After being reborn, I had a bad ending with my first love. - Chapter 2

When Yan Sui and another girl from her group arrived at the assigned cleaning area behind the school, a few boys were already squatting by the flowerbed.

Their uniforms hung loosely on them, the jackets wide open to reveal flashy T-shirts underneath. Each of them held a cigarette, blowing smoke rings while staring at the two girls carrying cleaning tools.

Yan Sui set down the dustpan, picked up her broom, and deliberately walked away from the boys.

The other girl followed, face full of annoyance.
“So annoying. Why are those senior boys here again? Now the ground is full of ashes.”

Yan Sui paused mid-sweep, looked up, and shook her head.
“Keep your voice down.”

Though displeased, the girl understood it wasn’t wise to say more right now, so she stayed quiet and went to sweep another side.

The cleaning area was large, but there wasn’t much trash. In a few minutes they had finished most of it, leaving only the spot where the senior boys were smoking.

Suppressing her emotions, Yan Sui walked over and started sweeping there. The broom brushed lightly across the ground, raising dust into the already smoky air.

One of the boys cursed impatiently.
“Can’t you see people here?”

The girl instantly wanted to retort.
“Obviously it’s you—”

Yan Sui quickly grabbed her hand to stop her, pulling her slightly behind her. She looked up at the boy and calmly said,
“Sorry.”

Then she lowered her broom, circled around them, and started cleaning in smaller, restrained motions.

The girl, stifled and wronged, had no place to vent her anger. Her eyes reddened.
“They’re the unreasonable ones! The school bans smoking, yet they hide here, make a mess, and even yell at us.”

Yan Sui handed her a tissue from her pocket.
“Don’t argue with them. Let it go.”

The girl didn’t know, but Yan Sui did.

Those boys were at the bottom of the senior class, notorious for fighting, skipping, and breaking rules. They had only changed their smoking spot because their last hideout had been discovered by teachers.

Several of them were already on serious probation—one step from expulsion.

In Yan Sui’s past life, she hadn’t known how troublesome they were. She had argued with them, thinking they’d back off, but they hadn’t. A scuffle broke out. Though the teacher arrived in time to stop it, she twisted her ankle in the pushing and shoving, and the boys held a grudge. Afterwards, they constantly tried to trip her up.

This time, Yan Sui was clear on her purpose for coming back. She didn’t want extra trouble. And she knew that in ten minutes, patrolling teachers would pass through, catching the boys smoking without her having to do anything.

Since they were bound to be caught, there was no need for conflict.

Yan Sui tried to avoid them and even warned her partner not to argue.

But perhaps because it was after school, the girl was restless. After they cleaned the other side, the boys tossed more ashes and cigarette butts onto the freshly swept ground. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

“If you want to smoke, can’t you go somewhere else? Can’t you see we’re cleaning?”

Yan Sui’s heart tightened. Before she could grab the girl, the boys reacted.

After a few curses, one of them flicked his cigarette butt at them.
“Who the hell are you to boss me around?”

The girl flinched, shoulders trembling, but still stood her ground.

Another boy tossed his cigarette and ground it into the floor with his shoe.
“Yeah, I threw it. What are you gonna do?”

Yan Sui frowned, gripping her broom tightly.

She hadn’t wanted conflict. She had hoped to let the teacher’s patrol resolve it. But fate seemed set: the same confrontation as before was happening again.

She couldn’t push her classmate out to face it alone.

So…

Her grip on the broom loosened. In that instant she made her choice.

She stepped forward, shielding the girl behind her.
“The school clearly bans smoking. We sophomores are dismissed, but you seniors aren’t. This is our assigned cleaning area. A teacher will patrol here soon. If you don’t want us cleaning around you—”

Yan Sui suddenly flung her broom down.

Smack! The broom hit the ground, scattering ashes into the air.

“—then clean it yourselves.”

Her tone was calm, as though stating an ordinary fact, her gaze steady as she met their eyes.

The boy in front of the broom froze, stunned by the gesture. Then his face darkened with anger.
“The hell—are you threatening me?”

Another boy, still sitting, sneered with mock applause.
“Sophomores are pretty cocky now, huh? Careful you don’t cry before the teacher even gets here.”

“Just stating facts,” Yan Sui replied coolly, ignoring their threats.

At that moment, a cold mechanical voice echoed in her mind.

“Host.”

It was the system’s warning: Avoid conflict. Remember your purpose.

That had been her intention. But clearly, this fight was inevitable. Whether aimed at her or the girl, it could not be avoided.

In her last life, this girl had helped her many times. Yan Sui couldn’t just watch her face it alone.

If it couldn’t be avoided, then she’d face it head-on.

She wasn’t afraid of trouble. If it came to it, she’d fight.

The boys were glaring now, fists twitching restlessly. Yan Sui clenched her own fist, observing every movement.

Then—the bell rang.

Her tense hand slowly loosened.

Time was almost up.

The boys moved closer, surrounding them. Yan Sui pulled her partner to her side, their hands gripping tightly, as if sharing strength.

When one boy shoved, Yan Sui stepped back, pulling the girl with her, dodging the push.

The failed shove left him momentarily off balance.

Yan Sui retreated until her back pressed against the wall. Nowhere left to go. But at least here, she thought, they’d be safe from real harm.

After all, this was still school. No matter how reckless these boys were, they wouldn’t go too far. Last time, even when she argued more fiercely, the worst was being shoved into a corner. She had only been injured because she stumbled.

Still, if they did attack, she was ready to fight back.

As she watched their hands, a voice suddenly rang out—familiar yet strange.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Yan Sui froze.

Everyone turned toward the sound.

A tall boy straightened his back. His uniform was rumpled, chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.

In the sunlight, his pale face was flushed from running, damp bangs sticking messily to his forehead. His deep eyes met hers, and for an instant she thought she saw an unspoken emotion burning there.

“Who the hell are you? Get lost.”

The boy—Yu Shuli—smirked, but his gaze was sharp with mockery.
“Why should I?”

One of the seniors lost patience and raised a hand to strike him.
“Another idiot looking for a beating. Get out before—”

His hand was caught mid-air. Yu Shuli gripped his arm tightly, stopping the motion. Then his smile vanished, and his voice dropped cold.
“Wanna fight?”

The boy froze.

Yu Shuli tilted his head toward the group.
“On my way here, I saw a teacher heading for Building Three. You sure you still want to hang around?”

He gestured at the ground.
“And what about all this trash? Planning to leave it here as evidence?”

The boys exchanged uneasy glances. Then, one by one, they backed down.

The one in front pulled his arm free, scowling.
“This time we’ll let you off. Don’t let us catch you later.”

Yu Shuli gave him a thin smile.
“Anytime.”

The group left quickly, not even bothering to clean up the ashes and butts.

The girl beside Yan Sui spat at their retreating backs.
“Cowards. And they left all this mess for us.”

Yu Shuli walked over and glanced at the ground.
“Leave it. Let the teacher see.”

The girl looked up, grateful.
“Thank you so much. You really helped us out… even though now they’ll hold a grudge against you.”

“It’s nothing.” Yu Shuli smiled and held out his hand.
“I’m Yu Shuli.”

“Wen Qingman.”

Yan Sui was still lost in her thoughts when a shadow fell across her. A hand stretched toward her.

“Hello. I’m Yu Shuli, Class One, Science stream.”