When Zhang Chen saw Xiao Lan preparing to tell this story, her eyes were filled with regret and sorrow.
"When we were in elementary and middle school, nearly every class had a girl who became the target of everyone's scorn and bullying because of her looks, average grades, or certain bad habits. Our class was no exception."
"There was a girl in our class named Tian Yinghua. She was not attractive, and she was a poor student. Most importantly, she seemed to have some kind of hereditary illness. Every day, she had to carry around a bottle of foul-smelling liquid and apply it to the palms of her hands and her face where her clothes did not cover them. Many people in the class could not stand it."
"Over the course of a year, someone like her failed to make even a single friend. Whenever people saw her, they would keep their distance. At first, she would hide in the restroom and cry for a long time because of it. But gradually, she adapted to everyone's disgust and rejection. Whenever she saw those who looked down on her, her eyes were always filled with hatred. In time, the entire class abandoned her."
"But the most terrifying thing happened near the end of the first semester of eighth grade. It was triggered by a boy in the class named Jiang Ran."
January 6, 2006, Class 7, Grade 8, Jinxi County No. 1 Middle School
"Look, that ugly freak is applying her medicine again. Damn it, she's making everyone hold their noses during class. Who knows what stinking crap is in that bottle?" A boy in the class pointed at Tian Yinghua with utter disgust.
Several students sitting closest to Tian Yinghua also put on masks they had prepared beforehand.
Tian