The sun hung high like a soaring disc, with not a single cloud to shroud its presence.
Heatwaves gently lapped at Lake Mountain City, also gradually enveloping Lixue Middle School.
Having just finished two classes, the ringing of the bell instantly transformed the quiet campus into a hive of bubbling activity.
Those carrying canvases headed to the art studio.
Those with footballs and basketballs rushed to the courts.
Those donning red hats went off to the blocks for community service and practice.
Those who bought colas and chips from the snack bar, gathering in groups, boys and girls alike, walked toward the mountain trail behind the school.
The sounds of pursuit, laughter, tranquil reading, and the melodious songs of campus life...
In a classroom corner near the corridor on the first floor, Lou Yu picked up her book and walked toward a spot with better lighting.
After just a few steps, she glanced with some concern at the boy lying motionless over his desk.
"Maybe I should go get the school nurse?" Lou Yu thought it over and then spoke to Lü Jing.
"Ugh, it's just a bit of heatstroke, the teacher said it's nothing serious. Besides, it's not your place to care, what are you to him, huh?" Lü Jing said with irritation.
"Oh," Lou Yu responded and reluctantly continued to her corner with her book in hand.
"Don't forget we have rehearsal later."
"Weren't you the lead before? Why switch to me? Can I not go?" Lou Yu asked.
"They say you're pretty, and you've got a sweet voice," Lü Jing said with a smile.
"That's not true..."
"Come on, come on, don't let others' efforts go to waste. Just think of it as helping everyone out, and just read your lines when the time comes," Lü Jing said.
"Alright then," Lou Yu nodded and buried herself back into her book.
Soon, the obscure and difficult vocabulary in the book stumped Lou Yu. She remembered being exposed to these herbs when she was younger, but now she couldn't recognize a single one.
It's just not enough effort on my part!
"Watch out!"
Someone shouted.
Lou Yu heard it, but her reaction was still slow.
By the time she looked up, she saw a football hurtling rapidly towards her!
At that moment, a tall figure flashed by; he leapt into the air, as if unleashing a fury pent-up within him, and fiercely kicked!
"Bong!!!!!"
The football was kicked away with brute force.
However, the ball didn't fly out the window, but instead shot like a cannonball towards her desk mate!
"Bang!!!!"
The ball slammed into Lü Jing's face with considerable force, knocking her over as if toppled by the impact!
Lü Jing let out a horrific scream as she and the desk fell heavily to the ground!
The expressions of those around shifted from "Wow" to stunned silence and then to not wanting to look straight at it!
What in the world!
How did a clearance kick turn into violent friendly fire!
"Thud, thud, thud~"
The football bounced several times before coming to a complete stop.
Outside the window, the boy who kicked the football stood there, not daring to run into the classroom to retrieve his own ball.
Everyone could feel the tension building in the classroom!
Ji Yun seemed to have a grudge against that girl, and that girl...
Her entire face was red as a toad.
Upon closer inspection, one could see that the football bore an impression of a white powdered mask, perfectly capturing Lü Jing's most painful grimace!
"You... you... you!!!!" Lü Jing was lost for words.
"I'm sick," Ji Yun replied coldly.
"You're fucking sick!" Lü Jing couldn't care less about her usual decorum, cursing directly.
"Ah, Ji Yun didn't mean it, he just wanted to kick the ball away, and he was afraid of hitting other students," Wu Kai hurried over.
"Couldn't you use your hands!" Lü Jing cursed again.
As she finished the sentence, blood began to trickle from her upturned nose.
"Use hands? That's the greatest insult to football!" Ji Yun continued his indifferent reply.
Lü Jing was on the verge of madness!!
She suffered such a great humiliation, and the other party went on to talk about football philosophy with her, screw his football-headed ass!
"He must be really heatstruck, his brain's a bit cooked, I'll take you to the infirmary..." Wu Kai tried to smooth things over.
"Wu Kai, let me do it, I'm the one who hurt her by accident, and I might as well check my brain in the infirmary too," Ji Yun said.
"Alright then."
Ji Yun regained some normalcy, and with feigned regret, led Lü Jing toward the infirmary.
As he helped Lü Jing out of the infirmary, Ji Yun clearly heard the gossiping girls at the classroom doorway.
The girl with short brows giggled covertly, "No wonder someone looks so pale, they've slathered on pounds of powder."
"I thought she was all poised and graceful, all thanks to makeup!"
...
The infirmary was close by, just on the other end of the classroom block in the shape of the character '回'.
Ji Yun could tell that Lü Jing was like a venomous ghost out for revenge.
They hadn't walked far when Lou Yu also caught up.
It seemed she was still quite concerned about Ji Yun and Lü Jing, worried that they might start fighting in the infirmary.
"Lou Yu, you should head to the broadcasting room, they're waiting for you," Lü Jing, despite her injury, didn't forget her scheming.
Ji Yun couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
What a vicious girl!
Does she really want to see her desk mate die that badly?
