The Days I Was Secretly Loved by the All-Girls School Beauties - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“Go to the Principal’s office first. The teacher will have Tao Ye apologize to you, and then we will discuss a solution.”

When Pei Yanxi turned to look at someone, she was so cold it felt like the room had been switched to a black-and-white film. She lifted her eyelashes slightly, taking in Wen Sixue’s thin silhouette; however, her gaze didn’t meet her directly, but instead brushed past her ears.

This was not a request; it was an order.

Wen Sixue’s body trembled imperceptibly. She lacked the status to defy Pei Yanxi, but just now, through the window by the hospital bed, she had seen it… she had clearly seen the emotion flickering in Pei Yanxi’s eyes when she looked at Yun Zhan.

So cold… Wen Sixue shuddered silently. Despite the bright, sunny day, she felt as miserable as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She felt her legs go weak, and a sudden realization hit her: she had come into contact with someone Pei Yanxi liked. Therefore… Pei Yanxi was dissatisfied with her.

Timidness and resentment surged over her like a tidal wave. For a moment, she felt as if she had been discarded into the sea, the water pressing against her chest from all sides, making it difficult even to breathe.

“Senior Pei…” Wen Sixue gripped the hem of her clothes. Subjectively, she didn’t want to leave. Even though every cell in her body was rationally screaming at her to go, she didn’t want to walk away just like that.

How could Pei Yanxi not see what she was thinking?

The cold and proud senior smoothed the corner of Yun Zhan’s blanket and said unhurriedly, “Yun Zhan took such a heavy injury just to get Tao Ye into the Principal’s office. If you don’t go, what was the point of her injury?”

What Yun Zhan had blocked for her was not just boiling water, but other pains that would surely have come in the future.

After Wen Sixue left, a strange silence fell over the room.

“Tell me the reason. You had no contact with Wen Sixue before; why take such a huge risk to save her?” Pei Yanxi looked at her with a stubborn gaze.

“It was just a decision made after weighing the pros and cons. I’m not afraid of pain and I won’t scar, but Wen Sixue relies on her face for her living. So, I made the choice,” Yun Zhan said casually, as if describing a mundane, everyday occurrence.

“What does her livelihood have to do with you?” Pei Yanxi grew uncharacteristically angry. Losing her composure, she gripped Yun Zhan’s bedsheet, her eyes full of interrogation.

“Are you trying to be a selfless saint? Or do you like her and want to play the hero saving the beauty? When you were pitying and worrying about Wen Sixue, why didn’t you think of yourself? Don’t you feel pain?! Or do you want to be some knight in shining armor, rushing in whenever you see someone getting hurt—”

Pei Yanxi couldn’t go on. The feeling of a lump in her throat was truly unbearable. She really couldn’t understand Yun Zhan—how could someone have so little regard for their own body?

“Pei Yanxi,” Yun Zhan suddenly calmed down and looked at her seriously.

“What?”

“I don’t like Wen Sixue. If the person about to be hurt was you, I would also stand up and be your knight.”

A simple explanation, like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, sent ripples through Pei Yanxi’s heart.

“What are you saying… Yun Zhan… you…” It was Pei Yanxi’s turn to panic. She stared into Yun Zhan’s eyes, unable to settle her emotions for a long time.

“What’s wrong? I just don’t want you to think I like Wen Sixue. My actions were purely based on rational judgment,” Yun Zhan said, puzzled.

“The way you talk is really easy to misunderstand… I don’t know if you mean it that way… but I will take it seriously.”

Ambiguous words are spoken without intent but heard with interest…

Pei Yanxi lowered her head, nervously clutching the skirt on her thighs. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from stepping forward and demanding a clear answer. She had always liked girls—many people knew this—so she couldn’t view Yun Zhan’s words with “pure” thoughts. She subconsciously felt that Yun Zhan’s actions meant she had feelings for her, and it even made her feel tense and flustered. Yet, Yun Zhan remained deadly serious, even asking her back with an innocent face.

“Ahhh, Host! Do you know what you just did?!” 21 wailed in Yun Zhan’s head. To flirt with the heroine out of nowhere and then ask “what’s wrong” as if nothing happened—21 felt only Yun Zhan was capable of this. The little block of wood flirts without even knowing it!

“Sigh, what I mean is that I am quite brave, so I would do the same if I saw you get hurt—it’s not out of favoritism for Wen Sixue. I don’t know if I’m expressing this correctly.” Under the system’s prompt, Yun Zhan realized she had said something slightly inappropriate. She looked at Pei Yanxi earnestly and explained again.

With those clean, doe-like eyes shining, Pei Yanxi couldn’t bring herself to say a single harsh word.

Late that night, Pei Yanxi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The air conditioning was at its lowest setting, but she still felt the room was stuffy. Her heart felt heavy and uncomfortable. Wearing her pure black silk pajamas, she could only think of what Yun Zhan had said to her whenever she closed her eyes.

I’m not afraid of pain… If the person about to be hurt was you, I would also stand up…

With a click, Pei Yanxi switched on the bedside lamp. The orange light illuminated her stunning face. She sat on the bed in a daze for half a minute, her long black hair messy against her face. Her head ached. The thoughts emerging from her heart couldn’t be suppressed no matter how hard she tried.

