I should have thought of this earlier.
While I was running quickly towards the direction of Wu Yaoyao's home, I was also berating myself for being slow in my mind.
Sweat continuously streamed down my forehead, into my line of vision, irritating my eyes. This wasn't sweat from the heat dissipating from my body due to my frantic running, rather, it was prompted by anxious thoughts towards Wu Yaoyao.
I should have thought of this earlier.
Why LinGu could be a creep, why he’d spoken to me then, and why he tried to stop the three girls intending to reprimand Wu Yaoyao.
As I ran wildly forwards, events from just now, like strands of lotus roots, vaguely emerged in my cerebrum.
In front of the school gate was a three-way junction leading to the Binhai Avenue. To the right lead to the southern city, the left, the northern city. On the section of the Binhai avenue to the left was a fisherman's park, itself a scenic beauty, and a must-cross area for students from the north heading to Peony High School.
As I ran like my life depended on it, I glanced at the sunset slowly sinking in the distance, sweat continuously trickling down my forehead, and a growing sense of unease welled up in my heart.
I just hope I'm overthinking this.
...........
Bang.
The adolescent girl was cornered by three girls into a gazebo within the park. Her backpack was seized and thrown to the ground. The gazebo wasn't spacious, surrounded by tall deciduous trees. In the evening, light couldn't penetrate into it, thus it seemed somewhat obscure. The sea breeze gently blew away the residual heat on the body.
"What do you want?"
Despite knowing these three individuals bore ill-intentions, the girl's voice remained calm, her eyes firmly set onto the three of them, looking out for anyone nearby who could help.
However, her intentions to seek help were long anticipated by the victimizing trio. At this time, few people would be strolling in the park, let alone pass through the innermost gazebo.
"You should ask yourself that question.”
Upon hearing the girl's query, one of the three girls smirked contemptuously in a mocking tone.
This situation, combined with the gloomy ambiance within the gazebo, brought up one word - bullying.
“I don't think I know any of you.” The girl bit her lips, as if searching her memory for an impression of these three individuals.
“Huh, you really aren't humble, thinking so highly of yourself.” Another one of the three girls sneered as if they were looking at a dull joke, glanced at each other, then taunted, “Look closely, we just met, and you’ve forgotten so quickly?”
Upon saying this, the girl grabbed the collar of the former and brought her face closer.
“You, you’re from Second City School.” The girl finally recognized their faces.
“You know why we’ve cornered you here, right?”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, I don’t remember knowing you-”
Smack!
Before the girl finished speaking, the one gripping her collar cruelly and ruthlessly slapped her smooth, tender face. The echo reverberated slightly around the gazebo.
“You bitch, still acting innocent.” The girl who had slapped her sneered at her condescendingly.
The other two girls crossed their arms and smirked at the situation.
The victim pressed her palm against her slapped, rosy cheek, her livid eyes glaring at the assailant, her hands trembling from agitation, “I don’t understand what you mean!”
“Huh… so good at pretending. When you slapped LinGu like that, did you feel superior? Huh? Didn’t you, whore?”
Upon hearing “LinGu,” the girl finally understood.
“So, it’s you guys,” the girl chuckled coldly, rolled her eyes at the three, and spoke indifferently, “like attracts like, I suppose.”
The victim’s words visibly enraged the two girls on the side, their eyes blazing with anger.
“Who are you calling trash?”
The victim held her slapped cheek, her contemptuous words slipping from her lips in her usual tone, as if she hadn't detected any hostility from them."Both of you, and that Lin whatever, are trash."
"Such a big mouth!"
Just as one of the girls raised her hand to slap the young lady again, she was stopped by the girl who just tugged at the young lady's collar.
"Quite a spine." The girl who stopped her companion looked at the young lady who was smirking coldly, gritting her teeth, "I'll give you another chance, take back what you just said. Then say that you are the trash, the lowlife."
The hand raised high by the girl already signaled that if the words of the young lady did not satisfy her, this hand would slap to the other side of the young lady's face next.
"Hm."
The young lady smirked, her cold expression did not change at all.
"Let me repeat myself for everyone present, including your Lin whoever, you are all—trash."
Having emphasized each word, the young lady fixed her gaze on the hand that was rapidly falling towards her face.
....
"Stop!"
Just when the hand was about to hit Wu Yaoyao's face, I shouted with all my strength.
Having run all the way to the pavilion, my energy was somewhat drained. But seeing Wu Yaoyao holding her face and gritting her teeth, my strength suddenly surged up, and I yelled out.
Hearing my voice, the shocked Wu Yaoyao immediately turned her head to look at me. The tears she'd been holding back now welling up in her eyes.
I slowly adjusted my breathing and walked towards the pavilion. The three girls from City No.2 Middle School also turned their heads to look at me, their eyes full of astonishment.
"Did they hit you?"
I walked straight to Wu Yaoyao, who was covering her face and her eyes full of tears, and asked softly.
Wu Yaoyao didn't speak, and just pouted, her face full of grievance as she nodded at me.
"It's my fault, I should have noticed earlier. Let me look at your face."
Hearing my words, Wu Yaoyao slowly removed her hand from her face.
Seeing her traditionally lovely face now swollen and red, a heavy wave of sadness pressed on my heart.
"This is the hand she used to hit you, right?"
I stroked Wu Yaoyao’s head, held my right hand in front of her, and asked.
