Dating Myself - Chapter 5

The rain had just stopped, and the sports field was wet everywhere. Fortunately, it wasn’t a real lawn but a rubber surface painted green, or else participating in the opening ceremony would have come with muddy shoes.

Students were lining up one after another. The school leaders were seated in the stands, with bottled water and microphones ready. The loudspeakers crackled and tested the sound. Just as they finished with a couple of “heys,” two men carrying video cameras rushed in from outside the iron fence, sweat pouring down their faces.

Xie Maomao stood on her tiptoes, craned her neck to look, and nudged Jian Yixi with her elbow.

“Our school really went all out this year. They actually invited the provincial TV station to cover the opening ceremony.”

Students nearby were also chattering excitedly. The logo on the reporter’s microphone was simply too eye-catching.

“Could our school have been approved for provincial funding?”

“If so, wouldn’t Old Zhao be unbearable, with his nose up in the air?”

The Dean of Students, Zhao Xudong, loved to wander the school when he was idle. He would penalize this student one day and scold that one the next, with a smug expression that made him especially annoying.

Jian Yixi wasn’t very interested in gossip, but she still followed everyone’s gaze toward the stands.

Zhao Xudong came down from the stands with a bewildered expression. The principal and vice principal followed him down. They looked at the reporter’s press pass and immediately went up, their faces creased with smiles, to shake hands with the provincial TV reporter.

Even though he was just a minor reporter, having the provincial TV station’s name attached to him meant even the principal had to be all smiles.

They were too far away to hear what they were saying, but as soon as the reporter spoke, Zhao Xudong’s face changed. The principal’s brows also furrowed, and his expression turned serious.

No one knew what earth-shattering event had occurred. The principal and Zhao Xudong abandoned their duties to host the opening ceremony and followed the reporters out of the stadium toward the academic building. Only the vice principal and a few other less important leaders remained to continue the ceremony.

Before the ceremony was over, the reporters returned, accompanied by a girl in harem pants and a striped shirt.

Xie Maomao had the sharpest eyes. She immediately nudged Jian Yixi with her elbow again.

“Isn’t that the secret filmer? Oh no, is the provincial TV station here because of the secret filming incident?”

Jian Yixi tilted her head and looked over. The blue sky and white clouds were reflected in her dark eyes, which were as calm and clear as a serene mountain lake.

It really was An Mu.

Didn’t they say they were calling her parents? How did they end up calling the provincial TV station?

Had the matter escalated this much?

The provincial TV station had arrived too fast.

Jian Yixi had already had doubts about An Mu being the filmer, and now she found the situation even more strange.

If An Mu was the secret filmer, why would she have shielded her while she was changing?

But if An Mu wasn’t the secret filmer, why was she with the reporters?

Jian Yixi suddenly remembered that An Mu had said she was a transfer student from the second year.

The rumor was that it was a first-year girl who had filmed!

“Maomao.”

“Yeah?”

“I think we got it wrong.”

“Got what wrong?”

“That girl is An Mu. I know her. She’s a second-year.”

“So?”

Xie Maomao scratched her chin, her phoenix eyes looking at her like a clueless student who didn’t understand the teacher’s lecture. She had completely missed the point.

Jian Yixi said patiently, “The rumor said it was a first-year girl who filmed.”

Xie Maomao had a sudden realization. “I get it now! We missed a word. The first-year girl was the one who got filmed!”

Jian Yixi suddenly felt that this new deskmate was incredibly unreliable.

She was about to make a mental note: Xie Maomao is unreliable. In the future, take what she says with a grain of salt.

Xie Maomao looped her arm through Jian Yixi’s and laughed. “Alright, I’m just kidding! It was just a rumor anyway. I didn’t take it too seriously. It’s just like all the gossip online. Who knows which rumor is true and which is false? It’s just for fun.”

“Your fun can hurt others a lot. Even if you don’t take it seriously, you still believe some of it.”

Just like her. Even with her doubts, she had still believed some of the rumors.

“I know! That’s why I’m never a keyboard warrior. I’m just a casual gossip-eater, at most I’ll just gossip a little with my friends. I know where the line is.”

If she really knew where the line was, she wouldn’t have sounded so certain when she was gossiping earlier.

Jian Yixi crossed out “Xie Maomao is unreliable” and replaced it with “City life is full of schemes, don’t take gossip seriously.”

Xie Maomao looked at An Mu, her curiosity piqued. “Didn’t you just transfer here? How do you know her? You said she’s a second-year? She’s not wearing the uniform… so she’s a transfer student, too?”

