My arrogant roommate, Brandon, got himself a wealthy girlfriend and has been targeting me ever since. He didn’t just steal my scholarship; he even rallied a whole crowd to cyberbully me. “Look at Mr. Number One in the department! His classmate’s family needs money, but he won’t even donate a dime. My girlfriend’s family, on the other hand, donated a million!” I was speechless. I was the one who anonymously donated a million. Brandon wasn’t satisfied. He brought his girlfriend over to show off. Wait, what? Isn’t that my house manager? When did she start driving my luxury car to pick up guys? My roommate, Brandon, recently started dating a rich girl, and he wouldn’t stop bragging about her in the dorm. “Check it out, isn’t this Richard Mille watch she just gave me super cool?” Brandon deliberately lifted his wrist, flashing the gleaming watch under the lights. “Holy crap, that’s gotta be hundreds of thousands, right? Your girlfriend really spoils you!” “Seriously! Brandon, does your girlfriend have any single friends? Hook us up!” My roommates crowded around Brandon, showering him with envy, puffing him up with their compliments. Brandon casually lent a few pairs of his limited-edition sneakers to them for a few days, making them even more grateful and their flattery even louder. I was quietly coding nearby, not participating, which made Brandon frown. “Leo, what do you think of my watch? This is a limited edition, way better than your plain old watch, right?” I glanced at the watch on Brandon’s wrist and immediately recognized it as a high-quality replica. Meanwhile, the ‘plain old watch’ on my own wrist was a Patek Philippe limited edition, albeit a discreet one. Seeing Brandon’s smug face, I didn’t have the heart to crush his ego. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool. My watch is definitely basic.” Brandon looked incredibly pleased; his frown smoothed out. He walked over and slammed my laptop shut. “I’m not trying to be rude, Leo, but you really need to get some decent clothes. Otherwise, you look really shabby standing next to me.” I was a bit speechless. We all knew about Brandon’s family situation – average working-class. He used to wear fast fashion from online stores. How could he forget who he was just because he got a girlfriend? I nodded dismissively, trying to recall where I’d left off in my code. My roommate, David, walked up to Brandon and clapped him on the shoulder affectionately. “Don’t bother with him, Brandon. You two are just not on the same level. Let’s play some games tonight, and you can tell me more about you and your girlfriend.” Brandon glanced at her, raising his voice, “No can do, I have a date with my girlfriend tonight.” A brief flicker of disappointment crossed David’s eyes. “At some fancy restaurant, I bet? Don’t forget to post on Ins!” Brandon didn’t say anything else. He spent ages messing with his hair in the mirror, then put on the most expensive designer streetwear jacket from his closet, strutting out like a proud peacock. That evening, I was eating takeout in the dorm when I heard David shriek, holding her phone. “Brandon just posted on Ins! French restaurant, foie gras, caviar, red wine… Oh my god!” A group of roommates crowded around to see the post. David, however, shot a dismissive look at me, still eating my takeout. Her voice was tinged with scorn. “Some people are on dates with rich socialites, wearing custom suits, while others are stuck eating thirty-dollar takeout. The difference between people is just wild, isn’t it?” I paused, looking at my delicious spicy stir-fry. What’s wrong with eating takeout? Why does he care so much? Seeing I didn’t react, David shoved her phone directly in my face. “Look, this is Brandon’s Ins post. He and his girlfriend look so perfect together.” I glanced at the photo and immediately perked up. The ‘rich socialite’ Brandon was cuddling in the picture was actually Sarah, my house manager! My dad won the lottery unexpectedly, which gave him his first big break to start his business. After that, his investments soared, snowballing into a massive fortune, and before he knew it, he was one of the wealthiest men in the city. In high school, my family driver would pick me up in different luxury cars every day, and even the clothes I wore under my school uniform were the latest international designer pieces. I was constantly subjected to envious and jealous stares, and then… I nearly got kidnapped. That incident terrified my dad. After I got my university acceptance letter, he repeatedly told me to keep a low profile. Even though he bought me a