My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Ruo Tingran was stunned for a few seconds before a scowl slowly appeared on her face. "What the hell are you saying?" She sneered in contempt. "Who do you think you are? You might want to look at yourself in the mirror first before talking to me."

She intended to leave but Shi Nian stood on her way. "You—" Ruo Tingran glared. "What are you blocking me for?! Scram!" If looks could kill, Shi Nian would be lying on the ground with holes all over her body right now.

Shi Nian's expression turned somber. Disregarding Ruo Tingran's displeased face, she said with a deadpan face. "You're jealous of me, jealous that Zhang Jiancheng approached me while he doesn't even give you a glance." Shi Nian poked her right where it hurt, and she didn't have enough yet. "Two times. It has happened both right after Classmate Zhang did something. The first time was when he showed up in the forum to speak on my behalf and the second time…" The corner of her lips curled into a cold smile, her golden eyes chilled down. "Was it when he talked to me? In the hallway or in the lobby? Or both?"

Ruo Tingran's face turned livid and she glanced around the empty washroom and the tightly closed door. Confirming that nobody was around, she stepped forward, neatly trimmed nails poking Shi Nian's shoulder, seething. "If you know it, then why don't you keep your distance from him, bitch?"

Compared to Shi Nian, Ruo Tingran was taller and more slender. When they stood together in such a close distance, Ruo Tingran towered over her with half a head height advantage. It made Shi Nian look more scrawny and weaker, however she surprisingly didn't budge under Ruo Tingran's force.

"Why did you slander Li Qing?" Shi Nian actually didn't need any answer because it was all crystal clear in her eyes. She had seen a lot of people like her. Those so-called missus from rich, affluent families. They never changed whether it's in ancient times or now. 

Petty, narrow minded, jealous. She gave a mocking scoff. "They said that it was Qu Nanchi who bullied Li Qing the most, that you only stood on the side and even helped Li Qing speak out a few times. But actually, you're enjoying it deep down, right?"

Shi Nian leaned forward and whispered softly. It sounded both melodious and venomous, just like a juicy, delicious looking poisonous apple. "You hated her very much. You enjoyed seeing her suffer but wasn't willing to dirty your own hands. That's why you borrowed someone else's knife. Ruo Tingran, do you know what people like you are called?" Her eyes curved into a smile. "Mice. Cowardly, chauvinistic, egoist. That's what you are."

"Shut your mouth!" Ruo Tingran was enraged and raised her hand to slap Shi Nian's face but her thin wrist was easily held in Shi Nian's grab. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free. Anxiety and panic started to surface in her eyes. "Y—You…let me go, you stupid wench!"

"And now you're angry because I poke you right on the spot where it hurts the most." Shi Nian gave a laugh that didn't reach her eyes. The calm surface started to ripple and red veins spread throughout her pupils. Her hold on Ruo Tingran tightened, and the latter started to show pained expression and struggled more wildly. "You can just come and get me. If it's only me, I will not give a damn about whatever you do. But you just have to hurt him…"

Ruo Tingran didn't catch the last sentence Shi Nian muttered. She scowled. Now that everything was already exposed, she didn't try to hide anymore. Jeering, she taunted. "So what if I did that? You're just a poor, countryside girl. Do you know what my surname can do? I can crush you even with the tip of my toe but you aren't even worth it! What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you? You slut, did you seduce him with your body? Oh, there's also the man who often picked you up. What relatives? All I see is only an older sugar daddy that fed you with money!"

Shi Nian didn't let Ruo Tingran's words get to her. Laughing coldly, she clicked her tongue in a mixture of sympathy and disparage. "Ruo Tingran, how can you have such a black heart with your beautiful face? It's such a pity...It's no wonder that Classmate Zhang doesn't even give you a glance."

Again, Shi Nian sprinkled salt on her wound. Zhang Jiancheng was her soft spot and with Shi Nian provoking her again and again with the man, Ruo Tingran was enraged. Her eyes grew red and she gave a scream, pushing Shi Nian hard against the wall with all of her strength. Her expression grew frenzied and she looked like she could kill someone anytime soon.

Against this kind of people, Shi Nian didn't even have an ounce of compassion. She ruthlessly kicked the girl's knee, eliciting a sharp shriek from Ruo Tingran. When the latter's knees buckled, Shi Nian twisted her hands behind her back, forcing her to crane her neck up. Fear and shock flashed through Ruo Tingran's eyes as she looked at Shi Nian's expressionless face. "Y—You…let me go! Do you hear me?! You're going to get it from my lawyer! Shi Nian, I am going to sue you—"

"Shut up." Shi Nian interrupted callously. "Ruo Tingran, you should feel lucky that we live in a lawful world. Otherwise…" She gave a savage grin and deliberately chose not to continue her words.

