《《Dirtbag Dynasty》》


 Chapter 1: Two Years Ago, Two Years Later

    Other classes had their ¡°Four Great Beauties,¡± but our class was known for its ¡°Four Great Eyesores.¡± My deskmate was one of them¡ªher bangs were excessively long, her clothes outdated, and she rarely spoke. She was often the target of mild bullying, and I, too, had little inclination to engage with her.


    That said, as a seatmate, she was at least dutiful. She often let me copy her homework and would even give me subtle warnings when the homeroom teacher was approaching. In return, I tried to look out for her when I could.


    One day, as I drifted in and out of sleep, I noticed her shoulders trembling. She was crying.


    Curious, I straightened up and saw a crumpled note in her hands. Scrawled across it were seven crude, jagged words:


    "You are f*ck*ng ugly as hell!"


    Rage flared up inside me¡ªnot just for her, but for myself as well. Was there really someone this cruel?


    Without hesitation, I shot up from my seat and roared, "Wang Baocheng, are you out of your d*mn mind?!"


    There was no need for speculation. Only Wang Baocheng would stoop this low in our class.


    Sure enough, he stood up too, sneering. "Zuofei, what the hell does this have to do with you? Just because you think Binzi''s got your back, you think you can talk big?"


    Our teacher, furious, barked, "Both of you, sit down!"


    Reluctantly, we obeyed. My deskmate was still quietly sobbing. I leaned over and muttered, "Stop crying already. I¡¯ll handle him later."


    Then, I discreetly texted Binzi, asking him to swing by our classroom after the lesson. Truth be told, I wasn¡¯t sure I could take Wang Baocheng on my own.


    The moment the bell rang, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.


    "Zuofei, what¡¯s up?" Binzi¡¯s presence was as imposing as ever.


    Before I could say a word, Wang Baocheng scrambled to defend himself, "I was just joking around with Lin Ke¡¯er. I don¡¯t know why Zuofei freaked out like that and started cursing me."


    I snapped, "And what if I did? You miserable piece of sh*t, who the hell do you think you are, bullying her like that?"


    Binzi wasted no time. "Wang Baocheng, step outside."


    The smugness drained from Wang Baocheng¡¯s face. He had no choice but to follow.


    I turned to my deskmate. "Alright, stop crying. No one¡¯s going to mess with you anymore." Then, I hurried after them.


    Needless to say, Binzi made sure Wang Baocheng paid for what he did. When he came back, he begrudgingly apologized to Lin Ke¡¯er.


    I thought that was the end of it¡ªa minor incident soon to be forgotten. I never expected what would come next.


    A few days later, while sneaking a cigarette in the bathroom with Binzi, he suddenly asked, "Zuofei, I heard you and Lin Ke¡¯er are dating?"


    I nearly choked on the smoke. "What? No way."


    "Well, that¡¯s what people are saying. Word¡¯s all over school."


    I scoffed. "Come on, do you really think I¡¯d go for someone like her?"


    Binzi shrugged. "Still, you might want to clear things up. If rumors keep spreading, it¡¯ll be hard to shake them off."


    Back in class, I found myself sneaking glances at Lin Ke¡¯er. She seemed as indifferent as ever.


    But soon, I noticed something odd.


    First, her gaze changed¡ªduring class, she¡¯d steal fleeting glances at me, her eyes brimming with an unfamiliar warmth. Then, when she bought snacks, she started getting extras for me¡ªinstant noodles, sausages, small treats. And finally, wherever I went, she wasn¡¯t far behind. If I played basketball, she¡¯d be there at the sidelines, cheering.


    It dawned on me¡ªLin Ke¡¯er had grown attached to me.


    I felt an immense awkwardness settle in. No wonder people assumed we were together¡ªour interactions had already become uncomfortably ambiguous.


    I decided to subtly distance myself, hoping she¡¯d take the hint. When she looked at me, I avoided her gaze. When she offered me food, I declined. If she approached me, I¡¯d immediately walk the other way.


    But it was useless.


    Our classmates had already cemented the idea that we were a couple. During group activities, we were always paired together¡ªwhether it was class duty, decorating the blackboard, or school events. Even the homeroom teacher seemed to acknowledge it, never once separating our seats during rearrangements.


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    It felt as if my life had been forcibly intertwined with hers.


    That period of my life was suffocating. I had been developing something with a girl from another class, but thanks to this situation, that fell apart. Frustration burned inside me, simmering closer to the surface with each passing day.


    Then came my birthday.


    I invited Binzi and a few others to celebrate at a restaurant. The atmosphere was lively¡ªlaughter, singing, the sound of glasses clinking. Just as I was about to cut the cake, the door suddenly swung open.


    "Zuofei, happy birthday!"


    Lin Ke¡¯er stood there, her voice bright and earnest. In her outstretched palm rested a small, silver ring.


    The room erupted with cheers and applause. Someone jeered, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"


    To my horror, Lin Ke¡¯er actually lowered her head, waiting.


    In that instant, all my pent-up frustration snapped. This was the last straw.


    I did something truly unforgivable.


    With all my strength, I flung the silver ring at her face and bellowed, "Get lost! I would never be with an ugly freak like you!"


    A stunned silence filled the room.


    Lin Ke¡¯er froze, eyes wide, before hastily picking up the ring and fleeing the scene, humiliated.


    A deep, unsettling guilt settled over me. I collapsed into my chair, feeling like a wretched old dog.


    Binzi sighed, patting my shoulder. "You went too far, man."


    "You should apologize tomorrow."


    I nodded. What else could I do?


    But the next day, Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s seat was empty.


    A week passed before the teacher finally announced that Lin Ke¡¯er had transferred. Only then did I breathe a small sigh of relief.


    I never saw her again throughout the rest of middle school.


    But I knew¡ªI owed her an apology.


    If I ever saw her again, I¡¯d stand before her and say those two words: I¡¯m sorry.


    After graduation, my father¡¯s job relocated our family to another city.


    And in that city, I saw Lin Ke¡¯er once more.


    Except by then, she was no longer the girl I once knew. Before the move, Binzi warned me that at the new school I must firmly assert myself and never allow anyone to look down on me. I assured him¡ªwith a wry smile¡ªthat I wouldn¡¯t bring shame upon him, and perhaps I might even manage to carve out a leadership role. Naturally, it was all in jest, for I had little desire to stir up trouble.


