Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 17: Do You Really Believe Me?

Two days had passed since the incident, and Jiang Xueli remained in the same fragile state.

Rumors about her had even begun spreading to other classes.

As the system noted, Lin Zhengran, an utterly neutral observer, had noticed some inconsistencies in the story. Over time, it became easy to spot the discrepancies.

During the third and fourth periods in the morning, the class had PE. The teacher instructed everyone to pair up for sit-up exercises, letting them choose their partners freely.

As expected, even though there was an even number of girls, no one wanted to pair up with Jiang Xueli. One girl even preferred partnering with a boy rather than teaming with her.

Jiang Xueli was left standing alone. The PE teacher asked, "Has everyone found a partner?"

"Teacher! Jiang Xueli doesn’t have a partner!" a boy called out gleefully, clearly enjoying the situation. All eyes turned to her, their gazes hard to describe.

Jiang Xueli stood there, pale and silent.

The PE teacher looked puzzled. "Jiang Xueli? Why haven’t you found a partner? If you can’t find one, just wait until the first group finishes, and then someone can help you."

Someone in the crowd piped up, "Teacher, no one will help her! She’s a thief. None of us want to partner with her."

Jiang Xueli panicked and tried to explain, "I’m not! I’m not a thief!"

"You are!" "Yeah, you dare say you’re not?!" "Even the teacher took away your position!"

The PE teacher finally recalled the recent incident and stopped the chatter. "No more talking about this during PE! We’re only here to focus on exercise." Turning to Jiang Xueli, the teacher added, "Regardless of whether you’re a thief, don’t you have at least one friend in class?"

Jiang Xueli’s eyes reddened as she met the teacher’s gaze, which seemed to confirm the accusation. Yet, she couldn’t find the words to defend herself.

At that moment, a hand went up in the crowd.

"Teacher, I’ll pair with her."

Everyone, including the teacher, turned to see who had spoken. It was Lin Zhengran.

Even Jiang Xueli stared at him in disbelief.

The PE teacher, surprised but approving, nodded. "Alright, Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli will pair up. Everyone else, get ready and start warming up!"

The class erupted in murmurs, familiar whispers spreading among the students:

"I didn’t believe the rumors about them being a couple, but now I do."

"Yeah, but how could Lin Zhengran be into her? She’s a thief, and he’s the top student in our class."

"They really are dating, huh?"

Lin Zhengran glared coldly at the group. "What are you talking about?"

The class fell silent. Nobody wanted to pick a fight with Lin Zhengran. He was a special case—top grades and strong to boot. If he’d wanted to be class monitor, he would’ve been elected unanimously.

The PE teacher instructed everyone to start, and Lin Zhengran looked at Jiang Xueli as she approached.

She stared at him as if he were a ghost.

Lin Zhengran frowned. "What’s with that look? You’re staring at me like I’m a monkey."

"I am not!" Jiang Xueli pursed her lips and lowered her voice. "I just... can’t believe you’d partner with me. Aren’t you afraid of the rumors?"

"You sure do worry a lot." Lin Zhengran’s tone was indifferent. "First, we’ve always been the subject of rumors in this class. Second, do you really think I care about what they say? I couldn’t care less."

Jiang Xueli stared blankly for a moment before muttering, "True. You’ve always been weird. Nobody understands you."

The PE teacher called for the class to begin, and Lin Zhengran sat on the grass while Jiang Xueli held down his legs for sit-ups.

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She hesitated before quietly asking, "Do you believe me?"

Her voice was too soft, and Lin Zhengran didn’t immediately respond. Thinking he hadn’t heard, she didn’t dare repeat herself.

After two sit-ups, Lin Zhengran finally said, "If I didn’t believe you, I wouldn’t have partnered with you. Honestly, in this class, anyone could’ve stolen the stuff—but not you. I can tell how much you care about being the Discipline Officer. You wouldn’t ruin something you’re passionate about."

