Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31. Zhao the Little Airhead
They pretended that nothing had happened. The discussion they had just been whispering about abruptly stopped. Their gazes made Zhao Mingyue feel disgusted. When she had entered the classroom earlier, she had clearly heard them mentioning her name.
Zhao Mingyue did not greet them, nor did she put on an awkward smile and pretend she had heard nothing.
Instead, she simply treated it as something that had already happened.
Holding her schoolbag in one hand, she walked directly toward the group of students with a serious expression on her face.
The few students clearly had not expected Zhao Mingyue to walk straight toward them.
After all, they had just been gossiping about her. Now the person they were discussing was standing right in front of them and even approaching them. They felt somewhat embarrassed and did not know whether they should leave or remain seated and pretend nothing had happened.
Zhao Mingyue did not give them time to react.
She stopped in front of them, standing upright. A gentle smile appeared on her face.
“I heard that everyone seemed to be discussing something about me just now. Could you tell me what it was? Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding.”
Zhao Mingyue spoke very politely.
At that moment, there were more than just these seven students in the classroom. Several others were already seated.
After Zhao Mingyue spoke, the gazes of the other students immediately turned toward them.
Most of the female students looked curious.
Many of the male students briefly focused their attention on Zhao Mingyue before hurriedly looking away, pretending not to care, though their hands had already stopped moving.
Nearly twenty pairs of eyes in the classroom were now focused on them.
The students who had been gossiping suddenly grew nervous.
Some remained silent.
Some waved their hands repeatedly, saying it was nothing and that they had merely been chatting casually.
Others laughed awkwardly and said that rumors should not be taken seriously.
However, the girl standing directly in front of Zhao Mingyue suddenly stood up, staring straight at her.
“What we say and what we discuss is our freedom. Why do we have to tell you? You say we were talking about you—what, did you hear it?”
The girl wore light makeup. She had single eyelids, long narrow eyes, high cheekbones, and a broad jawline. Her long hair was slightly curled, and a faint fragrance of perfume drifted from her.
“No, Zhao Mingyue. Do you not feel embarrassed yourself?”
“What do you mean ‘perhaps there is some misunderstanding’? That is hilarious. It is like you think we are spreading rumors about you. Who are you showing that expression to?”
“If you do not know how to speak, then do not join in. I really do not understand—are you comfortable ruining the atmosphere of other people’s small group? Not only are you embarrassed, we feel embarrassed for you as well.”
The girl was speaking enthusiastically when someone behind her gently pulled her arm.
“Niannian, stop talking.”
Zhao Mingyue did not seem to mind.
After Zhu Niannian finished speaking, Zhao Mingyue finally opened her mouth, still smiling.
“If you do not want to say it, then forget it. I did not force you. You called my name just now, so it is perfectly normal for me to ask what happened. Do you not agree?”
“I was only worried that you might believe the rumors circulating outside. I wanted to tell you that those rumors are not trustworthy.”
“For example, the one saying that I confessed to Li Nan but was rejected, and then cried while threatening to drop out of school.”
“Anyone with a brain can tell it is clearly a rumor. After all, I believe that Student Zhu understands very well that, as students, our priority should be our studies.”
“But you are right about one thing. I interrupted you all. I apologize.”
After saying this, Zhao Mingyue turned and left, not giving Zhu Niannian any chance to retaliate.
She completely ignored the other girl’s face turning green with anger.
It was worth mentioning that Zhu Niannian had once publicly confessed her feelings to Lu Liangting.
He had rejected her with the four words “focus on your studies.”
The incident had spread throughout the school for quite some time and had almost become a joke among the students.
Returning to her own desk, Zhao Mingyue sat down and picked up the heart-shaped chocolate box on her table.
Naturally, she knew who had sent it.
But she simply untied the pink ribbon tied around the book on top of it and placed the book on the desk.
At that moment, more than half of the boys in the class had shifted their attention toward her.
They were very curious about what Zhao Mingyue would do.
Would she accept the chocolates, or would she ruthlessly throw them away?
Zhao Mingyue picked up the note attached to the chocolates and carefully read its contents.
Then, in front of everyone, she calmly opened the box.
She took out a piece of chocolate, peeled off the wrapper, and put it into her mouth.
At this moment, not only the other students but even Bai Yu could not understand what she was doing.
Her response to Zhu Niannian earlier had proven that she was not clueless about matters of romance.
Yet instead of throwing away the chocolates, she simply started eating them?!
The chocolates represented someone’s feelings. They were not meant to be eaten like this.
If she accepted them, she should keep them.
If she rejected them, she should return them.
There were only two choices.
“Mingyue, your current school is different from your previous one. It would be best not to eat that box of chocolates or accept it.”
Bai Yu’s voice sounded within Zhao Mingyue’s mind.
While eating, Zhao Mingyue mentally replied.
“Why can I not eat them? They were given to me, were they not? The note only says that it is compensation for lending him the book and that he hopes I will accept it.”
“Besides, these chocolates are very expensive. One box costs one hundred ninety-eight yuan. That is two or even three days of my wages!”
Bai Yu remained silent for a long time.
She felt that perhaps she had overthought things.
This girl was far less foolish than she appeared.
On the surface, Zhao Mingyue looked like an honest and easily bullied person.
But upon closer observation, it became clear that she was not someone who would quietly suffer losses. She was actually quite clever.
If one were to say that her appearance of honesty was merely a disguise—pretending to be weak in order to defeat stronger opponents—that would not be entirely correct either.
From Bai Yu’s understanding of her, Zhao Mingyue only retaliated when she was insulted because of a simple thought.
Why should I let you bully me for nothing? That would be a loss. That will not do.
Returning to the matter at hand, the reason she ate the chocolates in front of the entire class was similar.
I already told you not to give them to me, yet you insisted. Since you insisted on giving them to me, then the chocolates belong to me.
And since they are so expensive, if I do not eat them, would that not be a waste?
As for what others might think or say, that did not matter.
Who said that heart-shaped chocolates must represent romantic feelings?
Li Nan was not even present, and the note he left did not mention anything like that.
If Li Nan came to her later because of this and thought he had a chance, she could simply reject him then.
The only possible risk was that he might ask for the chocolates back.
Other than that, Bai Yu thought about it carefully.
There did not seem to be any other risks.
Would Li Nan become embarrassed and seek revenge? Or would Zhao Mingyue become the new topic of discussion in the class?
Frankly speaking, none of that mattered.
Just as Zhao Mingyue continued enjoying the chocolates, Lu Liangting walked into the classroom.
His gaze immediately fell upon Zhao Mingyue.
At that moment, he had many questions he wanted to ask her.
For example, what had happened during the second half of the night yesterday.
And also, where had that female ghost gone? Did Zhao Mingyue know anything about it?