Zhou Nanye lowered his gaze slightly, his embarrassment palpable. Though he had anticipated this, the ridicule from the crowd still felt like a blade slicing his heart.

Only then did Zhou Ling’er step forward to speak on his behalf, looking conflicted as she tried to mediate. “You shouldn’t laugh at Nanye. He doesn’t want to stutter either!”

“He already feels terrible. Please try to be more understanding…”

Despite Zhou Ling’er’s efforts to defend him, a few mischievous boys deliberately mimicked Zhou Nanye’s stuttering. Their exaggerated imitation fueled even louder laughter from the class.

Zhou Ling’er grew anxious and began to cry, crystalline tears cascading down her delicate face. Her pitiful expression, like a weeping flower, stirred sympathy among the male students.

Many of the boys couldn’t help but feel moved by her kindness. At the same time, they directed their frustration at Zhou Nanye, silently blaming him for his weakness. A girl shouldn’t have to stand up and speak for a boy—it was shameful.

Yet none of them considered Zhou Nanye’s plight. If he were to defend himself, his stutter would only provoke more mockery, amplifying the humiliation.

In truth, Zhou Nanye hadn’t wanted to introduce himself at all. He would have preferred to let others mistake him for being aloof, quietly writing his name on the board without speaking. Anything was better than revealing his stutter.

But Zhou Ling’er had urged him to confront his condition. She had told him that avoiding it wasn’t the answer and that he needed to accept his stutter.

“People are kind,” she had said. “They’ll understand.”

Zhou Nanye had believed her, only to find that every time he exposed his stutter, the result was the same—laughter, whether suppressed or outright.

And although Zhou Ling’er always stepped in to defend him, even shedding tears on his behalf, it never helped him integrate into the group. Instead, it solidified her image as the kind-hearted girl willing to stand up for a friend in need.

Was Zhou Nanye oblivious to the pattern after experiencing it repeatedly? Perhaps he understood, but he refused to dwell on it.

After all, Zhou Ling’er was his only friend.

For someone who had lived in darkness all their life, even a false light was worth clinging to, no matter how much it hurt.

Zhou Ling’er’s tearful display not only stirred sympathy among some boys but also caught the attention of one in particular.

A boy with striking yellow-dyed hair and a sunny, handsome face was seated by the window, slouched in a carefree manner.

This was none other than Ming Yao, the male protagonist of this world.

Watching the transfer student cry to defend a useless boy, Ming Yao felt a sudden urge to intervene on her behalf.

But just as he opened his mouth to speak, a voice beat him to it.

A sweet yet commanding female voice rang out from the back of the classroom:

“Do you people have no decency? Cut it out! Let’s see who dares laugh again!”

The laughter in the classroom came to an abrupt halt, the jovial atmosphere freezing midair.

Everyone turned their heads toward the source of the voice.

The girl who had spoken was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, her chin slightly raised. Despite the heavy makeup—dark eyeliner and bright lipstick—her stunning, delicate features were impossible to overlook.

Her sharp beauty, combined with her assertive demeanor, made her presence utterly commanding. For a moment, no one dared make a sound.

After all, her family stood on equal footing with Ming Yao’s—a lineage of wealth and power built over generations. Her family’s influence was far beyond what most of them could imagine, and it was this status that made her and Ming Yao the school’s reigning queen and king.

This girl was none other than Jiang Mianmian.

From her seat, Jiang Mianmian had observed Zhou Ling’er’s so-called defense of Zhou Nanye, which only worsened the situation.

It felt like a performance—an act staged to highlight Zhou Ling’er’s virtue while leaving Zhou Nanye alone, a scapegoat for ridicule.

The radiant boy, usually as light and refreshing as a breeze, now seemed enveloped in darkness, weighed down by the clouds of humiliation.

Jiang Mianmian felt both anger and an aching sense of pity. She couldn’t stay silent.

…

Zhou Nanye had kept his head bowed, retreating into a world of isolation and silence.

But when the girl spoke up for him, her voice clear and unwavering, it felt like a beam of light piercing the shadows that had long consumed him.