It started small.
A whisper.
Then another.
By second period, half the class was already talking.
"The class fund is missing."
XinYue looked up from her notebook. "What?"
Zhao Xia turned around immediately. "Wait—what fund?"
"The money for the trip," someone said. "It's gone."
The class monitor, Chen Rui, was already standing near the teacher's desk, arms crossed, expression serious.
"I kept it in the drawer yesterday," she said. "It wasn't there this morning."
"Maybe you misplaced it?" Zhao Xia said.
"I don't misplace money," Chen Rui replied calmly.
That tone—too calm.
XinYue noticed.
"Then where is it?" someone asked.
Chen Rui didn't answer right away.
Instead, she looked straight at XinYue.
The room shifted.
"…Why are you looking at me?" XinYue asked.
"Because," Chen Rui said, "you were in the classroom yesterday after school. Alone."
Silence.
Zhao Xia frowned. "So?"
"So," Chen Rui continued, "I checked the corridor camera."
XinYue's eyes narrowed slightly. "And?"
"You went inside the class. No one else did after you."
A few students started murmuring.
"That doesn't prove anything," Zhao Xia said.
Chen Rui didn't argue.
She just said, "The teacher has already seen the footage."
—
By lunch, it was no longer whispers.
It was a conclusion.
XinYue didn't argue with anyone.
Didn't defend herself randomly.
She just sat there, quieter than usual.
Li Hanyan watched her.
"You didn't take it," he said under his breath.
She didn't look at him. "I know."
"Then say something."
"I will," she said. "At the right place."
—
By last period, a message came.
"XinYue. Chen Rui. Principal's office."
Zhao Xia stood up immediately. "I'm coming too."
"They didn't call you," XinYue said.
"I don't care."
Li Hanyan was already on his feet.
"Let's go," he said.
—
The principal's office felt colder than usual.
The class teacher was there. Chen Rui stood straight, confident.
XinYue stood beside her. Calm.
"XinYue," the teacher began, "the class fund is missing. Chen Rui says you were the only one in the classroom yesterday after school."
XinYue nodded once. "I was."
"And the CCTV shows you entering," the teacher continued.
"Yes."
"Then explain."
XinYue didn't rush.
Didn't panic.
She just said, "Show me the proof that I took it."
The room went quiet.
The teacher frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You said I entered the classroom," XinYue replied. "That's true. But where is the proof that I took the money?"
Chen Rui spoke this time. "You were alone. The money disappeared after that."
"That's not proof," XinYue said, looking at her directly. "That's an assumption."
Chen Rui's expression tightened slightly.
"The footage is clear," she said.
"Of me entering," XinYue replied. "Not of me stealing."
The teacher hesitated.
Li Hanyan stepped forward. "Can we see the footage again?"
The teacher looked at him. "…Fine."
—
They played it.
XinYue walking into the classroom.
Nothing else.
No drawer. No money. No action.
Just her entering… and leaving later.
"That's it?" Zhao Xia said. "That's your proof?"
Chen Rui frowned. "She was the only one there."
"And?" Zhao Xia shot back. "That means she stole it?"
XinYue didn't speak this time.
She just watched Chen Rui.
Quiet. Steady.
"Check inside the classroom properly," XinYue said after a moment. "Before blaming someone."
The teacher sighed. "We already checked."
"Check again," Li Hanyan said.
The teacher looked between them… then nodded slowly.
"Fine."
—
Back in class, the atmosphere was worse.
Everyone watching.
Everyone waiting.
Zhao Xia immediately started opening drawers. "No one touch anything."
XinYue stood near her desk, not moving.
Li Hanyan went straight to the teacher's desk.
He crouched down, checking the lower shelf.
Then the side.
Then—
"Wait," he said.
Everyone looked.
He reached inside the drawer—further back than before.
And pulled out an envelope.
Silence.
Zhao Xia blinked. "…No way."
Li Hanyan stood up, holding it.
"The class fund?" the teacher asked.
He opened it slightly.
"Yeah."
All eyes turned to Chen Rui.
Her face went pale for just a second.
"That's impossible," she said quickly. "I checked—"
"Not properly," Zhao Xia cut in.
XinYue finally spoke.
"Or maybe," she said quietly, "you didn't expect anyone else to check again."
Chen Rui looked at her. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not implying anything," XinYue replied. "I just asked for proof."
The teacher's expression hardened slightly. "Chen Rui, you said you checked carefully."
"I did," she insisted. "Maybe someone moved it—"
"No one touched it," Li Hanyan said.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it was firm.
"And accusing someone without proof isn't a small thing."
Chen Rui didn't respond.
—
The matter ended there.
No apology from her.
Just silence.
But everyone knew.
—
After school, Zhao Xia exploded.
"I swear if she tries that again—"
"Leave it," XinYue said.
"You're too calm," Zhao Xia complained.
"I'm just tired," XinYue replied.
Li Hanyan looked at her. "You handled it well."
She shrugged. "I just didn't want to argue without facts."
A pause.
Then he said quietly, "You didn't even look scared."
She looked at him this time.
"I knew I didn't do it," she said. "Why would I be scared?"
He held her gaze for a second longer than usual.
"…Right," he said.
Zhao Xia crossed her arms. "Still. She's definitely jealous."
"Of what?" XinYue asked.
Zhao Xia smirked slightly. "Figure it out yourself."
XinYue didn't respond.
But for some reason—
her eyes drifted to Li Hanyan.
And stayed there a moment too long.