“D*mn! Yi Ci, that b*stard! Taking advantage so openly?!” Zhong Ziang was furious.
He was about to get out of the car, clearly intent on confronting him. But the door wouldn’t open. He called the driver, who glanced at Xie Dingyuan in the rearview mirror with a questioning look.
Old Zhang knew that Ninth Master rarely allowed the young master to behave recklessly. But this time, it seemed he had misjudged…
Because Xie Dingyuan didn’t respond to his look, and his silence could only mean… permission.
Astonished, Old Zhang quickly unlocked the doors as Zhong Ziang urged him on.
Zhong Ziang pushed open the door and, like a riled-up wolf, dashed across the street toward the line of boys and girls, with the Ninth Master watching silently through the car window, expressionless.
Suddenly, a piercing gaze from the rearview mirror met his.
The driver’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly averted his gaze, lowering his head with a shiver running down his back.
“Yi Ci! What the h*ll are you doing?” Zhong Ziang grabbed Yi Ci’s hand and pulled him two steps away from Jiang Fuyue.
Yi Ci, caught off guard, stumbled and nearly fell. When he turned to see who it was, his face darkened. “Zhong Ziang, are you nuts? Why are you grabbing your grandpa?!”
“You? A grandpa? If anyone here is a grandson, it’s you! Acting all tough—weren’t you too shameless just now?”
Yi Ci looked slightly guilty, his gaze shifting.
Zhong Ziang sneered. “Thought you were gonna faint? Go ahead, pass out, let’s see.”
“Mind your own business!”
Zhong Ziang slung an arm around his shoulders, forcibly dragging him away. He turned to Jiang Fuyue with a sunny smile. “Don’t worry, go check in. I just have a little private matter to handle with this guy!”
Jiang Fuyue looked bewildered.
She hadn’t planned on intervening in the first place…
Yi Ci, half-dragged into a corner, shouted, “Zhong Ziang, are you out of your mind? Let go—”
“Keep still!”
“What’s your problem?”
Zhong Ziang dragged him a few more meters until they were in a secluded spot, then let him go.
Immediately, Yi Ci swung a punch at him.
Zhong Ziang, having anticipated this move, swiftly dodged and countered with a punch of his own.
The two young men began fighting fiercely in the secluded alley.
After a while, both were panting heavily, and Zhong Ziang gave Yi Ci a final kick.
Yi Ci, gasping for breath, landed a heavy punch on him in return. They held onto each other, both unwilling to let go.
Zhong Ziang: “You shameless jerk!”
Yi Ci: “You’re being ridiculous!”
Zhong Ziang: “Who gave you the guts to take advantage of Jiang Fuyue?”
Yi Ci: “Which eye of yours saw me taking advantage of her?”
“Both! Don’t even try to deny it!”
“I didn’t! She just helped me stand!”
“Hah, I don’t buy it!”
After another ten minutes, one of them finally emerged from the alley. Zhong Ziang, dusting off his jacket with a proud look, walked back with his head held high… although his cheek was stinging slightly.
D*mn! It’s probably scratched.
Shortly after, Yi Ci came out, disheveled and with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, looking thoroughly defeated.
Back in the car, Zhong Ziang grabbed his backpack, which he had left behind in his haste.
Xie Dingyuan asked, “You fought?”
“Yep.” The young man admitted freely, thinking to himself, Go ahead and scold me; I’ll just ignore it.
But surprisingly, Xie Dingyuan said nothing. He simply had Old Zhang take out a first-aid kit and then personally began tending to Zhong Ziang’s wounds.
Zhong Ziang froze.
It wasn’t until the alcohol-dipped cotton touched his cheek and stung sharply that he snapped back to reality, gasping, “Ow! Ow, that hurts—”
Xie Dingyuan remained unfazed, continuing to disinfect the wound.
As the pain subsided, Zhong Ziang stopped complaining and looked at his uncle with a puzzled expression.
Xie Dingyuan tossed the cotton aside and took out a bandage. As he was unwrapping it, he asked, “Why are you staring at me?”
“It’s rare! Really rare! Uncle, you didn’t even scold me.”
“Do you need me to? I can do it now if you’d like.”
“No, no… Let’s take it easy, yeah? No need to trouble the elderly.”
“Elderly?” Xie Dingyuan raised an eyebrow.
