Song Yu clicked through and discovered that the photos were actually all pictures of that girl's diary.
A blogger with a sense of justice had also posted them on Weibo a few years ago, but someone had manipulated the comments and distorted the facts. Netizens could not make out the truth, the story never gained traction, and over time, people gradually forgot about it.
At the beginning of the diary, the girl's tone was very lighthearted. She looked forward to her new school and class, her neat handwriting still carrying the sincerity of a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old, along with some childish complaints.
-Aaaah, I got stuck in traffic on the very first day of school, arrived late, and had to stand outside the classroom as punishment. This is soooo embarrassing [facepalm][facepalm]. My homeroom teacher is a really pretty English teacher. Hopefully I can make a better impression later.
-My new deskmate is a boy... The way he looks at me makes me uncomfortable. It's so weird.
But before long, the diary began to take on an oppressive tone.
Her deskmate constantly put his hands on her in class, to the point of sexual harassment, while the people sitting in front of and behind them, far from thinking things had gone too far, secretly recorded it during class and even uploaded it online, naming the video "Look how slutty the new transfer student is."
Phrases like "felt sick all day," "I really want to throw up," and "what should I do?" appeared frequently in the diary.
Her words were disjointed. Her family was poor, and her father had been in the hospital all this time, so she did not dare trouble her parents with these things. When she asked to change deskmates, her homeroom teacher, Ou Yilian, shot her down outright. "What difference does it make where you sit? Work on your emotional intelligence. There's no one you can't get along with."
Silence and public opinion made her an outcast in the classroom. She kept suppressing everything until some older girls cornered her in the bathroom and □□ her. Unable to endure it any longer, she went to tell her homeroom teacher again. Irritated beyond measure at being bothered twice, Ou Yilian's response was, "If you don't respect yourself and insist on acting cheap, who's going to respect you?" "That's you in the video, isn't it? It takes two to tango. Could he have gone that far if you hadn't allowed it?"
Those words were like a basin of cold water that chilled her to the bone. She returned to her seat and started crying. A kind girl in her class could not stand watching and accompanied her to tell the principal about it. After the principal spoke to Ou Yilian, the very next day, Ou Yilian played the online video of her deskmate sexually harassing her in front of the entire class, over and over, while saying hypocritically, "Some jokes between deskmates go too far. This, for example."
It was like death by a thousand cuts.
The later diary entries were a mess, as though she had been too distressed to keep writing.
Her family finally realized something was wrong, but that boy had powerful backing, beyond anything an ordinary family could afford to offend. Her mother cried so much that she could not sleep properly for days, yet all she could do was arrange a transfer while falling apart. When the matter later spread online, the boy's family repeatedly paid to suppress it and hired people to twist right and wrong. It never caused a stir.
After reading it, Song Yu had just one thought: I'm going to kill Ou Yilian!
He was so furious that even the hands he pressed against the keyboard trembled.
He asked a question.
[Is that girl doing okay?]
After a long time, the anonymous sender replied.
[She's doing much better in her new environment. She probably doesn't want to be disturbed again.]
Song Yu froze. Then she probably would not want to revisit that devastating part of her past, either.
At first, Song Yu had considered blowing up this incident from several years ago, getting it trending, and ruining Ou Yilian's reputation. But that sort of pursuit of justice might tear open the victim's already scabbed-over wounds, hurting that girl all over again.
Song Yu asked him.
[Who are you?]
The sender replied.
[You can think of me as a kind stranger.]
A kind stranger?
Why had he sent these materials at precisely the moment Song Yu wanted to deal with Ou Yilian?
Did he know who he was?
As though to dispel his concerns, the person sent another message.
[I've been keeping an eye on Ou Yilian and have also looked into you. I hope you'll get justice for her. Thank you.]
Song Yu frowned.
He had been watching Ou Yilian for a long time, so he knew they didn't get along?
He had investigated him, so he knew his background wasn't ordinary?
That seemed plausible, but something still felt strange.
[Are you from Jingcheng No. 1 High School?]
