Secretly cannot hide

Hope

The next day, Zixuan was sitting with Chun Fen and Li Xiang in the cafeteria when the topic of Hua Jing came up again.

"So," Chun Fen said, leaning in conspiratorially, "I heard that Hua Jing's ex-girlfriend was the one who broke up with him. Apparently, she couldn't handle the pressure of dating someone so popular."

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow. "Where do you even hear these things?" Chun Fen shrugged. "Around. You know how it is. Gossip spreads fast in this school."

Zixuan listened quietly, her heart aching with a mixture of sympathy and longing. She couldn't imagine what it must be like to be in Hua Jing's shoes-to have everyone watching your every move, judging your every decision.

"Do you think he's really not over her?" Zixuan asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Chun Fen shrugged again. "Who knows? But one thing's for sure-he's not exactly rushing into another relationship."

Zixuan nodded, her mind racing. She couldn't help but wonder if there was a chance for her-if she could be the one to help him move on.

Over the next few weeks, Zixuan found herself crossing paths with Hua Jing more often. Whether it was in the library, the cafeteria, or the hallways, they always seemed to end up in the same place at the same time.

One afternoon, as Zixuan was struggling with a particularly difficult math problem, Hua Jing approached her.

"Need any help?" he asked, his tone friendly.

Zixuan looked up, surprised. "I-I'm not sure. This problem's really confusing."

Hua Jing pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. "Let me take a look."

As he explained the problem, Zixuan couldn't help but notice how patient and kind he was. He didn't make her feel stupid for not understanding; instead, he took the time to break it down step by step.

"Thanks," Zixuan said when they finally solved the problem. "I don't think I would have figured that out on my own."

Hua Jing smiled. "No problem. You're pretty smart, you know. You just needed a little push." Zixuan's heart swelled with pride. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she belonged.

As the weeks turned into months, Zixuan's feelings for Hua Jing only grew stronger. She found herself thinking about him constantly, her heart aching with a love she couldn't

express.

One evening, as she sat by her bedroom window, staring out at the castle, she made a decision. She couldn't keep her feelings bottled up any longer. She had to tell him how she felt.

The next day, she waited for him after school, her heart pounding in her chest. When he finally emerged from the building, she took a deep breath and approached him.

"Hua Jing," she said, her voice trembling. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Hua Jing looked surprised but nodded. "Sure. What's up?"

Zixuan took another deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I-I just wanted to say...... I really like you. I have for a long time." Hua Jing's expression softened, but he didn't say anything.

Zixuan continued, her voice breaking.

"I know you're probably not ready for another relationship, and that's okay.

I just needed you to know how I feel." Hua Jing reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Zixuan, I... I don't know what to say." Zixuan shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You don't have to say anything. I just needed to get it off my chest."

With that, she turned and walked away, her heart shattering into a million pieces.