Standing Next To You-Chapter 267: Not my friend!

In her anger, Lin Sunji turned away and walked towards in a different direction, unwilling to be in the same space as Zhong Cheng.

Lin Sunji was angry, and she had nowhere to diffuse it. She walked for a while while stomping on the ground here and there.

But then a group of students appeared at the end of the road, Lin Sunji abruptly paused and changed course.

However, there were several students walking out from the opposite direction.

Lin Sunji: !

She momentarily forgot her anger and looked for ways to escape.

Lin Sunji ran quite a few times while trying to dodge the students. Finally, she caught sight of the clinic in the distance.

With newfound determination, she sprinted toward it.

Fortunately, the clinic was deserted except for the school doctor.

Upon noticing the scratches on her face, the school doctor was taken aback. He rose from his seat and fetched a medical kit. "What happened to you, student?"

Lin Sunji’s breath came in ragged gasps, her legs feeling weak. She slumped into a chair. "...I fell."

The school doctor’s expression remained inscrutable.

Clearly, those scratches didn’t come from a mere fall.

"Let me patch you up."

The school doctor’s demeanor was kind and gentle as he tended to the scratches on Lin Sunji’s face and the bruises on her arm.

The school doctor already had an inkling of what had occurred but remained silent. As he prepared to apply the bandaids, Lin Sunji halted him.

"Uhm, Doc. I don’t want bandaids. Could you give me a mask instead?"

"But your wound might get infected if you don’t apply a bandaid."

"I’ll put it on later," Lin Sunji insisted.

Finally relenting, the school doctor handed her a box of bandaids. "Make sure to apply it later, and reapply the ointment."

Lin Sunji stared at the box of bandaids in her hand, noticing it was the same brand as the one Zhong Cheng had given her earlier.

"...Did someone else take a box of these earlier?"

The school doctor was taken aback and nodded. "Yes. Do you know that student?"

Lin Sunji lowered her gaze. "...No. I don’t know anyone as irritating and annoying as him."

The school doctor: "...."

Lin Sunji’s current appearance and her response left the school doctor wondering.

Was it a fight? But the scratches didn’t seem to come from that student. The boy had neatly trimmed nails. Considering how the student got a box for her earlier, the two must be friends.

They must have had some disagreement.

The school doctor was familiar with Zhong Cheng. Zhong Cheng and Bei Sangyun visited the clinic frequently, utilizing it as their private office.

From what he knew, Zhong Cheng didn’t seem like the type to harm a female student.

The school doctor had already pieced together what had likely transpired and couldn’t help but offer some advice, "It’s rare to have friends who are genuinely concerned about you."

Friends?

That hateful man wasn’t her friend! He existed to make her life miserable.

"We are not friends! I hate him!" Lin Sunji exploded.

She snatched the mask and the box of bandaids from the desk and slammed the clinic’s door in anger.

Why did so many people who didn’t understand her situation speak as if they knew everything?

They scolded her as if they had the right to do that.

She was Lin Sunji, the cherished daughter of the fourth branch of the Lin family. She was her parents’ hope, a capable heir, and someone many admired and envied. She was someone that those people couldn’t easily judge.

But why... why was she suffering so much?

A fake friend who takes advantage of her tore her mask away and became violent towards her.

A bastard daughter held her fate in her hands, controlling her as she pleased.

A random dude from the middle class dared to order her around, leaving her with no recourse for complaint.

And now, a stranger dared to criticize her? Were they all looking down on her too much?

How dare they!

Lin Sunji clenched her fist until the box of bandaids distorted in her grip. She glanced down at her palm, her thoughts echoing the school doctor’s words.

Concern?

That bastard Zhong Cheng wasn’t her friend; he was undoubtedly not concerned for her either. He was only loyal to Bei Sangyun. Didn’t he defend Bei Sangyun and criticize her whole being?

How dare that doctor speak as if he knew everything.

Lin Sunji tossed the box of bandaids into the trash.

Useless.

Putting on her mask, Lin Sunji made her way to the parking lot, keeping her head lowered, avoiding eye contact. She feared people would recognize her.

