Hundred-day metamorphosis

Chapter 9 The Most Precious Friendship

After the second class of the morning came the break time, meant for exercises lasting twenty minutes. However, considering the immense pressure students faced, the school had practically canceled the calisthenics, turning it into free time instead.

Lin Mushi, sitting in the front row, turned around, her brow furrowed with concern. "Zhuang Zi'ang, why were you crying in math class yesterday? And why didn't you come to class in the afternoon?"

Zhuang Zi'ang deflected vaguely. "Just... in a bad mood. Wanted to do something fun to cheer myself up!"

"You're the class monitor! Top of the grade! You're supposed to set a good example! This is completely out of line!" Lin Mushi retorted, frustration clear in her voice.

She couldn't wrap her head around it. He'd just taken one sick day. Why did he come back a different person?

Old Zhuang Zi'ang would never do this. Even in the worst mood, he'd just bury himself in a practice test, torturing his brain cells. That was his outlet.

As a good friend, Lin Mushi feared he was spiraling into indulgence. Disappointment pricked at her, mixed with worry.

Li Huangxuan, sensing Zi'ang's mood was tied to family troubles and fearing Lin Mushi would push too hard, jumped in. "Chill, Mushi! My 'son' had a blast skipping yesterday. Did what I've always wanted to do but never dared!"

Lin Mushi shot him a withering glare. "You led him astray!"

Li Huangxuan puffed up indignantly. "What's it got to do with me? He said he met a girl prettier than you yesterday! Played with her all day!"

Zhuang Zi'ang lunged to clamp a hand over Li Huangxuan's mouth, but it was too late. This blabbermouth! Can't keep anything secret!

"Zhuang Zi'ang! You jerk! Skipping class to... to chase girls?!" Lin Mushi's beautiful phoenix eyes widened in disbelief and accusation.

"No! No! We just met yesterday!" Zhuang Zi'ang denied rapidly. In their school, most were the "good kid" types. Romantic daydreams were common, but acting on them? Rarely dared.

Lin Mushi, the undisputed school beauty, was used to universal admiration. Hearing there might be a girl prettier than her rankled, sparking an uncomfortable pang of something suspiciously like jealousy.

Li Huangxuan, a classic "clueless guy," couldn't stand Lin Mushi's occasional princessy airs and loved nothing more than deliberately winding her up. The two launched into their familiar bickering routine right in front of Zhuang Zi'ang.

"You're such a typical guy! You'll be single forever!"

"Just because you're pretty doesn't mean you get to spout nonsense! If I am single, it sure won't be for you!"

"Li Huangxuan, drop dead!"

"Fortune teller said I got a tough life. I'll outlive everyone!"

...

Lin Mushi suddenly reached out and pinched Li Huangxuan's arm – hard. He yelped in pain. Girls! So unreasonable! Can't win an argument, so they resort to violence!

Zhuang Zi'ang watched their familiar, entertaining sparring match, and an endless wave of sadness washed over him. Such lovely classmates... But in three months, I'll never see them again. This precious friendship... forever frozen at eighteen.

As they settled down, Zhuang Zi'ang spoke, his voice softer. "Son... be a gentleman. Give in to Mu Shi in the future, alright?"

Li Huangxuan reached over to feel Zi'ang's forehead. "Did you take crazy pills? I've fought with her daily since forever, and you never said boo!"

"Mu Shi," Zhuang Zi'ang turned to her, a hint of sorrow in his eyes, "I apologize on his behalf. You know how he is – speaks without thinking."

"Zhuang Zi'ang," Lin Mushi narrowed her eyes, suspicion growing, "You're acting really weird. Why so polite all of a sudden?" The earlier comment still nagged at her. "So... do you really know a girl prettier than me?"

"Well," Zhuang Zi'ang hedged, "Beauty is pretty subjective. Hard to say definitively."

"My 'son' here is handsome, top of the class," Li Huangxuan couldn't resist fanning the flames, deliberately needling Lin Mushi. "His girlfriend has to be the prettiest. Face it, Mu Shi, you probably don't stand a chance."

Rumors had always swirled around Zhuang Zi'ang and Lin Mushi because of their close friendship. In truth, it was purely platonic. But Li Huangxuan's meddling gave Lin Mushi a fleeting, unwelcome sense of being... slighted.

