CM - 11

Zhou Shuirong’s monthly exam results were not ideal, placing her in the middle of her class. Science subjects were decent, but liberal arts were a disaster. When the homeroom teacher mentioned other students with poor grades, her words were quite harsh, but when it came to Zhou Shuirong, her attitude was very gentle. Later, when assigning groups, she even paired Zhou Shuirong with the best liberal arts student.

This made those who disliked Zhou Shuirong dislike her even more.

Zhou Shuirong had just transferred and was already rumored to be dating Shen Tingwen and Liang Jifan. Chen Fuyu came forward to tell the “truth,” supposedly saving everyone from being deceived by her, yet was forced to apologize with her ID card. The homeroom teacher was also so kind to her, even though her liberal arts were at the bottom, she was given the best partner... She was too terrifying, too terrifying. How could such an unfathomable person transfer to their ordinary high school?

They started subtly mocking her on social media, Moments, and short videos. They dared not speak openly, so they secretly concocted stories about her: how many sugar daddies she had, how many times she had slept around, how many men were doing things for her—as malicious as it could get.

Before Zhou Shuirong transferred, these people targeted Zhao Guqing with their rumors. After Chen Fuyu’s so-called “exposure,” the concentrated fire on Zhao Guqing shifted to Zhou Shuirong.

Zhao Guqing didn’t feel much joy when she heard them calling Zhou Shuirong a “bitch” in the restroom. She empathized with Zhou Shuirong, knowing how innocent she was.

________________________________________

During PE class in the morning, Zhao Guqing’s class clashed with Zhou Shuirong’s. During free activity, Zhao Guqing and Zhu Jiayi heard two girls from their class discussing Zhou Shuirong.

Zhou Shuirong was playing tennis, her hair tied up and wearing a headband. She wore a white T-shirt, black knee-length shorts, white sneakers, and white calf-length socks.

Compared to other girls who usually wore hot pants that barely covered their thighs on the court, she was already very normal, yet she was still being slandered.

The two girls spoke excitedly: “She’s flaunting herself again.”

Another girl echoed her: “Just now I saw her abs. Have you ever seen a high school girl with abs? I heard a doctor from my grandma’s side of the family say that people with abs like that are usually hiding something.”

“Hiding what?”

“Scars or stretch marks. She must have had a child.”

“Really? No way.”

“Why would I lie to you? The doctor I know is from abroad, very professional. Could what he said be false?”

“I really didn’t expect Zhou Shuirong to be so dirty, she’s already had a child. I wonder if Shen Tingwen knows.”

“Poor Shen Tingwen. This Zhou Shuirong is even worse than Zhao Guqing. Although Zhao Guqing has many questionable behaviors, at least there aren’t rumors about her private life being a mess, right?”

“Don’t say we’re jealous. Zhou Shuirong dares to do those things but can’t be talked about?”

“Exactly! That day, I saw one of Zhou Shuirong’s simps say we were just jealous of all the attention she got when she first arrived, that’s why we were talking about her. I almost puked laughing. Who’s jealous of her? We just genuinely can’t stand her.”

“She enjoys attention others don’t have, so she has to endure the gossip.”

“Yeah, if she wasn’t so pretentious, who would want to talk about her? And wearing a headband, just to hook up with guys.”

...

Zhu Jiayi couldn’t listen anymore. She linked arms with Zhao Guqing: “Should we go to the small track for a bit?”

Zhao Guqing removed her hand and walked up to the two girls: “You also said it’s a rumor, and yet you’re spreading it as if it’s fact, with all the details. Before, rumors needed pictures, but now you can just make them up without any?”

The two girls weren’t pushovers; they didn’t even blush at her words and retorted: “We weren’t talking about you, why are you so agitated?”

One girl chimed in, echoing the other: “Oh, Zhou Shuirong arrived, and no one’s paying attention to you anymore. You’re upset? Then go confront her! You’re afraid to face her directly, so you pick on us weaklings.”

Zhu Jiayi couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward: “Is your ass connected to your mouth, you damn? How can your words be so foul?”

Zhao Guqing pulled Zhu Jiayi’s arm and looked up, saying: “There’s a type of person who only looks for flaws in excellent people, then exaggerates a needle-sized flaw a hundredfold to balance their jealousy. These people will forever only look up to excellent people, and will never be excellent themselves.”

After speaking, she pulled Zhu Jiayi away.

After walking some distance, Zhao Guqing let out a sigh: “First time standing up to people, a little scared, hahaha.”

“Then why did you speak up for Zhou Shuirong? Weren’t you secretly crying those two days because Shen Tingwen was nice to her?”

“My sadness is about Shen Tingwen not liking me, but liking her. What does that have to do with Zhou Shuirong? Besides, we all know those rumors being spread are false. She transferred from abroad, how could Chen Fuyu possibly know about her life overseas?”

Zhu Jiayi said: “Do you think they’re spreading these rumors because they believe them?”

Zhao Guqing, of course, knew why they were doing it: “They just need a reason to attack Zhou Shuirong, and even if it’s illogical, they’ll fantasize and fabricate stories to make it sound plausible.”

Zhu Jiayi glanced at Zhou Shuirong in the distance: “But I think she doesn’t seem to care about these rumors much.”

Zhao Guqing also looked over, speaking with a touch of envy and self-consciousness: “That’s why she’s captivating.”

Zhu Jiayi put her arm around her shoulder: “Let’s not think about it. After school, let’s go for barbecue. There’s a new place that’s pretty good.”

________________________________________

Zhou Shuirong finished playing tennis. The group partner her homeroom teacher assigned her walked over and handed her a bottle of water. She didn’t take it: “Just say what you want.”

The boy said: “Just getting acquainted. If you have any questions in the future, you can ask me. My name is Fu Lingying.”

Zhou Shuirong had seen this person’s blog. He was obsessed with classical literature, both domestic and foreign, and also liked ancient-style clothing, having posted photos of himself cosplaying historical figures. Her attitude was bland: “Hello.”

“I’ve compiled a few essays I’ve written. You can take a look when you have time, and you’ll know how to write essays in China.”

The two of them walked side by side towards the classroom. Shen Tingwen, on the basketball court, caught a glimpse of this scene. A three-pointer that should have gone in smoothly veered off by three centimeters. The ball hit the rim, bounced away, and dropped.

Jing He cried: “It didn’t go in, no way... Bro, didn’t you sleep last night? These plays are too bad.”

Someone nearby sympathized with Shen Tingwen, saying: “His arm isn’t healed yet, it’s normal for his skill to be a bit off.”

Several days had passed since Shen Tingwen’s injury, and the cut on his arm was almost healed. Ever since the news of Chen Ziqian going to the juvenile detention center spread through several school districts, Zhou Shuirong had been ignoring him. Yesterday, when he was moving equipment, he dropped a box of thumbtacks. He painstakingly bent down to pick them up, and she walked past without even raising an eyelid.

Shen Tingwen had long anticipated this outcome. Zhou Shuirong was so intelligent; she might be deceived for a moment, but not for a moment longer than that. As soon as she started to suspect him, he would have nowhere to hide.