There was no time to dodge.
Besides, Wen Tingxue didn't want to dodge.
But she still lowered her gaze, trying to deceive herself into not seeing.
Unlike Wen Tingxue, who was alone, Yu Wenli was surrounded by a group of boys.
He was in the center, saying something with a detached expression, mostly about games.
His tone was so calm that it barely had any inflection, yet a faint smile played on his lips.
It was probably this subtle change that made everyone's thoughts run wild, daring to ask him to team up for a ranked match.
They had been envious of Chi Zerui's feat of leveling up two ranks in a row for a long time.
But Yu Wenli was aloof, and it was difficult to even add him as a friend, let alone play games with him; it was almost impossible.
Having finally gotten such an opportunity, everyone naturally didn't want to miss it and stared intently at Yu Wenli, expecting him to agree.
Meanwhile, Yu Wenli was staring at Wen Tingxue.
The little one was still pretending to be an ostrich, keeping a considerable distance.
She showed no intention of greeting him.
Very good.
She had been avoiding him for two days, and now that they bumped into each other face-to-face, she was still trying to hide.
Was she willing to hide from him her entire life rather than resist even once?
Yu Wenli was almost angered to the point of laughter.
As they brushed past each other, Wen Tingxue's heart was in turmoil. There was no joy in avoiding him; instead, it tasted bitter, causing her pain.
However, in the next second, her wrist was grabbed, the burning heat scalding her so intensely that she couldn't think of anything else.
By the time her thoughts returned, she was face-to-face with Yu Wenli, with nowhere to hide.
But... she had to admit, she was secretly delighted.
Yet, thinking of the video in Yu Yahe's hand, she struggled against his grip with a feigned reluctance.
As a result, he tightened his hold even more.
With a hint of displeasure, Wen Tingxue immediately quieted down.
Beside them, the group of boys who had been brushed off by Yu Wenli's few words were stunned.
Holy crap!
The rumors were true!
Jiangcheng High School's "Flower of the High Mountains" had indeed fallen!
And she had fallen for an unknown little girl!
This was too... unbelievable, wasn't it?
Although there had been a lot of gossip about Yu Wenli recently, they had only treated it as entertainment and had never believed it.
After all, Yu Wenli was known for his cold demeanor, rarely speaking even to boys.
Let alone girls?
But the scene before them was a complete slap in the face.
Just as everyone was watching with rapt attention, Yu Wenli cast a calm glance their way.
The boys scurried towards the computer lab, their footsteps slightly unsteady.
After clearing the irrelevant personnel, Yu Wenli paused for a few seconds before releasing her hand.
"How have you been recently?"
His tone was very mild, as if the displeasure just moments ago had been an illusion.
Wen Tingxue stared at her toes with a muddled heart and replied dully, "Mm, I'm okay."
Except for not being able to see you, everything else is quite good.
Yu Wenli's eyes darkened slightly as he pursed his lips.
He couldn't stand to see her so dejected; he preferred her lively and energetic.
Just like that day after school when she fed him candy, her eyes filled with pure joy.
Not like now, where she avoided him upon seeing him.
"Yiyi."
Yu Wenli spoke suddenly, and Wen Tingxue subconsciously looked up.
As their eyes met, he asked almost directly, "Have you been avoiding me lately?"
Wen Tingxue's breath tightened as she said, "No, why would you think that?"
She knew her methods weren't subtle, and it was only a matter of time before he discovered them.
But she still wanted to struggle feebly.
"Oh."
Yu Wenli seemed to believe her, chuckled, and asked again, "Has anyone bullied you?"
Wen Tingxue inexplicably felt as though she had been seen through. Her eyes flickered, and she replied against her will, "No."
-
After the computer class, Chi Zerui approached Yu Wenli.
The two of them went directly to the rooftop of the multimedia building.
"Here, the latest evidence."
Chi Zerui handed his phone to Yu Wenli, which contained a secretly recorded video.
"The little girl spoke to you, and then Yu Yahe and her group took her to the grove."
Yu Wenli stared at the phone with a cold expression.