    Yet, soon after relocating, an anonymous message arrived: ¡°You idiot, without Binzi watching your back, just wait until you¡¯re trampled to death.¡± I had no inkling who might have sent it; after all, during our three years in middle school, I¡¯d sparred with many alongside Binzi, leaving me with no clear target for retribution.


    Still, I knew that many were eagerly awaiting my downfall¡ªthe two cities were scarcely apart. I vowed silently, ¡°Watch me¡ªyou won¡¯t see me floundering at this new school. Even if I don¡¯t rise to the top, I won¡¯t be left bruised day after day.¡± I could scarcely have foreseen that I had spoken too soon.


    On the first day, my spirits were high, for the school lay far from home, and at last I could embrace the exhilarating life of a boarder¡ªa thrill known only to those unacquainted with dormitory living. After classes and dorm assignments, we gathered for the freshman assembly. The proceedings were dreadfully tedious¡ªour school administrators droning on until I teetered on the brink of slumber, my mind wandering toward a fanciful rendezvous with the daughter of Zhou Gong. Then, just as I succumbed to the haze of half-sleep, a sudden voice shattered the monotony.


    Though no louder than the preceding drivel, that voice struck my ears like distant thunder¡ªresonant and electrifying. ¡°Please welcome our freshman representative, Lin Ke¡¯er, to the stage!¡±


    At the moment those words reached me, my mind reverberated and fell into a blank void. Hastily stifling the tumult within, I raised my eyes to behold a young maiden gracefully advancing onto the stage. She was undeniably beautiful, and instantly the audience erupted into commotion; one unrefined voice exclaimed, ¡°This girl is simply exquisite!¡±


    My heart pounded as I recognized her¡ªmy former deskmate, Lin Ke¡¯er! After two long years, she had undergone a staggering transformation: now taller, with a more graceful figure, her attire imbued with modern elegance, and exuding an aura of self-assurance. Her sleek, straight hair cascaded elegantly, accented by a delicate pink hairpin, epitomizing unblemished purity and irresistible charm. They say that with age, a woman undergoes a metamorphosis¡ªand today, I bore witness to it in the flesh!


    I stood there, lost in reverie, my mind abuzz, so much so that not a single word from Lin Ke¡¯er reached me. Only when the assembly drew to a close did I remember: I still owed her an apology. And now, the chance lay before me!


    I hurried into the throng in search of her, yet she had vanished without a trace. I could only console myself, knowing that in this school, myriad opportunities for reunion would surely arise.


    Later, we gathered in our classroom for a brief meeting during which our homeroom teacher prompted each of us to introduce ourselves. There were so many names that only two lodged in my memory: Ma Jie, who boldly volunteered to be our class monitor, and Liu Yina, renowned not only for her stunning beauty but also for her melodious singing and graceful dancing.


    Once introductions were complete, the teacher addressed the matter of military training¡ªset to begin that very afternoon and to last for fifteen arduous days. An aspect I dreaded immensely, yet could not avoid. During the recess, a gaggle of boys encircled Liu Yina, clamoring for her WeChat contact. I joined in the ribbing¡ªpurely in jest¡ªthough perhaps a bit too roughly, inadvertently brushing her arm. In response, she rose and snapped, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    I was momentarily stunned, unable to muster a response, for in middle school no one had ever dared address me so bluntly. After her remark, Liu Yina simply sat down and resumed her frolic with the other boys, as though nothing had transpired, while no one spared a glance at my discomfort. In that moment, I felt an acute pang of sorrow; the stark contrast to my former glory in middle school left me deeply disheartened.


    I stepped out, intent on finding Lin Ke¡¯er to offer my apology and perhaps reminisce. With our grade divided among seven or eight classrooms, I searched them one by one. At last, as Class 6¡¯s group emerged¡ªthree boys and a solitary girl¡ªI beheld Lin Ke¡¯er, whose beauty shone even more brilliantly up close. I exclaimed with delight, ¡°Lin Ke¡¯er!¡±


    She appeared momentarily taken aback upon noticing me, and a long-haired young man beside her retorted, ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? Scram if you have nothing to say.¡± I was rendered speechless¡ªthis marked only the second instance at this new school in which someone had addressed me so contemptuously. Instantly, I recalled the anonymous message from before our move, and a fierce, defiant spirit surged within me.


    Lin Ke¡¯er and her companions had already distanced themselves, and in a fit of rage, I pursued them. I caught sight of them having forced her into a corner, and the long-haired boy¡ªwho had earlier insulted me¡ªwas now leeringly trailing his finger along her chin. Witnessing the reluctant expression on her face, I stormed over and bellowed, ¡°What the hell did you just say?¡±


    The three boys were momentarily stunned, and Lin Ke¡¯er coolly retorted, ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Scram.¡± That made her the third person to hurl insults at me that day.

 Chapter 2: The Ninth Prince

    In a fit of rage, I lunged forward, seizing the collar of the long-haired man, and delivered a fierce punch to his cheek. My three years with Binzi were not in vain¡ªI had fought alongside him in countless brawls, both great and small.


    The long-haired man let out a cry and retaliated with a brutal kick to my stomach. I stumbled back a step, but before I could recover, two other boys charged at me, each landing a kick that sent me sprawling to the ground. I struggled to rise, but it was futile. They kicked me relentlessly, showing no mercy.


    Despair engulfed me. Only then did I realize how utterly weak I was. My past victories had never been my own; they were Binzi¡¯s. My opponents had never dared to fight back¡ªthey merely stood there, letting me strike.


    Someone suddenly shouted, ¡°The teacher¡¯s coming!¡± At once, the three attackers fled in a panic. I struggled to my feet, battered and humiliated, only to find myself encircled by a crowd of onlookers. Never in my life had I suffered such disgrace.


    I turned to Lin Ke¡¯er. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Those thugs had clearly been harassing her¡ªat the very least, I had driven them away.


    Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Her words ignited my anger. ¡°I was just trying to help you! Is that how you respond?¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°This isn¡¯t middle school, and Binzi isn¡¯t here to back you up. You should stop acting so arrogant.¡± With that, she turned and walked away.


    I was fuming. Not only had I taken a beating, but I hadn¡¯t even earned a word of gratitude. It was clear¡ªLin Ke¡¯er loathed me.


