Duoduo stared at the shiny bald head of the dean of students and thought, "I'm in trouble!"
The two had been running so fast that they accidentally bumped into the dean of students, who was on his way to catch students heading for the internet cafe. Bumping into someone wasn't the real issue; given the dean's usual leniency, he would have forgiven them. The main problem was that, in full view of everyone, she had yanked off his toupee!
No one had ever imagined that Director Liu, who usually sported a thick head of dark hair, was actually bald!
The passing students let out merciless laughter.
"That's quite sudden. Who is this person? Is this really Director Liu I see every day?"
"Appearances can be deceiving. I never knew Director Liu kept such a deep secret!"
"So Director Liu's hair is really that lush!"
"Hahaha, so bright and exposed!"
"Where did Director Liu buy this wig? I never noticed it was fake."
"..."
Amidst the students' ridicule, Director Liu's face grew uglier and uglier, until he finally roared, "Yu Chenduo, Gu En!"
Duoduo flinched. Compared to those delinquent youths, she was more afraid of the dean of students.
Her dear mother had specifically instructed the teachers not to show her any special treatment, to teach her like any ordinary student, and not to be polite to her.
This dean of students had been very dutiful, doing exactly as her mother said and never being lenient or soft with her.
Now, not only had she pulled off his wig, but he had also caught her with her crush. She was finished!
Gu En was no stranger to being summoned to Director Liu's office for lectures. After being scolded so many times, his skin had naturally thickened, and he was completely unfazed by the sight of him.
He calmly turned back. He saw that the delinquents who had been chasing them had stopped halfway, seemingly hesitant to pursue further with school teachers present. They merely gave him a warning gesture from a distance before turning and leaving.
He knew this matter likely wouldn't end easily.
"Tell your parents to come to the school tomorrow after school!" Director Liu's anger flared even more when he saw their hands still clasped.
Hearing the mention of parents, Duoduo panicked even more. Only then did she notice they were still holding hands. She immediately pulled her hand away and pleaded, "Director Liu, I know I was wrong. Can you please not call our parents?"
This was a secret between her and her crush. If her mother found out, she would surely scold her soundly and might even make her transfer schools!
Then she would never see her crush again, *tAt*.
Gu En was surprised to see Duoduo, who had been so fierce against the delinquents just moments ago, now trembling like a scared lamb before Director Liu. It was just a dean of students; what was she so afraid of?
But then again, she was the daughter of a prominent family, unlike him, a troublesome student.
"This is my problem, she has nothing to do with it. If you have any complaints, take them out on me," Gu En said to Director Liu.
Hearing his righteous tone, Director Liu became even angrier.
In his eyes, Gu En had always been a problem student, getting into trouble at such a young age. His parents, however, constantly begged him for leniency, asking him to give the child a chance, which gave him a constant headache.
"It's all because of you!" Director Liu roared. "Duoduo is always so well-behaved at school. Who else but you would corrupt her? You too, tell your parents to come to school tomorrow after school!"
Gu En frowned in displeasure. He had long known the dean had a prejudice against him. Impatiently, he retorted, "Yes, it's my fault. So deal with me alone. There's no need to call her parents too."
Seeing him talk back, Director Liu grew even more incensed. "You brat, you'll never change!"
Duoduo saw that the more Gu En talked back, the angrier Director Liu became. She quickly explained, "Director Liu, it's not like that. It's not Gu En's fault. He was being bullied by those delinquents, and I came to help him. He really didn't corrupt me."
Director Liu seized on a key point: "Colluding with delinquents?! How many times have I told you? At your age, you should be focusing on your studies, not taking on odd jobs or getting involved with those types of people!
"Don't you know how hard your mother worked to let you continue studying at this school? Are you deliberately going against her?!"
Mentioning his mother, Gu En pursed his lips and fell silent, but his eyes were filled with resentment, his fists clenched.
Duoduo had heard about Gu En's difficult family background; he was from a single-parent household.
Gu En's mother worked several jobs to support him. Gu En himself also worked part-time at a barbecue stall in the food street after school, earning very little because of his age.
Gu En's mother was already busy and likely wouldn't have time to come to school. Moreover, Duoduo didn't want her own mother to come to school. So, Duoduo clasped her hands together and pleaded:
"Director Liu, Gu En knows he was wrong too. We'll write self-criticisms tonight and give them to you tomorrow. About calling parents, can you let it go this time?"
Seeing Duoduo so biased towards Gu En, Director Liu became even more worried about a budding romance. They had just held hands; such things had to be nipped in the bud!
"No! Tell your parents to come to the school tomorrow after school! If you don't tell them, I will notify them! Hurry home now! Don't let me see you here again!"
He said this, picked up the fallen toupee, and stormed off in anger.
The onlookers who had gathered to watch dispersed, leaving only Duoduo and Gu En.
In the end, they couldn't avoid calling their parents. Duoduo felt quite dejected.
But that was a problem for tomorrow. She would worry about it when she got home tonight. For now, the important thing was that she was still with her crush.
"Oh no, your face is bleeding! Wait for me a moment, I'll go to the pharmacy and buy you a band-aid." Duoduo finally noticed a small cut on Gu En's face. It was likely from the dagger wielded by the buck-toothed guy when she had struggled to break free.
"No need!" Gu En stopped her, then said coldly, his face grim, "Stay away from me in the future!"
His words were sudden, like a sharp knife, cutting into Duoduo's heart.
Her eyebrows drooped. She asked confusedly, "Why?"
They had just gone through something dangerous together. Shouldn't he have some different feelings towards her?
Wasn't that how novels were written?
"You saved me before, and I just saved you, right? With such a connection, we can at least be friends, can't we?" she added, not willing to give up.
Gu En looked at her innocent expression and found it somewhat laughable.
Friends?
He had never had friends, and he didn't need them!
Because after he had dragged all his friends down with him, their parents would warn him to stay away from their children!
Who told him he was a good-for-nothing, notorious bad student!
"We are not from the same world. Don't make me repeat myself for the third time. Stay away from me!" Gu En threw down his words and turned to leave.
Duoduo stood in place, staring blankly at his receding back, her heart shattered into a million pieces.
Her crush, how could he be so heartless!