Chapter 37：Falling Out of Love

"Your teacher-in-charge asked me to substitute him, but I still cannot do this in a haphazard manner. Let's start with the roll call. The students whose names I called, please respond."

Lin Wu took a list of names up from the rostrum and began to recite them one by one.

Although there was no need for roll calls in a senior high school, he still wanted to probe further.

"...next, Zhang Yuqing."

When Lin Wu called this name, the round-faced girl sitting at the corner inclined her head and said, "I'm present."

"Next...Pei Jianing."

When Lin Wu recited this, his gaze was fixed on Zhang Yuqing.

When Zhang Yuqing heard this, her expression clearly changed. She seemed to be somewhat nervous and found it hard to sit with ease.

"Pei Jianing?" Lin Wu intentionally read the name again.

The ponytail girl below had a puzzled look on her face. Didn't this handsome guy already know that Pei Jianing had transferred school? Why would he still read her name out?

"Teacher, Pei Jianing has transferred school."

"She transferred away last month."

A few of the students below took the initiative to reply.

"Oh, is that so?" Lin Wu shook his head but declined to comment. He cast another deep glance at Zhang Yuqing who was at the corner.

As though she was feeling guilty, she hurriedly lowered her head.

After Lin Wu finished reading the names, he didn't say anything and got the students to start on the mock papers.

He sat behind the rostrum and glanced at the students below. After he turned his phone to silent, he opened up Wechat and sent a message to Li Luyao. "There's no need to investigate any further, I already know it. The person with the word Bing (ice) in her name is called Xia Bing."

After a while, Li Luyao sent a message over. "Xia Bing? I think I know her."

After that, Li Luyao sent a photo over that had two people in it. Li Luyao was on the left, and there was a girl with slightly dark skin on the right. Her frame was slender and her figure was tall. It was none other than Xia Bing.

"Is the Xia Bing you referring to, this person?" Li Luyao asked.

"Mn, it's her." Lin Wu swiftly texted. "You know her?"

Li Luyao replied, "Her father has cooperated with my family's company, and I met her before in a private party. It can be considered that I'm acquainted with her."

"How is her personality?" Lin Wu asked.

A moment later, Li Luyao replied, "Her family is considered newly rich, so Xia Bing's personality was also a little unreasonable. She liked to flaunt her wealth and didn't have much self-restraint. However, she was very sentimental."

Not waiting for Lin Wu to reply, she sent another message, "I think Xia Bing was in love with a guy very much. When her family was not rich yet, she was already wooing that guy. And last year, after her family became rich, she used all sorts of methods and finally managed to pursue that guy. In the past, she would frequently make a public display of her affection in her Moments, saying that as long as one perseveres unremittingly, they would be able to find true love."

Lin Wu asked again, "In that case, do you think that the guy is in love with Xia Bing?"

Li Luyao replied, "Instinctively, I think that guy doesn't really like her much. At the very least, from their couple photos, that guy has never smiled before. Maybe it was because Xia Bing used money to pursue him, and he decided to agree to her courtship reluctantly."

Lin Wu paused before typing. "Has she broken up with that guy?"

After some time, Li Luyao replied, "They broke up. Last month, Xia Bing posted plenty of baffling stories on her Moments. I'll go take some screenshots of her Moments and send them to you."

A while later, a bunch of screenshots were sent over to him.

Lin Wu opened them up…

[There's someone who taught you how to love, but he no longer loves you.]

[After a man completely understood a woman, he would no longer love her in the future.]

[A tiny and insignificant flower that wouldn't bloom even if it was planted in the earth. Am I really that irrelevant? Why are you giving me up so easily?]

After reading a few of them, Lin Wu couldn't help but feel astonished.

Zhang Ailing?

This Xia Bing was truly a besotted young girl. These young children kept speaking about love like they understood it, didn't they know shame?

Lin Wu continued reading…

[I rather give up everything, but the only thing I don't want to lose is you]

[Hundreds of my romantic sentences cannot be compared to her disregard for you. A thousand bits of my effort doesn't hold a candle to a single 'thank you' from her. Is that so?]