    The spectators had yet to disperse. Annoyed, I snapped, ¡°What the hell are you all looking at?¡±


    A few boys chuckled. ¡°Looking at the hell itself.¡±


    I wanted to curse them back, but seeing their numbers, I swallowed my pride and left in silence.


    Stepping out of the academic building, I found a secluded corner and patted the dust off my clothes. Every inch of my body throbbed in pain. Frustration weighed heavily on me¡ªeverything was playing out just as that anonymous text had foretold. Without Binzi, I was nothing. The worst part? Even Lin Ke¡¯er thought the same.


    It would be a lie to say I didn¡¯t want to rise above this. But I was alone, powerless, and had no idea where to start. For now, I had no choice but to return to the dormitory.


    Our dorm housed eight people. By the time I arrived, everyone was back, lounging on their beds, chatting idly. I noticed that Ma Jie, the self-appointed class monitor, was one of my roommates. But I had no interest in conversation. Turning toward the wall, I closed my eyes and rested.


    Before long, I heard Ma Jie¡¯s voice. ¡°By the way, have you all paid the protection fee? The Ninth Prince will be coming to collect soon. Just hand it over to me now to save the trouble.¡±


    Someone asked how much. ¡°Ten yuan,¡± Ma Jie replied, then went around collecting the money.


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    When he reached me, I said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡±


    ¡°First day here and you¡¯re broke?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t have it.¡± I couldn¡¯t comprehend how this wretched school still allowed such extortion to exist.


    Ma Jie said nothing, merely took the others¡¯ money and left. I remained lying down, trying to rest, but soon enough, several figures barged into the room. Ma Jie pointed at me. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    As I sat up, I instantly recognized the long-haired man from earlier.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± he sneered, ¡°it¡¯s you again, you little piece of trash.¡±


    Gripping the bedframe, he lashed out with a vicious kick. The blow sent me toppling backward, and before I could react, the others dragged me off the bed and resumed their relentless assault. I shielded my head, enduring the beating as best I could.


    At last, they stopped. The long-haired man crouched down, sneering. ¡°A hero, weren¡¯t you? Rescuing the damsel? Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll pay Lin Ke¡¯er another visit. Let¡¯s see if you can save her again.¡± With that, he slapped me twice across the face before leading his gang away.


    I sat on the floor, silent and numb. My face tingled with pain. The dormitory fell into an eerie stillness¡ªno one spoke, no one moved. It was as if they feared attracting the same fate.


    My eyes felt itchy. When I wiped them, I was startled to find them wet.


    Tears? Had I¡­ actually cried?


    Never in my life had I imagined myself being beaten to the point of tears.


    I stumbled to the washroom, splashed cold water on my face, and took a deep breath. Then, glancing around, I found a mop. With a swift kick, I snapped it in half. The broken wooden handle fit perfectly in my grip.


    I wanted revenge. I refused to believe that without Binzi, I was nothing.


    At that moment, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, startled. As if summoned by sheer willpower¡ªit was Binzi calling.


    I answered, forcing a casual tone. ¡°Took you long enough, dumbass. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Haha, first day of school¡ªjust wanted to see if you got your *ss kicked yet.¡±


    He meant it as a joke, but my heart ached. ¡°Who the hell would dare? I¡¯d beat them to death.¡±


    Binzi laughed heartily. ¡°That¡¯s my brother. Anyway, listen¡ªI just found out I¡¯ve got a friend at your school. If you ever run into trouble, look for him. His name¡¯s Houzi. I¡¯ll text you his number.¡±


    After we hung up, a message popped up. I dialed the number, and after several rings, a drowsy voice answered, ¡°Hello¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zuo Fei. Binzi told me to contact you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Zuo Fei, huh? Alright. Come over¡ªI¡¯m in dorm 305.¡±


    I made my way there. The room was empty except for a thin, disheveled figure sprawled on the bed. His hair was a tangled mess, dark circles heavy beneath his eyes¡ªhe looked like a sleep-deprived addict.


    I called his name twice.


    Suddenly, he shot up and shouted, ¡°Where the hell is the tank?! If you disconnect again, I swear I¡¯ll fly to Henan and cut you into pieces!¡±


    I froze.


    Then I realized¡ªhe was sleep-talking. And dreaming about a game, no less. No wonder he had such massive dark circles.


    I shook him again. Finally, he groggily sat up.


    ¡°I¡¯m Zuo Fei.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Houzi scratched at his eye, pulling out a crusty lump. ¡°Binzi¡¯s friend, huh? If you ever need anything, just come to me.¡±


    Then, without warning, he flopped back down to sleep.


    I quickly said, ¡°I need help right now.¡±


    This time, he reacted instantly, sitting upright. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Relief washed over me¡ªBinzi¡¯s friend was reliable after all. I recounted my ordeal, from my failed rescue attempt to my refusal to pay the protection fee.


    Houzi listened, silent for a long while.


    I sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s too much trouble, forget it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, say that again¡ªI kinda zoned out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Unbelievable. How could someone zone out mid-conversation? With no other choice, I repeated myself.


    Houzi nodded. ¡°The Ninth Prince, huh? The long-haired guy? I got it. We¡¯ll deal with him this afternoon.¡±


    He said it so nonchalantly, as if this was nothing. I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll find you later. Which class are you in?¡±


    After getting his details, I turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait a sec.¡±


    I glanced back.


    ¡°You got five yuan on you? I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I wasn¡¯t particularly stingy, but the timing was¡­ suspicious. Wasn¡¯t this just another form of extortion?


    Still, Binzi wouldn¡¯t introduce me to someone unreliable. Silently, I handed him the money.


    Houzi snatched it up and bolted out the door like a man possessed.


    I was left standing in the empty dorm, utterly baffled.

 Chapter 3: Three Beatings in One Day

    The drill instructor couldn''t help but chuckle, pointing at me. "Really? I think the kid looks quite sharp."


    "I still find him ugly," Lin Ke¡¯er replied, her voice calm and indifferent.


    "Alright then," the instructor sighed in defeat. "Can you at least turn around?"


    Without a shred of hesitation, Lin Ke¡¯er turned her back to me, showing me the same mercilessness I had once displayed two years ago.


    "Enough laughter! Stand properly!"


