Chapter 34: The Submissive, Obsessive Top Student

With only half an hour left before the school gates closed, Song Zhiming finally wrapped his arm around Deng Sisi’s waist and left the classroom. The sky had darkened, and without the lights on, they didn’t notice the thin figure crouched by the back door.

Jiang Zhiyi waited until their figures had completely disappeared before straightening up. Her legs and feet were numb from squatting, so she leaned against the wall and slowly walked into the classroom.

The back row of the classroom was filled with a heavy, choking smell of smoke. Jiang Zhiyi coughed twice from the irritation. Outside the window, the dim yellow lights from the sports field fell on the desks, clearly illuminating the cigarette ash that had fallen on Shi Qingyi’s desk.

Shi Qingyi was the most fastidious about cleanliness, and her personality was aloof and cold. She would definitely be angry if she found out.

The girl rolled up her sleeves and gently wiped the desk, then took some tissue paper, wetted it, and meticulously cleaned her spot until it was spotless. She kept wiping until her wrists turned red.

How could those vermin from the gutters get anywhere near Shi Qingyi? Just thinking about how they had badmouthed her behind her back made a fire burn in her heart.

“It’s not like they’re all that just because their family has a bit of stinking money? Acting all high and mighty every day, as if everyone wants to suck up to her. In my opinion, some people can’t change their true nature even if they suddenly become rich overnight. Hanging out with those kinds of people all day, dirty and unclean—what good could come of it…”

Jiang Zhiyi closed her eyes, her long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly, concealing the bone-chilling coldness at the bottom of her clear eyes.

She wiped the desk almost obsessively, not stopping until there wasn’t a trace of smoke left. The wet tissue soaked her sleeve, and water trickled down along her hand bones drop by drop. She leaned in to sniff again, and only after confirming there was no smell of smoke or cloying perfume did she throw away the tissue.

The restroom was right in the corridor outside the classroom. She went to wash her hands, scrubbing her palms and the backs of her hands vigorously until they were red and hot, and she could no longer smell any trace of smoke before turning off the faucet.

As she left the classroom, she paused again. The dim light halo concealed much of the unspeakable possessiveness and scrutiny.

She lingered for a while but couldn’t resist going back. Her heart pounded as she reached out and precisely pulled out the draft notebook tucked into Shi Qingyi’s book.

Afraid that the water on her hands would stain Shi Qingyi’s notebook, she carefully dried her hands before gingerly opening it. In the hazy light, she could only make out the outline. But as soon as she flipped to the first page, the girl’s fingers suddenly froze.

There were no drafts in the notebook; instead, it was filled with carefully drawn pictures.

The drawing depicted a girl holding a pen, pretending to think while secretly glancing sideways. It was just outlined with a liner pen, but the expression was lifelike—as if it had been sketched from right up close—

Her hands began to tremble faintly, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest. She flipped through frantically, and every page was filled to the brim. The subject was the same person throughout.

The girl waiting alone on the sports field with her school uniform in her arms, the girl walking with her head down under the sunset, the girl diligently doing her homework—all of them were unmistakably the same person.

—The person she knew better than anyone.

Suddenly, a faint flashlight beam shone in from the window. It was time to lock up; the security guard had begun patrolling the empty teaching building.

Jiang Zhiyi abruptly closed her eyes, hastily shut the notebook, and ran out the back door just before the building was locked. She stumbled all the way out.

At first, she walked, but then she went faster and faster, as if wind were growing under her feet. The early autumn breeze was slightly cool against her face, but she only felt the burning heat of her cheeks.

Something struck at her heart, pounding against the thin layer of flesh. Immense joy filled her chest, making even her breaths sweet.

In the end, she still didn’t make it. The school gate was already locked, and a small light burned in the security booth. Staying at school too long could get her dragged to the dean’s office, and she might even get a disciplinary mark.

Even if the teachers showed mercy and didn’t give her a mark, they’d definitely call her parents. Thinking of that drunkard, Jiang Zhiyi instinctively bit her lip. Finally, she turned and headed to the nearby perimeter wall.

No. 3 Middle School’s wall was only about five feet high, surrounded by lush camphor trees that were decades old. Their branches were neatly trimmed, making it not hard to climb—students often escaped class this way.

As a model student, Jiang Zhiyi had never climbed it herself, but she had secretly watched Shi Qingyi flip over it countless times to go play.

She calmly hung her schoolbag on a branch first, then followed her memory, stepping on the cut tree stumps to climb up. When she finally reached the top of the wall, she glanced down.

There were no camphor trees on the other side to cushion the fall—nearly seven feet straight down. Jumping would hurt at most; it wouldn’t kill her. She quickly adjusted herself and was about to leap down when a figure emerged from the shadows by the wall.

Shi Qingyi had waited so long without seeing anyone that when she heard the clank of the school gate closing, she knew Jiang Zhiyi was trapped inside. She immediately thought of this spot, and sure enough, she saw the little pitiful hanging on the wall.

Jiang Zhiyi’s expression changed the instant she saw Shi Qingyi. She clung to the wall, shrinking back and looking at her with innocent, pure eyes that softened the heart.

