Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 62

Meng Tang gasped, a scream lodged in her throat from sheer fright.

She instinctively shuffled backward, tilting her head to get a clearer look at the figure before her.

When the other person remained silent, Meng Tang slowly slid her hand into her bag while verbally distracting him: “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Can you tell the school to drop the rumor investigation?”

Wang Jue?

Was that his voice?

Her fingers brushed against the knife handle, and she gripped it tightly.

“Was it you? Did you do this to me?”

“I-I just lost my mind for a moment,” Wang Jue took a step forward, emerging from the mottled shadows. “I really didn’t mean to. The school’s about to find out it was me, and I don’t want to end up like Zhang Yifan.”

Meng Tang had never met someone so shameless.

“Your silence, does that mean you won’t agree?” Wang Jue’s expression darkened. “If you just let this go, I swear I’ll stay out of your way from now on. But…”

The unfinished threat sent a chill down her spine. Meng Tang swallowed nervously. “But what?”

“But if I get expelled like Zhang Yifan, I won’t let you off.”

Wisdom lay in knowing when to yield. Meng Tang didn’t dare provoke him and cautiously suggested, “But it’s really late now. Can I talk to the advisor tomorrow?”

“No. You call the advisor right now,” Wang Jue snapped.

“Stay back.” Meng Tang pulled out the carving knife, holding it between them. “D-don’t come any closer.”

The moment Wang Jue saw the knife, he froze.

After a tense silence, his tone softened slightly.

“Fine, I won’t move. But you call the advisor now. Tell them you don’t want this affecting your studies anymore.”

“Okay.” She gave the knife a slight shake. “Step back. I’ll get my phone.”

Wang Jue retreated slowly, his eyes glinting with calculation, but in the dim light, Meng Tang couldn’t even make out his face clearly.

The explosive strength of an athlete far surpassed that of an average person. The moment Meng Tang agreed, Wang Jue lunged at her like a gust of icy wind.

Her wrist was seized in a crushing grip, the sharp carving knife twisted toward her own body.

The sheer disparity in their strength terrified Meng Tang. His grip tightened, the bones in her wrist aching under the pressure. Reflexively, she hunched over, pleading in a whisper, “Let me go, okay? I’ll call them right now.”

Wang Jue didn’t actually want to hurt her, he just needed to keep her under control to prevent any tricks.

He pinned her against the thick tree trunk, large enough to conceal them both, and snatched the knife from her hand.

Her wrist trembling, Meng Tang rubbed it lightly before retrieving her phone from her bag.

Just as the screen lit up, laughter and chasing footsteps echoed from a nearby path,

“Tian Yu, hurry the hell up!”

“Damn, we just finished training. How do you still have the energy to run so fast?”

“You’re the one who wanted to sneak out for barbecue, and now you’re lagging behind. Are we eating or not?”

It was Shao Yiming and Tian Yu. A surge of relief washed over Meng Tang, until a cold blade pressed against her neck.

“Shut up.” Wang Jue, tense, misjudged his strength. The icy edge nicked her skin, freezing Meng Tang in place like a puppet.

Too frightened to even register the pain, she glanced at Wang Jue’s trembling arm and whispered, barely audible, “Y-you’re shaking.”

Wang Jue swallowed hard and warned, “Just shut up.”

Meng Tang fell silent.

“Fuck, why the hell did you suddenly stop?” Tian Yu covered his bumped nose and snapped at Shao Yiming.

Shao Yiming turned his head and asked, “Where’s Brother Chuan?”

Meng Tang froze, Wei Chuan was here too?

Tian Yu: “He was just following us. Hurry up and call him.”

“What’s there to call? He’s here.” Wei Chuan ran over, panting. “My shoelace came undone just now. You two hurry up, I’ll keep watch.”

It really was Wei Chuan. Meng Tang inexplicably saw a glimmer of hope, her mind starting to race.

They had just bought food and might not return the same way, meaning this could be her only chance to call for help.

Three boys would be more than enough to deal with Wang Jue.

But there was one thing: the engraving knife in Wang Jue’s hand. She absolutely couldn’t let him hurt anyone. Otherwise, even if Wei Chuan and the others didn’t hold it against her, the basketball team’s coach would tear her apart.

When holding a knife, the wrist is a relatively vulnerable spot.

Meng Tang’s bag was still slung over her shoulder. She subtly lowered her shoulder, trying to let the bag drop to the ground and draw Wang Jue’s attention.

“The coach probably won’t come after us, right?”

“Who knows? Old He’s pretty damn cunning.”

“He’s way too strict, worse than my own dad.”

“First time I’ve ever agreed with you.”

Wei Chuan kicked each of them. “Cut the bullshit and hurry up.”

The voices grew fainter. Meng Tang grew anxious and relaxed her shoulder abruptly. The heavy bag hit the ground with a dull thud.

Wang Jue instinctively looked down. Seizing the opportunity, Meng Tang suddenly grabbed his arm and screamed, “Wei Chuan!”

Wei Chuan, Tian Yu, and Shao Yiming all turned around at once.

“Help!”

Wei Chuan’s scalp prickled. He instinctively started running back, shouting at Tian Yu as he went, “Is that Meng Tang?”

Tian Yu wasn’t close to Meng Tang, but he at least knew her. His voice was tense as he said, “Looks like her.”

Shao Yiming agreed, “I think so too, but the scream sounded off.”

Whoever it was, since they’d called his name, he had to check it out.

“You fucking tricked me!” Wang Jue swung his arm, nearly lifting Meng Tang off the ground. “Let go! Let go now!”

Meng Tang knew she couldn’t let go even if she died. A cornered rabbit will bite, let alone her, she’d already provoked Wang Jue.

This engraving knife was something she carried with her. If it hurt someone, she’d be held responsible.

So, she absolutely couldn’t let go. In desperation, Meng Tang bit down on Wang Jue’s arm.

Wang Jue howled in pain, his eyes bloodshot. Unable to shake her off, he clenched his fist and slammed it into Meng Tang’s back.

Meng Tang grunted, her breath knocked out of her as if she couldn’t draw air for the longest time.

She was about to lose her grip.

Wei Chuan, Wei Chuan… can you hear me?

Wang Jue knew tonight’s plan was ruined. Hearing the footsteps rushing back, all he wanted was to escape.

But Meng Tang had gone insane, clinging to him and biting him like a madwoman.

He struck her again with all his strength.

“Meng Tang!” Wei Chuan roared in fury, launching himself forward and delivering a brutal kick to Wang Jue’s waist.

Wang Jue shrieked and collapsed to the ground. As he struggled to flee, Shao Yiming and Tian Yu each pinned him down with a foot.

“You think you can bully someone and just walk away?”

The engraving knife clattered to the ground. Meng Tang scrambled on all fours to grab it, only collapsing to her knees once she had it firmly in her grasp, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.

“Meng Tang! Meng Tang!” Wei Chuan’s voice was frantic as he gripped her shoulders and turned her toward him. “Meng Tang… look at me. Are you hurt? Say something, are you hurt?”

Meng Tang’s mind was in a daze. She looked around, picked up her phone from the ground, and turned on its flashlight, shining it directly at Wei Chuan.

Every movement was mechanical, as if someone else was controlling her.

Wei Chuan: “…”

Under the harsh light, his face didn’t appear ghostly or monstrous.

It really was Wei Chuan, he had heard her and turned around.

Meng Tang could no longer hold back. Her lips quivered, and tears fell like wood shavings under her carving knife, scattering uncontrollably.