A teacher or a student.
But the other party did not reply to his email again.
Song Yu took a deep breath and sent the materials to the principal.
Then he called Meng Guang directly. Without relying on public opinion, the only option was to follow procedure, and an anonymous report to the education authorities would most likely be brushed aside.
Besides, with how arrogant Ou Yilian was, she definitely had someone backing her higher up.
Meng Guang sounded drunk when he answered. "Hey, Yuyu. What happened this time?"
Song Yu said, "Come on, Cousin. It's time for us to punish evil and uphold good."
Meng Guang said, "Huh?"
Song Yu said, "I want to report my homeroom teacher."
Holding his phone, Meng Guang started laughing. "Your high school life sure is eventful. In one week, you've gone from reporting a classmate to reporting a teacher. Hahaha!"
Song Yu rolled his eyes. Thinking of Wang Ci and Ou Yilian, whom he had encountered since enrolling, and Gao Feng on top of that, he said, "Yeah, I'll report anyone!"
Meng Guang burst out laughing at him. Pretty fierce, reporting anyone.
Calming down, Song Yu added, "Once you read the materials, you'll know what a piece of shit our homeroom teacher is."
After he forwarded all those emails to Meng Guang.
Sure enough, after reading them, Meng Guang was even angrier than he was. He slammed the table in fury and spent ages cursing Ou Yilian over the phone.
Song Yu listened with his eyes lowered, but his mind wandered a little.
That girl made him think of Xie Sui's experiences in the novel.
What about the Xie Sui in the novel? Faced with Wang Ci's harassment, how stifled must someone as proud as him have felt? Had he also felt "disgusted" and "lost"? All he wanted was to study hard and give Grandma Chen a better life. Yet life's malice came at him without end.
Meng □□ went off in a fury to handle the matter.
After hanging up, Song Yu felt awful. He stared at his phone screen for ages, wanting to talk to Xie Sui but not knowing what to say.
He sent a few dots first, gathering his thoughts.
[Song Yu: ...]
After casually hiring someone to find those materials and send them to Song Yu, Xie Sui had focused on dealing with Grandma Chen's situation.
Xu Shien had given him a great deal of money, which became considerable leverage in his hands.
His investigation confirmed that the person behind the photos was indeed Wang Ci.
Xie Sui took a sip of black coffee, lowering his eyes to conceal their cold gleam. In truth, for his twenty-five-year-old self, these insignificant figures from his school days had nearly faded from memory.
Reborn into a life of few worldly desires, he still kept finding people walking straight into his line of fire.
His phone lit up. It was Song Yu. Looking at those six dots, Xie Sui rubbed a finger along the rim of his cup.
[Xie Sui: Why aren't you asleep yet?]
He could deal with Ou Yilian using more thorough, ruthless methods.
But he was more willing to let Song Yu fulfill his sense of justice and youthful spirit.
Clutching his phone, Song Yu lay down on the bed and scratched his head.
[Song Yu: Can't sleep.]
[Xie Sui: Why?]
Song Yu simply wanted to chat with him. How could he talk about things in the novel that had not happened yet? After scratching his head for ages without finding a topic, he simply gave up.
[Song Yu: ...Scared I can't win the fight.]
Xie Sui chuckled.
[Xie Sui: Mm.]
[Song Yu: What do you mean, mm? Will you fight for me if I can't win?]
He probably would not go watch Song Yu's fight tomorrow afternoon.
[Xie Sui: Don't go if you can't win.]
[Song Yu: No way. It's already blown up like this, and I've talked big. How can I quit halfway?]
[Xie Sui: Then it's the participation that counts.]
He had never liked this kid fighting, really. What if he got hurt?
What did that mean? It didn't matter whether he got beaten up, as long as he participated?
[Song Yu: You're so coldhearted.]
[Xie Sui: Only just noticed?]
[Song Yu: ...]
Song Yu felt that this conversation could go no further, but his heart felt heavy, especially when facing Xie Sui. After holding it in for ages, he wanted to learn a little more about him.
