"Did... did that person die?" Feng Qishi asked dazedly.
The little follower said helplessly, "I already told you that you know him. If he were dead, would you still know him?"
"That's true. Then..." Feng Qishi looked curious, "Who is it?"
"Liu Xian," the little follower spat out two words.
Feng Qishi was startled and said, "Tell me about it."
The little follower lowered his eyelids slightly and said, "At that time, he was only in the ninth grade..."
At the same time, Liu Xian, at the hot pot restaurant, was also talking about his past.
"I was diagnosed with depression in my ninth grade year, but," Liu Xian put down his chopsticks, "no one believed me. My teachers didn't believe me, and my parents didn't believe me. Every day I... lived in extreme pain."
Liu Xian in his ninth grade year was completely different from who he was now and who he had been in the past. Back then, he had also been happy and had thought about what his dreams were. But everything changed because of an exam. From then on, this sunny boy... changed completely.
In the school office, Liu Xian stood outside the teacher's office, his head shaved, lowering his head to feel the cold glances from the outside. Those cold glances meant nothing to him at that time.
"Liu Xian, come in."
Hearing this, Liu Xian took a sharp breath, turned, and reported before entering the office. He looked at the female homeroom teacher sitting at the desk, glaring at him menacingly. He swallowed and walked forward, not daring to say a word.
"Why isn't your mom here yet?" the female homeroom teacher asked in an accusatory tone.
"As you know, she's tied up with work. She already explained on the phone. She'll be here tomorrow. Please let me attend class."
"You cheat and still want to attend class? You don't need to study anymore, just copy." The female homeroom teacher said, pointing to the office door, "Go out and stand there."
"Teacher..."
"Stop talking nonsense, get out." After the female homeroom teacher finished speaking, she lowered her head and continued reading.
Liu Xian looked at the female homeroom teacher with a helpless expression, sighed, turned, and walked out of the office.
That evening, he returned home and sat at the dining table alone. The instant noodles in front of him had gone cold. He stared blankly at the clock on the wall, muttering, "I didn't cheat, I didn't cheat." As he spoke, his phone rang.
He then answered the phone, pressed the speakerphone, and asked, "Mom, when are you coming back?"
"Son, did you cheat or not?"
Liu Xian closed his eyes helplessly and said, "How many times have I told you, I didn't, I didn't."
"Don't worry, it's good if you didn't. Wait for me, Mom will be back tomorrow." Liu Xian's mother said hastily and hung up the phone.
For several nights, Liu Xian received calls from his mother. Every time she would ask the same thing, and every time Liu Xian would reply the same way. This repetitive cycle made him feel weary, made him feel that his mother didn't trust him, made him feel... that his mother had colluded with the teacher to destroy him!
However, just as he thought, the next day, his mother naturally sided with the teacher, thereby completely denying his character.
But even so, Liu Xian still insisted he hadn't cheated. However, it was no longer useful. He had unknowingly become a liar, a cheating liar.
From then on, his homeroom teacher began to bully him in various ways, always finding fault with him no matter when. None of the teachers looked at him properly. He went from the front third row to the corner of the last row.
Teachers who used to like him no longer paid attention to him. Good friends who used to enjoy discussing hobbies with him stopped talking to him. This feeling lasted for a month, and he finally couldn't stand it.
At the beginning of the month, he stood on the bay window of his house, opened the window wide, and looked at the unappealing scenery outside. He forced a stiff smile, but he couldn't laugh at all.
At this point, he had no hope for the future. He felt like a liar, a cheating liar, a liar who could be bullied by anyone. Clenching his fists, just as he was about to jump, his parents, who didn't trust him, returned.
At that moment, his mother started crying.
"Xianxian, what are you doing?" she ran forward and asked.
Liu Xian slowly turned to look at his mother, who had sided with the teacher and refused to help him. He shook his head and said, "I didn't cheat. I earned every grade myself. I didn't cheat. Also, I'm sick, why won't you ever trust me? Why, why?" His voice was weak.
His father put down the bag of fruit in his hand and said, "Liu Xian, don't do anything foolish."
"Dad, you don't trust me either. Why would you rather believe that old witch than believe me? Is she your family, or am I? Why do you call me a liar? Why?" Liu Xian couldn't help but shout.
His father slowly approached the bay window and said, "Son, our house isn't very high, but if you jump, your body won't be able to take it. Be good, come down. Tell Dad everything."
"I'm a liar, I'm just a liar. None of you believe me, you don't believe." Liu Xian's eyes darted around, and then tears involuntarily flowed down his cheeks. He cried as he spoke, "I don't want to cry, but I can't help it. I know I'm a man, but I can't help it. Why did you treat me like that? Why?"
"Child, Mom believes you, believe me. Come down, okay?" Liu Xian's mother said, completely breaking down.
Liu Xian shook his head forcefully, his hand already gripping the windowsill.
Liu Xian's mother's eyes widened.
"Mom, you're on the same side as that old witch. I know. Now I'm asking you," Liu Xian trembled all over and cried, "Please call her and tell her that the liar is dying, and tell her to rest assured. A liar like me doesn't deserve to live in this world, doesn't deserve it."
Liu Xian's father, seeing Liu Xian's state, slowly reached out his hand.
Liu Xian didn't notice his father and said, "I've checked, and I feel like I have depression, but you just don't believe me. I know," he wiped away his uncontrollable tears, smiling unpleasantly, "you just want me to die, you just want... to see me reach this day. I know, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, his father grabbed him and pulled him down.
His father held him tightly and said, "Dad believes you. Dad will take you to see a doctor, see a doctor."
"I thought by complying with your teacher, she would treat you well. I never thought you would suffer so much, child. If you don't want to go to school anymore, Mom is willing to find other solutions for you."
The moment Liu Xian heard his parents say this, he burst into tears.
From then on, Liu Xian embarked on the path of treatment. From then on, he changed, becoming completely different from his childhood self.