Chapter 32: Rumors and Whispers
No matter what kind of relationship Fu Guanxian and Xiang Yang have, Fu Guanxian's wish is fulfilled. The rumors spread like wildfire.
But at first, most people don't believe it. Then, Fu Guanxian's high school buddies thump their chests and guarantee, “There's no way this is fake! It was Guanxian himself who said it!” Alright, the people who wouldn't believe it no matter what are finally convinced.
Xiang Yang walks down the corridors or school grounds. She sensitively notices that there are more people pointing and whispering behind her back.
For example, right now, she's frowning and hearing them say, “So, this is Fu Guanxian's girlfriend? She doesn't look that great! She's not even as elegant as the few girls in Fu Guanxian's class! What kind of taste does Fu Guanxian have?”
“Don't be sour grapes because you can't get them. She's steadily sitting in first place in Year 2. She's a match for Fu Guanxian. If you're really unhappy, try being first in your year too!”
“Cut it out! She looks like a typical bookworm. Who wants her?”
“Then Fu Guanxian doesn't like you either, he likes that kind of girl!”
“Hmph, I bet they won't last long! Fu Guanxian will definitely dump her after graduation.”
“...”
Xiang Yang is waiting in line for the bathroom. When she hears two girls behind her blatantly discussing her, her face turns pale.
Fan Xiaoyu is standing in front of her. Though she can't hear clearly, she also thinks it's a bit excessive for those girls to talk like that knowing that Xiang Yang is standing there. But she doesn't dare to speak up for Xiang Yang.
After coming out of the bathroom, she asks Xiang Yang, “What happened back in the bathroom? Why did you just let them get away with it? If you ask me, even if you can't teach them a lesson, at least let them know that you're not someone they can push around!”
Xiang Yang shakes her head. “Forget it. It's not true. What's the point of clarifying? The more I clarify, the more it's unclear.”
Fan Xiaoyu is helpless. “You keep saying that you and the school heartthrob have no relationship, but how come I feel like the school heartthrob really wants a relationship with you?”
Xiang Yang thinks that he's just bored again and is looking for amusement from her.
“I don't want to deal with him.” Once it starts, it's probably never-ending. Xiang Yang continues, “When the rumors have been around for a while and there's no response, everyone will find it boring. They'll naturally turn their attention to their studies.”
Fan Xiaoyu is half-convinced. “Xiang Yang, I think you're underestimating the school heartthrob's influence on our girls. But, I still have to tell you, there are quite a few influential girls in school, some of them are pretty crazy, you have to be careful!”
Xiang Yang looks at her questioningly and nods. But she's thinking that there shouldn't be anyone that irrational.
From the next day on, Xiang Yang simply stops going to the cafeteria to eat. She asks Fan Xiaoyu to pack her food. Fan Xiaoyu is loyal and packs her own food too, taking it back to the classroom to eat with her.
A few days pass. This day, Xing Zhaoyan forgets his meal card and has to go back to the classroom. When he sees this, he asks, “Why are you two eating here?”
Fan Xiaoyu, who's just put a bite of food in her mouth, looks at Xing Zhaoyan and then at Xiang Yang, too busy to speak.
Xiang Yang explains, “There were so many people in the cafeteria, so we thought we'd eat back in the classroom. We can do our homework after we finish.”
Xing Zhaoyan looks at her and doesn't reply for a long time.
Seeing his strange expression, Xiang Yang asks, “What's wrong? Can't we eat in the classroom?”
Xing Zhaoyan seems to exhale a heavy sigh, his tone a little low, “It's not like you can't, but I think the dining environment is also important. If possible, it's better to eat in the cafeteria. If you don't want to go to the cafeteria because you don't want to see certain annoying people, you can go outside and eat. I sometimes go out to eat outside of school. There are a few small shops that have good food.”
Xiang Yang is stunned and says, “Okay, I understand. Thank you.”
Xing Zhaoyan fixes his gaze on her and finally says, “Then you two eat slowly. I'll go to the cafeteria.”
“Okay.”
After Xing Zhaoyan leaves, Fan Xiaoyu leans over and asks in a deliberately lowered voice, “Hey Xiang Yang, don't you think the class monitor was a little strange just now?”
“What's wrong?”
Fan Xiaoyu thinks for a moment and describes, “He seemed angry.”
“Maybe he really doesn't want us to eat in the classroom.”
