Chapter Forty-One: Bullying

Yan Xue listened to Bai Yueni’s mother’s words without finding anything strange. Many shared this viewpoint: whether dating during middle and high school was appropriate had no definitive answer. What was certain was that at such a young age, the pursuit was never for a mature, stable relationship, let alone one lasting long-term. Perhaps it was youthful infatuation, perhaps pure and beautiful, but the balance between that and academic performance was something only the individual could weigh.

However, the notion that “once you get into university, you can casually pick and choose whoever you want” didn’t quite sit right. Yet, this unsuitable advice was precisely what many elders would tell their children.

Yan Xue’s parents never really cautioned her about such matters, mainly because during middle and high school, Yan Xue showed no signs of interest in relationships, leaving her parents free from worry.

In contrast, Song Chen was quite different. From a young age, she had a sharp and lively mind. When she dated a rather eccentric boy in middle school, her father almost lost his temper.

At that time, Yan Xue’s aunt educated Song Chen by explaining that it wasn’t about forbidding her from dating, but that the boys around in middle school were simply not worthy. It was better to wait until university, where “good ones” would be everywhere.

Later, Song Chen earnestly took her mother’s advice to heart. After entering university, she didn’t focus much on her studies but spent her days thinking about where to find those “good ones.”

“So, did Bai Yueni take your advice to heart?” Kang Ge asked.

“Kind of,” Bai Yueni’s father replied with a complicated expression, sighing deeply. “The child is quite proud by nature. She genuinely looked down on the boys who showed interest in her, so we never really worried about her getting into an early relationship.”

“But… her problem lies elsewhere.”

“Usually, we think that if she doesn’t like someone, just ignore them. We don’t want our daughter to date just any reckless boy because it might jeopardize her future. But if she’s beautiful and outstanding, and those boys like her, that’s a good thing—it shows they have good taste. So, if she doesn’t like them, they can just remain good classmates or friends. There’s no need to create other troubles.”

“That’s true. As long as the other party isn’t persistently pestering, there’s nothing to blame,” Yan Xue nodded.

“That’s what we thought, but Ni Ni wasn’t like that,” Bai Yueni’s mother said with a troubled look. “She was too proud. When boys pursued her and liked her, if she didn’t like them back, she would mock them.”

“My husband and I are straightforward people with modest education, working hard to support the family. We believe in harmony and avoiding conflicts. But Ni Ni must have learned from someone else—she was ruthless with her words, leaving no room for others, and it was very unpleasant.”

“At first, we didn’t know how she behaved at school because at home, she was quite obedient. But one day, a parent of one of her classmates called us, saying their son was bullied by Ni Ni. She publicly read and mocked a love letter he wrote to her in front of the entire class, line by line. The boy came home saying he never wanted to go back to school, threatening to quit or transfer.”

“Wow, that’s quite a blow,” Kang Ge remarked.

“Yes. At first, we didn’t believe it and thought the other family was exaggerating. But then the boy really insisted on leaving. When the teacher found out, we were summoned to the school and told to apologize. That’s when we realized our daughter had mocked the boy from head to toe—his looks, his grades, everything. The whole class heard it. We were embarrassed and apologized, but the boy still transferred, saying he couldn’t bear to attend school with Ni Ni.”

Hearing this, Yan Xue already had a good idea of what kind of student Bai Yueni had been in middle school.

Bullying on campus was never new. It had existed before and would be hard to eliminate completely in the future. It took various forms, broadly categorized into physical and psychological bullying—bodily harm and mental torment. Physical bullying needed no elaboration; psychological bullying often manifested as ridicule, insult, neglect, or isolation. Common forms included mocking someone’s appearance or intelligence.

Clearly, Bai Yueni was a perpetrator of psychological bullying, and to escalate it to the point of parents being involved was certainly not a momentary lapse.

This surprised Yan Xue somewhat. She didn’t know Bai Yueni’s character well, but based solely on her appearance, it was hard to imagine her having the means to bully others so severely.

In terms of appearance, Bai Yueni was not unattractive, but her beauty was only somewhat above average—a delicate, refined look rather than a stunning, breathtaking beauty. If one were to find fault, her features and figure had their flaws.

As for other aspects, though Bai Yueni’s parents claimed she was both pretty and academically excellent, when Yan Xue initially looked into her background, she learned Bai Yueni graduated from an ordinary university without any prestigious reputation. It wasn’t the kind of school to boast about.

While ability and academic credentials don’t always correlate, if Bai Yueni’s grades were merely average at best during her school years, what justified her superiority complex and mocking of other students?

Suddenly, Yan Xue understood Bai Yueni’s mother’s self-reproach. It was clear that Bai Yueni’s pride and arrogance stemmed from a family environment where she had been raised like a princess from childhood.

