My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Shi Nian spent some time cleaning the house and washing herself up afterwards. When she emerged from the bathroom, it was almost 9 pm already. She turned on the night lamp and sat on her desk to do the practice papers.

Amidst her focus, she heard Qiang Fei returned and went to check up on her. Shi Nian confirmed that Qiang Fei had eaten dinner before she continued to do her homework again. When she finished writing the last stroke of answer, it was already 00.30 am.

There were tons of unread messages on her phone and only then did Shi Nian recall that she had forgotten to reply to Mo Ling.

She opened the group chat which consisted of only 4 members.

[Princess MoMoling]: Shi Nian! How is it?! I saw in the forum people said that School Grass Zhang offered to take you home but you rejected him?! Is that true?! Did he really confess to youu??! Did he bring you to the Moonlight Pavilion?

[Princess MoMoling]: Where are you? Why didn't you reply?! Did you really reject Zhang Jiancheng? That Zhang Jiancheng???

[Princess MoMoling]: Holy shit the forum exploded. Zhang Jiancheng has just appeared to defend you!

[Princess MoMoling]: [photo] I have screenshotted it for you. Damn girl, you're really something!

Shi Nian: "…"

Actually, she had completely forgotten about Zhang Jiancheng.

Shi Nian clicked open the photo Mo Ling sent and saw an eyecatching thread: "The newly transferred student and School Grass Zhang are together?!" 

Below were countless discussions and the number of replies had reached 2000 in just less than one day.

Mo Ling's photo was focused on the username ZJC. It was obvious who it was in one glance. School Grass Zhang suddenly popped up in the forum discussion. [There's nothing between me and Shi Nian. She's just an acquaintance of mine so I hope everyone will not gossip about her smile.jpg.]

There was actually nothing special about Zhang Jiancheng's reply. Shi Nian had no idea why everyone became so crazy just because of this. After she entered the forum and scrolled down through the thread, she finally realized something.

[Aaaaah, it's Zhang Jiancheng!]

[Holy—he has finally appeared!]

[Where's the little sisters who said that they wanted to wait for Zhang Jiancheng's response? Here he is. Why are you all so silent now?]

[Damn, please remind me. Is it only the second time Zhang Jiancheng appeared in the forum during his three years of high school?]

[Upstairs commenter, you're right! I still remember the first time he appeared to warn the girls not to take pictures of him without permission and spread it in the forum or else he will sue them one by one! It was already more than two years ago!]

[Hehehe…]

[First, he popped up to warn us and the second time, it's still a warning.]

[Why do I smell the sour scent of love in the air? vinegar.jpg]

[I am just a passerby, don't mind me~]

[That smile of his is kind of scary… spooked.jpg It feels like he's going to do something if we don't listen.]

[Hahaha sister, your imagination is really superb.]

[Wake up! Zhang Jiancheng has said that she's only an acquaintance, okay?!]

[Yes, he said that there's nothing between them!!!!]

[Hahaha, upstairs commenter, look at yourself in the mirror. Do you believe it?]

[Do you believe it? +1]

[Do you believe it? +2]

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[Do you believe it? +ID number]

Shi Nian was rendered speechless by the imagination of those melon eaters. She closed the forum lest her eyes became scarred. After that, she reopened the group chat. After she scrolled past Mo Ling's screams, finally there's a change of atmosphere.

[Chen Jiawei]: Why are you so noisy? It's up to Shi Nian how she deals with it, okay?

[Princess MoMoling]: I just want to hear some first hand gossip

[Princess MoMoling]: aggrieved.jpg

[Li Qing]: Actually, there's nothing special about Zhang Jiancheng. He's not even that great.

The chat went dead instantly. It was only two hours later that Mo Ling replied.

[Princess MoMoling]: …

[Princess MoMoling]: You know, if I share what you said just now, you will be drowned in Zhang Jiancheng's concubines' spit.

[Princess MoMoling]: But it's personal preference, I understand. [strokebeard.jpg]

[Princess MoMoling]: Just don't let his fans know that you badmouth him behind his back, do you hear me?! Even though I am his fan too, I shall reluctantly forgive you.

It was obvious that Mo Ling tried to ease the atmosphere but Li Qing's reply didn't make anything better.

[Li Qing]: Hmph I am just speaking the truth

[Li Qing]: He's so arrogant and haughty. All of his kindness is just a show off.

The last reply was half an hour ago. Shi Nian thought for a while before replying.

[Ten Years]: Sorry, I have just opened the chat. Nothing happened between us. He didn't confess either. We are really acquaintances, it's true. 

[Ten Years]: So he just greeted me for a while.

[Ten Years]: Moreover, I have someone I like [shysmile.jpg]

[Ten Years]: Moonlight Pavilion? What is that?

The chat revived in an instant.

[Princess MoMoling]: Oh my goodness, who is it?! Spill!

[Princess MoMoling]: knife.jpg

[Princess MoMoling]: Come on! Tell me, I am so curious!

[Princess MoMoling]: You don't know about Moonlight Pavilion?? Ah right, you're a transfer student. It's a building that connects our Sangzhe High with Sangzhe University. There used to be a joint activity between us and Sangzhe University. But now that it stopped, Moonlight Pavilion has been made into an empty building.

[Princess MoMoling]: Rumors said that when you confess when the moonlight is out, you will be accepted!

[Princess MoMoling]: Then tadaa, it becomes a famous place to confess. They said that someone has tried it and they succeeded! Now, the couple has become husband and wife, harmonious for eternity~

[Princess MoMoling]: So if you want to confess, you should go to Moonlight Pavilion for a greater chance of success! [excited.jpg] So who do you like??? @Ten Years

[Chen Jiawei]: Have you finished today's papers?

[Princess MoMoling]: I have, I have! So can I please have some time to gossip?!

[Chen Jiawei]: ….

Shi Nian chuckled.

[Ten Years]: Not telling you~

[Princess MoMoling]: Aaaaaah you're such a meanie! Just give me a hint? Is it really not Zhang Jiancheng?

[Ten Years]: …no. It's really not him.

[Ten Years]: You don't know that person.

[Ten Years]: He's a university student.

[Princess MoMoling]: …wow

[Princess MoMoling]: thumbsup.jpg

[Chen Jiawei]: thumbsup.jpg

[Li Qing]: thumbsup.jpg

After successfully making them speechless, Shi Nian smiled and turned off her phone. However, she didn't know that this small event would be the prelude to an irrevocable tragedy.

When Shi Nian arrived at school the next day, she realized that everyone was looking at her with strange gazes and the hushed whispers would instantly die down the moment she approached. She frowned, confused. It wasn't until she got into class did she find out the cause.

The whole atmosphere was somber.

The usually cheerful Mo Ling was so angry that her face flushed red, while Chen Jiawei was holding her back even if her own expression wasn't any better either. 

In front of them, Li Qing was quietly crying. 

When Shi Nian slid the door open, it created a soft creaking sound that was especially conspicuous against the silent background.

Instantly, all eyes turned to her.

Shi Nian: ???

She slowly walked to her seat, looking around in confusion. Her eyes met with Li Qing for a split second before the latter looked away in an instant.

Mo Ling exploded fiercely. "Shi Nian is already here so are you going to apologize or not?!"

Shi Nian turned to the most reliable person, Chen Jiawei. [What happened?]

Chen Jiawei sighed as she pulled Mo Ling away from Li Qing otherwise a fight would break out at any time. She pushed up her glasses and sighed, then started to explain.

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A/N: here comes trouble ლ(｀∀´ლ)