Chapter 8: Chapter 8 But I Don't Want to Give In

Xie Xiao looked at the message and furrowed his brows slightly.

Damn it, he had forgotten to block the number.

His fingers didn't stop moving, blocking the number with one click.

That felt good.

These past few days he hadn't dared to contact Luo Yanran himself because their chat history, when he scrolled to the very top, started over two years ago, during his freshman year of high school.

At that time, he was also fawning over Zhou Mianmian, comparing it to those few pages of chat history with Luo Yanran.

The lengthy chat history with Zhou Mianmian was blinding by contrast.

Every message of concern and tenderness made him look like a fool.

So, after seeing Zhou Mianmian's pretentious Moments post that night filled with her tea ceremony, Xie Xiao decisively blocked her.

And then he felt much more at ease.

He hadn't noticed that Zhou Mianmian's phone number wasn't blocked yet, but now it was.

Lin Yu watched his alternating happy and emotionless expressions and was seriously worried, "Dude, why don't you go worship at a temple or something? Seriously, I've felt something's been off with you for years, like you've been cursed."

He sighed, "Honestly, what do you even like about Zhou Mianmian? Not pretty, mediocre grades, just that soft and weak appearance, good at nothing but playing the victim—I really don't see any merits!"

Xie Xiao, on the other hand, was the opposite: good grades, tall and handsome, a mild-mannered and polite personality—full of merits.

For some unknown reason, back then he began to desperately fawn over Zhou Mianmian, as if under a spell. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Xie Xiao gave him a look and seriously recalled why he had liked Zhou Mianmian so much in the first place.

It seemed to start from seeing her feed stray cats. They were classmates in freshman year, and her family's financial situation was very poor; even her tuition fees were waived, something the teacher had mentioned in class at the beginning of the school year.

Xie Xiao hadn't paid much attention to her initially, only thinking that she seemed nice enough, never refusing others who sought her help.

Until one day, he saw her frail figure at the back gate, where stray cats often appeared after school.

The way she gently fed the stray cats with canned food imprinted itself on his heart.

The fondness of youth truly might stem from a gesture, a turn back, and an inadvertent but beautiful glimpse.

Xie Xiao now could still remember that day's scene, but he simply laughed and said, "I guess I was really bewitched."

There's nothing to regret about having liked someone and made an effort. It's just that the eventual knowledge of the result still led to regret and anger.

So he wasn't going to make the same mistake in this lifetime.

Xie Xiao felt a bit disappointed when he didn't receive a reply from Luo Yanran even after lunch break ended; it seemed like today's meal wasn't happening.

Instead, Liu Xiuping, who was sitting in front of him, turned around and asked, "Xie Xiao, where did Mianmian go?"

Xie Xiao looked at her, utterly puzzled, "How would I know? Aren't you her desk mate? You don't know and you're asking me?"

Liu Xiuping was stunned. She hadn't believed the gossip from two classmates who came back and whispered to her that Xie Xiao had changed. After all, Mianmian had said they were just in a little spat.

But seeing Xie Xiao now looking so indifferent and careless, Liu Xiuping couldn't help but think, has Xie Xiao really moved on?

So, was Mianmian just waiting in vain the whole lunch break?

Therefore, she couldn't help but whisper, "Mianmian is waiting for you in the garden by the side gate. Didn't you get the message?"

"If you know where she is, why are you asking me?" Xie Xiao just gave her a speechless look and then returned to focusing on his practice problems.

Lin Yu snorted coldly beside him, "Old trick. Not taking the initiative themselves while coaxing others to do their bidding, giving themselves an out when the time comes. That's why I say this tactic is pretty clever. Liu Xiuping, you do realize, in TV dramas, Zhou Mianmian would be the lead. You're just an accompanying maid, doing whatever they say."

They were all young girls in their adolescence; no one would like being called a servant.

Liu Xiuping glared at Lin Yu, "You're the one with the big mouth, you're the servant!"

