DXXZL - 36

The principal’s office was located in the administrative building, which required passing through the Grade 11 teaching building, then walking along a long corridor to reach. The entire journey took nearly five minutes. Principal Liu walked ahead, while Zhu Xingyao and Lu Ji followed behind. She kept her head bowed, her face pale.

Principal Liu, hands clasped behind his back, glanced back at them. “You don’t need to be too nervous. I just want to have a talk with you.”

Lu Ji’s lips curled slightly, a hint of self-mockery in his tone. “Alright.”

Zhu Xingyao turned to look at him, biting her lip. How could he still smile?

Principal Liu sighed inwardly. Indeed, youthful arrogance knows no fear. Just as Principal Liu turned back around, Lu Ji suddenly grabbed Zhu Xingyao’s hand, startling her so much that she flinched. How dare he do this when Principal Liu was right in front of them?!

Leaning close to her ear, Lu Ji whispered softly, “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”

He squeezed her hand briefly before letting go.

At that moment, the Grade 12 building was buzzing with noise. Students near the windows saw Zhu Xingyao and Lu Ji walking with Principal Liu and immediately began gossiping. Classes 1 and 2 were particularly loud. Li Xixi returned from the window to sit down, glancing anxiously at Xu Xiangyang. “Do you think they’re being taken to be scolded?”

Xu Xiangyang frowned. “When a boy and a girl are called in by Principal Liu for a talk, it’s usually about early romance. They won’t leave the administrative office in less than three hours.”

Li Xixi hung her head, her voice barely audible. “They’ve only been together for a few days, and they’ve been so low-key. Why were they called in without any warning? Nothing happened even after the big commotion with the star lights…”

“It is strange,” Xu Xiangyang mused. “Considering one of them has already secured early admission and the other is preparing to study abroad, the school would probably turn a blind eye if they were dating. Maybe someone reported them?”

Other voices in the classroom joined the discussion, most centered around the question: Is our goddess really in an early romance with Lu Ji? These words swirled like a curse, seeping into Jiang Tu’s ears one by one. He kept his head down, his eyes fixed on the function problems in his workbook, his heart tormented by inner conflict.

Inside the administrative office, Principal Liu sat at his desk, a steaming cup of tea in front of him. He looked at Zhu Xingyao and Lu Ji standing before him—two students who made quite the pair—and sighed. “Someone anonymously reported that the two of you are in an early romance.”

Lu Ji furrowed his brow, suddenly recalling something Jiang Tu had said coldly back in their first year of high school: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you for being so blatant?” He pressed his lips tightly together, but oddly, he felt a sudden sense of calm.

He tacitly accepted that the star lights were his doing.

Jiang Tu had reported him.

Fine. Neither of them was more upright than the other.

This was fair.

Zhu Xingyao, on the other hand, was completely unaware of these undercurrents. She had never been called in by the principal before, and she couldn’t deny that Principal Liu was a skilled orator. He lectured them on the dangers of early romance, citing numerous examples, and forbade them from interrupting. If they tried, he would raise his hand and say, “Let me finish. Don’t interrupt.”

At first, Zhu Xingyao remained relatively calm. But after an hour, her mental defenses began to weaken. By the two-hour mark, her legs had gone numb from standing, and a wave of discomfort and委屈 (grievance) washed over her.

Lu Ji, being a boy, had thicker skin and better stamina. Seeing Zhu Xingyao’s pale complexion, he turned to Principal Liu. “Director Liu, could we sit down? We’ve been standing for two hours.”

“That’s not possible. Everyone stands while I’m giving a lecture. No exceptions.”

“…”

Lu Ji was irritated but bit his tongue and endured.

Half an hour later, Principal Liu paused, went to pour himself another glass of water, and only after finishing it did he slowly speak again. “Although both of you—one with guaranteed early admission and the other preparing to study abroad—are beyond reproach in terms of academics, I also acknowledge that both of you excel in your studies. Lu Ji won first place in the national physics competition, bringing great honor to the school, and Zhu Xingyao is talented, beautiful, and well-known throughout the campus. Everyone recognizes you two. But precisely because of this, your influence is greater! Especially with those star lights—every night, there are people sneaking out to turn them on. I even caught someone using the scene to confess! Look at the impact!”

