Mianmian heard the sound and turned back. She didn't pay attention when she found the door locked, thinking it was the wind. She continued searching for the hot water bottle. Dust billowed up, making her cough. After finally finding the hot water bottle, a smile appeared on her dirty little face. She hugged the hot water bottle and walked to the door, intending to open it, only to find it locked.
She pulled hard, but the door wouldn't budge. She shouted, "Who's playing a prank outside? Hurry and open the door!"
However, no one responded. She immediately fumbled for her phone, only to realize she had left it in her backpack. The confined storeroom was very dusty, and she couldn't help but cough again. With no other option, she had to call for help, hoping someone would hear her and come to her rescue.
But Mianmian's throat ached from shouting, and no one came to open the door for her. She looked at the enclosed space, feeling as if the air in her chest was growing thinner. She curled up in a corner, her face looking very pale. She closed her eyes, recalling Uncle Jin's words, and began to take deep breaths, and deeper breaths. When her chest felt a little better, she opened the thermos and slowly sipped the brown sugar water. This was what she had bought for Qian Xiaoguo, and it unexpectedly became her lifeline.
But it was only morning. If no one noticed her absence, she would be locked in until evening. She wondered if her body could withstand it.
For the first time since she grew up, Mianmian felt a sense of dread.
Qian Xiaoguo was indeed waiting for Mianmian. But after waiting for a long time and not seeing her, she casually asked a classmate if they had seen her. Someone replied that they saw someone pick her up in a luxury car.
Qian Xiaoguo assumed Mianmian had to go home due to an emergency and continued to watch the competition on the sports field while enduring her stomachache.
Fortunately, the long-distance race was scheduled for the afternoon. Qian Xiaoguo hoped Mianmian would return by then.
Thus, no one knew that Mianmian was locked in the storeroom, and no one bothered to check.
Yun Buji never participated in such sports events, even though he had great athletic talent. Today, he came to his class's resting area, but his gaze kept scanning towards the first-year section. After a long search, he finally spotted his "silly and cute" deskmate, Jiang Mianmian, but Jiang Mianmian was nowhere to be seen.
Where had that girl gone? He took out his phone and called her. He had also messaged her last night, but she hadn't replied. He wondered what was wrong. Had she really gotten angry, or did she truly want to distance herself from him because of his identity?
Yun Buji suddenly felt agitated. He got up and walked to Mianmian's class, looking around. After confirming Jiang Mianmian wasn't there, he walked up to Qian Xiaoguo and asked, "Hey, Xiaoguo, where's the school beauty who's always with you?"
Qian Xiaoguo was so startled that she almost fell off her chair. But remembering what Mianmian had told her, that they were friends, she steadied herself and said, "My stomach hurts. She originally went to buy me some brown sugar water... and then she never came back. She didn't bring her phone either. I asked around, and a classmate said her family picked her up. Maybe she had an emergency and went home."
"Which classmate said that?" Yun Buji pressed further.
"It was..." Qian Xiaoguo stopped speaking mid-sentence. She had only overheard it and didn't know who had said it. Hesitantly, she said, "Someone said it."
Yun Buji felt something was amiss. He left with a dark expression.