The next day, as Shen Jiu walked down the corridors, she could feel the weight of countless eyes on her. The whispers were louder than usual, the side glances more frequent. She kept her head low, trying to ignore the suffocating attention, but the stares burned into her skin. Just as she turned the corner, she spotted Yun Xi leaning against a locker, waiting for her.The moment Yun Xi saw Shen Jiu 's face, she frowned, stepping closer. "Oh my gosh, what happened to you? Your eyes are so puffed up—damn, you look scary, man. Did something happen?"Shen Jiu let out a heavy breath. She didn't even have the energy to pretend everything was fine. So, she told Yun Xi everything—how Zheng Tianyi had ditched her, how he was now dancing with Kim Hyein, how the competition that once meant everything to her now felt like a cruel joke.Yun Xi's expression twisted in anger. "That idiot! He's such a loser. How dare he—after everything?!" Her voice rose as she started ranting, but Shen Jiu barely heard her. The murmurs around them were growing louder, and she could feel students stealing glances at her, some even staring outright.Yun Xi, growing more and more irritated by the attention, finally turned to a nearby student. "Hey, what's with the stares? What's going on?"Before the student could respond, Xiao Lusi rushed up to them, looking hesitant yet concerned. "Jiu..." she started cautiously. "You and Tianyi... broke up?"
Shen Jiu frowned. "How do you know?"
Xiao Lusi bit her lip, looking uncertain before sighing. "It's on the college forum."
Shen Jiu's heart dropped.
Xiao Lusi continued, "Someone posted about it anonymously. The headline says—'Zheng Tianyi of the prestigious NDA Military Academy has broken up with the Beauty aka Dance Queen Shen Jiu of the Media Academy just to get together with Kim Hyein, another student of the Media Academy.'"Jiu's breath hitched as she fumbled to pull out her phone. Her fingers shook as she quickly navigated to the college forum, and there it was. The post. The comments. The wildfire of gossip spreading like an uncontrollable storm.People were furious. Some were cursing Tianyi for leavingJiu just to pair up with Hyein. Others were dragging Shen Jiu into the mess, speculating about their relationship, throwing accusations, making her breakup into nothing more than entertainment. And then there were the anonymous trolls—laughing, taunting, turning her pain into a public spectacle.Her grip on the phone tightened.Yun Xi, reading over Jiu's shoulder, scoffed. "Are you freaking kidding me? This is insane." Xiao Lusi, equally frustrated, muttered, "Why do people have nothing better to do?"
Shen Jiu felt her throat tighten, her emotions threatening to spill over. But she refused to let them. She refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of everyone.She inhaled sharply and muttered, "I regret it."
Yun Xi turned to her. "Regret what?"Shen Jiu clenched her jaw. "Letting him join the inter-college dance competition."
Because if he had never joined, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe he wouldn't have used this event as an excuse to leave her. Maybe she wouldn't be standing here, feeling like the entire college was watching her downfall like it was some kind of reality show.The entire college was massive, a place where multiple academies worked under one institution—NDA Military Academy, Media Academy, Performing Arts, Science, Business, and many more. Each academy had its own pride, its own reputation.Shen Jiu , Yun Xi, and Xiao Lusi were all from the Media Academy. Lisa wasn't just any student—she was the face of their department, the pride of the Media team, the beauty and dance queen everyone admired. And now, she was the subject of the college's biggest gossip.Zheng Tianyi, on the other hand, was from the prestigious NDA Military Academy, where cadets trained for rigorous military careers.Participation in extracurricular activities wasn't mandatory, but those who did gained extra points—points that would help them in their final year before graduation. It was a big deal for them.And now, it all made sense.Tianyi hadn't just ditched her. He had traded her.
For extra credits. For Kim Hyein. For whatever reason he had convinced himself was worth throwing her away like she meant nothing.Shen Jiu gritted her teeth. She could still hear the whispers, feel the eyes burning into her. But she refused to break.If they wanted a show, she'd give them one. But on her own terms.