Lies

Jiang Shen's heart softened at his words. They had only been acquainted with each other for less than six months yet the determined voice paired with eager eyes were no less than the friends she's been with since childhood.

But nonetheless, it wasn't a big issue in the first place and could be easily rectified. Jiang Shen could assume that the people who posted those pictures were being used for blackmail, however she didn't know for what purpose.

In the end, she could just step out to address the issue once and for all. It seemed like the student body severely underestimated her ability.

Of course, in the eyes of these students, she was nothing more than a harmless student with an average family background, what damage could she do?

Jiang Shen shook her head. "There's no need. I'll be the one to settle this issue, okay?"

Unwillingness flashed in Yang Mu's eyes. He nodded with his head hung.

"Aw, don't be sad, idol." Cao Wei playfully punched his shoulder. "Our big boss Jiang Shen can handle it herself."

"And besides, if you stepped in to help, it'll just prompt your avid followers to harass her much worse. You'd practically be confirming the rumors!" Shi Fen did not hold back at all with his words.

A pang of guilt struck Yang Mu's heart. He hadn't thought it through. The eagerness to help, or more like protect, her had overcome his mind.

"Well, I don't see why we were acting like worrywarts in the first place." Cheng Muyi shrugged. "It's obvious that Jiang Shen can handle herself."

He was unlike Jiang Shen who was a model student. Instead, his actions reflected the freedom and careless aspect of a student. The students admired him for his dashing looks and idolistic personality, not for his morals and principles.

"Just stop talking, okay? You're not helping." Ju Sheng elbowed his side, prompting him to shut up.

When the bell rang that signified the end of lunch, all of them dispersed and returned to their respective departments. Along the way, Jiang Shen didn't fail to attract the condemnation and condescending stares and whispers of the people around her.

While Shi Fen nearly turned red with anger as he crossed his arms, Yang Mu purposely did not walk by Jiang Shen's side, just to make a point that he was by no means siding with her, even though he did.

That just about calmed his fan club. A flood of relief filled Yang Mu's heart when the day ended with no happenings.

In the end, Shi Fen forgot to ask why Jiang Shen was wearing a mask, the thought long tossed to the back of his mind.

At the front gate, Yang Mu patiently waited until Jiang Shen came out. She was on cleaning duty today and because of the rumors, she had been left to clean the entire classroom.

When she came out, almost all of the students had gone home. No one was left loitering the front gate except Yang Mu.

His tall figure could easily attract attention. A face that combined all the pleasing aspects to the eye.

Jiang Shen could feel that he looked quite different from usual, but she couldn't quite pinpoint why.

"Hey." Yang Mu waved at her as she approached him next to the bike racks. Her steps were heavy that her feet dragged on the concrete.

"Why haven't you gone home yet?"

She hadn't forgotten what had transpired last night. Although she was exhausted, acting that close with a young man such as Yang Mu seemed a little off to her.

It wasn't uncomfortable. But the feeling was foreign. Like it was different. The good kind.

The slap that her good grandfather had given her managed to knock the exhaustion away. Speaking of slap, she unconsciously touched her cheek covered by the mask.

Yang Mu didn't feel anything wrong when he took a step closer until their faces were a few centimeters away from each other.

From the close proximity, Jiang Shen could see the mole on the corner of his left eye, which came as fascinating to her. Strange.

"I didn't manage to ask you earlier but..." his hand brushed the mask on her face. "What happened to your face?"

Not expecting him to hit the nail on the head, she clenched her toes, an action that was barely discernible in her shoes.

"I came down with a case of allergies last night. My nose is red and I feel sick," she smoothly lied. Jiang Shen was so good at it, she had forgotten how many times she did it.

Yang Mu felt his heart ache. It obviously wasn't. And he could tell by the way her blinks increased. A fact he discovered while searching the internet.

"You're lying."

Jiang Shen felt like a deer caught in headlights. She hung her head in defeat, but the unwillingness to answer was evident in the way she kept fiddling with her earlobe.

A wave of anxiety came over her. What if he didn't want her to be a friend anymore because she lied so well? Even if he did manage to figure it out.

"But I can wait," Yang Mu continued. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

There were no pleasantries like 'i'll wait until you tell me.' Because Yang Mu knew what it was the subtle pressure that sentence gave off, even if it was said unknowingly.

She had no obligation to tell him if she didn't want to. And he had no plans about forcing it, even subtly.

Jiang Shen nodded. "Let's go home?"

"Let's go."

Just the thought of going home made Jiang Shen's hands and feet sweat, dread filled her mind and thought.

Autumn would be ending soon, the fallen leaves filled the road followed by the trees that had turned bald by the change of weathers. The cold breeze accompanied their otherwise silent ride home. As the winter season fast approaches, Jiang Shen realized she would no longer be able to ride her bike home.