chapter 3
chapter 3
I never saw the hair tie again after that day.
But as the summer wore on, Jiang Ning’s demands grew more outrageous. Even after their seats were separated, Xu Xinghe habitually left his notes on her desk, brought her breakfast, and bought sanitary pads for her.
He often spent the money she gave him on gifts for me. Once, he placed an expensive tube of hand cream in my hands and said softly, “Lin Qi, you’ve suffered beside me for so long. I’m sorry I could never give you more.”
I should have been happy to receive it. Instead, I could not bring myself to say a word.
That same summer, Jiang Ning locked Xu Xinghe in the equipment room and kissed him.
“Be my boyfriend.”
His ears went scarlet with anger, but he was forced to agree. He asked for only one thing in return: that she pay all three years of my high-school tuition.
Linchuan No. 1 High School was expensive. He knew I had struggled for a long time to afford the tuition just so I could attend the same school as him.
The night I heard what he had done, I submitted my withdrawal papers to the principal.
“Xu Xinghe, I don’t want your help!” I screamed through my tears. “What gives you the right to trade yourself to her for my tuition? Do you have any idea how much that hurts me?”
Clearly, he did not. He only held me tight and murmured apology after apology.
That was when Feng Ji arrived.
At Jiang Ning’s request, he left his high school in the United States and flew back. On the very day he transferred in, he cornered me against a wall.
His methods were no better than Jiang Ning’s. She ordered Xu Xinghe around, while Feng Ji hounded me relentlessly. He liked maneuvering other students into bullying me so he could appear afterward as my rescuer.
Throughout our final year, Xu Xinghe and I were reduced to their playthings.
At first the whole school pitied us.
“What a pair of tyrants.”
“Of all people, they had to set their sights on our campus beauty and top boy…”
But later, people began to gush instead.
“The aloof genius and the spoiled rich girl who never studies.”
“The gentle school beauty and the lazy, roguish heir.”
“Their personalities are complete opposites. They’re perfect together!”
Amid the excited chatter, someone whispered, “Wasn’t Xu Xinghe in love with Lin Qi? It’s such a shame they were torn apart.”
On the night of our graduation, Xu Xinghe asked me to meet him. When I arrived, Jiang Ning stood beside him with flushed cheeks, her arm looped through his.
Feng Ji had been chatting with them. The moment he saw me, he turned, picked up a plate, and asked, “What do you want to eat? My treat.”
We sat in two pairs.
Jiang Ning teased me with a smile. “Feng Ji was a notorious rebel back in City A. He never listened to anyone, yet he’s fallen so hard for you. Why don’t both couples attend the same university? The four of us might stay friends for life.”
A small steak Feng Ji had cut for me sat untouched on my plate. Still, I suddenly doubled over and vomited.
I retched until my eyes burned red and my stomach twisted violently. As the room spun, I saw the alarm in Xu Xinghe’s eyes.
Then, exhausted, I looked away.