Chapter 49: Humiliation

Rainy days inevitably dirtied the car, and Yan Ningxi had even arranged the follow-up car wash. Ming You had no way out. If Yan Ningxi wanted her to deliver it, she delivered it.

She took the keys, changed her shoes, and headed out. “Teacher He, let’s go.”

From the door to the elevator to the garage, the two harbored their own thoughts. They kept more than half a step apart while walking and riding the elevator. Neither spoke.

When they reached the car, Ming You went straight to the driver’s seat. She didn’t open the door for He Huan, letting her choose. “Front passenger or back seat, Teacher He, as you please.”

While Ming You tossed the trash, He Huan folded the umbrella and wiped away the remaining water stains with a tissue.

She chose the front passenger seat.

After getting in the car, Ming You opened the map app, then closed it and put away her phone. “Trouble Teacher He to set the navigation.”

She had zero interest in where He Huan lived. She also didn’t want to leave any address information related to He Huan and Jiang Bin’s marital home on her phone.

He Huan sat upright and stiffly with her bag on her lap. She thought it over several times before speaking. “Can we talk?”

The girl’s hand paused while pulling the seatbelt. She placed it on the steering wheel instead. Her index and middle fingers tapped lightly one after another. “Talk about what? Didn’t Teacher He make everything very clear on your wedding day? I haven’t harassed you again, have I?”

Every word struck at the heart.

He Huan pinched her fingers and looked at her. “You and Teacher Yan…”

“I like her. I’m pursuing her.” Eight words, loud and clear. “Does Teacher He want to manage this too?”

He Huan recoiled from the girl’s gaze, sharp as icy thorns. She turned to stare out the car window. “You’re pursuing her to get revenge on me. Is that fair to her?”

Ming You let out a cold snort. “Teacher He really thinks highly of yourself.” Even if He Huan had hit the mark, how could she admit it?

She then laughed indifferently. “A graceful beauty is a fine thing—a gentleman seeks her. Teacher Yan is exceptional in every way. High looks, great figure. I fell for her at first sight, head over heels. Not strange, right? You’ve seen it yourself, inside and out, several times now. Teacher Yan and I get along great. I’m happy with her, and she favors me. We’re mutually affectionate and both willing.”

What the girl said was fact.

Plenty of people liked Yan Ningxi. Plenty pursued her. Ming You was just one of them. But those closest to the water tower got the moon first. Ming You knew how to coax Yan Ningxi, and Yan Ningxi doted on Ming You. What else could anyone call it but mutual willingness?

They said slow-to-warm people were the most loyal. He Huan still refused to believe Ming You had changed her heart so quickly. “Aren’t you afraid…”

“Teacher He!”

Ming You cut her off again. Her right hand gripped the back of the front passenger seat as she leaned in close to He Huan. “It’s not about whether I’m afraid. It’s—are you afraid?”

The words pierced straight through. He Huan’s expression turned panicked. The humiliation from her wedding day flashed vividly in her mind.

“Afraid of Jiang Bin finding out? Afraid of your colleagues finding out how much you ‘cared’ for your female student?” Ming You’s gaze was razor-sharp. She curled her lips. “Don’t look at me with those terrified eyes. I won’t do anything to you. I have mysophobia too. I’ve kissed Yan Ningxi. I won’t kiss another woman.”

He Huan’s pupils dilated. They had kissed?!

“You know, I only chose the broadcasting major because of you. I originally had no intention of studying it. But Teacher Yan seems to value the major highly, so thanks to you, it became a powerful bargaining chip in my pursuit of her.”

Oppression. Suffocation. Helplessness. Heartache. Multiple emotions surged through He Huan at once. She truly felt fear.

She reached out and grabbed Ming You’s arm. “Do you hate me that much?”

“Hate?”

Ming You laughed like she’d heard a joke. “Teacher He takes it too seriously. There’s no bond between us. Neither owes the other anything. How could there be hate or no hate?”

It was the same sort of questioning. The same three-person drama. But compared to the wedding day, the girl’s tone and inflection were completely different.

