LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 13
Qi Rui slammed her fist against the wall, tremoring the gym. "How did she not fail!" Her voice was a harsh whisper, echoing off the walls.
"I... I got the sugar and salt mixed up!" Ying Lian stammered, her distress evident in her fumbled words.
“Useless!” Qi Rui's scorn was palpable. With a huff, she turned, her steps heavy with anger, her posse trailing behind like shadows.
Ying Lian watched them go, her fingers curling into tight fists. Once they were gone, a vicious curse slipped from her lips, barely audible in the empty gym. “Bitch... Who wants to follow your orders?”
“Hey.” Zhang Wei, who had followed Ying Lian, caught every word. He stepped into view, his appearance startling her. Her face immediately shifted back to her wide-eyed expression from moments ago.
“Wow~ is that Zhang Wei? What are you doing here? Are you here to pay me back for hurting my arm? It still hurts a lot…”
She fluttered closer, her steps light, playing up her innocence.
Zhang Wei, unmoved, stepped forward, his presence imposing as he cornered Ying Lian against the cold, unforgiving wall. "What’s your game here?" His voice was steady, betraying no emotion.
Caught off guard, Ying Lian's act faltered. A single tear teetered on the edge as she looked up at him, her eyes swimming with fake terror. "Scaring me…" she whispered, the quiver in her voice crafted to perfection.
“Cut the act. I heard what you said earlier. What are you after?” Zhang Wei said, with a cold gaze, “If you’re here to mess with Xu Yue and… Li Miao.. .” He hesitated after saying Li Miao, a shadow of guilt passing over his face.
Ying Lian realized she had been caught and decided to stop the act. Her true feelings surfaced with fierceness.
“Tsk, get the fuck off me.” Ying Lian, clicking her tongue, pushed Zhang Wei away with one hand.
“Pfft, Also, hurt Li Miao? Why the fuck would I do that? I’m her number one fan,” she said, jabbing her finger into his chest to emphasize her point. Her anger was now unmasked.
“You’re the one who keeps making her sad, you disgusting stalker. Have you seen her face whenever you come into the classroom? Imagine trying to change and having no one believe you.”
Unfortunately, Ying Lian had misunderstood. Li Miao’s pained look was from the cringe of seeing Zhang Wei fail to make a move on Xu Yue. However, not knowing this, she continued on.
“What’s your fucking problem anyway? Why do you keep bothering Xu Yue now that Li Miao stopped harassing her? Do you really care about Xu Yue that much? Are you in love with her or something? Or do you just want to prove to yourself that Li Miao is still a bully?”
Each accusation shot from her lips, venomous and stinging, pushing Zhang Wei back with force. Her words struck him like blows. A vein throbbed in his temple.
Why do I care so much? Is it about Xu Yue?
A strange heat rose in his face. No, Xu Yue was just a friend. But then why? His heart clenched, a sharp pang shooting through his chest. The image of Li Miao, her saddened face... a lump formed in his throat.
A sneer twisted Ying Lian's lips. "Pretty face, shame about the brain."
His voice cracked slightly. "So why did you put a love letter in Xu Yue's locker?"
“Oh, you saw that?” She tossed her hair, a smirk playing on her face. “Li Miao wants to get you and Xu Yue together, so she made a fake letter from Xu Yue.”
She continued, “but why would I help you and Xu Yue get together when you piss me off? I figured Xu Yue’s locker was the best place to put it since she would just think it was a joke.”
“And earlier today? What did you put in the pot?”
“I just slipped some extra soy sauce with salt in there, just enough for it to be seasoned.” Ying Lian’s eyes glittered with malice. With a sudden jerk, she seized the collar of Zhang Wei’s uniform, pulling him close.
The click of a camera shutter sliced through the air, sharp as a whipcrack. Panic flared in Zhang Wei’s chest.
"Look, I don't care what you do. But, if you tell anyone about what happened here, I might leak this image," Ying Lian threatened. She shoved her phone in his face, and the image burned his eyes. A sickening feeling shot through him. He couldn't believe the audacity of it all. The awkward angle, his frozen expression...
"I won't," he stammered. His mind was whirling, and he felt unable to grasp the situation. His tongue felt thick in his mouth.
Ying Lian dismissed him with a snort and walked away, her mask of innocence settling back into place. It was seamless and chilling. She blended into the crowd and left him reeling.
