Lu Xuan had already disappeared down the stairwell for quite some time before Zhang Yining finally seemed to recover a little of her strength. Supporting herself against the cold wall, she slowly forced herself upright.
She lowered her head and looked at her beloved pink-and-white pleated skirt. The hem was crumpled and wrinkled, but even more glaring was the small patch of crimson that had already begun to darken.
Humiliation, pain, fear, and an overwhelming sense of despair surged through her like a flood bursting through a dam, instantly destroying the fragile defenses she had desperately struggled to maintain. Unable to hold herself together any longer, she crouched down, buried her face against her knees, and began to sob. Her muffled cries echoed through the storage room.
‘Why did this happen?’
She was supposed to be one of heaven’s favored daughters, the Class Belle who drew everyone’s attention, a freshman at Yanjing University who was about to begin a brilliant new life…
How had everything changed so suddenly? How had a boy she had never even noticed before managed to obtain Dark Intel powerful enough to destroy everything she had?
And… how could she have suffered such treatment at his hands?
That boy named Lu Xuan… his gaze, his words, and his domineering manner all lingered in her mind like an inescapable nightmare. Most terrifying of all was his final warning, filled with murderous intent. Just remembering it made her feel as though she had been plunged into an icy abyss.
She had no doubt that if she dared to resist again, or even entertained the thought of threatening him, that devil would send her straight to hell without the slightest hesitation.
Zhang Yining cried for a long time, until even her throat had grown hoarse. Only then did she slowly raise her head.
She knew this was not the time to cry. She had to get out of this horrible place immediately.
She wiped her face carelessly, picked up the camisole that had been tossed aside, and hurriedly put it back on. Then she carefully adjusted her skirt, desperately trying to conceal the glaring stain.
Walking to the door, she cautiously pulled it open just a crack and nervously peered outside like a thief.
The corridor was empty. Only faint, indistinct laughter and conversation could be heard from somewhere in the distance.
After making sure no one was nearby for the moment, she took a deep breath and suddenly darted out like a frightened deer. Keeping her head lowered, she limped toward the dormitory building as quickly as she could.
She did not dare raise her head. She was terrified of running into someone she knew, and even more afraid that someone might see how miserable and disheveled she looked right now.
However, what she feared most happened anyway.
She had barely reached the path leading from the teaching building toward the dormitories when a female classmate approached from the opposite direction.
The girl had a cheerful personality and sharp eyes. At a glance, she noticed the tear tracks that had yet to dry on Zhang Yining’s face, her unnatural gait, and… the strange way she kept one hand pressed against the back of her skirt.
The girl immediately walked over with concern and asked, “Huh? Yining? What’s wrong? Why are your eyes so red? You don’t look very well either.”
Zhang Yining’s heart lurched. She was so frightened that she nearly lost her composure completely. She instinctively wanted to dodge the girl, but her feet felt as heavy as lead and refused to move. Get faster updates on NovelPing.
She hurriedly shook her head and stammered, “N-Nothing. My stomach just feels a little uncomfortable…”
The girl glanced toward the place Zhang Yining was covering. Understanding immediately dawned on her face, accompanied by a trace of sympathy. “Oh! Did your… period start? It looks like the back of your skirt…”
Zhang Yining’s face instantly flushed bright red before turning deathly pale.
At that moment, she wished the ground would simply open and swallow her whole.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.” The girl was genuinely warmhearted. She immediately took off the lightweight sports jacket she was wearing and handed it over. “Here, tie this around your waist for now and cover it up. Hurry back to the dorm and change. Judging by how you look, your flow must be pretty heavy if it already stained your skirt. Sigh, being a girl really is troublesome.”
Zhang Yining’s mind had gone completely blank. She no longer had the presence of mind to explain anything or even feel embarrassed. She hastily accepted the jacket, managed a disjointed “Thank you,” and immediately tied it around her waist, covering the stain that filled her with shame.
Then she fled toward the dormitory without looking back. Her retreating figure was so frantic that it seemed as though some terrifying beast were chasing her.
Watching Zhang Yining flee in panic, the girl shook her head and muttered, “That girl… wearing a light-colored skirt when her period was about to come. She’s really careless…”
Meanwhile, Lu Xuan leisurely made his way back to the dormitory.
In stark contrast to Zhang Yining’s fear and anxiety, he was in an excellent mood. He could even be described as delighted.
The first target of his revenge was already tentatively under his control. His body had been strengthened, and he had even gained an extra 10,000 yuan in spending money.
Although the money itself did not mean much to him, the satisfaction of taking everything he could from her filled him with a mocking sense of pleasure toward that untouchable goddess from his previous life.
When he pushed open the dormitory door, a familiar mixture of sweat, instant noodles, and some cheap air freshener immediately assaulted his nose.
The dormitory was exactly as he remembered it. There were four beds and four desks, several pairs of sneakers scattered across the floor, and a few pieces of clothing that had yet to dry hanging on the balcony.
In his previous life, this dormitory had once represented a new beginning filled with hope.
However, after the fabricated accusations against him were exposed to the public, this place had become part of his humiliating memories.
Aside from his parents far away, no one had believed him. Even worse, no one had offered him any help.
These three roommates who had lived alongside him every day had not spoken a single word of comfort. Instead, desperate to distance themselves from him, they had eagerly kicked him while he was down. They had even jointly reported him to the university and demanded that he move out of the dormitory.
His gaze slowly swept across the room.
Near the window, a figure wearing headphones was completely absorbed in the computer screen. His fingers flew across the keyboard with rapid clicks. It was Chen Min, the Campus Heartthrob of the Chinese Department.
The other two beds were empty. Zhao Qin and Liu Ming probably had not returned yet.
Chen Min was handsome enough on the outside and had become quite popular within the department thanks to his face. His younger sister, Chen Xue, who studied in the Finance Department, was even known as the Department Belle. The brother and sister were both fairly prominent figures around the university.
In Lu Xuan’s previous life, Chen Min had been the one who badmouthed him the most behind his back and had also been the most enthusiastic about inciting everyone else to isolate him.
Zhao Qin was a rich second-generation heir whose family was involved in real estate development. He was arrogant, loved throwing money around, and looked down on poor students like Lu Xuan. Back then, he had also been among the first to support Chen Min’s demand that Lu Xuan move out.
As for Liu Ming, he was a regular at the gym and had built himself a body covered in bulging muscles. He changed girlfriends more frequently than clothes, and rumors claimed his private life was extremely chaotic. He also frequently relied on his physique to bully others.
Although Liu Ming had not said much in Lu Xuan’s previous life, Lu Xuan still remembered the contempt and alienation in his eyes with perfect clarity.
‘Good. They’re all here.’
A cold curve appeared at the corner of Lu Xuan’s lips.
Since he had been reborn, he would repay every grudge and settle every debt. Naturally, none of these three “good roommates” would escape.
‘Then I’ll start with the one closest to me.’
Lu Xuan walked over to his seat and put down his backpack. Then, seemingly casually, he pulled out his phone. Without drawing any attention, the camera swept across Chen Min’s back as the latter remained completely absorbed in his game.
“Click.”
A virtual shutter sound that only Lu Xuan could hear rang out.
[Photo successfully taken!]
[Analyzing target information…]
[Generating Dark Intel…]