Ignoring the Gossip
When Sang Tian saw Song Qiuyu choose to ignore them, she also stopped paying attention to the people gossiping.
The gossiper stood frozen for a moment, then lowered her head, glaring fiercely at Song Qiuyu before turning around and running off in a huff.
Sang Tian couldn’t help but glance over, sighing, and said, “Classmate Song, that girl just said a lot of unpleasant things to me, and they were all about you.”
She was a bit conflicted about whether to tell her.
After all, since they were unpleasant, perhaps it would be better not to say anything?
However, after another look at the calm smile on the other’s face, she proceeded to relay all the unpleasant words.
She wanted the other person to understand the true nature of the JK girl and to be more wary.
This included those who were secretly spreading gossip in the shadows – it’s always the person closest to you that you need to watch out for the most.
“Just a random person on the street, don’t worry about it,” Song Qiuyu said, seemingly unbothered, merely turning to call out to Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Xiao silently walked up.
They walked back along the path they had come from.
Sang Tian tilted her head, secretly eyeing Song Qiuyu’s profile, a look of confusion on her face.
The more she thought about Song Qiuyu’s attitude, the more puzzled she became.
She hesitated for half a second, then pursed her lips.
She wanted to know why Classmate Song seemed so calm despite encountering such an upsetting situation!
“Classmate Song, why don’t you seem angry?”
“Because getting angry harms your health,” Song Qiuyu replied, looking up at the sky as if she had expected the question.
A bright smile spread across her delicate and sweet face.
“It’s not worth harming yourself over a few words from an unimportant person. Instead of self-inflicted exhaustion, let others wear themselves out!”
After saying this, she secretly rubbed the tip of her nose, afraid it might suddenly grow long like someone in a fairy tale.
She was still a little angry, after all.
Upon hearing this, Sang Tian sweetly smiled, finding her words very reasonable.
Jiang Xiao, however, looked thoughtful.
This was the Song Qiuyu he knew best.
The few words she spoke so easily now were things Song Qiuyu had honed over several years of enduring rumors.
Those “several years” likely included more than just her three years in junior high.
“Oh, right, right! After rehearsal, let’s all go out for dinner tonight!” Song Qiuyu said, smiling at Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Xiao turned his face away, already anticipating her next sentence.
She was going to make him a shining third wheel again!
How silly.
Sure enough, Song Qiuyu immediately looked at Sang Tian, asking for her opinion.
Sang Tian readily agreed with a cheerful smile.
With dinner plans set, they each returned to their respective formations.
At this time, everyone in the dance formation was sitting on the ground resting.
They whispered amongst themselves, heads together.
The JK girl was already sitting among them, her hat brim obscuring most of her face, revealing only the upward curve of her lips.
She seemed to no longer bother hiding her ill intentions; more directly, it was as if she had already tasted the sweet wine of victory.
She was just short of openly adopting the posture of a triumphant winner.
Song Qiuyu paused, subtly glancing at the special forces formation as she observed the strange atmosphere within the dance formation.
Though things felt off here, at least Jiang Xiao’s formation seemed normal.
She withdrew her gaze from the special forces.
Meanwhile, within the special forces formation, Jiang Xiao turned his head to assess the dance formation, his eyelashes lowering, his eyes freezing.
The next moment, all the girls in the dance formation turned their eyes to Song Qiuyu.
Song Qiuyu’s eyes narrowed slightly, assuming the JK girl had gone crazy and, upon returning to the dance formation, couldn’t resist telling everyone those things, hoping to just let chaos ensue.
With her hands clasped at her sides, she feigned normalcy and continued walking.
Connecting it to what the JK girl had just done, Sang Tian also noticed the unusual atmosphere and approached Song Qiuyu, cautioning, “Classmate Song, it couldn’t be…” Sang Tian frowned, looking at the JK girl.
Could that person have done something again?
“Exactly!” The JK girl’s smile deepened.
She had told the girls in the formation everything she needed to say, adding just the right amount of exaggeration!
She wanted to see if Song Qiuyu could still remain so calm this time.
As long as there was trouble in the dance formation, she wouldn’t need to do much; the special forces formation nearby would notice!
More importantly, so would the instructors from each formation! Especially Instructor Fang, who had recently praised Song Qiuyu and suggested she transfer departments.
What would Instructor Fang’s reaction be if he knew Song Qiuyu was such a person of poor character? As long as Song Qiuyu wasn’t in her way, she still had a chance to pursue Jiang Xiao.
Song Qiuyu’s smile faded.
She could guess the JK girl’s motive.
It seemed military training at Nanfeng wasn’t strict enough if people had so much free time for gossip.
It didn’t matter if she was affected, but if it implicated Jiang Xiao, that was unacceptable.
She had already done enough to compensate Jiang Xiao.
She wouldn’t allow any more karma to be added to her account!
Her expression darkened slightly, and she resolutely continued walking.
Then she saw that, apart from the JK girl, the other girls who had been sitting in the dance formation suddenly stood up and swarmed towards her.
Their faces were full of excitement; they didn’t seem to want to criticize or mock her.
Instead, they reminded her of relatives at New Year’s, gossiping about young people’s academic achievements and romantic partners.
They enthusiastically surrounded Song Qiuyu, their eyes filled with visible excitement.
Under everyone’s gaze, Song Qiuyu’s expression became peculiar.
She swallowed hard, trying her best to endure the feeling of being watched, and forced a smile.
This time, she couldn’t ignore them; she had to explain properly.
The girls in the dance formation stared at her, chattering away.
“Song Qiuyu, is it true you’ve had a crush on Jiang Xiao since middle school?”
“What does Jiang Xiao think of you?”
“I’m so envious of Jiang Xiao! Why am I not a guy?”
“Don’t be afraid! A fierce man fears a persistent one. We support you!”
What on earth is this? Song Qiuyu’s mind filled with question marks.
This was a development she had never anticipated.
What was wrong with them?
Why were they all gossiping about her relationship with Jiang Xiao?
Shouldn’t they be pointing fingers and calling her a lesbian?
And a crush since middle school?
What was that about?
Sang Tian was also completely confused.
There seemed to be no malice in their eyes, only goodwill, unlike that other person.
They seemed genuinely to want Classmate Song and Jiang Xiao to end up together.
What was going on?
The JK girl found it hard to cope.
This was completely different from what she had imagined!
Then their conversation shifted with the speed of a storm.
“Actually, I saw pictures of you and Jiang Xiao on the school forum. I thought you looked so good together back then!”
“The one in front of the boys’ Dormitory Building 3, with the campus belle and campus heartthrob?”
“I was there!”
“There was also a sister under that post who debunked it, saying you two were just buddies.”
Song Qiuyu was a little stunned.
Looking at the smiles on everyone’s faces, she recalled the debunking post she had replied to that day and pursed her lips.
Uh, the “sister” who debunked it… I think that was me?