HSS CH37

Chapter 37: I Saw Everything

Huo Yuchuan was momentarily at a loss. He listened to the phone, hearing Lin Miao’s voice trembling with tears and questioning, and his brows furrowed. “What happened?”

Lin Miao didn’t say anything; only the sound of his restrained gasps came through.

“Lin Miao…”

“I hate you!” Lin Miao suddenly shouted and hung up the phone.

Huo Yuchuan immediately stood up, strode out of the office, and said to Little Zheng outside in a deep voice, “Back to school.”

Lin Miao ran two laps around the playground, where the surrounding cheerful laughter only made him more irritable and depressed. He wanted to go somewhere quiet to catch his breath, but as he walked under the Comprehensive Building, someone suddenly blocked his way.

Li Wenyao, the class monitor from the neighboring class, glared at him with a dark expression.

Lin Miao was already in a bad mood, and seeing him made it worse. “What do you want? Is there something you need?”

“Lin Miao,” Li Wenyao scanned him from head to toe, his gaze making Lin Miao feel very uncomfortable. “Didn’t you say you don’t like men?”

“I don’t,” Lin Miao replied, puzzled by his sudden outburst.

“What about Huo Yuchuan?” Li Wenyao sneered. “Isn’t he a man?”

Lin Miao felt angry at the mention of Huo Yuchuan’s name. “Who said I like him? I hate him the most!”

“I saw everything,” Li Wenyao’s face darkened even more as he gritted his teeth. “You two were hugging under the teaching building!”

Lin Miao frowned, recalling that it was probably when he had run over and hugged Huo Yuchuan in the afternoon.

“None of your business,” Lin Miao said irritably. “Move aside and stop blocking my way.”

Li Wenyao laughed, his face full of contempt. “Right, I’m not like Huo Yuchuan, who has money and a luxury car. Of course, you look down on me.”

He had seen so many times at the school gate, Lin Miao getting into Huo Yuchuan’s car with his school bag and not returning until the next morning. He had thought Lin Miao was an innocent person, but it turned out he had already been in someone else’s bed and still told him he didn’t like men. He was just disgusted that Lin Miao wasn’t his sugar daddy.

“Lin Miao,” Li Wenyao clicked his tongue, scornfully saying, “I didn’t expect you to be someone who sells themselves.”

Lin Miao’s eyes widened in shock. “What did you say?!”

“Am I wrong?” Li Wenyao’s voice was full of disdain. “Pretending to be so noble? Do you act the same way when you’re in Huo Yuchuan’s bed…”

Before he could finish, a punch flew at his face, hitting his mouth.

“You’re the one with a problem!” Lin Miao shouted in fury. “You’re the one who sells yourself!”

“Get yourself checked if you’re crazy!”

“What does it have to do with you who I am with Huo Yuchuan?!”

The two started grappling, and curious students passing by began to gather around. Some even went to call the security guards.

Lin Miao’s head was buzzing with anger. He pushed Li Wenyao away, kicked him, and pushed through the crowd to leave. He didn’t want to be the center of attention and ran straight out of the school gate.

The night was very dark, and the streetlights, obscured by the trees, were even dimmer, casting only sparse shadows.

Lin Miao panted as he walked alone, the long road seeming endless.

Suddenly, a strong smell of alcohol wafted over. Lin Miao turned his head and saw a drunken man staggering closer, grinning at him and saying, “Hey, handsome, walking alone? Let me keep you company.”

Lin Miao ignored him and quickened his pace.

But the man chased after him, slurring and chattering, “Wait for me, don’t walk so fast… Oh, you’re so cold, but you’re still beautiful.”

“Must be tired from walking, look at that sweat on your forehead. Let me wipe it for you…”

He reached out to touch Lin Miao, but Lin Miao slapped his hand away.

“What are you doing?” Lin Miao said indignantly. “Get away! I don’t even know you!”

“Not wiping?” The man seemed even more excited. “Then a kiss will do. One kiss and we’ll be friends, or we could do something else…”

He suddenly grabbed Lin Miao’s wrist and leaned his heavy body closer.

The pungent alcohol made Lin Miao’s head ache. He struggled to push him away, but although the man was drunk, he was surprisingly strong, holding on tightly and getting closer.

“Let go!”

“Don’t dodge,” the drunkard licked his lips. “You clearly like men, so why pretend?”

“So fair, so soft, you’re just made for men, aren’t you?”

Lin Miao’s pupils shrank, and memories of Li Wenyao cornering him in the restroom years ago suddenly flashed through his mind. It was the same chaotic, maddening situation where he couldn’t hear Lin Miao’s refusals.

“You looked so happy when you saw me, smiling at me. How could you not like me?!”

“How could you not like men?!”

“I don’t believe it, you’re lying to me!”

“Right, I’m not like Huo Yuchuan, who has money and a luxury car. Of course, you look down on me.”

“Pretending to be so noble? Do you act the same way when you’re in Huo Yuchuan’s bed…”

The hot, alcohol-laden breath fell on his face, and Lin Miao felt his stomach churn, with waves of nausea rising. He struggled and kicked wildly. “Get off me!”

“Don’t touch me!”

The drunkard didn’t let go even after being kicked several times. As he lowered his head to kiss Lin Miao, someone suddenly grabbed his collar, yanked him away, and punched him hard in the face, knocking him to the ground and knocking out a few teeth.

“Who the hell hit me…” The man cursed as he tried to get up, but another kick to his chest sent him sprawling, wailing in pain.

Little Zheng, annoyed by the noise, stepped on his mouth to silence him.

Huo Yuchuan’s face was terrifyingly stern. He turned and saw Lin Miao huddled beside a tree, his clothes and hair disheveled, eyes red, hugging his knees and trembling slightly.

It felt as if someone had tightly grabbed Huo Yuchuan’s internal organs, causing him such pain that he could hardly breathe. He squatted down, his voice very low, careful not to scare the person in front of him.

“Lin Miao… Miao Miao, it’s okay now, don’t be afraid…”

He reached out to touch his trembling fingertips, but Lin Miao suddenly retched violently. His stomach churned as if he was about to vomit his gallbladder, but all that came out was a little sour water.

The voices of the drunkard and Li Wenyao echoed chaotically in his mind, like flies he couldn’t swat away, repeating over and over, causing even deeper nausea.

“Lin Miao, I didn’t expect you to be someone who sells themselves.”

“You clearly like men, so why pretend?”

No, he didn’t like men at all!

“Miao Miao…” Huo Yuchuan’s fingertip brushed his tear-stained eyes, trying to wipe away the tears, but Lin Miao pushed him away fiercely.

“I don’t like men!” he shouted in despair. “You all are so disgusting!”

Huo Yuchuan was stunned, his raised hand frozen in mid-air, as if a piece of his heart had been brutally torn out.

The one person he truly cared about said he was disgusting.

Everyone else could hate him, but not Lin Miao.

Not Lin Miao…

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.