What to do if you are too popular?

“Academic… Academic Committee Member, I can’t breathe… Wait, Class President, don’t come over!”

The moment Wang Ning stepped out, she was surrounded by a large group of people. At first, everyone was normal, and the conversation was fine, until Xiali left to answer a phone call.

Everyone was very concerned about her, and Wang Ning earnestly replied to every thank you. But without her realizing it, the others had gotten closer and closer, until Wang Ning finally realized—she was being squeezed like the filling in a sandwich cookie.

The students of Class A were undoubtedly the best of the best, whether in terms of background or powerful abilities. Alongside that, they also had superior looks and terrible personalities.

But in Wang Ning’s opinion, most of the time, her classmates were quite easy to get along with. They would just occasionally say a few strange things, but it was harmless.

But sometimes, like now—

“Student Wang Ning is so small. She only comes up to my chin…” The class committee member behind her reached out and touched the top of Wang Ning’s head, a look of amazement on her face.

Wang Ning didn’t know what bloodline the Academic Committee Member had. She saw that her cheeks were adorned with something like scales, reflecting a scattered, bright light.

“Get your hands off her, you stupid fish!” The Class President’s hand quickly slapped the Academic Committee Member’s away. Then, she flicked the hair from her forehead, a faint smile on her lips. “Student Ning, don’t mind this kind of person who gets arrogant just because of her advantages.”

The Academic Committee Member gave her a cold look and said, as if unintentionally, “I’d say the one with the Luminous Ring Peacock bloodline is the real narcissist. Who knows how many people she’s deceived with that face… Stu, Student Wang Ning, you’d better stay away from her.”

The other students: “Heh.”

‘Two of a kind, birds of a feather.’

One girl directly ignored them and said to Wang Ning, “Do you want some water? I bought some here.”

Wang Ning: “…”

“Student Wang Ning, you should go back into the infirmary. It… might be a bit too noisy for you here,” a concerned voice said.

Wang Ning looked over and blinked. It was a familiar person, Rosa.

Wang Ning also felt that the situation was getting a little strange and said, “I’ll be going then. Thank you all for your concern. I won’t take up any more of your time.”

But the crowd did not disperse. She could feel many gazes on her, tentatively showing a desire to get closer, eager to try something.

Wang Ning had a bad feeling.

Then, when Xiali returned, she saw the chaotic scene from the beginning, with Wang Ning stuck in the middle of the girls, her hand outstretched like a plea for help.

“Xiali!”

Wang Ning was thrilled the moment she saw Xiali. She tried her best to break free from the overly enthusiastic crowd, almost unable to even call out.

The crowd was dispersed by Xiali. Wang Ning quickly went into the infirmary and closed the door.

‘Whatever! Time to slip away!’

‘This scene looks like they’re about to start a fight!’

‘Hmm… a girl’s chest is indeed very soft and full—but that’s no reason for me to almost suffocate, hey!’

She looked with lingering fear at the only person in the room who could be considered normal, Dr. Ruixi, cast aside the messy thoughts, and said, “Dr. Ruixi, how are Chloe’s old injuries?”

Dr. Ruixi said gently, “There are some old injuries, but a simple check shows no major problems.”

“But many more injuries are not visible on the surface,” her tone was serious. “I advise you to persuade this little student to go to the hospital for a check-up, just to be safe.”

“I understand, Doctor.”

Wang Ning sighed inwardly. Putting everything else aside, the first priority was to let Chloe’s injuries heal.

She walked towards the grey-haired girl sitting in a daze on the hospital bed.

There was a lingering smell of disinfectant in the infirmary, which was hard to get used to, but it was much better than the disgusting smell of rotting garbage in the alleys.

Chloe looked at the empty infirmary. Wang Ning had just gone out. The lively voices of the girls came from outside, a stark contrast to the quiet space.

She lowered her head and quietly looked at her fingers, which had been scratched red. The few deep red marks were so conspicuous on her pale hands.

‘No one likes to be with a silent, depressed person.’

‘Student Wang Ning will soon discover this fact.’

She looked at the window again, vaguely seeing her own reflection. Her fingers unconsciously traced her face, carefully examining her own features.

‘Pale and frail, like a withered branch that would break with a single gust of wind.’

‘Useless.’

‘What a useless face.’

Then, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking of the few names Wang Ning often mentioned.

Boli An, Karin, Xiali…

With every name that flashed through her mind, a layer of self-loathing was added to her heart, slowly eroding the unwillingness and hope that had sprouted when she was with that person.

‘Those who surround the sun always have a better chance of winning its affection than the moss hiding in dark corners.’

—‘And she was destined to rot in the darkness.’

“Can I study with you after school? I mean, after the evening classes—of course, if you’re free and willing,” Wang Ning stood before her and said frankly.

‘Of course, she absolutely wasn’t trying to freeload off a top student to have her explain the problems. It was just a side benefit, a very small side benefit.’

Wang Ning argued with herself internally.

Chloe was stunned.

She had prepared many words that she thought would be hurtful. She knew that saying such things to the person who had saved her was undoubtedly the act of an ingrate and would only incur Wang Ning’s sadness and disgust.

…But she was afraid. Afraid that if she accepted this ray of sunlight, she didn’t know if she would develop an uncontrollable dependence on it. She didn’t know if she would be like a dodder vine wrapped around a large tree, draining the other’s emotions until they both fell to their deaths.

—Even less did she know whether she would adapt to the sunlight first, or wither and die first.

Every time she wanted to choose to get closer, more things would happen to prove that she was a monster, a monster that would only bring death to others.

‘She had to stay away.’

‘She should stay away.’

“O-Okay,” Chloe stuttered. As if words were not enough to express her excitement, she nodded vigorously, not even caring that it pulled at her wounds.

“That’s great! I’ll come find you after school then,” Wang Ning showed a surprised smile, then said, “I’ll be troubling you then.”

“It’s okay, it’s no trouble at all.” Her face turned red again, and she pursed her lips into a shy smile.

Wang Ning said, “You should rest and recover. Do you need me to ask for leave for you?”

She shook her head. “It’s fine, I don’t need to ask for leave.”

“Asking for leave… will make me fall too far behind in my classes.”

For a split second, Wang Ning almost saw a vision of her past self preparing for the college entrance exams, also unwilling to ask for leave even when sick.

She silently wiped away a tear of sorrow and did not refute Chloe’s words. Her phone vibrated. It was Xiali, urging her to go eat together.

“I’ll go eat first then. I’ll bring your food for you!” Wang Ning took a few steps forward, then turned her head back. “By the way, what do you want to eat?”

Chloe opened her mouth. “It’s… never mind. I’ll have whatever you’re having, Student Wang Ning.”

“Okay!”

After that figure left, the infirmary became quiet again.

She sat there in a daze for a while, the shy, faint smile not yet completely faded from her face. After a moment, she suddenly hugged her head and buried it in the blankets.

Chloe looked at the darkness with her vision lowered, her mind a chaotic blank.

‘What happened? What happened?’

‘How did she… how did it turn out completely different from what she had planned to say?’

‘She shouldn’t have said that.’

‘…It’s okay. It’s okay. She can still go back on her word.’

‘By then… she will still hate her.’