Fan Xiaoyu wants to roll her eyes, “Where we eat is our freedom! He wouldn't be angry about that! I think he's angry that you don't want to eat in the cafeteria. That line about annoying people, I think he meant something by that.”
“Hm?” Xiang Yang is a bit confused.
Fan Xiaoyu smiles and stares at her, asking, “Hey, beauty, can we stop pretending to be clueless? Haven't you noticed that the class monitor's concern for you is beyond that of a normal classmate?”
Xiang Yang is startled and unconsciously retorts, “Impossible! We just happen to be in the same class in first year, and the two of us...”
Fan Xiaoyu waves her hand, stopping her, “I know what you're going to say. You want to say that you two just happen to be the class monitors, so you help each other with your studies and with tasks related to being class monitors. That's all there is to it, right?”
Xiang Yang is speechless.
Fan Xiaoyu continues, “Xiang Yang, don't blame me for saying this. I think you're just too slow when it comes to feelings. A few days after school started, quite a few girls asked me in private if you and the class monitor were dating. Others can see that something's wrong. How come you can't see it?”
Xiang Yang is speechless.
“Actually, I've noticed it too. For example, when he came in just now, except for when he looked at me when he entered the classroom, his eyes have been on you the whole time. And every time you're called upon to answer a question or go to the podium to solve a problem, the class monitor has been staring intently at your back. And during PE class, when the boys and girls run together, even though the boys are running ahead of us girls, I've often noticed him turning his head and looking at you many times. And during the first day of school cleaning, weren't you and Xiaole going to step on the stool to wipe the windows? He saw it, and immediately dropped what he was doing, grabbed your rag and said he'd do it. I feel like he's worried that you'll fall…”
Xiang Yang has never noticed all this. She can't explain what she's feeling, and she numbly asks, “Are you overthinking it? Maybe he's just…”
“Don't try to explain to me. We'll see later. I guess the class monitor is probably thinking that it's still high school, so he doesn't dare to tell you the truth. I'm telling you, Xiang Yang. You're so slow when it comes to relationships. If the other person wants to chase you, it's better to tell you directly. Otherwise, it'll really hurt.”
Xiang Yang has always thought about studying the most. As for all this other stuff, even if she occasionally hears girls gossiping, she just listens and never says anything.
Fan Xiaoyu's right, she really has no idea about this stuff.
She's silent for a while and asks Fan Xiaoyu, who's happily eating, “You're so eloquent, do you have a so-called boyfriend?”
“Cough cough cough!” Fan Xiaoyu almost chokes. She finally swallows a mouthful, pretending to be angry, “Xiang Yang, can you stop scaring me like that?”
Xiang Yang understands a little, “From your reaction, you obviously do.”
“No.” Fan Xiaoyu says in a low voice. “The person I like doesn't know I like him.”
“Then you just said…”
“I just said that if you like someone, you should tell them directly, but I know he doesn't like me. So, if I confess, it'll be awkward, and we won't even be friends! And, who knows, if other friends find out, it'll be so embarrassing!” Fan Xiaoyu says dejectedly. “So, for now, it's best to keep this crush out of the light.”
Xiang Yang looks at her dejected expression and doesn't know what to say to comfort her.
“We're still young. We can consider this issue after high school or college graduation.”
“Yeah! A lot of people say that first love doesn't have a good ending. But, in our youthful years, in the prime of our lives, if there aren't one or two people you've had a crush on, wouldn't it be pretty bland to look back?”
Xiang Yang smiles, “Really?” It seems she hasn't had a crush on anyone yet, except for Xing Zhaoyan. Xing Zhaoyan has helped her a lot, and she's grateful. But as for other feelings, it seems like there are none.
In the bustling cafeteria, Zheng Jie gets Fu Guanxian's food. Seeing that he doesn't pick up his chopsticks and is just focused on his phone, he can't help but ask, “Are you going to eat or not?”
“No.” Fu Guanxian replies directly. “It's not good.”
Zheng Jie, who's secretly hoping this is the case, happily says, “You think it's not good too, don't you? I think it's not as good as the food outside. Why don't we eat outside from tomorrow?”
Fu Guanxian looks at him, then raises his head and scans the cafeteria.
She's not here today. Where did she go to eat? Could she have skipped lunch to avoid him?
Zheng Jie knows who he's looking for, so he says, “Don't bother! I've checked! The school flower is not here.”