[Were there any books you especially liked as a kid?] Start with the happy memories.
A classic case of making conversation for the sake of it.
Xie Sui chuckled. Across both his lifetimes, Song Yu was truly the worst person he had ever met at deliberately striking up a conversation.
Yet he was willing to spend time talking about these meaningless things with him.
[No.]
Song Yu refused to give up.
[None? Really none? Like Peter Pan or The Little Prince?]
Xie Sui replied.
[And other introductory reading for children?]
Song Yu: "..."
"Introductory reading for children" choked off the whole spiel he had prepared.
Gripping his phone, Song Yu gritted his teeth and typed one final line.
[Going to sleep! Saving my strength to be the school bully tomorrow!]
Xie Sui smiled.
[Good night.]
Song Yu did not really pay attention to his classes all Friday. After bringing his conversation with Xie Sui to a dead end yesterday, he had inexplicably slept quite well, but he still grew sleepy during Ou Yilian's class. He opened the window and slept soundly in the cool breeze.
After finishing writing on the blackboard, Ou Yilian turned around to see Song Yu asleep. Her long-standing dissatisfaction and resentment erupted at that moment. In front of the entire class, she sneered, "Some people really have no self-awareness whatsoever."
"Do you think having an illness entitles you to all sorts of special treatment? Once you're out in society, will you use your medical records to get someone to give you a job? Even being a beggar would be more dignified."
Her gaze stayed fixed on Song Yu, the mockery in every word unmistakable. She made sure everyone knew that Song Yu was ill, without explaining what illness he had.
No one in the class dared breathe loudly.
This was the first time she had openly expressed her displeasure with Song Yu in class, most likely because he was asleep and had no chance to talk back.
When the bell rang, Ou Yilian left with her lesson plans in her arms. A student wanted to ask her about a problem and called after her repeatedly, but received no response, leaving the girl standing there in considerable embarrassment.
Ma Xiaoding said, "There's seriously something wrong with this homeroom teacher! Dawn has broken. Time to replace our English teacher."
Xi Bowen said, "Huh? Isn't it 'the weather has turned cold'?"
He had only known that Ma Xiaoding recited his Chinese texts all wrong. He had not expected him to misuse memes, too.
Ma Xiaoding froze, then tried to salvage his dignity with a meaningful air. "You don't understand! Dawn has broken, and she's dead. That means she was knifed last night."
Xi Bowen's face was expressionless. Hilarious.
Embarrassed into anger, Ma Xiaoding held up a book to block his view. "Close your eyes, close your eyes. Night falls, close your eyes. I'm knifing you tonight. You're dead, no last words. Quit yapping."
When Song Yu woke up, he heard this exchange between Ma Xiaoding and Xi Bowen. Rubbing his eyes, he asked, "What did Ou Yilian say in class?"
Xie Sui watched him for a while, finding the kid rather cute just after waking up, dazed and docile, his unruliness nowhere in sight. He said mildly, "That there's something wrong with her."
Still rubbing his eyes, Song Yu said, "Pretty self-aware of her."
She would be getting lost soon anyway. Who cared about her?
The Chinese class representative came to collect homework as usual. As the only person among all the girls in class who had interacted with Song Yu.
She bore the weighty responsibility entrusted to her by every girl in Class One.
Carrying the hopes of the entire village, she gathered her courage while waiting and asked, "Brother Yu, are-are you nervous about this afternoon?"
The corner of Song Yu's mouth lifted into a disdainful curve. "Of course I'm nervous."
The Chinese class representative's breath caught. The group of girls crowding together with their ears pricked up also secretly sucked in a breath.
Never mind Brother Yu's status as the nation's troll... the nation's husband. Song Yu was one of their classmates! This was a battle for Class One's dignity!
The students of Class One worried themselves sick.
The Chinese class representative gave an awkward little smile, unable to hide the concern in her eyes. "You're really nervous?"
Song Yu had already tilted his head and started laughing. "Of course I'm nervous. I'm getting a new son this afternoon. It's my first time being a father. I don't have any parenting experience."
