Chapter 76: Boiling a Frog Slowly

Shen Qingyue lay in the dormitory for two days.

On the third day, she couldn’t stand it anymore. Su Qianqian brought her meals every day, chatted with her, and kept everyone else away. It was nice, but Shen Qingyue wasn’t the type to just lie around doing nothing.

“Qianqian, I want to go to class tomorrow.”

Su Qianqian hesitated. “Are you sure? Those people outside—”

“I know.” Shen Qingyue cut her off. “But I can’t hide forever. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Su Qianqian looked at her. This girl was more stubborn than she thought. Still, it was fine. Let her go out and take some heat—that only helped her own plan. She wanted them to fight.

“Alright. I’ll go with you.”

The next day. Teaching Building.

When Shen Qingyue walked into the classroom, everyone glanced at her. No one said anything, but their eyes said it all.

She kept her head down and found a corner to sit. Su Qianqian sat beside her.

“It’s okay.” Su Qianqian whispered.

Shen Qingyue nodded.

She didn’t absorb a single word during the morning classes. Her mind was full of those looks—some scrutinizing, some curious, some sympathetic, and some gloating.

When the bell rang, she packed her things to leave.

“Qingyue.”

She looked up. Lin Mo stood at the door.

“Are… are you okay?” Lin Mo asked with concern.

Shen Qingyue stammered. “I’m… I’m fine…”

Lin Mo looked at her. Her complexion was poor, there were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked thinner than a few days ago. “You’ve lost weight.”

Shen Qingyue lowered her head. “No, I haven’t…”

Su Qianqian watched from the side, feeling a bit unsettled.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to the dormitory,” Lin Mo said.

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “No need, Qianqian will take me.”

“Let him take you,” Su Qianqian spoke up. “I have something to do. You two can go together.”

Shen Qingyue looked at her. “Qianqian…”

Su Qianqian smiled. “It’s fine. Go ahead.”

She turned and walked away. After a few steps, she looked back. Lin Mo stood next to Shen Qingyue, and they walked out together. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, falling on them.

Su Qianqian averted her gaze and kept walking. The corner of her mouth curled. She could secretly take some photos of them alone together, then find a way to leak them so those girls would know.

—

Outside the dormitory building. Lin Mo and Shen Qingyue walked side by side. Neither spoke.

“Hey,” Lin Mo said. “You’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, haven’t you?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “Not really.”

“It feels like you’re avoiding something.”

Shen Qingyue froze. “I’m not avoiding anything…”

Lin Mo looked at her. “You didn’t come to class for two days. You didn’t reply to my messages either.”

Shen Qingyue lowered her head. “I… I just wanted to rest a bit.”

Lin Mo didn’t say anything. They were silent for a while.

“Lin Mo,” Shen Qingyue suddenly said.

“Hm?”

“Have you… seen those posts?”

“What posts?”

Shen Qingyue looked at him. He didn’t know? She bit her lip. “Nothing…”

They reached the dormitory building entrance. Shen Qingyue stopped. “I’m here. Thank you.”

Lin Mo nodded. “Then get some rest.”

Shen Qingyue turned and went inside. After two steps, she looked back. “Lin Mo.”

“Hm?”

“Those posts… don’t read them.” She finished speaking and quickly walked inside.

Lin Mo stood there. What posts? What the hell?

—

Cafeteria. Noon.

It was crowded, people everywhere.

Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo sat in a corner. Two plates of food sat in front of them, untouched.

“Did you see the photos and videos on the forum?” Li Tingting asked.

Zhou Duoduo nodded. “Yeah. Lin Mo walked her back to the dorm.”

Li Tingting sneered. “Tch. She’s good at pretending. Not feeling well? I bet it’s an act.”

Zhou Duoduo didn’t reply. Li Tingting continued, “Do you know how she talked to Lin Mo? ‘Have you been stressed lately?’ ‘Are you okay?’ — Tch. Green Tea B*tch.”

Zhou Duoduo looked up. “What are you going to do?”

Li Tingting smiled. “You’ll see in a bit.”

At the cafeteria entrance.

Lin Mo walked in carrying a tray. Shen Qingyue followed behind him, with Su Qianqian beside her.

“Sit here, I’ll get the food,” Lin Mo said.

Shen Qingyue nodded. Su Qianqian sat down too.

As soon as they sat down, Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo walked over carrying their trays. “Oh, Shen Qingyue, you’re at the cafeteria today? Feeling better?” Li Tingting asked with a smile.

Shen Qingyue looked up. “I’m… I’m better.”

Zhou Duoduo smiled too. “That’s good. We thought you were going to hide in the dorm forever.”

Shen Qingyue’s face paled.

Su Qianqian frowned. “You guys—”

“Qianqian.” Shen Qingyue grabbed her arm. “It’s okay.”

Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo sat down across from them, trapping Shen Qingyue in the middle.

Lin Mo returned with a tray and was stunned by the scene.

“You guys…”

“Lin Mo, sit here.” Li Tingting patted the seat next to her.

