Chapter 2

That night, when I returned to the dorm, the class group chat was exploding with messages.

Hugh had posted a long, emotional message, voicing his resentment.

[I don’t know why that piece of paper ended up in my pocket. We all know there’s only one admission slot for grad school. Edward’s grades are always so good, and I’ve always looked up to him as a role model. But today… I was just trying to help him pick up his pen. I never expected this to happen. It’s okay if I couldn’t take the exam. As long as Edward gets the spot, I’ll be relieved. I just hope everyone doesn’t misunderstand me. I really didn’t cheat.]

Underneath, the chat filled with messages of comfort and outrage.

[Hugh, don’t be sad! We all understand! Someone must’ve set you up because you were jealous!]

[The more you think about it, the creepier it gets. Edward usually keeps to himself. I never thought he’d be so cunning!]

[Framing your own roommate just to secure an admission slot? No matter how good his grades are, his character is trash!]

[@Edward Come out and explain yourself! Stop playing dead!]

I stared at the endless stream of messages on the screen and put my phone away. Trying to explain things to a bunch of idiots who had decided what to believe would be a complete waste of my time. If Hugh wanted to play games, then I’d play along, and I’d make sure he enjoyed it.

The next morning, something felt off the moment I stepped into the classroom. The previously noisy room suddenly fell silent for a few seconds. Then, the whispers began. Every pair of eyes that landed on me carried contempt and exclusion.

Hugh was sitting in the first row. Dark circles hung under his eyes. It was an obvious sign he hadn’t slept all night. When he saw me walk in, he visibly flinched. The reaction immediately drew several girls nearby to glare at me with hostility.

The fiercest among them was Tina Kingsley, an athlete with the university. She was Hugh’s most devoted pursuer. Because she was an athlete and physically strong, she’d often stood up for him.

“Some people really do have thick skin. They frame someone and still have the nerve to come to class,” Tina said loudly, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

I ignored her and walked straight toward my seat.

Just as I was about to get to my desk, several lines of floating text suddenly drifted across my vision again.

[Tina poured half a bottle of super glue onto Edward’s chair!]

[Haha, nice one! It’s time to teach Edward a lesson!]

[That’s industrial-strength glue. If he sits down, his pants are done for. He won’t even be able to tear them off. Let’s see how he shows his face in public after this!]

My steps paused for a brief moment. My gaze swept over my chair. Sure enough, under the light, the surface reflected a faint glossy sheen.

Tina and a few girls nearby were exchanging knowing looks, clearly waiting for the show to start. Hugh had also turned slightly in his seat. He appeared to be reading a book, but he kept glancing in my direction out of the corner of his eye.

I pretended not to notice anything and calmly sat down.

“He sat down! He actually sat down! This is going to be good!”

Tina clenched her fists excitedly, the muscles in her face trembling with anticipation. However, one second, two seconds, and three seconds later, I remained seated steadily in the chair. I even adjusted my posture, took out my book, and began reading as if nothing had happened.

“What’s going on?” Tina froze, muttering under her breath. “Did the glue lose its strength?”

Instinctively, she reached into the pocket of her athletic pants, wanting to check whether the bottle of glue had been emptied earlier. The moment her hand slipped into her pocket…

“Ah!”

A shrill scream suddenly tore through the classroom, startling everyone.

Tina shot up from her seat, but it was as if something had grabbed hold of her. Her body twisted awkwardly as both hands frantically tried to rip her pants away from her thighs.

“It burns! It burns! Ah! Help! My leg!”

She screamed while clawing desperately at the inside of her thigh. It turned out that when she had poured the glue earlier, she’d been in such a hurry that she stuffed the bottle back into her pocket without tightening the cap, and my ‘Misfortune Rebound’ superpower had made the bottle explode right in her pocket.

Half a bottle of industrial super glue poured out, soaking the entire inner side of her thigh and instantly bonding the fabric to her skin. The searing, chemical-burning pain that followed was far beyond what an ordinary person could endure.