Monday after school, Lin Chen had just set up his cartoon sticker stall outside the school gate when a few regulars came over.
"Lin Chen, got any new designs today?" one of the girls who had bought stickers last week asked with a smile.
"Of course! Just in—Chibi Maruko-chan, super cute!" Lin Chen pulled out a fresh pack.
But before he could open it, a mocking voice cut through the air.
"Well, if it isn't the 'pirate vendor.' Still out here scamming people?" Zhao Kai strolled over with his arm slung around Zhou Tao's shoulder, waving a ragged sticker in his hand. He held it up high for everyone to see. "Check this out! The junk he sells falls apart in two days. My buddy bought one and totally regretted it!"
The students around them started murmuring. The girl who was about to pay froze, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
Lin Chen's brows furrowed as he stared at the sticker in Zhao Kai's hand. "I only sell authentic ones. They've never peeled. That one you're holding isn't from me!"
"Not from you?" Zhao Kai sneered, tossing the sticker onto the stall so it kicked up dust. "This is exactly what I bought from you last week! Look at the edges—all curled, no stick left. And you still want to deny it?"
Zhou Tao chimed in loudly, "Yeah! I bought one too, it's already falling off my notebook. Don't get fooled, guys!"
A few students hesitated, ready to walk away. Panic prickled Lin Chen's chest—then a thought struck him. Last week, Zhou Tao had bought stickers, but something about it had felt off. A guy who never even kept his notebooks tidy, suddenly buying cutesy stickers? They must've planned this sabotage from the start!
"Don't believe their lies!" Lin Chen took a deep breath, holding the "bad" sticker high in the air. "My stickers are all neatly cut with imported glue. You can stick them on a water bottle and they still won't come off. Look at this one—it's got rough edges and bubbles in the adhesive. It's clearly a cheap knockoff, nothing like mine!"
He tore open a fresh pack, pulling out a pristine sticker for comparison. "See? The real ones have smooth edges and clear patterns. Compare it yourself—fake versus real, obvious at a glance!"
The crowd leaned closer. Sure enough, Lin Chen's was smooth and sharp, while Zhao Kai's was blurry and crooked. Students who had been about to leave stopped, circling back. One muttered, "I bought mine last week and it's still stuck on my book, hasn't budged at all."
Zhao Kai's face tightened, but he blustered on. "Who knows if you didn't just pull out the good ones and hide the bad batch?"
"All my stock is the same quality. Anyone can check!" Lin Chen dumped out the rest of the stickers from his tube. "And I've got the purchase receipt—stamped, with the wholesaler's number on it. If anyone doubts me, call and confirm right now!"
He pulled out a neatly folded invoice from his bag, spreading it wide. The date, quantities, prices—all crystal clear, with a bright red stamp at the bottom.
The onlookers nodded, whispers rising.
"Looks like Zhao Kai planted the bad sticker to ruin his business."
"Too much. Can't stand to see someone else doing well, huh?"
"Yeah, slandering without proof—shameless!"
Heat crept up Zhao Kai's neck as the students' eyes turned accusing. He yanked at Zhou Tao's arm. "Forget it, let's go."
"Not so fast!" Lin Chen stepped forward, blocking their path. His voice rang with steel. "You slandered me in front of everyone. Now that the truth is out, shouldn't you apologize?"
"Apologize! Apologize!" the students around them chanted. "You can't just smear someone and walk away!" "No apology? We're telling the teacher!"
Zhao Kai's face flushed purple, but he still snapped, "Why should I apologize? I didn't lie!" He shoved at Lin Chen, but the crowd blocked his way.
At that moment, Su Wanqing jogged up with her backpack, taking in the scene at a glance. She moved to Lin Chen's side, her eyes sharp.
"I helped Lin Chen at the stall last week. Every sticker was carefully chosen—guaranteed quality! Unless Zhao Kai can show proof of purchase for that junk sticker, it's just slander."
Her words landed like a hammer. Students nodded immediately.
"Yeah! No receipt, no case—he made it up!"
"Apologize, or we're going to the teacher right now!"
Zhao Kai's face twisted as more fingers pointed his way. Angry and flustered, he finally dragged Zhou Tao through the crowd, muttering as he fled, "Fine, you win this time. Just wait!"
Applause broke out. Someone clapped Lin Chen's shoulder.
"Lin Chen, that was badass! I'd have panicked for sure."
"Don't worry, we'll keep buying from you. We've got your back!"
Lin Chen thanked them with a smile, then turned to Su Wanqing, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thanks. Without you, I might not have handled it that well."
She laughed lightly. "What's with the thanks? We're partners, remember? But Zhao Kai won't let this go. Next time we set up the stall, we need to stay sharp."
Lin Chen nodded, but in his heart he swore: Zhao Kai had crossed the line again and again. If he tried this one more time, Lin Chen would make sure he paid the price.
They packed up together, walking home under the long shadows of sunset. Su Wanqing broke the quiet. "The monthly exam's next week. How's your review going? If you get stuck, we can go over it together."
"I'm doing okay. Just worried Zhao Kai will pull something during the exam," Lin Chen admitted, brows knitted.
Su Wanqing blinked, then reassured him. "Don't worry. As long as we focus and do our best, he can't touch us. There'll be proctors, too—he won't dare go too far."
Lin Chen nodded, though unease still churned inside. He knew Zhao Kai—when it came to revenge, he'd stoop to anything. Losing face at the stall meant he'd definitely plot something for the exam.
At home, Lin Chen told his mother everything. Her brows creased with worry. "Chen Chen, maybe stop running the stall for now. I don't want Zhao Kai causing trouble for you again."
"Don't worry, Mom. I can handle myself," Lin Chen said firmly. "The stall isn't just about money—it's training for me too. I won't quit just because of him."
Seeing the resolve in his eyes, she finally sighed and nodded. "Fine. Just be careful. Promise me you'll tell me if anything happens."
Back in his room, Lin Chen opened the error notebook Su Wanqing had given him and dove into review. He knew—acing the monthly exam was the surest way to crush Zhao Kai's arrogance.
But elsewhere, Zhao Kai sat in his room, twirling a stolen proctor's office key between his fingers. A sinister grin twisted his lips as his eyes swept over a scribbled note: Monthly Exam Trap Plan.
Beneath "Switch answer sheets," he added: Slip a cheat sheet into Lin Chen's desk so he can't talk his way out.
His grin widened. Everything was ready. All that was left was for Lin Chen to walk straight into his trap.