THE bell rang, signaling the end of the morning class.  Luo Yan stood up and was about to go to Yu Jiao's seat, but when he turned around, he saw that she was already walking to his direction.  He was a bit surprised.  Because Yu Jiao had never took the initiative to approach him in class.  This just showed that she was indeed starting to change.  Slowly having more confidence with herself.  Luo Yan was glad and happy for that.

He also walked to meet her half-way.  "Shall we go?"

Yu Jiao nodded.

They walked out of the room under the gazes of their classmates.  But Luo Yan didn't care much about that.  What he wanted to know more right now was what happened to Yu Jiao this morning that made her late to class.

"Jiao Jiao, can you tell me now what happened to you?" he asked when they got out of the classroom.

Yu Jiao felt conflicted when she heard what Luo Yan had said.  She was contemplating whether to tell him everything, but at the end, she still decided to do so. After all, she did say earlier that she would and this was not just someone else.  This was Luo Yan.  The first friend she had made in this place. 

"I had an… argument with my stepsister," she said.

And then she remembered what happened after she said 'no' when Mo Jian asked to bring her to lunch.

=====

The moment she said 'no', Mo Jian's expression turned vicious.  It's like she was ready to jump onto her and bite her ear off.  It made Yu Jiao subconsciously step back.  But she quickly got a hold of herself. 

If there was a time to stand her ground, then this was it.  Luo Yan was her friend and Luo Jin was the other's brother.  Agreeing to what Mo Jian wanted was almost like selling out her friend's brother.  All because she was too scared and cowardly to refuse. 

She couldn't continue on like this.  She couldn't always cower.  Especially not always in front of this girl.  If she couldn't get over this, then she wouldn't be able to really say that he had moved forward.

"You actually dare to refuse?" Mo Jian screeched.  "Do you think you have the right to befriend the Luo brothers?  No!  You're just the daughter of the pathetic woman my Dad married!  You don't even have the qualification to be in this school!"  She advanced aggressively towards Yu Jiao and then pulled the collar of her uniform.  "You're nothing!  Do you think being friends with the second Luo young master would make you into something?  No!  You'll always be this, nothing!"

"You're wrong."  If this was before, Yu Jiao might have been hurt by every word Mo Jian said.  She might even start trembling now.  But she only felt calm now.  No, what she's feeling was probably close to a calm anger.  She grabbed Mo Jian's hands holding her collar and pulled them away.  "First, my mother is not pathetic.  Your father was the one who chased after her.  The fact that she agreed to marry him is his blessing.  And no, I am not 'nothing' as you put it.  Someone like you has no right to put a label on my worth."  She tightened her grip on the other's wrist.  "Lastly, get the hell out of my room."

After she said that, she opened the door to her room and dragged her out.  Pushing her outside, making the other stumble and fell down.  Yu Jiao locked her door just in case Mo Jian thought of trespassing into her room and messing with her things.

Yu Jiao looked down at Mo Jian.  She just now realized how petite the other was.  And weak.  Now she wondered why she ever got scared of this girl when it was this easy to push her away. 

She then walked forward, ignoring Mo Jian who was still on the floor.  She looked like she was still shock because of what just happened.  Or rather, she probably couldn't believe that Yu Jiao did what she just did. 

"Yu Jiao!" Mo Jian shouted after a while.

But Yu Jiao ignored her and continued walking.

=====

"And that's what happened," Yu Jiao finished.

After Luo Yan heard everything, he couldn't help but laugh and then give Yu Jiao a thumbs-up.  "Good job, Jiao Jiao, standing for yourself like that.  I'm proud of you."

He didn't know everything about Yu Jiao's family situation, but he did know that she doesn't get along well with her step-siblings.  With Yu Jiao's disposition, it's easy for those step-siblings to bully her.  She would definitely not fight back. 

That's why hearing that she did made Luo Yan feel so proud.  Because it meant that she was slowly growing, becoming more and more confident.  Peeling off that timidity and just being who she was supposed to be.

Yu Jiao stopped and then smiled.  "I actually can't believe that I did that.  You see, I- I was very afraid of Mo Jian.  Maybe because deep inside, I do believe the things she has been saying about me.  But at that moment, I just thought that it couldn't continue on like that anymore.  Because- because, then, I would never be able to move forward.  I was actually quite glad that she came this morning.  Then, I probably wouldn't discover that I can already move forward."

"And I'm happy for you, Jiao Jiao," Luo Yan said.  "On another note, why don't we eat at a restaurant outside?  It would be my treat.  What do you think?"

Although his older brother would really be the one who would be paying.  And after what happened to Yu Jiao today, it would also be a good distraction.

Yu Jiao didn't have any complaints and nodded.

They walked out of the third-year building and immediately saw Luo Jin just standing there.  But he wasn't alone, a girl was also standing beside him, talking and smiling brightly. 

Yu Jiao's expression turned constipated when she recognized the girl.  "Yan Yan, just a heads up, that girl is Mo Jian."

Luo Yan stared at the girl and then smiled.  "Let me handle her, Jiao Jiao."

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