Chapter 2

C2 – Childish

Qi Ning returned to his seat and gently touched his cheek.

“Are you okay?” asked his desk mate, a girl who excelled academically and was quite introverted.

Due to her family’s financial struggles, she seemed to wear the same clothes all year round. Her school uniform, in particular, had faded to a pale white from frequent washing, and it didn’t fit her well.

​”I’m fine,” Qi Ning reassured her with a smile. “Have they been leaving you alone lately?”

Despite the outcry against it, campus violence persisted because the repercussions were minimal. The usual targets were students with poor grades or those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were also shy.

​”Yuejuan,” he said as he approached the girl, a joyful smile spreading across his face.

Yuejuan gave Qi Ning a disdainful glance and asked, “What do you want?”

Unfazed by Yuejuan’s scorn, Qi Ning replied with a grin, “Remember, we planned to catch a movie this weekend? I’ve got the tickets all sorted out.”

Taking the movie ticket from Qi Ning, Yuejuan looked at it and remarked icily, “You’re still into animated films? How childish.”

Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode toward the school’s exit.

Qi Ning was left speechless.

Yet, as soon as Yuejuan stepped beyond the school gates, the icy demeanor melted away, and a smile of genuine happiness graced her face.