Chapter 35: Section Break

Arguing with Pei Yu was routine. Over time, it became so familiar that it felt like living in a greenhouse, creating the illusion of never experiencing the bitter cold—when in reality, their deep-seated resentment for each other remained as fresh as ever.

Using words like “love” to disgust one another had been a common tactic since their rivalry began.

It was all just talk—who would take it seriously?

Believing Pei Yu was deeply in love with her was far less plausible than believing he was simply enjoying the attention and thrill of stepping on her as a springboard.

This conviction took root during their third year of high school when a photo of Pei Yu giving a speech at the Hundred-Day Oath Ceremony went viral online, igniting a heated discussion.

Before that, their academic rankings had been so closely matched that a single test, big or small, could result in one surpassing the other.

The teachers had struggled to choose a speaker, so in the end, they picked both of them.

However, after Pei Yu’s photo gained traction, Chen Shuoyin became the target of public scrutiny.

Initially, their pictures together flooded the internet. Discussions revolved around how devastatingly handsome the boy was and how utterly plain the girl beside him seemed. She became an easy target—mocked and attacked without reason.

“Did the school select her just to make Pei Yu look even better?”
“What gives her the right to stand next to him?”
“They can’t be a couple, right? That would be too unfair to Pei Yu.”
“Do you even know how amazing Pei Yu is? He started as a child star, acted for years, won countless awards, and became the youngest recipient of the No-Flower Award… Now he’s acing his studies effortlessly and will probably be the top scorer. Meanwhile, that girl’s coat even has loose threads—how could she ever be worthy of him?”

And so on.

Pei Yu seemed to effortlessly become a legend—just by standing there, he could draw in an army of admirers.

But why should she have to play a supporting role? Just because a boy and a girl stood together, did that automatically mean there was a romantic relationship?

Chen Shuoyin wasn’t the type to bury herself in books and ignore the world. She saw the comments. Even if she tried to avoid them, there were always “kind-hearted” people eager to share the gossip, offering her unsolicited advice on how to handle it.

As the situation escalated, the photos began circulating without her. In some cases, people edited her face out entirely, replacing it with meaningless, disrespectful stickers.

At first, they mocked her by name. Then, they erased her completely—reducing her to just “that girl” next to Pei Yu.

But she had done nothing.

Was she “ordinary”? Sometimes, she even scored higher than him. Among thousands of students, she had earned her place on that stage.

Even if she was just an ordinary girl, she hadn’t done anything wrong. So why was she being condemned?

Because of Pei Yu’s presence, she became his backdrop, an anonymous admirer, a nameless classmate deemed unworthy of him in strangers’ eyes.

Could all the humiliation and harm she endured really have nothing to do with him?

At first, she tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. He hadn’t spread the photos. He hadn’t written the comments. He hadn’t steered the public opinion.

But in the digital age, a few keystrokes were all it took for people to derive pleasure from trampling over others. The anonymity of the internet served as a mask, and the rapid spread of information acted as an invisible whip—allowing strangers to lash out at her with impunity.

Until one afternoon, as she was filling her water bottle at the school dispenser, she overheard a conversation from the equipment room nearby. The door was ajar, and inside, a group of boys—just back from playing basketball—were talking.

“Pei bro, you’re impressive. Just one photo, and you’ve won over countless girls.”
“Well, he was a star before this. Of course, he’s popular.”
“Hey, did you guys notice how badly people are bashing Chen Shuoyin in the comments? She’s got it rough, haha. Pei bro, why don’t you say something? Play the hero and save her.”

Her hand, poised to press the dispenser button, hesitated mid-air. Even the air seemed to still. A small part of her held onto a fragile hope.

Yes, this situation had started because of him. He wasn’t at fault, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do something to change it.

The next second, she heard his familiar voice—lightly amused.

“No need. She won’t care.”

The glass cup in her hand slipped from her fingers and shattered against the floor.

The noise startled the boys inside. Someone peeked out to check.

Pei Yu stepped forward, lips slightly parted, crouching down to pick up the shards.

Chen Shuoyin knelt as well, her face expressionless, calmly gathering the remaining pieces in her palm. Without a word, she turned and walked away.

A small cut on her fingertip welled up with blood. Pei Yu remained standing—watching her go, but not chasing after her.

One of the boys nudged him.

“Shit, do you think she heard?”
“Nah, we didn’t really say anything bad.”
“Pei bro, you were right. Her parents had a messy divorce two years ago, and she didn’t even react. This? This is nothing to her.”

Their cold war seemed to start that day.

To avoid worrying her grandmother, Chen Shuoyin masked her distress, pretending she was merely exhausted from studying.

But the real explosion came on the day of the college entrance exam results. They had fought so fiercely that she felt lightheaded and weak when she got home.

Her turbulent high school years—marked by academic pressure, online harassment, and the pain of missing out on her first love—had finally reached an end.

Yet standing here, confronting Pei Yu, she realized he didn’t even remember.

His silence stretched on, his lips pressed into a tight line, as if one wrong word could send him tumbling into a pit of guilt.

His hesitation only fueled her anger. “You really don’t remember.”

She turned to leave, bare feet stepping toward the door, but he caught her around the waist, effortlessly lifting her off the ground.

“Where are you going without finishing this conversation?”

She struggled fiercely, elbowing him in the chest. “I don’t want to talk! Let me go!”

He took the hits without resistance, his jaw clenched in pain. But instead of letting her go, he carried her into the bedroom, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out two ties. Blocking her escape, he secured her ankles together, then bound her wrists.

She cursed him violently, each word landing like a thunderclap.

Pei Yu wasn’t immune to the pain—her words cut as deeply as her bites. But he remained quiet, holding her firmly as she struggled.

He let her bite down on his neck, her teeth sinking deep enough to draw blood.

He didn’t flinch.

Instead, he held her tighter, his voice a whisper.

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t care whether he was guilty or not. If she was this angry, then he had to apologize.

Her voice trembled. “What do you want? I already saved your life once. Isn’t that enough? Can’t we just walk away peacefully?”

Pei Yu’s arms tightened around her.

“No.”

He exhaled, voice low and earnest.

“I don’t want to make empty promises. But don’t you think I deserve a chance to explain?”