Fang Xiazi followed Han Yicheng, swerving and twisting along the way.
In fact, she had never practiced martial arts, and no matter what, there was a bit of a gap in physical strength compared to boys.
But she called out to him several times at the beginning, and he ignored her, not even offering an explanation.
So, the stubbornness of the young girl came to the surface.
Biting her lip, relying on the determination and tenacity of a little princess, she followed him persistently, demanding an explanation.
However, when they reached the intersection of an alley, the young man suddenly stopped.
Because she was riding too fast, she almost collided with him. She barely stopped, jumping off in anger, “Han…”
But as soon as she saw the cold look in the young man’s eyes, she stopped abruptly.
Following his gaze, she saw a group of people gathered in the alley, seemingly using violence against someone. Faint cries of a girl could be heard, and there were people laughing and taking pictures on the side.
…
Fang Xiazi clenched her lips tightly and took out her phone to dial 110, but as she turned to leave, her wrist was firmly grabbed from behind.
She turned around and saw Han Yicheng’s anxious and serious expression, “Xiazi, we have to go save her.”
“Are you crazy?”
She lowered her voice, staring at him in disbelief, “Look, there are so many people there. Do you think we can save anyone with just the two of us?”
“If you want to save yourself, call the police and use your phone’s location. I can help you dial 110.”
But she still wasn’t able to leave.
The wrist was firmly grabbed, and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t break free. Fang Xiazi was in intense pain but dared not increase the movement for fear of being noticed. She felt that in just a short while, her wrist probably had acquired a serious bruise.
Her wrist was held tightly, and, while trying to hold onto the handlebars, she felt someone pulling her from behind.
The boy is calmly persuading her, “Xiazi, later we’ll charge straight up. You grab Xiao Kui and run quickly. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the rear guard. Nothing will happen to you guys.”
…Xiao Kui?
Fang Xiazi felt like he was about to cry,
“Han Yicheng, even if I refuse to pretend to be in a relationship with you, do you have to treat me like this? Is Xiang Rikui’s life worth more than mine?”
She was both angry and anxious, but still tried hard to lower her voice and explain it to him clearly.
“The two of us going in won’t help. The alley is too long, and halfway through, they’ll notice us. Release me first, let me call the police. The police patrol around here, and this isn’t an immediate life-threatening situation. Wait for the police to arrive, okay?”
“…Not an immediate life-threatening situation?”
Han Yicheng stopped and repeated slowly, then lifted his eyelids, looking at her mockingly.
“Because it’s not your own business, so you can be so indifferent? Fang Xiazi, everyone has a time in this world when they face danger. Are you so indifferent to others? Aren’t you afraid of karma coming back to you someday?”
…She realized that Huo Xingchao’s words were not wrong.
In this world, you can find any kind of man, except for the kind who treats himself like the male lead in a drama.
She hadn’t noticed Han Yicheng’s flaw before, but in recent times, she had come to realize quite a lot.
While he was chattering with her, she could’ve finished dialing 110!
Fortunately, the alley was long; otherwise, with his volume and movements, they wouldn’t need to rush and they would be exposed directly to the enemy.
“Han Yicheng, let go of me. I may be indifferent, but I don’t deserve to die like this. Whatever you say, can you at least…”
Fang Xiazi’s voice suddenly stopped.
Through a sidelong glance, she clearly saw among the group ahead a girl who had been observing with folded arms looking in their direction. Her gaze landed on Han Yicheng, who was completely exposed at the entrance of the alley. She furrowed her brows, then waved to signal the people around to pause.
A few people dispersed, revealing a girl huddled in the corner.
Her clothes had been almost completely stripped off, scattered in disarray on the side. She curled up, knees to chest, sobbing while trembling incessantly.
Truly a sunflower.
Han Yicheng’s eyes burned with anger. He dragged Fang Xiazi and rushed forward.
“Fang Xiazi, I don’t care how insignificant a life is to you, but I hope you can help her this once. Consider it a favor owed by me, and from now on, we will have nothing to do with each other. Do as you please.”
…
…
Sometimes, Fang Xiazi wondered how heavy emotions accumulated over more than a decade could be. If determined to remove them, how many days would it take to erase everything bit by bit?
Initially, she stared blankly at the three characters “Han Yicheng” written on the draft, feeling that it might take a very long time.
But now, she felt the wrenching pain in her heart and thought that perhaps all it took was just one departing figure.
The two of them, one was a girl still wearing school shoes and a skirt, the other a seemingly useless, bookish boy, rushing into a group of society thugs who were accustomed to fighting and carrying weapons. Their safety was uncertain, let alone saving Xiang Rikui who could only cower and cry on the ground.
So, in less than three minutes, all three of them were surrounded.
—This was the ending Fang Xiazi had expected.
Han Yicheng unzipped the school uniform and draped his coat over Xiang Rikui, who had injuries on her face. He protected her, his eyes coldly staring at the group in front of him, “What exactly do you want to do?”
