It was Sunday afternoon, and I lay on my bed, my mind a chaotic mess. I stared blankly at the ceiling, but all I could hear was Wang Xinran's cold voice echoing in my ears: "Your whole family is trash!" Each word cut into my heart like a blade, leaving me angry yet powerless to retort.
"Am I really that worthless?" I muttered with a bitter smile, my gaze dimming.
Thinking back to everything that had happened at Wang Xinran's house that day, my heart began to race uncontrollably. It was a mix of shame and longing. I hated her—for her superiority, her sharp tongue—but I couldn't deny that there was something about her that drew me in. Her delicate face, her long, fair legs, even her dismissive gaze stirred a strange longing within me…
I shook my head hard, trying to banish those messy thoughts. But the buzzing of my phone suddenly broke my reverie. Unlocking the screen, I saw a WeChat message.
"Li Hao, you'd better keep quiet about what happened this afternoon. As long as you don't say anything, I won't tell my dad about your secret. Consider us even." The message was from Wang Xinran. That day, I hadn't handed her the item right away, learned her secret, and accidentally pressed something. Her expression had been anything but natural... But this threat? It was nothing more than a bid to drag me down with her.
I stared at the screen for a long time, my emotions in turmoil. Yet, there was a subtle satisfaction in knowing she was afraid. This time, it was finally her turn to bow down. But soon, that satisfaction was overshadowed by a deep unease. I knew if she told my uncle, things could spiral out of control. She could twist the truth, leaving me defenseless. It seemed I had underestimated her.
My fingers hovered over the screen for a long time before I finally replied with a single word: "Okay."
---
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains onto my bed. I had barely slept, my mind haunted by Wang Xinran's face, flushed with both anger and shame. I covered my face with a long sigh, torn by my emotions. I despised those sordid thoughts, yet I couldn't help but indulge in them.
At school, the moment I entered the classroom, I saw Wang Xinran. She was sitting in the front row, wearing her neatly pressed school uniform and quietly flipping through an English book. Even the plainest uniform looked perfectly tailored on her, accentuating her slim figure. Her focused expression made it impossible to look away.
My gaze grew heated. I knew I shouldn't stare, but I couldn't pull my eyes away. Just then, Wang Xinran seemed to sense something. She looked up, and our eyes met briefly in midair.
Her gaze instantly turned icy. She quickly looked away and pretended to keep reading, but I noticed her fingers tremble slightly, betraying her unease.
A secret thrill surged within me. Gritting my teeth as if making a decision, I walked over to her and lowered my voice. "Come outside. We need to talk."
Wang Xinran frowned, her tone indifferent. "If you have something to say, say it here."
I smirked, my tone tinged with provocation. "Then I'll just tell everyone here what you did that day!"
Her face turned pale instantly. She glared at me, her eyes filled with anger and shame. Finally, she bit her lip, stood up, and followed me out of the classroom.
We stopped in the small grove behind the school building, where only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard. Wang Xinran crossed her arms and stood by a large tree, her voice cold. "Say it. What do you want?"
I was silent for a moment, staring at her expressionless face, and a wave of inexplicable anger rose within me. In a low voice, I said, "If I tell everyone what you did yesterday, what do you think will happen?"
"You wouldn't dare!" Wang Xinran's eyes widened, her tone trembling slightly with unease.
"Try me," I said with a cold smile, taking a step closer to her. I had never been this bold before, but at that moment, I felt a long-lost sense of control—almost intoxicating.
She stared at me, her expression shifting from anger to unease. After a few seconds of silence, as if weighing her options, she finally said coldly, "What do you want me to do?"
I was momentarily stunned. I hadn't expected her to give in so quickly. I thought she would mock and humiliate me as before. Her eyes, filled with reluctant coldness, met mine as she repeated in a barely audible voice, "What do you want me to do?"
I swallowed nervously, my heart pounding. Unbidden thoughts swirled in my mind, dark and uncontrollable. I hated this feeling, the cowardice it revealed in me, yet I craved the fleeting sense of power.
"Stop… targeting me, and I want..." My gaze lingered on her chest, my voice faltering with hesitation, barely louder than a whisper.
She blinked, then let out a faint, scornful laugh. "That's it?"
"That's it." I nodded, but my tone betrayed my unease. I lowered my head, unable to meet her eyes, afraid she would see through the sordid desires hidden deep within me.
Wang Xinran glared at me with disdain and contempt. "Li Hao, you disgust me." With that, she turned to leave.
My body froze. The anger I had suppressed for so long erupted in an instant. I stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, growling, "What did you just say?"
"Let go of me!" Wang Xinran struggled fiercely, panic flickering in her eyes. "What more do you want?"
My gaze darkened. Memories flashed through my mind—her mocking me as a child, the things I saw in her room that day. I was no longer the Li Hao who silently endured everything. I wanted to fight back, to make her feel what it was like to be suppressed.
"I just want you to know that you have no right to look down on me," I said coldly, my voice carrying a hint of harshness I hadn't noticed.
Wang Xinran stared at me, momentarily shocked, before her expression turned cold again. "Li Hao, don't forget—you're just a poor loser. What can you possibly use to fight me?"
Her words struck a raw nerve. My grip tightened until she winced in pain. Realizing I'd lost control, I let go and stepped back, my voice low. "You'd better remember what I said today. Or else…"
Clutching her wrist, Wang Xinran shot me a cold glance before walking away briskly.