You said you hated men, why are your eyes now full of love?

Chapter 1 - Sixteen and Afraid of School Violence

"You slut!"

The angry yell echoed throughout the classroom.

"Slap!" The crisp sound of a slap broke the originally quiet atmosphere.

In Ji Mu's line of sight.

The attacker didn't hesitate to kick the desk in front of them.

Books from the compartment scattered everywhere with a crash.

"Ruan Qingqing, you act so innocent every day, but who doesn't know the intentions of your heart?"

The other party sneered coldly, the delicate makeup on her face unable to hide her sharp and mean nature.

"Stay away from my crush. If I catch you running to him to complain again, next time it won't just be a slap!"

Her tone was full of warning.

The girl in front of her remained silent, her eyes slightly red.

There was a bright red mark on her porcelain-white face, making her already graceful figure look even more delicate.

Her pitiful appearance caused the surrounding boys to pity her.

If it weren't for the fear of the bully's tyranny, they would have surrounded her to comfort her.

Ji Mu watched the whole scene and shook his head.

So this is what they call school violence...

The coldness of human hearts can be seen shrinking from society into this small campus.

In an environment where bullies are exerting more and more pressure, bystanders, afraid to get involved, remain indifferent and coldly watch.

Sometimes they even unintentionally deepen the victim's hurt with careless words.

Under the pressure of these many factors, it's clear how difficult the situation becomes for the vulnerable.

Terrifying, truly terrifying.

Clearing his mind of these thoughts, he looked away and stopped paying attention.

As an insignificant bystander, following the crowd is undoubtedly the best choice.

After all, this has nothing to do with me, so why bother playing the hero?

If I end up getting into trouble for interfering, it would be a loss.

Thinking this over, Ji Mu adjusted his glasses and continued to organize his textbooks casually.

"With that seductive face, flirting with men everywhere, it's really disgusting."

On the other side, the bully continued to verbally abuse the girl.

"Ruan Qingqing, if my crush finds out that you've been flirting with the four-eyes next to you, do you think he'll still help you like he did before?"

‘...the four-eyes next to her...’

Thinking about the glasses on his nose and his current position, a strange feeling arose in his heart.

It seemed as if all the conditions were right.

Could it be that they were talking about...

"I just wanted to ask Ji Mu a question. Don't make things up about our relationship!"

"Aren't you grateful that I stood up for you? If it weren't for me, you probably wouldn't have confessed your feelings to your goddess by the time you graduated."

"Isn't that right, Four-Eyes?"

The prolonged tone had a clear meaning.

Ji Mu recognized the underlying threat.

This was simply about confirming the other party's "assumptions" to better solidify the image of the pure and beautiful school beauty as a manipulative player.

When rumors turn into undeniable proof, the bullied will undoubtedly face even more tormenting days ahead.

The girl standing next to him realized this as well.

Her thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and her fingers clutching the hems of her clothes had turned white, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palms.

Having endured more than six months of deliberate bullying and witnessed the coldness and selfishness of human hearts, she had already anticipated what was to come.

Chu Yashi's father was a school principal with a powerful background, and she herself had a vengeful personality.

Not to mention others, even the teachers didn't dare to provoke her.

So, no one would be stupid enough to insult this notorious school bully for a trivial classmate.

Thinking this, Ruan Qingqing's pale lips pursed and her eyes dimmed.

A feeling of helplessness surged in her heart, as if she was trapped in an endless whirlpool, unable to escape no matter what.

"Heh~"

Chu Yashi saw the girl's vulnerability and enjoyed her reaction, finding a twisted satisfaction in it.

"Why so quiet, four-eyes?"

Her gaze returned to the boy and she continued to press.

"Do you think I'm wrong?"

As she spoke, a dangerous glint appeared in her eyes, the malice and threat in them unmistakable.

If you dare to say no, don't expect to have a good time at school from now on!

A classic threat tactic.

Ji Mu immediately understood and felt a little scared.

He was just an ordinary student, weak and timid, who had never experienced such a threatening situation.

"Four-eyes, what are you dreaming about?"

The bully baring his fangs began to approach, not giving him time to think. "What is your answer?"

"I..."

In front of the bully's sharp eyes, Ji Mu shrank back.

School bullying, huh? Just thinking about it is scary.

"I want to say..."

After hesitating for a while, he slowly stood up.

He looked nervous and uncomfortable.

Like Lin Chong who was forced to go to Liangshan, he slowly replied under the watchful eyes of his classmates.

"None of your business."

Editor’s note: The mention of Lin Chong and Liangshan is in relation to a classic chinese novel called All Men Are Brothers (aka Water Margins).