Jiang Xueli didn’t know how to feel when she heard that. She just found the boy in front of her increasingly pleasant to look at.

Her heart raced, and the heavy weight she’d been carrying for days lightened. Even the air seemed fresher.

A faint smile crept onto her face, tinged with an unnoticeable blush. She pressed down on his legs with a bit more force.

By midday, the overcast sky had turned to rain—a heavy downpour.

When Lin Zhengran finished eating and returned to the classroom, he realized his umbrella was missing. He suddenly remembered leaving it at home after the last rainy day.

The classroom was mostly empty;everyone had gone to the cafeteria.

As Jiang Xueli was about to leave, she noticed Lin Zhengran walking out with empty hands. She glanced at her umbrella and, almost instinctively, followed him.

At the ground floor of the school building, Lin Zhengran stared at the rain pouring outside. Sensing someone behind him, he turned. "Why are you following me?"

Jiang Xueli froze. From her hiding spot, she stepped forward awkwardly and snapped, "Who’s following you? I’m just going to eat. This is the way, isn’t it?"

Lin Zhengran gave her a skeptical look. Jiang Xueli avoided his gaze, her twin ponytails bouncing playfully at her waist.

She stammered, "Did you forget your umbrella? Do you... want to share mine? I’ve never shared with a boy before, but I can’t just let you get drenched." She kept her eyes elsewhere but stole glances at him.

To her surprise, Lin Zhengran declined. "No need."

"No need?" Jiang Xueli was shocked. She stepped closer. "How are you going to get through the rain without an umbrella? And didn’t you say you’re not afraid of rumors? Are you scared of walking with me?"

Lin Zhengran replied nonchalantly, "Honestly, it’s because you don’t seem like you want to share."

Jiang Xueli froze, clenching her small fists.

"I don’t! I mean, I don’t want to share with you because I’m a girl, and you’re a boy! People will talk. But... but I can’t just leave you to get wet!"

Lin Zhengran studied her expression, which he’d only ever seen in fictional stories. "Jiang Xueli, do you know what ‘tsundere’ means?"

"Tsundere?" Jiang Xueli blinked, shaking her head. "Never heard of it. What is it?"

"Nothing. Just take it as a compliment."

Her expression grew skeptical as she muttered, "Really? It doesn’t feel like one. I’ll look it up when I get home tonight. Anyway, will you share the umbrella or not? People are watching, and I’m shy!"

Indeed, several students in the lobby were watching. Sharing an umbrella between a boy and girl was unusual in elementary school.

Lin Zhengran finally thanked her, and Jiang Xueli relaxed, holding the umbrella for him.

But as she wasn’t tall, Lin Zhengran took over. "Let me hold it. Stretching your arm like that must be tiring."

Jiang Xueli clasped her hands behind her, walking closely beside him. "Well, you’re the tall one."

Under the umbrella’s cover, she hesitated before asking again, "Do you really believe me? Believe that I didn’t steal? The whole class thinks I’m a thief."

"I already answered during PE." Lin Zhengran sighed at her persistent gaze. "Yes, I believe you. But are you just going to let this go?"

Jiang Xueli’s eyes lit up. She clenched her fists. "Of course not! I’m going to find out who framed me and make them pay! And... figure out why Jiang Xiao lied. She’s clearly making things up!"

"Oh? I didn’t expect you to be so determined. You’ve been moping these past two days."

"Who’s moping?!" she retorted, flustered. "I just needed time to bounce back!"

Lin Zhengran chuckled lightly, deciding not to argue.

Jiang Xueli lowered her fists, stealing glances at him as they walked. Her twin ponytails swayed cheerfully with her steps.

"What are you laughing at? And why does your laugh look so silly?"

Meanwhile, in the distant doorway of another building, Jiang Xiao stood with two pink umbrellas in hand, watching Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli leave together.

Somehow, things seemed to have taken an ironic turn.

"Lin Zhengran..."