Recently, he’d been sensitive about this word. Somehow, it always put him in a foul mood.
Compared to Zhong Ziang’s age, his own age could indeed be considered old.
“Uncle, I have a question.”
Xie Dingyuan shot him a glance. “Go ahead.”
“Did you take the wrong medicine today?”
“…If you can’t speak properly, then stay quiet.” His tone was sharp, severe, unyielding.
Zhong Ziang shrank back a bit but thought to himself, Yep, he’s still the same strict, demanding uncle.
So why did he personally drive me to school today? Shouldn’t he have just left it to the driver and gone to the lab?
It’s odd…
And on top of that, not only did he not scold me for the fight, but he even tended to my wounds?
Zhong Ziang glanced out the car window—
The sun’s still shining, right?
…
When Jiang Fuyue stepped into the classroom, she was immediately surrounded.
Some congratulated her with smiles, others looked at her like she was a goddess, and some clamored to “absorb” her luck…
Finally managing to get to her seat, she turned to see her deskmate’s eyes shining at her.
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
Wan Xiutong coughed lightly, trying to contain her excitement, but her face betrayed her.
“Jiang Jiang, you’re amazing! I watched your video owning the R people 38 times! The more I watch it, the more I fall for you! What should I do?”
“…” Please, no need.
Jiang Fuyue suddenly thought of something. “I brought a gift.”
“Huh?” Wan Xiutong looked at her in surprise and then became cautious.
“For me?” She was delighted, her voice small and tentative.
“Mm.” Jiang Fuyue nodded. “I hope you like it.”
“Of course I do! I love it!”
“…” Girl, you haven’t even seen it yet.
Wan Xiutong wanted to say, as long as it’s from you, even if it were a lump of poop, it would still smell sweet.
Inside the folded paper bag was a box, adorned with a pattern of seven-colored clouds—it looked stunning!
Wan Xiutong took out the box, opened it, and the next second, let out a surprised Wow!
It was a set of nesting dolls—Doraemon-themed!
“You… how did you know I like the blue fatty?”
Jiang Fuyue: “I saw your backpack and keychain.”
Wan Xiutong’s nose tingled, and she couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but it was as if a little sun had settled in her heart—warm and comforting.
She was just an ordinary girl, unnoticed among her classmates, following the rules in front of teachers, practically invisible. She had always been the one people overlooked.
Wan Xiutong had long since gotten used to it, growing quieter and more timid over time, only able to sit quietly in the corner, watching her classmates laugh and play, never daring to join in.
She had thought her high school life would continue like this, dull and uneventful, until the college entrance exam was over.
But then one day, her deskmate took the initiative to talk to her.
And from that moment on, everything started to change…
“Thank you, Jiang Jiang.” Wan Xiutong held the nesting dolls, unable to put them down.
Up front, Liu Bowen turned around, his small eyes showing a hint of jealousy.
“What, does the guy sitting in front of you not deserve a gift?”
Jiang Fuyue twitched the corner of her mouth. The next second, she took out a small box of chocolates from the desk compartment and handed it to him.
Liu Bowen was both surprised and delighted. “F-For me?”
“You don’t have to take it.”
“I do! I do!” He quickly snatched it up. “What language is this on the box? It doesn’t look like English…”
His deskmate, Lin Qiao, glanced at it. “Dummy! It’s German!” But her gaze kept drifting backward.
Did Jiang Fuyue prepare something for her too?
She should have, right?
After all, she had even posted on Weibo to promote Jiang Fuyue’s family’s pancake business! Plus, she went there every day to support their shop…
Ahem! That should make me worthy, right?
That chocolate Liu Bowen got looked pretty high-end. She wondered how it tasted…
Lin Qiao couldn’t help but swallow.
The next second—
“Qiao Qiao, this one’s for you.”
Lin Qiao thought Jiang Fuyue’s voice sounded amazing, and she was so nice!
“Liquor-filled?!”
Even though it was also chocolate, her box looked even fancier than Liu Bowen’s. The handcrafted texture was simply stunning.
Just as she eagerly prepared to try a piece—
Ding!
The bell rang.
Moments later, Xu Jing entered through the front door and stepped onto the podium.
But he wasn’t alone. Behind him followed a boy and a girl—two new students…
