The Fake Girlfriend is Online - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Haircut Conflict

On the Number One Middle School basketball court, an intense game was currently underway.

“Ahhh! Go Mu Jinxuan! Mu Jinxuan is the best!” A group of girls outside the court were cheering loudly for her; regardless of which class they belonged to, everyone seemed to know her name.

Thud! The basketball traced an arc through the air and slammed straight against the backboard.

The crowd watched with bated breath as the ball spun on the rim. After a half-circle roll, it finally dropped through the hoop. The girls outside the court screamed in delight, the flush on their faces unclear whether it was from being charmed by the girl’s cool three-pointer or excitement over the score.

Mu Jinxuan shook her ear-length short hair and wiped the sweat from her brow with her hand. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her long eyelashes thick and slightly curled. Having just scored, she raised an eyebrow at her opponent, her lips twitching to form a single word.

“Trash!”

“Damn! Mu Jinxuan scored again. Does a girl have to be this fierce? This game was supposed to be a mixed-gender match. Our class sent a girl purely for the extra points in the rules, but Class One sending Mu Jinxuan is literally sending a star player. D*mmit!” The boys from the opposing class were busy discussing this “freak” from Class One.

By tradition, Number One Middle School organized a freshman friendship basketball tournament after the mid-term exams. Since it was a friendship match, the rules differed from standard games. Each class sent five players with five substitutes. Teams could be mixed-gender, and if a girl participated and successfully scored, her points would be doubled.

Though mixed teams were allowed, girls who played basketball were few and far between. Even if a class found a few girls who could play, their skills were rarely on par with the boys. Thus, a tacit agreement had formed over the years: the girls sent by the classes would act as substitutes, playing only in the last two quarters. It was great if they scored, but if not, acting as an assistant on the sidelines was fine. After all, it was a friendship match.

However, this year, an “accident” occurred.

In this match between Class 1-1 and Class 1-5, Class One had sent only one girl to the court—the grade-wide celebrity, Mu Jinxuan. Class Five also had one girl playing. However, in this game, Mu Jinxuan was subbed in during the second quarter. Once she hit the court, she was like a fighting beast—ferocious and aggressive, taking on the boys head-on while dribbling. Initially, when Class Five saw the other side subbing in a girl, they thought they’d take it easy to leave a good impression. To their surprise, Mu Jinxuan had absolutely no intention of being “shown mercy,” nor did she plan to show any.

Mu Jinxuan bent her left arm, crouching low as she dribbled. Catching the right moment, she executed a feint, broke through the double-team, and performed a pull-up jumper, perfectly sinking another three-pointer.

As the ball hit the ground, Mu Jinxuan turned her back to the referee and slowly raised her middle finger toward the boys on the opposing team.

Newbs!

The boys on the other side instantly flared up. One hot-tempered player even tried to charge forward to start a fight but was held back firmly by his teammates, who kept pleading: “She’s a girl, she’s a girl, don’t be so violent, leave a good impression for the ladies.”

“F*ck! You call that a girl?”

Mu Jinxuan had no intention of leaving a good impression. She reached out to snag a pass from a teammate, cocked her eyebrow, and prepared to launch another attack.

Upperclassmen, drawn over by the girls’ screaming, were asking around about this arrogant girl.

“Ah! You’re asking who that girl is? How do we all know her? Senior, haven’t you heard about what happened during military training two months ago?”

Two months ago, it was the time for the new students to enter the school and participate in military training.

That year, Number One Middle School added a new rule—one that made the boys gloat and the girls mourn.

Boys must have buzz cuts; girls must have short hair!

For boys, it was fine; they’d had short hair since childhood, so sportng a flat top every day didn’t matter. But for girls, it was different. As the saying goes, hair is a woman’s second face. Adolescent girls are naturally vain; they wanted a ponytail today, pigtails tomorrow, and braids the day after. This school regulation completely strangled their dreams.

Students who could get into Number One Middle School were either top scholars or from wealthy families who could afford the selection fees. When the news broke, the girls naturally split into three factions.

The first was the “Haircut Faction,” mostly made up of top students. To them, cutting their hair wouldn’t affect their grades and might even help them focus on their studies—so why not? The second was the “Protect the Hairstyle at All Costs Faction,” mostly rich heiresses. They thought that as a provincial key school, Number One wouldn’t have so many rules. Seeing this, they resisted either out of spite toward the school or out of a desire to save their hair. The final faction was the “Indifferent Faction”—you guys fight, I’ll just watch.

Mu Jinxuan’s situation was awkward because she belonged to the “Protect the Hairstyle” faction while being a top scholar.

Mu Jinxuan’s entrance scores were excellent, ranking in the top ten of the grade. The teachers expected her to be a “good girl” type of student, but they didn’t expect this “good girl” to be incredibly stubborn and fierce when it came to her hair.

The September sun was exceptionally venomous, stinging the skin, though a breeze blew occasionally. Across the school field, a sea of green uniforms could be seen as the freshmen underwent their entry training.

“Mu Jinxuan, right? Step out! How many days has it been? You’re still keeping that long hair. I’ve told you every day to get it cut. Look around our company—who else still has long hair? Just you!” The drill instructor spotted her long hair peeking out from under her cap immediately after calling the assembly.

Mu Jinxuan stepped out, looked the instructor in the eye, and frowned. “I’ve said it many times: I’m not cutting my hair.”

The students behind her were used to her defiance. For the past three days, this conversation had happened every single morning.

“So, I can’t control you? Get down! One hundred push-ups!”

This time, Mu Jinxuan didn’t even blink. She dropped down efficiently and started doing push-ups.