As for Fang Xiazi, she stood against the wall, head bowed, silent, unsure of what she was thinking.
“What do we want to do?”
The leading girl sneered, “Why don’t you ask her what she’s up to, always clinging to Huo Xingchao?”
The girl lifted her head, eyes red, “I didn’t!”
“You didn’t, huh? Then who sent those candies? Who wrote those love letters? Who purposefully sticks to Huo Xingchao every day after class? Who shamelessly insisted on being in the same group with him during PE? Huo Xingchao, a gentleman, reluctant to embarrass you, and yet you’re so damn arrogant!
Xiang Rikui, I warn you, if you shamelessly cling to him again, next time won’t be as simple as taking nude photos!”
…
“Why do you treat me like this?”
The girl tightly wrapped herself in the school uniform, filled with grievance and pain, and cried out to the side to Fang Xiazi.
“Huo Xingchao didn’t stay because of me! He likes Senior Fang so much that he gave up the opportunity to study abroad. He would never be interested in me!”
“I know, I’m so humble and ordinary. How could I expect to be with him? But, do I not even have the right to silently admire him?
“I just want to quietly like someone, why do you have to treat me like this?”
Han Yicheng clenched his fists, silently looking at her. “Xiao Kui…”
“You said that Huo Xingchao give up going abroad because of her?”
The little sister heard the key point and couldn’t help but frown, her gaze falling on Fang Xiazi.
Because of her interest in Huo Xingchao, she knew a little about Fang Xiazi and Xiang Rikui’s situation.
She had also attended the camping trip. Although it was from a distance, she knew the general situation.
Her eyes turned, looking at the current situation, a smile played on her lips as she kicked Han Yicheng with interest.
“Hey, how about this? I’ll give you a chance. Choose one of these two girls and take her away.”
…
“He couldn’t have given up going abroad because of me.”
Fang Xiazi lifted her head at this moment, the emotions in her eyes calm, her tone steady. “Huo Xingchao did confess to me, I believe you must know.”
“But you should also know that I rejected him. I told him I had a boyfriend, and he readily gave up. So, for him, it was just a joke and an interest.”
“Classmate, it’s better to mind your own business. Wasting time on me, who has nothing to do with you, not only serves no purpose but also adds unnecessary trouble. It’s not worth it for you, is it?”
…
The little sister furrowed her brow, staring at her. After a pause that felt like an eternity, in a heavy tone, she said, “You better remember what you said. I’m telling you, if you dare…”
“But I’ve already broken up with her.”
Han Yicheng on the ground suddenly lifted his eyes, interrupting her.
He protected the trembling Xiang Rikui, his tone indifferent. “I and Fang Xiazi broke up a long time ago. Huo Xingchao knows, and his decision not to go abroad had nothing to do with Xiao Kui. What you’re doing is just implicating the innocent.”
Then he looked coldly at the stunned girl beside him, his eyes seeming to have a layer of ice.
“Fang Xiazi, Xiao Kui is suffering for you, becoming like this. Do you feel no guilt at all? I really want to know, watching from the sidelines and avoiding responsibility like this, can you sleep peacefully at night?”
…
“Suffer for her?”
What kind of logic was this?
For a moment, Fang Xiazi didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t even know what she had done to make him treat her like this.
Anyone with eyes could see that they had gone through all the procedures for Xiang Rikui to leave. The last warning from the little sister was clearly an intention to end.
Yet, he and Xiang Rikui insisted on dragging her into this.
Why did they have such great hatred between them? Even if there was hatred, shouldn’t the one who hated be herself?
Why, and on what grounds, did he treat her like this?
Fang Xiazi’s eyes turned red, staring at him in disbelief. However, she saw the young man casually avert his gaze, a disdainful look in his eyes as he met hers.
…
“Oh, I certainly know that Huo Xingchao not going abroad has nothing to do with Xiang Rikui. She doesn’t have that kind of face.”
The little sister leaned against the wall, lit a cigarette, and held it between her fingers casually. “But since you’ve brought it up to this point, I’ll give you a chance.”
“You choose.”
She revealed a malicious smile. “I’ll let you take either one away.”
…
Huh.
In that moment, Fang Xiazi felt Han Yicheng’s gaze.
No longer the cold and aloof look from before, it became complicated, very complicated.
A bit of disgust, a bit of resentment, a bit of pity. However, in the end, it all turned into a guilt that might be a conscience awakening.
Then a strong push on her shoulder, accompanied by a low “I’m sorry,” and she was abruptly slammed into the crowd.
She could only watch as he protected the girl and ran towards the alley.
Next to her, the mocking voice of the little sister sounded, “Don’t even think about calling the police. I still have her photos.”
The silhouette of the young man stiffened.
Then he continued to move forward, footsteps disorderly, walking fast, without even a glance back.
Huh.
In that moment, Fang Xiazi suddenly felt pitiful for herself.
…
From childhood to adulthood, Fang Xiazi had been a proud little princess, hardly showing weakness in front of others, let alone crying.
