From the next day itself the rehearsals started. The rehearsal hall was crowded with the failed candidates for the role of the Juliet aka Mo Yan's fangirls. All of them unilaterally hated Li Juan.

However, their teacher was adamant on his decision to give the role to Li Juan. And other students reluctantly agreed and started practising.

But the real problem arose when they were practising the kiss scene, Mo Yan, the male lead of the play, clearly said that he would not be doing that scene.

The situation has become a hot topic in the school while most of the school bullies took it as a weapon to attack Li Juan.

"I would rather die than kissing an ugly girl like her." Mo Yan repeated his daily chant in front of the whole team.

"You don't have to kiss her, you just need to act," the teacher in charge explained for the nth time.

He was irritated by the behaviour of Mo Yan and wanted to replace him. But none of the students is willing to take the role and go against Mo Yan. So the teacher had any other option but to tolerate Mo Yan.

"Oh look at Poor Yan, Xie Long chortled, his first kiss is going to stolen by that ugly duckling."

"Xie long, do not irritate Yan. Do you know how bad his temper is?" Min Zhe, who sat next to Xie long reminded his friend.

"Poor fellow, a school full of girls and he still got the ugliest." Xie long was unable to control his laughter whenever he looked at Mo Yan standing next to Li Juan. No matter how many times Mo Yan tries, he was unable to kiss Li Juan or stand next to her.

"Let's take a break. Meet here after 20 minutes," Teacher in charge announced and went outside.

The moment the teacher left the room, the students started booing at Li Juan.

"Don't even think about kissing My Yan, you blacky," few of Mo Yan' s fangirls scorned at Li Juan.

Li Juan casually ignored them and walked outside, towards the garden.

Whenever Li Juan feels uncomfortable or sad, the garden was her healing place.

Apart from books, the only thing made Li Juan happy was plants. She loved gardening. Half of the plants in the garden were grown by Li Juan.

Li Juan took the watering can and began to water the plants.

"Oh there you are! you little beauty, you look pretty." Li Juan said to a recently flowered dark purple coloured flower.

Some girls passed the garden and saw Li Juan talking to the plants.

"Look at her, she must have gone crazy."

"Did you hear that Mo Yan refused to kiss her?"

"Look at her? Who is going to kiss that ugly face?"

They giggled and went away.

"Do you know what I wanted now? Some peace of mind," Li Juan said herself.

" I had enough. I no longer want to be part of the play."

Li Juan kept the watering can on the ground and went to the teacher's room.

"Teacher, I don't think I will be able to continue in the "Play". I would like to quit." Li Juan notified her decision.

Rather than playing a role and hated by everyone, she would have her peace of mind back

"What?" the teacher in charge was shocked. He thought Mo Yan will be the one who quits the play due to the circumstances, but Li Juan, NO.

"I know those students are giving you a hard time. But if you quit, then it will look like you are accepting that you are incapable of playing the role." The teacher tried to discourage Li Juan from leaving the team.

"But teacher, because of me everyone else is having a hard time." Li Juan said in a low voice.

"If they are finding it difficult, then it is their problem, not yours." The teacher raised his voice.

"Li Juan, you are talented, and you are perfect for the role. Don't care about others, give your best performance and prove others wrong."

The teacher does not want Li Juan to quit the play, but more than that he does not want anyone to look down at Li Juan only because she is dark-skinned.

"Li Juan, Think about it and go back to the rehearsal hall." The teacher tried to encourage her.

"You guys start the rehearsal, I will be joining you."

Li Juan reluctantly went back to the rehearsal hall.

The hall got crowded with more people.

What is it now? Are they here to watch the practice session or the drama behind it?

Li Juan took a deep breath and walked towards the stage.

While walking towards the stage, her eyes fell on Tang Wei Sheng standing near the stage with his gang.

Tang Wei Sheng and Mo Yan were like blood sworn brothers. Their group of five young masters from the powerful families were treated like the princes of silver Oak high school.

The moment Li Juan climbed to the stage, everyone's attention shifted to her.

The teacher told us to start without him. Li Juan conveyed the message.

"What?" Mo Yan walked towards her.

"Are you craving to kiss someone so badly?" Someone from the audience howled at Li Juan. Go and kiss that wall over there.

Li Juan stood in the corner of the stage, waiting for Mo Yan to start.

"Look at that thick faced wench; she is still standing there waiting to kiss Mo Yan."

"Don't even think about it girl, I am not going to kiss your ugly face, not even pretending to kiss you." Mo Yan sneered.

"Mo Yan!" Tang Wei Sheng's powerful voice echoed in the room.

"Don't you think you are going overboard?"

Tang Wei Sheng!

His whole gang looked at Tang Wei Sheng.

"If you don't want to kiss her, then just leave the team. No need to comment on someone's appearance." Tang Wei Sheng said to his face.