After a moment of stunned silence.
"Pfft, hahahahaha!"
Class One dissolved into laughter.
Perhaps because Song Yu no longer seemed so cold and unapproachable, the atmosphere in class suddenly became particularly harmonious and cheerful.
One bold girl raised her hand and laughed. "Then would you consider me, big brother? Would you mind the kid getting a mom, too? I don't mind the trouble. I'll help you raise him."
The girl beside her hurriedly tugged at her hand, laughing as she scolded her. "Are you crazy? God Xie will kill you tonight."
God Xie, brought into the conversation, curled his lips, but he really did not look particularly pleased.
Although Song Yu was always running his mouth about wanting to interact with the girls in class, when actually put in that situation, he was extraordinarily flippant.
Spinning his pen, he instinctively scoffed. "Not considering it, not taking suggestions. Don't try your tricks on me. Who are you calling big brother? That stuff stopped working on me ages ago, little sis-"
His pen-spinning hand stopped.
He shut up.
Because something about it felt a little off.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
But the entire class burst into laughter again.
They had already filled in the rest for Song Yu.
The forum's number-one coldhearted scumbag certainly lived up to his reputation.
Song Yu: "..."
Fuck! And he had mocked Ma Xiaoding for being destined to stay single! Wasn't he exactly the same?
Ma Xiaoding laughed until his stomach hurt.
Song Yu handed in his homework listlessly.
He began reflecting on whether his inability to find a girlfriend might not be fate after all.
After that commotion during the break, Song Yu noticed that the classmates around him, who had all obediently served as background scenery before, slowly began approaching him. For instance, after class, a girl came specifically to hand him a bottle of something to drink, said, "Go, Brother Yu!" and ran away blushing.
Song Yu could not make sense of it. "What was that?"
Ma Xiaoding was a straight guy who was extraordinarily sensitive to things between men but extremely slow about things between men and women. Scratching his head, he said, "No idea. A new trick?" He stared hungrily at the drink in Song Yu's hand. "So does this trick work on you, Brother Yu?"
Song Yu glanced at him. "..."
After school, Xie Sui had said he had something to do and left first. Song Yu questioned him for ages, but Xie Sui kept his mouth shut, only smiling and winking at him.
Considering himself an understanding guy, Brother Yu naturally nodded with an expression that said, "I get it."
Even though he actually understood nothing.
The decisive battle atop Book Mountain Building.
Someone started a live text broadcast on the forum.
[Welcome to Jingcheng No. 1 High School's special start-of-term martial arts (parent-child) program-Who's the School Bully? (Who's Going to Be Dad?)]
[I'm your commentator, Big K.]
[Right now, I'm standing on Book Mountain Building—on the roof of Cultivating Virtue Building next door, that is. Wow, the view really is great. With the wind whipping around, it really feels like a duel atop Mount Hua. Loudspeakers ready, lighting crew ready, fangirls, let me hear you scream.]
The replies below played along beautifully.
Boys and girls alike all responded with hahahahahahaha.
Book Mountain Building housed the second-year classrooms and had a rooftop terrace, which counted as a sacred spot for couples to confess their feelings at Jingcheng No. 1 High School.
Plenty of people came to watch the fun, but since it was Friday and school was out, most still chose to catch the bus home and browse the thread when they had nothing to do.
Where there was a match, there would be winners and losers; where there were winners and losers, there would be betting.
The thread happily filled with chatter.
[I'll bet a pack of spicy strips on Brother Yu winning.]
[If Brother Yu wins, I'll donate a building to the school.]
[I'll give the principal a Maserati.]
[Me! I'm betting the first kiss I've treasured for years on my husband Brother Yu winning aaaaaah!]
[Badass, count me in. I'm betting Brother Yu wins. If I guess right, I'll randomly pick a young lady in this thread and give her the virginity I've treasured for seventeen years!]
[6666666666]
The stakes grew increasingly dirty. A bunch of boys joined in with jokes and wisecracks, and they even started offering up their first nights.
