"Alright, let's go with that!" Zou Yang's parents were both officials, obviously inheriting their excellent pedigree, and had obvious talent in politics, adept at winning hearts and manipulating people.

The class erupted into cheers again. To be able to enjoy a free feast on the first day of school, who wouldn't be happy?

"Everyone, let's go, let's all go." Zou Yang said happily, then suddenly changed his tone, "Of course, except for him!"

The class immediately quieted down, and my scalp began to tingle. It was inevitable. I didn't even need to turn around to know that Zou Yang was talking about me. Right now, he must be pointing at me, and everyone's eyes must be on me. I didn't have the courage to confirm it; I kept my head down, feeling like time was dragging on.

The class fell silent, and my breathing grew heavier. Even though I kept my head down, I could still see Liu Zihong's expression out of the corner of my eye. This taciturn guy was also staring at me in astonishment. No one understood why, on the first day of school, the class president would ostracize an ordinary student like me.

Zou Yang knew, I knew, but no one else knew.

These days were about to start again...

I went through all sorts of hardships, even kneeling to Zou Yang, just to be able to attend Chengnan High School, to completely escape the shadow of junior high. But now, everything was starting over, being ostracized, bullied, ridiculed, those were days I didn't even dare to think about.

Why, why did someone like Zou Yang have to appear in my life? Was heaven testing me? Why did it arrange such a formidable opponent! He had money, height, strength, popularity, cunning, means, he could easily crush me with his little finger!

"He doesn't deserve to eat with us." Zou Yang sneered. On the first day of school, he gave me a warning. Its meaning was obvious: Don't think that by hiding in Chengnan High School, you can escape from the palm of my hand!

My face was burning hot; I wished I could sink into the ground. If this were in a junior high classroom, I might have been somewhat accustomed to this treatment because I faced it every day. But now, in a new high school, new classroom, new classmates, Zou Yang embarrassed me in front of everyone.

Should I rush over and hit him? I clenched my fists. I knew I couldn't beat him, considering our sizes and weights, even two of me couldn't beat him. But if this continued, I would only suffer endless bullying.

The class gradually began to whisper, and I, somehow, found the courage to turn my head back.

Indeed, Zou Yang was pointing at me, with a cold smile on his face. Just seeing his face reminded me of the three years of being bullied by him in junior high. Thinking about those days, fear once again enveloped me.

"What are you looking at?!" Zou Yang spat, "Don't blame me for not giving him a good face. I know best what kind of person he is from Dongguan Town! I'll tell you all about him at lunch!"

What should I do, what should I do, what should I do? I asked myself in my mind. I hated my dumb tongue; I hated my cowardice!

"Let's go, let's go eat!" Zou Yang led the way to the classroom door. Everyone stood up, some looked at me, some didn't, but they all instinctively walked out of the classroom. My desk mate, Liu Zihong, glanced at me, opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out, and he followed them out.

It didn't erupt... at that moment, I really wanted to swing my fist at Zou Yang's face. Actually, this thought had crossed my mind many times, but I never dared to act on it. I lowered my head again; fewer and fewer classmates were left in the classroom, and I knew for sure that there was nobody left.

I sighed deeply. Forget it, I've adapted to it for three years, another three years won't make a difference.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

I lowered my head, and suddenly saw a pair of pink sneakers, not new but very clean. As I lifted my head, it was Xia Xue.

Xia Xue didn't go to eat with Zou Yang! My heart was both excited and surprised. Xia Xue sat in front of me, her face somewhat angry, "Why don't you fight back when Zou Yang treats you like that?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Why didn't I fight back? I had fought back in junior high. But the consequence of fighting back was more ridicule or getting kicked by him in mid-air.

"Why?" Xia Xue looked at me in disbelief.

Xia Xue was very pretty, well-dressed, sweet-spoken, and kind-hearted. Such a girl had been pampered by people around her since childhood, rarely troubled by anyone, whether at home or at school, and would even have people vying to be her protectors. Such a girl would probably never know what it feels like to be bullied.

Facing Xia Xue, I suddenly lost the desire to confide. I didn't want to expose my scars to her; it felt shameful.

