Chapter 2 - The Student

It's Monday again. Another day of suffering, but most certainly for someone.

"Ugh! How the hell can I forget about this important report!?"

Yep, there she is, stressing over the report that she will be presenting in front of everyone.

Meet Li Ruolan, an ordinary girl who works multiple jobs to provide for herself. She's living all alone as both of her parents died in a car crash when she was just a teen.

A sad story, you may say, but she's alright with it. She knew people passed, and she accepted death.

A family member brought her into their house, but she had to be a servant to live there.

She knew better, so she sneaked out and left for another town. Which she is in right now.

"I only have 30 minutes!? Fuck this shit!"

Roulan quickly hops into the bathroom to take a bath. She's going to be late for school if she continues with it.

"Ok Roulan. This is only a phase; you can counter it."

With everything that happened to her, she thinks positively because that's what her mother taught her.

All problems will be solved with positivity.

As she finishes her 5-minute bath, she goes to her closet and puts on a casual, lazy outfit.

"Ok, I need to memorize what I'll say in front."

She then went to her study table and grabbed the notebook with everything in it.

She goes to the kitchen to cook something for herself.

"This looks alright."

Roulan mumbles to herself and serves the food.

She sat on the table with the notebook in hand as she memorized her project.

As she finishes eating, she looks at the clock and widens her eyes.

"I'm late!"

She yelled, running to her room to get her bag and walking out of her apartment. She makes sure to lock the door, though.

She ran as fast as she could, which resulted in her bumping into someone.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

The person said. Roulan groan as she couldn't control her balance.

She looked up and saw a cute girl with fuming eyes.

She stands up and looks at their surroundings.

"Sorry, Miss. I'm in a hurry."

Roulan bows down and runs away again.

The girl looks at her fading figure in disappointment.

"Tsk, that girl is so arrogant! She didn't even help me."

"Roulan!"

The said girl looked at her back and saw her best friend, who had a wide grin on her face.

Roulan smiles and waves at her before she runs inside the university.

But she didn't step in as her best friend yelled something.

"Let me guess!"

Roulan looks back.

"You're in a hurry because of a report, right!?"

"Yeah!"

Her best friend suddenly laughs loudly, confusing Roulan.

She then went to her and glared before hitting her on the shoulder.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because that subject of yours is tomorrow!"

Her best friend continues to laugh.

Roulan furrows her eyebrows before hitting her forehead as she shakes her head.

"You should have seen your face HAHAHA!"

"It's not funny!"

"I should be studying your course because I memorize your schedule better than mine!"

Her friend, Yu, said as she laughed again.

Roulan can only glare at her before she smiles widely.

Xia Yu is the first person who ever talks to Roulan as soon as she goes to the university. It was like her natural behavior, as everyone at the university was her friend.

Xia Yu is a famous student because of her fantastic voice and great personality. She is part of the student council, which makes her even more attractive in the eyes.

Yep, everyone has a crush on her.

Xia Yu is a social butterfly, and at times Roulan is weirded out, but she manages to get through to her.

Because she's an introvert who got adopted by an extrovert.

"Then let's exchange."

"But I wouldn't sacrifice my easier course for yours!"

Yu hates mathematics; they never understand each other.

Or should I say that Yu simply hates mathematics?

Roulan's course involves the subject because it focuses more on technology, which uses coding and programming.

While Yu focuses more on speaking, which Roulan hates the most.

"As if I'd also exchange mine for yours!"

"Huh! Your introverted self is showing!"

Yu said.

She walks to Roulan and clings her arms to the latter's neck.

"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria."

"Nope, I'd rather spend my break in the library."

Roulan said, removing the girl's arms.

"Come on, I'll invite Huiqing."

As Yu said the name, Roulan paused in her spot.

Qin Huiqing is Roulan's crush, but she didn't seem interested in the latter.

Well, that's what Roulan sees.

Qin Huiqing is your typical cheerleader captain who is dating someone.

And who is it, you ask?

Well, who could certainly think of themselves as the mighty king of the whole university? A bully who always bullies newcomers and thinks that everyone has a crush on them.

"As if she'll come."

"Oh, come on, I told you she likes you!"

Yu don't know about Roulan having a crush on Huiqing.

She only thought that Roulan just wanted to be friends, which is true, but Roulan's intention is much more romantic.

"Nope, she might be pleasing that jerk again."

"Huh? They fought last time, and he's still trying to please her."

"And why did they fight?"

Roulan proceeds to walk ahead.

Yu ran beside her and told her what happened between Huiqing and her boyfriend.

Other than being a social butterfly and a part of the student council, Yu is also known as a nosy person in someone's life.

She's much more updated than the person.

Quite interesting.

"Chang apparently is cheating behind Huiqing's back! Imagine, he's chatting with girls pretending to be single!"

"Well, that's not new at all."

"Huh? You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Chang is cheating with Huiqing's enemy."

"Wait, the cheerleader from another school?"

"Yeah!"

Yu then continues to say that Chang was caught by Huiqing herself with the girl in a cafe.

Roulan then furrows her eyebrows as she feels anger rising in herself.

She knew Chang couldn't be trusted with Huiqing. They've only been in their two-month-old relationship, and then this happened.

"So, what do you think? Should we go to the cafeteria and comfort her?"

Yu asks Roulan.

The slightly taller girl sighs and shakes her head.

As much as she wanted to go and see Huiqing, she still decided not to, as they were not even friends.

"Oh, come on. She's your friend already."

"Not literally."

"What? You two hang out already."

"Yu, that was only two times! I wouldn't say we're friends as fast as that."

"But I'm sure she'll like your presence there."

Yu grabs Roulan's arms and drags her toward the cafeteria.

The taller girl sighs before shaking her head, accepting that she doesn't have any power to argue with Yu because she'll only lose.

-

"Like, I don't understand! I gave him everything!"

Huiqing sobs as she hugs Yu, who's patting the back of the girl.

Roulan can only watch the two, as she doesn't know what to say or do.

Huiqing sniffs and wipes her tears. She looked at the girl in front and held her hands.

Roulan was shocked at the girl's action.

"Tell me, is there something wrong with me?"

"Uhm-"

"Am I not perfect?"

"You-"

"If I am, then why did he do that!?"

"Hey, Huiqing. Leave the girl alone, geez."

"I just really don't understand."

Well, that says a lot about Huiqing.

This girl in front of Roulan is someone who gives their all when they are in a relationship.

She might have loved Chang so much that it hurts her even if they are just in their two-month-old relationship.

"Maybe he's just not for you."

Roulan decided to speak. Huiqing looks up at her as she nods and wipes her runny nose.

"If it's not him, then who else? I can't find someone as perfect as him."

Was there a love potion involved?

Roulan now wonders if she's just wrong with her judgment or if she hates guys.

Don't get her wrong, though; she does have guy friends.

But the thing is, she couldn't understand how someone like Chang be perfect in front of Huiqing's eyes.

Like, is this some joke?

Chang might be handsome, but he has an awful smell as soon as they finish their practice.

How did Roulan even know that?

One time, Roulan was peacefully putting her things in her locker when Chang came to his, which is beside Roulan, and she almost puked because of the sour smell!

Yu looks at Huiqing in confusion and seems to not agree with what the girl is saying.