Li Ruoshui's words seemed to drift farther and farther away in Shen Fanyun's ears.
His gaze was distant as he looked at the once-familiar sights of Hangcheng No.1 Middle School. He felt as if he had grown up overnight since the year he left.
In those naive days, I always fantasized about growing up.
Because growing up meant freedom, ample time, and boundless energy to squander.
Now that I look back, growing up wasn't so great after all.
"Back then, all my classmates thought that Li Qiuchan and I would end up together," Shen Fanyun muttered to himself.
Once a rumor took hold, explanations became pointless. People only believe what they want to believe—what they hear and see. Explanations were dismissed as cover-ups, and a cover-up was always linked to a guilty truth.
At that stage, aside from Lu Feiyan, everyone—even Li Ruoshui, who was right beside him—unquestionably believed that he and Li Qiuchan had been in a relationship.
