Liu Yutong had just stepped out of the school gate when Zhao Zhu and her gang caught up with her.
She noticed them, of course, but pretended not to, first stopping by a hair salon for a quick trim before heading to the youth plaza’s department store to pick out a new outfit.
By the time she emerged from the mall, Yun Cheng and the others, who had been tailing her in their car, almost didn’t recognize the figure carrying a woven bamboo bag.
If Liu Yutong hadn’t turned around and flashed them a smile, signaling them to follow, they might have genuinely thought they’d lost her.
Liu Yutong had completely transformed her appearance, shedding her faded school uniform.
Now, she wore a misty blue square-neck dress that hugged her slender waist, revealing delicate collarbones, with the hem stopping just three inches above her knees, showcasing her fair, straight legs.
Her newly trimmed wispy bangs fell loosely, while a half-up ponytail swayed at the back of her head, secured with crescent-shaped crystal hairpins. As she moved, the faint scent of gardenia shampoo trailed behind her.
“Damn, just a little makeover, and our young miss looks this stunning!”
“Who wouldn’t be mesmerized by this?”
“Tsk tsk tsk… Clothes really do make the person—truer words were never spoken.”
“......”
“Stay close. Don’t let any of those troublemakers lay a finger on her,” Yun Cheng said coldly, though his heart was pounding, his mind replaying Liu Yutong’s captivating glance.
Zhao Zhu’s pearl milk tea slipped from her grip and hit the ground with a splat, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Was this really the same dowdy, timid bookworm?
The Liu Yutong before her now radiated confidence and grace, her presence striking and self-assured.
Zhao Zhu’s curiosity about where Liu Yutong had gotten the money for new clothes was quickly drowned out by a surge of envy.
Truth be told, Zhao Zhu had always bullied Liu Yutong not just because she was an easy target, but also because Liu Yutong had been the class beauty.
Some even said that with a little effort, she could easily be the school’s top beauty.
Love letters had poured in for Liu Yutong—most notably during their sophomore year, when someone dug out over a hundred unopened letters from her desk.
Shy and unsure how to handle them, Liu Yutong had left them untouched, never even reading a single one.
She didn’t know how to reject people, and tossing them away felt rude, so she chose silence instead.
Back then, romance was the last thing on her mind. All she wanted was to get into university and escape her hometown—and her gambling-addicted father.
Eventually, the letters stopped coming.
But to Zhao Zhu, Liu Yutong’s behavior was nothing but an act.
Over time, Zhao Zhu’s bullying escalated, fueled less by Liu Yutong’s meekness and more by sheer jealousy.
“Oh, you’re good at pretending, aren’t you? Never would’ve guessed!”
Zhao Zhu’s hair was now dyed yellow—students weren’t allowed to color their hair, so rebellious kids often used temporary spray dyes, washing them off before returning to school.
A hassle, sure, but worth it for that edgy, nonconformist look.
“Zhu-jie, should we corner her now?” asked one of the wannabe delinquents behind her, her own hair streaked with temporary dye.
“Wait till my brother gets here. Then we’ll really teach her a lesson,” Zhao Zhu replied.
Truthfully, the three of them could’ve roughed Liu Yutong up right then. But lately, Liu Yutong had been reporting Zhao Zhu’s antics to teachers, making Zhao Zhu question whether her intimidation tactics were slipping.
So, she’d called in her sworn brother, Liu Hao.
To most students, off-campus troublemakers were terrifying—especially for "good girls" like Liu Yutong.
One brutal lesson, and she’d fall right back in line.
But this time, Zhao Zhu wanted more than just a beating.
You love dressing up so much?
You love pretending?
Fine. Let’s see how pretty you look with your clothes ripped off!
And a few photos for the whole school to admire your “charm.”
Zhao Zhu’s thoughts twisted with malice.
Soon, Liu Hao arrived with four or five lackeys, piling out of two motorized rickshaws.
The moment she spotted him, Zhao Zhu put on a pitiful act. “That’s her! She keeps snitching on me, getting me in trouble with the teachers!”
Liu Hao followed her finger and froze.
The girl in the blue dress was breathtaking—elegant, poised. His tongue darted out to wet his lips.
“Little sis, how do you want me to handle this?”
“Strip her naked!” Zhao Zhu hissed.
Liu Hao hesitated. “That’s risky. If she reports us, we’re screwed.”
Secretly, he was already imagining alternatives. If this girl agreed to be his girlfriend, he could play peacemaker and mend things between her and Zhao Zhu.
But if she refused… well, he wouldn’t hold back.
Zhao Zhu was a steady source of cash, after all. Ignoring her plea would make him look dishonorable—and in their world, loyalty was everything.
“Relax, she won’t report anything. She’s a coward. And once I’ve got photos, unless she wants to be infamous, she’ll keep her mouth shut.”
Convinced, Liu Hao nodded.
Still, broad daylight in the busiest part of town, with a police booth nearby? No way they’d act here.
They needed somewhere secluded.
As if on cue, Liu Yutong hailed a rickshaw and headed south.
They followed in their own rickshaws, oblivious to the overloaded minivan trailing them.
The convoy crossed the bridge, veering west toward the isolated dam.
Liu Hao’s right eyelid twitched uneasily, but he brushed it off.
What could one little girl do against all of them?
If she managed anything, he might as well quit the underworld.
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhu’s excitement grew.
Liu Yutong, Liu Yutong…
You had every chance to avoid this, yet you chose the most deserted path.
Now, let’s see how you suffer.
