My Years as the Pure Love Interest at the Noble Academy

His words successfully plunged everyone present into silence.

This scene was all too familiar, except now it had become reality instead of pretense.

Song Yi, leaning on Murong Huan's shoulder, tried to find humor in their misery and sighed, "Well, at least we can be thankful we didn't pretend to be dead that day."

Otherwise, they might as well have been sent straight to the crematorium.

The doctor examined both Song Yi and Shen Yujing's legs and made the diagnosis everyone had expected—

Song Yi had sprained her ankle, while Shen Yujing had a minor fracture.

Consequently, Song Yi's ankle was wrapped with a towel, and Shen Yujing's lower leg was put in a cast.

However, they shared one thing in common: both needed rest for the time being.

Two wheelchairs were brought over, and Song Yi and Shen Yujing were helped into them before being wheeled into the same recovery room.

The room was spacious, containing three beds that could be separated by curtains.

Additionally, there was a large space at the foot of the beds to accommodate wheelchair access.

Murong Huan's expression was complicated as she said, "You should rest now. I'll have someone bring you lunch, and I'll take you home after school."

"Okay," Song Yi obediently nodded, continuing to look at her foot in despair.

Her only consolation was that Shen Yujing had it worse than her.

Quan Le turned to Shen Yujing and similarly advised, "You get some rest too. Just mooch off someone else's lunch, and at night, drink some cold water to get through it—just stay alive."

Shen Yujing: "...Get lost."

Quan Le and Zhang Yong had other sports events to participate in, while Murong Huan had to return to host, so everyone left, leaving only Shen Yujing and Song Yi in the room.

Silence, wordlessness, awkwardness.

Shen Yujing spoke first, saying, "This is so boring."

He hadn't even brought his phone with him.

Song Yi nodded, "Indeed."

Shen Yujing: "I have a bold idea."

When Jiang Yiheng rushed over after learning about Song Yi and Shen Yujing's injuries, he witnessed this scene—

Despite having one leg in a cast, Shen Yujing remained determined, demonstrating wheelchair maneuvers to Song Yi with serious dedication, "Look, we need to control the wheelchair ourselves, then... like this... and finally... that's it."

Song Yi frowned, "What do you mean by 'then like this and finally that's it'?"

Shen Yujing said, "It can only be understood through experience, not words. Try to grasp it."

Jiang Yiheng: "...What are you two doing?"

Only then did Shen Yujing and Song Yi notice Jiang Yiheng's arrival.

Shen Yujing answered, "We're preparing for a wheelchair race. Want to join?"

Song Yi nodded, then lowered her head to continue studying her wheelchair.

It was strange—why couldn't she control it as smoothly? Was she really less clever than Shen Yujing?

This answer seemed bizarre and even absurd to Jiang Yiheng, so he looked at the gold medal hanging around Shen Yujing's neck and asked, "Is that a gold medal from the Paralympics?"

"How can you say something like that?" Shen Yujing rolled his eyes at Jiang Yiheng, then quickly realized something, "Wait, why are you here anyway?"

"To investigate whether this is a case of school bullying," Jiang Yiheng coldly replied, his gaze falling suspiciously on Shen Yujing.

Shen Yujing: "Are you sick? Does my face scream 'violent bully' to you? Do you know what defamation is?"

Shen Yujing truly couldn't understand why every time something happened, Jiang Yiheng would suspect him of bullying others. Was he that kind of person?

Jiang Yiheng didn't answer him but instead looked at Song Yi, "We received an anonymous report from a classmate claiming you deliberately caused Shen Yujing to fall."

Song Yi: "..."

Who would do that? Why snitch like this?

And Shen Yujing: "..."

So this time they weren't suspecting him? He was actually the "victim"? This was even more ridiculous.

Song Yi could only tell a white lie, denying it: "I didn't. I just tried to step aside when I saw him running over."

Shen Yujing, the victim who knew nothing of the truth, nodded in agreement, "I just tripped over something, that's why I fell."

After Shen Yujing said this, everyone fell silent.

No, wait.

Wasn't that a rubber track? What could he have possibly tripped over?

Shen Yujing looked suspiciously at Song Yi, suddenly forming a bold theory.

Shen Yujing's expression suddenly turned serious, "I've got it! There's only one truth!"