Just as she neared the parking lot, a group of rowdy male students, laughing and jumping about, blocked her path. Unaware of Lin Sunji’s presence, they collided with her.

One of the male students, clearly with a short temper, whipped his head toward Lin Sunji. "Don’t you have eyes?!"

Lin Sunji was thrown back a step from the collision. She felt a searing pain in her shoulder. With a temper of her own, she retorted, "You’re the one who doesn’t have eyes!"

The student, angered by Lin Sunji’s response, didn’t care that she was a female. He stepped forward, domineeringly. "What did you say?"

His friends attempted to restrain him. "Hey, don’t fight a girl."

"A girl? It’s a stretch to call her that. She’s wearing a boy’s PE uniform. Did you sneak onto our campus? Whose boyfriend are you?"

Lin Sunji glared at the male student angrily.

Why were there so many annoying people today?

Lin Sunji snapped and raised her chin, replying more assertively, "Me? I’m your grandma, jerk!"

The student’s smirk on his face disappeared. Some random girl insulted him. Who wouldn’t be angry?

He struggled out of his friends’ hold and raised his hand to push Lin Sunji.

Lin Sunji didn’t anticipate the other party would assault her. She wanted to dodge, but it was too late. The forceful push from her bruised shoulder knocked her off balance.

Just as she thought she would hit the ground, a pair of hands steadied her.

Lin Sunji turned and saw a familiar face.

"The school strictly prohibits violence and bullying. An expulsion for fifteen days, two weeks of voluntary work, and several reflection letters will be issued to students who are caught bullying others. Do you want to be reported to the guidance office?"

Lin Sanju recited without much expression. Tall and imposing, his words commanded attention. When he chose to reveal himself, he could be overbearing.

Lin Sanju’s presence, his expression, and his solemn words didn’t seem like he was bluffing.

His words caused the students to pause and hesitate. They pulled their friend back and persuaded him to calm down.

"We’re sorry. Our friend’s been in a bad mood lately, so he can’t stop himself from overreacting. Please don’t report us. We’ll leave now." The group of students hurriedly departed before anyone could report them.

Lin Sunji glared at her brother. "Did you intend to just let them go like that? They harmed me!"

"Do you really want to fight them to the end? If we report them, your identity will be revealed as well."

Lin Sunji hesitated.

Lin Sanju began to walk. "The driver’s already here. Let’s go."

Lin Sunji lowered her head and clenched her fist.

This annoying day just keeps getting worse.

Once they were both in the car, Lin Sunji asked her brother, "How did you know it was me?"

She was wearing someone else’s PE uniform and a mask. Had her brother learned about her fight with Wang Jia? Had rumors about their fight already spread?

If that’s the case, then she won’t have any more face to appear in school.

"Someone named Zhong Cheng told me. He said he’s your classmate."

Lin Sunji was stunned. She hadn’t expected Zhong Cheng to seek out her brother after their fight.

Lin Sanji handed her a box of bandaids. "He also gave me this. Anyway, I didn’t know you had a friend like him."

Lin Sunji didn’t accept the bandaids. She bit her lip. "He’s not my friend."

Lin Sanju stared at her for a moment. He didn’t ask why she was wearing someone else’s uniform or why she had a mask on. He didn’t comment on Lin Sunji’s response either.

"Is that so? Then I’ll take it." Lin Sanju was about to keep the box away, but Lin Sunji snatched it.

"You already took the heir title that should have been mine. Why would I give something that’s rightfully mine to you?"

Lin Sunji was still bitter about her brother being chosen as their branch’s representative. It should have been hers. But now that privilege was gone.

Currently, Lin Sanju had their parents’ support and had become the treasured heir of the fourth branch.

Whenever Lin Sunji thought about that, she felt like it had been stolen from her.

Even if she hated the person who gave it to her, it was still hers. She couldn’t let her brother take more from her!

The corner of Lin Sanju’s lips slightly rose up but then quickly disappeared. He shrugged.

"Suit yourself."