villa near the campus, he still insisted on the low-key approach. So, I ended up living in the dorms, only occasionally going back to the villa on holidays for a change of scenery. The villa came fully staffed: a house manager, a chef, cleaners, gardeners – the works. Sarah, my house manager, is five years older than me. She’s meticulous and thoughtful, keeping the villa running perfectly. Since I usually live in the dorms, I only visit the villa on weekends. Sarah would prepare the clothes and accessories I needed in advance, sometimes even helping me pick out outfits. Even my casual clothes cost four figures. So, when I enrolled, I made an effort to wear plain clothes without obvious logos. But some classmates still recognized the price tag. I had no choice but to claim they were designer knock-offs, not worth much. That’s how I got labeled as vain, someone who wore knock-offs in my classmates’ eyes. Later, I rushed to the mall to buy some cheaper clothes, and the rumors finally died down. I didn’t really care; I came to university to study, and these small incidents wouldn’t affect me. My dad had experienced the disadvantage of not having a higher education in his business circle, so he always told me to study hard from a young age. “Leo, we’re so rich, we’re practically poor… except for all the money! You have to study hard and make Dad proud!” One wall in our house was covered with all the awards and certificates I’d received since childhood. In my dad’s words, these were the real ‘luxury items.’ We even had staff dedicated to maintaining them. Once, when a corner of a certificate peeled off, my dad personally climbed a ladder and carefully glued it back. I came to university with the goal of getting a scholarship every year for all four years. The money itself wasn’t important; it was the invaluable honor. So, I spent most of this year in the library and rarely went to the villa. Looking at Sarah, cradled by Brandon in the photo, the Chanel jacket she wore looked incredibly familiar. Last month, when my mom stayed at the villa, I think she brought a similar one. And the diamond bracelet subtly peeking out from her wrist? It was identical to my mom’s usual Van Cleef & Arpels classic. The floor lamp and the decorative painting on the wall in the background? Those were distinctly from a corner of my villa’s living room! She should be working in my villa right now, not wearing what looked like my mom’s clothes, posing for photos in my living room, and pretending to be a rich girl to date my roommate! I watched my roommates buzzing with excited chatter around Brandon’s Ins post and fell into deep thought.
Brandon returned from his date wearing the latest designer streetwear and carrying a pile of gifts. He unwrapped them one by one, making the roommates incredibly envious. “Brandon, is that jacket a limited edition?” “Wow, those Air Jordans are a collaboration! They must be super expensive. Can I try them on?” “Brandon, I’m so jealous. You were at a Michelin-starred restaurant yesterday, weren’t you?” Brandon’s smile never faded. He subtly glanced at me, then pulled out a leather wallet from one of the bags and held it up to me. “Leo, I remember you have a similar Hermes wallet, don’t you? Why don’t you take it out and we can compare them?” I took off my headphones. Before I could say anything, Brandon already opened my drawer, pulled out my Hermes wallet, and placed the two side by side. I frowned, looking at my rummaged drawer, about to snap at Brandon, when I heard him deliberately raise his voice. “Oh, Leo, how come your wallet looks a bit different from mine?” The difference between the two wallets was obvious when placed together. Brandon’s was brighter in color, with coarser stitching and fewer leather grain details. Seeing the roommates gathered around, Brandon feigned surprise. “How could they be different? This one was a special gift from my girlfriend for our date. What about yours? I remember you brought it from home, right?” David caught on to Brandon’s taunt and immediately jumped in. “Guys, remember when Leo first came to school, he was wearing designer knock-offs? This wallet must be fake too, it can’t compare to Brandon’s at all.” “Leo, you can’t always use fakes. You can’t change your family background, but being so vain and always buying knock-offs will just make you lose sight of reality.” Brandon shot David a satisfied look, then turned to me. “I really don’t want a roommate with such questionable character.” Watching the two of them ganging up on me, I really wanted to shove my receipts in their faces, but remembering