The noon dismissal bell rang, and Mei looked up at her usually close friends.
Even Ling Feng believed her, not shunning her.
Then... they shouldn't... shun or reject her.
Mei nervously and hesitantly stood up and walked towards her closest friends.
Ling Feng didn't leave immediately that day. He gave his bento to Mirai, telling her and Sagiri to eat first, while he sat at his seat, pretending to read.
In reality, he was observing the situation with Mei.
Based on Mei's background story, she was bound to face setbacks everywhere.
And Mei herself didn't know this.
Mei approached her close friends, her voice wavering.
"Um... um... do you want to have lunch together?"
"I made today's bento myself!"
To her surprise, as Mei walked over, the faces of her friends, who were much closer to her than Ling Feng, changed. They forced a smile and replied.
"Sorry, Mei. We planned to eat at the cafeteria today."
"Yeah, that's right. Sorry, Mei."
"Then can we..."
"Goodbye, Mei."
Before Mei could finish speaking, her close friends quickly interrupted her, got up, and pushed each other out of the classroom.
It seemed they were afraid of any further contact with Mei.
Mei watched her close friends, who fled as if seeing a fierce beast, with disappointment and fell silent.
She wasn't stupid.
She understood that they were deliberately keeping their distance from her.
"Then... I'll go ask someone else."
Mei's voice grew weaker, as if she were speaking to them.
However, Mei didn't give up. Her gaze fell on a few boys in the class who had confessed to her before.
If she approached them proactively this time, it shouldn't be...
Thinking this, Mei walked over, forcing a smile at the boys.
"Um... does everyone want to have lunch together? I made today's bento myself."
However, the boys who had confessed to Mei didn't even bother to hide their disdain. They sneered mockingly.
"Who wants to eat with you, daughter of a criminal!"
"You made your own food today because no one prepared it for you, right!"
Afterward, the boys walked out of the classroom. kanδん
The other people in the classroom, hearing the boys' words, seemed to be afraid of Mei approaching them and left the classroom in groups.
Suddenly, the classroom became empty, with only Ling Feng and Mei remaining.
"No! My father isn't a criminal!"
"No... it can't be!!"
Mei could no longer hold back, her inner world collapsing. She shouted loudly.
Mei's eyes welled up with tears, which fell drop by drop. She returned to her seat, dejected.
Mei's eyes were watery. She took out the bento she had made from her desk and took a bite.
Mei put it down after a single bite.
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, her voice hoarse and nasal.
"The food I made... tastes so bad..."
"Dad..."
Mei sat on her stool, buried her head on her desk, and cried softly, heartbroken.
This time, she realized that the world was not as beautiful as she had imagined.
She was never a happy bird, but merely a crow with a piece of meat in its mouth in the eyes of others.
And those around her who praised her were not little animals, but merely foxes with drool running down their mouths.
When they found that the meat in the crow's mouth was gone, they naturally left.
"Mei, don't be sad. Wipe your tears."
Mei heard the voice and slowly raised her head. Ling Feng stood at her desk, his eyes filled with gentleness, and offered her a pack of tissues.
Mei was stunned.
"Ling Feng-kun... didn't you... leave?"
"No, I've been in the classroom all along."
"But... you usually go to lunch with your sister and the others at this time."
"I had something else to do today, so I let Mirai and the others go first. Here, wipe your tears first."
Ling Feng pulled out a few tissues and gently wiped the tears from Mei's cheeks.
Feeling the touch on her face and seeing Ling Feng's face so close, Mei's cheeks suddenly flushed.
So close!
"Wait, I can do it myself."
Mei quickly and flusteredly took the tissues from Ling Feng's hand, her face crimson.
Ling Feng smiled slightly. Mei's shy appearance was like a late-blooming flower, hiding behind green leaves, afraid to show her face.
Mei woodenly wiped her tears, involuntarily recalling the scene just moments ago, her heart pounding.
Ling Feng-kun is so gentle...
Although it felt a bit shy... that feeling was so warm...
As for what had just happened, she temporarily forgot about it.
After all, her mind was filled with the image of Ling Feng wiping her tears.
"Mei, do you want to have lunch together?"
Ling Feng took out his bento from his desk, smiled, and shook it.
Mei blinked. The feeling of shyness gradually faded.
The words of rejection from earlier resurfaced in her mind.
Mei was a little apprehensive, blinked her eyes, and asked cautiously.
"Are you sure?"
Unconsciously, she seemed to lower her own status.
After all, she was the daughter of a criminal.
Although she didn't believe her father was truly a criminal, her father had indeed been imprisoned.
She had also heard the gossip behind her back, which had affected her to some extent.
"Of course."
Ling Feng opened his bento, and a fragrant aroma burst forth, filling the classroom.
Mei looked at the abundant food in Ling Feng's lunchbox, her eyes blinked, shining, and she said with surprise.
"It smells so good. Ling Feng-kun, did you make this yourself?"
Ling Feng nodded and replied with a smile.
"Yes, I made it. It's just my sister and me at home, so we have to know how to cook, otherwise we'd starve."
"You said your bento tasted bad, how about we switch?"
Mei quickly waved her hand.
She couldn't give her own bad food to someone else and take their delicious food for herself.
"No, no, how can I do that? You..."
Before Mei could finish speaking, Ling Feng had already completed the bento exchange.
Under Mei's intending-to-stop gaze, Ling Feng quickly picked up a piece of sushi and took a light bite.
Mei's hand froze in mid-air.
It's over!
Ling Feng closed his eyes, chewed twice, and swallowed the sushi in one bite.
