A week later, the quiet atmosphere at St. Valorian Academy was broken by a new arrival.
Her name was Lin Mianmian, Gao Yi's cousin from a wealthy family in the United States.
From the moment she stepped onto the campus, her eyes were glued to Gao Yi. Everyone could see the obvious affection and possessiveness in her gaze. She walked right up to him, smiling sweetly, and took his arm naturally, as if she already owned him.
"Yi, I missed you so much!"
Gao Yi frowned slightly and gently pulled his arm away, but he didn't push her away completely. After all, they were family, and they had known each other since they were little.
Many students whispered right away.
"Is she Gao Yi's girlfriend?"
"They look so close!"
"She's so pretty and rich… they're perfect for each other."
Lin Mianmian enjoyed the attention. She raised her chin and looked around arrogantly, until her eyes suddenly fell on me.
At that moment, her smile froze.
I was standing next to Ruoxi, quietly watching the scene. I had no intention of interfering with their relationship. But for some reason, Lin Mianmian's eyes turned cold and sharp when she saw me.
She could tell.
Even though Gao Yi tried to hide it, his gaze would unconsciously drift toward me.
That small, almost unnoticeable detail was enough to make Lin Mianmian's jealousy burn.
She had always believed that she was the only one qualified to stand beside Gao Yi, that she would marry him sooner or later. And now, she saw a girl who might threaten her place.
"Yi, who is she?" Lin Mianmian asked, pointing at me in a rude tone.
Before Gao Yi could answer, she spoke again, in a voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
"Is she one of those girls who's always following you and Qiao An, trying to get close to rich guys?"
The meaning behind her words was clear.
She was calling me a gold digger, just like Gao Yi once did.
Ruoxi immediately stepped forward to protect me, anger flashing on her face. "Watch your mouth! Rose is my best friend. She's not what you think!"
Lin Mianmian ignored her and only stared at Gao Yi. "Yi, you should stay away from people like her. They're bad news."
I looked at Lin Mianmian calmly, without anger or fear.
I had been judged enough already. I was not going to argue with a jealous, unreasonable girl.
I turned around and whispered to Ruoxi, "Let's go."
As I left, I could feel two different eyes on my back.
One was Lin Mianmian's, full of jealousy and hostility.
The other was Gao Yi's.
For the first time, his gaze was not cold or disdainful.
It was complicated, slightly guilty, and… protective.
He wanted to say something, to stop Lin Mianmian from humiliating me.
But his pride and his previous misunderstanding stopped him.
By the time he made up his mind, I was already gone.
In that moment, Gao Yi felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
He didn't hate it.
He didn't like it either.
He only knew —
From the day Lin Mianmian arrived, my peaceful life was about to become a mess.
And he had no idea that his own carelessness would soon push me far, far away from him.