“…How can someone not be afraid of pain? How can someone not cherish their own body?” Pei Yanxi buried her face in the sheets, murmuring to herself. Even if she didn’t pity herself or care for her own body… would no one else care for her body?

Pei Yanxi suddenly thought of a psychotherapy book she had read. If one didn’t receive love and care as a child, they would subconsciously neglect themselves as adults. She thought back to the file on Yun Zhan she got from Xue Qi: both parents gone, fallen nobility…

“So, Yun Zhan… is that why you don’t value yourself?” Pei Yanxi whispered to herself. This night, wrapped in her thoughts, she was destined not to sleep peacefully.

A few days later, Yun Zhan’s injury was under control. Just as she said, her body recovered faster than average. Before long, the wound began to grow new granulation tissue. This new connective tissue had to be treated with care; the slightest mishap would cause bleeding again.

During this time, Wen Sixue had been taking great care of Yun Zhan, sticking by her side almost constantly. she handled all the meals and water, remaining inseparable from Yun Zhan. Whenever she saw Yun Zhan try to pick up anything heavy, she would rush forward as if facing a great enemy, doing everything she could for her.

Because she had rested for a while, Yun Zhan had missed several Deportment classes. Now that her injury had recovered somewhat, the teacher urged her to attend. Deportment class was a vital course at Minton Academy, aimed at training the manners of these noble ladies so they would grow up to be poised and graceful.

The teacher was a world-renowned model. Every glance and every step she took was exceptionally beautiful. The curve of her back was like a drawn bow, her arms hung at her sides with fingertips slightly tucked, and her gait was light and elegant. Yun Zhan sat in the middle, feeling safe surrounded by the other students.

Suddenly, a beautiful figure appeared in the crowd. Yun Zhan recognized her instantly: Pei Yanxi.

This was the first time she had seen Pei Yanxi in a white dress. The beautiful girl looked like a white iris fixed by the morning light, seated perfectly in the center of her chair. Her back was a vertical line; Pei Yanxi maintained this perfect posture for nearly two hours without a moment of slack, her breathing remaining steady. Her shoulder blades were slightly retracted, creating a soft yet clear wing-like contour under her silk shirt—as if she could take flight at any moment, yet remained perfectly restrained.

“How does she do it?” Yun Zhan’s gaze was full of admiration. How could someone stay perfectly upright for two hours? So impressive…

“Let’s have Senior Pei do a demonstration for everyone,” the teacher suddenly called out. In terms of both figure and looks, Pei Yanxi was the most pleasing to the eye, and these adolescent girls naturally loved looking at a beauty.

“Okay, Teacher.” Pei Yanxi nodded calmly and walked to the center chair in her specialized heels. From the side, her body formed a long “S” curve—chest slightly raised, waist slightly dipping, and her skirt draped down her thighs like a waterfall stilled by the wind. Her poise was incredibly superior.

Yun Zhan watched for a long time, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. “21, do you think I can reach that level through practice?”

“I suggest you don’t daydream in class. Pei Yanxi was required to train her posture since she could walk. Her elegance is innate.”

Yun Zhan: Fine, pretend I never asked.

After the first lesson, the teacher had everyone split into groups to practice. As a transfer student, Yun Zhan was naturally placed in the last group. The senior in charge of that group was a bit fierce, and since Yun Zhan had only attended one class, she felt she was definitely going to be scolded.

“Yanji, I’ll take care of this junior. She’s missed a few classes; I’ll teach her personally.” Pei Yanxi, in her flowing white dress, walked over slowly, her eyes landing on Yun Zhan.

Surprise flickered in Yanji’s eyes. Pei Yanxi’s group was always made of the top students. This transfer student… Xue Qi had mentioned that Pei Yanxi favored this junior, but she hadn’t believed it then. Now, it seemed the rumors were true. Yanji naturally didn’t dare say anything and quickly handed Yun Zhan over.

“Don’t be nervous. I will teach you.” Pei Yanxi calmly pulled Yun Zhan to her side, gently supporting her waist.

“Don’t let your lower back sag; the waistline should have a slight curve…” Pei Yanxi’s voice was gentle—arguably the gentlest it had ever been. Her movements were light, as if she were holding a precious treasure. Even though Yun Zhan made many mistakes, Pei Yanxi didn’t get angry.

Yanji watched from the side, finding it unbelievable. “Wait… Senior Pei used to be so fierce with us. If our posture was even slightly off, we’d be made to stand as punishment. Why is she so nice to her?”

Pei Yanxi’s blatant favoritism attracted the attention of many girls. They watched curiously, their eyes full of astonishment. They had truly never seen Senior Pei in such a good-tempered state.

“I’m sorry, am I holding you up?” Yun Zhan noticed the stares from all directions, her face flushing with embarrassment. She felt she had monopolized Pei Yanxi for too long, and the other girls in the group hadn’t received any guidance.

“It’s fine. They already know what to do.” Pei Yanxi shook her head, her cat-like eyes blinking. The light in her gaze fell squarely and exclusively on Yun Zhan.

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