I sat at my desk, staring at the notification on my phone.
The deeper I read, the tighter my brows furrowed.
A post on the school forum had exploded in popularity:
"This Friday: Vote for the Most Beautiful Couple!
All students welcome to participate!"
I clicked into it.
And immediately noticed one special rule:
Participants must submit a couple photo,
which will be publicly displayed on the announcement board.
But what really made me uneasy…
Was the comment section.
"I heard Lin Han and that mysterious girl are going to join too?"
"LMAO, a poor loser dating a goddess? What a joke."
I didn't need to guess.
This had Li Ya's fingerprints all over it.
"Ah Li," I looked toward the kitchen, where she was busy cooking.
"There's a school event this Friday… and it might be targeting us."
She stopped what she was doing and walked over.
"What kind of event?"
I handed her my phone and briefly explained.
After reading it, she let out a cold laugh.
"So they want to humiliate you…
and drag me onto the stage as a target?"
"Yeah."
"But I won't let them do that."
She looked at me.
Then asked, "So what's the plan?"
"We can't avoid it," I said calmly.
"So we face it head-on."
Friday noon.
The school auditorium was packed.
The stage was filled with huge photos.
And right at the center…
A photo of me and Ah Li.
Marked with bold letters below:
"A Poor Boy's Ridiculous Dream?"
Laughter spread through the crowd.
"Isn't that the weirdo who raises a fox?"
"Seriously, how did a guy like him get a girl like that?"
I held Ah Li's hand
and walked onto the stage.
Ignoring every stare.
Every whisper.
Every malicious smile.
"Ready?" I leaned in and asked her quietly.
She nodded lightly.
"I trust you."
When it was our turn to speak,
the host put on a fake enthusiastic smile and handed over the microphone.
"Could you two please share your love story with everyone?"
A wave of boos and sneers filled the hall.
Ah Li took the microphone.
She scanned the entire room.
Then spoke.
Her voice was gentle.
But unwavering.
"Love doesn't need the approval of others," she said.
"As long as two people cherish each other,
that's already enough."
Her words fell like blades.
Calm.
Precise.
Piercing straight through the noise.
The entire hall slowly fell silent.
Only her voice remained echoing in the air.
Then—
A few claps began.
Not many.
But real.
I saw it.
Li Ya standing in the crowd.
Her face turned pale.
Her expression twisted.
She clearly didn't expect this outcome.
I stepped forward and took the microphone.
"Thank you for the attention," I said calmly.
"But we've decided to withdraw from this contest."
"Because our happiness…
doesn't need to be proven by votes."
I put the microphone down.
Held Ah Li's hand.
And walked off the stage
without another glance.
Behind us,
Li Ya's face turned completely ugly.
As if she had swallowed something she couldn't digest.
When we got home,
I closed the door and finally let out a long breath.
"You did great today," Ah Li said softly, smiling.
"Yeah…"
I nodded.
"But this is only the beginning."
My voice darkened.
"From now on,
I won't let anyone hurt you again."
She froze for a second.
"Lin Han…"
She murmured my name.
Her eyes filled with something complicated.
Something deep.
"I mean it."
I squeezed her hand.
"My words are not empty."
Outside,
the wind stirred the trees.
Moonlight spilled across the floor.
For the first time,
I felt truly grounded.
Secure.
But someone out there…
Was starting to lose that same peace.
And they wouldn't stay quiet.
Not for long.