Proud senior schoolgirl was tender and sweet, we fell in love

Yan Shi's friends were quite the active members when it came to reading out apologies at school, and Zhou Mianmian knew them.

She also felt that they were not people she could afford to offend.

At that moment, she deeply regretted going out to eat noodles with Li Le.

She should have declined when he suggested going out for noodles.

That way, she wouldn't have run into Xie Xiao and his gang, and she would not be in such an embarrassing situation.

She looked at Yan Shi with pleading eyes, "Let's go back and talk, there are so many people here."

There was a pitiful tone in her voice.

Yan Shi's heart did soften, no matter what others said, he truly liked Zhou Mianmian.

Zhou Mianmian always managed to evoke his protective instincts.

He could not bear to see her eyes brimming with tears.

Yan Shi took a deep breath, just about to speak, when across them, Li Le, who was not pleased, intervened, "You can talk about your stuff back home, but Zhou Mianmian, you need to explain what's the deal with us?"

Although Li Le liked Zhou Mianmian, it was clear he was not as invested as Yan Shi.

Moreover, with his good grades, he had already sensed that something was off with Zhou Mianmian.

So his tone was not particularly mild, "I couldn't care less about whatever's between you two, but I just want to ask, Zhou Mianmian, didn't you say we'd talk after the college entrance exams and that our time together was not aimed at dating? What's all this about now? Just because I said I'm out of money, you leave me with, 'Let's not eat together in the future,' what does that mean?"

The words "after the college entrance exams" made Yan Shi's face change as well.

Because Zhou Mianmian had said something similar to him too.

He looked at the pitiful, pale-faced Zhou Mianmian and asked, "What's going on? Isn't this what you told me?"

Zhou Mianmian had no idea how to handle this scene. At that moment, all she wanted was to escape from there.

Her voice carried a pleading tone as the whispers from the crowd seemed to relentlessly pierce her ears, "Wow, huge scandal."

"Two-timing, huh? Thrilling!"

"Learnt a new phrase, 'talk after the college entrance exams!'"

"Isn't that the Zhou Mianmian from Grade 12? Supposed to be the school beauty, right?"

"No way? Isn't Luo Yanran the school beauty?"

"That's a huge difference, though. Her, a school beauty?"

Each word drained the color from her face.

She turned, wanting to flee that place.

But she was blocked by Yan Shi's friends, "Running? Answer his question."

"Are you really stringing my brother along? Pretty slick moves!"

A boy sneered.

Li Le spoke up, "If you truly don't want to continue, remember to pay me back for these past days, I thought it was spending on a future girlfriend. But if that's not the case, I won't be the sucker, I'll send you the total later."

After saying that, the boy tsked, glanced at Yan Shi, "I'm done talking here."

He then walked away, fearful that Yan Shi might stop him, but fortunately, he did not.

Li Le breathed a sigh of relief, if Yan Shi had hit him, he didn't know who to turn to for justice.

Zhou Mianmian looked towards Yan Shi, "Let's go back and talk."

Yan Shi looked at her face, and at the campus police starting to approach due to the crowd forming.

He turned and said, "Follow."

Then he left.

Zhou Mianmian exhaled a breath of relief, her head bowed as she followed him out of the crowd.

But their chattering still occasionally reached her ears, leaving her feeling mortified.

Yan Shi's friends caught up, "Shi, are you okay?"

"This kind of girl..."

Yan Shi was somewhat annoyed, his tone sharp, "Enough from you guys. Let's go, I'll have a talk with her."

The boys glared at him as if they felt he was bewitched.

But facing his gaze, they cursed and walked away.

Yan Shi walked ahead and Zhou Mianmian followed behind as they entered the school.

Zhou Mianmian hadn't snapped out of the mortifying episode just yet.

Yan Shi stopped in his tracks ahead, "Speak, Zhou Mianmian."

Yan Shi rarely spoke to her with such a cold tone; he usually tried to please her...

Zhou Mianmian's mind whirled, and as she lifted her head, tears fell from her eyes just then, "I didn't want this, Yan Shi, I really didn't, but I have no money."

"There's only my grandmother left at home, living on social security. She only gives me 50 yuan a month. I can't even afford to eat; I have no other choice..."

Yan Shi looked at the girl crying in front of him, eyes watery as if raining pear blossoms, and he felt pity, but he was also much more rational, "The school has applications for financially challenged students every year, the meals are free, and there is a monthly stipend of 100 yuan..."

But Zhou Mianmian had never applied.

Zhou Mianmian hung her head, "I'm scared. I'm afraid of being looked down upon."

Yan Shi suddenly found it quite funny, "So you're not afraid of being looked down upon with today's commotion?"

Zhou Mianmian's complexion turned pale, because she had never imagined that something like today would happen.

How could it happen?

She used to have Xie Xiao.

She didn't need to go out with these other boys at all.

What is Yan Shi? Why does she have to explain herself to him?

She used to dislike even giving him an extra glance.

Because she had Xie Xiao...

At this thought, Zhou Mianmian's tears kept falling, and she could only say, "I'm sorry, there's really nothing between him and me; it was just a meal."

"Of course, there's nothing, there's nothing between you and me, nothing with Xie Xiao either."

Yan Shi's voice was filled with sarcasm, "I finally understand what Xie Xiao meant; it was not he who was clinging to you, but you who couldn't let go of him, right? Now I see that Xie Xiao was really good to you, recharging your meal card, buying you everything."

"No wonder they ask why I would chase you? Even Xie Xiao couldn't succeed."

"Zhou Mianmian, you're truly selfish, disgustingly so."

Yan Shi left those words behind and turned to leave.

Zhou Mianmian felt as if she had been stripped naked and then viciously slapped several times.

Her face was burning with pain.

She had never thought there would come a day like this.

The disdain in Yan Shi's voice just now made her feel very worthless.

But wasn't it them who pursued her on their own initiative?

Weren't they the ones willing to give?

Why did it turn out to be her fault in the end?

She clearly did nothing wrong.

What's wrong with not accepting their pursuit?

She had so many admirers; why should she have to accept any of them?

She...

Zhou Mianmian thought of Xie Xiao again; if she were to accept anyone, it could only be Xie Xiao.

But Xie Xiao no longer liked her.

Thinking of this, she laughed silently. Then she covered her face and began to cry.

Xie Xiao and the others didn't know what had happened while they were eating noodles.

It was Liu Ou who sent Luo Yanran a post.

It confirmed the "major house collapse incident" and "name scenes of the Asura battlefield."

The title was very eye-catching.

So Luo Yanran clicked in and saw the drama of two men fighting over one woman posted on the forum.

Luo Yanran frowned slightly after glancing over it briefly and then turned off her phone.

She looked at Xie Xiao across from her. He was still engrossed in his noodles.

She didn't want to tell Xie Xiao.

She hoped that Xie Xiao would only have eyes for her, that no one else could divert a fraction of his attention.

Feeling her gaze, Xie Xiao looked up at her inquiringly, "What's wrong?"