Dating Myself - Chapter 19

Boom!

The sky was so dark that it looked like nighttime. A student with a mischievous streak flicked the switch, and three rows of lights went out, plunging the classroom into darkness.

Girls screamed, and boys laughed. Xie Maomao shrieked and wrapped her arms around Jian Yixi’s neck, stomping her feet and begging for the lights to be turned back on. Jian Yixi almost fell over but grabbed a desk, which teetered and then stabilized under their combined weight.

Jian Yixi was afraid of thunder and darkness, especially the sudden flashes of lightning. But now, she wasn’t scared. What is there to be afraid of when the classroom is full of people? Most of the girls who were screaming were just playing around or trying to be cute.

Someone turned on their phone’s flashlight, waving it around the ceiling. The atmosphere was like a study hall during a power outage. Everyone was excited, and the thunder and lightning made the conversations more interesting.

Click!

The lights came back on, and the mood instantly vanished. Everyone turned to look at the doorway. Qin Yige was holding his phone, with the camera pointed at Jian Yihu, who he was holding tightly. He was talking into his phone. “This is the special study class at Weicheng No. 2 Foreign Language High School. Jian Yihu’s sister is here. I’m going to take you to her and see whether a person’s character is determined by their environment or if some people are just born evil.”

The students in the special class were confused. They had no idea what was going on. One of them yelled out and asked him what was happening. Qin Yige quickly explained, and the class fell into a strange, excited silence.

Wow! Is this for real? Who’s the villain here? Let me see! This is free entertainment! Where’s my phone? I have to take some pictures and post them on Weibo!

A crowd of students followed Qin Yige into the room, making it feel cramped. Jian Yixi was still trying to figure out what was going on when Qin Yige pushed Jian Yihu toward her.

Jian Yixi instinctively stood up.

The two sisters stood side by side. They were the same height and looked similar, both wearing white blouses and plaid skirts with their hair in ponytails. Online, Jian Yixi had looked younger, but under the harsh lights, the difference was barely noticeable. It was hard to tell them apart. “What are you doing?” Jian Yixi asked.

“Don’t you know what you did?” Qin Yige sneered.

Jian Yihu, with tears in her eyes, tugged on Qin Yige’s arm. “Qin Yige… don’t do this…” Her soft voice and innocent look made her appear helpless, arousing a man’s desire to protect her. Even the women watching felt pity for her.

Qin Yige felt a surge of manliness. He had to protect this kind and gentle girl and expose her malicious sister. “Being kind to your enemies is being cruel to yourself! Jian Yihu, you might care about your sister, but she doesn’t care about you!”

He held his phone closer to Jian Yixi, getting a close-up shot. “Everyone, look. This is the sister, Jian Yixi. She looks just like her sister, but her soul is ugly!”

“Come on, Jian Yixi, tell me. Why did you frame your sister?”

What?! What is he talking about?! Jian Yixi looked at her teary sister and at Qin Yige, her face filled with confusion. She instinctively shook her head. Not yet realizing the danger she was in, she said calmly, “I didn’t.”

“You didn’t? Your dad called and said you were the one who logged into your sister’s account. Would your own dad lie about you?!”

“That’s impossible!” Jian Yixi said. “My dad wouldn’t say that, and I wouldn’t do that!”

“Your dad just called, and many people heard him. If you don’t want to admit it, just prove your innocence.”

“How? I didn’t do it! The forum is full of people slandering me. Why would I do that to myself?”

Xie Maomao had been standing there silently, stunned by the whole situation. She suddenly exploded. She stood up and threw her math textbook at Qin Yige. “What are you talking about?! Who framed who?! How can you be so shameless?!”

The book hit Qin Yige. He dodged and then exaggerated his reaction. “An attack! I was hit by an attacker! It hurts, but it’s okay. I’ll get to the bottom of this no matter what!”

