The sun blazed overhead, casting long shadows on the school playground. Meilin stood alone near the basketball court, pretending to flip through a book, but her eyes were scanning everything.
The laughter began again.
A familiar, venomous giggle.
"Well, look who's trying to act normal now," the same girl sneered as she walked over with her little crowd. "I thought you died, ghost girl. Or did the grave spit you back out?"
Another one added, "Maybe we should bury you properly this time."
They stepped closer, ready to push, ready to humiliate — like they had done so many times to her sister.
But Meilin didn't back away.
Instead, she slammed her book shut, locked eyes with the leader, and said, "Say one more word."
The girl blinked. "What?"
Meilin moved closer, her voice low and sharp. "Say. One. More. Word. And I'll show you exactly who you're dealing with."
Before the girl could respond, Meilin had grabbed her collar and shoved her backward just enough to make her gasp. "You think I'm scared of you? Keep pushing, and I'll push back ten times harder."
The other girls stepped back, shocked. This wasn't the quiet, breakable girl they used to know.
"Enough!"
The sharp command echoed across the court.
Everyone turned.
Standing a few feet away was a tall, sharply dressed man with messy black hair and intelligent eyes hidden behind silver-rimmed glasses.
Mr. Liu Yi.
The young, handsome math teacher.
"Xueyin," he said sternly. "With me. Now."
Meilin clenched her jaw but nodded and followed him across the school grounds. The students whispered, but she didn't care.
Inside the teacher's office, the door shut with a dull thud. Meilin stood still as he leaned against the desk, staring at her.
"I didn't expect this from you," he said slowly. "You've changed."
She remained silent.
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "But that's because you're not her… are you?"
Meilin's breath caught.
"You're not Xueyin," he whispered. "You look like her. You speak like her. But I know her. She would never fight back like that. She would never look at me like… like a stranger."
She stayed frozen.
"I loved her," he said, voice trembling. "We were together. No one knew, but we were. And now you stand here, in her place… Why?"
She whispered, "Because she's gone."
Liu Yi went pale.
"She… she was bullied," Meilin continued. "Every day. Until one day… she just gave up. She fell from the rooftop."
He staggered back into the chair like someone had punched him in the chest. His mouth opened, but no words came out — only a choked breath.
"I didn't know," he murmured. "No one told me. I wasn't here that day. I thought… I thought she was just avoiding me."
His eyes turned glassy, tears falling freely now. "I should have protected her. I should've seen it coming."
Meilin slowly stepped closer, placing her sister's locket on his desk.
"I'm Meilin. Her twin."
Liu Yi stared at the locket, then at her.
"Why are you pretending to be her?" he asked.
"Because someone needs to finish what she couldn't," Meilin said, her voice steady now. "I'm here for justice. For answers. For revenge."
Liu Yi looked up at her, eyes still red, but filled with a fire that hadn't been there before.
"Then let me help you," he said.
She nodded.
"Together," she replied.