The earnest class president was cleaning the classroom.
Following Lin Zhengran's instructions, Jiang Xueli walked to her desk, crying and choking back sobs.
This startled the sweeping class president, who quickly moved to the side.
Jiang Xueli lay her head on her desk and cried for a while. When she saw the class president was still sweeping with her head down, ignoring her, she wiped away her tears with one hand and peeked at Lin Zhengran, who was hidden outside the door.
Her expression said: 'The class president is ignoring me.'
Lin Zhengran clicked his tongue. His eyes shot back a message: 'You're hopeless! Don't just cry. Add some dialogue to make it sound more serious—the more serious, the better!'
Jiang Xueli nodded. A moment later, she burst into a loud wail. "I'm sorry… C-Class President… I'm so sorry!"
When the class president heard Jiang Xueli call out to her, she jumped, watching her with a conflicted expression.
Jiang Xueli continued pitifully, "Everyone says I stole your things, but I really didn't! WAAAH… I don't know what's happening… I… I'm going to drop out of school. I'm never coming back. And if I can't go to school, I won't be able to get a job, so I'll have to spend my days eating trash I find on the street."
Lin Zhengran, outside the door: '…'
'A bit over the top, but vivid.'
Jiang Xueli sobbed, "From now on, I'll only be able to eat rotten apples that other people throw away, and moldy tomatoes… and… and… my mom won't want me anymore either."
"J-Jiang Xueli, did you say you're going to drop out?" Being just a kid herself, the class president couldn't bear to listen any longer. She felt it was just too pitiful; no one deserved to be treated like this. "Please stop crying, okay? Here, wipe your tears."
Jiang Xueli hadn't expected the class president to actually comfort her, which made her cry even harder. "WAAAH, Class President… I know you don't believe me, but I really didn't steal your phone!"
The class president walked over to Jiang Xueli with her broom. Seeing her face soaked with tears, she was so heartbroken she was at a loss for words. "I believe you. I believe you."
Sniffling, Jiang Xueli stared hopefully at the class president, her voice breaking with sobs. "R-Really? You really believe me? But… why do you believe me? Wasn't the phone found inside my desk?"
The class president frowned, looking as if she was about to burst and say something. Seeing this, Jiang Xueli quickly grabbed her arm.
"Class President, you know something, don't you? Please, just tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone you said anything. I'm begging you."
Her conscience pricked, the class president decided to come clean. She set down her broom, walked to the doorway to check for others, and Lin Zhengran seized the opportunity to quickly duck out of sight.
Thankfully, it was P.E. class. Everyone had already gone out to the field, so it was unlikely anyone would come back.
The class president handed Jiang Xueli a couple of tissues to wipe her tears.
"I'll tell you everything I know. To be honest, I thought the whole thing was strange, too. I accidentally brought my phone to school that day, and around noon, Jiang Lin from our class borrowed it. She said she needed to call her mom."
The class president continued:
"Then… in the afternoon, Jiang Lin told me my phone had been stolen. The very next day, it turned up in your desk. But the whole thing is so strange! I gave her the phone in the cafeteria. I'd been keeping it on me because I was afraid of losing it. But when I went to get it back from her that afternoon, she said it was stolen. The thing is, I remember you were cleaning the classroom during lunch that day. You didn't even go to the cafeteria."
Jiang Xueli nodded. "Exactly. Because I didn't go to the cafeteria, everyone said I must have stolen your phone while I was cleaning the classroom by myself."
The class president sat down beside her. "See? Isn't it all a bit strange? I'm even starting to suspect that someone framed you on purpose…"
Hearing this, everything started to become clear for Jiang Xueli. Outside, Lin Zhengran had also heard their entire conversation.
After P.E., Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli skipped the cafeteria for lunch.
The two of them sat on the steps by the locked rooftop door, eating bread. The door was always locked, so they couldn't get onto the roof itself.
Watching Lin Zhengran chew his bread, Jiang Xueli said, "So it must have been Jiang Lin and her friends. The day before yesterday, I was the one who told the teacher they were playing on their phones in class. They must hold a grudge, which is why they framed me."
Lin Zhengran stared straight ahead. "Looks that way. So why do you think your deskmate pointed the finger at you? So far, it doesn't seem like she has anything to do with it."
Something suddenly occurred to Jiang Xueli. She nibbled on her bread, her face flushing red. "Actually… there is. If I really have to think about it, I can come up with a reason she'd frame me."
"Oh?"
Jiang Xueli said, extremely embarrassed, "You really can't tell?!" She saw Lin Zhengran still had a completely clueless look on his face.
Giving him a look like he was a complete idiot, Jiang Xueli whispered, "My deskmate likes you! Haven't you noticed how she gets all unhappy whenever anyone in class teases us about being a couple? Plus, she's always sneaking glances at you…"
"Huh? How would you know she's sneaking glances at me?"
Jiang Xueli was exasperated. "Because we're deskmates!"
"So what if you're deskmates? I have no idea who my deskmate is looking at all day," Lin Zhengran said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Her face flushed red. She squeezed her eyes shut and shot back, "That's because you're not normal!"
'The real reason was that Jiang Xueli also happened to sneak glances at Lin Zhengran, which is how she noticed her deskmate was doing the same. But that was something she could only keep to herself.'
After railing at Lin Zhengran, Jiang Xueli let out a "HMPH!" and went back to eating her bread. "Forget it. It's pointless talking to a blockhead like you. Besides, it's just a suspicion. It's not like she would definitely accuse me over something like that."
Lin Zhengran stared ahead. "It doesn't matter. You've been hanging out with me these past couple of days, and your mood has visibly improved. The people who framed you are bound to get nervous. We'll just tail them for the next few days. We're bound to overhear something."
"Mm."
Jiang Xueli opened her last packet of pickled vegetables and shoved it into Lin Zhengran's hand. "You can have the last one," she said, not meaning it at all. "I don't like them anyway."
Lin Zhengran looked at her, puzzled. "You don't like them? But you already ate two packs?"
Jiang Xueli was utterly mortified. Flustered and annoyed, she retorted, "It's none of your business! Don't tell me you think I'm trying to be nice to you or something?! Y-You… Don't get the wrong idea! It doesn't mean anything."
"Oh. That thought never crossed my mind."
His attitude made Jiang Xueli grit her teeth in frustration. She shook a small fist at him. "Idiot! You're a total idiot! No girl is ever going to marry you when you grow up!"
"Says you," he retorted. "As if any guy would marry a loudmouth like you."
"You—!" She stopped herself. The more she said, the more she'd mess up. She muttered under her breath, "Then we might as well just be a pair."
"What was that?"
Jiang Xueli wanted to crawl into a hole. She couldn't believe she'd actually said her thoughts out loud. Mortified, she clapped her hands over her ears as if that would make a difference. "I didn't say anything!"
A few more days passed. Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli secretly trailed the group, voice recorder in hand. Sure enough, a week later, they managed to eavesdrop on their conversation. They had obtained the most critical piece of evidence in the case of the wrongful accusation, and the truth came to light that very day.