The day at uni was a slog. However, all that was on Zhang Yi's mind was watching the students stream out of the campus gates—some laughing in groups of two or three, others buried in serious reading, and a few strolling hand in hand with their lovers.
Back then, he had been just like them. In fact, he had proudly earned a scholarship to one of the "C9 League" universities, widely regarded as the Chinese equivalent of the Ivy League in America. But unfortunately, his journey came to an abrupt halt, not even lasting a full semester.
The reason? He had been expelled.
Zhang Yi did not regret it, though. In fact, he wished time could be rewound so he could break that bastard's ribs again.
"Order for Fan Fan! Your shrimp fried rice is ready—driver Zhang Yi, please come to the counter!"
The voice snapped Zhang Yi out of his daze.
"'Order for Fan —"
"I'm here! I'm here!" Zhang Yi jumped up and rushed toward the counter.
"Order for Fan Fan? Delivery?'" the cashier asked, looking up from the register.
"Yes, yes," Zhang Yi nodded, holding up his phone to show the order confirmation.
After receiving the order, Zhang Yi navigated through the crowd and finally found his scooter. He checked the map on his phone to confirm the apartment building, carefully balancing the hot container in the insulated bag.
Weaving through narrow alleys and side streets, Zhang Yi occasionally passed students in their school uniforms or college jackets. The sight tugged at something inside him, stirring a wave of nostalgia.
Back then, he was a sophomore, still figuring out life, and he had a quiet crush on a girl in his class—Li Manman. She was gentle, graceful, and academically brilliant, the kind of person who seemed to float through life effortlessly.
Zhang Yi sighed. He knew his place—just an introverted, poor country kid who didn't quite belong in her world. He felt invisible, unworthy, and lacked the courage to pursue her.
Yet he couldn't ignore the little things: how she often skipped meals while buried in her books, whether on purpose or for some other reason. Chen Hao clicked his tongue at this, so he would secretly buy snacks and drinks and leave them on her desk.
What Zhang Yi didn't know was that Zhou Yifan, a second-generation rich heir who also had a crush on Li Manman, had found out about this.
That day, that stupid rich second-generation heir cornered Zhang Yi at the back of the school with his goons. But what could this pampered rich kid do to him, who had been working in the fields to survive since childhood?
Zhou Yifan somehow managed to escape, but his three lackeys weren't so lucky—they ended up in the hospital, looking like human piñatas.
Unable to take Zhang Yi on physically, Zhou Yifan changed his tactics. Relying on his popularity, he gathered a crowd and mocked Zhang Yi in front of everyone.
Say it: a toad trying to eat swan meat, a penniless loser, a nobody, a poor country bumpkin, a pauper, a walking sack of dirt, a human coupon—basically, you're like the full bargain-bin edition of insults here.
Zhang Yi hadn't cared much, but he never expected Li Manman to show up. She stepped forward, her gaze icy, and called out Zhou Yifan.
"...Zhou Yifan, I've told you before—I don't like you. What gives you the right to bully others? Just because you have money doesn't make you all that! Leave people alone!"
Things might have ended there, but in front of the crowd, she turned to Zhang Yi and took his hand!
"Classmate, don't worry about these people. Let's call it even for the snacks—I appreciate it. But I'm sorry, I want to focus on my studies. I'm not looking to date. Still, thank you for your thoughtfulness."
Only one thought ran through Zhang Yi's mind at that moment: 'She is so gentle, so outstanding... I've loved her even more from now on!'
But no one could see the storm brewing in Zhou Yifan. Humiliated and seething with fury, he spat out his words like venom: "You little—! Your parents are just poor schoolteachers, yet I think highly of you—how dare you treat me like this? Fine... you'll regret it!"
Since that day, Zhang Yi thought Zhou Yifan would cause trouble for Li Manman after their confrontation. He had prepared himself—but he never imagined that, instead of making another scene, Zhou Yifan would fall unusually quiet.
That was until Li Manman suddenly stopped showing up to class. Rumors spread across the campus that she had gone to Cambodia to work because her family was struggling to make ends meet.
One day, Zhou Yifan suddenly approached Zhang Yi, acting unusually friendly. He walked up, leering, and said, "Surname Zhang , do you know about the fraud case that's been trending online lately?"