Lin Mo hesitated, then sat down beside Shen Qingyue.

“Lin Mo, did you just get hot water for Shen Qingyue?” Zhou Duoduo asked.

Lin Mo nodded. “She wasn’t feeling well, so I got her some hot water.”

Li Tingting laughed. “Oh my, Shen Qingyue, you’re so delicate? You need help just to get some hot water?”

Shen Qingyue blushed. “I… I didn’t…”

“Didn’t?” Zhou Duoduo blinked. “Then why did Lin Mo get you water?”

Lin Mo frowned. “I offered to help her myself. She wasn’t feeling well—”

“Not feeling well?” Li Tingting cut him off. “What’s wrong? She looks fine to me.”

Shen Qingyue kept her head down, hands gripping the hem of her clothes.

Su Qianqian fanned the flames. “Haven’t you had enough? What do you want? Why are you picking on Shen Qingyue?”

Li Tingting looked at her. “Su Qianqian, what did we say? We’re just concerned about Qingyue. Right, Duoduo?”

Zhou Duoduo nodded. “Exactly. Qingyue, if you’re really not feeling well, you should go back and rest. Don’t force yourself. Otherwise, people might think you’re faking it to get Lin Mo to look after you.”

Shen Qingyue stood up. “I… I’m leaving.”

“Qingyue—” Lin Mo tried to stop her.

But Shen Qingyue had already turned and walked away quickly.

Lin Mo stood up to chase her, but Su Qianqian grabbed him. “I’ll go. You eat.”

She chased after her. Lin Mo stood there, watching Shen Qingyue’s retreating figure, then turned to look at Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo.

The two of them were eating with their heads down, as if nothing had happened.

—

Afternoon. Library.

Shen Qingyue didn’t want to go back to the dormitory, nor did she want to attend class. She just wanted a quiet place to be alone.

In a corner of the library, she sat at the very back. A book lay open in front of her, but she didn’t read a single word.

Footsteps approached. She looked up. Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo stood in front of her. Wang Xue followed behind, head down, not daring to meet her eyes.

[VIP] Chapter 76: Boiling a Frog Slowly

“You…” Shen Qingyue stood up.

“Don’t leave.” Li Tingting smiled. “We just want to talk to you.”

Shen Qingyue stepped back. “I have nothing to talk about.”

Zhou Duoduo stepped forward. “Nothing? Let’s talk about Lin Mo.”

Shen Qingyue’s expression changed. “Lin Mo and I are just classmates—”

“Just classmates?” Li Tingting cut her off. “Just classmates and he gets you water? Just classmates and he walks you back to the dorm? Just classmates and he eats with you every day?”

Shen Qingyue couldn’t speak.

Zhou Duoduo laughed. “Qingyue, do you think you’re the only one in the world who likes Lin Mo?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “I don’t.”

“You do.” Li Tingting stared at her. “You not only like him, you pretend. Pretend to be innocent, pretend to be clueless, pretend to know nothing. Green tea!”

Shen Qingyue’s tears fell. “I don’t…”

“Don’t?” Zhou Duoduo leaned in closer. “Then why do you hang around him every day? Why do you show up the moment he appears? Why—”

“Enough.” Shen Qingyue’s voice trembled. “I don’t hang around him. We’re just friends… Besides, what business is it of yours?”

“Friends?” Li Tingting laughed. “Friends write poems like that? ‘My Heart Pleases You’ — do you take us for fools?”

Shen Qingyue was completely stunned. How did she know about that poem?

Zhou Duoduo also laughed. “That poem of yours, the whole school knows it. You thought you hid it well? Tch, you’re good at pretending.”

Shen Qingyue kept crying. “I’m not pretending… I just… like him… but I’m not a green tea… I’m not…”

“Like him?” Li Tingting looked at her. “You think you’re worthy?”

Shen Qingyue couldn’t speak.

Wang Xue, standing behind, said quietly, “Um… Qingyue… are you okay?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head.

Wang Xue continued, “Then… did you really confess to Lin Mo? Did he not agree? Are you still bothering him even though he didn’t agree?”

Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo exchanged a glance.

Brilliant. Wang Xue’s three consecutive questions seemed a bit naive, but they were actually three consecutive kills, helping them land the finishing blow.

Shen Qingyue didn’t speak. Tears kept falling.

Wang Xue asked again, “Then… do you think Lin Mo likes you?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Wang Xue nodded. “Oh… then why do you keep clinging to him?”

Shen Qingyue was stunned. “I’m not clinging to him…”

Wang Xue tilted her head. “But… you eat with him every day, go to class with him, walk back to the dorm with him… Isn’t that clinging to him?”

Shen Qingyue couldn’t answer.

Wang Xue continued, “And… when you weren’t feeling well, you let him walk you back to the dorm… Isn’t that deliberately making him take care of you?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“You did.” Li Tingting added. “You’re just pretending. Faking illness, faking pitifulness, faking innocence. Making Lin Mo think you’re pitiful, getting him to take care of you, making him unable to leave you.”