    The instructor silenced the crowd, and the training ground fell quiet once more. But I knew¡ªall eyes remained on me. By this point, I had grown numb to it. After a whole day of humiliation, I''d long discarded any sense of dignity. Staring at Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s back, I thought to myself¡ªthis makes us even. No apologies needed. We owe each other nothing now.


    Finally, break time arrived. Just as I was about to call Houzi, a familiar figure approached¡ªLong-haired Guy, once again, accompanied by his lackeys.


    "Kid, I heard you told me to watch my back?" he said, grinning.


    I knew Ma Jie had snitched again. Shooting him a glare, I saw him smirking smugly, even flashing me a mocking "V" sign.


    I knew there was no time to make a call. The only way to get out of this was to escalate the situation¡ªHouzi would see the commotion and rush over. So, I roared, "Yeah, I told you to watch yourself! What of it?!"


    My voice was so loud even Long-haired Guy flinched. The surrounding students turned to watch, and not far away, Lin Ke¡¯er stood observing as well. Surely, Houzi would hear that, right?


    "The hell? You¡¯re pretty d*mn cocky!" Long-haired Guy snarled, launching a kick at me.


    Remembering how Binzi fought, I caught his leg and yanked forward. He stumbled and fell with a cry. Seizing the chance, I lunged at him, but before I could land more than two punches, his goons grabbed me and dragged me away.


    And so, the morning¡¯s scene repeated itself. The noon¡¯s scene repeated itself.


    For the third time today, I was thrown to the ground and mercilessly kicked.


    Morning¡ªbeaten in the teaching building.Noon¡ªbeaten in the dormitory.Afternoon¡ªbeaten on the training field.


    And always by the same group of people.


    If there was a record for the most humiliating day in history, surely, I had just set it.


    Through the gaps between the crowd, I saw many people gathering, even the instructor watching from the side, pointing and whispering. Fine. The bigger the scene, the better. Houzi, you¡¯d better hurry. I can¡¯t take much more of this.


    "Long-haired Guy, f*ck your mother!" I bellowed with every ounce of strength I had left, ensuring my voice carried across the entire field.


    Surely, Houzi would hear that. Why wasn¡¯t he here yet?


    "Enough!" A voice suddenly rang out.


    The kicks stopped. Panting, I lay on the ground.


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    "Ke¡¯er, are you speaking up for him?" Long-haired Guy smirked.


    "That¡¯s enough," Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s voice was as cold as ever. "How badly do you intend to beat him?"


    I glanced around. A large crowd had gathered, yet there was no sign of Houzi.


    "Heh, since you¡¯re pleading for him, of course I¡¯ll give you face," Long-haired Guy grinned, snapping his fingers before sauntering away with his crew.


    "Move along! Nothing to see!" The instructors finally spoke up.


    Lin Ke¡¯er didn¡¯t even spare me a glance before walking toward the shade of a nearby tree.


    Slowly, I pushed myself up. The instructor approached, shaking his head. "Useless. Just sit this one out. No need to join the next round of training."


    With so many eyes still on me, I no longer cared about saving face. I turned and walked toward Class 5, determined to ask Houzi why he hadn¡¯t shown up.


    As I passed by, students whispered behind my back. Everyone had witnessed my humiliation. But I had nothing left to lose. There were only two options left for me¡ªdeath or revenge.


    Reaching Class 5, I scanned the crowd, but the sea of camouflaged uniforms made it impossible to spot Houzi.


    "Where¡¯s Houzi?" I asked directly.


    The students exchanged glances, some clearly confused.


    "What do you want with him?" someone finally asked.


    "I need to see him."


    "He went to an internet caf¨¦. If you¡¯re looking for him, go there."


    So Houzi wasn¡¯t even at school. No wonder he never came.


    I felt a surge of anger. We had agreed¡ªthis afternoon, we would take care of Long-haired Guy. Yet here he was, ditching me for video games? Was this some kind of joke?


    Still, I swallowed my frustration. I needed him.


    Dialing his number, I called three times before he finally picked up.


    "Who is this?"


    He didn¡¯t even have my number saved. What kind of "friend" had Binzi introduced me to?


    Suppressing my fury, I said, "It¡¯s me. Zuo Fei."


    "Oh, you. I¡¯m at Feilu Internet Caf¨¦. Come over. And bring me some fried noodles while you¡¯re at it."


    The call ended. My hand trembled slightly. Ever since I arrived at this school, I had felt like I had fallen straight from heaven into hell.


    But I bought the fried noodles anyway and headed for the caf¨¦.


    The place was chaotic. After searching for a while, I finally spotted Houzi¡ªheadphones on, hands flying over the keyboard, cursing nonstop.


    "F*ck! Push, you moron! What kind of dumbass jungler are you?! And bot lane, stop feeding, you f*ck*ng noobs!"


    I sat beside him, placing the food down. He shot me a glance and motioned for me to wait.


    Between bites of noodles, he continued cursing at his teammates. The entire caf¨¦ was filled with people just like him, so his outbursts hardly stood out.


    I waited as long as I could before finally saying, "Long-haired Guy came after me again."


    I didn¡¯t mention the beatings. I still had some pride left.


    "How?" Houzi asked absently. "Hey! Mid lane, are you an idiot?! Gank properly, you useless piece of sh*t!"


    Losing patience, I raised my voice. "He beat me in front of all the first-year students. That was the third time today."


    Finally, Houzi paused, setting his headphones down. "Let¡¯s go."


    I stood up, ready for action.


    Houzi pushed his chair back but then hesitated, glancing at his screen. After a moment, he leaned forward, tapped the keyboard a few more times, and looked conflicted.


    "Can¡¯t let my team down. Listen, just head back first. Wait for me at the training field gate. I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes, tops."


    I nodded and left.


    Ten minutes passed.Houzi didn¡¯t come.


    An hour passed.Still no sign of him.


    The sun dipped below the horizon, and I buried my face in my knees, unwilling to let anyone see my tears.


    I had been a fool to rely on him.


    As the sky darkened, the training ended, and students dispersed, some still pointing at me and whispering.


    "That¡¯s him.""Got beaten up again today.""Why¡¯s he still sitting there?""Did they beat him stupid?"


    Eventually, the crowd thinned.


    Then, a sudden voice broke the quiet.


    "Hey! The idiot¡¯s still here!"