"It's nothing." I shook my head, stood up, and prepared to leave the classroom.

"Next time he speaks ill of you, you have to fight back!" Xia Xue said behind me, "If you don't stand up for yourself, no one else will."

"Hah..." I smiled bitterly and left the classroom.

With no companions, I went to the cafeteria, got my food, ate slowly by myself, and then returned to the dormitory.

Such a lonely life, I had gotten used to it for three years, and I didn't mind another three years. Lying on the bed in the dormitory, I recalled Xia Xue's words, "If you don't stand up for yourself, no one else will!" I rested my hands under my head and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The dormitory was quiet, everyone had gone to eat with Zou Yang. After a while, the door to the dormitory was pushed open, and my dorm mates walked in. They were all happy and chatting, seeming to have eaten and drunk well. Even after entering the dormitory, they didn't relax, chattering away.

"Our class president is so cool, he reserved four tables, didn't even blink when paying!"

"He looked most handsome when paying the bill! I was worried if he had enough cash, but he just pulled out his credit card!"

"He's a real rich kid; this time we really opened our eyes!"

My bed was on the top bunk, and I suspected they didn't even see me, otherwise, they wouldn't say those things.

"Oh, by the way, the class president said Wang Hao, who struggled in junior high, is having a tough time again in high school..."

"Heh heh, he was a punching bag in junior high, and he's the same here!"

"The class president wants to deal with him; he's having a hard time..."

"Shh..." Someone shushed, and I saw someone discreetly pointing at me out of the corner of my eye.

And everyone suddenly seemed to understand; they probably just realized I was in the dormitory. My heart felt like it was pierced by ten thousand arrows; now they'd be more blatant about it. After they got used to bullying me, they would do it openly.

Bastards... I clenched my fists, then released them again. Why was I always so cowardly? Who could rescue me from this misery?

I turned my head to the wall and silently shed tears.

Zou Yang gradually became a dominant figure in the class.

I had expected this; his means made it easy to win people over. He hung out with the shady students in the class, and got along well with Li Jie. Not only were they bullies in the class, but they also had a certain reputation in the entire first year. Li Jie and his friends were already somewhat famous troublemakers in Beiyuan City, and now, with wealthy Zou Yang joining them, they were even stronger together.

Classmates surrounded them all day, flattering them and spreading rumors, hoping to bask in their glory. When they returned to the dormitory, Zou Yang often visited us. Of course, he also visited our dormitory. When he came to our dormitory, other students would flock around him, while I lay silently on the top bunk, as if we were from two different worlds. Some people are always the center of attention wherever they go, and Zou Yang was one of them.

The ridicule towards me never diminished, but I let it go in one ear and out the other, pretending to be indifferent. Perhaps Zou Yang felt that it wasn't good to be too arrogant in a school away from home, so he didn't act too aggressively towards me. My classmates naturally categorized me as an outsider; no one would initiate a conversation with me, including my desk mate. Liu Zihong, the bespectacled guy, seemed like a mute in front of me.

After the evening self-study session, Xia Xue sat in front of me again. At that moment, Zou Yang and Li Jie were messing around in the front row, and I could feel Zou Yang's fierce gaze on me, tinged with a hint of malice.

"Why are you always like this?!" Xia Xue's expression was even more furious this time. "What did I do?" I pretended to be clueless.

"What did I do?" Xia Xue lowered her voice, as if giving me face. "He bullies you like that every day, and you act like nothing's wrong!"

"I'm used to it." I smiled, "It's fine like this, no one disturbs me when I'm studying. Once I get into college, I'll be able to get out of this kind of life."

Back in junior high, I longed to get into Chengnan High School, thinking that I could start a new life there. Now, I was in a prestigious class at Chengnan High School, but my hopes were now pinned on going to college. This ostrich mentality, that's what it's called, right?

"You're talking nonsense!" Xia Xue couldn't help raising her voice. "No one disturbs you? Then how do you explain your English book being torn? Your math homework being thrown into the water? Your pencil case being filled with chalk dust?"