Chapter 71: The Little Follower at the Aristocratic School (Part 20)

Chen Liu was going insane.

Ever since that inexplicable loss of consciousness that day, upon waking, it was as if she’d been targeted by a venomous snake.

She kept getting mysteriously injured—no need to mention this incident for now; today, she’d been cornered by people.

Chen Liu’s body trembled as she was dragged into the woods.

There were clearly people who saw what was happening to her, yet they completely ignored her.

How could this be?

With her limbs pinned down, forced to kneel on the ground, the terror on Chen Liu’s face was impossible to hide.

“You—you—what the hell do you want!”

The leader of the group clicked his tongue, grabbed Chen Liu’s hair, and slapped her hard across the face.

This slap was solidly heavy; Chen Liu’s cheek swelled up instantly.

“Shut up.”

“You’ll understand once you see Sister Lai Yi.”

Chen Liu had never encountered something like this before. She knew that in this academy, those rich second-generation kids treated special admissions students like playthings.

But she had a system, so she never cared. Her roommate told her not to provoke those rich people and to just graduate peacefully.

Yet she thought her roommate was jealous of her, jealous that she could appear in front of those top-tier people.

Tears blurred Chen Liu’s vision as she screamed frantically in her mind.

[System! Help me!]

The system’s mechanical voice was exceptionally cold: [Host, you have to handle this yourself. Because the tasks have made no progress, I have no extra energy to assist you.]

Chen Liu screamed out loud: “It was you who told me to go! Didn’t you say I was the female protagonist? That the world favors me! How could I be treated like this!”

Chen Liu’s sudden scream was too piercing, and the words she said sounded utterly stupid.

Slap!

Another slap landed on Chen Liu’s face.

“So annoying. Can you shut up?”

Chen Liu’s head was knocked to the side from the blow, tears streaming down. “I’m calling the police! I’m calling the police! This is illegal!”

But all that answered her was yet another slap.

No one knew how much time had passed.

A magnetic, refreshing voice approached from afar: “Darling, we’re almost there. Are you tired? Do you want me to carry you?”

Shen Ke pushed away Lai Yi’s approaching head. “No.”

Rejected, Lai Yi instantly turned into a bitter gourd face. “Baby, lately you’ve been hanging out with Qing Qing all the time. You’ve forgotten who your real darling is.”

“I’m so jealous.”

Shen Ke bit her lip, let out a cold huff, and furrowed her pretty brows. “Stop saying that crap, or I’m leaving!”

Lai Yi had been so annoying lately. Ever since she saw Shen Ke with Si Qing, Lai Yi had been clinging to her, always whispering this kind of thing in her ear.

Her ears were about to grow calluses from it! So annoying!

Lai Yi pouted, acting all aggrieved and coquettish: “Baby, you’re being mean to me.”

Shen Ke halted her steps and yelled fiercely: “Lai Yi, are you an idiot?!”

How could she say something so disgusting!

Lai Yi squinted with a smile, then heard faint sobbing. She reached out and pulled Shen Ke along, leading her to the destination.

Lai Yi grinned at Shen Ke, her tone dripping with sweetness: “Darling, let’s play with this person today.” With that, Lai Yi pointed at Chen Liu.

Shen Ke looked over. The moment she saw Chen Liu clearly—saw her disheveled state—Shen Ke’s heart trembled.

She had never beaten anyone like this before. The bright red handprint on her cheek was too eye-catching.

Lai Yi curved her lips and placed a folding knife into Shen Ke’s hand.

“Darling, I’m really looking forward to seeing how you’ll bully her.”

Lai Yi walked toward Chen Liu, looking down at her from above. Golden hair, blue eyes, perfect features.

Chen Liu tilted her head up, staring dazedly at Lai Yi in that moment—so beautiful, like an angel.

Lai Yi chuckled, snapping Chen Liu out of her daze. She bent down, grabbed Chen Liu’s neck, and yanked her up forcefully before dragging and throwing her in front of Shen Ke.

Lai Yi thought she’d already been very gentle. She knew Shen Ke disliked her rough side, so this time she didn’t do anything herself—just helped reposition her.

Lai Yi didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she’d done.