Shen Qingyue stepped back. “I didn’t… I really didn’t…”

Zhou Duoduo stepped forward. “Then why are you crying? Feeling guilty?”

Shen Qingyue kept crying. “I’m not guilty… I just… I just…”

“Just what?” Li Tingting stared at her.

Shen Qingyue couldn’t speak. She just stood there, tears streaming. People around them were watching, but no one came over.

Wang Xue said quietly, “Qingyue… please stop crying. Like this, people will think we’re bullying you…”

Shen Qingyue lifted her head. “You… are bullying me.”

Li Tingting laughed. “Bullying you? We’re just asking questions. You’re the one feeling guilty, and you blame us?”

Shen Qingyue couldn’t speak. She turned to leave, but Zhou Duoduo blocked her.

“Don’t go. We’re not done yet.”

Shen Qingyue looked at her. “What else do you want to say?”

Zhou Duoduo looked at her. “I want to say Lin Mo doesn’t like you. Give up.”

Shen Qingyue’s tears stopped.

Li Tingting also smiled. “That’s right. He doesn’t like you. He helps you because he’s kind. He walks you because he’s polite. He eats with you because you cling to him.”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “No… that’s not true…”

“It is.” Zhou Duoduo stared at her. “You think he’s nice to you? He’s nice to everyone. You think you’re special to him? You’re not special to anyone.”

Shen Qingyue kept crying. She wanted to argue, but she didn’t know what to say. Because she wasn’t sure herself. Did Lin Mo… really like her? Or was he just… being nice to her?

—

Wang Xue spoke again. “Qingyue… are you overthinking this? Lin Mo is just a nice guy… not because he likes you…”

Shen Qingyue looked at her. “You… think so too?”

Wang Xue lowered her head. “I… I don’t know… but… that’s what everyone says.”

Shen Qingyue asked, not knowing who she was asking. “Everyone says that?”

Wang Xue didn’t dare look at her.

Li Tingting added, “That’s right. Everyone says that. You’re the only one who thinks he likes you.”

Shen Qingyue said nothing. She stood there, tears still falling.

Zhou Duoduo looked at her. “Shen Qingyue, wake up. He doesn’t like you. He never will.”

She turned and walked away. This time, no one stopped her.

She walked out of the library. The sun was bright. But she felt very cold.

Her phone buzzed. She picked it up. Lin Mo had messaged: 「Are you okay?」

「I’m fine.」

She sent it. Put her phone away. Kept walking. Tears kept falling.

—

Inside the library.

Li Tingting and Zhou Duoduo still stood there. Wang Xue kept her head down, not daring to speak.

“Well done.” Li Tingting smiled.

Zhou Duoduo also smiled. “Let her see herself clearly.”

They exchanged a glance. Both were smiling. But both knew this was only the beginning.

Far away, behind a bookshelf. Lin Xian’er leaned against the wall, a book in her hand. But she wasn’t reading. She watched the direction Shen Qingyue had left, and the corner of her mouth curved. Interesting.

—

Third Floor of Girls’ Dormitory.

Shen Qingyue pushed the door open. Su Qianqian sat on the bed, and saw she had been crying. “Qingyue? What’s wrong?”

Shen Qingyue didn’t speak. She walked to her bed and sat down. Tears kept falling.

Su Qianqian walked over and hugged her. “Who bullied you? Was it Li Tingting? Or Zhou Duoduo?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “It’s nothing… I’m just… a little tired.”

Su Qianqian looked at her. “You’re crying.”

Shen Qingyue didn’t speak.

Su Qianqian sat down beside her. “Qingyue, tell me. Who bullied you?”

Shen Qingyue shook her head. “No one bullied me… They just… told the truth. A truth I couldn’t accept.”

Su Qianqian froze. “What truth?”

Shen Qingyue lifted her head. Looked at her. “Qianqian… does Lin Mo… not like me?”

Su Qianqian’s heartbeat skipped a beat. She said somewhat awkwardly, “Why… why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Everyone says so… Wang Xue says so… Li Tingting says so… Zhou Duoduo says so…”

Su Qianqian opened her mouth. “They… they’re just…”

“They’re not lying. It’s true… He doesn’t like me. He’s just… being nice to me.”

Su Qianqian looked at her. This girl really did like Lin Mo. But what could she say? Say “Yeah, he doesn’t like you”? That didn’t fit her current persona. Or say “He likes you, don’t listen to them”? That would be worse than the first option. She needed to find a way to twist the knife, not comfort her.

—

“Qingyue…” she began. “Don’t think about that for now. Just rest.”

Shen Qingyue nodded. “I know. I’m just… feeling a bit down.”

Su Qianqian patted her shoulder. “You’ll feel better after you sleep.”

Shen Qingyue lay down. Closed her eyes. Tears still flowed.

Su Qianqian sat beside her, watching her. Her feelings were complicated. This girl, this was just the beginning. If she broke down like this at the start, what would happen when the pressure really came? But she wouldn’t grow soft. Because Lin Mo was hers.