Zhang Yi frowned. What the heck was he talking about?
Still, to play along, he shook his head.
Zhou Yifan continued, "They say many people were tricked into going to Cambodia, where they were detained, beaten, and electrocuted. That was for men. Do you know what happens to women?"
'Cambodia?'
Zhang Yi suddenly grew serious. His immediate question was, "What happens?"
Zhou Yifan smirked and leaned closer, his words dripping with malice. "She'll end up on a bus, gang-raped and passed from one man to the next… until her body is ruined beyond repair. Once her body is unusable, they'll disembowel her and harvest her organs to sell… Hehe. That filthy bitch is such a hypocrite—probably enjoying herself while serving men every day."
"You fucker!"
Blood rushed to Zhang Yi's head. He grabbed Zhou Yifan by the collar. "You're talking dog shit—I'll make you regret it!"
Not knowing it was a trap, he had broken Zhou Yifan's ribs, complete with his mouth needing to be stitched up.
Zhang Yi was expelled this time, as it was the second time he had sent someone to the hospital. And that wasn't the end. Not only did he fail to receive his graduation certificate, but he also lost a lot of money—so much so that he had to sell his late parents' house. Since that day, he had to start working early to survive.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye. Now, he works in construction during the day and delivers food part-time at night.
"Thank you very much!"
Another delivery completed, and Zhang Yi could finally catch his breath. He looked at his watch—now it was already 1 A.M.
TRING~
Just as Zhang Yi was about to finish his deliveries for the day, his phone rang again. Another errand had come through.
"Hemostatic dressings and bandages?" he muttered.
The delivery fee alone was 15 yuan, but the delivery location was strange—it was at a deserted intersection.
"Whatever..." Zhang Yi shrugged.
Poor folks gotta eat, and a paycheck's a paycheck—even if it comes with weird errands!
He quickly delivered the items to the designated intersection. It was late at night, and no one else was there.
Only one old woman squatted by a brazier, crying and burning paper money.
Zhang Yi hesitated for a moment, then approached her and asked if she had placed the order.
"Hello... are you the one who ordered hemostatic dressings and bandages?"
The old woman wept silently, looking at Zhang Yi but not answering. She took the bandages and hemostatic medicine and threw them into the brazier.
Zhang Yi was shocked, but he managed to calm himself. "Is this for deceased relatives?"
The practice of burning items for deceased relatives is a widespread and deeply rooted cultural tradition. This ritual is primarily a form of ancestor worship, aimed at providing the deceased with necessities and luxuries in the afterlife.
The old woman choked up. "Burn this for my dead daughter. I dreamt she was standing at this crossroads... her belly... her belly... Waaah! Her stomach was cut open... covered in blood... and her intestines were dragging on the ground. She asked me to buy her bandages and hemostatic medicine..."
She broke down completely, wailing, "Manman... my poor Manman! She was tricked into that hellish place in Cambodia... how could she possibly rest in peace!"
The words struck Zhang Yi like a thunderbolt: 'Manman... Cambodia...'
"Wait... Manman? Is your daughter's name... Li Manman?" he asked, his voice trembling.
The old woman's eyes widened. "Yes... you... you know Manman?"
Zhang Yi drew a sharp breath. "Did she... study at Tsinghua University before?"
"Yes!" the old woman confirmed, nodding through her tears.
"..."
Now everything made sense. Everything suddenly clicked.
"Manman..." Zhang Yi was shaken.
He had no idea what he had encountered there. Zhang Yi's thoughts instantly returned to three years ago. He regretted it—regretted it very much!
Zhou Yifan... he should have done more. It shouldn't have been just a few broken ribs… he should have snapped that bastard's neck!
Zhang Yi's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he raised his hand to wipe them away.
"Auntie, I—"
The words stuck in his throat.
A sudden gust of icy wind swept through the crossroads, and the hairs on the back of Zhang Yi's neck stood on end.
The old lady who had been standing right in front of him... was gone.
The brazier that had been burning just a second ago... vanished.
He was utterly alone. Just him. And the darkness.
Zhang Yi's heart skipped a beat.
What had just happened?
How could a perfectly healthy person simply dissapear... in the blink of an eye?