New school.
New faces.
Everything felt unfamiliar to Xin Yue.
Yet this time, people were warm. Friendly. Almost welcoming.
She made friends easily, laughed a little louder, smiled a little more.
It felt… normal.
Her forever best friend, Xiu Fei, was no longer beside her.
Distance stood between them, but their bond didn't break.
Late replies, short calls, unfinished conversations—
yet somehow, they still understood each other.
In class, Xin Yue found comfort in her seat partner, Zhao Xia.
Quiet. Calm. Safe.
Someone who didn't demand too much.
Everything was going fine.
Until Han Yu appeared.
He never confessed.
Never spoke to her.
He only stared.
During lessons.
During breaks.
Every single day.
It made Xin Yue uncomfortable.
When her friends confronted him, he said,
"I have nothing to do with her."
But his actions said otherwise.
When Xin Yue finally complained, things turned ugly.
The staring turned into bullying.
Whispers. Laughs. Mockery.
School became unbearable.
Her marks dropped.
Her family was furious.
Phones taken away.
Friends blocked.
Her seat moved—alone.
Xiu Fei cried, asking why Xin Yue stopped talking.
Xin Yue had no answer she was allowed to give.
Then came Teacher Yan.
She already disliked Zhao Xia.
Called her irresponsible.
Bad influence.
Characterless.
Some things were true.
Many were exaggerated.
Some were completely made up.
And Xin Yue's parents believed her.
A grade passed.
Teacher Yan resigned.
Everything shifted.
Xin Yue changed sections.
Section A.
This time, things felt different.
No pressure.
No judgement.
No pretending.
Everyone was close—boys, girls, laughter everywhere.
Xin Yue slowly became herself again.
Her bond with Xiu Fei grew stronger, even from afar.
Distance weakened their presence, not their place in each other's lives.
That's when Lin Meiyi entered.
Same interests.
Same vibes.
Same taste.
Xin Yue thought, She's like me.
She didn't know—
some people resemble you just enough to replace you.
Meanwhile, attention followed Xin Yue again.
Confessions. Proposals. Whispers.
She rejected them all.
Not because she wanted to.
But because she was scared.
Then—
she noticed Lu Chen.
Sports Day.
Focused. Confident. Untouchable.
He participated in almost every game.
Xin Yue couldn't look away.
For the first time, school felt exciting.
For the first time, she enjoyed being there.
She didn't know yet—
every story that feels beautiful at the start
is hiding something underneath.
And somewhere between smiles and silence,
someone was already watching her too closely.
Was Lin Meiyi a coincidence… or the beginning of another betrayal?