The gymnasium was alive with chaos, shrill whistles, pounding drums, and the roar of hundreds of voices echoing off the polished walls. The cheerleaders shone under the bright lights, their fiery red shorts and cropped tops glittering with sequins. Phones flashed everywhere, students shouting names of their favorite players like crazed fans at a concert.
In the center of it all, Lin Ruoyi basked like a queen. She swayed to the beat, long legs flashing with each kick, her ponytail snapping sharply in the air. Boys whistled and shouted, their voices hoarse from calling her name, while girls exchanged envious glances. Ruoyi thrived under it, her smile sharp and knowing, every move screaming confidence.
But then her eyes flicked sideways.
An Ran.
She wasn't cheering, wasn't even watching the game. She stood quietly off to the side, large glasses sliding down her nose, her plain uniform wrinkled from carrying crates of water. Her ponytail was slightly messy, strands of hair falling across her cheek. And yet, there was something about her stillness, her unintentional softness, that drew attention. Even without makeup, even without sparkles, she looked fragile. Beautiful. Untouchable.
And worse , Jiang Cheng's gaze wasn't on the cheerleaders. It was on her.
Lin Ruoyi's dance faltered. A spark of fury licked through her veins.
This whore. This nobody. It's been so long I taught her a lesson. How dare she stand there looking so innocent, like she belongs in his line of sight?
Her teeth ground together, and for a second she forgot the music. She forgot the crowd. She forgot everything except the sight of An Ran, standing there in her shadow, stealing a glance that didn't belong to her.
Huang Ling nudged her sharply. "Ruoyi, stop glaring. People are watching... "
But the fury was already boiling over.
---
The game pushed forward. Jiang Cheng's team dominated, their crisp passes and sharp shots widening the gap until the crowd roared with each point. The cheerleaders finally pulled back for a break, collapsing on the benches with flushed cheeks and heavy breaths. Phones appeared instantly, selfies flashing across social media.
Lin Ruoyi didn't sit. Her eyes locked on her target.
"Let's get water," she announced sweetly. Huang Ling and Xiao Yuxi exchanged glances, then followed obediently.
They reached the water crates where An Ran stood nervously, clutching a bottle. She pushed her glasses higher up her nose, trying not to fumble.
"Open it for me," Lin Ruoyi demanded suddenly, holding out her own bottle.
An Ran blinked. "I... uh... " Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached out. The cap was tight, her palms slick with sweat. She twisted, twisted again.
And then it happened.
A splash. Cold liquid sloshed across Lin Ruoyi's expensive cropped jersey top, soaking her chest. Gasps echoed around them.
An Ran froze. "I, I didn't... "
But Ruoyi's face twisted into perfect outrage. As if she had been waiting for this exact moment.
"You bitch!" she shrieked.
Her hand cut through the air like a whip.
SLAP.
The sound cracked through the gym like a gunshot.
An Ran's head snapped to the side, her cheek burning scarlet. Her glasses slid down, nearly falling. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back, her chest heaving.
The crowd went silent for a beat, then erupted into whispers.
"Did she just slap her?!"
"Wasn't it an accident?"
"No, I think An Ran spilled it on purpose…"
"She deserved it. She's been acting like such a pick-me lately."
"Poor thing, look at her face... "
Phones rose. Screens glowed. The slap was being captured from every angle.
---
Xiao Yuxi's lips parted in shock. Even she hadn't expected Lin Ruoyi to take it this far, .... In public. Huang Ling stared too, her smirk faltering. Hadn't this crossed the line?
But Lin Ruoyi stood tall, chest heaving, chin high. "That's what happens when sluts don't know their place," she spat loudly enough for everyone to hear.
An Ran's fingers tightened around the plastic bottle until it crumpled. Her lips trembled. She wanted to scream back, but the words stuck like knives in her throat.
---
Then a voice cut through the chaos.
"Lin Ruoyi."
The crowd parted as Jiang Cheng strode forward from the court. He hadn't run, hadn't shouted, but the weight in his steps made people scramble aside. His tall frame loomed, his jersey clinging to his broad shoulders, sweat glistening on his brow. But it was his eyes, cold, sharp, blazing with authority, that made the gym fall into hushed silence.
He reached them in seconds. Without a word, he stepped in front of An Ran, his body blocking her from view. He looked at Lin Ruoyi, his voice was low, cutting like ice.
"Do you dare cause this kind of scene in front of me?"
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"He's defending her... "
"No way, is Jiang Cheng on An Ran's side?"
"What's going on…"
Lin Ruoyi's bravado faltered, but she forced out a laugh. "Jiang Cheng, don't be fooled. She... she spilled water on me! She did it on purpose, everyone saw... "
"Enough."
The single word slammed into her like a blow. Jiang Cheng's gaze was merciless. "You humiliated her. In public. That's all anyone will remember."
Her mouth snapped shut. The sting of humiliation crept up her neck.
---
And then...
A shift in the air.
The doors at the far end of the gym creaked. A new presence entered... one that made the noise falter, the whispers die down.
Qin Mo.
He walked slowly, hood shadowing his face, hands buried deep in his pockets. His expression was unreadable, detached... but his eyes were locked only on one thing.
Not the crowd. Not Lin Ruoyi.
An Ran.
His gaze lingered on the bright red mark staining her cheek. Cold. Heavy. Unwavering.
He didn't speak. He didn't need to. His silence weighed more than words.
The gym seemed to shrink, all eyes caught between the boy shielding her and the boy walking toward her.
---
And An Ran, she stood frozen between them, heart pounding so loud she couldn't hear the whispers anymore.