The next morning, I met Zhong Yuan at the front of my dorm. He was sitting on my bike with one foot on the ground. He looked very impatient.
I walked over and greeted him, slightly embarrassed.
Zhong Yuan replied expressionlessly, “Make sure to be here by 7 next time. Don’t make me wait.”
My hair stood on end. “Why should I listen to you?” 7 o’clock? 7 o’clock is when I open my sleep-filled eyes, OK?
Zhong Yuan raised a brow and flashed his signature devious smile. He replied, “Your call. If you don’t show up, I’ll just sell your bike.” He paused and then added, “It’ll only get a bit of money for scrap metal anyway, so I won’t have to pay you back much.”
Wow!
I hated when he acted like this, but I had to admit that his threats were quite persuasive. Even if he sold my bike, he wouldn’t get much for it. But then I’d have to spend a lot of money to buy a new one…
Can you be any more shameless, Zhong Yuan?
I gloomily grabbed my backpack and with head hung low, I got onto the back of the bike that belonged to me.
I was fucking living in a tragedy.
In the cafeteria, Zhong Yuan cracked an egg and started peeling it. “Blockhead, do you have any complaints with me?”
Hah. You’re the one with complaints, OK? I rolled my eyes and sneered, “It’s nothing. Just, you’re an eyesore.”
Zhong Yuan wasn’t angry. Instead, he replied, “I don’t know. I kind of like looking at you.”
I looked over at him in astonishment. Was this guy possessed or something?!
Zhong Yuan looked at me and smiled slightly. “When I see your torn expression, I want to see your face twist up more.”
Zhong Yuan, you’re a pervert. The top of your class. A top-class pervert!
—
That day, I was eating with Zhong Yuan in the cafeteria. I could feel the stares from all around us, but when I looked up, I couldn’t find anyone looking my way. Strange, how very strange.
I brought it up to Zhong Yuan, but he was fully focused on eating his lunch. Without even looking up from his food, he said, “Blockhead, you’re past the age where you’d think everyone is always looking at you.”
I glared at him but didn’t retort. Just then, two boys walked over from behind Zhong Yuan. They sat down on either side of him and even put their arms around his shoulders, as if they were very close.
I bit my chopstick and looked at the two strangers curiously.
They both shot a friendly smile my way. Then one of them said, “Junior, how are you? I’m Passerby A, and he’s Passerby B.”
I nearly bit my chopstick in two. What was going on here? Passersby A, B, and C?
After a moment of silence from the group, Zhong Yuan finally looked up from his lunch and over at the boy beside him. He shrugged off their hands and expressionlessly told me, “My roommates. Lu and Ren.”1
Passerby B added, “So we’re the Passersby.”
Ah, Zhong Yuan, your roommates are even more lame than you.
Though they were a bit strange, they were still my seniors, so I smiled at them and greeted, “Senior Lu, Senior Ren, hello.”
The two seemed happy to hear me address them so. Passerby A tapped the table with a chopstick and chuckled as he said, “What a nice girl. Junior, don’t worry. If Zhong Yuan dares bully you, I’ll get justice for you!”
I gave him a thankful look. R-really?
Passerby B wasted no time revealing, “Get justice for her? You’d just be tortured by him again!”
Passerby A hit his friend on the back of his head. “We torture each other, OK?!”
I quietly ate my rice as I thought about how excited Lil’ Second would be if she could hear this conversation…
Although Passerby A didn’t look like he’d be able to stand up for me, I was still satisfied knowing that in this world, I wasn’t the only person that Zhong Yuan trampled on…