Zhu Xingyao bit her lip, lowering her head without saying a word.

After a few seconds of silence, Lu Ji raised his head and asked, “Then why hasn’t the school dismantled them?”

Principal Liu was momentarily speechless. Such a massive project, executed flawlessly by a student—it was hard for the school to bring itself to dismantle it. He coughed lightly. “It’s a large-scale project. With the start of the semester being so busy, we’ve decided to leave it for now. We’ll dismantle it later. Both of you are still young. Lu Ji’s record is impeccable; he will serve as a role model for many future generations of students. If he were involved in an early romance, the impact would be significant…” He paused, refraining from elaborating further on Lu Ji. “Zhu Xingyao is preparing to study abroad. You’re both still young, and you have a long life ahead of you…”

“Director Liu, it was me who pursued her,” Lu Ji interrupted. “If we’re talking about fault, then it’s my mistake.”

Principal Liu glanced at him, waving his hand dismissively. “Alright, alright. You can go back now. I’ll have your homeroom teachers keep an eye on you.”

From 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM—a full three hours.

By the time they left, the sky outside had darkened, and the Grade 12 students had begun their evening self-study sessions, restoring the campus to its usual quiet.

Zhu Xingyao’s legs were stiff from standing for so long, and as soon as she moved, her legs gave way. Lu Ji quickly steadied her. She pushed him away almost immediately, murmuring softly, “I’m fine.” After a brief pause, she lowered her head and walked out of the office.

Lu Ji silently followed her. At the stairwell, he called out softly, “Zhu Xingyao, this is my fault.”

Zhu Xingyao stopped in her tracks, staring down at her toes, feeling deeply embarrassed. Principal Liu’s final words had been clear: she was talented, artistic, and beautiful—but still inferior to Lu Ji. Lu Ji was destined to become a role model for many future generations of students. Being with him would tarnish his reputation and the school’s shining example.

Even though Lu Ji was the one who pursued her, it felt as though she was the only one being blamed.

She glanced up at him and repeated, “I’m fine. Let’s go back.”

Lowering her head, she hurried down the stairs. As soon as she reached the ground floor, she saw Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie Ya arguing. Cao Shujun quickly stopped mid-sentence, clearing his throat. “Zhu Xingyao, come with me for a moment.”

Teacher Xie Ya called Lu Ji over as well.

Clearly, they were to be questioned separately.

Zhu Xingyao followed Cao Shujun to the end of the corridor. To her surprise, he spoke gently. “You must be exhausted after standing and being lectured for hours. Go eat something before returning to the classroom.”

“Thank you, Teacher Cao…”

Zhu Xingyao didn’t go to eat. Instead, she wandered aimlessly around the campus, bypassing the convenience store.

Buzzzzz—

The phone in her backpack vibrated incessantly.

Jiang Tu’s stiff body finally moved as he turned his head toward her backpack.

Half a minute later, he picked up her phone and left the classroom. Downstairs, he ran into Cao Shujun, who asked where he was going. Jiang Tu calmly replied, “Zhu Xingyao’s phone kept ringing. I thought it might be urgent.”

Having been her homeroom teacher for two years, Cao Shujun had always found Jiang Tu calm and clear-headed, someone who knew what he wanted. He reassured him without hesitation, “I just told her to grab something to eat. She should be in the cafeteria or at the convenience store.”

Jiang Tu strode off quickly, soon breaking into a run.

He searched the convenience store and cafeteria but couldn’t find Zhu Xingyao. Then he ran to the track field and basketball courts… For the first time, he felt such urgency, almost running through half the campus before finally spotting her near the school auditorium. His steps abruptly halted as he caught his breath, gazing toward a certain spot.

Zhu Xingyao sat huddled in the corner of the steps, her knees drawn to her chest, chin resting on them, curled into a small ball. Her eyes were wide open, staring at Jiang Tu.

Jiang Tu walked over to her.

She tilted her face up, and as he looked down, he saw the faint shimmer of tears in her eyes, a sharp pang piercing his heart.

In his hand, her phone buzzed again.

Zhu Xingyao noticed it, quickly lowering her head to blink away the moisture in her eyes. Her voice was barely audible. “Did you come to bring me my phone?”

