My Nemesis Has Finally Gone Bankrupt Chapter 104

Chapter 104:

During the summer, four large fans in the classroom spun sluggishly overhead, providing barely any relief from the heat. The high temperatures and stifling air left the students listless and drained.

The bell finally rang, bringing a slight change. A few students stood up, discussing plans to go downstairs to buy ice cream.

Ji Ran, sitting in the last row with his legs crossed, had pulled his school pants up to his knees. His expression clearly showed that he was in a bad mood.

A female classmate cautiously approached him, holding a sign-up sheet in her hand. “Ji Ran… are you free right now?”

Ji Ran frowned. “No.”

The girl flinched in fear, but she forced herself to continue, “The school’s sports day is coming up soon… We need to fill out all the sports events, but there aren’t enough boys in the class. Could you help us by signing up?”

She quickly added, “Even if it’s just to make up the numbers. You only need to sign up, otherwise the teacher will get scolded…”

Recalling the teacher in charge’s harsh discipline a few days ago, Ji Ran sneered, “I’m not going. But if the school principal doesn’t know how to scold Old Man Cai, I could help with that.”

Old Cai was their class teacher in charge.

The girl’s face went pale. “Then, never mind, sorry to bother you!”

As she walked away, the two girls sitting in front of Ji Ran began whispering.

“Yesterday, when I was helping the teacher organize the desk in the office, I saw the sports day sign-up sheet for Class One!”

“Ah! Did Qin Man sign up? But he’s in the science class, they probably have enough boys, so he might not have signed up…”

“He did sign up! For the 3000 meters! I even noted the time, so we can go to the finish line and wait to hand him water, okay?”

3000 meters?

That weakling who only knows how to study?

Ji Ran seemed to have thought of something and suddenly let out a sneer. The two girls in front of him thought they had disturbed the school bully’s nap and instantly stopped their discussion, not daring to say another word.

Ji Ran stood up and walked over to the female class monitor, rapping his middle finger on her desk.

“I’m signing up, but I’m only running the 3000 meters. I’m not doing anything else.”

When Old Cai heard about this, he called Ji Ran out of the classroom during study hall.

“You’re running the 3000 meters?”

Ji Ran, hands in his pockets, yawned. “Yeah, the class doesn’t have enough people. If I don’t run, are you going to?”

“…” Old Cai endured: “Are you sure you can run? This 3000-meter race is important. Some school principals will be watching, so you can’t skip it. Besides, the sports students in the class have already signed up for this event. Why don’t you sign up for the 800 meters instead?”

Ji Ran clicked his tongue and shifted his gaze downward, suddenly freezing in place.

By the flowerbeds below the teaching building, Qin Man was walking alongside a female classmate, his school uniform neat and tidy, back straight, holding a stack of exercise books.

He had just gotten a haircut, looking fresh and handsome, his features far superior to most. At a glance, one might think they were filming some kind of youthful, romantic school drama.

As if sensing something, Qin Man looked up, and their eyes met.

One gaze was indifferent and aloof; the other, casual and unconcerned.

The eye contact was so sudden that Ji Ran hadn’t even had time to react before Qin Man quickly looked away, turning to say something to the girl beside him.

What the hell?

“I’m only running the 3000 meters,” Ji Ran said as he pulled his gaze back.

Old Cai had been a class teacher in charge for many years, but Ji Ran was the first student he’d met who didn’t play by the rules. Hearing Ji Ran’s response, an idea struck him. “…If you really want to run, it’s not impossible. But you have to finish in the top five.”

Ji Ran didn’t even hesitate. “No problem.”

“What if you don’t make it?”

“As if that’s possible,” Ji Ran sneered.

Old Man Cai, hands behind his back, said, “Alright, then. If you don’t make the top five, you’ll have to write an apology letter to that boy you beat up last time. If you do place in the top five, I won’t pursue the matter further…”

“Why should I apologize to that son of a—”

“Then forget it,” Old Cai said.

“…Fine.” Ji Ran gritted his teeth. “Top five, you’ve got my word.”

“Top five?!” During PE class, Yue Wenwen was stunned after hearing what Ji Ran had said. “Ji Ran, are you crazy? Do you even know who signed up for the 3000 meters? Four sports students, plus Qin Man—”

Ji Ran frowned. “Four sports students?”

“Yeah, and they’re all beasts. Two of them even got special admissions to X University because of their athletic skills!”

Damn it.

Ji Ran bit down hard on the popsicle in his hand.