Jian Yixi nodded slightly.

Xie Maomao was even more curious.

“So how did you two meet? Did you know each other from outside of school?”

Jian Yixi briefly explained how they met. Xie Maomao’s eyes widened.

“Oh my gosh! Based on my years of fan-club experience, I can guarantee that she is your sister’s true love!”

Jian Yixi hesitated. “You can tell all that from this?”

“A blind person could tell! Why else would she notice you out of so many people and go out of her way to shield you?”

“Maybe it’s because…”

“I got it!” Xie Maomao suddenly interrupted. “If she’s not the secret filmer, then she must be the hero who exposed the secret filmer! Putting that together with her shielding you, the conclusion is: you were the unlucky one who got filmed!”

Jian Yixi had already considered this possibility, but she didn’t care much. So what if they filmed? An Mu had shielded her so well that they couldn’t have gotten anything. The matter had already escalated to the Dean’s office, and now even the provincial TV station was here. She was sure the video would never be leaked. She was perfectly safe.

Xie Maomao’s voice was a bit loud, but no one was paying attention to her. Everyone’s focus was on the stands.

The principal’s face was grim as he got up to the stands. Zhao Xudong followed with his head down, his expression unreadable. The camera crew followed, their heavy cameras capturing every step.

The vice principal quickly turned off his microphone. Zhao Xudong subconsciously tried to sit down, but seeing that the principal was still standing, he quickly stood back up.

The principal took the microphone off its stand and held it to his mouth. Before he even spoke, his commanding presence was palpable.

“Today is the first day of school. It should be a good day to look forward to the future, but I never expected such a terrible incident to happen! This is a tragedy for the education sector. It is a tragedy for all schools, for all educators!”

The principal pressed a hand to his heart, looking heartbroken. In reality, he was just making a grand statement to shift the blame. The school would not take the blame alone; the entire Chinese education sector would take it with them!

“Today is the first day of school! The very first day! The first morning for new students entering high school from middle school!”

The principal repeated “the first day,” “new students,” and “middle school” multiple times, pushing the blame onto the middle schools. He then stated the facts of the secret filming incident. Although the news had already spread throughout the school, no one expected the school to handle it so quickly, as if it had ridden a rocket. They had even invited the provincial TV station.

What were they trying to do? Use this incident to promote the school’s strict self-discipline and high moral standards? Did they want to become a benchmark for education?

The students were whispering among themselves. The principal then decisively announced the outcome of the incident.

The secret filming was extremely malicious and had a very negative impact. The students had crossed a moral boundary on their first day. As a private school with high standards, it was their responsibility to protect the interests of their students. The main culprit, Lu Yuexin, would be expelled. The two accomplices would receive demerits.

Considering that all three girls were still minors, the principal only publicly reprimanded them and did not force them to make a public apology.

With punishment, there must be a reward. The principal enthusiastically invited An Mu to the stage.

She absolutely had to come to the stage. The provincial TV station was filming. They couldn’t let the public only remember that someone had been secretly filmed; they also had to remember that the school was fair and just in its rewards and punishments.

“This student, An Mu from Class 1 of the second year, bravely exposed and protected the interests of her fellow students. Some of you might say that this is tattling, that it’s what elementary school students do. No! This is an honorable and praiseworthy act! It is something that every school, even everyone in society, should learn from! The school has decided to award her a ‘Brave Model of Moral Courage’ certificate and a scholarship of 5,000 yuan!”

Problem students were a matter for the education sector, blamed on middle school for not teaching them well, minimizing the school’s responsibility. The act of bravery, however, was extended to all of society, making her a role model for all of humanity. The principal’s move to downplay the negative and highlight the positive was a textbook example of public relations.

An Mu stood to the side, coldly watching the principal’s performance.

The principal seemed nice, but he was just like Zhao Xudong. Zhao Xudong’s malice was unconcealed and direct, making him disgusting in a straightforward way. The principal, however, wore many masks, and her past self had been fooled by him.

Students below were whispering.

Getting an award and money on the first day of school. While the money was not a lot and the certificate was symbolic, for a student, this was a clear win of both fame and fortune!

Students looked at An Mu with complicated expressions. There was admiration, jealousy, disdain, and curiosity… In a large school, there were all kinds of people and all kinds of thoughts.

The principal thought he had handled this crisis perfectly. He had turned a disaster into a success, not only getting through it but also getting some good publicity for the school, and all for a cheap price of a 5,000 yuan scholarship.

