Inferiority

Gu Ximan ran all the way back to her room.

She closed the door and carelessly tossed the stack of cash in her arms onto the floor.

Tears instantly streamed down her face.

Sliding down against the door, she curled her knees to her chest and buried her flushed cheeks between them—the delicate skin still tingled with the lingering warmth of Gu Luo’s touch.

Her shoulders trembled violently, causing the panda charm on her crossbody bag to sway gently, as if silently sobbing along with her.

She had braced herself for this moment.

But when she learned that Gu Luo had really confessed his feelings to Luo Shuning, the pain was unbearable.

It hurt.

Like a piece of flesh had been carved out of her.

Gu Luo was the softest, most vulnerable part of her heart.

Ever since she toddled behind him in split pants, calling him "brother," he had been woven into every fiber of her life.

And now, that piece of her heart was beating wildly for another girl.

But when she thought about it, it made sense.

Shuning was beautiful—flawless figure, charming personality, top grades, wealthy family, talented in everything from music to calligraphy, the epitome of grace.

And her? Clumsy-minded, frail, constantly falling ill, only attending Guangya Academy thanks to Aunt Luo’s connections, always causing trouble for Gu Luo with her spoiled antics.

There was no comparison.

None at all.

Aside from having a fuller chest, she was no match for Shuning in any way.

Not just Shuning—Shu He, Shuling, Xuexue… she couldn’t compete with any of them.

The more she thought, the more her heart ached with humiliation and self-loathing.

After crying for what felt like an eternity, she finally wiped her tears and dialed Shuning’s number.

If anyone made Gu Luo suffer, she’d bite back.

Even if Shuning rejecting him was technically good for her.

Even if turning someone down was well within their rights.

None of that mattered.

She had big breasts—she could afford to be irrational.

She didn’t care about right or wrong, only about the person, not the situation.

The call connected.

Gu Ximan had intended to demand furiously, "How dare you reject my brother?!" But when she opened her mouth, her voice came out low and broken:

"Why… did you reject him?"

......

"Where…"

"Why isn’t it…"

Luo Shuning crouched low, tears falling as she searched the area for hours.

She remembered throwing it in this direction.

That thick envelope—how could it just vanish?

It didn’t make sense.

It shouldn’t be gone.

Her hands were caked in dirt, crisscrossed with small cuts that oozed blood. The knees beneath her dress were scraped raw, each movement sending sharp jolts of pain through her.

Her eyes were swollen from crying, her body covered in grime and bruises from repeated falls.

She hadn’t slept all night, her emotions had shattered too many times, and her body was on the verge of collapse.

The only thing keeping her going was sheer willpower.

That envelope held the last remnants of her memories with Gu Luo.

If it was lost, all that remained between them would be that cruel, humiliating rejection—not even a trace of their past left behind.

But perhaps this was karma.

She had stolen a memory; now she had to lose one in return.

Time slipped away.

The sun dipped below the horizon.

From afternoon until night, Luo Shuning kept searching.

Relentlessly.

Flicking on her phone’s flashlight.

Digging through the dirt.

Ignoring the fresh cuts on her hands.

Ignoring the new wounds littering her body.

Like a madwoman, she pushed past exhaustion.

Several times, she nearly fainted.

Each time, she gritted her teeth and forced herself up.

She couldn’t lose it.

She had to find it.

By now, her tears had dried up, her eyes dull and lifeless.

That envelope felt like a metaphor for what had happened between them.

Gone. Shattered.

Beyond repair.

The cruel words she’d spat at him were unforgivable. There was no going back.

Then, after what felt like an eternity—

Her phone rang again.

Caller ID: Little Man.

Luo Shuning answered, and in that instant, the last of her strength drained away. Her knees buckled, sending her collapsing onto a pile of jagged rocks.

A fresh gash split open on her pale calf.

Gu Ximan’s voice, thick with suppressed fury, came through the line:

"Why… did you reject my brother?"

Hearing this, Luo Shuning’s hand went limp.

The phone clattered to the ground.

Not far away, bathed in twilight, Luo Shuling watched the scene unfold with a heavy sigh, her expression unreadable.

Punishment was one thing.

But she had to ensure Shuning’s safety first.

Some wounds cut far deeper than the blood they drew.

......

......