The Pain Syndrome

Chapter 3

Yu Luoyin watched the scene unfold like a farce, the corners of his lips curling into a slight, sarcastic smile.

The tall, slender boy stood with his hands in his pockets, his tousled hair falling to obscure his expressionless dark eyes.

Behind him, Li Yuan jumped around and yelled in dismay, trying to keep his sneakers from getting wet. "Who spilled the bucket of water? How irresponsible!"

Sheng Churan’s bright eyes flickered with a trace of panic upon hearing this. Her slender fingers nervously twisted the sleeve of her school uniform.

She looked at Yu Luoyin from a distance, afraid he might think she was the irresponsible one.

"Li Yuan!" Zhong Qin reacted quickly, taking advantage of the possibility that Yu Luoyin and his friends might not have seen what happened, and boldly shifted the blame to Bai Xunyin. She righteously declared, "What's wrong with you? Can't even hold a bucket properly?"

"Uh, right." Sheng Churan, prompted by Zhong Qin, quickly followed suit and said, "You've soaked your classmate's shoes!"

Bai Xunyin didn't bother to argue with them.

She had already noticed Yu Luoyin downstairs out of the corner of her eye, which explained Sheng Churan’s sudden 'shyness'. This wasn't the first or second time they'd pushed the blame onto her, and she didn't have the energy to contest it.

The girl turned silently, her eyes downcast, and walked downstairs with light steps.

She quickly approached Yu Luoyin, bent down to pick up the bucket, and then left without a word, not sparing a single glance at anyone.

Yu Luoyin's gaze unconsciously followed her as she walked away, catching a glimpse of the veins standing out on her arm as she carried the bucket.

This girl named Bai Xunyin had long hair tied into a ponytail, with loose strands partially obscuring her delicate profile, making it hard to see her face clearly.

But her slender neck, prominent shoulder blades, and thin waist were particularly noticeable... making it seem unlikely that she could lift such a heavy bucket.

"Yu Luoyin!"

Bai Xunyin walked a few steps away, still able to vaguely hear Sheng Churan's cheerful voice, "Your pants are wet; you'd better change before class starts..."

Frowning slightly, Bai Xunyin quickened her pace.

She reached a secluded spot beside the sink, took a deep breath, and squatted down, feeling somewhat exhausted.

The afternoon sun was bright, illuminating nearly every corner except for the shaded area behind the wall where the sink was located. Bai Xunyin squatted there, resembling a little mushroom covered in moss.

Deep inside, she harbored many unspoken dark thoughts, afraid they would slowly surface.

Is life always this difficult? Or will it get better when I grow up?

Bai Xunyin unconsciously recalled a line from a movie, laughing at herself in a daze. Before she lost her ability to speak, she had never felt that life was so hard.

After a brief moment of negativity, Bai Xunyin slowly stood up, leaning on her knees.

The vulnerability on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a mask of cold indifference. She expressionlessly filled the bucket with water and walked back to the classroom, step by step.

Bai Xunyin returned to class with only two minutes to spare before the lesson began. Her fingers ached from carrying the heavy bucket, making it difficult to even hold a pen.