Chapter 7: He’s lying … you actually believed me!

By the end of June the sun had already grown strong, baking the campus’s flowers, grass, and trees until they looked exhausted.

The experimental class filed out of the teaching building, and Chen Fan quickened his pace and, to everyone’s shocked stares, grabbed the small hand of Wolong’s flower, Li Miaoyi.

Even more shocking was that Li Miaoyi did not struggle.

What on earth was going on?!

“You guys…” the words trailed off.

Zheng Xingtao’s joy vanished as he stared blankly at the newly coupled pair holding hands, feeling like his CPU was about to explode.

Hadn’t he already confessed for Chen Fan and been rejected?

Chen Fan gripped the slightly tense little hand and, meeting everyone’s astonished expressions, openly admitted, “That’s right, Miaoyi and I are together.”

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!!

When those words came out, not only Zheng Xingtao but several others present made sounds of heartbreak.

Li Miaoyi was strikingly beautiful and she also excelled in both character and academics, making her the undisputed class beauty.

Chen Fan was hardly anyone special; what qualifications did he have to be worthy of her?

They shouted that if Miaoyi was being threatened she should say something, because the moment she spoke they would all rush in to rescue her.

Unfortunately, although Li Miaoyi’s expression and body appeared stiff, she made no move to break free.

That caused the classmates who had been clinging to hope to have their spirits plummet.

Zheng Xingtao was even more distraught and felt like a clown.

If Chen Fan and Li Miaoyi were already a couple, then what meaning was there for him to go to Modou?

No wonder Li Miaoyi had purposely nodded toward them today, and no wonder Chen Fan insisted on applying to Donghai University…

“Hm? Donghai University…” the remark lingered.

Zheng Xingtao had found a clue, and hope rekindled in his eyes.

He thought Chen Fan was bound to fail the exam, and that gave him hope.

Chen Fan would not let other men covet his girlfriend, so he moved to block everyone’s view with his body.

He also caught sight of Huang Kexin walking over from not far away, and the closer she got the more incredulous her expression became.

“Miaoyi, what are you doing…?” the words trailed off.

“I… I’m with Chen… Brother Fan.”

To prevent Huang Kexin from making trouble, Li Miaoyi lifted her flushed cheeks and, for the first time, proactively acknowledged their relationship.

That utterly shattered the hearts of the boys around them.

Li Miaoyi, are you out of your mind?!

Huang Kexin refused to believe it, saying that the two had nearly come to blows yesterday, so how could they be together today?

Do you take me for an idiot?!

“Miaoyi, did Chen Fan threaten you? You didn’t steal anything, so what are you afraid of him for…?”

Huang Kexin resented Li Miaoyi for not going to dinner last night, so she deliberately and loudly recounted what had happened yesterday.

The classmates froze, and their expressions gradually turned strange.

They said that the two who usually never spoke had suddenly become a couple, and that it seemed the campus belle had leverage over Chen Fan.

But it still didn’t feel right.

The campus belle was both wealthy and well-mannered; how could she possibly commit theft!

Li Miaoyi panicked and didn’t know how to explain, and she was so frightened that her lips began to pale.

If the theft rumor were proven true, her reputation would be completely ruined.

Chen Fan promptly put his upright figure between his girlfriend and the others and bluntly addressed Huang Kexin:

“Huang Kexin, don’t spread rumors; that misunderstanding was already cleared up yesterday, and the police and the bystanders can confirm it!”

“As for why I’m suddenly with Miaoyi…” he began to explain.

Chen Fan turned his head to look at his good friend Zheng Xingtao.

“I have to thank Brother Tao; he helped me write a confession letter before, and that finally gave me the courage to express my feelings.”

Unfortunately, Miaoyi returned the letter on the spot.

“I thought I had no chance, so when I saw Miaoyi acting furtive in the supermarket yesterday, I instinctively assumed she was stealing something.”

