Feng Jian and Shi Xu ignored Shen Ke’s words.
The two kept fighting without pause, trading punches that landed solidly on flesh, each trying to beat the other to death.
Shen Ke watched from the side, her heart pounding in fear. Blood seeped from the corner of Feng Jian’s mouth and Shi Xu’s forehead.
They fought too viciously.
Neither side gave any ground.
Shen Ke gritted her teeth. She knew she should leave this place, but her feet refused to move.
Watching Feng Jian struggle more and more, Shen Ke realized she felt no joy inside. She should have been happy—Feng Jian was the person she hated, the one who had stolen her happy life.
There were no fancy moves in the fight between Feng Jian and Shi Xu, but Shi Xu’s build clearly looked sturdier, while Feng Jian was slimmer.
When Shi Xu’s fist slammed into Feng Jian’s body, Shen Ke jolted inexplicably. She couldn’t help shouting again, “You guys aren’t allowed to fight anymore!” This time, her voice carried anger.
Feng Jian heard her and stopped first, but Shi Xu’s fist was already swinging. It struck Feng Jian’s shoulder.
Feng Jian staggered back a few steps. Her eyes still burned with ferocity, but she obediently refrained from striking back. She simply clutched the spot that had been hit and turned to look at Shen Ke.
Feng Jian’s glasses had fallen off, and her hair was disheveled, revealing the red and purple bruises on her face.
Shi Xu clenched her fist and sneered, “Pretty obedient, like a dog.”
“That’s about your only good quality.”
She wanted to hurl more mockery at Feng Jian, but the next second, she saw Shen Ke approaching.
Shi Xu frowned. Before she could ask anything, a slap landed across her face.
To Shi Xu, Shen Ke’s slap didn’t hurt. As it came flying, she first caught the scent of Shen Ke’s fragrance, then the slap itself. But with her thick skin and tough flesh, the soft palm only left a numb sensation on her cheek.
But why had she slapped her? Because of that little third? At the thought, Shi Xu’s frown deepened.
Shi Xu’s features were sharp and deep-set. Her wheat-colored skin gave her a sunny vibe, but when she frowned, she looked fierce.
Shen Ke pulled back her hand and pretended to stay calm. She tilted her head up, her small face flushed red, and struck first. “I told you not to fight anymore!”
“Why don’t you listen? I hate people who don’t obey!” Her tone was fierce and snarly.
Shi Xu listened, and her frown eased into relaxation. “Sorry, I’ll definitely listen next time.” Good thing it wasn’t because of that little third—otherwise, she would have lost it.
Shen Ke let out a quiet sigh of relief inside. Truth be told, she was pretty scared Shi Xu might hit her back. Shen Ke glanced at Shi Xu, then at Feng Jian nearby.
Compared to the others, the wounds on Feng Jian’s face stood out especially, with blood still at the corner of her mouth. She looked so pitiful.
As for Shi Xu, maybe because of her dark skin, she didn’t seem hurt at all—aside from a bit of blood on her forehead—so Shen Ke felt justified in her slap.
None of the three noticed the shadow drawing closer at the bathroom door.
Until a furious shout rang out: “What are you students doing!”
Shi Xu looked over first, her voice pitching up sharply. “Dean?!”
*
“Sorry, teacher, I’m late. I’m Shen Ke’s older sister.”
Shen Ke’s scalp prickled at the voice. Of all people, it was Shen Yi who had come. She had hoped for some random helper.
And why had Shen Yi ignored Feng Jian and only mentioned her?
The dean’s expression softened at the sight of Shen Yi.
She had asked at the start—one of the kids was an orphan with both parents deceased—so she could only call the parents of the other two students. In the end, only one parent showed up.
The dean had figured this might be tricky to handle, but seeing Shen Yi put her at ease.
Mainly because Shen Yi looked so rational and reliable. She didn’t seem like the type of parent to throw a tantrum.
The dean cleared her throat. “Here’s what happened: I found these three students fighting in the bathroom…” She gave a concise explanation.
Shen Yi’s expression didn’t change. She said, “We’ll compensate for any damage to school property.”
“I’d like to know what started the fight.” Shen Yi’s face remained impassive.