Fu Guanxian retracts his gaze. “Who said I was looking for her?”
“If you're not looking for her, my last name isn't Zheng!”
Fu Guanxian laughs, “Then what do you want to be called?”
“But the point is that you're looking for her.” Zheng Jie looks like he's in the know. He says earnestly, “If you weren't trying to see her, to sit down and eat with her, you wouldn't want to come to this place! The food is greasy, and who knows if the tables and chairs are even clean. You'd want to come here? Guanxian, you've seen it for yourself, the school flower hasn't even come to the cafeteria since that day! Let's not make fools of ourselves. Let's eat outside tomorrow, okay?”
Fu Guanxian has been coming to the cafeteria to eat, and it's been a hardship for Xiang Yang, and it's also dragged Fan Xiaoyu into it. At the same time, it's also been hard on Zheng Jie. The job of getting food, which should have been Xiang Yang's responsibility, has fallen to him. It's not like it's a big deal, but what Zheng Jie can't stand is that when he eats, everyone around him, especially the girls, are giving him bright, shiny looks.
To eat like this, and to be watched like a monkey the whole time.
It's upsetting.
Zheng Jie suggests, “Why don't we just eat outside now?”
Fu Guanxian hasn't replied when someone takes the empty seat next to him.
Zheng Jie looks at the person and is speechless.
Xing Zhaoyan smiles and asks, “Classmate, is this seat taken?”
Zheng Jie and the guys around him look at each other, then turn their gaze to Fu Guanxian.
Even if Fu Guanxian doesn't hear this voice often, he knows who the uninvited guest is. He turns his head and looks at him with a smile, coldly saying, “It is.”
Xing Zhaoyan picks up his chopsticks and says to himself, “Then, I'll just wait for the classmate to come, then I'll move.”
Fu Guanxian laughs, “Please move aside. I don't welcome you here.”
“Hm, coincidentally, I don't want to sit here either.”
“So what! Are you going to pick a fight?”
Xing Zhaoyan doesn't even look at him, “I don't fight with someone like you, even for myself, or even for Xiang Yang.”
“Xing Zhaoyan!”
“Fu Guanxian, don't think that just because your family has money, you do better than others in your grades, and you have a good face, that you can be arrogant and look down on people! I despise people like you! If you have the ability, try starting from scratch after graduation!” Xing Zhaoyan says, then his tone becomes colder, “Xiang Yang, although she has a good temper, she's a bit weak sometimes. You use that to suppress and bully her all the time, is that fun?”
“Is it fun or not, is that up to you? Xing Zhaoyan, are you here to fight for her? That's hilarious! If she really has a problem with me, why doesn't she come and tell me herself? Xing Zhaoyan, who do you think you are, daring to interfere in my business with her?”
Zheng Jie watches the two of them, his heart racing with Fu Guanxian's suddenly rising decibel. He pulls on Fu Guanxian's arm, “Guanxian, don't get so excited, stay calm!”
“Let go!” Fu Guanxian says coldly.
How dare Zheng Jie let go? This is a fight to the death. Who knows, there could be blood splattering in the cafeteria!
But Xing Zhaoyan doesn't know whether he's intentionally being insensitive or if he really doesn't have the common sense to back down. He even adds fuel to the fire, “Her business is my business! She knows I'm here! Fu Guanxian, stop using those nasty tactics. Xiang Yang won't let you bully her like this!”
As soon as Xing Zhaoyan finishes speaking, “Slap!” Fu Guanxian knocks over his plate. He stands up, looks down at him fiercely, “Xing Zhaoyan, who gave you the confidence to come and challenge me on her behalf? Xing Zhaoyan, I'm telling you, you have no right!”
“Guanxian!” Zheng Jie tries to stop him, but it's no use. Amidst the gasps of the students, Zheng Jie keeps muttering, “He's dead, he's dead!”
A few days ago, Zheng Jie talked about this matter with Lian Rui and heard Lian Rui mention that Fu Guanxian hits people for real. When he was in junior high, a boy was cluelessly chasing Xiang Yang, so Fu Guanxian cornered the boy in the corridor during the afternoon study session and beat him up. Even the head teacher couldn't stop him when he came. Later, the boy was sent to the hospital. Fu Guanxian was even called in to meet with the parents.
Zheng Jie desperately pulls on Fu Guanxian's fist, nervously saying, “Fu Guanxian, don't be impulsive!”
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