"Meng Shang, this isn't really a failure. You're still first in the理科 class, aren't you? The teacher just has high standards for you, that's why she said a few extra words. Don't take it to heart and don't mope around."
The clear voice of a girl interrupted Jiang Ruoqi, who was also brooding and had come to the back garden to escape. She frowned, wondering why, even after deliberately picking a time when no one would be eating and hiding in the school's rarely visited little garden, she still ran into people.
"Lingxue, I'm fine. Go eat. I want to be alone for a bit."
The familiar voice made Jiang Ruoqi realize she had run into an acquaintance. She and the other two were separated by a wall of climbing roses and could hardly see each other unless they paid attention.
But... Jiang Ruoqi turned slightly and looked back. Through the gaps in the vines, she confirmed it was Meng Shang and another girl she didn't recognize. Maybe a classmate, or maybe...
Preview