He should’ve known Old Cai wouldn’t make it easy. The sports students at their school were no joke; the top four spots were basically out of the question. If he wanted fifth place, that meant he’d have to beat every other non-athlete in the race.

But since he’d agreed, he was going to win.

That afternoon, Ji Ran headed to the track to start running.

Ji Ran had a strong physique; after all, fighting required both strength and stamina. He had an impressive track record in that department and was no stranger to physical training. Running 3000 meters was a breeze, though he still lacked a bit of speed.

After finishing a 3000-meter run, Ji Ran collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. He wiped the sweat off with the hem of his shirt, and just as he dropped his shirt back down, he spotted a familiar, irritating figure jogging past him.

Qin Man had just stepped onto the track and immediately noticed Ji Ran.

The junior was sitting on the ground in his school uniform, drenched in sweat, his back leaning against the white wall in front of the podium. His shirt was pulled up, revealing healthy muscle lines and pale skin, rising and falling with his labored breaths.

The girls around couldn’t help but steal a few glances at him.

Qin Man did the same.

As he ran by, he could hear Ji Ran’s breathing.

It came from his mouth, neither too loud nor too soft, but distinct enough for Qin Man to pick out among the many surrounding noises.

He hadn’t even had time to react when someone gently bumped his shoulder from behind.

The junior, still gasping for air, forced himself to stand and stubbornly overtook him.

He couldn’t resist provoking him.

Qin Man couldn’t help but want to laugh, though he kept his expression rigid.

In reality, Ji Ran was exhausted. On the first lap, he had given it his all to test his speed, leaving him half-dead after completing the 3000 meters.

Just as he was about to catch his breath, a cool breeze brushed past his shoulder as Qin Man sped up, overtaking him with a blank expression.

Ji Ran certainly wasn’t one to back down. The two of them silently competed, neither saying a word as they pushed each other to the limit.

Yue Wenwen sat cross-legged in the stands, yawning as he watched them. He figured that in a bit, he’d probably have to help Ji Ran back to the dorm.

Maybe he’d even get to take advantage of the situation a little.

After three more laps, Ji Ran was completely exhausted.

Just as he was contemplating how to make a graceful exit without looking like he was chickening out, Qin Man suddenly turned his head and shot him a sideways glance, smirking.

“Heh.”

“?”

“???”

Ji Ran, enraged, sneered, “I’ve already run 3000 meters more than you. What are you so smug about?”

Qin Man’s expression remained unchanged. “If you’re not satisfied, beat me in the race.”

Ji Ran flipped him off.

Then, he turned and left the track.

Qin Man continued running a few more laps before he finally stopped. He draped a towel over his shoulder to wipe the sweat away, still thinking about what had just happened, when suddenly a female classmate stepped in front of him.

“Senior…” Her cheeks were flushed as she handed him a small box. “You worked so hard running! I bought this ointment especially for you. After running so much, your legs must be really sore… If you apply this, it will make them feel much better. It’s really effective!”

Qin Man had been about to leave, but he paused at her words. “Really?”

“Really, really!” The girl nodded enthusiastically. “My family always uses this whenever they’re in pain. It’s great for relieving discomfort, and it’s very cooling.”

Qin Man took the box and examined the packaging closely.

The girl was stunned—she’d heard that Qin Man never accepted gifts from others.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she opened her mouth, unsure of what to say next. “I…”

After reading the label, Qin Man handed the box back to her. “Thank you.”

“N-no problem.”

As he walked away, the girl stood there holding the ointment, dazed for a long moment before she finally snapped out of it.

Wait… he didn’t even take the ointment. Why did he thank her?

The next day at school, Yue Wenwen rushed over to Ji Ran’s seat as soon as he arrived.

The seat next to Ji Ran was usually empty, as no one dared to sit there—except for Yue Wenwen.

“Ji Ran, running like that is going to damage your muscles. What if you’re too worn out on race day?”

Ji Ran took off his headphones. “You’re the one who’s worn out.”

“I’m not worn out; I’m as strong as ever,” Yue Wenwen replied with a grin.

Ji Ran didn’t understand what he was talking about and didn’t bother to ask. He pulled out his phone and tossed it into his desk, only for it to hit something. Frowning, he reached in and pulled out a small box. It looked like some kind of ointment.

“Did you put this here?” he asked Yue Wenwen.

“Huh? No,” Yue Wenwen glanced at it. “Oh, I know what that is. It looks like a pain relief patch. Probably some girl saw you running yesterday and left it here for you.”

Ji Ran stared at the box for a while.

