Chapter 89: Extra One

On a scorching elementary school playground, children are joyfully enjoying their leisure time without a care in the world. Accompanied by the intermittent sound of cicadas, the students chase and play with abandon, laughter mingling into a chorus, creating the perfect image of childhood school life.
However, where there is a sunny side, there must be a dark side. In a corner of the campus where even the birds do not go, at this moment, a little girl with crutches is being surrounded and pushed around by several other students.
```htmlHer terrified eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in one grotesque face after another. Fearful, her hands had nowhere to go, and she could only tightly grip her wooden crutch under her left armpit.```
```htmlThe faces of the students around, despite their young age, were filled with an evil that shouldn't belong to their age, both boys and girls.
“Let us see your legs...”
“Come on, just a peek, we're really curious...”```
“I’ve never seen anyone with legs like yours before…”
“I’m seeing it for the first time too…”
A tender voice was filled with mockery and scorn. The little girl murmured “no” repeatedly, trembling all over as she lowered her head, backing away slowly until there was nowhere left to retreat. Her pristine school uniform brushed against the wall, becoming dirty and stained in spots.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the crowd, attempting to take her wooden crutch from under her left armpit. The girl was terrified to the extreme; her right hand instinctively pushed away that filthy hand. While shaking her head frantically, she shouted “No”! Tears of grievance and fear streamed down her face.
The boy, who had been pushed away, was taken aback for a moment, then screamed and rushed forward to snatch the girl’s wooden crutch with both hands.
The other students burst into loud laughter.
The little girl seemed to lose her balance and fell hard to the ground, finally unable to hold back and let out a loud cry. Her sharp wail startled the little birds resting on the branches nearby. The birds flapped their wings and scattered, leaving behind a shower of relaxed leaves that slowly drifted down…
Teardrops flowed down her small face like a waterfall, and she cried out hoarsely, her helpless appearance making it seem as if she was about to faint at any moment.
“Ah hahahaha……”
The air was filled with various sharp and piercing mocking voices.
“Freak…”
“Did your mom die of fright from you?”
“If I were your dad, I wouldn’t want you either…”
“Are you the devil...?”
The girl sat on the ground, tilting her head back, her eyes wildly darting around to scan the circle of students in front of her. These words were like a poisoned knife deeply stabbing into her heart; she didn’t want to hear them and cried out in pain, pressing her hands tightly over her ears.
The sky and earth turned, harsh words mingled, and one by one, the small faces contorted into sinister and sharp expressions as if possessed.
"Kill them..."
Suddenly, a soft yet powerful voice rang in the little girl's ear. Even though her ears were tightly covered, the voice was so clear, as if it came from something living deep within her heart.
"Kill them..."
```htmlOnce again, the little girl repeated it, and her crying stopped.
Slowly lowering her hands, the laughing students in front of her seemed to belong to two separate worlds, and she could no longer hear any sound. After hesitating for a moment, her eyes suddenly rolled back, emitting an eerie light, as if something behind her was manipulating her, granting her immense power.```
In the blink of an eye...
The little girl seemed like a fierce wind carrying blades, lunging ferociously at the nearest boy.
Puff—
Lingrong City.
The silent night sky enveloped countless households.
The little girl in the dream suddenly woke up, sitting straight up in bed.
She was breathing heavily, her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest, and beads of sweat clung to her forehead, with strands of hair sticking to one side of her cheek.
The moonlight streamed through the window and fell on her face, reflecting a mischievous glow.
She probably had another nightmare, in which she was herself as a primary school student 20 years ago. She must have experienced so much bullying in the past that it still occasionally intrudes on her life, waking her up time and again in the dead of night.
She grabbed the water cup from the bedside and downed it in one go, continuously rubbing her forehead with both hands, long black hair cascading over her thin, frail shoulders. She felt like crying, but she struggled to suppress the deepest, most painful memories in her mind. Because she clearly understood that once this memory poured out, the bottomless sorrow would follow suit.
This woman, who goes by the name of "No," has become a woman with significant character and psychological flaws two decades later. This is not only due to her physically disabled body and the incomplete family environment she grew up in, but also stems from the various bullying she faced since childhood.
Fei took a deep breath, trying to calm the restless emotions within, and turned to look at the crutch and prosthetic leg leaning against the bed.
They were quiet and still, lacking any spirit, and did not impart life, so they did not understand their owner's joys, anger, sadness, or happiness.
It’s probably a habit to wake up startled from dreams, or maybe the late hours are inherently a time when bad emotions overflow. To prevent things from spiraling out of control, I sighed and hurried back into the blankets to continue sleeping...
The next day, Xian held a cup of steaming coffee at her computer, occasionally tapping on the keyboard. This was her job, managing the website operations and backend maintenance for some private small companies.
The labor fee isn't much, but it's enough to support herself and cover daily expenses and the annual rent of this small apartment.
She has thought about going out to find a stable job, but every time she attends an interview, the interviewers always fixate on her uncoordinated left leg. Even though she has a prosthetic leg hidden inside her pants, allowing her to move freely, no strict companies are willing to hire her.
Over time, she grew to hate the peculiar looks from people. Even walking down the street, those surprised gazes felt like an inescapable nightmare closely following her. She began to loathe contact with others, preferring to be alone. Like an insecure silkworm, she tightly wrapped herself up, crying and healing in a narrow, dark space.
Perhaps it was an early realization of the world's evil that led to the denial of ever needing friends. Yet, there are always a few people who genuinely care about her. She is unwilling to accept their kindness but also feels too embarrassed to reject them. Perhaps they are truly well-meaning, but in her eyes, that just seems like false goodwill, a curiosity-driven desire to peek into the life of an oddity, all while pretending it’s concern for her well-being. Such thoughts have become deeply ingrained in her mind and are impossible to change.
Because since childhood, he/she has always believed that human hearts are inherently inscrutable.
Right now, he/she is staring at the computer screen, struggling to tackle a series of problems on the website. Suddenly, the phone next to him/her rings.
```htmlA message from the landlord: The rent will increase monthly starting next year.
No glanced at the phone, his hands that were originally typing on the keyboard gradually came to a stop, and the fluctuating emotions inside him began to stir again.```
Why is life so difficult and strenuous? Brought into this world without consent, one must confront the harsh realities of life from the moment of birth. No matter what, one can only grit their teeth and continue living; there are no other options.