While Chen Liu was coughing hard, Lai Yi extended her foot and stomped firmly on Chen Liu’s head. She looked up with a brilliant smile at Shen Ke: “Baby, come on. You don’t like this person, right? Let’s punish her today, okay?”

Lai Yi’s strength was immense; Chen Liu, pinned under her foot, couldn’t flip over at all. Her eyes burned with resentment, glaring straight in Shen Ke’s direction.

It’s all Shen Ke’s fault! If it weren’t for Shen Ke, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.

Shen Ke gripped the small knife tightly, took two steps forward, and stopped right in front of Chen Liu with her little leather shoes.

Shen Ke’s face paled, her voice trembling: “L-Lai Yi, I—I—”

Lai Yi grabbed Shen Ke’s wrist. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Shen Ke looked into Lai Yi’s smiling eyes, unsure if Lai Yi was testing her loyalty as a lackey.

But she didn’t want this.

Tears welled up in Shen Ke’s eyes. “Lai Yi, I don’t like this.”

Lai Yi let out an “ah,” feigning surprise. “Baby, don’t you love bullying people the most?”

Shen Ke pressed her lips together, flung the folding knife at Lai Yi, and turned to run.

Lai Yi’s face darkened instantly as she chased after her right away.

Shen Ke didn’t get far before Lai Yi caught her.

Pressed against a tree trunk by Lai Yi, Shen Ke silently shed tears.

Lai Yi furrowed her brows in grievance. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Shen Ke bit her lip, her lip flesh squeezing into an alluring curve. “Lai Yi, I want to go back.”

Lai Yi cupped Shen Ke’s face with both hands, speaking softly: “Baby, are you going to find Qing Qing?”

“Don’t go to her, okay? Otherwise, I’ll get mad.”

Shen Ke said nothing, just cried with wide eyes.

Her eye corners tinted pink, nose tip red, beautiful pupils filled with fear.

Lai Yi saw it clearly. She hooked her lips, leaned close to Shen Ke, and licked the tears on her cheek: “Baby, you’re scared of me again.”

“I don’t like you looking at me with eyes full of fear.”

You should praise me today—I caught the person you hate and brought them here for you.

Shen Ke clenched his fist tightly, his body trembling violently.

Lai Yi could feel it—her heart was gradually cooling down. The feeling of being feared by the person she liked was far from pleasant, but what had she done wrong?

Lei Yi pressed his finger against Shen Ke’s lips, gently prying them open before sliding it inside. He lowered his gaze to watch those red lips invaded by his own finger.

Leyi burst into laughter. “Baby, I’ll really get upset.”

Saying that, Leyi lowered his head and bit down on the side of Shen Ke’s neck.

Shen Ke suddenly widened his eyes, pushed Lei away, and ran off without looking back.

Only Lei Yi remained in place. This time, Lei Yi didn’t chase after, but instead pressed the finger that had invaded Shen Ke’s mouth against his own lips.

Baby, aren’t we a couple? Why do you seem so resistant to me?

Lei Yi walked back and saw Chen Liu pinned to the ground by someone. He bent down, grabbed Chen Liu’s hair, and lifted his head up.

Lai Yi’s gaze was somewhat scattered, as if lost in thought.

The speaking voice was light and ethereal:

I’ve actually been feeling pretty down lately.

“Because that annoying sickly wretch came back, you say—why doesn’t she just die at home?”

After saying that, Lai Yi fiercely smashed Chen Liu’s head against the ground.

Chen Liu trembled in fear. She had no idea what Lai Yi was saying, but she found him utterly terrifying. Her body and mind were both devastated, and Chen Liu couldn’t help convulsing.

Shaking like chaff in a sieve, he looked utterly wretched.

Lai sighed: “What a bore, Keke actually doesn’t like it.”

Is it because I’m too ugly, so Keke Baby dislikes me?

Suddenly, Lei seemed to think of something amusing and burst out laughing again.

“I’ll pierce your ear for you; it might look better that way.”

“Next time, I’ll bring you before Keke again.”

Excruciating pain radiated from her earlobe. At this moment, Chen Liu hated Shen Ke to the extreme—if not for Shen Ke, how would she have suffered all this? She wanted Shen Ke dead!!

