Evanescent Dreams

35. A Simpler Mind

Chen Siyun was quietly swaying at her seat. In her ears was the same music that played in Weng Bai's ears a few seats across. She unlocked the class windows next to her and could feel a lighthearted breeze. 

It's a nice day. 

She played with the strawberry milk Weng Bai put on her desk before she arrived. 

She couldn't wait for the day to be over. She would go find Lin Xingren with Weng Bai and Ye Zhen, then go to the "old place" with him privately, share her recent favorite Kdrama Ost, calmly absorb the environment into her, and-

If only it isn't the start of the day...

Chen Siyun sighed and put down her headphones. Lin Xingren's  name was still amidst her classmates' whispers, even after one week. 

Chen Siyun turned from the window and caught Liu Gujing's stare.

Usually, such rumors about puppet students should end within days...unless the rumors spreading presenter students want to conceal their own rumors...

Since the rumors started in the past week about some sort of "dark past" of Lin Xingren, it had been difficult for Chen Siyun to maintain a peace of mind. Lin Xingren was sometimes here, sometimes not. She came to school, remained discreet and preoccupied while in it, and left whenever she wanted, as if it were a place for checking in on business matters. Her condition seemed fine when Chen Siyun went to see her afterschool every day, however, which made Chen Siyun not really disturbed but simply quite confused about the situation. 

Meanwhile, people constantly pestered Chen Siyun about her relationship with Lin Xingren and Lin Xingren's past. Liu Gujing pretended she only heard but was never involved in Lin Xingren's past and Ye Zhen gave off an unapproachable aura, so Chen Siyun turned into the only key to solve the "truth" behind the hot rumors surrounding her mysterious friend. 

"Heyy, Siyun, what's up?" 

The girl with streaks of dyed blue hair sitting at her right freely moved her chair over for the third time this week. She had just finished a conversation with her friends and her face was red with unconcealed curiosity. 

Chen Siyun quickly shook her head at Weng Bai, who was about to rise from his seat and come over. She thought it would be wise to not cause hassle. She didn't want to make matters more complicated for Lin Xingren. 

"Oooo, who you're looking at?" the girl followed Chen Siyun's vision. 

She lowered her head away from Weng Bai's worried eyes across the room. 

She took out her notebooks and started flipping randomly through the pages.

The girl leaned forward besides her didn't take the signal. "Zhao Zihai's not here yet~"

Chen Siyun breathed in deep. "Sorry, I still have to study-"

"Talking about that, Lin Xingren's also not here again this morning, " the girl said with a surprised tone that carried too much amusement. "If she continues to be like this, the school will definitely do something about it, right? Ah, I'm actually kinda worried about her. Have you seen her these days? Is she alright?"

"I haven't seen her," Chen Siyun lied. She didn't want more questions. 

"I see I see."

The girl exchanged a few curious glances with her friends and the uncalled for conversation didn't continue for a while. The girl simply tilted back her chair and examined Chen Siyun. Self-consciousness crept into Chen Siyun and her pen felt heavy on her fingers, but she tried not to show any emotion.