"What are you doing Sheng?" Ye Wu Fan asked Tang Wei Sheng.

"What?" Tang Wei Sheng glared at Ye Wu Fan who was about to stop him.

"Wei Sheng, Are you going to fight with your best friend over a girl?" Xie Long asked him as if he had committed treason.

"What were you doing when he bullied someone?" Tang Wei Sheng refuted back.

"We are his friends and we must correct him if he makes a mistake."

"Tang Wei Sheng, if you are my friend, then stand with me, not with that girl." Mo Yan looked at Tang Wei Sheng and yelled at him.

"I know this girl is your sister's friend, but that doesn't make her any better. She is just an ugly girl and I swear, even the dumbest guy in Silver Oak wouldn't dare to kiss her." Mo Yan disliked the fact that Tang Wei Sheng is trying to protect Li Juan.

"Oh, I see," Tang Wei Sheng smirked and walked towards Mo Yan.

Are they going to fight??? Everyone was curious.

Five of them were friends from the primary school itself and is this going to be the end of their friendship?

Tang Wei Sheng looked Mo Yan for a moment and shifted his eyes to Li Juan who stood like a statue in a corner. With firm footsteps, he slowly walked towards Li Juan and stood in front of her.

"Sweetheart," Tang Wei Sheng called her.

Sweetheart! Li Juan felt like she has tasted honey. She looked at Tang Wei Sheng's perfect face in disbelief.

What is he doing? his friend is standing over there.

"He called her sweetheart." Everyone gaped and started murmuring.

"Do you think that I am dumb?" Tang Wei Sheng asked Li Juan with a smile.

Huh? Li Juan was confused for a moment.

Tang Wei Sheng leaned towards her and captured her lips in a moment.

Li Juan was dumbfounded and terrified at the same time.

Tang Wei Sheng looked at Li Juan's surprised face. Even though her eyelids batted heavily due to fear, her black irises appeared sparkling as stars.

He saw his face reflected in them.

He couldn't stand watching others bullying her, especially when Mo Yan said that even the dumbest guy wouldn't kiss Li Juan.

Tang Wei Sheng wanted to show Mo Yan and others that they were wrong. But the moment he tasted her sweet and soft lips, he was unable to part his lips from her.

"Mine! Mine! Mine," someone in his mind shouted loudly.

Yes, he has fallen in love.

Guess what?

Even without confessing their love, they had their first kiss.

"What the hell?"

He kissed her! The almighty, Tang Wei Sheng kissed an ugly duckling.

The entire rehearsal hall was going crazy.

Tang Wei Sheng slowly removed his lips from her lips and touched her cheeks.

"What are you doing Wei Sheng?" Ye Shishi was the one who reacted to them.

"Why did you kiss this ugly girl?" Ye Shishi was furious. It was common knowledge that Ye Shishi was trying court Tang Wei Sheng.

Tang Wei Sheng ignored her and turned to face the audience and held Li Juan's arm.

"Li Juan!" Tang Wei Sheng enunciated his words loudly and clearly.

"Her name is Li Juan and she is mine."

"Boy or girl, teacher or student, a friend or foe" Tang Wei Sheng looked at Mo Yan, " If I hear someone bullying my girl again, you will get to know who Tang Wei Sheng is."

Tang Wei Sheng turned and looked at Li Juan who appeared as if she is in a daze.

"I will wait for you; find me in basketball ground once you finish the rehearsal." Tang Wei Sheng said to Li Juan and walked out.

"This is ridiculous."

"I am not playing this freaking drama anymore." Mo Yan walked out from the stage.

"Mo Yan, what are you saying?"

"I quit." Mo Yan looked at Li Juan as he was looking at his fraternal enemy.

Everyone was looking at Li Juan; she didn't want to stay there anymore. Li Juan picked her bag and rushed outside.

She was kissed by Tang Wei Sheng and that too in front everyone. Li Juan felt like digging up a hole in the ground and want to bury herself. It was embarrassing.

Tang Wei Sheng asked her to meet him in the basketball court. For what? Li Juan's mind was in frenzy.

How is she going to face him?

How is she going to face Tang Wei Lan?

Li Juan immediately went back to her home.

For the next two days, she did not go to school due to embarrassment. Within those two days, a lot of things happened in school.

Mo Yan declared that he is no longer going to be the part of skit team.

And to everyone's surprise, Tang Wei Sheng volunteered to replace Mo Yan for the role of Romeo- Which put the last nail on the coffin of Tang Wei Sheng and Mo Yan's 14-year-old friendship.

Mo Yan and Xie Long stopped talking to him and the rest of the gang struggled between Mo Yan and Tang Wei Sheng.

But most importantly, Li Juan became Tang Wei Sheng's girl. Though everyone was agitated and frustrated about it, nobody dared to bully her again.

While acting together, Tang Wei Sheng was smitten by Li Juan. He was waiting for the right moment to confess his feelings to her.