The dean straightened up at the look, shaking her head with a serious expression. “I asked all three students, but none of them would say. So I had to call the parents.”
“The other child’s parent couldn’t come due to something urgent, so for now, this matter can’t be resolved easily.” The other parent’s exact words had been something like “unless they’re dead or crippled, don’t bother me,” but she couldn’t say that.
Shen Yi nodded. She turned to face Shen Ke and Feng Jian, who stood there stunned. She walked up to Shen Ke, her face as calm as still water, her voice equally cold and detached, matching her entire demeanor. “Little Ke, can you explain?”
Shen Ke feared this side of Shen Yi, but with so many people watching, she couldn’t show weakness.
Shen Ke tilted her head to the right, meeting Feng Jian’s gaze just then. In that instant, an idea flashed through Shen Ke’s mind.
Shen Yi called out, “Little Ke.” Her eyes stayed fixed on Shen Ke, icy cold—what Shen Ke saw as full of scrutiny.
Shen Ke lowered her eyes and said softly, “Feng Jian bullied me. Shi Xu was just helping me out, so that’s why she fought with Feng Jian.” So what if it was slander? She wanted everyone in the Shen Family to hate Feng Jian.
The words elicited completely different reactions from two people.
Feng Jian silently bowed her head, staring at her brand-new sneakers. No one could tell what she was thinking.
Shi Xu, meanwhile, raised a brow and quickly chimed in. “Yeah, I just couldn’t stand seeing someone get bullied.” So Shen Ke was on her side after all.
Shen Yi turned to Feng Jian. “Is that what happened?”
Feng Jian stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. “Sorry.”
“I didn’t.”
“Mean to.”
Feng Jian spoke slowly, pausing after every few words, but each one came out crystal clear.
Unexpectedly, the matter wrapped up quickly.
Though the blame had been pinned on Feng Jian, all three of them received punishment.
With injuries still on Feng Jian and Shi Xu, they couldn’t attend class that day.
At the school gate, Shen Yi invited Shi Xu to get in the car and head to the hospital. Shi Xu waved her off casually. “Thanks, Big Sis, but I have to go somewhere else.” Though she really wanted to spend more time with Shen Ke, her current look was definitely a mess. She couldn’t parade around Shen Ke like this.
Shi Xu left without seeing Feng Jian and Shen Ke get into the same car.
Feng Jian sat silently in the passenger seat.
Shen Ke and Shen Yi sat in the back.
Shen Ke faced the window, gazing at the passing scenery. She sat that way simply because she didn’t want to talk to Shen Yi. Being in the same space as her made Shen Ke fidget, just to avoid seeming too idle.
Shen Ke twisted her neck, unaware that her entire nape was fully exposed under Shen Yi’s eyes.
The red, swollen bite mark stood out starkly on her fair skin.
Shen Yi’s expression changed unusually—it wasn’t a pleasant one. Her hand reached out.
Shen Ke was admiring the view, gleefully thinking about how she had slandered Feng Jian right in front of Shen Yi.
She was pretty bad, and she wouldn’t feel guilty about it.
Suddenly, a chill hit her nape. Shen Ke’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t dare turn her head and could only ask stiffly, “Big Sis, what’s wrong?” In this sweltering summer, the only thing that cold had to be Shen Yi’s fingers.
Shen Yi pressed the bite mark. “Little Ke, I don’t care about the process.” She didn’t care how the fight started; she just wanted it resolved quickly.
It was such a minor issue—why had she come personally? She still hadn’t figured that out.
Shen Yi’s voice was low and magnetic, tingling in the ears.
Shen Ke swallowed lightly. She could feel Shen Yi’s hand starting to rub her nape, which reminded her of something.
That bitch Shi Xu had bitten her there, and it must have left a mark.
The spot Shen Yi was pressing was probably right where she’d been bitten.
Shen Ke tensed up, not responding to Shen Yi.
Shen Yi’s pupils were pitch black, bottomless. Her fingers moved slightly, grasping Shen Ke’s entire nape. “I don’t care about the process, but I do care about the result.”
“The result is that you were left with a marking.”
“This marking is filthy.” Only beasts left markings to flaunt their possession.