The principal wiped the nervous sweat from his bald head and smiled kindly, inviting An Mu to step down from the stage.

An Mu didn’t move.

She took a step back and bowed to the principal.

“Thank you to the school for handling this matter so fairly. I am proud to be a student at a school like this. I am honored to be a part of Weicheng No. 2 Foreign Language High School.”

—This girl is so good with words! It would be even better if she said the full name of the school.

The principal laughed and puffed out his stomach. “It’s our school’s honor to have a student like you!”

An Mu then turned and bowed to Zhao Xudong.

“I apologize for pouring tea on you earlier, Dean Zhao. I am sorry!”

Zhao Xudong was caught completely off guard by the bow. His face was a picture of humiliation.

While this was an apology in name, it was an insult in reality!

In front of so many students, and especially in front of the provincial TV station, if he accepted the apology, it would be an admission that he, the great Dean of Students, had been hit with a cup of tea by a student. And this student had just been praised by the principal! It would indirectly prove that he was in the wrong.

But if he didn’t accept the apology, he would look petty for holding a grudge against a student. The student was also the “model” who had just been praised by the principal. It would also indirectly prove that he was in the wrong!

Dammit! No matter what he did, he was going to lose face. And he had no choice but to accept!

Zhao Xudong was used to being arrogant. This was the first time he had been so publicly humiliated. He forced out a strained smile and tried to save face.

“It’s alright. You’re young and impetuous. I understand. Just don’t be so reckless next time. You should trust that the school can handle things for you. Alright, you can go now.”

Zhao Xudong waved his hand, signaling her to leave.

An Mu didn’t move. She tilted her chin up, her back straight as an arrow. Her long, slender legs were firm and powerful, and even her thin waist radiated a strong yet graceful strength.

Her face was cold, and her voice was neither servile nor arrogant, as clear as the first snow on a plum blossom. Every word went through the microphone and into the ears of every student.

“Thank you, Dean Zhao, for accepting my apology. In return, please apologize to all the girls for your incorrect handling of the case.”

Zhao Xudong’s eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his ears.

“What’s wrong?” An Mu’s lips curved slightly, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Are you hard of hearing at such a young age, Dean Zhao? Or… should I play the recording I made in your office to help you remember?”

When she said this, the entire crowd erupted in a mix of shock, excitement, and then utter pandemonium.

Holy sh-!

Was An Mu crazy? Asking the Dean of Students to apologize in front of the provincial TV station? Was she not afraid that he would make her life a living hell after this?

Was she from a family so rich she didn’t care about anyone? Or was she just a fearless newcomer?

Whatever she was, anyone who dared to stand up to Old Zhao was an alpha! A badass! And the style they loved!

These teenagers, caught between adulthood and childhood, had not yet fully learned the hypocrisy and indifference of adults, nor had they completely lost the simple honesty of children. They hadn’t forgotten what justice was, and it was easy for them to get worked up over small things. They still had edges that hadn’t been worn down. They could still make their voices heard.

They loved this An Mu who dared to do what they didn’t. They couldn’t help but whistle, yell, and chant for Zhao Xudong to apologize. They couldn’t help but applaud.

The camera switched between the stands and the students. Zhao Xudong’s face was a mottled purple, and the veins on his forehead were pulsing with rage. His fists were clenched so tightly the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

The teachers repeatedly waved their hands, trying to quiet the students. Old Hu blew his whistle, but the students didn’t listen at all. They had been bored standing there for so long, and their legs ached. Finally, they had some fun. Besides, there was safety in numbers. With so many of them making a fuss, would the school punish the entire student body?

“Apologize! Apologize!”

The chants were everywhere. Some were sincere, some were just joining in the fun, and some were just following the crowd. Of course, there were also those who were disdainful and thought everyone yelling was an idiot.

The principal’s bald head, which had just been wiped clean, was now covered in sweat again. He had just managed to get the crisis under control. How could it all go wrong again?

The principal was afraid An Mu would actually play the recording, so he tried to de-escalate the situation.

“Dean Zhao, just apologize. There’s no shame in apologizing to a student!”

Zhao Xudong’s face twitched. The current situation left him no choice but to apologize. Nothing was more important than the school’s reputation, and he couldn’t afford to offend the principal.

Zhao Xudong suppressed the urge to turn and run. He squeezed his palms and gritted his teeth, forcing a strained “I’m sorry” from deep in his throat.

Even though it was just a simple apology without a bow or any sincerity, it was an unprecedented achievement in the school’s history.

