Friends Should Tell the Truth

Zhuang Ziang hurried out to the corridor, taking two steps at a time, "Why are you here?"

Su Yudie pulled out a medicine tube from behind her, "Here, the doctor said this can help with your nosebleeds."

Ziang took the tube. It was a regular hemostatic ointment. He knew it wouldn't cure his condition but smiled faintly, "Thank you."

"There's still some time before class. Want to sit over there?" Yudie pointed to a nearby flowerbed.

"Of course." Ziang nodded eagerly.

The flowerbed was filled with calla lilies, hyacinths, wisteria, and more. It was a riot of colour, with butterflies flitting among the blossoms.

Yudie adjusted her skirt and knelt at the edge of the flowerbed.

"Did your parents like the strawberry cake yesterday?"

Ziang's heart tightened. He didn't dare say that the exquisite strawberry cake was overshadowed by Zhuang Yuhang's huge birthday cake, or that his experience at home was anything but pleasant.

Such a pure and innocent girl likely believed the world was full of beauty. So, he decided to weave a lie.

"Thanks to your idea, my brother loved the cake, smearing cream all over his face."

"Dad was thrilled, asked about my studies, found out I was first again, and gave me a big hug."

"Auntie made a table full of delicious food, constantly serving me and praising me for being smart and sensible."

…

A gentle breeze brought the scent of flowers.

Yudie hugged her knees, looking up with bright eyes, listening intently to Ziang's story.

The sounds of the playground, the school building's noise, and birds in the trees seemed to fade away.

The whole world consisted of just the two of them and the blossoms behind them.

Ziang had dreamt of such scenes countless times. He thought he could tell the story flawlessly, but his heart felt like it was being squeezed.

The forced smile on his lips felt stiff.

Being a good kid all his life, he wasn't good at lying.

"Ziang, you're a big fool," Yudie suddenly said.

"Why are you calling me that?" Ziang was taken aback.

"You're lying to me. Friends should tell the truth," Yudie bit her lip lightly.

"I'm sorry…" Ziang apologized softly, his voice hoarse.

Often, the truth is cruel. He didn't want to pass his sorrow on to his friends.

"Ziang, are you still very sad?" Yudie asked gently.

He nodded, then shook his head.

"Then, after school at noon, I'll take you for some delicious food. Wait for me here."

"Uh, okay!"

As the class bell approached, Yudie stood up, waved to him, and hopped away.

The bright peach blossom in her hair bobbed in his sight.

In no time, she disappeared into the crowd.

Ziang held the warm tube of medicine in his hand, feeling its gentle touch.

Back in the classroom, Huangxuan immediately approached, "Son, who was that girl?"

"I told you last night. She's the girl I met under the ginkgo trees. You didn't believe me then."

"I believe you now. No wonder you skipped class for her."

Huangxuan raised his voice, "Compared to her, Lin Mu Shi is just too ordinary."

Mu Shi, who had been eavesdropping, turned and shot him a deadly glare. She then looked at Ziang with a complex expression. Maybe, just maybe, she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Ziang was handsome, smart, and kind. Such a good boy was hard to find.

The class bell rang. It was time for their homeroom teacher Zhang Zhiyuan's Chinese lesson.

After the students greeted him, he motioned for them to sit.

"Before we start, I want to mention something. This morning, Ziang resigned as class monitor, and I approved it."

The class immediately buzzed with whispers.

"Did he resign? No one else is more suitable."

"Yeah, Ziang has done so much for us these past two years."

"He's always been the pride of our class."

…

Xie Wenyong was particularly shocked. He thought Ziang's resignation was just a joke, but it turned out to be real.

Was the class monitor position, something he coveted so much, really just a dead mouse to Ziang?

Zhiyuan continued emotionally, "Let's all clap to thank Ziang for his contributions to the class."

Led by him, the classroom was filled with thunderous applause.

Ziang looked around at the familiar faces, feeling an overwhelming sense of reluctance.

In three months, he would never see them again. They were all so lovely, and he was grateful for their companionship.

With the class monitor position now vacant, it naturally fell to the vice monitor, Xie Wenyong. But he didn't feel happy.

He only got what Ziang didn't want. Jealousy twisted him.

Ignoring others, Ziang focused on thinking about what to eat for lunch.

School ended at noon and resumed at 2:30 PM, leaving time for lunch and a nap. During this period, students were free to come and go.

Finally, the dismissal bell rang.

Huangxuan patted Ziang's shoulder, "Son, cafeteria today?"

"I have something to do. You go without me," Ziang said, looking out at the flowerbed.

"What do you have to do? We usually eat together," Huangxuan wondered.

"I'll explain later. Gotta go," Ziang hurriedly packed his bag and rushed out.

Huangxuan stared, feeling abandoned.

Then he saw Ziang by the flowerbed with the girl who had a peach blossom in her hair. His anger boiled over.

"Damn, choosing girls over friends. Animal, absolute animal!"

Seeing Yudie, Ziang's face lit up, "What floor is your class on? You got down fast."

"The fifth floor. I ran because I wanted to see you," Yudie panted lightly.

A sparkle appeared in Ziang's eyes.

Someone would run just to see me?

"What do you want to eat? I'll treat you to anything."

"Hotpot! There are so many dishes."

Mentioning food, Yudie looked ready to drool.

"Hotpot for lunch? Won't it leave a strong smell?"

"Eat what you want. Why care so much?"

She was so carefree. Being with her made him feel more cheerful.

She was beautiful but refused to be just a quiet, elegant lady.

She hopped around, chatting away.

Like a happy little butterfly.