My mother sent me to school, told me to study hard, and then drove to the company herself.
I enrolled in 2009 and was assigned to Class 0923. Now I am in the first year of high school. There are one hundred classes in each grade in the school. The school is very large and has all the facilities, including laboratories, indoor sports fields, football fields, and some astronomy rooms.
I am a well-known figure in school. Firstly, I am the son of the chairman of Xia Shi Company, one of the top three companies in Shanghai. Secondly, I have some excellent qualities.
I have good grades, my performance in the school sports meet is also very impressive, and I am also the president of the student union.
Normally, only those who have reached the second year of high school can run for student union president. However, because of my performance at work and my popularity among the girls in the school, everyone voted for me enthusiastically. Under pressure, the school made an exception and hired me.
I never dared to brag about these things to my mother, even though to others, each of them alone would be an extremely dazzling halo.
I knew that if I took these things to her to claim credit, she would definitely coldly dismiss me, saying, "Are you satisfied with this? You still have a long way to go in life. What are these achievements of yours?"
So I kept working hard, never slacking off.
On the way to the classroom, I noticed something was amiss. Many of my classmates were chatting as usual, and I overheard some of the conversations, which, when connected, left me puzzled.
Their accusations seemed to be directed at a particular girl, a girl I happened to know. It was Chen Xixuan from Class 0922, the girl who had confessed her feelings to me and whom my mother had suspected was the cause of my declining grades.
"Damn it, that stinky bitch Chen Xilan, why did she seduce my idol? She even confessed her love to Xia Ming in public. What right did she have? Because her pussy smells the worst? Haha!"
"Hey, don't tell me, she's the core player of the tennis team. It's all thanks to her that our No. 1 Middle School won the city championship this time. But no matter how well she plays, it doesn't affect my dislike for her. Hehe, who made her seduce my idol?"
Some boys also said, "You girls are too petty. Chen Xixuan is definitely a beautiful woman, how come she's not even as good as a prostitute here? If I could catch up with her, with her breasts, legs, and face, I would fuck her for three days straight, otherwise I'd be letting my brother down."
"Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense! Chen Xixuan likes Xia Ming, what does it have to do with you? With your physique and grades, why would you chase Chen Xixuan?"
There were different opinions.
I couldn't help but frown as I listened to their discussions. How could Chen Xixuan's reputation plummet so much overnight? What happened? In the past, Chen Xixuan has always been a high-ranking school student
The top three girls on the beauty list were well-liked by everyone.
But none of that mattered to me. No matter how good or bad her reputation was, it had nothing to do with me.
I headed straight back to the classroom, only to find that the class had also been affected by this unhealthy trend. Many people were badmouthing Chen Xixuan, mostly girls. Many of them, upon seeing me, came right up to my seat and said, "Xia Ming, that Chen Xixuan is a whore. Can you please stop liking her?"
"Xia Ming, how can Chen Xixuan be as pretty as me? If you accept her, then you have to accept me too!"
"Xia Ming, do you hate that bitch Chen Xixuan too? No problem. Xiaolan, Xiaoyan, and I will beat her up after class. Don't worry, we'll do it in the bathroom. The teacher won't see us and cause you any trouble."
My head pounded. It seemed like they were insulted because Chen Xixuan had confessed her feelings to me and thought I'd accept her, which made them jealous.
But it couldn't be that simple.
I didn't think it was that simple.
After class, I went to the bathroom. Passing by the women's restroom, I spotted an old acquaintance.
Gao Tianjian, son of Gao Tianxiang, the president of Mingshuo Company.
Gao Tianjian was quite handsome and the Rookie Champion of the school's Taekwondo Club. As a freshman, he defeated the club's president, a senior. Since freshmen couldn't run for president, he earned the title. He must have been the Taekwondo Club president in junior high before he even started.
He was stunned when he saw me approach, then exchanged a glance. The two men immediately surrounded the restroom. I instinctively looked inside and vaguely spotted a girl in a school uniform skirt being held captive by two boys.
This was par for the course. Gao Tianjian was a domineering figure, relying on his father's position as the president of Mingshuo Company and his own title as the Rookie Champion of the Taekwondo Club to bully others around the school. The teachers were hesitant to discipline him. He'd often beated someone and sent them to the hospital, or raped a girl from a class, with the photos posted on the school website.
I had a bad impression of him, too, not only because of his poor character but also because of the rivalry between me and the elder behind him. Xia Shi and Ming Shuo were sworn enemies, and as sons of important figures in both companies, it was natural that we wouldn't treat each other well.
I didn't intervene in his bullying. To be honest, I was a little intimidated, because if we really came to blows, I wouldn't be able to defeat him.
I went into the men's restroom next door and heard Gao Tianjian beating and scolding the girl next door, often accompanied by slaps. "Damn it, you like him or me? Is he that good? Am I really inferior to him?"
"Fuck you!"
"Pa!"
"Fuck you!"
"Pa!"
"Fuck you!" "Pa!"
"Fuck you!" "Pa!"
"Fuck you..."
Hearing these loud sounds, I knew without even looking that the girl must have been badly beaten. I felt a surge of sympathy, but I really couldn't help her, nor did I want to.
After using the restroom, I passed by the women's restroom again. Gao Tianjian and the others had already left. Because they were dominating the restroom, there were not many people in the women's restroom. The girls all went to other floors to use the restroom.
Just as I was about to leave the women's restroom door, a hand suddenly grabbed my foot. I suddenly jumped and looked back.
Chen Xixuan, with messy clothes, bruised nose and face, and countless bruises on her body, said to me with tears in her eyes, "Xia Ming, can you save me, please?"
...