Song Yi, seeing no way to hide it anymore, sighed, "Alright, I conf—"

Shen Yujing: "Is our school haunted!?"

Song Yi: "...?"

Huh? Could it be interpreted that way? Well, if that's what he thought, that would work too.

Shen Yujing seriously explained, "I heard a rumor before that an honors student from the third year committed suicide by jumping from the roof of Building A9 due to bullying, and where they fell was right on the track field!"

Song Yi applauded: "What a reasonable deduction!"

Shen Yujing turned to Jiang Yiheng, "You should report this to those old guys at school. It's scary to have ghosts appearing in broad daylight like this—it might affect our school's fortune."

Song Yi agreed: "I think we need to hold a proper ceremony to help them move on. It's too pitiful to be trapped in this heartbreaking place after such a miserable life."

Shen Yujing: "You're very thoughtful! We should make it grand—after all, they were a student at Saint Slee, we can't treat them poorly. If we need more money, we can always ask my dad!"

Song Yi praised: "You're so generous and kind."

Shen Yujing: "Just average, but certainly better than certain cold-faced, sharp-tongued disciplinary committee heads."

"Snap—"

Jiang Yiheng closed his folder and stood up to leave. He couldn't stand it anymore.

Who would be so idle as to report Shen Yujing being bullied?

And he must have been crazy to believe it.

The room's door closed.

Song Yi stared at Jiang Yiheng's retreating figure and asked, "Don't you think this scene looks familiar?"

Shen Yujing also looked and replied, "Does the back of his head look similar to Hang Feng's?"

Just looking at it made him feel annoyed.

Song Yi shook her head, "It's not the back of his head, I can't quite put my finger on it."

Shen Yujing: "Then I have no idea."

At this moment, the system finally couldn't hold back anymore.

[It's the aura! The aura and demeanor are similar! Both Jiang Yiheng and Hang Feng are so done with you two!]

The system's sudden speech startled Song Yi, "Oh, you're still alive."

[...]

Never mind, it was done with them too.

"What?" Shen Yujing thought she was talking to him, "Why wouldn't I be alive?"

Song Yi covered her forehead with one hand, "I wasn't talking to you."

Shen Yujing's expression immediately turned serious, and he carefully waved his hand in front of Song Yi, "Hey! Song Yi! Are you still Song Yi? Don't tell me you're possessed?"

Song Yi was exasperated but had to change the subject, asking, "Was that story about the honors student you mentioned earlier true?"

"Of course not," Shen Yujing answered confidently, "I made it up to scare him away. The atmosphere gets too weird when he's around, always wearing that stern face—who's he trying to impress? And you saw it worked, didn't you?"

Song Yi opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, finally asking, "Do you really think Jiang Yiheng left because of your ghost story?"

Shen Yujing: "Wasn't it? Didn't you just praise me?"

Song Yi: "..."

Well, it didn't matter anyway.

Shen Yujing patted his wheelchair, "Anyway, the important thing is Jiang Yiheng left. Come on! Let's continue our wheelchair race!"

*

At noon.

Quan Le not only brought their phones but also food.

Two large bags filled an entire table, and Quan Le called out, "Come on! Time to eat!"

The table was full of delicious dishes, very abundant and appetizing.

Shen Yujing picked up his chopsticks, looked at his bowl, but felt something was missing.

Song Yi slowly spoke up, asking, "So... where's the rice?"

Quan Le's smile froze on his face as he scratched his head. "I... I forgot."

Having a meal without rice was like having no meal at all.

Song Yi put down her chopsticks with a troubled expression, suddenly feeling that she had lost her appetite.

Shen Yujing said, "Don't worry, I have an idea."

Song Yi looked at Shen Yujing with hopeful eyes, suddenly feeling that his figure had become more impressive. As expected of the male lead, he always had some exceptional qualities.

But in the next second, Shen Yujing took out a fruit knife and used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of broccoli, carefully beginning to cut off the florets.

Song Yi: "..."

What was he doing? What kind of operation was this?

Quan Le also frowned, resting his chin on his hand while watching Shen Yujing's performance intently.

While cutting, Shen Yujing explained to them: "Have you heard of rice-less fried rice? It's when you use chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets instead of rice. When my mom was on a diet, she often had our housekeeper make it this way. I tried it once, and it tastes quite similar to rice."