Dad’s warning, I reluctantly dropped the idea. “Brandon, you opened my drawer without my permission. Is that what you call ‘good character’? And David, you’re here sucking up to Brandon with thinly veiled jabs at me. You really are a master at flattery.” Brandon sneered, then grabbed the scissors from my desk. “If I hadn’t looked in your drawer, I never would’ve known how vain you are. Tell you what, as roommates, I’ll help you out and cut up this fake wallet. Consider it a favor.” With that, Brandon aimed the scissors at my wallet. David stepped forward and signaled a few other roommates to hold me down. I watched them surround me, not even bothering to lift an eyelid. My tone was casual. “Brandon, I don’t really care. But if you dare touch it, I’ll make sure you pay for it.” “Even if, for argument’s sake, this wallet is a Hermes knock-off, it’s still worth at least a few hundred dollars. Are you sure you can afford to compensate me?” “You just started dating your girlfriend; you wouldn’t want to tell her you ruined your roommate’s stuff and make her pay, would you?” Brandon hesitated, then reluctantly put the scissors down, glared at me, and returned to his seat. The others, seeing Brandon wasn’t doing anything, also dispersed. I hadn’t expected Brandon to be so easily fooled. The cheapest Hermes knock-offs are actually only fifty to a hundred bucks, like the one Brandon had. I gave Brandon a light glance. “Clean up my drawer later.” David immediately snapped, “Leo, don’t go too far!” Brandon deliberately ignored me, humming a tune and styling his hair in the mirror. “Brandon, I’m saying it again. Clean up my drawer.” Brandon scoffed, then leisurely started scrolling on his phone. David also let out a sneer, looking at me provocatively. I stood up abruptly and kicked Brandon’s chair over with a bang. “I won’t say it a third time.” The dorm was full of inexperienced guys who had never seen such a display. They all froze, not daring to make a sound. Even David shut up. Brandon flinched, clenched his fists as if he were the one being wronged. He glared at me for a long moment before reluctantly coming over to clean up my drawer. I heard him mumble a curse word under his breath, tears in his eyes, but I felt nothing. Once he finished, I looked at the neatly organized drawer with satisfaction, walked back to my seat, and began loudly reading an English article. The entire dorm was silent, my reading voice clear and sharp.
I didn’t waste much thought on Brandon, putting all my energy into getting the scholarship. My GPA was the highest in the department for the year, I scored perfectly on the physical fitness test, and I participated in every scholarship-eligible activity. No matter what, the single scholarship spot for the entire department should have been mine. But on the day the scholarship results were announced, I reread the list several times, still unable to believe it. The department had awarded the scholarship to Brandon, his name prominently displayed at the top of the list! And not only did I not get the first-tier scholarship, but my name wasn’t even on the list for the university-level third-tier scholarship! All those sleepless nights of studying, all the sweat from training for the physical test—it all felt like a complete joke now. Fuming and anxious, I immediately checked the detailed information below. I found that all my other entries were perfect, except for personal conduct, where my counselor had given me a failing grade! A wave of anger surged through me, my chest heaved, a mix of confusion and fury. I stormed straight to Ms. Albright’s office. “Ms. Albright, I’m not satisfied with the scholarship results and have some questions for you.” “Come in!” I pushed open the door and was surprised to find Brandon there, sitting nearby, smiling and chatting with Ms. Albright. Seeing me enter, Brandon gloated, “Oh, wow, I never thought I’d be so lucky to get the scholarship this time. It’s too bad you, who usually studies so hard, didn’t get one.” I ignored him and turned directly to Ms. Albright. “Ms. Albright, I want to ask about the scholarship.” “I know what you want to ask,” Ms. Albright adjusted her glasses, looking at me with a cold expression. “Leo, just being good at studies isn’t enough. You don’t get along with your classmates, and your character is questionable, so naturally, I can’t give you the scholarship.” Ms. Albright’s words left me completely baffled. As the class rep for academics, I had always been well-liked in class, and I even lent my notes to classmates before exams. I hadn’t offended anyone, had