Gossip about Yue and the teacher spread around the campus, making her uncomfortableall the while. Fans of Shao Xun treated her as an enemy. She could find their hate-filled gazes everywhere. But she had nowhere to turn and no one to explain to.
After class, Yue collected her books and prepared to go back to her dorm alone. She decided to give up the dance training after class, but while this would certainly make her feel better, she had a feeling it might not be enough to stop the rumors. A boy suddenly entered their classroom. Yue looked up to find it was Sun Yi, the boy with the rose. She frowned at her bad luck.
“Yue, where are you going?” The boy came directly toward her, staring at her with greedy eyes.
“To another lesson,” she answered coldly. “Please stay out of my way.” She took her bag and left him. This guy was proud and domineering throughout the campus, haunting girls and believing they should fall in love with him because he was from a rich family. She had pity on him, but certainly he did not understand. The boy brazenly took her bag without permission, saying, “Yue, I thought carefully yesterday evening, and you wouldn’t get together with Shao Xun in such a short time. He’s a new teacher, and you are a good girl; you wouldn’t act in such a manner according to my knowledge of you. You’ve always respected teachers and kept your distance.”
Yue was stunned. She never thought this guy knew her so well.
“Yue, I know you hate me because of Liang’er. But I should let you know that I got close to her last semester only because I liked you.”
“Really?” Another hand reached out from behind and took back the bag from him. “You don’t deserve my girl!”
Yue turned back to find Lin was standing behind the boy, sneering at him.
“Hey, Lin. I think you’re misunderstanding me.” Sun Yi smiled at her. But Lin did not care about him and spoke to Yue. “Baby, I’ve come to accompany you to the training course. Any reward?”
Yet again, Yue was embarrassed by her teasing; her face turned red.
“Why are you so shy? You’ve been my girl for such a long time.” Lin suddenly became serious and said, “Or have you betrayed me and fallen in love with someone else?”
“Lin, don’t say such words in a public place,” she begged her. “Let’s go. I will invite you for dinner this weekend.”
“Don’t try to fool me. Do you have a boyfriend? Which guy? From which stupid family?”
Lin took Yue’s hand to leave, totally forgetting the boy since she said he didn’t deserve her. Sun Yi stood there awkwardly, but he dared not challenge Lin.
Yue followed Lin on the way to the dance training classroom. At first, she had decided not to take the course anymore. However, she had Lin now, who would shield her from the rumors and Shao Xun’s harassment. Now she could focus on dancing and passing the grading exam. What a wonderful surprise! But she should be careful enough not to let slip that Shao Xun had stayed in her room overnight, Yue reminded herself.
They arrived at the dance classroom. Yue secretly looked into it to try to find Shao Xun. But he wasn’t there. Her heart calmed down. Though the teacher was older than her, he always had such naive ideas.
Yue took Lin bravely into the classroom. Suddenly she was frightened by who was standing beside the wall of the door. The door had hidden his presence.
“Yue, I have been waiting for you for some time. I thought that you wouldn’t come today.”
She looked up to find his branding smile, filled with cunning and teasing and adoration. She could not bear this anymore and turned her face away.
“Just come in,” Shao Xun ordered. “You are late.”
Yue entered the room with Lin. Though she tried her best to focus on the training, the memory of her holding him so tight that night to feel safe and them falling asleep together on the sofa frequently came to her mind, especially when she confronted his eyes. The training room had become a place of misery.
She sustained until the end, and the first thing she did afterward was search for Lin so they could flee from here. Tomorrow was the weekend; she could have a good rest from all these terrible things—the rumor and the boys.
“Yue, wait a minute.” When Lin ushered her outside, she heard Shao Xun call after her. His hand was batted away by Lin. “Anything else, Teacher Shao? Your lesson is done for the day. We’re going back now. I should warn you, don’t approach her without my permission.”
Shao Xun was surprised by her words and his doubts seemed to gain credibility. Suddenly his face turned pale. All the other students were curious and circled around to have a look. Lin smiled and yelled, “Girls, you’ve got too much time, right? Need my help to kill time?” Those girls were frightened by her and ran quickly away. They knew who Lin was.
Lin was satisfied with their reaction. After taking a look at Shao Xun, she took hold of Yue’s hand and led her away.
Shao Xun stood there for a while, then did not hesitate to follow them out. How could that girl take away his student without his permission? Especially considering this student was Yue. Yue was also a little upset. In any case, he was her teacher. But when she thought of the night they spent together, she was again confused about their relationship.
Lin stared at her for a little while; suddenly she smiled and said to Yue, “Hey, baby, your boy is coming. I will wait for you at the old place we usually meet.” Then she left her.
Yue’s first reaction was to chase after her, but Lin was already too far away to be reached. While Yue was busy complaining to her in her heart, Shao Xun had taken her wrist. She turned back, only to find his anxiety-filled eyes.
“Yue, it is wrong! You may not understand what I am saying right now, but you will regret this in the future.”
What? What is he talking about? But she felt sweet, because for such a long time, she was by herself, without anyone to care about her. Was she in love with him? She tried hard to drive the idea away from her.
“Yue, may I invite her for dinner tomorrow?” Shao Xun asked.
“Why?” She was confused by this inquiry.
“You can come together.” He tried to say something but finally gave up. “This dinner is my apology to you, for the things that happened yesterday. But the relationship between you two . . . you should stop thinking of it as acceptable from now on.”
“Why?” She felt he was humiliating her by asking her to stop being good friends with Lin. Was he regarding her as his prey, too? Just like the other boys?