Xie Maomao’s eyes blazed with anger. She grabbed her Oxford dictionary and was about to throw it again, but Qin Yige pointed his camera at her and gave her the finger. “Go on, throw it! If not, get out of the way! Don’t stand in my way!”

Xie Maomao felt tears in her eyes. This was the person she had had a crush on throughout her freshman year. She couldn’t believe he was such a terrible person. She didn’t know if she was trying to protect Jian Yixi or if she was just angry at Qin Yige. Maybe it was both. She threw the dictionary, but Jian Yixi grabbed her arm.

The first time, Qin Yige was caught off guard, but this time, he easily dodged it and stepped on the dictionary. “Ha! Do you see that? She’s so angry. She’s throwing an Oxford dictionary at me! This is thicker than a brick! If it had hit me, you’d all be buying me paper phones and computers so I could continue the live stream from the afterlife.”

Xie Maomao was so angry that she was about to throw it again, but Jian Yixi hugged her arm tightly. “Maomao, don’t mind him. Sit down. I’ll talk to them. It’s just a misunderstanding.”

Jian Yixi eventually managed to get Xie Maomao to sit down. Her eyes were red, and she was so angry that she was on the verge of tears.

Jian Yixi patted her shoulder and looked at Qin Yige. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but my dad wouldn’t have said that.”

Jian Yihu tugged on Jian Yixi’s arm, sobbing. “Xixi, don’t say that. They all heard the phone call. Let’s talk about it at home.”

They all heard the phone call… That was as good as a confession. Jian Yixi looked at her sister, her eyes wide. “Sister, did Dad really say I did it?”

Jian Yihu sobbed, her tears hanging in her eyes. She positioned herself at the perfect angle for the camera. She didn’t answer directly. Instead, she shook her head sadly. “Don’t ask, Xixi. Let’s talk about it at home.”

What’s the difference between this and just admitting it?! Jian Yixi couldn’t believe her. “I’m calling Dad!”

She pulled out her phone, but Qin Yige pointed his camera at it. “Prove your innocence first.”

“Prove what?! She didn’t do anything! Why should she have to prove anything?! I think you did it. Why don’t you prove you didn’t?!” Xie Maomao stood up again, but Jian Yixi quickly pushed her back down.

Jian Yixi patted Xie Maomao’s shoulder to calm her down. She had no idea her friend had such a short temper. She looked at Qin Yige and forced herself to stay calm. “How can I prove it?”

“Let everyone see your browser history. You didn’t have a phone that could go online before, so you had to have used a computer at home… Jian Yihu, does your sister have a computer?”

Jian Yihu shook her head. “No. We haven’t had time to buy one yet.”

“Then since you only have a phone, if you logged into your sister’s account, there must be a record of it on your phone,” Qin Yige said. “If there’s no record and you haven’t cleared your history, it’ll prove your innocence. If not, you have to explain. If you didn’t do it, and your sister didn’t do it, and the security cameras didn’t see anyone, then who did it? A ghost? Ha ha ha.”

Qin Yige laughed mockingly and pointed at her phone. “Come on, open your browser and show everyone. If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize publicly. But if…”

“Shut up! Jian Yixi isn’t like that!” Xie Maomao yelled, her eyes red.

Qin Yige rolled his eyes and ignored her, turning the camera to Jian Yixi’s face. “Are you going to prove yourself? Will you? I won’t force you. But everyone can see the truth. Everyone knows what’s going on.”

The students whispered. Some said she wouldn’t do it. Some said she would. Others were so bored that they started betting on it.

This was the first time Jian Yixi had ever been in a situation like this. She looked at the crowd of people. The flashes of lightning lit up their pale faces, making them look eerie. She suddenly felt as if she were in a horror movie, where all her classmates were ghosts.

The small amount of fear she felt earlier was now growing.

“Jian Yixi, if you didn’t do it, why don’t you just show him?”

“Yeah, Jian Yixi, it’ll only take a second. Are you saying you did it?”

“She’s hesitating. It must be her!”