[Hehe...you rejected me once again. How ruthless are you? I did so many things, but in your eyes, everything that I've done is insignificant!]

[Very well. Don't you like her? In that case, I will make sure that she would have no way to see you forever!]

That was all the screenshots sent by Li Luyao.

However, the latest update in Xia Bing's Moments (social networking function of Wechat) was precisely on the morning of 10th June, the day when Pei Jianing was tossed onto the road with broken legs.

In that case, Xia Bing must have found someone to deal with Pei Jianing.

Lin Wu pondered for a while before he asked, "Are you sure that the police didn't inform Pei Jianing's classmates?"

Very soon, Li Luyao replied, "That's correct. The police only informed the school. Most probably, the school was afraid that this incident might influence their reputation. And since Pei Jianing was an orphan, they must have decided to use the excuse that she has transferred schools."

Lin Wu replied, "Alright, I understood. Let's get in touch again if there are updates on the matter."

After putting his phone down, he swept his glance at the classroom. He suddenly discovered the round-faced girl named 'Zhang Yuqing' lying on her desk. It was unknown whether she was sleeping or not.

Lin Wu's heart stirred. He walked down from the rostrum and slowly moved toward the classroom's corner before lightly rapping on Zhang Yuqing's desk. He then asked in a low voice, "Student, are you tired?"

Zhang Yuqing was startled awake. She glanced at Lin Wu before lowering her head with some fear. "Teacher, I'm sorry."

"Seems like the classroom is too stuffy, come out with me."

Lin Wu spoke and turned before walking out of the classroom.

In any case, he was letting the other students work on the mock papers. Since it wasn't a true examination, it wouldn't matter even if he wasn't around for a while.

Zhang Yuqing was clearly anxious and frightened as she followed behind Lin Wu. She cautiously walked out of the classroom.

Before Lin Wu left, he paid attention to the class's reaction. The majority of the students showed no reaction, but there was a minority that was rejoicing in Zhang Yuqing's apparent calamity.

It seemed like Zhang Yuqing also didn't have any good relationships with anyone in the class.

The two of them, one forward and one behind, continued to walk to the corner of the corridor outside the classroom. Only then did Lin Wu stop. He turned and looked at Zhang Yuqing.

Zhang Yuqing hurriedly apologized, "Teacher, I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't sleep well last night, and I feel a little sleepy now."

"Don't worry about it."

Lin Wu shook his head and smiled. "I won't make things difficult for you. I used to nap during classes too in the past. Also, you are a friend of my friend. Hence, there's no way I would make things difficult for you."

"A friend of your friend?" Zhang Yuqing was slightly startled.

"Mn, she said that you are her only friend in this class."

When Lin Wu said this, he discovered that Zhang Yuqing's expression had changed. He then continued softly, "My friend is Pei Jianing...you know her, right?"

When Zhang Yuqing heard this name, her body involuntarily trembled and she subconsciously took a step back. Her face was somewhat pale as she forcefully squeezed out a smile. "My relationship with her isn't that good either. We were only classmates who sat close to each other…"

Lin Wu took note of her reaction. He remained calm and collected as he smiled. "Oh is that so? She told me before that she's very happy that she has a friend like you."

"..."

Zhang Yuqing didn't say anything, but she subconsciously lowered her head.

"Actually, you should have guessed at the reason why I asked you to come out, right?" Lin Wu's tone became heavy.

Zhang Yuqing didn't say anything, only biting her lips in response.

Lin Wu surveyed her and continued, "I wish to know, did what happened to her...have something to do with you?"

Zhang Yuqing went completely pale, like a cat with its tail stepped upon. She agitatedly waved her hands. "Not me, it has nothing to do with me. She clearly died in a car accident."

Lin Wu narrowed his eyes slightly. "She was in a car accident? How did you know this? Didn't Pei Jianing transfer school?"

Zhang Yuqing was stunned. Only now did she realize that she had exposed herself. She hurriedly pretended to be calm. "I also have no idea…I heard someone saying so."

"The people in your class all thought that she had transferred school. So who did you hear that from?" Lin Wu stared at Zhang Yuqing.

Note:

Zhang Ailing is a famous chinese-american novelist