Chapter 146: I Believe in You (First Update)

The room fell silent. The sudden announcement from their homeroom teacher caught both Wen Yichen and Jiang Muwen off guard. Wen Yichen stared at the teacher for a moment before giving a docile "Oh" in response.

Once the teacher had left the classroom, the students erupted into a buzz of activity.

"What do you think the teacher wanted with you?" Jiang Muwen asked in a low voice. In truth, she hadn't thought much of it initially, but after calling Wen Yichen’s name, the teacher had glanced at her as well.

To be honest, that look had filled Jiang Muwen with a lingering sense of dread. Perhaps it was because her exam results were so poor that even a simple glance from the teacher made her feel guilty.

"It’s nothing, probably just to help transcribe scores," Wen Yichen replied calmly. A second later, he shifted his gaze back to the monthly exam paper on his desk. "You should just head home after school today; don't wait for me."

Hearing this, Jiang Muwen obediently agreed.

As soon as school ended, Wen Yichen headed straight for the teacher's office, while Jiang Muwen packed her bag and left the classroom at a leisurely pace.

Transcribing the scores took Wen Yichen over half an hour. Once he left the office, he shouldered his bag and headed home. He assumed Jiang Muwen had long since returned, but upon getting off the bus and walking into their residential complex, he spotted her sitting alone on a park bench.

The girl sat in the shade of a tree, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves to cast patterns across her. She looked unhappy, sitting there by herself, arms wrapped around her schoolbag, her eyes cast downward as she stared forlornly at the tips of her shoes.

Everything was quiet. The girl seemed bathed in the soft, golden light of the late afternoon, looking as beautiful as a frozen painting—yet, a painting that pained the viewer.

Wen Yichen slowed his pace, eventually stopping a short distance away. He stood there in silence, his eyes never leaving her. Seeing her so distressed made his own heart ache; he furrowed his brow, a flicker of complex emotion crossing his eyes.

Though only a few steps separated them, to Wen Yichen, the distance felt strangely vast. With her eyes cast down, the girl seemed to be shutting everyone out, enclosing herself in a world where no one could reach her.

Jiang Muwen sat quietly, watching the sunlight slowly shift away from her shoes, and couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Time drifted by until she felt the bench beside her sink slightly. A second later, a familiar, low voice drifted into her ears: "Still not heading home?"

It was Wen Yichen.

The words felt as though they had touched the most tender part of Jiang Muwen’s heart. The gentle, calm concern in his voice made her nose sting instinctively.

"Hmm?" Jiang Muwen replied, her voice soft and milky, like a puppy that had been deeply wronged.

Wen Yichen looked at her cautiously; her gaze was still fixed on her shoes. "What’s wrong?"

When someone is feeling sad and hurt, a simple "What’s wrong?" is often enough to make them feel even worse. Jiang Muwen was no exception; as soon as Wen Yichen asked, she felt her composure crumble.

Perhaps she wasn't strong enough, perhaps she was too sensitive, or perhaps her expectations for herself were simply too high.

The silence hung in the air as the words Zhou Yao had said after school resurfaced in her mind: "Jiang Muwen, how did you even get into Class A with such terrible grades?"

"I walked in on my own two feet, obviously. Didn't you know? I scored 43."

It was rare for Jiang Muwen to snap back like that. After she said it, Zhou Yao’s face had turned green. Although she had left Zhou Yao speechless, she felt even more miserable inside.

She had tried so hard, she had given it her all—so why was she still in this position?

Pulled back to the present, Jiang Muwen lowered her eyes. "It's nothing."

Her voice was faint, tinged with a sob. It reached Wen Yichen’s ears, tugging at his heart as if an invisible blade were piercing it. Before their final year of high school, he had never seen Jiang Muwen like this. How had such a cheerful, bubbly girl turned into this?

He had gone to the office after school, where the teacher had not only asked him to transcribe scores but also subtly inquired about Jiang Muwen. The teacher likely knew they were close and, aware of how sensitive girls could be, had asked him to look out for her.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you," Wen Yichen said plainly, his words carrying a rare, gentle warmth.

"But—"

"I believe in you." Before Jiang Muwen could finish her self-denial, Wen Yichen cut her off.

Those four simple words sent ripples through her heart.

"I believe you can do it, just like you did in the third year of junior high." Seeing that she remained silent, he continued.

As he finished, Jiang Muwen looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with an indescribable emotion.

Before she could speak, she felt a warmth on her wrist. A gentle force pulled her toward him, and before she could even process it, she was pulled into his embrace.

In an instant, the air seemed to freeze. Jiang Muwen went rigid, clutching her schoolbag between them in a panic, her chin resting lightly on his shoulder as she tilted her head up. The boy held her carefully; this embrace felt different from others—it was filled with encouragement and a long-lost warmth.

He patted her back gently, as if comforting a sad little kitten. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric of her clothes, and Jiang Muwen felt her nose sting once more.

In moments like these, nothing is more healing than an embrace.

The warmth of the hug slowly melted away the turmoil in her heart. A moment later, she loosened her grip on the bag and reached out, cautiously tugging at the fabric of his school uniform.

Perhaps she would never know just how tender the expression in Wen Yichen's eyes was as he held her.

After a long while, his voice reached her ears once more: "Keep going."