“Oh my God! This twist is crazy! This is better than a TV show!”

“This is the highest level of self-sabotage.”

“Are you stupid? This is self-promotion! She’s pretending to frame herself, but she’s really framing her sister. She wants to use her to get famous!”

“She’s so shameless. Poor people are always so dramatic. Why did her sister go through all that trouble to find her?”

“Jian Yihu is so stupid. She went through all that trouble to find someone who would take her money and cause her trouble.”

Xie Maomao couldn’t take it anymore and told them to stop spreading rumors.

The thunder, the noise, the bright flashes of lightning, and the cramped space made Jian Yixi’s head spin. Her fear grew. She didn’t know what she was afraid of. Maybe it was the thunder, the environment, or a bad feeling.

“Hurry up, Jian Yixi! Are you trying to stall until class starts? I’m going to count to three. If you don’t prove yourself, I’ll assume you’re guilty. Three… two…”

Jian Yixi’s mind was a mess. She had never been in this situation before. All she could think about was proving her innocence. “No! I didn’t! I’ll show you right now!”

Before Qin Yige could say “one,” Jian Yixi lit up her phone and opened her browser. The camera was now pointed at her phone, and everyone leaned in to see. Jian Yihu clenched her fists. Her sadness had been replaced by excitement.

Hurry! Open it! As soon as you open your browser, I’ll be in the clear! Jian Yixi will be finished! Ha ha ha! Faster! Faster!

Jian Yixi’s finger hovered over the browser icon. Just as she was about to tap it, a flash of lightning exploded in the sky. It illuminated Jian Yihu’s face, which was twisted in a manic smile.

“Tsk, tsk. That’s a good expression,” An Mu said. Her voice was so cold that it was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or serious.

Everyone turned to look at her. Jian Yixi also stopped and looked at An Mu.

An Mu took two more pictures of Jian Yihu before putting her phone back on Xie Maomao’s desk. It was a quick way to take a picture without unlocking the phone.

When Jian Yihu saw An Mu, her eyes, which were already red, became even redder. This time, it wasn’t fake. It was real anger. Why is she here? Why is she everywhere?! Is she trying to ruin my plans again? Not this time!

Jian Yihu looked at An Mu with tears in her eyes and said in a tearful, sad voice, “An Mu, if I have offended you, I’m sorry. But please stop targeting me. We’ve only known each other for a few days, but we’re in the same class. This isn’t good.” Her words were clever. She was implying that An Mu knew her before she came to school and was a hater.

An Mu didn’t want to watch her act. She patted Xie Maomao’s shoulder and told her to move, then stood next to Jian Yixi.

Jian Yixi’s phone screen went dark as she watched An Mu. Qin Yige was getting impatient but couldn’t do anything. He pointed his phone at An Mu and started commentating. “Everyone, this is An Mu. She’s been targeting Jian Yihu for three days. Did she team up with the sister to frame the older sister, or is she just helping her? We don’t know yet. But one thing is for sure: she has a connection to the sister. Why else would she be here?”

He then pointed the camera back at Jian Yixi’s phone. “Enough with the nonsense. The show is over. It’s time for Jian Yixi to prove herself.”

The sky grew darker, and the thunder grew louder. Jian Yixi turned on her phone again, but just as she was about to open the browser, An Mu’s cold hand reached out and took it from her.

Jian Yixi froze and looked at An Mu. An Mu wasn’t looking at her. She was looking at Qin Yige with a smirk. Her dark eyes were as black as the sky outside, not the amber color they were in the sunlight. “You’re live-streaming?”

Qin Yige scoffed. “Yes!”

“And you’re going to post the replay on Weibo?”

“Yes!”

“Did you get Jian Yixi’s permission?”

Qin Yige scoffed again and stomped on the dictionary. “I’m using my data to help her prove her innocence. She should thank me, unless she’s guilty!”

