Chapter 334 Breakup
It was a rainy afternoon in late autumn. The rain outside the window was hitting the glass, and the office was filled with a faint smell of ink.
Lu Anran stood in front of her homeroom teacher's desk, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the thread of her school uniform cufflinks. When she was called in, she thought they had refused her leave for the piano exam next week.
Until the head teacher pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses sharp as a knife: "Lu Anran, recently some classmates have reported that you and Du Congnan are in a premature relationship, which has a very bad influence."
The air froze instantly.
"What?" Lu Anran's voice was stuck in her throat. After a while, she denied it, "Teacher, Qin Mu and I are just..."
Before she could finish her words, Teacher Li took out an envelope from the drawer and poured out several photos - the moment when Du Congnan leaned towards her under the shade of the trees in the playground, the blurry silhouette at the entrance of the Central Mall, and even the candid shot of Du Congnan helping her wipe the blackboard when she was on duty last week.
The exact time and place are marked in the corner of each photo, like a carefully prepared piece of evidence.
"This is..." Lu Anran's fingers touched the edge of the photo. The cold touch made her heart chill, and she suddenly remembered Qin Mu's reminder.
"I know you're all good students," the head teacher sighed. "But Du Congnan is a member of the Discipline Inspection Department, so he should set an example..."
The office door was suddenly pushed open, and Chen Xiwen walked in with a stack of homework books. "Teacher, the English homework is collected."
Her eyes swept over the photos spread out on the table, and her pupils suddenly shrank: "An Ran? What are you talking about?"
At this point, how could Lu Anran not understand?
She turned her head and stared at Chen Xiwen with a half-smile, the light in her peach blossom eyes completely shattered.
"Are you spreading rumors?" She asked the question slowly, but her tone sounded as if she already knew the answer.
Chen Xiwen put down his homework book and twisted the corner of his clothes nervously with his fingers: "Teacher, there may be some misunderstanding. Although An Ran and Du Congnan often spend time alone together, but... they must just be classmates!"
The half-second pause turned the affirmation into a denial. This statement was not to clarify Lu Anran's position at all, but more like to help her cover up.
"Chen Xiwen." Lu Anran's voice was soft, but it caused the temperature in the office to drop sharply. "You know very well that Du Congnan is the leader of my math team. He has the responsibility to help me improve my grades."
Chen Xiwen's eyes instantly turned red: "An Ran, I'm just worried about you. Your grades are not good to begin with, if you spend all your time on love..."
Lu Anran suddenly laughed, and that smile was like the roar of a wild beast on the verge of madness, causing Chen Xiwen to subconsciously take a half step back.
At the critical moment, Qin Mu suddenly pushed the door open and came in. He put his arm around An Xiaoran's shoulders and whispered in her ear: "An Xiaoran, take a deep breath. She is not worth your anger and sadness."
The sharp voice was like a breeze, blowing away the haze in Lu Anran's heart. She slowly exhaled, took out her phone from her pocket, and pulled up the chat history.
"This is the news Chen Xiwen gave me last week."
The screen clearly shows:
[Xiwen]: Anran~ Can you help me make an appointment with Du Congnan? He's so good at math, I want to ask him a few questions~
【Xiwen】: Please don’t tell anyone, I’m afraid they will spread rumors QAQ
Teacher Li's frown deepened.
"And these." Qin Mu opened the photo album and handed over his phone: "An Ran was practicing piano at home last weekend and didn't go to the Central Shopping Mall at all."
Chen Xiwen's face turned pale: "You're talking nonsense, you don't live with her..."
"So?" Qin Mu glanced over coldly. "We live in the same complex and see each other every weekend. I'd really like to know, was your so-called 'evidence' fabricated to frame An Ran, or did you hire someone to follow her and film it?"
The sound of rain suddenly became louder, hitting the window frames like rapid drumbeats.
Chen Xiwen suddenly grabbed Lu Anran's wrist, digging his nails into her skin. "Why are you pretending to be so noble? Even if you weren't in a relationship with Du Congnan, you'd still be clinging to Qin Mu all day long..."
Lu Anran suddenly shook her off.
This action stunned both of them.
They had shared the same lunch box, squeezed into the same desk, and helped each other copy notes when the other was sick.
But now, the jealousy and hatred in Chen Xiwen's eyes were exposed nakedly, and she was no longer the girl who would smile and shout "An Ran is the best".
"I see." Lu Anran scoffed and pulled off her hair tie.
Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Under the shocked gazes of her head teacher and Chen Xiwen, she grabbed the scissors in the pen holder and cut off the hair tie.
"You gave me this as a gift for my birthday last year, and now I'm giving it back to you."
She threw the broken rope at Chen Xiwen and pulled Qin Mu out of the office.
The rain meandered down the window glass like transparent scars.
The laughter and cheers from the distant playground came through the rain, so vague that they seemed like sounds from another world.
When they reached the corner of the stairs, Qin Mu gently touched the girl's head and whispered, "Cry if you want to. I'll give you a hug."
"I won't cry." Lu Anran looked up at Qin Mu frankly, his peach blossom eyes were indifferent. "I won't shed tears for those who are not worthy."
Qin Mu was stunned for a moment, then he twisted her shoulders and made her turn half a circle. His large hands caressed her long hair and gently tied it up with the hairband he always wore on his wrist. "You're right. If you can't treat each other sincerely, then break up. Anyway, you still have me."
On the day when the final exam results were announced, the red list of the second grade of junior high school was crowded with people.
"The top student in the grade has changed!"
"Lu Anran? Hasn't she always been in the middle of her class?"
"Haven't you heard? She and Chen Xiwen have had a falling out. She's going to crush Chen Xiwen with her strength!"
Chen Xiwen stared at the list intently. His name was pushed to second place, and the three words above his name were so glaring!
Under a large tree not far away, Liu Zhi handed Lu Anran a cup of hot milk tea. "People who grew up in petty-bourgeois families always get jealous in some childish ways, so I only hang out with Ming Jing in class. Now, you're my second friend."
Lu Anran pierced the seal of the milk tea, took a sip, and smiled faintly: "My childhood sweetheart has become the most trustworthy person."
"Hey! Don't say that!" Liu Zhi quickly clarified: "Ming Jing and I are not childhood sweethearts, we are just childhood friends, which is different from you and Qin Mu!"
Lu Anran chuckled: "Whatever you say."
As soon as she finished speaking, a notebook gently hit her on the head.
She turned her head and met Qin Mu's affectionate eyes. He said, "Stupid, I've already said hello to your math teacher. If you have any questions in the future, ask me."
"You're the idiot!" Lu Anran slapped him on the arm in dissatisfaction.
***
Meng Anran locked her phone screen and sneered, "After all these years, she's still like this."
Qin Mu hugged her from behind: "Do you want to cancel the class reunion?"
"No." A sharp light flashed in Meng Anran's eyes. "Since she wants to take advantage of me so much, shouldn't I treat her well?"
She picked up her phone and replied in the group chat: [Okay, I'll arrange it. But since Chen is so enthusiastic, he can be in charge of the headcount.]
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