Normally, he wouldn’t use something like this, but today his legs were so sore that even walking hurt. He was even considering a trip to the hospital.

“Is it any good?”

“It’s a well-known brand. My family always keeps some on hand, but we just ran out. Otherwise, I’d bring you some.”

Without further hesitation, Ji Ran tore open the packaging and applied four patches to his legs. He decided that when he found out who left it, he’d pay them back.

The patches worked pretty well. Whether they truly healed anything or not, he didn’t know, but by race day, he was moving freely again.

Ji Ran changed into his sports gear. His track pants came down to just below his knees, exposing a few white patches on his legs.

As he was getting ready at the starting line, Qin Man glanced at his legs a couple of times.

Ji Ran snapped, “What are you looking at?”

Qin Man raised his eyes, his gaze calm and indifferent, and then looked away without saying a word, continuing his warm-up.

Each race had six participants, and he and Qin Man were in the same heat. Among their competitors, only one was an athlete.

The moment the starting gun fired, all six of them surged forward.

Three thousand meters wasn’t a sprint, and everyone knew not to push too hard at the start. Almost immediately, the athlete, Ji Ran, and Qin Man left the other three far behind.

Over the past few days, Ji Ran had observed that long-distance running was universally unpopular, an event everyone tried to avoid. No one wanted to run it. The faster runners all chose the 400 or 1000-meter races, so aside from the athlete and Qin Man, the others weren’t worth mentioning.

Ji Ran could outpace them just by walking.

By the third lap, the athlete had already opened up a significant lead. Behind him were Ji Ran and Qin Man, while the others had no hope of catching up; some were even a full lap behind.

Ji Ran slowed his pace, preparing for the final sprint.

Qin Man also eased up, watching the person in front of him. He recalled overhearing a conversation in the teacher’s office two days ago.

Ji Ran’s homeroom teacher had mentioned the agreement between Qin Man and Ji Ran. At the end, the teacher had smiled and urged Qin Man to give it his all, to prevent Ji Ran from placing in the top five.

While lost in thought, Qin Man was suddenly and unexpectedly shoved from behind, his leg also tripped up. Caught off guard and with his legs already aching from overexertion, Qin Man stumbled forward, crashing into Ji Ran. Both of them fell to the ground.

“Hiss—” Qin Man winced as his knee scraped the ground, the skin breaking.

Ji Ran wasn’t hurt as badly. He sat up and looked back at the person who had been a full lap behind them. “What the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you see where you’re running?”

Seeing the blood on Qin Man’s knee only fueled his anger. “Want me to dig out your eyeballs for a checkup?”

They weren’t even on the same track. The white line clearly separated them, so he didn’t believe this guy could have crossed over and bumped into them by accident.

The boy who had crashed into them was startled. He had only intended to hit Qin Man; he hadn’t meant to provoke Ji Ran.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you…”

“So, you meant to hit him?” Ji Ran sneered.

Why was it that the more this school bully apologized, the more aggressive he became?

“…Qin Man, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Qin Man could sense the other guy’s hostility, but he didn’t have the energy to dwell on it. Too many people hated him for too many different reasons, and he didn’t have time to deal with them all right now.

“What are you standing around for?” Qin Man frowned, asking Ji Ran. “What, just a little scrape on the ground, and you can’t keep running?”

Ji Ran was stunned, then laughed angrily. “Yeah, I’ve got nothing better to do, so I just love feeding a dog with good intentions.”

“A pointless action,” Qin Man commented.

Ji Ran thought he must be out of his mind.

He had actually stopped running for this idiot.

“Serves you right for falling. Next time, don’t drag others down with you,” Ji Ran said coldly, before turning and running toward the finish line.

Even with the interruption and without Qin Man, Ji Ran still managed to secure fifth place.

But when he crossed the finish line, he felt no joy at all. He glanced back to see Qin Man being helped off the field by two other boys, too injured to even finish the last few hundred meters.

The boy who had collided with them was back. He avoided Ji Ran’s gaze, lowering his head as he tried to pass by.

Ji Ran raised a hand and shoved him. “Hey.”

The boy stumbled back, frightened. “…What? I already apologized to you.”

Ji Ran sneered. “You were so bold when you ran into people earlier. Why are you scared now? If you’re so tough, try ramming into me again!”

“I didn’t run into you, I just wanted to hit Qin Man—” Realizing he had said too much, the boy immediately fell silent.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“I asked you why you hit him,” Ji Ran’s expression darkened. “Don’t you understand human speech?”

“…”

“Are you going to say it, or do I have to take you somewhere else to ask?”

