The mountain air felt heavier after the fall. Even though Meiyu was back on solid ground, the sensation of dangling over the abyss clung to her skin like frost.
"Liang Meiyu, what were you thinking?!" The teacher's voice thundered as the group gathered. His forehead glistened with sweat, his eyes full of exasperation. "Do you know how dangerous that was? One wrong move and—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "You can't treat this like a game."
Meiyu bowed her head, shame crawling down her spine. Words lodged in her throat.
But before she could answer, Yichen stepped forward, fury radiating from him like heat. "She didn't wander off. Someone set her up."
Gasps rippled through the group.
The teacher frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Yichen pointed at the fluttering ribbon tied on the branch. "Look. That wasn't placed by accident. Someone marked that slope as if it was part of the trail." His eyes swept the students, sharp and accusing.
Silence. Then whispers.
"Is he saying someone tried to hurt her?"
"Maybe she just made it up again."
"She always plays the victim."
Meiyu's chest clenched at the words, but Yichen's fury only grew. He stepped closer to the crowd, voice raw. "You think this is a joke? She could've died. If any of you know something—say it."
No one did. Heads turned away, eyes averted.
Haoran knelt near the ribbon, his fingers brushing the knot. "It's fresh," he murmured. "Tied this morning. Deliberate." He stood, his expression unreadable. "Whoever did it knew exactly what they were doing."
The teacher's face darkened. "Enough. We'll look into it. For now, everyone stays together. No exceptions."
---
The group resumed the hike, but the atmosphere had shifted. Every whispered laugh, every sideways glance, seemed sharper than before.
Meiyu walked in silence, her heart pounding. Each time she stumbled, Yichen was there, steadying her with a firm grip. Each time her steps slowed, Haoran matched her pace, his presence a quiet shield.
Yet the stares of their classmates burned holes into her back.
"She always causes trouble."
"Why are they always protecting her?"
"Maybe she wants attention."
The words tangled around her like thorns.
By the time they reached the campsite, exhaustion pulled at her bones.
---
Night fell.
The lodge was quiet, save for the crackle of a fire outside and the occasional laughter from students gathered in clusters.
Meiyu sat on her bunk, hugging her knees to her chest. Her roommates were whispering by the window, their voices low but pointed.
"…She almost dragged them down with her."
"…Did you see the way both of them ran? Like she's some precious treasure."
"…I don't get what's so special about her."
Each word stabbed.
She pressed her forehead against her knees, fighting back tears.
Why was it always like this? No matter where she went, no matter how much she tried, people always twisted the story until she was the villain.
The door slid open. Yichen stepped in, his expression hard. He looked at her once—long enough that her breath caught—then turned to the roommates. "Out."
They blinked, startled. "W-What?"
"I said, out." His voice was sharp as steel. "You've said enough behind her back. Go whisper somewhere else."
The girls scurried away under his glare, the door shutting behind them.
Silence.
Meiyu lifted her head slowly. "…You didn't have to do that."
Yichen's eyes locked onto hers, fierce, burning. "Don't you get it? I can't stand it. Watching you take their crap, watching you nearly fall because of someone's sick game—it's driving me insane."
Her chest tightened. The rawness in his voice shook something deep inside her.
Before she could answer, Haoran appeared in the doorway. His eyes flicked between them, unreadable. "The teacher wants everyone at the fire. Now."
Yichen clenched his jaw, muttering under his breath, but he left first. Haoran lingered a moment longer, his gaze softening as it landed on her.
"Don't let their voices get inside your head, Meiyu," he said gently. "You're stronger than you think."
And then he was gone too.
---
Later that night, the fire blazed in the center of the clearing. Students sat in circles, telling stories, laughter echoing against the mountain walls.
But Meiyu couldn't relax. Her gaze drifted to the shadows just beyond the light—where a familiar figure stood.
Lin Qian.
Her eyes gleamed in the firelight, her smile faint and poisonous. She lifted a stick, stirring the flames lazily, then glanced at Meiyu with a look that said: This isn't over.
A shiver ran through Meiyu's spine.
For the first time, she realized something.
If she didn't start fighting back—if she kept letting others push her around—she would keep falling into traps, again and again.
She straightened, her fists tightening. Maybe she wasn't ready yet. Maybe she was scared. But she couldn't keep hiding.
Because if she did, she'd lose everything.
---
❓️❓️❓️❓️❓️
Now that Meiyu has resolved not to stay silent anymore, how will she begin fighting back—through courage, through allies, or through uncovering Lin Qian's schemes?