're practically radiating heat, too."
Clang!
Less than a minute later, Kiana found herself bound tightly by the glowing golden chains of the Oath of Judah, dangling upside down from the ceiling while she whined in protest.
"I'll go next," Himeko volunteered, taking the hot seat across from Rovel.
Unlike the flustered Headmaster, Himeko projected nothing but exceptional composure. She rested her chin on her hand, a confident, mature smile gracing her lips. Perhaps this was simply the natural charm of an older woman, or maybe she had already crossed this bridge. After all, the bold words she had spoken to Rovel during their private drinking session a while back practically bordered on a confession. She held his gaze without a single flinch.
Mei and Bronya followed suit, both clearing the ten-second hurdle with ease, albeit in vastly different ways.
When Mei took her turn, she didn't even try to mask her feelings. Her violet eyes practically melted into Rovel's, overflowing with a gentle, undisguised affection that made the surrounding air feel thick with sugar.
Bronya, on the other hand, simply activated her ultimate poker face. The petite girl stared at Rovel with deadpan, unblinking eyes for ten straight seconds, resembling a perfectly programmed doll. Her absolute lack of expression nearly caused Rovel to break character and burst out laughing.
"Class Monitor Fu Hua, it's your turn," Mei prompted gently, turning to the martial artist.
"Ah... right. Okay." Fu Hua took a slow, centering breath, adjusting her posture before sitting directly in front of Rovel.
She met his eyes.
One... two...
Before the second second could even finish ticking, Fu Hua's gaze snapped to the side, her shoulders tensing.
"Sorry," she muttered, rubbing her temple. "I got a bit distracted. Let's start over."
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and tried again. This time, she made it to four seconds. Then, abruptly, she broke eye contact once more, her chest heaving slightly. Staring into Rovel's deep, black eyes, an invisible pressure had clamped around her throat, suffocating her and making her forget how to breathe.
"To think that a simple staring contest would actually stump the Class Monitor," Bronya remarked, tilting her head in genuine curiosity.
Himeko leaned back, a knowing, amused smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Mei, meanwhile, observed Fu Hua with a quiet, thoughtful expression.
"Again." Fu Hua reached up and removed her red-framed glasses, setting them on the table. Perhaps the lenses were distorting her focus.
She looked up, locking eyes with Rovel for the third time.
The moment their gazes connected, Fu Hua physically flinched backward. A vivid, entirely uncharacteristic blush exploded across her cheeks, painting her usually stoic face in shades of deep crimson.
"I'm... feeling a bit unwell," she stammered, abruptly pushing her chair back. "I'll go wash my face. Let Student Kiana go first."
Without waiting for a response, Fu Hua practically fled the living room.
Reaching the bathroom, she slammed the door shut and leaned her back against the cool wood, panting heavily. She pressed a hand to her racing heart and looked up at the mirror above the sink. The reflection staring back at her was a stranger—a flustered, bashful girl with burning cheeks. She had never imagined her own face could ever display such an expression.
Back in the living room, Kiana blinked in confusion as she watched the Class Monitor sprint away. "Is Fu Hua okay?" she asked from her upside-down vantage point, completely failing to grasp the situation.
"Whether she is okay or not, Idiot Kiana will find out once she tries," Bronya replied, gesturing for the white-haired girl to take the seat. After Theresa mercifully lowered her, Kiana dusted herself off and marched over.
"Hmph, this young lady definitely won't mess up like Auntie and Fu Hua!" Kiana boasted, raising her chin with absolute confidence.
Theresa's mouth twitched in annoyance from the sidelines. Having finally regained her senses, the Headmaster felt completely baffled by her previous reaction. Why had she fallen into such a strange, trance-like state just from making eye contact with Rovel? There was absolutely nothing romantic going on between them! Right?
Kiana dropped into the chair across from Rovel, flashing him a highly provocative, challenging glare.
However, barely two seconds into the staredown, the fierce tension in Kiana's face began to melt away. She hadn't ever really stopped to look at him this closely before. Up close, she suddenly realized that Rovel was actually... quite handsome. It was the same annoying face that always teased her, yet right now, bathed in the soft light of the room, it was surprisingly captivating.
"Ugh..." Kiana let out a low, unwilling groan, her cheeks dusting with pink as she fought the urge to look away.
"Time's up," Himeko announced, glancing at her watch.
"Yay! I told you this young lady would have no problem!" Kiana instantly leaped to her feet, planting her hands on her hips and laughing triumphantly to hide her lingering embarrassment.
"Or perhaps it is simply because an idiot's reflex arc is exceptionally long," Bronya criticized mercilessly, shooting down Kiana's pride in an instant.
Mei smiled wryly. "Then... only Fu Hua is left."
Right on cue, the bathroom door clicked open, and Fu Hua stepped back into the room. Her face was slightly damp from the cold water. Taking a deep, measured breath, she returned to the table for her fourth attempt.
This time, as she locked eyes with Rovel, her gaze was as calm and unyielding as a tranquil lake, entirely devoid of ripples. She held his stare for the full ten seconds without a single flinch.
"She passed quite easily this time..." Himeko murmured, studying Fu Hua's sudden, absolute composure. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of mental gymnastics the martial artist had just performed in that bathroom to shut off her emotions so completely.
"It's getting late. Everyone should get some rest," Fu Hua stated smoothly, completely ignoring Himeko's probing look.
Theresa let out a massive yawn, stretching her arms above her head. Normally, the Headmaster had a strict bedtime of ten o'clock, but tonight's chaotic game had kept them up well past two in the morning. With the adrenaline of the Truth or Dare game finally fading, a wave of exhaustion washed over the group.
One by one, the girls said their goodnights and retreated to their respective bedrooms.
The living room quickly emptied out. Just as Rovel was preparing to log off for the night, a hand gently caught his sleeve.
He turned to see Fu Hua standing there, the stoic mask from earlier slipping just a fraction.
"...I have something to say to you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
[Inorin's Note:
Hey guys, hope you're enjoying the novel! A quick Power Stone, comment, or review really helps the story grow and keeps me motivated.
Hate waiting for updates and cliffhangers? You can skip the line, avoid all those annoying ads, and binge 50 chapters ahead by supporting my work here:
🌐 Read on our site: Search for Elysian Reads on Google or Check the link in my Webnovel Profile bio!
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): Search InorinTL on Patreon
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]