As Zhang Wei rose from his seat, eyes locked on Wang Jie, a sudden sharp pulse shot through his mind.
A floodgate opened.
[Memory Fragment Downloaded: Past Trauma Accessed.]
"Hahaha! Did you see how he begged? Like a dog!"
"Hey, Zhang Wei! Bark for us and we'll give you back your lunch money!"
"Pathetic."
Toilet water splashed over his head in the boys' bathroom, his knees on the dirty tile. Wang Jie and his gang laughed as they filmed it all.
In the video's corner stood Li Xue.... her hand covering her mouth, eyes glittering with amusement.
She didn't stop them. She never did.
And still…
"It's okay… she must be under pressure from her friends," he had once told himself."She's special… I'll prove I'm worthy of her."
He worked part-time jobs, bought her expensive gifts, ditched his sister's hospital visits, sold his father's watch.. just to make her smile.
"Thank you, Zhang Wei. You're so sweet…" she would whisper with false tenderness, only to laugh behind his back the next moment.
And yet he'd kneel again and again, wagging his tail like a loyal mutt, blind in love.
Until that one night.
The night he walked into his boss's office and saw Li Xue, moaning in the arms of the very man who fired him minutes later.
The night everything snapped.
"I gave you everything…""I lost my family… for you…"
His heart burned as the voices faded, replaced by the present.
He was no longer the broken man.
The memories faded like smoke, and Zhang Wei's eyes cleared.
No more toilet water. No more begging. No more Li Xue's fake smile.
It was his turn now.
He stood tall and cold before Wang Jie, the classroom bully who had tormented him his entire high school life.
The class held its breath.
Zhang Wei's voice sliced through the tension.
"Wang Jie, if you haven't eaten dogshit for breakfast today… fight me.""Your grandpa, Zhang Wei, is here to teach his dog-son some manners."
A stunned silence followed.
Then the classroom erupted in gasps and nervous laughter.
"D-Did he just call Wang Jie… his DOG-SON?""Bro, is he high?""Isn't that guy the school punching bag?!"
Wang Jie's smirk vanished.
His face twisted into rage as his fists clenched.
"Zhang fucking Wei," he snarled, "I'll beat your face into your ancestor's grave!"
The bully lunged forward, throwing a heavy punch aimed straight at Zhang Wei's face.
But-
SLAP!
Zhang Wei caught it mid-air.
His hand closed around Wang Jie's fist like an iron vice.
[Tiger Crushing Palm Activated – Grip Strength Boosted.]
"Grrhh.....! AHH!" Wang Jie screamed as his knuckles cracked.
His face turned red, then pale.
"What the hell… he's like a damn gorilla!"
Zhang Wei leaned in slowly.
"Don't bark if you don't have teeth, mutt."
Wang Jie gritted his teeth and roared, "If you've got the balls, don't fight in class! Come to the school ground, we'll settle it there!"
Zhang Wei grinned.
"Sure. Let's not dirty the classroom with your blood."
He released Wang Jie's hand and casually turned around.
But the mutt couldn't take the humiliation.
Like the coward he was, Wang Jie snarled and launched a sneak attack.....a flying kick aimed at Zhang Wei's back.
It struck clean.
Zhang Wei stumbled forward, off-balance, headed straight for.....
The window seat.
Right where Lin Rouxi, the snow-haired campus goddess, was sitting with eyes half-closed.
Zhang Wei crashed toward her, arms flailing...
And their faces collided.
SMACK.
His lips brushed against her porcelain cheek. Soft. Fragrant. Like a flower petal in spring.
Time froze.
Gasps.
Then...
"KYAAA!"
Lin Rouxi's eyes flew open, a rare flush blooming across her pale skin. She blinked, stunned… then her anger exploded like a glacier cracking.
"Wang Jie…" she said, standing with ice in her voice.
"Today, if you survive in Qinglong City, I'll destroy your family from the roots. You dare....dare-to disturb my rest… again?"
Everyone froze.
Wang Jie visibly pissed himself.
Zhang Wei recovered quickly, coughed, then turned toward Lin Rouxi with a sly grin.
"Ahem… Miss Lin, forgive my unworthy lips. The kiss was unintentional-unless fate insists otherwise."
The goddess blinked in shock, before averting her gaze. Her ears turned bright red.
"Y-You… shameless…" she muttered.
But before she could say more, Zhang Wei stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Everyone heard it. Wang Jie challenged me. So now, let's make this fun."
He looked Wang Jie dead in the eyes.
"On the ground, you and me. If I win… you'll bark like a dog, eat real dogshit in front of the whole school, and call me Grandpa."
He cracked his knuckles, smiling wide.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure your face looks Instagram ready for the livestream."