Summer's Rose

Chapter 5: Don't Leave After School

In the third period of the afternoon, Wen was reading in class when she heard someone say that someone was looking for her outside.

She walked to the door and saw a girl she didn’t recognize.

The girl was wearing a cropped top, her hair dyed chestnut brown and styled in loose curls that just reached her collarbone. She had several ear piercings, and her lips were painted bright red. She looked extremely bold and attention-grabbing.

"Are you looking for me?" Wen asked politely.

The girl eyed Wen up and down. The girl in front of her was very thin and pale, wearing a neat blue-and-white school uniform and a low ponytail, looking obedient and gentle.

She crossed her arms. "You're Zhou Nan's seatmate? I haven’t seen you before."

Wen explained, "I’m new here. I just transferred to this school a few days ago. Miss Loh asked me to sit next to him."

The girl nodded and then threatened, "Stay away from him."

Wen was slightly confused but nodded, "I understand."

As she returned to her seat, she thought about what the girl had said.

Stay away from Zhou Nan?

Was she being threatened?

Yong Ming noticed Wen was still writing on the paper, unable to resist asking, "What did she say to you just now?"

"I don’t really understand either," Wen replied.

Yong Ming met her clear eyes and realized that speaking to this obedient girl made him feel lost for words. No wonder Zhou Nan had helped her on the first day.

She was really too obedient.

And she was beautiful.

"Did she say anything too harsh?"

Wen thought for a moment and then shook her head. "She just told me to stay away from Zhou Nan. That’s all."

"That girl is called Shannon. She’s Zhou Nan’s crazy admirer, but Zhou Nan doesn’t like her. He’s turned her down many times. In fact, Zhou Nan doesn’t like any girl," Yong Ming explained, not knowing why he was explaining so much, but feeling the urge to do so when Wen kept looking at him.

"I see. Thank you," Wen said with a smile.

Alicia and the other two girls gathered around and asked Wen if Shannon had given her trouble.

Wen shook her head. "She just said to stay away from Zhou Nan, didn’t say anything else."

Alicia was shocked. "She just threatened you like that, and you’re not mad?"

"I’m not mad," Wen replied, not thinking it was something to get angry about.

Alicia looked at her with wide eyes, as if she were seeing a star. "Wow, you really have the best temper!" After a pause, she leaned in closer and whispered, "Actually, there are quite a few girls who like Zhou Nan. He’s handsome, comes from a good family, but he’s a little scary, doesn’t interact with girls, so people say he probably doesn’t like girls."

Is he interest in boys?

Wen didn’t have much time left. She just wanted to live happily, not waste her thoughts on things that weren’t important.

It was almost time for the class to start when Zhou Nan finally returned.

Yong Ming tossed a note onto his desk.

Zhou Nan raised an eyebrow. "What’s this? Can’t you just say it out loud?"

Yong Ming made a face and gestured for him to open it.

Zhou Nan opened the note and saw that Yong Ming had written: During the break, Shannon came to find Wen.

Zhou Nan frowned and glanced at Wen, who was seriously reading her book. It seemed better to wait until after class to talk to her.

Why did Shannon come to see Wen?

Suppressing his frustration, Zhou Nan threw a note to Wen.

He saw Wen place the note under her book and, when the teacher turned away, she sneakily opened it.

Such a good student.

Sneaking a peek at a note like a little kid.

The note read: Don’t leave after school, I need to talk to you.

The note was thrown back.

Zhou Nan opened it and saw the word "Okay" written on it.

Wen didn’t know what he wanted to talk to her about. Maybe it had something to do with what happened this afternoon. She quickly pushed it aside and focused on listening to the teacher’s lecture.

Soon, school ended for the day.

Most of the class had already left when Wen turned to Zhou Nan and asked, "Do you need something?"

"Did Shannon come to see you today?" Zhou Nan asked.

Wen thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, I think that girl is the one who came today."

"What did she say?"

"She told me to stay away from you."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, that’s all."

Zhou Nan was silent for a moment, looking at the obedient girl in front of him. He squeezed out a few words, "Don’t pay attention to her."

Wen glanced at him. "I know."

Zhou Nan thought about the bruises he had seen on her wrist a few days ago and instinctively glanced at her wrist.

Today, she wore a jacket that covered the marks on her wrist.

Zhou Nan couldn’t hold back and finally asked, "Did your parents hurt you?"

Wen: "?"

She looked up at him, confused.

Seeing her innocent expression, Zhou Nan explained, "I saw the bruises on your arm a few days ago. I didn’t want to ask, but now I can’t help it."

Wen rolled up her sleeve and showed him. "You mean this?"

Her wrist was pale, and the purple bruises on her arm looked particularly terrifying, like she had been hit by someone.

"I did this to myself."

"Do you have a tendency for self-harm?" Zhou Nan asked, his voice a little harsh.

Wen shook her head. "No, it’s just because I wasn’t feeling well. I pinched myself."

Zhou Nan felt a pang of sympathy seeing her calm and obedient response.

"Can I go now, since I’ve answered your question?"

"Yeah," Zhou Nan said softly.

Wen turned to leave, and Zhou Nan watched her go, a small smile curling on his lips.