I? Except for those guys in my dorm! I suddenly looked up at Brandon, catching the guilty look in his eyes. It all clicked. I fought back the urge to punch Brandon and calmly turned to Ms. Albright. “Ms. Albright, if you’re drawing conclusions based on just one side of the story, then I think that’s unfair to me.” “What kind of talk is that?” Ms. Albright slammed her hand on the desk and stood up, frowning and glaring at me. “Are you implying I’m playing favorites, or that I’m an incompetent counselor?” Brandon piped in, piling on. “Ms. Albright, please calm down. Leo just has low character, so you shouldn’t stoop to his level.” I looked at the new Omega watch on Ms. Albright’s wrist and suddenly smiled. “Ms. Albright, that Omega watch you’re wearing, did Brandon give it to you?” With that, I didn’t bother with Ms. Albright’s exposed expression, turned, and walked out. Before closing the door, I stated expressionlessly, “There’s someone above the counselor—the Principal. I won’t believe I can’t get justice.” I heard Ms. Albright scoff, “Go ahead, then. I’m not afraid.” Still in the hallway, I heard my roommates chattering about the scholarship incident. As soon as I walked in, they all fell silent. Only David continued to mock me. “Oh, look, it’s our number one in the department! You studied so hard, didn’t you? How did you not even get a third-tier scholarship?” I ignored her, dialed the number for the Principal’s office listed on the university website, but no one picked up. Frustrated, I opened my laptop and wrote a long email to the Principal. I explained the whole story of the scholarship fiasco, attached relevant evidence, and sent it off. It vanished into the void. I waited for a whole week, from initial hope, to a sliver of expectation, then to utter disappointment. I should have known; the Principal was swamped with work, and my email probably got flagged as spam. Brandon went out on another date, and David couldn’t even be bothered to taunt me about the scholarship anymore. The entire dorm was quiet, but I still felt incredibly wronged and disheartened. My phone rang. I shot up from my chair, only to find it was a message from my dad. “Leo, are you so happy about getting the scholarship that you’ve forgotten your old man? Don’t get arrogant; this is just confirmation of your hard work. Keep it up!” My eyes stung, and tears almost fell. I clutched my phone and walked to an empty corner of the hallway, calling my dad on FaceTime. Seeing my parents’ concerned faces, I finally burst into tears. Dad fumbled awkwardly, and Mom shot him a glare before quickly comforting me. “Leo, don’t cry. What happened? Tell Mom and Dad.” I choked out the full story of the scholarship incident to my parents. Mom immediately blew up, slapping Dad’s shoulder hard. “How dare they bully my son! That counselor doesn’t want her job anymore! Honey, you go talk to the Principal and deal with this. That negligent counselor needs to be fired!” I sobbed, “I emailed and called the Principal, but it was no use. What can Dad do?” Dad scratched the back of his head. “Well, uh, I never told you, but I’m actually a board member of this university…” I stared at my parents, who looked all high and mighty with their wealth. My tears instantly stopped, and I even let out a hiccup. Right after I hung up the FaceTime call with my parents, before I even made it back to the dorm, I received a call directly from the Principal. “Leo, I apologize on behalf of the university. As Principal, I assure you that the university will readjust the scholarship list, and all involved personnel will face appropriate penalties.” I had just reached the dorm. Brandon had returned and was being praised by the roommates. I put the call on speakerphone. “Principal, what kind of punishment will my involved roommate receive?” “According to university regulations, he will face disciplinary action, and the scholarship funds will be reclaimed.” “Okay, thank you.” Before I could hang up, I heard Brandon’s loud sneer. “Leo, you must be crazy with scholarship fever! Where did you find someone to impersonate the Principal? That’s hilarious!” David immediately backed him up. “Seriously, he might even be losing his mind.” The Principal’s voice came through the phone. “May I ask who is speaking?” “That’s my involved roommate.” “Understood. Leo, the updated list will be posted on the official website tomorrow.” With that, the Principal hung up. I glanced at Brandon, who was oblivious to the disaster heading his way, shook my head, and went to bed.
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