209 Being Targeted
Physical education was held in the afternoon. Because the same person taught Classes Two and Four for physical education, it was not unusual to see Jiang Xue, Liu Cheng, and Su Ni hanging out and gossiping.
Today, however, proved to be an exception.
“Okay, we’ll be forming teams for volleyball practice. Boys will play against each other, and girls will do the same. The losing teams will run ten laps around the field.” The instructor in charge of physical education for their two classes whistled, prompting the students to form teams.
At first, Jiang Xue did not want to participate. After all, she had a date with Xiang Cheng later that night, and she did not want to overexert herself.
She changed her mind when she saw Su Ni standing to one side. Her name would not be Jiang Xue if she allowed someone who betrayed her to get away unscathed! This was a prime opportunity to show others what it meant to turn their backs on her; Su Ni would serve as an example to the rest.
Jiang Xue and Liu Cheng teamed up, while Shen Xi and Zhao Yuan formed their team.
Su Ni looked at Jiang Xue and Shen Xi’s teams. Ultimately, she braced herself, heading toward Jiang Xue’s side of the court.
Even though she had fallen out with Jiang Xue, Su Ni felt that if she did not choose Jiang Xue’s team, thereby embarrassing her further, she would end up in a sorrier state.
Before Su Ni could take more than a few steps toward Jiang Xue’s side, Liu Cheng stopped her. “Our team is full. We don’t have any room to spare.”
Su Ni turned to Shen Xi’s team and noted it was full. Softly, she asked, “But isn’t your team still missing one person?”
“What we lack are teammates, not traitors! I’m not the only one who doesn’t welcome you. Everyone on our team doesn’t. Don’t you guys think so?” Liu Cheng sneered, roping in her fellow teammates to ostracise Su Ni.
Su Ni looked to the instructor in charge of their physical education, hoping he would support her.
The instructor frowned at Jiang Xue’s team. Just as he was about to speak up, Jiang Xue cut in, “Teacher, volleyball is all about teamwork. It requires one to have absolute trust in their teammates. I know this isn’t fair to Su Ni, but no one will accept Su Ni. If I were to impose my will, wouldn’t it be unfair to the others on my team? This will affect the team’s cohesion.”
Jiang Xue’s teammates immediately echoed her words. They had chosen Jiang Xue’s team because they wanted to curry favor with her. How could they not go along with what she wanted now that Jiang Xue had spoken?
It was common knowledge that Liu Cheng’s success, and that of her family, was tied to Jiang Xue.
Each of them had been instructed by their families to get closer to Jiang Xue. Perhaps if they interacted more often with Jiang Xue, they, too, would receive the same kind of benefits as Liu Cheng.
As a result, Su Ni became their convenient excuse to further their agendas, and she had to bear the brunt of all the disdain and contempt aimed at her.
“That’s right, Teacher. Please find someone else. We aren’t going to accept her as our teammate.”
“A team is all about trust. We don’t trust someone who backstabs her friends.”
The physical education teacher was put in a difficult position. The students here were all rich and powerful. Moreover, Jiang Xue was the heiress of the Jiang family; he could not force them to accept Su Ni as part of her team.
Fortunately, someone from Shen Xi’s team spoke up and said they were willing to switch with Su Ni. If Su Ni joined Shen Xi’s team, the matter could be put to rest without further complications.
It was only when practice started that everyone discovered how wrong they were.
Everyone on Jiang Xue’s team seemed to have a grudge against Su Ni. They would spike the ball at Su Ni so fiercely that she would be knocked to the ground several times.
It was not until Su Ni fell and scraped her knees that Zhao Yuan’s temper flared. She shouted, “Are you all crazy? This is volleyball practice, not target practice! Are you trying to hit the ball or hit someone with the ball? If you have a problem with Su Ni, settle it outside the court. Don’t waste everyone’s time with this nonsense!”
Shen Xi also frowned. While she did not sympathize with Su Ni for all the harm she had perpetrated in the past, nor was she nice enough to wipe the slate clean between them, how could volleyball practice continue if Jiang Xue and her ilk were going to ruin it for everyone?
“It’s called strategy,” Liu Cheng laughed arrogantly. “If you’re unhappy with our tactics, just admit defeat.”
The rest of Jiang Xue’s team cheered in the background, jeering and hooting for Shen Xi’s team to concede and run the ten laps around the field.
Su Ni sat on the ground and clutched her injured knee. In the end, she had to excuse herself, and Shen Xi’s team was down a person.