In the video, Yu Yahe menacingly warned, "If you don't want to end up despised by everyone, you'd better stay away from Yu Wenli forever.
"If I see you talking to him again, it won't just be a verbal warning."
The camera panned to his little girl, standing expressionlessly beneath a pine tree, her eyes dark and devoid of light.
As if she had long grown accustomed to such threats, her numbness was heartbreaking.
The video ended there.
Yu Wenli frowned.
Chi Zerui took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it as he spoke, "Don't worry, Yu Yahe and them didn't lay a hand on her.
"There's a girl I've recently been seeing among that group, and she'll help mediate. But..."
Yu Wenli looked up, his voice icy, "What?"
Chi Zerui tutted and concisely told him the results of his investigation.
Before this, he had always thought Wen Tingxue was timid and fearful, someone not quite up to par.
But after learning about all that she had been through, he genuinely admired her.
After all, in his social circle, he had never met a girl with such a strong will and such a tragic background.
Any one of his ex-girlfriends, if they were targeted or harassed, would definitely come crying and making a fuss.
Demanding that he take people to seek retribution.
But she, not only did she not cry or complain, but she never mentioned a word of it.
He heard that when she was doused with water, she didn't shed a single tear the entire time.
Yu Wenli took a deep breath, trying to suppress his rising anger.
"What video?" he asked, cutting to the chase.
Chi Zerui said, "I didn't see it, but based on the description, it should be a bit explicit.
"Really just a bit. I've confirmed the details repeatedly, but..."
A look of distress flickered in Chi Zerui's eyes, "While investigating this matter, I also looked into the situation in Lucheng.
"Reportedly, in her second year of junior high, because of her dead cousin, the girl was almost stripped by the school bully there.
"Later, when the matter reached both families, her grandmother publicly insulted her for being promiscuous.
"Coupled with the conservative thinking in small towns, she must have been afraid that the video would have negative repercussions, which is why she hasn't told you."
Although, in his heart, he felt that even without the video.
The little girl wouldn't have spoken up easily.
After all, those who are accustomed to being strong tend to hide their troubles within.
Yu Wenli had previously hired people to investigate matters in Lucheng, but Chi Zerui's uncle was an influential figure in Jiangcheng.
His connections and methods were beyond what they, as minors, could match.
Therefore, Yu Wenli only knew about the former part of what Chi Zerui said, not the latter.
Yet, the latter was the deepest knot in her heart.
He shouldn't blame her for not knowing how to resist; he should blame himself for not protecting her well enough.
After all, every time she tried to resist, it only brought her pain.
She was like the elephant in the story, shackled from a young age, and even when she grew up, she didn't know how to break free.
"I have wronged her."
Yu Wenli's knuckles cracked as he spoke, his face a mask of impending storm and ferocity.
Chi Zerui frowned, "What does it have to do with you? To put it bluntly, if she were the daughter of a CEO or a high-ranking official, would Yu Yahe dare to touch her?
"Frankly, people bully the weak and fear the strong. Haven't we experienced enough of this over the years?"
Yu Wenli remained silent, a heavy danger lurking in his dark eyes.
His usually aloof face became terrifying with anger.
Chi Zerui hadn't seen him like this in a long time and reminded him.
"In this matter, Yu Yahe is not the main point. If you want her to never be bullied again, you can only force her to resist.
"Otherwise, if she encounters a similar situation again, she still won't know how to handle it, and you can't guarantee that you'll always be by her side.
"Moreover, you have no standing to resolve her issues."
The last sentence drained all of Yu Wenli's emotions.
That's right.
He was just her neighbor; in other words, an outsider.
So... he could only guide her slowly.
Chi Zerui saw through his thoughts and raised an eyebrow, "Brother Yu, you'd better think carefully. That little girl has a very resilient nature, and it might take a considerable amount of time."
Yu Wenli shoved the phone back into his arms and said without looking back, "When it comes to her, I have plenty of patience."
Chi Zerui smiled, "Then what about Yu Yahe?"
Along with a cold laugh, two words were uttered: "Watch her."
[Author's aside]: Ahhh, this chapter was really difficult to write. Please bear with it; I really did my best.