To save face, she scoffed contemptuously. "I don't believe a word of it! You're obviously just playing hard to get because you're obsessed with my looks!" Lin Mushi had absolute confidence in her beauty. There was no way a girl prettier than her existed in the entire East Campus. This was clearly just a childish ploy by the boys to provoke her.

"Mushi," Zhuang Zi'ang said, a touch of earnestness breaking through, "I advise some humility. The world is vast!" Little Butterfly's beauty was undeniable.

"Zhuang Zi'ang!" Lin Mushi accused, pointing a finger between him and Li Huangxuan. "Are you secretly crushing on me? Is that why you're saying these things? Trying to make me jealous? You two are totally in cahoots!" Her expression was one of having uncovered their dastardly plot.

"Do you have to be this narcissistic?" Zhuang Zi'ang played along, falling back into the banter. "With my looks? Half the girls in school probably have a crush on me already!"

"Zhuang Zi'ang! Is your tongue made of asbestos? Not afraid the wind'll blow it right out of your mouth?" A sneering voice cut in from the side.

Zhuang Zi'ang looked up. It was Xie Wenyong.

Xie Wenyong was the vice-monitor of Class 9. Permanently overshadowed by Zhuang Zi'ang, the top student and head monitor, he perpetually simmered with resentment. Compounding this, he nursed a crush on Lin Mushi, who only ever seemed to have eyes for Zhuang Zi'ang. Any chance to snipe at Zi'ang was irresistible.

In the past, for class harmony, Zhuang Zi'ang would have brushed it off. But not anymore. He met Xie Wenyong's gaze head-on. "When we voted for monitor, didn't everyone pick based on looks? That's why I'm the main one, and you're just the deputy." Implying Xie Wenyong's inferior appearance.

Lin Mushi and Li Huangxuan burst out laughing. Zhuang Zi'ang was objectively much better looking, but hearing him say it was peak arrogance.

Xie Wenyong flushed. "You only got monitor because of your grades! You're just a bookworm! In terms of actual ability? You can't touch me!"

"So... you want the monitor position?" Zhuang Zi'ang asked calmly, holding his gaze.

"If I hadn't been busy actually helping people instead of just sucking up to teachers, I'd have had it long ago!" Xie Wenyong spat.

"If you want it, go ask Mr. Zhang. I'm stepping down." Zhuang Zi'ang stated it plainly.

"Tch! Like you'd really give it up?" Xie Wenyong scoffed, convinced it was a trick.

Zhuang Zi'ang's gaze turned distant, almost pitying. "Have you heard the story of Hui Shi becoming Prime Minister of Liang?"

"The Divine Bird Phoenix, setting out from the South Sea, flies towards the North Sea. It will only rest upon the Wu-tong tree, only eat the fruit of the Lian, only drink from the sweetest springs.

An owl, having found a rotten rat, looked up as the Phoenix soared past and screeched: 'Shoo! Scram!'"

The coveted monitor position Xie Wenyong obsessed over was nothing more than a putrid rat in Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes.

"You... you're just full of it!" Xie Wenyong sneered, though the barb clearly stung.

"Xie Wenyong, what's it to you who we talk to?" Lin Mushi interjected, annoyed.

"Mu Shi," Li Huangxuan chimed in, mischief sparkling in his eyes, "Being so nice to Zi'ang... worried that 'prettier girl' might steal him away?"

"Are you insane?" Xie Wenyong practically shouted, jumping to Lin Mushi's defense with exaggerated fervor. "Mu Shi is the school beauty! There is no girl prettier than her!"

Just then, a classmate returning from the bathroom called out, "Zhuang Zi'ang! There's a girl outside looking for you!"

Zhuang Zi'ang's head snapped towards the window. His breath caught.

Standing outside was a girl in a pristine white blouse, a deep blue pleated skirt, and spotless canvas shoes. But the most captivating detail was the single, perfect peach blossom tucked into her hair. She turned, a smile blooming on her lips – a sight more radiant than the flower itself.

Zhuang Zi'ang shot to his feet, pushing past his classmates as he rushed out the door.

The classroom instantly erupted.

"Who is that? She's gorgeous!"

"No way! Someone prettier than Lin Mushi does exist?!"

"Xie Wenyong's face just got slapped hard."

...

Lin Mushi stared at Zhuang Zi'ang's retreating back, her expression a mixture of shock, hurt, and pure indignation.

Men! They're all pigs!