The words were ambiguous.
Shen Ke didn’t understand, but her whole body went rigid. If not for being in the car, she might have burst into tears.
“Filthy” didn’t sound like anything good.
And Shen Yi’s hand was gripping her neck—a posture anyone would resist. No one liked having their neck choked.
Everything in the back seat was crystal clear to Feng Jian via the rearview mirror.
Though she could only see Shen Ke—see Shen Ke’s nape suddenly covered by a hand, see Shen Ke’s eyes widen, the corners reddening, her red lips parting in a frightened, pitiful, and adorable look—Feng Jian gripped her seatbelt tightly. She had never seen Shen Ke like this, but it was beautiful, holding her gaze captive.
Could a sister do something like that to her little sister?
Feng Jian didn’t know, but in that moment, different thoughts stirred in her heart.
Blind obedience would never make Shen Ke see her.
Shen Ke couldn’t see her own appearance. She bit her red lip, her anxious expression especially pitiful.
She called softly, “Big Sis, I feel a bit unwell.” She hoped Shen Yi would let go.
Shen Yi hummed but kept her hand in place. She stared at it—Shen Ke’s neck was so slender, and her own fingers so long that they nearly encircled it completely.
Beneath her palm pulsed Shen Ke’s racing heartbeat, giving her a sense of total control over Shen Ke. It felt strange, yet somewhat pleasurable.
Shen Ke seemed delicate and small everywhere—her feet, her neck, her hands.
They were the same gender; they shouldn’t differ so much.
A shadow flickered in Shen Yi’s eyes as she slowly tightened her fingers.
The heat from Shen Yi’s palm kept stimulating Shen Ke. She ground her teeth against her lower lip, inwardly cursing Shen Yi as a lunatic. When she felt the hand on her neck tightening gradually…
Shen Ke finally couldn’t take it. She yelled, “Stop the car!”
The driver ignored her until Shen Yi said, “Stop the car.” Only then did the vehicle pull over slowly to the roadside.
Shen Yi released her hand this time. She asked, “Little Ke, what’s wrong?”
Shen Ke nearly let out a cold laugh. How dare she ask what was wrong? She had fondled and choked her neck like some maniac.
But on the surface, Shen Ke just said, “I don’t want to be in the same car as someone who bullies me. I’d rather take the subway home!” Of course, it was just angry talk. As the Eldest Miss, how could she squeeze onto the subway?
Shen Yi surely wouldn’t allow it.
Unexpectedly, Shen Yi didn’t stop her. She reached out to smooth Shen Ke’s hair. “Mm, go ahead.”
Shen Ke really lost it then. She glared fiercely at Shen Yi, flung open the car door, got out quickly, and slammed it shut with a bang—all in one smooth motion.
A faint smile tugged at Shen Yi’s lips. It was subtle, the second one caused by Shen Ke.
Now alone in the back seat, Shen Yi crossed her legs and stared ahead. The car drove quietly for a bit.
Suddenly, Shen Yi’s voice rose, flat and emotionless. “Was it a good show?” She didn’t specify to whom.
Feng Jian pressed her thin lips together, saying nothing. A good show? How could it not be? She couldn’t look away.
She glanced at the rearview mirror, seeing her own wretched state—disheveled hair, swollen cheeks, and mottled bloodstains.
Inferiority flooded her heart. Someone as pathetic as her had no right to fantasize. She just needed to stay by Shen Ke’s side, in any capacity.
But she was growing greedier.
Today in the bathroom, she had overheard Shen Ke talking to that person. Their voices weren’t loud, and with the bathroom’s good soundproofing, she hadn’t caught the details.
She should have left then, but her feet wouldn’t move. She listened for a long time until she heard Shen Ke’s muffled grunt.
She had knocked on the door impatiently.
Seeing the scene inside shattered her reason completely.
Tiny Shen Ke, mouth covered, trapped on that person’s lap.
Those slender legs spread apart, skirt hiked up, revealing her pinkish knees.
She wondered why anyone would do that to Shen Ke—and why it wasn’t her. Why couldn’t she be the one trapping Shen Ke on her lap?
Her heart had changed.