An Mu nodded. “That’s a good point. You’re a kind person. Since you’re so willing to help a stranger, you must be willing to help a classmate. Come on, Jian Yihu. Prove yourself.”

Jian Yihu was shocked. The tears she had been trying to summon immediately dried up. “Prove what? She’s the one who’s supposed to prove herself. What does this have to do with me?”

An Mu smiled, but her eyes were cold. She used Qin Yige’s words against Jian Yihu. “If you don’t prove yourself, I’ll assume you’re guilty.”

Jian Yihu forced herself to stay calm. “I’m not guilty!”

“Then prove it.” An Mu put Jian Yixi’s phone on the desk and held out her hand to Jian Yihu. Jian Yihu shook her head. “I didn’t do it. Why should I show everyone my private information?”

“Exactly!” An Mu put her arm around Jian Yixi’s shoulder and pointed at the camera. “Jian Yixi, look at the camera and answer me. Your sister says she didn’t do it and refuses to prove herself. So what about you? Why are you trying to prove yourself? Are you guilty?”

Jian Yixi shook her head. “No.”

“Then why are you trying to prove yourself?”

“Look at the camera and tell everyone if you want to prove yourself or not.”

Jian Yixi looked at the black lens. The hand on her shoulder was warm, and the familiar scent of An Mu made her feel calm. Her mind was clear now. “I didn’t do it. Why should I have to prove myself?”

“Louder.”

“I DIDN’T DO IT! WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PROVE MYSELF?!”

Qin Yige was furious. “If you don’t prove yourself, you’re guilty!”

Jian Yihu saw that things were going south. She stopped pretending to be sad and said, “Xixi, I don’t believe you did it either. Why don’t you just show them?”

Before Jian Yixi could respond, An Mu’s arm around her shoulder tightened. She leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Remember what she said? And what you said?”

What did she say? And what did I say?

An Mu continued to guide her. “Remember what she just said? What should you say?”

She said… just show them… What should I say?

The lights in the classroom flickered, the thunder roared, the space was cramped, and people were still staring at her, but Jian Yixi didn’t feel afraid anymore. An Mu’s calm voice and warmth chased away her negative emotions. She was getting calmer and calmer, and she understood what An Mu was trying to do. “Sister, I don’t believe you did it either. Why don’t you just show them?”

She’s repeating what I said?!

The strategy was simple but effective, and Jian Yixi had learned it quickly. Jian Yihu’s chest heaved. She didn’t know how to respond.

Qin Yige saw that Jian Yihu was being wronged. His face darkened. He wasn’t in the mood to entertain the audience anymore. He said, “Stop using your sister as an excuse! You’re obviously the one who did it! Why are you stalling?!”

He had thought a live stream would give him more influence, but it had prevented him from using force. If he could, he would have taken the phone already!

An Mu looked at Jian Yixi calmly. “Tell him what’s fair.”

Fair… Jian Yixi followed An Mu’s train of thought. “If we’re going to prove ourselves, we should both do it. If not, neither of us should. That’s what’s fair!”

Jian Yixi wasn’t an idiot. Her dad wouldn’t say that she had done it without any evidence. Jian Yihu was clearly lying. But why? Why would she frame her own sister? Jian Yixi felt a mixture of sadness and confusion.

A flash of lightning lit up the room, and the windows rattled as raindrops started to fall. At first, it was just a few drops, but in a matter of seconds, it was a downpour!

“Sister, my phone is here. Where’s yours?” Jian Yixi’s voice was sweet and not aggressive, but it made Jian Yihu panic.

What should I do?! What do I do now?!

Don’t panic, Jian Yihu. It’ll only take a few seconds to check your browser. And the things I’ve hidden on my phone aren’t easy to find. Once I prove Jian Yixi is guilty, the spotlight will be on her. Then I can take my phone back. Nothing will go wrong!

Jian Yihu made a decision. She put on a fake smile and handed her phone to Jian Yixi. “Since Xixi wants to do this, let’s both prove our innocence.”