Jiang Tu gave a low hum in response and extended the phone toward her.

The call was from Zhu Yunping. After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Xingyao answered softly, “Dad…”

“Xingyao, I just got a call from Principal Liu,” Zhu Yunping said, still somewhat incredulous after hearing the principal’s words. However, upon learning that her rumored romantic interest was Lu Ji, he seemed to understand. His tone softened. “Lu Ji is an excellent young man. I met him before, and remember, he even ended up in the hospital while saving you. I also heard about the grand display of star lights he used to confess to you. I know girls your age can be impulsive… You’ve always said you wouldn’t get into early romance. Sometimes, fleeting impulses aren’t true feelings. Besides, you’re leaving for Germany next year. Long-distance relationships are tough to maintain…”

Zhu Yunping’s tone remained gentle as he spoke at length.

But the more Zhu Xingyao listened, the more委屈 (grievance) welled up inside her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she hurriedly wiped her eyes with her hands.

Jiang Tu sat beside her, close enough to hear almost everything Zhu Yunping said. When Zhu Xingyao finally hung up, her eyes bloodshot, she turned to look at him. The embarrassment she felt suddenly doubled. For some inexplicable reason, at this moment, she desperately didn’t want to see him, yet she was also afraid to face him.

Quickly lowering her head, she whispered pleadingly, “Brother Tu… please go back…”

Leave her alone. Don’t look at her. Let her be by herself.

Jiang Tu didn’t move. He swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on her profile. His lips parted slightly.

If the anonymous report earlier had been driven by temporary madness and uncontrollable resentment, then at this very moment, he was utterly consumed by regret.

Seeing her cry, seeing her filled with委屈, seeing her unwillingness to return to the classroom—it made him feel incredibly selfish and ugly.

Zhu Xingyao didn’t belong to him, yet he had tried to confine her within his own world.

What was the point of doing that? He couldn’t reach the stars, so why deny others the chance to touch them? He had claimed to cherish her, yet his actions contradicted his words. He had wished for her not to be with Lu Ji, not to fall in love, and to wait until he was “good enough” to approach her someday.

But could he report them once? Could he do it for a lifetime?

He was like a selfish, ugly prisoner, trapping only himself, not her.

Jiang Tu sat silently beside her for a long time.

Zhu Xingyao’s emotions grew increasingly complex—embarrassment, unease,委屈, confusion…

After a brief silence, she turned to look at him. “Why won’t you leave…”

The moonlight illuminated her pale face. Jiang Tu noticed her damp lashes and took a deep, silent breath. In a low voice, he asked, “It’s not good for you to stay here alone. Do you want to go back to the classroom? Or somewhere else?”

“I don’t want to go back… Everyone in the class must be talking about me,” Zhu Xingyao muttered, covering her face with her hands. She rarely cried, but now her eyes were surely red. Returning to the classroom in this state would invite ridicule. “I don’t know where to go either. It’s not time to leave yet, and I can’t get out…”

“You want to leave?” Jiang Tu suddenly pulled her up. “If you want to leave, I’ll take you out.”

Zhu Xingyao froze, her voice trembling. “H-how… how do we get out?”

A few minutes later, Jiang Tu led Zhu Xingyao to the school wall. She looked up at the towering barrier, momentarily stunned.

Jiang Tu turned to her. “I’ll climb up first. Wait for me down here.”

With a jump, he grabbed the edge of the wall, performed a pull-up, and easily scaled it with his long legs. Zhu Xingyao watched in amazement, her sense of aggrievement and embarrassment momentarily fading. Sitting atop the wall, Jiang Tu leaned down and extended his hand to her. “Come.”

Zhu Xingyao stared at his large, slender hand, hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out. Her hand was instantly enveloped by his grip.

“The other side.”

“Okay…”

Many people say that if you haven’t fallen in love or experienced puppy love in high school, you’ll regret it later in life. If you haven’t skipped class or climbed over the school wall, your student days aren’t complete. As Jiang Tu gripped Zhu Xingyao’s hands and pulled her up forcefully, she found herself straddling the wall, face-to-face with him. Her head bumped against his chest, and she caught a whiff of the faint tobacco scent from his collar. Suddenly, her heart began pounding wildly.