But for Han Yicheng, she had cried twice, both times in front of Huo Xingchao.
Once, she covered her face with clothes; the other time, she buried her face in the boy’s back, not revealing her vulnerability to onlookers.
But this time, as she watched the boy’s unfeeling back, tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.
She used to like that back view very much.
Faint, upright, like the pine and cypress shrouded in clouds and mist in traditional Chinese paintings.
She had imagined that when they took wedding photos in the future, she would also capture such a back view. He in a shirt, she in a wedding dress, running romantically on the street.
That scene must be super beautiful.
Now she realized, indeed, it was super beautiful.
Beautiful and romantic, mixed together, making people despair.
…
Have you ever drowned?
In her childhood, she played in the stream, not knowing how to swim yet stubbornly discarding the swimming ring.
Unconsciously walking to the deep part, one step into the abyss, the whole person drowned. Unable to breathe, unable to open her mouth, and afraid to open her eyes. Only at the moment of touching the reef, she jumped upward with all her strength.
For an instant, she surfaced, and the next moment, she sank back into the water.
She struggled hard, inhaling, holding her breath. Exhaling, holding her breath. Inhaling…
The brief one-way breathing brought a long-lasting sense of suffocation. A perfect cold cycle formed between sinking and rising. It seemed endless, not knowing what to struggle for, feeling that not struggling would lose something important, thoughts confused, blood chilling.
Have you ever felt this way?
She has.
And she felt like she was about to drown soon.
She used to really like Han Yicheng, so much that she felt it might take a lifetime to forget him.
But now she suddenly found out that apparently, one silhouette was enough.
As if decades had passed, as if the moment he turned around was insignificant. He became a memorable mark of adolescence, passing him was like passing a grand ceremony of coming-of-age in a period of ignorance.
Never to look back.
He still wore a white shirt, his figure still a bit slender, and his skin still fair.
But she felt no trace of affection.
Only hatred.
…
The little sister chuckled, stepping forward.
“Rest assured, you’re more sensible than she is. I won’t make things difficult for you, as long as you keep your distance from Huo Xingchao in the future. I’ll keep these photos safe and won’t use them to threaten you, so… Do you want to undress yourself, or shall we help you?”
“…”
“Alright, since that’s the case, Qin Jiangyu, you handle it. After all, you have more experience undressing.”
A guy with blond hair at the back grinned and walked forward, saying, “Don’t worry, Sister Shuang, I promise to get her undressed cleanly.”
…
Fang Xiazi bit her lip, clenched her fists. Despite the anger and fear filling her heart, a jumble of emotions surged in her chest, almost on the verge of exploding. However, facing the current situation, she still had to make an effort to calm down and think about countermeasures.
Violent retaliation—there are too many of them, it definitely won’t work.
To clarify the relationship—even if she can explain Han Yicheng’s slander clearly, it seems that the other party is not too concerned about whether she has any substantive relationship with Huo Xingchao. For her, taking nude photos seems to be a skill she’s quite adept at, just a means used for threats and prevention.
Amidst a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts, she could only barely pull out one thread…
“I’ll undress myself.”
Leaning against the wall, she lowered her gaze and softly said, “But can you ask the others to turn away?”
There were so many people, only two girls, and all the others were guys with teasing glances. Some guys were even discussing something, talking and laughing, then looking at her with suggestive expressions that made her feel disgusted.
Exceptionally nauseating.
“Since they’re all girls, you know how important innocence is for a girl. I won’t resist, just this one request, can you?”
—But the little sister clearly had no such sympathetic kindness.
Furrowing her brows, her tone cold, “Why should I? Your innocence is none of my business. Qin Jiangyu, hurry up!”
“Sister Shuang.”
The blond guy walked forward, grinning, “After we’re done, can we have a chat with this girl?”
“You can talk if you want, just don’t leave any evidence.”
“Hahaha, don’t worry, I’m familiar with the process, guaranteeing nothing will go wrong.”
The guy grinned, his cunning face getting closer and closer, almost to the point where she felt nauseous.
“Sister, don’t panic. I’ve got a steady hand, and if you don’t move, you might suffer less… Fuck, you hold her right…”
“Beep—beep-beep—beep-beep-beep—”
“What’s that sound?!”
The guy with blond hair was startled.
Just as his hand touched the girl’s collar, Fang Xiazi pursed her lips. Prepared to resist desperately, a sharp, piercing car horn suddenly sounded from beside the alley.
A powerful light beamed into the alley.
With a swish, almost causing a few people to fall, the light gradually dimmed.
The little sister frowned, “Who is it!”
…
…
“At the entrance of the alley, the streetlight was exceptionally dim, and then that strong light gradually faded away.”
Revealing a majestic Chery QQ.
A handsome young man leaned out from the car window, holding a horn, raised his eyebrows, glanced at them arrogantly, and his confident yet charming voice echoed through the horn,
“Hey, let go of that girl.”
…
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