Rumors Spread Like Wildfire
There is a saying that "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." And though many people already know this phrase false and have created different versions of it, it is true for a few people. For the majority of the world, however, the words that echo in their minds when they hear this is "Sticks and stones may break my bones and words will hurt my heart and infect my mind." This is especially true for those still growing up.
The following day, Lian Lei was gone. So to say she had found someone else to bother.That person is Tang Shuren, the butt of today's jokes. The rumors of yesterday had long since died and a new wildfire has spread, stronger than the one from yesterday.
"Such a cry baby, never thought that his tough guy attitude was just a facade."
"You really can't judge a book by its cover."
"Really, crying over such a small thing-"
It was then that Tang Shuren entered the classroom, eyes downcast and a tired look on his face. The voices quieted down, drifting along the classroom corners before erupting.
"Look at him, he must've been crying again last night."
"Such a weakling, how has he survived until now?"
"I would've been ashamed to come to school looking like that."
'And yet he still came to school. Doesn't that show that he's braver than you?' Yu Yan wanted to retort at them. Really, gossiping about a small thing like this, they had too much time on their hands.
"So I'm guessing none of you has ever cried before? Even if it was for a little thing such as scolding? None of you wanted to cry when you hear the false rumors going on about you? I'm guessing most of you really didn't come to school, doesn't this mean that he's braver than you?" a familiar voice rang out.
Yu Yan sighed, Lian Lei had missed. Most of the people here never had false rumors going on about them. They were either too rich or too good with words. No one really wanted to offend them.
There was an awkward quiet rang out in the class as they turned to look at Lian Lei, then they started laughing behind their bright grins, mocking her barbed words that missed.
"Look at him, needing a girl to deafen him," they mocked.
"And what's wrong with that? Are you saying, that because I'm a girl I don't get to help my friend?"
"Heh, why are you making a big deal out of this?" Jiang Chang asked, only to be refuted by the same question.
"Yeah? Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Tang Shuren nudged Lian Lei.
"It's fine, go to your class before the teacher comes." His expression looked dejected and what happened a few moments ago didn't seem to register. Times like this are when you realize who your friends were. Perhaps it was just a small matter, but even raindrops call create large ripples.
At lunch, a new topic came to light. The arrows aimed at Tang Shuren were fired. He had just found out that his father's company had gone bankrupt last night and already the whole world seemed to know about it. It really did dampen his mood and the breakup incident seemed so insignificant.
The matter of the company going bankrupt was the fault of his father, he was never a good judge of character. And being well off, Tang Shuren was a spendthrift and his parents did nothing about his very being was a miracle. Meaning that it was near impossible for them to conceive another child and so put all their love and car into their only son. Letting him spend their dwindling money.
'At least they were rich,' was all Yu Yan had to say. It was good, that his loving parents had money to support him. Though the same can't be true in the present situation. Hopefully he's old enough to help with his parent's workload and turn out for the better.
Lady luck was on his side. He was never that rich in the first place, most of his friends stayed. Comforting and shielding him through this tough time. Beside him was the ever so cheerful Lian Lei.
'How nice,' Yu Yan thought when she saw this. 'If only I was as lucky as him.'