A Rejection and a Vow of Revenge

“What does that mean?”

I didn’t grasp Chen Si Yi’s meaning, but my tone turned icy.

If I had to make a list of people I least wanted to talk to right now, Su Xiao Yu would definitely top it.

Not for any other reason, but because—I had been rejected by her.

Well, I can’t exactly call it a rejection. I never even had the chance to confess before Xiao Yu handed me a ‘let’s be friends’ card.

It was the day before she became a little girl.

That evening, as the sky darkened and ominous black clouds covered the sky, Su Xiao Yu came to visit me after dinner. She hurriedly grabbed the umbrella I had prepared for her and left.

She squatted at the entrance, changing her shoes, and I followed closely behind, putting on my coat to see her off.

“Thank you, Lin Yan.”

In the confines of the elevator, Su Xiao Yu, standing just a step away, suddenly leaned in to hold my arm.

Her cheeks were flushed, and my heart raced.

“No problem, that’s what I should do.”

I turned my head, mustering the courage to look into Su Xiao Yu’s bright eyes.

“Xiao Yu, if that guy bothers you again, let me know immediately, and I’ll beat him up again!”

The ‘guy’ I referred to was a student a year older than us, the former president of the art club, Pan Yao.

From the moment he joined the art club, this seemingly upright president had set his sights on Xiao Yu, harassing her for nearly half a year.

His harassment included intentional physical contact and sending flirtatious messages.

At first, his behavior was subtle, and the harassment wasn’t too severe, so Xiao Yu endured it silently, never telling anyone, not even me.

But as the second semester began, knowing he would soon graduate and leave school, this ambitious president decided to make his move and take advantage of Xiao Yu.

Our school had an abandoned garage with cameras, but it was rarely used.

Under the pretense of club activities, Pan Yao invited Xiao Yu to the garage after school. Without a word, he grabbed her and dragged her inside.

Fortunately, I happened to be passing by and heard Xiao Yu’s cries for help. I rushed over and kicked Pan Yao in the waist, sending him stumbling to the ground. His face was scratched and bleeding.

“Y-you, who are you? Do you want to die?”

Pan Yao, holding his face and struggling to get up, shouted angrily. But seeing my fierce gaze, he shuddered, muttered a threat, and ran away in disgrace.

Because Xiao Yu was still shaken, I didn’t chase him. I comforted her for a moment, then asked about what happened.

Xiao Yu, leaning on my shoulder, sniffled and sobbed, finally able to pour out her heart. Her tears flowed like a breaking dam.

Listening to her sobbing account, I felt both heartache and self-loathing. I slapped myself mentally several times.

For over half a year, as her close friend and childhood playmate, I hadn’t noticed anything amiss with Xiao Yu! Even when I saw her sighing dejectedly from a few rows away, I assumed it was due to the heavy workload in high school.

I was consumed by guilt, my forehead veins bulging, and I was furiously angry.

I wiped away Xiao Yu’s tears, and a vicious plan for revenge began to form in my mind.

Yes, after harassing Xiao Yu for half a year and trying to assault her, wasn’t it too lenient to just report him to the school and get him expelled?

Without telling Xiao Yu, I called on my two closest friends at school. During the lunch break on Monday, we armed ourselves with steel pipes and went to Pan Yao’s senior year classroom.

About Pan Yao, he was either carefree or used to doing wrong, for after his failed attempt on Xiao Yu, he still dared to come to school. Despite the bandages on his face, he was listening to music and leering at hentai on his phone during nap time.

He sat in the last row by the door. I watched him through the classroom window, my eyes burning with rage.

Unbeknownst to him, three men were waiting outside to settle scores with him!

‘Hey, you go knock on the door.’

I signaled coldly, stepping aside to let my desk mate and follower, Hao Yinjian, knock on the classroom door.

Knock, knock, knock…

Following my plan, I intended to lure Pan Yao out of the classroom to give him a beating, so Hao Yinjian knocked softly, almost inaudible except to those in the last row.

“Who is it?”

After nearly half a minute of persistent knocking, Pan Yao finally took the bait.

“Who is it! Who the hell is disturbing my nap with all this knocking? Are you crazy?”

Annoyed at the interruption, Pan Yao removed his earphones and turned to face Hao Yinjian, who was standing at the door.

“Umm, what can I do for you?”

Pan Yao was taken aback by Hao Yinjian’s imposing height and bulky frame. His previously furrowed brow relaxed, and he forced a sickeningly sweet smile, revealing his yellow teeth.

“Coming, coming, I’m opening the door. Are you here to see your girlfriend? Give me her name, and I’ll call her out for you.”

Pan Yao opened the door, rubbing his hands together eagerly. Seeing his cowardly, opportunistic face, I could no longer hold back. I ignored the plan, swinging my arm forward and striking his face with the pipe.

“Go to hell, Pan Yao! I’m going to end you today!”