Shen Ke bit her lower lip, tears falling uncontrollably as her running steps gradually came to a stop.

Shen Ke spotted Qi Yuan again and, without a second thought, threw himself into her arms, sobbing loudly.

Qi Yuan pursed her lips, subconsciously wanting to stroke the top of Shen Ke’s head, but in the end, she pressed down on Shen Ke’s shoulders and pushed the person away.

Expressionless, silently watching Shen Ke.

Qi Yuan is very tall, and Shen Ke has to look up to see her.

In the past, when Qi Yuan spoke to her, she would always bend slightly at the waist, looking at her with gentle eyes.

Instead of being so cold like this now.

Shen Ke tugged at Qi Yuan’s hem, speaking in a small, teary voice: “Qi Yuan, I was just scared.”

Rei is so scary.

If Qi Yuan hugs her and comforts her, she won’t hold Qi Yuan’s cold violence against her.

Qi Yuan saw the bite mark on Shen Ke’s neck. Her eyes stung and swelled, her heart aching with intense bitterness. She turned her head away and said hoarsely, “Shen Ke, I have to go to the library.”

Shen Ke froze, staring at Qi Yuan in a daze. “Qi Yuan, I said I was scared.”

Qi Yuan took two steps back, putting distance between them, her long lashes drooping as her voice sank low. “Yeah, I know, but I have to go to the library.”

With that, Qi Yuan brushed past Shen Ke to leave, but Shen Ke grabbed her arm.

Just like the first time they’d met, Shen Ke held her back, refusing to let her go.

Shen Ke turned her head, gazing at Qi Yuan’s back, her voice softening for the first time. “Qi Yuan, why won’t you comfort me?”

Qi Yuan’s heart jolted violently, her eyes instantly reddening. “Shen Ke, what exactly do you want from me?”

“I don’t want to be your pet. I want to be your—” She cut herself off abruptly. What would saying it change? Shen Ke would probably just find it laughable anyway.

Qi Yuan forced a smile, self-mocking, and pried Shen Ke’s hand off her arm with force. “Someone like me doesn’t deserve to be with you.”

Shen Ke’s eyes widened in shock, her voice turning fierce. “Qi Yuan! You’re throwing me away!” Tears streamed down Shen Ke’s face, her nose stuffy, her words thick with grievance.

Qi Yuan’s body trembled faintly. Those words hurt her just as much.

[Ding! Protagonist mental breakdown value: 20%]

Shen Ke’s heart skipped a beat. Chi Wan wasn’t here today—why was the breakdown value rising?

“Shen Ke!”

A hoarse voice called out.

Shen Ke didn’t turn around, stubbornly fixated on Qi Yuan’s retreating figure.

“Qi Yuan, you’re throwing me away.”

Si Qing arrived and took Shen Ke’s hand. “Shen Ke, just tell me where you’re going, okay?”

“I’m scared you’ll disappear all of a sudden.”

Shen Ke wiped her tears, mumbling sullenly, “Si Qing, would you ever throw me away?”

Si Qing’s expression turned serious. “Shen Ke, if I could, I’d take you with me even in death.”

Qi Yuan’s heart ached sharply. The realization that Shen Ke would be taken away swelled uncontrollably in her mind, shattering her reason in an instant. She whipped around to face Shen Ke. “Shen Ke, I like you.”

Qi Yuan’s sudden confession stunned Shen Ke.

Si Qing’s face darkened completely. She lifted her eyelids, shooting Qi Yuan a cold, arrogant glare. “What gives you the right to say you like her?”

“Honestly, someone like you should consider it an honor to be Shen Ke’s dog.”

“And you dare to dream of more?”

Si Qing spoke too hastily, coughing violently afterward.

Qi Yuan’s nails dug deep into her palms as she sneered coldly. “And you think someone like you has the right? You don’t even deserve to touch her.”

“You’re jealous, aren’t you? I’ve touched every part of Shen Ke’s body.”

“That day, you must’ve hated me to death—hated me for pinning her down and licking her like a dog nonstop. But I bet you hate yourself even more, for not being able to take my place.”

Author’s note:

Qi Yuan, stop talking—the young miss is gonna die of anger.