Defeated By Love

Translated by Fairy_Dust

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“Chen Xiang…” He Xiaoying remembered. “Is it that girl the headmaster mentioned when the national flag was raised?”

“Yeah.”

They were not Class 5’s students. The only reason they even knew of Chen Xiang was because of what happened last week.

Two weeks ago, Chen Xiang went to the city to participate in a youth violin competition and won the first prize. Therefore, during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, the headmaster praised her several times on the stage.

It wasn’t that long ago so most people could still remember it clearly.

“Anyway, she hasn’t been found yet.” Chen Hanzheng suddenly looked at Shu Nian. “Did you know that Xie Ruhe’s father also came to the parent meeting?”

It had been a long time since she heard that name.

Shu Nian expression was puzzled, like she was still thinking about who that was.

Another boy was confused by his sudden remark: “Weren’t all the parents supposed to come? What’s so strange about Xie Ruhe’s father coming?”

“My house is near Xie Ruhe’s house.” Chen Hanzheng’s eyes flashed with a hint of disgust. “His father is an alcoholic. He always beats him and his mother.”

Hearing those words, Shu Nian’s chopsticks stopped and she looked at Chen Hanzheng.

“I’ve also heard from some of my friends from Class 5. That day, Xie Ruhe’s father came. Since Chen Xiang was the class leader, she would pour water for the parents but she accidentally spilt water on Xie Ruhe’s father.”

“Then did he beat Chen Xiang up?”

“No.” Chen Hanzheng said. “But don’t you think it’s a little too coincidental? Chen Xiang didn’t disappeared sooner or later but rather, right after spilling tea on Xie Ruhe’s father?”

As soon as those word fell, Shu Nian immediately understood what Chen Hanzheng was trying to express.

The others also thought about the possibility of that and were scared: “No way…”

Although Shu Nian did not have any good feelings towards Xie Ruhe, she still felt that what Chen Hanzheng said was very wrong: “Chen Hanzheng, this kind of thing is very serious. It hasn’t been confirmed yet so don’t talk nonsense.”

Chen Hanzheng was extremely unhappy because for a long period of time, Shu Nian kept looking for Xie Ruhe.

If it were in the past, Chen Hanzheng would have shut up by now but when he heard her words, he became angrier: “Why do you always side with Xie Ruhe? Do you like him?”

Shu Nian didn’t know where he came to such a conclusion.

She explained in a good manner: “I’m not helping Xie Ruhe, nor am I helping his father. I just don’t think we should jump to conclusions. The offence is so serious, no one can afford it.”

“Shu Nian, saying so much, who are you trying to convince? Aren’t you annoying!” Chen Hanzheng’s expression was cold, he refused to listen to her. “You must be really blind. I’m telling you in advance, domestic violence is inherited.”

“…”

The other students seemed to find this funny and laughed.

Shu Nian squeezed her chopsticks and covered the lunch box with the lid. She stood up and silently walked downstairs with the lunch box in her arms, not saying a word.

Someone behind her called her: “Shu Nian, what are you doing? Are you really going to be angry over this?”

Shu Nian didn’t respond, she also didn’t stop.

They originally sat on a row of stairs on to the second floor, if she walked down another flight, she would arrive on the first floor.

Shu Nian intended to another place to finish eating her lunch. When she looked around and wondered whether she should simply go back to the classroom or not, she suddenly noticed someone coming out of the triangular space under the stairs on the first floor.

Shu Nian looked over and was shocked.

Compared to two months ago, the hair on the forehead of the teenager in front of her had grown a little longer, the pupils were pitch black and calm. The dark atmosphere around his body was thick. He was clearly wearing a clean set of school uniform and standing under the light but he seemed to be living in the dark.

Xie Ruhe looked at Shu Nian. The emotions in his eyes were unreadable.

Shu Nian lowered her eyes and pondered. Her layered hair hung on her shoulders and her fingers tightened on the lunch box. She was certain that he had heard everything they just said. She freed up a hand and felt around in her pocket for a long time. She took out a mango gummy.

It was just like the first time.

She went over and stuffed the candy into his hand.

“Here, have a sweet.”

Another week passed.

Chen Xiang was found. However, she was no longer a living person but a cold corpse. She had died alone on the grass next to Wenhua Street.

That was the biggest and most serious thing that had ever happened in the small town of Shiyan Town in recent years.

Chen Xiang’s relatives couldn’t accept that fact. They went to school every day to cry and shout until they almost fainted on the spot. Shu Nian sat in the classroom every day and could hear their heart-rending cries from the inside.

The matter made headlines.

The police paid extra attention to the case and sent down a lot of people from the city to help. They went from Chen Xiang to Chen Xiang’s parents. All parties were considered a suspect but the killer was still free.

In a peaceful and stable town, there was suddenly a murderer.

An unknown and free murderer.

It caused panic.

No one dared to let their children be alone.

During that period of time, parents picked them up and dropped them off at school in person.

Even Shu Nian was no exception. Deng Qingyu was very busy with work, but every day, she would send Shu Nian to school. After school, she would ask a friend who was picking up their own child to pick Shu Nian up along the way.

Over time, the incident was slowly forgotten.

Some people speculated that the murderer may have ran away and left town. After winter vacation was over, a while later, most families allowed their children to back to school by themselves. It transitioned into them going back home alone as well.

Later.

Shu Nian suddenly realised that every day when she went to and from school.

There would always be an extra person silently tagging along behind her.

She held her schoolbag straps and looked back.

The teenager’s figure was thin and tall. In such cold weather, he only added on an extra school uniform jacket without it being zipped up. His complexion was sickly pale and his lips were purple.

His peach blossom eyes were dark but bright with gentleness.

He stood three metres away from her.

Not too close or too far away.

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