    I looked up.


    Long-haired Guy and his gang were approaching.


    Instinctively, I stood, ready to run.


    But this time, he waved his hand. "Forget it. Let¡¯s leave him alone."


    I was stunned. Was this a trick?


    "Ke¡¯er asked me to stop," he said, smug. "And in return, she agreed to have dinner with me."


    My blood ran cold.


    Lin Ke¡¯er¡­ had agreed to a date¡­ just to stop them from beating me?


    My hands clenched into fists.


    Houzi was useless. I had to rely on myself.


    I found a brick and waited at the school gate.


    If I was still a man, I would not allow this to happen.


    And when Long-haired Guy finally appeared, walking beside Lin Ke¡¯er, laughing, reaching for her waist¡ª


    I shot up from the shadows, bellowing, "Long-haired b*st*rd, f*ck your mother!"


    And smashed the brick straight into his skull.

 Chapter 4: Two Years Later, I Can Still Protect You

    I have no idea how much strength I used. I only know that I put every ounce of my energy into it, that the brick shattered into pieces upon impact, and that Changmao collapsed without even a twitch.


    "You son of a b*tch!" Even then, I refused to let him go. I sent a ruthless kick his way.


    But in the very next second, his gang swarmed me, hurling me to the ground once more, raining punches and kicks upon me with even greater ferocity than before. They cursed as they struck: "You b*st*rd! You dare lay a hand on Brother Kun? Tonight, we¡¯re gonna end you!"


    Lin Ke¡¯er stood at the side, pleading desperately for them to stop, but her voice was drowned out, utterly ignored.


    "F*ck..." A voice broke through the chaos.


    Changmao staggered to his feet, shaking, his face twisted with fury.


    The others immediately paused. "Kun-ge, are you okay?" "Kun-ge, come finish him!"


    "Step aside. I''ll end him myself."


    Changmao bent down, picking up the shattered pieces of brick.


    "Zhou Kun, stop!" Lin Ke¡¯er rushed to grab his arm.


    "Get the hell off me!" He flung her away violently, sending her crashing to the ground.


    I wanted to help her up, but after taking my fourth beating of the night, I no longer had the strength.


    "F*ck!"


    The brick smashed against my face. My vision instantly darkened, my consciousness teetering on the edge.


    "You m*th*rf*ck*r!"


    A second strike. My head buzzed, the world around me spinning.


    Just as he raised his hand for the third blow¡ª


    Boom!


    Changmao¡¯s entire body was suddenly sent flying.


    Through my blurry vision, I saw a wiry, shadowy figure leap over me and pounce on the fallen Changmao like a wild beast. His fists came down in a relentless barrage, like Donnie Yen in an action flick.


    Changmao let out a pained howl. His gang rushed forward, but strangely, none of them dared intervene. They merely stood around, nervously muttering:


    "Houzi, stop!"


    "Houzi, Kun-ge didn¡¯t mess with you, did he?"


    "Get the f*ck out of my way!" Houzi¡¯s voice was a snarl, his rage palpable. "This b*st*rd dared to lay hands on my brother?! I¡¯m gonna f*ck*ng kill him tonight!"


    Houzi had arrived. At last. And he was utterly terrifying.


    My mind swam in and out of focus.


    Someone suddenly held me close. I forced my eyes open¡ªit was Lin Ke¡¯er. Tears streamed silently down her face, falling onto my bruised skin.


    Between ragged breaths, I whispered, "See? I could protect you before, and I can still protect you now."


    "Don¡¯t talk, please don¡¯t talk¡­ I¡¯ll take you to the hospital¡­" she choked out, struggling to support me, but I was far too heavy for her.


    Houzi strode over then, rubbing his hands together awkwardly. "Sh*t, man¡­ Sorry. I got caught up in a game and totally forgot. When I finally remembered, I ran straight here¡­"


    Changmao¡¯s gang seized the moment to drag him away.


    "Houzi-ge, let¡¯s talk later. We need to get Zuo Fei to the hospital first."


    "Yeah." Houzi jogged to the roadside to hail a cab.


    Just then, a guy and a girl came running over. The guy was handsome, the girl beautiful¡ªthey looked like a perfect match.


    "Lin Ke¡¯er, what the hell happened? We waited for you forever at the restaurant."


    "He¡¯s my classmate. He just beat up Zhou Kun," Lin Ke¡¯er replied quickly. "I¡¯ll explain later. Right now, we need to get him to the hospital."


    She pulled me into her arms, my head resting against her soft chest. A faint, delicate fragrance enveloped me.


    In that moment, I thought¡ªif I were to die like this, it might not be so bad.


    Houzi flagged down a taxi. The guy and girl turned to him.


    "Houzi-ge," they greeted him respectfully.


    Houzi glanced at them before sneering at the guy. "That Zhou Kun from your Nine Princes gang? He¡¯s a f*ck*ng idiot. Lucky I didn¡¯t beat him to death today."


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    The guy¡¯s expression grew awkward. "Zhou Kun does get a little out of hand sometimes¡­ As his friend, I never knew how to rein him in. We were just supposed to have dinner tonight with Lin Ke¡¯er. Zhang Xuan invited me along to talk some sense into him."


    "Yeah, Houzi-ge," the girl added. "Lin Ke¡¯er is my best friend. You think I¡¯d let her get tangled up with someone like Zhou Kun? That¡¯s why I brought Xing Qiu along¡ªwe were going to help persuade him. But¡­ things got out of hand."


    Houzi said nothing more. He simply helped me into the cab.


    Lin Ke¡¯er climbed in beside me, then turned to them. "Xing Qiu, Zhang Xuan, you two should go home. I¡¯ll thank you properly another time."


    The car pulled away and stopped at a clinic.


    Houzi half-carried me inside while Lin Ke¡¯er paid the fare.


    Truth be told, I wasn¡¯t too badly hurt. Most of it was just superficial wounds. The worst was the brick to the head¡ªjust a few stitches, nothing major.


    As the doctor stitched me up, Houzi fidgeted anxiously, scratching his head like a restless child.


    I sighed. "Houzi, I¡¯m fine. Relax."


    "Nah, it¡¯s not that," he muttered. "I didn¡¯t finish my game. Can I leave now?"


    I was speechless.


    "Just go."


