Lu Xixiao’s sudden call of “Zhou Wan” startled not only her but also Gu Meng and Jiang Fan beside her.
While the two were still stunned, Zhou Wan softly said thanks, picked up the fallen school badge, and quickly walked away, pulling Gu Meng along.
“Holy shit,” Jiang Fan turned to Lu Xixiao, “You know her?”
“Just know her name.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier!” Jiang Fan was stunned, then felt something was off and asked in a low voice, “Xiao, don’t tell me you like my goddess?!”
Lu Xixiao gave him a sidelong glance.
Jiang Fan’s heart skipped a beat, thinking this couldn’t be right—she wasn’t Xiao’s type at all.
But he still patted his chest: “Don’t worry, if you like her, I definitely won’t compete with you. She’s all yours.”
“Like I need you to give up for me?” Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow.
“…”
True, he didn’t need that.
Jiang Fan looked toward Zhou Wan’s retreating figure, her slender legs dazzlingly white, still finding it unbelievable: “You like her?”
“No,” Lu Xixiao said.
On the other side, Gu Meng couldn’t believe that a good girl like Zhou Wan would know Lu Xixiao—she’d never seen them interact before.
“Wan-wan, what’s going on between you and Lu Xixiao?”
Zhou Wan reattached her school badge: “What?”
“How does he know your name?!”
Zhou Wan paused, then told the truth: “We ran into each other once before when he took Xu Yizuan to the arcade.”
“Oh, I see.” Gu Meng nodded, “You scared me, I thought you two knew each other.”
Zhou Wan lowered her head and smiled: “Where would I ever get to know someone like him?”
…
After the sports meet ended, mountains of homework followed.
Near the end of classes, the classroom was filled with groans, while Zhou Wan and Jiang Yan had two extra competition papers due to the physics competition.
After school, Zhou Wan stayed to do some homework, only leaving when it was almost time for her shift change at the arcade.
Her backpack was heavy, weighing down her shoulders.
It started raining again, but this time Zhou Wan had learned her lesson and hadn’t forgotten her umbrella.
She opened her umbrella, lowering her head to deliberately avoid puddles—she was wearing white shoes today, which would be hard to clean if they got dirty.
But sometimes luck just isn’t on your side. A motorcycle sped past along the roadside, splashing water that completely drenched Zhou Wan.
She cried out in surprise, unable to back away in time. Her uniform was soaked through, with some droplets even hitting her face.
The sound of boys’ mischievous laughter rang in her ears.
Zhou Wan looked up to see three motorcycles stopped ahead, the lead rider with dyed yellow hair, while the other two whistled at her lewdly.
“Little sister, where you headed?” Yellow Hair said with a cigarette between his teeth, “Let big brother give you a ride.”
Zhou Wan gripped her umbrella handle tightly, stepping back while watching them warily: “No need, I’m almost there.”
“Your clothes are all wet—won’t you catch a cold in the wind?” Yellow Hair said hypocritically, “It’s getting cold out.”
“Really, no thank you,” Zhou Wan put her hand in her pocket, “My-my father is coming to pick me up soon.”
Zhou Wan’s heart was pounding. She’d seen too many news stories like this and knew what would happen if they took her away.
She put her phone to her ear, trying to stay calm: “Hello, Dad, are you almost here…”
Before she could finish, the three burst into laughter, Yellow Hair laughing so hard his face turned red and he choked a few times, “Little sister, are you even 15? Don’t you know how to make a phone call?”
Yellow Hair got off his bike and walked straight toward Zhou Wan.
Zhou Wan backed away, but he grabbed her wrist directly.
His hands were rough and forceful, immediately leaving a red mark around her wrist. Zhou Wan was startled by the sudden movement and screamed.
“Don’t be ungrateful,” Yellow Hair lowered his voice, leaning into her face, his cigarette-laden breath hitting Zhou Wan’s face, “Be good, and big brother will treat you well, won’t I?”
“Let go of me,” Zhou Wan struggled hard, her voice breaking uncontrollably, “Please, I can give you money, just- let go of me.” The young girl’s state only made them more unrestrained.
Yellow Hair raised his hand to stroke her face: “Tch, so smooth.”
Zhou Wan’s blood ran cold, her limbs frozen, her stomach churning with nausea. She tried to block him with the umbrella, but Yellow Hair simply knocked it aside.
The wind turned the umbrella inside out, breaking one of the ribs and exposing its sharp end.
The young girl trembled all over, her voice shaking, appearing as if she could be bullied at will.
No one knew what Zhou Wan was thinking at that moment.
Looking at the broken, sharp umbrella rib, she thought that if he dared to do anything to her, she would stab his eyes out with it.
She wouldn’t be humiliated, wouldn’t be defiled.