The commentator intervened in time.
[Could you please give me back my wholesome thread?]
[Everyone offering first kisses, first nights, cars, and houses if Brother Yu wins, I've noted down all your names. Don't try to back out later!]
The atmosphere in the thread was surprisingly cheerful.
Song Yu knew nothing about any of this.
Ma Xiaoding followed behind Song Yu with his gang of underlings, making him look impressive.
They surrounded Song Yu like he was a mob boss.
Song Yu, who had originally just wanted to have a quiet fight and leave: "..."
There were quite a few people scattered along the stairs on the way up.
The rooftop, however, was very empty.
The sky was clear, its blue utterly transparent. The wind stirred Song Yu's school uniform and mussed his hair a little. The boy had light-colored eyes, and he was in a hurry to get back and do his homework. His slight impatience made him look particularly punchable-arrogantly punchable.
Gao Feng cleared his throat. Remembering what had happened on the forum, he decided to start by putting him in his place.
He sneered, threw the cigarette he had never even lit and was only holding to look cool onto the ground, then stepped on it. Tugging at his collar, he said in an outrageously cocky tone, "So you're that..."
Wait, what was Song Yu's username again?
His underling noticed his awkwardness and hurriedly said, "Your Husband Brother Yu! Your Husband Brother Yu!"
Gao Feng: "..."
What kind of fucking shitty name was that?!
He definitely wasn't going to say the full name, but saying either "Brother Yu" or "husband" would kill him. Four out of the name's five characters were impossible to say aloud. This was a fucking genius name.
Watching them keep guessing, still unable to figure it out after a whole week of bloodshed, Song Yu snorted and said casually, "Yes, that's right. I'm Your Husband Brother Yu."
Gao Feng: "..."
The entire rooftop: "..."
A bunch of tough guys had inexplicably been taken advantage of.
The girls peeking secretly from the stairwell.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
Commentator Big K held a pair of binoculars and delivered his impassioned commentary to everyone on the forum.
After school on Friday, Xie Sui stayed in the classroom for a while. That person sent another message, directing him toward an old classroom building in a secluded corner of the campus.
Author's note: Don't worry, the scumbag will be gone super quickly next chapter~
Thank you to the little angels who cast Overlord Tickets or watered me with nutrient solution~
Thanks to the little angels who threw [grenades]: Bored Minsui Rolling Around Online, Candied Fruit Isn't Too Sweet, and Other Shore · River of Oblivion, 1 each;
Thanks to the little angels who threw [land mines]: Yanyan, 3; Cenzi, Meeting You in This World Like Rain Meeting Flowers, Xuan, Little Fairy Jiujiu, Scattered, Jinfeng, Jiang Family Sweet Orange, Zhouzhou Ya, lQinqCuanjiu, Walk Slowly, Qiqi, and Cute Girl Xinxin, 1 each;
Thanks to the little angels who watered me with [nutrient solution]:
Colorblind, 39 bottles; Is It Los Angeles or Philadelphia, 30 bottles; Talking Tea Painting a Begonia, 27 bottles; Hirata Ye, 20 bottles; The Dream of 1.3 Billion Girls, 15 bottles; siebtesunden, 13 bottles; Mujin, Time and You Are Both Hard to Keep, legeruimte, Aki Rina, Tangtangtang Xiaoling, Flying Persimmon, and Scattered, 10 bottles each; Baisong, 6 bottles; Hehe, soljin, Muzi Feng, and yu_, 5 bottles each; Cicadas Sing and Dogs Bark Wildly, 4 bottles; Half-Warm Flowers Cool as Memories Turn to Sorrow, Jingjiu Isn't a Whimpering Monster, and disguiser, 3 bottles each; , Only a Few Glass Pieces in Great Ease, 2 bottles; 123123, 31322075, Ice-Cream-Loving Onlooker, Big Brother, Hedgehog, Studying Makes Me Happy, and Yunmu, 1 bottle each;
Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!