Then she turned and left in a huff, not interested in being anyone's servant, especially when she herself wasn't particularly attractive!

They didn't bring up Zhou Mianmian's issue anymore.

Zhou Mianmian really did wait in the side garden for an entire lunch break, but Xie Xiao never showed up.

Seeing that it was almost time for class, she grew anxious and sent a WeChat message to Liu Xiuping. She had asked her to subtly remind Xie Xiao before, so why hadn't she seen him by now?

However, after she sent the message, Liu Xiuping simply replied, "How should I know? Handle your own affairs, will you? It's not like you're mute!"

Even through the internet, her anger was palpable.

Zhou Mianmian was stunned. Had something happened while she was out of the classroom?

In the end, she didn't dare to skip class and returned to the classroom.

It wasn't until she was back in the classroom that she realized Xie Xiao was really there, but even after she sat down, he kept his head down, working on problems, and never once spared her an extra glance.

Zhou Mianmian felt like crying again. After all this time, she still hadn't figured out what was wrong with Xie Xiao.

He wasn't willing to talk to her, so she felt really wronged. She hadn't done anything, yet why was Xie Xiao acting like this?

Zhou Mianmian spent the entire day waiting for class to end in the evening.

Their school required senior three students to take evening classes, but there was a two-hour break in between.

The students weren't necessarily required to eat at school; they could also go out to eat somewhere else.

Zhou Mianmian hadn't eaten much all day, only having bought a bread roll with her card at noon, and she noticed that there was only a little over 90 yuan left on it.

This would have been unheard of before; ever since meeting Xie Xiao, he had made sure that her meal card never fell below 200 yuan.

But it was just the first day of school, and Xie Xiao had been ignoring her completely, let alone recharging her meal card.

As soon as the bell rang signaling the end of class, and the teacher had just left the room, Zhou Mianmian turned to Xie Xiao and said, "Shall we have dinner together?"

Her voice was timid, lacking her previous assertiveness and the pride she used to have when facing Xie Xiao. She sounded as if she was trying to ingratiate herself, just like she would with anyone else.

Liu Xiuping glanced at her but didn't say anything, leaving with other classmates.

Lin Yu stood up and called out to Xie Xiao, "Are we still going to exchange that necklace?"

"Yes," Xie Xiao replied without so much as glancing at Zhou Mianmian, and he got up as well.

But just as he stood up, his hand was seized by a small, soft, pale hand. Zhou Mianmian's eyes were red, and her voice very low, "Xie Xiao, that necklace you gave me, do you really not want it anymore?"

Xie Xiao finally looked her straight in the eye and then glanced at the hand she was holding before gently breaking free, "You said it yourself, it was a gift from me. You gave it back to me this morning, so how I deal with it is my business now."

"But I regret it, Xie Xiao, I still want it," Zhou Mianmian said softly.

Not just the necklace; she also wanted you to be good to me alone, just like before.

Unfortunately, Xie Xiao shook his head, "Too bad, I don't want to give it anymore."

Then, he turned to Lin Yu and said, "Let's go."

Zhou Mianmian sat in her chair, watching him as he walked away without looking back.

She had cried too much that day, and her eyes were now painfully sore.

Lowering her head in hurt, she wondered, what did she do wrong?

Xie Xiao had said that no matter what she did, she would always have privileges and be forgiven in his eyes. How could he suddenly change?

Yan Shi had been waiting behind for quite a while. Seeing Xie Xiao leave, and Zhou Mianmian sitting with her head down, he walked over and crouched in front of her, offering a tissue, "Mianmian, don't be sad. Xie Xiao probably has changed his mind. I even saw him talking to Luo Yanran in the cafeteria earlier. He's not worth it..."

"Xie Xiao would never!" Zhou Mianmian suddenly pushed his hand away, stood up, and looked at Yan Shi with contempt, "From now on, stay away from me!"

Then, she turned and walked away.

Yan Shi was left behind, his face contorted in anger, and then he glared fiercely at the place where Xie Xiao had been.