The Most Precious Friendship

During the break after the second class in the morning, there was supposed to be a 20-minute exercise session. However, given the pressure students were under, the school had practically cancelled these exercises, allowing students to relax.

Lin Mu Shi turned around in her seat, concerned, "Ziang, why were you crying during math class yesterday? And why didn't you come in the afternoon?"

Ziang answered evasively, "I was just feeling down and wanted to do something to cheer myself up!"

"You're the class monitor and the top student in our grade. You should set a good example. This behaviour is too out of line," Lin Mu Shi said, clearly upset.

She couldn't understand how just one day of sick leave had changed him so much. The Ziang she knew would never do something like this. Even if he was feeling down, at most, he would solve a set of practice questions to exhaust himself mentally.

As a good friend, she worried he might be letting himself go, and she felt a bit disappointed in him.

Li Huangxuan, sensing Ziang was likely upset about family issues, tried to lighten the mood, "Mu Shi, don't worry about it. My buddy Ziang had a great time skipping class yesterday, doing things I always wanted to do but didn't dare."

Lin Mu Shi glared at Li Huangxuan, "You're the one who led him astray."

Li Huangxuan protested, "It's not my fault! He said he met a girl even prettier than you and spent the whole day with her."

Ziang hurriedly tried to cover Li Huangxuan's mouth, but it was too late.

"Ziang, are you slacking off and dating?" Lin Mu Shi's beautiful eyes widened as she demanded an explanation.

"No, no! I just met her yesterday," Ziang denied quickly.

In school, most students were well-behaved. Although they had dreams of romance, few dared to take action.

Lin Mu Shi, being the school beauty, was used to everyone's admiration. Hearing about a girl prettier than herself made her feel a bit uneasy.

Li Huangxuan, a straightforward guy, often found her princess-like demeanour irritating and liked to provoke her.

The two of them started bickering in front of Ziang.

"You'll be single forever with that attitude."

"Don't think just because you're pretty you can say whatever. I'd rather be single than date you."

"Go to hell, Li Huangxuan!"

"The fortune teller said I have a strong destiny. I won't die no matter who does."

...

Lin Mu Shi suddenly pinched Li Huangxuan's arm, making him grimace in pain.

Girls could be so unreasonable, resorting to physical attacks when words fail.

Watching their playful fight, Ziang felt a deep sadness rise within him.

Such adorable classmates, but in three months, he would never see them again.

The most precious friendship, forever frozen at eighteen.

Once they settled down, Ziang spoke, "Son, as a guy, be more generous. Let Mu Shi win sometimes."

Li Huangxuan touched Ziang's forehead, "You okay? I argue with her all the time and you never said anything."

"Mu Shi, I apologize on his behalf. You know he can't control his mouth," Ziang said, a touch of sorrow in his eyes.

"Ziang, you're acting strange. Why are you suddenly so polite?" Lin Mu Shi looked at him suspiciously.

Still bothered by his earlier words, she pressed, "Did you meet a girl prettier than me?"

"Well, beauty is subjective. I can't say for sure," Ziang replied vaguely.

"My buddy is handsome and top of the class. His girlfriend would be the prettiest. I don't think you stand a chance," Li Huangxuan added, deliberately teasing Lin Mu Shi.

Due to Ziang and Lin Mu Shi's close relationship, rumours about them circulated in class. Though they were just friends, never crossing the line, Li Huangxuan's comments now gave her a sense of having lost something.

Determined to regain her composure, she sneered, "I don't believe you. You just admire my beauty and are playing hard to get."

Confident in her looks, she believed no girl on campus could surpass her beauty.

"Mu Shi, I advise you to be humble. There's always someone better," Ziang said, confident in Little Butterfly's beauty.

"Ziang, do you have a crush on me and are just trying to provoke me? You and I are in on this together," Lin Mu Shi accused.

"Do you have to be so self-absorbed? With my looks, plenty of girls have crushes on me," Ziang joked back.

"Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue?" came a mocking voice from the side.

It was Xie Wenyong, the vice-class monitor. He often felt overshadowed by Ziang and harboured a grudge. He also secretly liked Lin Mu Shi, who always seemed to favour Ziang, so he constantly looked for ways to belittle him.

For the sake of class unity, Ziang usually tolerated it, but now he didn't want to hold back.

"Didn't we elect the class monitor based on looks? That's why I'm the monitor and you're the vice," Ziang retorted.

Lin Mu Shi and Li Huangxuan burst into laughter.

Though Ziang was indeed more handsome than Xie, saying it himself was a bit cocky.

Xie snapped back, "You became class monitor because of your grades, bookworm. Do you think you can compete with me in overall skills?"

"So, you want to be the class monitor?" Ziang stared at him.

"If you hadn't sucked up to the teachers, I'd have been the monitor long ago," Xie declared.

"If you want to be the class monitor, just ask Mr. Zhang. I'm stepping down," Ziang said calmly.

"Pfft, like you'd give it up," Xie scoffed, not believing him.

"Ever heard of the story of the phoenix?" Ziang asked meaningfully.

A phoenix flies from the southern sea to the northern sea.

It won't rest on non-parasite trees, won't eat non-pure fruits, won't drink non-clear water.

When it encounters an owl with a rotten mouse, the phoenix passes by, and the owl looks up, exclaiming, "Scare!"

To Ziang, the class monitor position Xie coveted was like a dead mouse.

"You're such a show-off," Xie sneered.

"Xie, why do you care about our conversation with Ziang?" Lin Mu Shi snapped.

"Mu Shi, are you worried Ziang will be taken by the prettier girl?" Li Huangxuan teased again.

"Are you crazy? Mu Shi is the school's beauty. No girl is prettier than her," Xie laughed exaggeratedly.

At that moment, a classmate returning from the bathroom called out, "Ziang, there's a girl outside looking for you."

Ziang looked out the window and his breath caught.

The girl wore a pure white blouse, a dark blue pleated skirt, and spotless canvas shoes, and had a blooming peach blossom in her hair.

She smiled, more beautiful than the flowers.

Ziang stood abruptly, pushing through the crowd to run outside.

The classroom erupted in chaos.

"Who is that girl? She's gorgeous!"

"There is a girl prettier than Lin Mu Shi in our school."

"Xie's face got slapped hard."

...

Lin Mu Shi watched Ziang's retreating, feeling deeply wronged.

Men are such pigs.