    "Cool. Call me if you need anything."


    Lin Ke¡¯er walked him out. She was gone for quite a while.


    When she returned, I raised a brow. "Took you long enough."


    She hesitated before explaining, "Houzi-ge said he hadn¡¯t eaten yet, so he borrowed five yuan from me. I only had a ten, but he insisted on breaking the change at a shop first."


    "¡­"


    I was at a complete loss for words.


    Houzi¡ªdoes he ask everyone for money?


    Once my stitches were done, the doctor put me on an IV drip.


    Lin Ke¡¯er asked, "How long will this take?"


    "Two or three hours," the doctor replied.


    She hesitated. "But by then, the dorms will be locked."


    The doctor chuckled. "No worries. You can stay here for the night."


    Her cheeks flushed instantly.


    I quickly reassured her, "It¡¯s fine. You should go back. I can stay here on my own." Lin Ke''er glanced at her watch and said, ¡°I can stay with you for a little while longer.¡±


    To be honest, hearing that left me slightly disappointed. If only she could stay the night with me.


    I lay on the bed as the doctor inserted the IV, and Lin Ke''er draped a blanket over me.


    Once the doctor left, she sat beside me and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°For what? I overheard everything¡ªyour two friends could¡¯ve handled it. I just messed things up with my unnecessary intervention.¡±


    Thinking about it, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little regretful. Lin Ke''er had planned her way out, and I had ruined it for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s different. They could only try to persuade him, but whether Zhou Kun would listen was another matter. But now, after what you did and what Houzi did, Zhou Kun won¡¯t dare bother me again.¡± She gently tucked the blanket around me.


    I felt relieved, though I didn¡¯t want to show it too much, so I simply said, ¡°That long-haired guy was too arrogant. He had it coming.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Nine Princes are all like that¡ªone more reckless than the other. Just looking at them makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°Well, not all of them. That Xing Qiu guy seemed decent.¡±


    ¡°Him¡­¡± Lin Ke''er hesitated. ¡°Zhang Xuan genuinely wanted to help me, but as for Xing Qiu¡­¡±


    I understood immediately. ¡°Not necessarily sincere, huh? Makes sense¡ªhe and Zhou Kun are brothers, after all.¡± Then I added, ¡°But from now on, with me around, I won¡¯t let anyone bully you again!¡±


    She froze for a moment, then her eyes turned red, a shimmer of tears welling up in them.


    ¡°Hey, why are you crying?¡± I panicked and instinctively reached out to wipe her tears, completely forgetting the IV in my hand. The sudden movement sent blood rushing back through the tube, and I winced in pain, quickly lowering my hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Lin Ke''er wiped her own eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ moved. You helped me before, and you¡¯re still helping me now.¡±


    Hearing that made me feel even guiltier. I murmured, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­ for two years ago¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Lin Ke''er gently pressed her fingertip against my lips. ¡°I know¡­ You were just overwhelmed back then.¡±


    I pushed her hand away. ¡°Even so, I shouldn¡¯t have treated you like that.¡±


    She fell silent for a moment before finally saying, ¡°I wasn¡¯t blameless either. I was the one who spread the rumors about us dating.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I was stunned.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± She lowered her head, speaking softly, ¡°If people thought I was your girlfriend, they wouldn¡¯t bully me. So I made up the rumors myself. For a while, everyone¡¯s attitude toward me changed. Some even called me ¡®Fei¡¯s wife,¡¯ and they treated me with so much respect. Every day felt wonderful. But I never considered how you felt¡­ I¡¯m the one who owes you an apology.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it was¡­¡± I let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°Forget the past. Let¡¯s talk about the future. I, Zuo Fei, swear that as long as I¡¯m at Dongcheng No.1 High, no one will dare lay a hand on you!¡±


    Lin Ke''er gazed at me, dazed for a long moment.


    I grinned. ¡°Are you so touched you¡¯re about to cry again?¡±


    She replied, ¡°I don¡¯t dare cry¡ªonce I start, I won¡¯t be able to stop.¡± Then she quickly changed the subject. ¡°By the way, how do you know Houzi?¡±


    ¡°Binzi introduced us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so after all that, you still relied on Binzi.¡±


    After just one day at this school, the last thing I wanted was for people to say that. I hastily defended myself, ¡°I can protect you on my own too!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting for that.¡±


    She smiled, her face blossoming like a flower. For a moment, I was completely mesmerized.


    ¡°Hey, what are you staring at?¡± Lin Ke''er waved her hand in front of my face. ¡°It¡¯s getting late¡ªI need to go. See you tomorrow.¡±


    Before I could even react, she had already left¡ªso swift, so decisive, without a hint of hesitation.


    By the time my IV was finished, it was past midnight, so I had no choice but to sleep at the clinic. The next morning, I returned to school, quickly washed up, and headed to military training. However, because of the bandage on my head, the instructor wouldn¡¯t let me participate. Instead, he had me sit under a tree and rest¡ªan unexpected blessing in disguise.


    While they trained, I pulled out my phone and played games, living more comfortably than an immortal. During breaks, my classmates would gather around and chat, some occasionally glancing my way and whispering to each other. I was used to it and couldn¡¯t care less.


    After a while, Liu Yina strutted over and purred, ¡°Hey, handsome, add me on WeChat?¡± Her tone was flirtatious.


    I hesitated for a moment. Wasn¡¯t she the one who insulted me yesterday? Why the sudden change in attitude? Still, I gave her my WeChat.


    It wasn¡¯t until later that I found out¡ªword had already spread about me smashing Zhou Kun with a brick.


    Apparently, Zhou Kun had it rough. First, I hit him with a brick, and then Houzi pummeled him with dozens of punches, leaving his face swollen like a pig¡¯s head. They had to send him straight to the hospital for emergency treatment.


    As for Houzi¡­ I still couldn¡¯t quite figure him out.


    This was only my second day here, but I had already heard plenty about the school¡¯s underworld. There were the Nine Princes among the guys, the Twelve Roses among the girls, plus a whole bunch of other factions. But no one had ever mentioned Houzi before.


    He looked skinny, almost frail, yet when he fought, he was terrifyingly swift and ruthless. Zhou Kun didn¡¯t even dare fight back.


    The Nine Princes were supposed to be so powerful, even extorting protection fees¡ªso how did Houzi manage to beat one of them so badly?