The instructor watched her start without a word of protest and said, “Mu Jinxuan, honestly, I admire you. It’s been three days and you haven’t given in despite my harassment. How much do you treasure that hair? I don’t want to use force, but if I don’t act, do you think your Grade Dean won’t?”

After three days of training, with the instructor constantly punishing those holding out, the number of girls with long hair was down to a handful. Mu Jinxuan was the most stubborn; no matter how the instructor punished her, it was useless.

By the end of the morning session, the news of Mu Jinxuan’s refusal to cut her hair had spread throughout the grade. People were even placing bets on who would give in first: Mu Jinxuan or the school.

However, making the school yield was no simple task.

That afternoon, Mu Jinxuan was walking through the school gate with her small bag. Her waist-length hair was tied up, a low ponytail swaying behind her.

Just as she was about to enter, the Grade Dean called her from behind.

The Grade Dean, Li Yulan, was a woman in her fifties. A woman in menopause can appear particularly menacing. “Stop right there, Mu Jinxuan.”

Mu Jinxuan turned to see Dean Li looking at her fiercely. She figured that since the instructor couldn’t handle her, the school administration was stepping in.

“Dean Li, did you call for me?”

“Who else would I be calling? Is there another Mu Jinxuan in this school who hasn’t followed the rules?”

Mu Jinxuan lowered her head. She didn’t want a conflict with Dean Li, especially since her mother had just dropped her off and might still be passing by the gate.

Seeing Mu Jinxuan’s seemingly “aggrieved” look, Li Yulan’s anger flared. “Mu Jinxuan, do you really want me to personally handle that hair of yours? Don’t think that just because your grades are good, you can ignore school rules. We enacted this for your own focus on studying. Don’t look so wronged—do you think having a pretty face makes you special? You came to Number One Middle School to study, not to show off like a peacock!”

Mu Jinxuan’s brow furrowed. She had her reasons for persisting. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to explain; she simply knew that the school wouldn’t listen even if she did.

Students passing by wanted to stop and watch, but fearing Dean Li, they could only glance back frequently, whispering: “Holy crap, Mu Jinxuan finally got caught by the ‘Night Ogress.’ Let’s see if she can keep acting tough now.”

The voices around her were a mix of sighs, sympathy, and mockery.

“Are you mute? Speak up!”

“Dean Li, please stop. I will not cut my hair.” Having said that, Mu Jinxuan adjusted her backpack and walked toward the field.

The surrounding students gasped, eyes widening. Li Yulan’s terrifying reputation had spread through the campus since they were in middle school; Mu Jinxuan’s daring was truly admirable.

Li Yulan, watching Mu Jinxuan turn her back without a shred of remorse, shook with rage. In nearly thirty years of teaching, she had never encountered a girl like this.

Mu Jinxuan walked onto the field. Seeing that training hadn’t started, she took out her water bottle. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her face. With her blunt bangs, she looked exceptionally beautiful—except for the lack of expression on that lovely face.

Before long, the instructor blew his whistle, and Mu Jinxuan marched toward the formation.

At 172cm tall, Mu Jinxuan was placed in the back row. She expected the instructor to come over and berate her as usual, but to her surprise, he stayed at the front of the formation, making no move to come back.

Mu Jinxuan was puzzled—had they given up on her? Then, she saw Li Yulan, who had just left her, walking toward them from a distance.

“Mu Jinxuan, come with me.”

Mu Jinxuan followed Li Yulan to the very front of the training ground.

“Stand straight! Military posture!” Li Yulan nodded at Mu Jinxuan’s perfect form. “You will stand here in military posture all day. Think about it properly, and when you’ve thought it through, come find me.” After speaking, Li Yulan headed for the office.

Li Yulan’s message was clear: if you don’t want to be baked by the sun, cut your hair!

Mu Jinxuan stood under the sun, feeling its poisonous intensity. As she had done countless times before, she cleared her mind and stood as straight as a spear.

During break time, girls from her company came to advise her, though some couldn’t help but mock her.

“Jinxuan, just give in. The sun is so strong; you won’t be able to handle standing here for so long.”

“Tch, what’s she pretending for? Didn’t she say she resolutely refused? Let’s see if she stays tough this time.”

Mu Jinxuan shook her head gently. No one knew what she was thinking.

The morning passed. Aside from an instructor who felt bad and let her rest for fifteen minutes, she spent the rest of the time motionless in her military stance.

Before the lunch break, Li Yulan stood before her again. The other students strained their eyes and ears to pay attention.

“Mu Jinxuan, have you thought it through? What is your final decision?” Mu Jinxuan hadn’t sought her out all morning, and the Dean couldn’t be sure of her attitude.

Mu Jinxuan moved her stiff neck and looked at Li Yulan, her gaze dull.

Seeing her like this, Li Yulan thought she had been driven senseless by the sun and the standing. A moment of panic flickered in her heart; it would be bad if something actually happened to her.

Just as Li Yulan reached out to feel her forehead, Mu Jinxuan moved.

Mu Jinxuan shifted her stiff body as her consciousness returned. She looked at Li Yulan with darkened eyes, then turned to grab the small bag she had brought that morning.

Mu Jinxuan pulled out a pair of scissors.

She held the scissors and stared directly at Li Yulan.

“I’ll cut it,” a slightly raspy voice emerged from her throat, sounding like a beast from the abyss growling.

In front of Li Yulan, and in front of the entire grade, Mu Jinxuan cut off the long hair she had fought so hard to keep.

Snip. The long hair fell into Mu Jinxuan’s slender hands. The rubber band that had held her ponytail snapped as if finally freed, falling to the ground. Her extremely short hair scattered; sunlight shone through the strands onto her face. Because her back was to the sun, Li Yulan couldn’t see her expression clearly, but she could distinctly feel that the girl’s aura had changed. Everyone in the training field was stunned by the sight.