Lu Xuan's figure had disappeared down the stairwell for a while before Zhang Yining seemed to regain some strength.
She leaned against the cold wall, slowly straightening her body.
She looked down, her gaze falling on her beloved pink and white pleated skirt, its hem wrinkled, and even more jarring was the small patch of crimson that was already darkening.
Humiliation, pain, fear, and a sense of utter despair, like a breached dam, instantly washed away the barriers she had desperately maintained.
She could no longer hold back, squatting down and burying her face in her knees, suppressed sobs echoing in the utility room.
Why did this happen?
She was clearly a favored child, the highly anticipated class beauty, a Yan University freshman about to embark on a brilliant life…
How could she suddenly be caught by a boy she had never noticed before, who held a handle that could destroy everything?
And… and subjected to such treatment?
That boy named Lu Xuan, his eyes, his words, his domineering presence, all haunted her like a nightmare.
Especially that last warning, filled with murderous intent, plunged her into an icy abyss.
She had no doubt that if she dared to entertain any thought of resistance or threat, that devil would undoubtedly drag her into hell without hesitation.
After crying for a long time, until her throat was hoarse, Zhang Yining slowly raised her head.
She knew this was not the time to cry; she had to leave this dreadful place immediately.
She haphazardly wiped her face, picked up the discarded camisole and slipped it on, then carefully adjusted her skirt, trying to conceal the glaring stain.
She walked to the door, like a thief, pulling it open a crack and nervously peering out.
The corridor was empty, with only faint, indistinct sounds of laughter coming from a distance.
Confirming that no one was around for the moment, she took a deep breath and, like a startled fawn, darted out, head down, limping as fast as she could towards the dormitory building.
She dared not look up, fearing she would meet an acquaintance, and even more afraid that others would see her current disheveled state.
However, what she feared most came to pass.
Just as she reached the small path from the teaching building to the dormitory, a female classmate approached.
The girl was cheerful and had sharp eyes; she immediately noticed the unshed tear stains on Zhang Yining's face, her unnatural walking posture, and… her strange action of covering the back of her skirt.
"Oh? Yining? What's wrong? Why are your eyes red? You don't look so good either."
The girl walked closer with concern.
Zhang Yining's heart dropped, nearly scared out of her wits, instinctively wanting to hide, but her feet felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move.
She shook her head frantically: "No… nothing, just a bit of a stomach ache…"
The girl followed her gaze to the place she was covering, then showed a look of understanding, even a little sympathy: "Oh dear, are you… is it that time of the month? It looks like the back of your skirt…"
Zhang Yining's face instantly flushed crimson, then turned a deathly pale.
She wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
"Don't be scared, don't be scared," the girl was very enthusiastic, quickly taking off her own thin sports jacket, "Here, you can tie this around your waist to cover it up, and hurry back to the dorm to change. Looking at you, it seems like it's a heavy flow and it got on your skirt, huh? Sigh, girls are just so troublesome."
Zhang Yining's mind was blank at this moment; she couldn't bother with explanations or embarrassment, haphazardly took the jacket, stammered a "thank you," and immediately tied the jacket around her waist, covering the shameful stain.
Then, she ran towards the dormitory without looking back, her figure fleeing as if from some primordial beast.
Watching Zhang Yining's hurried retreat, the girl shook her head and muttered, "This girl, wearing a light-colored skirt when it's that time of the month, she's really bold…"
On the other side, Lu Xuan strolled back to his dormitory.
In stark contrast to Zhang Yining's anxiety, he was in a very good mood, even joyful.
The first target of his revenge was initially under his control, his body had been strengthened, and he had even received an extra ten thousand yuan in pocket money.
Although this money meant little to him, the feeling of both taking and getting filled him with a mocking pleasure towards the goddess who had been so high and mighty in his previous life.
Pushing open the dormitory door, a familiar scent, a mix of sweat, instant noodles, and some cheap air freshener, assailed him.
The dormitory was still the same: four beds, four desks, a few pairs of sneakers scattered on the floor, and a few still-damp clothes hanging on the balcony.
In his previous life, this dormitory had also been his eagerly anticipated new beginning.
But when the "fake news" was exposed, it became part of his humiliating memories.
Aside from his distant parents, no one believed him, and no one helped him.
These three roommates, with whom he lived day and night, not only offered no comfort but, in their haste to distance themselves, eagerly kicked him while he was down, even jointly reporting to the school to demand his removal from the dormitory. Those hypocritical and cold faces were still vivid in his memory.
His gaze swept across the dormitory.
By the window, a figure wearing headphones was intently staring at a computer screen, fingers clattering on the keyboard; it was Chen Min, the heartthrob of the Chinese Department.
The other two beds were empty; Zhao Qin and Liu Ming should not be back yet.
Chen Min, a handsome man, was quite popular in the department due to his looks. His sister, Chen Xue, who was in the Finance Department, was even known as the department beauty. The siblings had quite a reputation at the university.
In his previous life, it was Chen Min who spoke the most ill of him behind his back and was most active in instigating others to isolate him.
Zhao Qin, a rich second-generation heir from a real estate development family, was flamboyant, liked to throw money around, looked down on poor students like him, and was among the first to agree with Chen Min's demand for him to move out.
Liu Ming, a regular at the gym, had a muscular physique, changed girlfriends more often than clothes, and was rumored to have a very chaotic private life, often bullying others with his physical strength.
In his previous life, although Liu Ming didn't say much, Lu Xuan remembered his disdainful and distant gaze clearly.
Very good, everyone is here.
Lu Xuan's lips curved into a cold arc.
Since he had been reborn, he would repay all grudges. These three "good roommates" would naturally not be spared, not a single one of them.
So, he would start with the one closest to him.
Lu Xuan walked to his seat, put down his backpack, then seemingly casually pulled out his phone, the camera subtly gliding over Chen Min's back as he focused on his game.
"Click."
A virtual shutter sound, audible only to him, rang out.
"Photo taken!"
"Analyzing target information…"
"Generating dirt…"