Bai Yueni’s father seemed to share this thought, as he had initially resisted his wife airing their daughter’s flaws. He only relented when he heard Bai Yueni wasn’t some scapegoat by misfortune. He was particularly sensitive to any negative impressions or comments about Bai Yueni.

“Officer Yan, I have to say something,” Bai Yueni’s father explained. “We come from a small town. Not to mention comparing us to the capital, we can’t even compare to W City!”

“I know you might think Ni Ni isn’t that pretty, smart, or outstanding, but coming from a small town, the teachers there aren’t on par with those in big cities. Ni Ni wasn’t the top student, but she studied well enough.”

“In our small town, you wouldn’t understand. The kids all looked dark and rough, but Ni Ni was fair-skinned and delicate. There weren’t many like her in her grade. Back then, she was famous in school for her looks and good grades.”

“I understand. Besides this incident, were there others?” Yan Xue nodded understandingly.

“There probably were, but not as serious. The teachers never contacted us, so we don’t really know. We asked Ni Ni, and she said there weren’t any more and even cried, saying we didn’t trust her. So we stopped pressing.”

“Still, I think before she mocked that boy, she must have made fun of others too, or she wouldn’t have been so harsh the first time. But the child denies it, and there’s nothing we can do except remind her not to behave like that anymore.”

“Afterward, we haven’t heard of such incidents. The teachers didn’t contact us again. She was quite well-behaved at home, so we thought she had changed and wasn’t so extreme anymore.”

“If you ask whether she had conflicts with others after that, I can’t guarantee she didn’t. Kids are young and hot-headed; occasional quarrels or arguments aren’t unusual.”

“So, you’re telling us this because you think that boy who transferred might have held a grudge all these years?” Yan Xue asked.

Bai Yueni’s mother hesitated and nodded, admitting her suspicion. “I didn’t think so at first. I’ve been reflecting on Ni Ni’s past, both good and bad, and wondered if things might not have happened if I had acted differently.”

“As I thought more, I remembered that boy. I heard he transferred to another middle school nearby, which wasn’t a good school either. Our town is small, and somehow news of what happened at his old school spread. The kids at the new school started mocking him too…”

“Eventually, he stopped attending and went to work instead, seldom coming home. We even met his parents once; they ignored us. When others asked about their son, they said he was doing well, with a good job and making money. Now that you mention the possibility that the bad actor might target Ni Ni, it all clicks.”

“Why do you think so?” Yan Xue asked.

“Do you really believe he’s doing well?” Bai Yueni’s father snorted. After his wife mentioned this possibility, his mood shifted, and he seemed increasingly convinced the boy was highly suspicious, almost harboring resentment.

“If their kid was really doing well, they’d have come to rub it in our faces, to show they’re better. How could they ignore us? When asked, they tell others their child is fine—that means he’s not, and they’re too ashamed to say it to our faces.”

“Your reasoning is sound. We will investigate thoroughly,” Kang Ge said, nodding in understanding of Bai Yueni’s father’s viewpoint before asking if there were any other suspicious individuals they knew of.

Bai Yueni’s parents couldn’t name anyone else. Aside from that episode, they knew very little about her university years or her work life. After starting work, Bai Yueni rarely discussed her job with them.

They only knew that after entering university, her personality changed somewhat. Her former arrogance diminished considerably. Sometimes, when her parents praised her intelligence and beauty, she would become very impatient and lash out, telling them to stop saying such things as it annoyed her.

Another concern was Bai Yueni’s frequent job changes after graduation—she hadn’t stayed at a single company for a full year. As older generation parents, they held onto the ideal of job stability and worried about her impulsive resignations. They advised her to persevere at one place and avoid constant upheaval.

Bai Yueni grew very annoyed by this, often throwing tantrums about the pressure she faced and how hard life was, begging them to stop interfering and let her handle her own affairs.

Because she was sensitive about this, to avoid straining their relationship, her parents chose not to question her decisions further, granting her full space and freedom, which eventually led to the later identity exchange incident.

Yan Xue and Kang Ge continued to inquire about Bai Yueni’s past classmates and gathered some indirect and even tangential information. Just then, their meal arrived—typical of Kang Ge’s style: four dishes and one soup, all light and refreshing yet nutritionally balanced.

“Please eat. Food is the foundation of life,” Kang Ge said as he placed the dishes on a small table by the wall. “Considering your irregular meals lately and poor appetite, I chose some lighter dishes. You still have to eat well; the case isn’t closed yet, and we need your support. Don’t let yourselves collapse.”

“These dishes must be expensive. We feel a bit embarrassed…” Bai Yueni’s father said, surprised by the generous spread and the quality of the insulated bag, which didn’t look like it came from a cheap place.

“No worries. Take your time and stay strong. Whether this case progresses smoothly depends on your cooperation. You can’t afford to falter,” Kang Ge said breezily, waving his hand, then gestured to Yan Xue. “We won’t disturb your meal. We’ll take our leave now.”