The students erupted in cheers. The ones who were serious were few, but the ones who were just enjoying the spectacle were many. Someone started chanting, “It’s okay! We forgive you!”

Zhao Xudong was so disgusted he almost threw up blood. He lowered his head and gave An Mu a vicious glare before turning and leaving the stage.

The principal quickly took advantage of the lull to announce that the opening ceremony was over.

The students were dismissed. The reporters immediately went into the crowd to do random interviews. Some students who knew the situation and had even filmed it themselves eagerly accepted the interviews, thrilled to get a chance to be on TV.

An Mu walked down from the stands, her eyes searching the crowd. Her gaze landed on Jian Yihu.

Jian Yihu had her hair in a “first love” ponytail and her makeup was fresh and natural, with no flaws in her appearance. But her face was dark and gloomy. She was clearly in a foul mood and ignored the student who spoke to her.

It was just a small failure. Can’t you handle this, Jian Yihu?

This is just the beginning.

We have all the time in the world.

An Mu had never intended to use this incident to take down Jian Yihu.

Although Jian Yihu had orchestrated the whole thing, she had never shown her face from start to finish. Not even Lu Yuexin knew that she was the real mastermind. It would have been very difficult to get rid of Jian Yihu with this incident. It was better to focus on Zhao Xudong.

Zhao Xudong was the kind of petty person who sought revenge. It was safer to make him hate her now, before he focused his hatred on Jian Yixi as he had in her last life.

Zhao Xudong wasn’t scary. She had plenty of ways to deal with him. She wasn’t in a hurry to deal with Jian Yihu, either. In her last life, she had been so consumed by revenge that she fought her enemies until her death, neglecting herself and wasting her entire life.

In this life, she only wanted to protect Jian Yixi, to protect her past self. Nothing was more important than herself.

Jian Yixi, don’t live for anyone else. Live only for yourself.

Your life should have been splendid and vibrant.

A familiar yet foreign voice suddenly reached her ears.

It was… Jian Yixi’s voice.

Hearing your own voice from An Mu’s perspective was truly different. An Mu had never realized that her voice was so… gentle?

An Mu pulled her gaze away from Jian Yihu and looked down at Jian Yixi standing below the stands.

Jian Yixi was also looking at Jian Yihu, who had already reached the iron gate.

—Looks like Xie Maomao was right. An Mu really is my sister’s fan. The look in her eyes just now… was so sincere. As if she wanted to be stuck to my sister. If they weren’t both girls, I would have thought she was in love with my sister.

“Is something wrong?”

“Want to get some lunch together? My treat.”

Jian Yixi looked up at her, her long eyelashes curled into an enviable arc. Her eyes were as dark and clear as ink, with a touch of shy unfamiliarity.

An Mu’s heart felt warm. Not only because she had a chance to protect her past self, but also because her only friend, Maomao, was standing right there in front of her, alive and well, able to run, jump, laugh, and breathe.

An Mu’s eyes stung with tears. She forced herself to smile. “Okay.”

Instead of going around to the steps, she gestured for them to move aside and jumped directly off the two-meter-high stands.

Her legs were long, and her body was light. With her arms slightly spread, she bent her knees to cushion the landing. She landed almost without a sound. Her slightly wavy long hair flew up and then fell back down, smooth and cool. The ends of her hair, carrying a faint scent of orchids, brushed against Jian Yixi’s nose.

Jian Yixi blinked and instinctively rubbed her nose where it had tickled.

What kind of shampoo is that? It smells so good.

“Let’s go,” An Mu said, standing straight and smoothing her slightly messy hair.

Xie Maomao let out an exaggerated “Wow!” and immediately grabbed An Mu’s arm.

“Your jumping is amazing!”

It’s so good to see you again, too.

An Mu controlled her emotions and nodded. “Hello. I’m An Mu, from Class 1.”

“I’m Xie Maomao, from Class 11!”

Xie Maomao was very friendly. She held An Mu’s arm with her left and Jian Yixi’s arm with her right. She didn’t feel awkward at all. Instead, her wide smile showed her teeth, and she sincerely felt that her life was complete.

Of course, this perfection had a small flaw. It would have been even more perfect if she were a guy. Being able to have two beautiful girls with godlike faces on each arm would make so many men green with envy… Just thinking about it felt great.

Xie Maomao was a chatterbox. One moment she was immersed in the “bliss” of having two beautiful girls, and the next moment her mouth was going a mile a minute.

“So what exactly happened? Tell us! I’m dying of curiosity!”