—Even knowing it might not be genuine, she was still fooled.

The blonde girl helplessly reached out a hand, her voice inexplicably gentle. “Come down. I’ll catch you.”

“Hey, you there—what are you doing?” The security guard seemed to notice something off and swung his flashlight over, running toward the wall. The blinding light made Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes go white, and she instinctively turned her head away.

“Come down quick.” Shi Qingyi extended her hand as the security guard drew closer.

With her eyes closed, Jiang Zhiyi let go. After a long moment, she landed with a thud in a soft embrace.

She had thought countless times in her life about leaping from a height to end it all, but she had never truly jumped without reservation. This was the first time she fully trusted someone, and that person caught her steadily.

By the time the security guard arrived, all he saw was the receding backs of the two. The blonde girl pedaled her bike, wobbling as she sped away from the scene.

The brown-haired girl behind her clung tightly to her waist, afraid of being flung off.

“See if you dare stay that late again.”

“I forgot something.” Jiang Zhiyi offered a quiet excuse, then quickly promised not to upset her, “I won’t do it again… Were you waiting for me on purpose?”

“Who was waiting for you?” The blonde girl’s back stiffened for an instant. Unable to argue logically, she stubbornly turned her head away. “I just happened to leave late.”

“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Zhiyi softly went along with her words, but her arms unconsciously tightened around her waist.

If it had been before, she might have doubted it, but now she had seen those drawings—

Joy like boiling water filled her entire heart. The delight inside her was like a massive candy swelling to the point of bursting. Shi Qingyi smelled wonderful, a faint fragrance lingering at her nose—even in summer, it was pleasant.

She secretly sniffed, memorizing the scent.

Shi Qingyi seemed to hum lightly. After a while, she handed back a candy with one hand while gripping the handlebars with the other, making Jiang Zhiyi a bit scared. She whispered in her ear, her arm around her waist, “Be careful, okay?”

The delinquent girl turned her face away, but the girl’s warm breath fell on her neck, bringing a faint itch. Later, she truly never let go.

She escorted Jiang Zhiyi all the way home. At the intersection where they parted, Jiang Zhiyi watched her slowly leave. The girl wore a white skirt that day, its hem fluttering in the wind, unstained by dust.

Jiang Zhiyi’s heart softened beyond measure. She gently clutched the necklace at her chest, her eyes filled with quiet, obsessive tenderness.

She was used to some things anyway—hadn’t she lived like this for all these years? As long as she endured it, it would pass. But why did they have to treat Shi Qingyi like that?

Calling her a lesbian, saying she was disgusting, flicking cigarette ash on her desk, isolating her, even smashing the necklace her family had given her—

She didn’t care how they insulted her, but why treat Shi Qingyi this way? Just because she had pulled her out of the mud, was that an unforgivable sin?

She walked step by step through the sunset back home, her arms full of candy. She tore open a wrapper and cherishingly popped one into her mouth.

It was truly sweet, just like the girl she liked. She should live her whole life without suffering, pampered in the palm of someone’s hand. No matter how much malice or hatred there was, at least it shouldn’t be directed at her.

From far away came the sounds of beatings and a woman’s cries from the small shack, the crash of things breaking, and drunken cursing. Jiang Zhiyi hugged her schoolbag and waited quietly in the alley for a long time, eating candy after candy. It was so sweet her teeth ached, but she still wanted to keep eating.

Only after a long wait when the sounds gradually faded did she take out a small bottle of white pills.

She wearily closed her eyes. This should keep him quiet for a while.

—

Gym class for senior year happened once a week, and every session was precious. On a rare rain-free day, most of the boys gathered on the sports field to play basketball, while the girls sat in groups under the trees. With so many people around, no one noticed the few who quietly vanished.

In the grove outside the teaching building, class monitor Song Zhiming, who had just been playing basketball outside, used the excuse of changing clothes to come to the building alone. Under the lush camphor trees waited the long-impatient Deng Sisi.

Some things went without saying, but dating in senior year was strictly forbidden. With teachers always supervising the classroom, it was rare for them to have time alone.

Like dry firewood meeting a blazing fire, the two embraced and kissed passionately. Just as they were getting carried away, a basin of cold water poured down from above, chilling them to the bone and making them shiver.

“Fuck, who the hell did that on purpose?”

Looking up, it was the senior classrooms. With everyone out for gym class, there was no response. The vast teaching building was silent, only the wind blowing slowly, cold enough to make one shudder.

On the third-floor corridor, Jiang Zhiyi set down the bucket she had fetched from the restroom and expressionlessly dumped the entire bucket of dirty mop water over the edge. The sound of pouring water and cursing rose up together.

Her expression showed no fluctuation as she picked up the bucket to leave the scene. But as she turned, she was pinned in place by a deathly stare, unable to move.

The bucket clanged to the ground, the remaining water splashing onto her arms, icy cold. Her heart sank abruptly.

—The blonde girl leaned against the stair railing, quietly watching her.

Her heart turned ice-cold in an instant. She was done for.