Fang Ruoshi looked at Shu Lanzhou, then glanced at the trash bin again, seemingly in disbelief at what he'd just seen.
"You... what did you just throw away?"
Shu Lanzhou found his devastated expression rather amusing.
"A wooden block bunny meant to amuse a three-year-old. What, Fang, did you think it was something valuable?"
"Shu Lanzhou!!" Fang Ruoshi pointed at her, fury flaring in his eyes. "It wasn't about money—it was my heart! Don't you know I built that bunny myself? I painted it, stroke by stroke. Do you have any idea how much time and effort I put into it? And you—you just dumped it into the trash like it was nothing!"
"You—how could you do that to me?"
She had absolutely no interest in responding. Shu Lanzhou knew all too well that ignoring them completely, refusing even to explain, was the most effective form of punishment—especially for people like them, who'd been so used to her obedience.
But as more and more students gathered around to watch the drama unfold, she realized she had to say something.
In her past life, it was this very silence that had let others smear her name again and again. By the time she wanted to defend herself, no one was willing to listen.
This time, she wouldn't make that mistake again.
"Compared to the cheap little toy you got for under ten yuan," she said, voice steady and cold, "I spent months not eating meat just to buy you the latest model of a sports watch for your birthday."
"It took everything I had to save enough, and when I finally handed it to you, you criticized the color choice in front of everyone and humiliated me."
"You say the bunny was handcrafted, painted with care. Sure. But I went hungry for months. So tell me, Fang Ruoshi—how is your effort worth more than mine? And once you gave me that thing, it was mine to do with as I pleased. What right do you have to scream at me about it?"
Her eyes were icy, utterly devoid of emotion.
"I was stupid before. Willingly fooled by you people. But now? I couldn't care less about your so-called feelings. Feel free to throw away anything I ever gave you."
"But… would you really be able to do it?"
Her mocking smile dragged each word out slowly, like a slap to Fang Ruoshi's face. He looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
The crowd that had gathered to watch couldn't hold back any longer.
"No wonder Shu Lanzhou left the team so decisively. So she was being bullied?"
"I thought she and Fang Ruoshi were close! Turns out it was all for show. Seriously, giving her some worthless piece of junk and receiving a thousand-yuan watch in return? Shameless."
"Gifts are supposed to come from the heart, but they should also be relatively equal in value. Anyone can say sweet words—it's the actions that count."
"If Fang treated her like that, what about the rest of the team?"
"Probably just as bad. Why else would she look so malnourished?"
"Malnourished is right. Look at her clothes—worn and faded. What kind of guy accepts a thousand-yuan gift from a girl dressed like that?"
"Exactly! If he cared about her at all, he'd at least get her a decent outfit!"
The dorm gate was crowded mostly with girls, and they were particularly sympathetic. In seconds, Fang Ruoshi had been verbally torn to shreds.
He was about to lose it.
"Shut up! You don't know anything. We never bullied her. We always cared about her! She's our junior, and any success she has now is because—"
"My success came from my own ability," Shu Lanzhou coldly interrupted. "And now that I failed the retest, I didn't stick around begging to stay on the team."
"Fang, I suggest you think before you speak. Don't go dragging Professor Han's name into your nonsense."
Fang Ruoshi's face went pale. He suddenly felt a jolt of fear.
He'd been so blinded by anger that he nearly said Shu Lanzhou only ever succeeded because of the support from them, her seniors. Everyone knew that without their guidance and Professor Han's strict tutelage, there was no way she could've stayed at the top of her class or received so many awards.
But saying that aloud… would've been disastrous.
After all, she had been the only girl in that entire team. One wrong word and the rumors would start flying—that she had earned her place by seducing her way into the team. That would cast a shadow not only on her, but on the integrity of Professor Han's recruitment.
And that wasn't something he could afford.
He was still caught up in that panic when he noticed Shu Lanzhou's clenched fists, her face stormy with rage.
In her past life, those exact rumors had destroyed her.
People said she was shameless, that she had only made it into the team and earned awards by sleeping her way to the top. They said she had no real skills and was eventually kicked out for being exposed. Some even claimed she'd stripped naked and tried to seduce the professor and her seniors to stay.
Not a single one of those lies was true.
But not one of those so-called seniors, not even Professor Han, had ever come forward to defend her. They just stood there and watched her get slandered, insulted, blacklisted by every hospital and research institute in the field.
And now, Fang Ruoshi was carelessly dragging all that up again.
Did he not realize that one flippant comment from him could ruin her all over again?
Who did he think he was to claim credit for her achievements?!
If it weren't for the fact that she didn't want to dirty her own hands, she'd have slapped him—twice.
Fang Ruoshi realized the damage was done. There was no saving this. Shu Lanzhou had drawn the line, and she wasn't coming back.
Still, he couldn't let go of the fact that he had put effort into making that rabbit. She had willingly given him that expensive watch. He never forced her. He didn't ask her to starve for it.
They even joked that she'd gone vegetarian to stay thin. It never occurred to him that she'd stopped eating meat because she literally couldn't afford it.
But how was that his fault? She chose to do it. He never made her. So why was he the one getting scorned?
He glanced around at the disgusted stares and felt his hatred for Shu Lanzhou peak.
"Looks like Lin was right," he said bitterly. "You've changed, Shu Lanzhou. I never imagined you'd become so vile—talking about money like this."
"With that mindset, how can you possibly expect to succeed in research? No wonder you lost to Lin in the final round. No wonder Professor Han chose her over you. You didn't make the team because you don't deserve it!"
Shu Lanzhou gave a short, cold laugh.
"Fang, is your memory that bad? I ranked first in the preliminary assessment. I lost on the thesis. And I accept that—Professor Han didn't like my work, and that's fair."
"And if you say I didn't deserve it—then so be it."
She had completely lost interest in arguing. If not for the need to clarify things, she wouldn't have wasted a second more on Fang Ruoshi.
This was all just—
A complete waste of time. What a joke.
Without another word, Shu Lanzhou turned and walked away.