Ling Feng's eyes suddenly snapped open, a spark of light flashing within them.
"Delicious!!!"
It wasn't that Ling Feng was trying to comfort Mei; her bento was genuinely delicious, her cooking even better than his.
"Huh?!"
Mei exclaimed in surprise.
She had just taken a bite, and it tasted terrible?
But seeing Ling Feng's eyes shining, and him taking another bite, enjoying it so much, it didn't seem like he was just saying that to comfort her.
Seeing Ling Feng eating with relish, Mei couldn't help but swallow her saliva. Her stomach rumbled twice, and she felt a bit hungry.
Mei looked at Ling Feng's bento in front of her, picked up her chopsticks, and took a taste.
Mmm! Delicious!
The two ate lunch while chatting.
As for Mei, she had temporarily forgotten her unpleasant experience and returned to her usual smiling self.
"Ling Feng-kun, you mentioned earlier that your parents aren't with you?"
"Yes, it's just my sister and me at home. As for my parents, they're not in Changkong City."
"Ling Feng-kun, you're so capable, taking care of yourself and your sister alone."
"Not at all, don't praise me, or I'll get conceited. (*σ´∀`)σ"
On the rooftop of the junior high school, Sagiri ate her bento with a complaining expression, muttering.
"Ling Feng, that scoundrel, is flirting with another girl again. Doesn't he have enough already?"
"Master is probably just showing concern for others, right?"
Mirai smiled faintly at Sagiri, who was full of resentment.
...
In the afternoon, the dismissal bell rang. Mei packed her bag, ready to go to the kendo club.
"Ling Feng, bye."
"Mm, bye."
Ling Feng quietly watched Mei leave, then glanced at the students in the class who were secretly looking at him and whispering.
He didn't need to guess what they were talking about.
It was probably about him chatting so happily with Mei, the daughter of a criminal, and implying he wasn't a good person either.
A bunch of hypocrites.
Ling Feng ignored them and started packing his things to leave.
Suddenly, Ling Feng noticed a few boys picking up watercolors and heading towards Mei's desk. His brow furrowed.
"Is this really okay?"
"What are you afraid of? She's the daughter of a criminal!"
"Exactly. Us doodling on her desk is just marking her as the daughter of a criminal. The teachers won't care too much."
The boys were still discussing quietly as they walked.
Suddenly, a figure blocked their path. The boys paused slightly, frowning, and said.
"Ling Feng-kun, please move aside."
Ling Feng looked at them and asked coldly.
"What do you intend to do?"
"What we do is none of your business."
"What you do is indeed none of my business, but I'm just telling you that your intentions are not good."
The boys knew Ling Feng was trying to stop them, and their expressions immediately turned unpleasant.
"What we intend to do is none of your place to dictate."
"Yes, but Mei is my friend. As a friend, I should intervene in this matter."
"Being friends with the daughter of a criminal, you must not be a good person yourself."
"I don't know if I'm a good person, but I know that all of you are much more hypocritical than me."
The boys immediately flared up, glaring at Ling Feng.
"What do you mean!"
"What do I mean? Do I have to spell it out? When Mei had money and power, you fawned over her. When her family ran into trouble, you just gossiped about her behind her back?"
"She's the daughter of a criminal!"
"Yes! I can't refute what you said, but is she a criminal just because her father is a criminal?!"
"You! She's the daughter of a criminal, so she can't be any good! You're the same!"
"Much better than you hypocrites."
"You scoundrel!"
The boys were instantly enraged and lunged forward, preparing to teach Ling Feng a lesson together.
Suddenly, a sharp voice from the doorway rang out.
"Stop!"
Ling Feng and the boys looked over and saw Mei, who had returned.
Mei quickly walked to Ling Feng's side, tugged at his clothes, and advised.
"Ling Feng, forget it. Don't argue with them."
Just as the boys were about to say something, the head teacher of the second year came in.
Seeing the tense atmosphere between Ling Feng and the boys, he frowned and shouted.
"School's out, and you're still here? Are you trying to fight?"
"Sorry, we'll leave immediately."
The boys deflated instantly. The head teacher was not to be trifled with. They glared at Ling Feng one last time and slunk away.
"Hoo..."
Mei let out a long sigh.
Ling Feng turned around, looking confused.
"Mei, why did you come back?"
"I forgot my practice book. Ling Feng, don't waste your energy on them, let's go home quickly."
"Mei."
"Please."
"...Alright."
Then Ling Feng left with Mirai. Mei sighed and found her practice book from her desk.
She didn't want Ling Feng to get entangled in her troubles.
Mei walked across the campus.
People passing by cast sideways glances, then started whispering.
[That's the daughter of a criminal.]
[Yes, yes. I can't believe her father turned out to be that kind of person.]
[.........]
Those malicious gazes were like sharp swords piercing Mei's heart.
Mei's expression was troubled, and she couldn't help but quicken her pace, but those malicious eyes continued to envelop her entire body.
Only when she entered the kendo club did Mei feel as if she had climbed out of a cold, dark sea and breathed a sigh of relief.
After changing into her kendo uniform, Mei knelt on the smooth wooden floor, quietly awaiting Hoomu the Sword Saint.
Usually, Hoomu the Sword Saint would come to spar with her every day.
However, an hour passed, and no one appeared. Mei's face fell.
"Why... has Hoomu the Sword Saint been so long in coming?"
"Could he have something else to do today?"
"Never mind... I'll go home early today."
Mei changed her clothes, then put on her backpack and left the kendo club. She didn't notice a set of Hoomu costume lying in a cabinet in the corner.