“Fueled by the bitterness of the failed confession and provoked by Huang Kexin, I impulsively chose to call the police.”

“I didn’t expect that she had come to accept my confession, but was too embarrassed to speak up…”

A collective hiss escaped.

Surprisingly, this whole string of twisted logic, when calmly presented by Chen Fan, actually convinced the vast majority of the classmates.

Mainly because nobody had believed Li Miaoyi would steal in the first place, and now that there was a reason, they became even more certain.

The only thing they still couldn’t believe was how Li Miaoyi could possibly take a shine to Chen Fan.

Is being handsome such a big deal?

Zheng Xingtao was even more dejected and felt utterly miserable, thinking that if those two were together he had actually been the one who had done the most to make it happen.

Huang Kexin watched Chen Fan turn black into white and nearly ran out of breath; her chest heaved as she cried urgently, “He’s lying, you mustn’t believe him…”

No one responded to that, and Huang Kexin simply appeared to be an uneducated little tough girl, someone completely unlike them.

Ignoring Huang Kexin’s clamoring, the group resumed their walk off campus.

Chen Fan walked at the very back holding Li Miaoyi’s small hand, with no mood to savor the status of a campus belle, and he asked in a low voice:

“Miaoyi, do you have any cash or a bank card? I want to borrow 3,000 yuan from you and I’ll return it by tomorrow at the latest.”

“Ah? I do…”

Li Miaoyi swallowed the words of gratitude in her mouth, didn’t ask what he needed it for, and hastily nodded.

Chen Fan was relieved upon hearing that.

Since Li Miaoyi had money, he didn’t have to rush back to fetch cash; he only needed to beat Zheng Xingtao to the raffle.

One should always repay a favor.

Pinching Li Miaoyi’s slightly sweaty little hand, Chen Fan kindly warned, “Huang Kexin is not a good person; you should avoid getting too close to her.”

“I know…” Li Miaoyi was unusually obedient today, her chest rising and falling a few times as she summoned the courage and said, “Chen… Brother Fan, thank you…”

Chen Fan waved his hand casually and said, “You’re my girlfriend; it’s only right I stand up for you.”

“But don’t think that this will mean everything is settled; I can help you cover the lie, and I can just as well retract my testimony.”

“Don’t forget the recording is still in my hands.”

“….” A heavy silence hung in the air.

Only then did Li Miaoyi realize the purpose of the recording, and unusually she showed no resistance; her mind was filled with images of Chen Fan stepping forward for her.

They took the bus to the county center and arrived at a fairly large shop that was bustling with activity, with occasional exclamations rising from the crowd.

Under the lead of an unenthusiastic Zheng Xingtao, the classmates entered a store called Wolong Appliances, and the atmosphere immediately cooled.

After looking around at the store’s upscale interior, many classmates gasped in surprise; the county rarely had such a refined, fashionable place.

Chen Fan also studied his surroundings closely, and distant memories surfaced.

Wolong Appliance City hadn’t been open long and had closed down within a year.

First, they had overreached and their business concept wasn’t suitable for a small county whose population mostly worked away.

Second, the owner had passed off inferior goods to fool rural customers who didn’t know better.

Once their reputation collapsed, it became very difficult to do business among the townspeople.

Boss Wu Xingde, however, was full of spirit at that moment, and after accompanying a lucky winner through the prize draw he strode over.

He deliberately pretended not to know Zheng Xingtao and welcomed everyone:

“You should all be graduating students who just finished filling in your preferences, right; let me first wish you all success in getting into your desired schools.”

“Coincidentally, our store is holding a grand opening promotion, and our phones and computers are much cheaper than elsewhere.”

“And we also have a raffle with plenty of prizes; classmates, don’t miss it…”

“Really? Then I simply have to buy something.”

Chen Fan stepped in before Zheng Xingtao and was the most eager to go along.

Since Boss Wu was so enthusiastic, he decided not to hold back.