Ruo Tingran's face paled and her arms trembled from the pain. She was breathing heavily and when she spoke the next moment, her tone had lost its edge. "Let go of me…" She lowered her eyes to hide the hatred and contempt within. How hateful! Unforgivable! Just wait until she got out of here and then Shi Nian would know that she was nothing more than an ant that she could easily trample with the soles of her shoes. Dared to hurt and threaten her? Just wait!

Shi Nian humped coldly and threw Ruo Tingran's arms off.

"Ah!" The girl stumbled backward. Her elbows and knees scraped across the damp, dirty bathroom floor. Ruo Tingran gritted her teeth, eyes welling up in angry tears.

Shi Nian smoothed her messy hair and straightened her uniform. "For hurting the most important person to me, Ruo Tingran, I will not let it slide. Remember it."

An ominous premonition coursed through Ruo Tingran's heart and shivers ran down her spine, both from the cold ground and Shi Nian's impassive tone.

Her instinct was proven true when the school ended. As soon as the teachers were gone, the students fished out their phones and checked social media as well as scrolling through the forum to see whether there was anything new and interesting.

A new post had just been added a few minutes ago and it had already been pinned as 'hot' by the moderators.

[The Truth of an Ugly Heart.]

Curious, they clicked on it and realized that it was only a short voice recording that wasn't even one minute long. Surely, nine out of ten people directly played it.

"The one who asked people to teach me a lesson twice, also…the one who posted the forum discussion with Li Qing's phone, it's all your doing."

"If you know it, then why don't you keep your distance from him, bitch?"

"They said that it was Qu Nanchi who bullied Li Qing the most, that you stood on the side and even helped Li Qing speak out a few times. But actually, you're enjoying it deep down, right?"

"So what if I did that? You're just a poor, countryside girl. Do you know what my surname can do? I can crush you even with the tip of my toe but you aren't even worth it! What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you? You slut, did you seduce him with your body? Oh, there's also the man who often picked you up. What relatives? All I see is only an older sugar daddy that fed you with money!"

"Ruo Tingran, how can you have such a black heart with your beautiful face? It's such a pity...It's no wonder that Classmate Zhang doesn't even give you a glance."

The post exploded in an instant and in a blink of an eye, eight out of ten students had already heard it multiple times. The discussion beneath it was endless. Soon, the comments exceeded 500 and showed no sign of stopping.

[What. The. Heck?! Wait a minute, let me process that. So, the culprit behind the forum who slandered Shi Nian is Ruo Tingran?]

[I knew it! Li Qing is so pitiful, she had to endure many accusations because of that! Aiyah, now that the person has already died, it's also good that the truth finally surfaced. This Ruo Tingran is so shameless!]

[Question! Who do you think is the other girl? Damn, she's so cool!]

[Does it need to be asked? Do you hear what Ruo Tingran said? 'What does Zhang Jiancheng see in you?' The other party must be Shi Nian!]

[…Huh, doesn't everyone say that she's a mute?]

[Upstairs commenter, I also heard it!]

[Who knows? Maybe she's just been pretending…]

[Right, why are there so many dramas around Shi Nian? She's really problematic. The gossip around her is endless. Maybe Ruo Tingran is right and the man is her sugar daddy shrugged.jpg]

Xuan Liyuan barged into class five and shouted anxiously. "Jiancheng, Jiancheng, have you heard the recording?!" The class fell silent in an instant. Although everyone seemed to be busy with something else, they actually perked their ears up and eavesdropped full of interest.

Zhang Jiancheng replied nonchalantly. "What recording?"

"Aiyah, I know that you will never check the forum! Here, listen to this!" Xuan Liyuan stuffed an earbud into Zhang Jiancheng's ear and played the recording. Zhang Jiancheng's eyes gradually sank as words poured into his ear. Until the end when the recording stopped, dark clouds had formed above his head.

"Say," Xuan Liyuan asked curiously. "One of them is Ruo Tingran. The other person, do you think it's Shi Nian?"

Zhang Jiancheng didn't even take off the earbud as he dashed out of the classroom.

"Hey! Hey, Jiancheng, wait for me ah!" Xuan Liyuan chased after him closely.

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A/N: Shi Nian is angryyy rawrr (☼Д☼) and everyone gonna suffer from it!!