On the wedding day, it had been resentment and hatred. Today, it was mostly sarcasm and contempt.

And flaunting. Flaunting her “new love.”

“I’ve paid back everything I owed. The last time I listened to you—not disturbing you anymore—I’ve done it. You walk your sunny avenue. I’ll cross my single-plank bridge. As for my love life, Teacher He, stay out of it. Any more, and you’re overstepping.”

He Huan’s grip on her arm gradually weakened. Her hand fell away.

“Teacher He, please fasten your seatbelt.” Ming You reached over with her left hand and buckled it for her. “Rainy days make the roads hard to see and slippery. For safety’s sake, please don’t talk to me anymore. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my emotions.”

Ming You gripped the steering wheel and closed her eyes to steady her breathing. It wasn’t anger. Her heart was in turmoil.

Just moments ago, she’d been inches from He Huan. Yet her mind had been filled with Yan Ningxi’s face. In this round, she’d beaten He Huan. But it felt like she’d lost herself.

…

After dropping her off and refueling, Ming You returned to the apartment at ten o’clock.

In the living room, Yan Ningxi carried a plate of strawberries to the entryway. She held one out. “Good work. Try this—the biggest one.”

“It’s so cold. Why are you still in the living room?” The girl focused on changing her shoes. She showed no interest in the strawberry.

“Waiting for you. The bed isn’t warm without you.” Yan Ningxi subtly tempted Ming You. She persisted in holding the strawberry to her lips. “Open up. Eat it, then go shower.”

Ming You’s attention wasn’t on the strawberry’s size at all. It was fixed on Yan Ningxi’s lips. Just as she schemed to distract and steal a kiss, Yan Ningxi seemed to read her mind and popped the strawberry straight into her mouth.

“Mm.” The strawberry was a bit sour. The girl’s brows furrowed.

“Looks like it’s not because I brushed my teeth. This plate really isn’t very sweet.”

Ming You: ???

Yan Ningxi carried the plate away. She wrapped both plates of fruit in cling film and put them in the fridge. “Tomorrow, invite Teacher Qi over as a guest.”

She had observed that Qi Xuexin liked sour-sweet foods. She could probably handle more sour than Ming You. Yan Ningxi herself disliked sour. Tomato brisket and tomato scrambled eggs were her limits. This plate of strawberries had no fate with her or Ming You.

She had changed to a new set of bedsheets, duvet cover, and pillowcases. The duvet insert was thicker too. Yan Ningxi had bought all these just last weekend.

When she lived alone, two seasonal sets for swapping had been enough. But now with Ming You added, she always wanted to prepare everything for her.

She had washed her hair that afternoon. Tonight, she didn’t pad the pillow with a mismatched towel. She didn’t face the closet either.

From the bedroom, she could hear the water running in the bathroom. It felt like the girl was taking an especially long shower tonight. Her head felt heavy. She was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. Yet she couldn’t fall asleep. It was a kind of “insomnia” different from her usual.

Until the mattress dipped beside her. She reached for the source of warmth and pulled it into her arms. Drowsiness finally crept in.

Ming You was dumbfounded.

No question about whether she’d bought a train ticket. No question about what she’d talked about with He Huan. Yan Ningxi just went to sleep like that??

Warm, fragrant soft jade in her arms. Her heart turned to mush. What else mattered?

Fine then. Sleep.

…

Deep autumn brought howling north winds and white reed flowers. Hengchuan University’s campus paths were carpeted in fallen leaves of every shape. Amid the desolation, they composed an ode to the changing seasons.

Gu Xirui’s brother quickly traced the IP and ID spreading rumors and stirring trouble on the forum. That person was Liu Xianhe.

Since the remarks hadn’t caused any substantial harm yet, Gu Xirui had planned to hold off. She would wait for him to make a more malicious move, gather evidence, and hit him with a heavy lawsuit.

But Ming You didn’t see it that way. “He acts like a sneaky rat. He’s targeted me multiple times. No need to be polite first and pretend to be civilized.”

