Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I walked into the classroom humming, in a rare, buoyant mood.

Ever since Zhang Kang led everyone in isolating me, I had become a warrior of pure hatred at an age when everyone else was supposed to be dreaming of pure love.

I hated school, hated morning exercises, hated P.E., hated my own body…

But I would always love kittens.

Cats never looked at me strangely, because all they had eyes for were ham sausages.

I was wondering how to help Mimi, who had just given birth, get some extra nutrition when I suddenly realized the classroom was far too quiet.

Puzzled, I looked up and saw many of my classmates staring at me with odd expressions.

Someone said, “Li Zhuguang, the homeroom teacher wants you to go to his office.”

I pushed open the door to the teachers’ office.

My middle-aged, paunchy homeroom teacher was rubbing his bald spot with a miserable look on his face.

Zhang Kang stood across from him.

The moment he saw me come in, Zhang Kang pointed at me. “Sir, yesterday’s last period was P.E. Li Zhuguang was the only one who didn’t go.

“It had to be her who stole it!”

He knew perfectly well I had evidence of him secretly taking photos, yet Zhang Kang still had the nerve to come and complain?

Looking at Zhang Kang’s furious face, I gave him a sweet smile. “Oh? Then why don’t you tell us what I stole?

“Zhang Kang, what shameful thing were you hiding?”

Since I had dared to take Zhang Kang’s phone and scribble all over his books, I had never been afraid of him making a fuss.

If he didn’t, then he would have to swallow the loss and explain to the teachers why he couldn’t turn in his homework.

If he really dared bring it up in front of a teacher and accuse me of stealing his phone, then I could force him to unlock it right there.

Zhang Kang stared at me, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile I couldn’t understand. “The physics teacher had me collect five thousand yuan in textbook fees earlier to buy practice papers.

“The envelope with the money was in my desk.

“Now the money is gone. You must have stolen it.”

I froze.

Textbook fees?

When I went through his desk yesterday, I hadn’t seen any envelope with textbook fees at all.

I denied it loudly. “You’re lying. I didn’t steal any money!”

The homeroom teacher looked at me hesitantly. “The surveillance system happens to be under maintenance lately…

“But aside from Zhang Kang, someone else can prove that you were the only one in the classroom yesterday afternoon.”

Following his gaze, I saw Luo Xing sitting in the corner.

At that moment, Luo Xing was anxiously twisting the hem of her shirt in both hands.

When everyone turned to look at her, she swallowed and said softly, “I was the first one back to the classroom yesterday.

“At the time… I ran into Li Zhuguang, who was just about to leave.

“Her expression was very unnatural, and there really was something stuffed in her pocket…”

My mind went blank with a loud buzz.

Zhang Kang and I went back and forth, nearly coming to blows right there in the office.

He refused to mention the missing phone, insisting that the only thing he’d lost was the five thousand yuan in textbook fees.

The homeroom teacher couldn’t tell which of us was lying, so he decided to set the matter aside for the time being.

He said, “I’ll pay the textbook fees in advance this time. But I will continue investigating this.”

He looked at both of us with a serious expression. “Five thousand yuan is already enough for a police case.

“Within one month, if the student who took the money comes to their senses, they can come to me privately and admit their mistake.

“Don’t really go down the wrong path.”

Zhang Kang and Luo Xing left one after another. I was the only one still standing there.

The homeroom teacher asked, “Li Zhuguang, is there something else?”

My heart was pounding like a drum.

Should I tell this middle-aged man, this supposed role model of a teacher, the whole truth?

Last time, I’d pretended to bring it up casually in front of the homeroom teacher-how Zhang Kang was always staring at me and making nasty jokes at my expense.

And what had the homeroom teacher done?

He’d burst out laughing and said boys going through puberty just liked to get girls’ attention that way.

He said Zhang Kang was a bright, cheerful boy with no bad intentions, and told me not to take it to heart.

He even said physics was my weak spot, and Zhang Kang happened to be good at it, so I should ask him for help more often.

If I told the homeroom teacher now that I suspected Zhang Kang had secretly taken indecent photos of me, and that I’d stolen his phone to keep the evidence, would the homeroom teacher really take my side?

The landlord’s lecherous gaze flashed before my eyes, and the boys’ filthy jokes echoed in my ears.

I didn’t dare gamble on it.

I lowered my head and heard my own voice say, “I’m fine now, sir.”

…

All day long, my mind was elsewhere.

Luo Xing passed me notes several times, but I crumpled each one into a ball and threw it straight out the window.

By the time school let out, dark clouds packed the sky, and it had already started raining.

I hadn’t brought an umbrella.

The classmates around me either left in pairs under umbrellas or had parents picking them up. All I could do was curse this world over and over-

This whole school was a pile of dog shit, everyone in it was worthless trash, and the goddamn storm clouds were just moldy wads of cotton.

“Li Zhuguang!”

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind me.

I turned around and looked coldly at Luo Xing.

She was holding a folding umbrella, her baby face deliberately set in a stern expression.

Back when Luo Xing had first transferred here, she’d forgotten her umbrella on a rainy day, and I had been the one to offer to share mine with her.

That damn traitor.

She really owed me a lot.

I stared at the umbrella in Luo Xing’s hand, considering the possibility of snatching it and running.

Luo Xing came up beside me and asked in a low voice, “Why did you throw away my notes?”

I gave a cold snort. “Because you’re a disgusting traitor.

“You’d rather believe that bitch Zhang Kang than believe me.

“I hate all of you so much I could die.”

Luo Xing’s eyes widened. “You!”

She glared at me, her teeth clenched. “Li Zhuguang, you’re hopeless.

“And here I was, seeing you didn’t have an umbrella and thinking I’d walk you home.

“Zhang Kang and the others were right. Before, you deliberately wore a school uniform you’d had altered smaller just to seduce people, and now you’re even stealing money!”

As she spoke, Luo Xing’s eyes reddened. “Why can’t you have even a little self-respect?”

She was worked up, and her voice grew sharp.

The students around us all turned curious looks our way, making my skin prickle as if I had thorns at my back.

Luo Xing had really outdone herself-now, besides “Big Boobs Girl,” I had another title: “thief.”

Hatred kept breeding inside me. I wanted to rip that blabbering mouth of hers to shreds.

Traitor! Damn traitor!

Furious, I shouted, “Luo Xing, that’s bullshit!”

Before she could react, I shoved Luo Xing hard.

Caught off guard, she fell to the ground.

The umbrella slipped from her hand and rolled off to the side.

I strode forward, picked up her umbrella, and threw it straight into the trash can. Then I turned and charged into the downpour.