Jealousy

Through the thin fabric of her school uniform shorts, Luo Xue could feel its shape.

She'd already found it terrifying at first.

But she never expected that, as time went on, Lin Che could become even more terrifying!

Fear made Luo Xue's whole body tense up.

But beneath her fear, there was also a trace of shame and excitement... Luo Xue couldn't put it into words. It was an indescribable feeling...

"Xiao Xue, your face is so red..."

Luo Xue had her back to Lin Che, with Gu Yilan standing in front of her.

Seeing Luo Xue's flushed cheeks, Gu Yilan reached out to touch them. Her fingers met hot, soft skin.

"You're sweating so much. Is it too hot on the bus?" Gu Yilan asked, concerned for her best friend. "How about we switch places? I'm closer to the window..."

"N-no... I can't..."

Luo Xue felt as hot as a flame.

Although Lin Che behind her scared her to the core, she absolutely couldn't switch places with Gu Yilan!

Gu Yilan was Luo Xue's very best friend. She'd rather suffer herself than let that jerk Lin Che take advantage of Gu Yilan!

"I-I'm fine~"

Luo Xue managed a smile to reassure Gu Yilan.

But she wasn't going to let Lin Che off so easily!

Where Gu Yilan couldn't see, Luo Xue lifted one delicate foot and kicked hard behind her!

"Wah!"

Luo Xue was tiny, barely over five feet tall, and light as a feather. As she lifted one foot on the jolting bus, she immediately lost her balance!

Just then, the bus took a sharp turn!

Before Luo Xue could kick Lin Che, she pitched forward!

Lin Che reacted quickly and caught her slender waist.

His hand slipped right under the loose hem of her school uniform.

His large palm landed on Luo Xue's flat stomach!

Even his thumb brushed the edge of her underwear!

It looked as if Luo Xue had become a doll in Lin Che's grasp!

"Mm~"

Luo Xue's mind went blank. A jolt seemed to run through her whole body, and her slender legs went weak. She lost her support and slid downward.

As she slid...

Lin Che's hand, which had been on her stomach, ended up somewhere it shouldn't have.

Compared to Gu Yilan and Teacher Su's fuller figures, Luo Xue's youthful curves were far less noticeable.

"So small..."

Lin Che gave her a brief squeeze, came to that conclusion, and immediately pulled his hand back out from under her uniform.

"Ahhh!"

Only then did Luo Xue realize what had just happened!

Her... her chest had been touched by a boy!

And not just any boy—Lin Che, the person she hated most!

Luo Xue's face turned scarlet. Once the shock wore off, overwhelming anger surged through her!

"Pervert!!"

"Gu Yilan, Lin Che is definitely a pervert! He just harassed me!"

Luo Xue knew that no matter what she said now, no one on the bus would believe her.

All she could do was look at Gu Yilan desperately.

At least...

At least her best friend should believe her!

"Um..."

Gu Yilan hesitated. She knew that the older boy she liked wouldn't harass a girl without reason.

"Young lady, I really can't stand by and watch this!"

The older woman from earlier stepped forward again.

"I saw the whole thing. You were trying to kick that boy, and that's why you lost your balance, weren't you?"

"If that kind boy hadn't caught you, you would've fallen right onto the floor!"

"Sure, he touched you there, but did he mean to?"

"He caught you, and then you couldn't stay upright and slid down. Was that his fault? You were the one who fell onto his hand!"

"And the young man was very polite. The moment he realized what had happened, he pulled his hand away!"

The older woman spoke indignantly, standing up for what was right!

"What's wrong with girls these days? They twist the truth and don't know how to appreciate kindness! Girls like you are ruining the good name of Chinese women!"

"N-no... I..."

Luo Xue was completely stunned.

On Little Red Book, she'd seen people say that women should be brave enough to be themselves, brave enough to stand up to men, and that women should...

But why was real life so different?

And Luo Xue knew the older woman was telling the truth.

Even if Lin Che had touched her, she'd been in the wrong first.

Embarrassed and ashamed, Luo Xue bit her lip and looked at Gu Yilan with wide, pleading eyes.

"Xiao Xue, that's enough. I know you hate that jerk Lin Che, but you don't need to frame him."

"We're all classmates. Just apologize to him..."

Even though she was her best friend, after what had happened that morning and on the bus, Gu Yilan felt a trace of resentment toward Luo Xue.

She looked at Luo Xue coldly.

Luo Xue felt as if her whole world had collapsed...

Chapter 10: Jealousy

"I-I'm sorry..."

After they got off the bus, Luo Xue apologized to Lin Che at Gu Yilan's urging.

She raised her humiliated head and saw Lin Che move his lips.

Though he made no sound, Luo Xue immediately knew what he'd said.

"Small ones are cute too..."

"Wah! I'm going to kill you!"

Luo Xue was furious! Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she bared her claws and lunged at Lin Che!

But Gu Yilan stopped her in time. She wrapped her arms around Luo Xue from behind, under her arms. The petite Luo Xue was no match for Gu Yilan, and her slender white legs were left dangling in the air, unable to move forward.

Feeling Gu Yilan's soft body behind her, Luo Xue's bluster faded at once.

It was true... compared to Gu Yilan, her own chest really was much smaller.

Wounded pride stinging, Luo Xue glared at Lin Che, grabbed her schoolbag, and ran off without looking back!

Luo Xue stormed into her house.

As soon as she got home, she rushed into the bathroom and quickly took off her clothes.

She turned on the tap. Hot water poured down, filling the bathroom with mist.

"Ugh, you awful Lin Che..."

With both hands covered in shower gel, Luo Xue scrubbed herself hard, as if she wanted to rub off a layer of skin.

That strange feeling seemed to linger on her body.

"You jerk. I have to get back at you!"

As she scrubbed, Lin Che's hateful face appeared in her mind.

"H-he even kept pressing against me..."

As she thought about it, Luo Xue's hand moved lower...

She wanted to wash every inch of herself clean, as if Lin Che were filth.

"Mm..."

That strange sensation returned, and Luo Xue leaned against the bathroom wall.

She wanted to wash it away, but the more she scrubbed, the less clean she felt.

"Jerk... Ugh~"

Lin Che's presence on the bus filled Luo Xue's mind.

"Jerk, jerk! Get out of my head!"

She shouted at him, but the harder she tried to push him from her thoughts, the clearer his face became.

He was the person she hated most, yet right now he had given her an excitement she'd never experienced before.

"I can't... I can't keep going..."

A small part of Luo Xue's mind remained clear. She knew she was opening the door to a whole new world.

And once that door opened, she might never be able to go back...

But...

She just couldn't stop!

"Ugh... damn you, Lin Che..."

Five minutes later, Luo Xue's petite body slid down the wall.

Her still-youthful face was dazed, her eyes unfocused and her lips parted as she breathed out warm air that mingled with the mist in the bathroom...

Meanwhile.

At Lin Che's home.

"I'm home."

"I'm home too!"

Claiming she wanted to "make sure Lin Che did his homework," Gu Yilan followed him inside.

Once through the door, she didn't forget to greet Lin's Mother politely.

"You're home from school. Go do your homework for a while. Dinner will be ready soon."

Lin's Mother called back from the kitchen. Before long, the aroma of food began drifting out.

"Thank you, Auntie! Your cooking is the best!"

"Haha, Little Yilan, you're so sweet. If that's how you feel, I'll make you something delicious every day!"

"Hehe~"

Gu Yilan really was a clever one!