Chapter 23: Clash and High-Collared Sweaters

Hmph! Bunch of bullies, preying on the weak!

But Anran had never intended to befriend them in the first place, so she didn't care if they decided to isolate her over this.

"Please, as if you're worth the effort," came a disdainful voice.

Anran glanced over to see a girl with delicate features speaking. Her desk mate was none other than the class monitor, Ai Xue, who was tugging gently at the girl's sleeve.

Ai Xue had missed school the previous day but had returned early this morning. Rumor had it she'd gone to the town hospital for a blood transfusion.

Anran noticed that Ai Xue's complexion looked much better than the last time they'd met, and she seemed in good spirits. Under her school blazer, she wore a thin white sweater with a high collar that covered her pale neck.

When Ai Xue noticed Anran looking her way, she offered an apologetic smile, her expressive eyes conveying regret. "I'm sorry. Xiaoyou didn't mean it," she said to Anran.

Then, she turned to her desk mate, "Come on, Xiaoyou. Let it go. We're all classmates. There's no need to argue."

Ai Xue's voice was soft and gentle, matching her appearance and demeanor. Though she'd only missed one day of school, there was something subtly different about her. Maybe it was her paler complexion, but Anran felt that Ai Xue carried an air of mystery now, something she couldn't quite put into words.

Anran remembered seeing Ai Xue in the classroom next door after school that day. Ai Xue had looked dazed, her face pale, as though she'd lost her soul. There had also been two small red dots on her neck, like puncture marks from something sharp—perhaps needles.

Was Ai Xue wearing the high-collared sweater to hide those marks?

Then again, it was already autumn, so wearing high-collared clothing wasn't unusual.

—

Ai Xue's mediation seemed to have some effect, as the stares directed at Anran slowly dissipated. But Anran hadn't forgotten how the so-called class monitor had tricked her on her first day.

However, the girl named Xiaoyou wasn't having it. She seemed to have a fiery temper and, after hearing Ai Xue's words, slammed her hands on the desk and stood up angrily. "Xue, why are you defending them? They're not real classmates. That one's a fake—she even pretended to fall in front of the Student Council President!"

Zhang Ning, who had been silently bullied several times before but had never been humiliated so publicly, turned pale and began to tremble. "N-no, I didn't…" she stammered.

But her weak defense was drowned out by the scornful stares. She lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes. Just as she was about to cry, she felt a warm hand on hers.

Zhang Ning looked up to see Anran holding her hand.

Xiaoyou shot a contemptuous look at Zhang Ning before turning her attention to Anran. "And as for you, you're not even from this town. We, the people of Rosewood, don't welcome outsiders!"

Though she hadn't named anyone, it was clear she was referring to Anran.

Instead of getting angry, Anran smiled faintly, narrowing her eyes as she addressed the girl. "So you're Xiaoyou, huh? From what I'm hearing, you seem awfully invested in us. Are you Ning's fan? Or maybe a parasite living in her stomach? How else would you know whether she fell on purpose or not?"

"You—" Xiaoyou was momentarily speechless. She hadn't expected the new transfer student to have the guts to challenge her.

Clearly, she'd underestimated Anran.

Anran continued, "And whether you welcome me or not—what does that matter to me? Let me give you a piece of advice: you're really not as important as you think you are."

Originally, Anran hadn't wanted to engage in this petty argument, but the girl's words were just too insulting to let slide.