“What do you want to do?” Gu Xirui felt a little uneasy.

In their freshman year, Ming You’s rejections of boys had been relatively mild. She said she only had eyes for those stronger than her professionally.

Unfortunately, their department wasn’t just top-heavy with girls in the current four years. It had been that way for generations. Those guys lost face and stopped confessing.

In their sophomore year, a cocky freshman who had entered as the top student—bold as a young calf—burst with confidence. Half a month into the semester, he showed up under her dorm with a guitar to confess.

Before he finished even one song, Ming You tossed two hundred yuan onto his guitar. “If you’re busking, go to the school gate. More people there.”

Those two hundred yuan had been borrowed from Gu Xirui. Ming You knew about her habit of stuffing hundred-yuan bills into her phone case.

“He was shameless first. Since he doesn’t want any, I’ll stomp him a few more times.”

Gu Xirui knew right then: Liu Xianhe was in for it.

Ming You printed out Liu Xianhe’s anonymous false rumors and sleazy comments from the forum. She clearly marked his IP.

Their classes’ classrooms were often right next door. During break, Ming You took a swig of Coke from one hand while knocking on the railing with the roll of A4 paper in the other.

She finally caught him in the hallway. “Liu Xianhe, I felt bad that I didn’t let you deliver those flowers. Truth be told, compared to that flashy 999 red roses, the rumors you spread aren’t worth a dime. I’m fine with it, but I just can’t stand that ugly, smug look on your face. No wonder they say the uglier you are, the more trouble you make. You really succeeded in disgusting me this time.”

“Yo, our eighth-place girl still has some fire, huh?” Liu Xianhe kept up his smirking face. He had no idea what was coming. “Ming You, you want flowers? Even without the championship, I can send them.”

“Really?”

With that, Ming You splashed the Coke in his face. She then smashed the roll of A4 paper onto him. “Pick it up and take a good look. Your masterpiece, right? After you do, think about how benevolent I was sharing this Coke with you.”

Gu Xirui secretly broke into a cold sweat for Liu Xianhe.

Ming You had told her not to get involved, but she was still worried. So she waited off to the side.

Liu Xianhe had been publicly humiliated again. He wiped the Coke from his face top to bottom, gritted his molars, and clenched his fists. “Ming You, don’t think just because you’re a girl you can bully people like this.”

“Bully? Liu Xianhe, who the hell are you?”

A few classmates picked up the scattered A4 paper. One look at the contents, and they understood Ming You’s point. So there was a reason for all this.

Liu Xianhe snatched the paper. His face drained of color. He gripped it tightly. “This is illegal invasion of privacy!”

“You know about illegal invasions? I thought you were legally illiterate.” Ming You slapped her empty bottle against his chest. “Good that you know. Looks like Classmate Liu isn’t hopelessly stupid. Human nature is evil—watch yourself walking at night.”

“Fuck you!” Quick as a flash, Liu Xianhe grabbed the bottle and hurled it at Ming You’s face. It hit her temple with a “bang.”

She hadn’t dodged the bottle, but Ming You’s fists weren’t for show. She blocked his incoming arm a step faster and drove a hard kick into his gut. He stumbled back several steps.

“Ming You! Are you okay?” Gu Xirui rushed forward in panic.

“I’m fine. Stay back.”

A guy hitting a girl—and striking first to boot—was asking for death.

Before Ming You could strike again, the hallway erupted in chaos. Everyone cursed Liu Xianhe for being shameless and praised Ming You’s kick.

Liu Xianhe was of course furious. He ignored the pain in his gut, straightened up, and clenched his fists.

“Wanna fight?” Ming You advanced on him with overwhelming momentum, taking two steps closer.

“Forget it. A real man doesn’t fight women. Crowd fighting blows up, and everyone gets disciplined.” A guy from the next class stepped in to mediate. He dragged Liu Xianhe away to cool off.

Luckily, the bottle was empty. Ming You’s temple was only slightly reddened—no real injury. If it had been full of water, Liu Xianhe would’ve gotten more than Ming You’s mild kick in good temper.