Fortunately, Lou Yu was strong from a young age; if it had been a girl with a fragile spirit, she might have chosen to end her life in despair!
Ji Yun didn't believe that a high school student wouldn't understand the consequences of such actions.
The only explanation is that this woman is just bad, rotten to the core!
"We can put off the rehearsal for now. Hurry and check in case there's a concussion," Ji Yun said.
"Right, we should have the school nurse take a look," Lou Yu nodded.
They entered the infirmary.
Looking around, Ji Yun noticed the nurse was not in.
She must have gone to attend to another student who had a heatstroke.
"I'm fine, just a quick fix is needed, we shouldn't delay the rehearsal," Lü Jing said as she found some cotton swabs and started to deal with her nosebleed.
Seeing her growing impatience, Ji Yun couldn't help but scoff, "Is there something so important you have to worry about?"
"The rehearsal, of course! We've been practicing so hard for so long, and it's about to start now... Ah, I'll settle this matter with you later, Lou Yu, let's go to the broadcast room," Lü Jing said.
As she spoke, Lü Jing had already grabbed Lou Yu and was heading out of the infirmary.
Just you wait, you pest!
Aren't you and Lou Yu very close, having a good relationship since childhood!
I'll see how you make a laughingstock of yourself soon!!
Lü Jing suppressed the rage in her heart, unwilling to delay any longer for the sake of her own plans.
However, as they reached the door, Ji Yun's figure blocked their way.
"Get out of the way!" Lü Jing said impatiently.
"I think you really do have a concussion, it's serious, and you're still fixated on that play," Ji Yun said.
"What does it have to do with you? Move it!" Lü Jing was getting more and more anxious.
"What is this play that's so important, and why must my Lou Yu be the one to perform?" Ji Yun asked.
My Lou Yu?
The white mushroom suddenly turned into a red mushroom!
"Why are you asking so much? Didn't you just confess to Qiu Mo? She's waiting for you under the tree; don't get in Lou Yu's way!" Lü Jing said, fuming.
"I borrowed three hundred bucks from Qiu Mo, how did it turn into that kind of gossip?" Ji Yun replied.
"Borrowed money?" Lou Yu muttered in surprise.
"The play you're about to perform, it wouldn't happen to be this book, right, the foreign classic, heh?" Ji Yun suddenly pulled out a book.
It was a book with a cover on it.
And Lou Yu recognized this cover.
Although she hadn't read much, the lines Lü Jing wanted her to read all came from this book!
"You... what are you doing with my book!!" Lü Jing exploded when she saw this scene.
"So, you admit it's your book, great, now I'll ask you, what's the meaning of having Lou Yu perform as Lolita! And what about all those things you've spread about what's happening in Lou Yu's family!!" Ji Yun pushed Lü Jing away.
Ji Yun was strong and pushed Lü Jing to the ground!
"Don't help her!" Ji Yun glared at Lou Yu nearby.
Lou Yu stood there, stunned.
She glanced at her best friend and then at her neighbor and elder brother, Ji Yun.
In the end, Ji Yun was a bit heavier in her heart, and Lou Yu didn't help Lü Jing up.
"Brother Ji Yun, is there some kind of misunderstanding here?" Lou Yu, having never seen such an angry Ji Yun, asked in a tiny voice.
"What a silly girl, come, take a look at the synopsis of this book yourself." Ji Yun handed the foreign classic to Lou Yu and turned to the synopsis page!
Lou Yu was obedient.
She flipped it open and quickly glanced through it.
When she noticed the male protagonist was the stepfather of the female lead, Lou Yu's delicate body visibly trembled!
A tidal wave seemed to surge within her clear and tranquil eyes!!!
She couldn't believe it!
She was shocked!
She looked at Lü Jing, still with blood on her face, and then at Ji Yun, filled with righteous anger.
One was her best friend, the other was her brother who had grown up with her...
In fact, she hadn't fled this terrible old city because they were there.
But what Lou Yu never expected was that Lü Jing, who was always caring for her, would go around sharing her family's plight, while her brother, who seemed to have long stopped caring, was actually protecting her in silence!
Lou Yu's young heart struggled to come to terms with it all.
She didn't know whether to be angry or relieved.
She didn't know what she had done wrong.
For her best friend to treat her like this...
No matter what happened, Lou Yu never let herself cry, but this time, she couldn't hold back the various grievances and sadness in her heart.
Lou Yu started to cry.
In the infirmary, her crying was very soft, but one could feel she was truly heartbroken.
Ji Yun wrapped his arms around her, comforting her.
Lou Yu seemed to have finally found a shoulder to lean on, and her crying became louder.
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(What happens in the story after this, let everyone's imagination run wild and discuss enthusiastically.)
(By the way, you can discuss amongst yourselves, but please be careful with your words.
For example, saying how our hero should do this or that next is fine, but saying, 'So the deceased does this or that next'... the deceased, heh, you're really lawless, aren't you!!)