    I needed to find an upperclassman and get some answers.

 Chapter 5: Lunch Is on Me

    Finding a senior student to ask wasn¡¯t difficult¡ªafter all, I had just added Liu Yina on WeChat.


    I messaged her: ¡°Is Houzi well-connected in the underworld?¡±


    Liu Yina replied, ¡°Houzi doesn¡¯t belong to any gang, but the leader of the Nine Princes shows him a lot of respect.¡±


    I asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    She responded, ¡°Back in junior high, when Houzi had just transferred here, the Nine Princes tried to extort protection money from him.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Houzi stabbed their leader. After that, no one dared to ask him for protection money again.¡±


    I understood now. No wonder Houzi was always alone, with no gang or brothers by his side, yet even the Nine Princes feared him.


    In this world, the ruthless fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who have nothing to lose.


    Hearing Houzi¡¯s story, I suddenly felt a deep admiration for him and had an urge to meet him right away. When I called, he was at an internet caf¨¦. I told him I¡¯d come find him, and he said, ¡°Sure, come over. And bring me two jianbing. I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet.¡±


    I was speechless.


    Arriving at the internet caf¨¦ with two steaming hot jianbing in hand, I found Houzi eating, cursing, and gaming all at once.


    I watched him play with amusement. He glanced at me and said, ¡°Why are you staring at me? I¡¯m not into guys.¡±


    I was just about to respond when I suddenly caught sight of Lin Ke''er walking in. Startled, I hadn¡¯t expected to see her here. I instinctively got up, ready to greet her, but then I saw her walk to another computer and hand a bottle of water to someone.


    The person sitting at the computer was a guy¡ªtall, good-looking. I had seen him last night. It was Xing Qiu. So, Lin Ke''er was here to bring him water?


    For some reason, a sour feeling welled up in my chest. She even leaned in to talk to him, their faces partially obscured by the screen, making the scene look incredibly intimate.


    Jealousy gnawed at me, and I no longer felt like going over. Instead, I plopped back down into my chair.


    Houzi, oblivious to all this, remained engrossed in his game.


    I tried not to look, but my eyes kept drifting toward them involuntarily.


    Lin Ke''er finished speaking and straightened up, preparing to leave. And then, I saw it¡ªXing Qiu casually slid his hand over her thigh.


    My heart clenched, as if something had struck it hard, an overwhelming wave of sorrow washing over me.


    But what happened next shocked me even more.


    Lin Ke''er spun around and delivered a brutal kick to Xing Qiu, sending him crashing to the ground along with his chair. She pointed at him and said something¡ªI couldn¡¯t hear what¡ªbut then she turned and ran out of the caf¨¦.


    Without hesitation, I jumped up and ran after her.


    She hadn¡¯t gone far. I caught up with her in a few quick strides and grabbed her arm.


    She turned around, her face streaked with tears.


    ¡°You? What are you doing here?¡± Lin Ke''er looked at me in surprise.


    ¡°I was at the internet caf¨¦,¡± I said, then paused before adding, ¡°I saw everything.¡±


    She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.


    I grasped her shoulders firmly. ¡°Xing Qiu is scum, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    She remained silent for a long time before finally whispering, ¡°It¡¯s not the first time¡­ It¡¯s happened two or three times before.¡±


    ¡°Then why were you still bringing him water?¡±


    ¡°Zhang Xuan asked me to. She was busy and couldn¡¯t step away.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± It dawned on me. ¡°Zhang Xuan and Xing Qiu are together, aren¡¯t they? Does she know Xing Qiu has been harassing you?¡±


    Lin Ke''er shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t dare tell her. She likes him¡­ she likes him so much. I¡¯m afraid¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, I grabbed her hand and strode back toward the internet caf¨¦.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, what are you doing?!¡± Lin Ke''er called out.


    I ignored her and kept walking.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to confront Xing Qiu? I¡¯m not going! If things get ugly, it¡¯ll be a mess!¡± She struggled desperately, drawing the attention of passersby.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I stopped in my tracks and looked her in the eyes. ¡°No more nonsense. From now on, listen to me.¡±


    Startled by my sudden seriousness, Lin Ke''er fell silent, not daring to say another word. I picked up a brick from the roadside and, grabbing Lin Ke''er by the hand, entered the internet caf¨¦, making my way straight to Xing Qiu¡¯s desk. He was still engrossed in his game, unaware of our presence. I slammed the brick onto his keyboard.


    Xing Qiu jumped up in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?" At the same time, several of his companions stood up beside him.


    I was startled, thinking he was alone, but to my surprise, a few of his brothers were also with him. No wonder he was one of the Nine Princes.


    I forced myself to appear calm, narrowing my eyes as I said, "What do you think I''m doing?"


    Xing Qiu glanced over at Lin Ke''er behind me, and seemed to grasp the situation. "A guardian knight, huh?"


    The caf¨¦ fell silent as many people turned their attention to us.


    "Cut the nonsense," I continued, "There are so many people here, so I¡¯ll give you some face and won¡¯t mention what happened earlier. But mark my words, if you try this again, Long-Hair will be your fate!"


    Xing Qiu¡¯s face flushed with anger. "What the hell do you think you are? Who gave you the right to teach me a lesson?"


    The moment he spoke, his brothers closed in, ready for a fight. I suddenly regretted throwing the brick onto his keyboard just to show off. At least if I still had it in my hands, I¡¯d have something to defend myself with.


    Seeing me silent, Xing Qiu grew bolder. "Say it then¡ªwhat makes you think you can talk to me like that?"


    "Because he¡¯s my brother," Houzi¡¯s voice cut in, slow and deliberate as he strolled over.


    The moment Xing Qiu saw Houzi, his face turned pale. "Houzi, you''re here too?"


    Houzi gave him a quick glance. "I don¡¯t know why Zuo Fei¡¯s angry with you, but I know you¡¯ve definitely done something wrong. And when you do wrong, you deserve to be punished. Now, how about you get out of this caf¨¦?"


    Xing Qiu¡¯s face reddened again. "What¡¯s your point?"


    "No point," Houzi replied with a smile full of malice, "I just want you to get out of here. My brother doesn¡¯t like you."


    I stared at Houzi in surprise. His unwavering loyalty to his brothers reminded me so much of Binzi. They both had an unspoken bond, always ready to back their friends no matter what.