Quan Le's eyes suddenly filled with admiration as he looked at Shen Yujing. "That's amazing, Shen Yujing! You know so much!"

Shen Yujing modestly replied, "It's nothing special, I'm just quick to learn."

These two, one bold enough to praise and the other to accept it, created quite a harmonious scene.

Song Yi: "..."

This was truly a travesty.

Well, she'd endure it.

*

After spending a day in the infirmary and getting bored with wheelchair racing, evening finally came.

As the dismissal bell rang, two bodyguard-like figures carrying a medical stretcher entered. They were dressed in black and wore dark sunglasses, making it impossible to see their expressions or guess their intentions.

Song Yi instinctively sensed danger and wheeled herself backward, hiding behind Shen Yujing.

Fortunately, these two men weren't targeting Song Yi. They went straight for Shen Yujing, one lifting his head and the other his uninjured leg, unceremoniously placing him on the stretcher.

It was so sudden that Shen Yujing was completely stunned. "What the hell? Who are you people? Do you know who I am..."

Before Shen Yujing could finish, Quan Le walked in, explaining as he entered, "There's a new security guard at the gate today who doesn't recognize me and won't let my car in."

Shen Yujing, lying on the stretcher, suppressed his anger and sat up, asking, "So?"

Quan Le shrugged and said, "So my car can only wait at the school gate, and since you can't walk that far with your foot, they need to carry you there."

Shen Yujing immediately grabbed the nearby wheelchair, showing an unyielding attitude, "I refuse. It's dismissal time, there are lots of people around."

Song Yi nodded in agreement, "He's very image-conscious."

Quan Le sighed helplessly, "Look, young master Shen, that cast won't come off for at least a month. Your classmates will see it sooner or later. You can't hide it forever."

"Still no," Shen Yujing continued to refuse.

However, Shen Yujing, with his cast and sitting on the stretcher, looked somewhat "fragile," which significantly diminished the impact of his words.

Quan Le: "But photos of you and Song Yi falling together have already been posted on the forum! Everyone's discussing who was bullying whom!"

Shen Yujing: "..."

Song Yi: "..."

Shen Yujing made one last attempt to resist, "At least they haven't seen the cast on my leg."

"Huh?"

Quan Le paused, then scratched his head embarrassedly, "Since they were saying you bullied Song Yi, I posted photos of both of you on the forum to prove your innocence. I wanted them to see clearly that your injuries are actually worse than Song Yi's! There's no way you could have deliberately hurt her!"

Shen Yujing: "..."

Quan Le's words successfully broke Shen Yujing's resistance. He instantly released his grip on the wheelchair and gave up all opposition.

Shen Yujing sat expressionlessly on the stretcher as the two bodyguards carried him out, with Quan Le walking alongside.

Watching their retreating figures, Song Yi was oddly reminded of palace dramas where concubines would be carried in sedan chairs to the imperial garden, with maids walking beside them.

Then again, no concubine would ever be reduced to such a humble carrier.

On the academy grounds.

Faced with countless bewildered looks from fellow students, Shen Yujing silently lowered his head, repeatedly telling himself—

As long as he wasn't embarrassed, it would be others who felt awkward.

Quan Le noticed Shen Yujing's reluctance and said, "What choice do we have? If you tried hopping to the school gate on that leg, you might as well go straight to the hospital for amputation instead of going home."

Just as Quan Le finished speaking, they heard the sound of wheelchair wheels beside them.

Shen Yujing casually turned his head, and his expression completely froze.

They saw Murong Huan pushing Song Yi in her wheelchair, quickly catching up to them with light steps.

Then—

Murong Huan loudly asked Song Yi, "What are they doing? Isn't there a wheelchair in the infirmary? Wouldn't it be more convenient to push him? Why are they carrying Shen Yujing on a stretcher?"

Song Yi replied, "Maybe because they like showing off."

After Song Yi's response, Murong Huan accelerated, pushing the wheelchair past them.

A breeze carried their mocking comments—

"How embarrassing, let's get away from them quickly."

Quan Le: "..."

Shen Yujing: "..."

Indeed, it was embarrassing.

Shen Yujing really wanted to know how Quan Le's brain worked, what kind of person could come up with such an unnecessarily complicated solution.

More importantly, why hadn't he himself realized what was wrong with this situation all along.

Why! Just! Why! Was! This! Happening!!