But that moment never arrived.

Tang Wei Sheng continued to stare at Li Juan's sleeping face. He still doesn't know how he fell in love with her.

Everyone bullied her physical features, but he could not find any defect in her.

For him, the tanned- honey coloured face outshined all the pretty white faces in the crowd.

Ten years,

He loved her for ten years.

All these years so many girls eyed Tang Wei Sheng and wanted to date him. Some of them even showed the courage to confess. But he couldn't accept their love.

His heart has already belonged to Li Juan.

He was searching for her.

He was waiting for the right moment to confess his love.

And finally, the moment has arrived.

" Li Juan, I love you!" Tang Wei Sheng leaned in and whispered to her sleepy face.

Her enchanting fragrance entered into his mind and Tang Wei Sheng suddenly felt an urge to kiss her.

He leaned towards her and placed a gentle kiss on Li Juan's soft lips.

Li Juan was in deep sleep.

She did not realise that she was being kissed by Tang Wei Sheng.

Tang Wei Sheng adjusted her bangs and smiled at her.

"Sweetheart, I love you." He sat closer to her and held her shoulder.

Li Juan adjusted her sleeping position and placed her head on TangWei Sheng's side. He gently placed her head on to his shoulder.

Her enchanting fragrance was lingering all around him.

Through the dim light in the flight, he kept looking at the calm face of Li Juan until he fell into a deep sleep.

Yang Xiong who came back from the pilot's cabin was shocked when he found the hugging couple on the sofa.

He knew that his boss wanted to talk to Li Juan and that's why he gave them some privacy. but he never expected that the relation between Tang Wei Sheng and Li Juan will advance this soon.

Yang Xiong silently walked away from the area and sat in the seat next to the door. He doesn't want to get caught in between some unexpected scenes.

While sleeping, Li Juan had a dream.

She is being chased by hooligans.

She was running through some unfamiliar alleys.

The mud roads, small buildings and shops made up wood and brick, people wearing traditional clothes.

The whole background looked like a historical drama location.

Everyone in the streets was watching her chased by hooligans, but no one was helping her.

Li Juan felt that her limbs are going to rip off due to the continuous running and her heart pounded heavily.

Her speed was decreasing and the hooligans almost caught her.

Suddenly a man appeared from nowhere and shot an arrow at her.

Li Juan felt that her feet have frozen at the place.

The arrow was coming straight towards her.

Is she going to die?

Suddenly Li Juan woke up from her sleep.

She had a nightmare.

Li Juan's forehead was covered with sweats and her heart beat louder.

Li Juan opened her eyes and saw Tang Wei Sheng's handsome face near her. She felt like her highly beating heart was finally calming down.

When did he sit next to her?

Li Juan opened the water bottle and took a mouthful of water. She took a tissue and wiped her sweats and leaned back to the seat.

Li Juan looked at his face for a while and leaned closer to him.

The warmth from his body was passing to her body.

Their lips were only a breath apart.

Li Juan felt like a jolt of current has passed into her brain and lost control over her emotions and kissed him all of sudden.

The moment Li Juan leaned closer to him; Tang Wei Sheng opened his eyes.

Though the place was dimly lit, Li Juan saw it clearly- Tang Wei Sheng was looking at her, with his eyes wide open.

Li Juan felt a chill travelled down her spine. He found it -she was misbehaving with him.

How could a girl kiss a man out of blue? She was scared and embarrassed at the moment.

Li Juan immediately pulled her lips away from his lips.

Before she could turn her face Tang Wei Sheng grabbed hold of her chin and whispered in low alluring voice.

"Let's finish, what you have started,"

He pressed his lips into hers.

The tenderness and sweetness in her lips made him lost his mind.

Tang Wei Sheng supported her face with his hand, tangled his tongue with hers.

Li Juan was startled for a moment. But soon after, she responded passionately towards his kiss.

Their kiss stopped only when both of them become breathless. Tang Wei Sheng released her from his hold.

"Take deep breaths,"

Tang Wei Sheng told her while panting.

After a few deep breaths, both of them went to normal selves.

Li Juan's face flushed red, so does Tang Wei Sheng's face.

She was embarrassed to face him. Tang Wei Sheng smiled and crossed his fingers with her fingers, and kissed her hand.

Suddenly the lights were switched on and the pilot's message came on – they were going to land.

Yang Xiong opened his eyes and tried to wake Tang Wei Sheng, but found that he was already awake. Even Li Juan was awake and both of them sitting away from each other.

Oho, pretending as nothing has happened, okay I will play along. Yang Xiong said in his mind.

"Did you sleep well assistant yang?" Tang Wei Sheng asked him.

"Yes. How about you?"

"Yeah, I never had such a sound sleep in a while." Tang Wei Sheng smiled and looked at Li Juan who was looking at the window, acting as she has never been into a flight.