The boy dared to hit Qin Man because he knew Qin Man would be cautious of the school rules and wouldn’t retaliate. But Ji Ran was a completely different story.

The boy’s eyes reddened with fear. “He… he took first place in the essay competition from me.”

Ji Ran burst into laughter. “He took it from you? You just weren’t good enough—”

“His parents know the judges!” the boy quickly added. “They must have used connections to get him the win—”

“Connections, my ass.” Ji Ran raised his fist.

The boy shrank back in fear. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

By now, everyone around them was watching.

Ji Ran noticed Old Cai striding toward them with a fierce expression. He clicked his tongue, released his fist, and ran a hand through his hair. In a threatening tone, he said, “If I find out you mess with him behind his back again, I’ll beat you so bad even your mom won’t recognize you… Got it?!”

Qin Man had been sitting on the sidelines for a while before he was eventually sent to the school infirmary.

As the school nurse was disinfecting and dressing his wounds, two girls walked in.

“Oh my God, Ji Ran was so fierce. I thought that boy was going to cry.”

“He *did* cry, didn’t you see?”

“Come on, it was just a bump. The guy didn’t even mean it.”

“Ahem… but Ji Ran is really handsome, even when he’s angry.”

“Yeah, I wonder what kind of wife he’ll marry someday. Do you think he’ll be violent at home?”

“That’s scary…”

Hearing this, Qin Man frowned impatiently.

Marry a wife?

…Ji Ran would get married someday?

Of course, he would.

He’d have to marry someone with a good temperament. Otherwise, who could handle his temper?

Qin Man stared at his wound for a long while.

Actually, Ji Ran’s temper wasn’t that bad. He just acted tough in front of people, but behind the scenes, he’d squat down and communicate with stray dogs by barking like an idiot.

Qin Man had even seen Ji Ran help a female classmate when she was being harassed by some thugs. After driving the thugs away, he ended up scaring the girl off too.

He was also quite generous when it came to donations; the school didn’t even dare to disclose the exact amount.

Someone like that would probably treat his wife well too.

Thinking of this, Qin Man felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart. He lowered his eyes and stood up, interrupting the nurse’s work.

“Hey, Qin Man, I haven’t finished treating your wound—”

“No need,” Qin Man said.

“If you don’t take care of it properly, it could get infected…”

Before the nurse could finish, the boy had already walked out of the infirmary in quick strides.

Holding the cotton swab, the nurse was left bewildered—why was he suddenly angry?

…Teenage boys sure were troublesome.

For the next few days, Qin Man took time off from school.

It wasn’t his idea; his mother insisted he stay home to recover after seeing his wound.

When he returned to school, it was Monday, and the usual flag-raising ceremony was held.

Qin Man stood in line, subconsciously looking for the junior he had been thinking about for days.

The junior, as always, didn’t show up for the flag-raising.

After the ceremony, Qin Man walked slowly back to his classroom.

As soon as he sat down, the class monitor approached him. “Qin Man, did you finish your homework? If you did, please hand it in.”

Qin Man hummed in response and reached into his desk drawer, but his expression changed slightly.

After a moment, the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily.

“I’m not handing it in,” he said. “I didn’t do it.”

The class monitor was taken aback; it was the first time Qin Man hadn’t turned in his homework. “…Alright, I’ll explain to the teacher for you. You hurt your leg, so the teacher will understand.”

After the class monitor left, Qin Man looked down at his desk drawer.

His homework notebook was missing again. In its place was a pirated copy of *Jin Ping Mei*.

Note: it’s like porn.

Beside the little book, there was also a plastic bag.

Qin Man opened the bag and found it full of bruise medicine and painkillers. He smiled for a moment, but then his smile faded.

What kind of wife would Ji Ran marry in the future?

He couldn’t imagine.

…But at this moment, he already felt an overwhelming emotion, one that could only be described as jealousy.

Author’s Note:

Qin Man x Ji Ran, the end.

This is the last part of the main CP’s side story. I originally thought about writing their “meet the parents” and wedding, but in the end, I decided it wasn’t necessary. Their lives are too long to fully capture in writing.

Important Notice:

The next side story will focus on Cheng Peng x the young male star.

Yes, the young male star who appeared in Chapters 57 and 58 of the main story. After much consideration, I decided to write about him because he’s already a fully formed character in my mind, and I don’t want him to remain a nameless supporting role.

For those who aren’t interested, this is where we say goodbye. Feel free to unsubscribe, and we can reconnect in the next story.

Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.