"No way..." Yu Xinman abruptly stood up, not even bothering to wipe her tears. "I have to go check on her."
"Hey, Xinman, wait for me!" Zhou Lu shouted at her retreating back.
Outside Class 3-7.
Yu Xinman stood by the window, watching the girl who was sitting with her head down, playing on her phone, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
She waited a few seconds until Zhou Lu was about to catch up, then stepped into the classroom.
"Sister..." Yu Xinman walked up to her desk, her eyes brimming with tears, her tone filled with worry. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
The sound of her voice caused Yu Zhi's fingers to pause as she swiped on the screen, her brow furrowing slightly. Guess her round of Candy Crush would have to wait.
Turning off her phone, she lifted her gaze to look at her, her tone carrying a hint of irritation. "Do you need something from me?"
"I heard you... you hurt Yu Nian. Is that true?"
"Yeah."
"Sister, how could you?!"
"How could I what?" Yu Zhi leaned back against her chair, crossing her arms over her chest with a look that screamed she was ready for entertainment.
A tear rolled down Yu Xinman's cheek. Her reddened nose and slightly furrowed brows made her appear even more delicate and fragile, evoking a wave of sympathy from anyone who saw her.
She choked up. "Do you know how much effort Dad put into getting you into Shengde? And what about you? On your very first day, you injure someone. Imagine how disappointed Dad will be when he finds out."
In just a few words, she managed to portray the role of a heartbroken elder sister to utter perfection.
A glimmer of intrigue flitted through Yu Zhi's eyes. She said nonchalantly, "Go on."
There wasn't the slightest trace of panic in her demeanor—in fact, she seemed entirely indifferent.
"You..."
Yu Xinman was at a loss for words, her bright, youthful face turning several shades of red.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. "Sister... Do you... do you just hate me that much?"
Seeing her cry like a broken faucet, Zhou Lu, standing behind her, immediately snapped, "Yu Zhi, you're too much! Xinman didn't even finish her test paper when she rushed here the moment she heard you'd gotten into a fight. And this is how you act?!"
"How am I acting?"
Yu Zhi glanced at Zhou Lu indifferently. She hadn't said much yet, and already everyone was eager to slap labels on her.
"Xinman is so kind—she always tries to win your favor, speaks up for you, and even tolerates you being an illegit—"
"Lu Lu!" Yu Xinman interrupted her hastily, her expression seeming a bit flustered. "Don't say that!"
"Illegitimate? You mean illegitimate daughter?"
Yu Zhi let out a cold scoff, an air of sharp intensity suddenly surrounding her, and even her gaze turned frostier in an instant.
"That's not true... Sister, don't listen to her nonsense." Yu Xinman bit her lower lip, her face full of fear.
Her attempt to deny it seemed more like a desperate cover-up, further cementing in everyone's minds the notion that Yu Zhi was indeed an illegitimate child.
"Quite the performance."
Yu Zhi stood up, leaning in slightly to meet Yu Xinman's eyes. In a tone audible only to the two of them, she whispered, "I hope you can keep up your act forever."
Her gaze was cold and dangerous—like winter's most biting wind, cutting deep and leaving nowhere to hide.
Yu Xinman's expression shifted, and her hands at her sides instinctively clenched her skirt, her knuckles whitening.
She couldn't help but loathe the arrogance and untamed confidence of the person before her.
"Anything else?" Yu Zhi stepped back, creating a bit of distance between them, her mocking expression entirely unrestrained.
"Sister, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have meddled."
She lowered her gaze, her round eyes clouded over with a hollow depth, as though they were a bottomless abyss devouring all traces of light.
Without waiting for Yu Zhi to reply, she covered her mouth and ran out, heartbroken.
Seeing this, Zhou Lu shot an angry glare at Yu Zhi before chasing after Xinman toward the small woods behind the school building.
The grove, usually deserted, was eerily quiet at this moment.
Yu Xinman sat down on a stone bench, burying her face in her arms as soft sobs escaped her lips.
From a distance, her aura radiated sorrow.
"Xinman, don't cry."
Zhou Lu sat down beside her and handed her a tissue from her bag.
"Am I... really that awful?"
Yu Xinman slowly lifted her head. Her pretty eyes were swollen, and she swallowed hard, trying to catch her breath.
"What are you talking about?" Zhou Lu scolded lightly. "If you're awful, then there's no one good in this world."
Yu Xinman clutched the tissue tightly, looking disheartened. "But Sister still doesn't like me."
"So what if she doesn't like you? She's just an illegitimate child. Plus, she's bad at studying, has no special talents—how can she compare to you?"
"Don't talk about her like that..."
"Come on, Xinman. Be realistic. She doesn't deserve your kindness." Zhou Lu shook her head in exasperation, wondering how someone could be so kind-hearted.
Yu Xinman lowered her eyes slightly. "I'm her older sister. It's only right for me to be good to her."
Hearing this, Zhou Lu let out a sigh. She placed a firm hand on Xinman's shoulder, her face serious. "If you keep giving in like this, she'll only get bolder. One day, she might even try to take your place. By then, it'll be too late for regrets."
"You mean..."
Yu Xinman gasped in disbelief, her eyes filling with tears once more.
She shook her head, gripping the tissue tighter. "That's impossible. Sister would never do that."
"Xinman, stop fooling yourself. She spent so many years outside—you don't even really know her."
Zhou Lu sighed softly. She didn't want to shatter this harsh truth, but if she didn't warn Xinman, things would only get worse for her later on.
"But why..." Yu Xinman hugged Zhou Lu, sobbing uncontrollably. "What am I supposed to do now?"
Zhou Lu thought for a moment, then patted Xinman's back to comfort her. "I'll think of something for you."
"Lu Lu, you're so good to me."
Yu Xinman expressed her gratitude, a faint, nearly imperceptible curve appearing at the corner of her lips where Zhou Lu couldn't see.
**
At the entrance to the grove.
Two tall boys in school uniforms leaned lazily against the wall, smoking, their faces handsomely sharp.
Lin Chengyu exhaled a smoke ring into the air. "Brother Lu, what's the deal with that new girl?"
Coming out of the principal's office unscathed, no reprimand from the school whatsoever—
"No idea."
Lu Li shoved one hand into his pocket, his eyes cast downward as the rising smoke obscured his expression.
"Tch, you're not even curious." Lin Chengyu smirked, a roguish grin spreading across his face.
Lu Li gave him a detached glance. "You care about her so much—don't tell me you've fallen for her."
"Not exactly 'fallen,' but I do find her pretty intriguing." Lin Chengyu admitted openly.