    "Houzi, that¡¯s enough!" Xing Qiu snapped, "Don¡¯t think just because Big Cat gives you face that all of us, the Nine Princes, fear you!"


    Houzi grinned. "Oh really? If you¡¯re not afraid of me, then come hit me." He took a step forward.


    Xing Qiu trembled with anger, but didn¡¯t dare make a move.


    "Or, maybe you want to call Big Cat to come hit me?" Houzi¡¯s grin deepened, a cold, mocking smile spreading across his face.


    Xing Qiu remained silent, his face burning with shame.


    "I said it yesterday," Houzi declared, pointing at him, "None of the Nine Princes are worth anything." He turned to face the caf¨¦''s entrance. "Get out of here. This is Bai Ye¡¯s caf¨¦, and I don¡¯t want to dirty his place."


    Xing Qiu¡¯s face twitched with rage, his body shaking as if on the verge of a meltdown. I feared he might do something reckless, so I kept my eyes on the brick on the keyboard, ready to grab it at a moment¡¯s notice.


    But in the end, Xing Qiu did nothing. His head hung low, and he slunk out of the caf¨¦, his brothers trailing behind him.


    Houzi patted me on the shoulder. "Alright, toss the brick out. Don¡¯t bring weapons in here again."


    "Got it," I said, taking the brick and heading for the door with Lin Ke¡¯er.


    Outside the caf¨¦, I released Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s arm and said, "If he bothers you again, just let me know."


    Lin Ke¡¯er smiled. "Should I tell you or Houzi?"


    I scratched my head, embarrassed. "Either works."


    She laughed. "Alright, I won¡¯t tease you. You two are both so handsome." She shook my arm playfully. "I¡¯ll be going now."


    As she walked away, I threw the brick aside and quickly rushed back to find Houzi.


    He was already back to his game, swearing nonstop. One moment, he was calling Henan people scammers, then mocking Shanghainese for being soft, Guangdong people as gluttons, Beijing folks as idiots, and Shanxi people as country bumpkins. In no time, he had insulted the entire nation.


    Taking advantage of a brief pause in his tirade, I quickly said, "Houzi, thanks for today."


    Houzi removed his headphones and smirked. "What about lunch?"


    "It¡¯s on me!" I declared grandly.


    "What about the money I lent you yesterday?"


    "No need to pay it back!" I continued in the same grandiose tone.


    "Ha-ha, good brother!" Houzi grinned, clearly delighted.


    I sat down at a machine and played a game. By noon, Houzi and I went out for some noodles. After eating, Houzi said he was heading back to sleep¡ªhe had been up for three days straight. I accompanied him back to the dorm.


    Once we were at the dorm entrance, Houzi suddenly stopped. "I can¡¯t take it anymore, Zuo Fei."


    I was puzzled by his sudden admission, but then he sat down on the ground by the trash bin and promptly fell asleep.


    Speechless, I had no choice but to carry him back to the 305 dorm. The door was unlocked, but no one was inside. I never understood why his dorm was always empty. I stripped him of his clothes and shoes and tucked him into bed before leaving.


    In the afternoon, during military training, I resumed my role as a spectator, sitting beneath the large tree with my phone, enjoying the advantages of the bandage on my head.


    Our class was lined up facing Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s class. I occasionally glanced up from my game to check on her. Lin Ke¡¯er would smile at me whenever the instructor wasn¡¯t looking. I cherished these fleeting, intimate moments.


    During break, Lin Ke¡¯er came over to talk to me, and Liu Yina joined us as well. Surrounded by two beautiful girls, I basked in the admiration of those around us. Just yesterday, I was beaten to the ground; today, I was the center of attention. The speed at which my status had changed felt like I was riding a rocket.


    But as they spoke, I found myself unable to join the conversation. They were talking about things from their school, and I had no input. I overheard Liu Yina say, "Ke¡¯er, join the Twelve Roses. No one will dare bully you then."


    Lin Ke¡¯er nodded. "Zhang Xuan said the same, but I need to think about it¡­"


    "Think about what? With us backing you, no one will mess with you," Liu Yina said, wrapping her arm around Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s waist.


    I was taken aback. I had heard that the Twelve Roses were a group of little gangsters, but it turned out Liu Yina was one of them, and now Lin Ke¡¯er was considering joining?


    "Ke¡¯er, Yina!" A voice called out, and I turned to see Zhang Xuan¡ªthe beautiful girl from last night¡ªwalking toward us, a smile on her face.


    "Zhang Xuan." Both Lin Ke¡¯er and Liu Yina stood up, and the three girls held hands affectionately.


    Xing Qiu walked behind them, slow and casual. I shot him a glare, but he greeted me with a bright smile, as if nothing had happened.


    "Ke¡¯er, have you made up your mind? Join the Twelve Roses?" Zhang Xuan winked playfully.


    So, Zhang Xuan was part of the Twelve Roses too! Was every beautiful girl in this school a member of this group?


    "Uh¡­" Lin Ke¡¯er rubbed her head. "Can I think about it?"


    "Join us! No one will dare bully you!" Zhang Xuan urged, her smile wide.


    "Really, even I wouldn¡¯t dare bully you!" Xing Qiu laughed heartily.


    I stared at him in disbelief. How could he say that with such confidence? But he seemed so utterly unbothered.

 Chapter 06: Watching Xing Qiu Fly Back

    ¡°Tch, you dare bully my precious Ke''er? Just wait, I''ll make sure you regret it!¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even dare,¡± Xing Qiu said as he casually walked over and gently embraced Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°Ugh, you two are so nauseating, go flaunt your love somewhere else!¡± Liu Yina exaggeratedly shooed them away.


    Lin Ke¡¯er remained silent, as did I, for we both knew what kind of person Xing Qiu truly was.


    ¡°Ke¡¯er, join us,¡± Zhang Xuan urged, tugging at Lin Ke''er''s arm. ¡°If not, should I have Wang Yao personally talk to you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t. Just the thought of seeing your leader gives me a headache.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Zhang Xuan laughed heartily, ¡°Of course, Wang Yao is someone even Da Mao trembles before.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Da Mao only does that because he¡¯s indulging the women,¡± Xing Qiu chuckled.


    The more they spoke of their school affairs, the less I felt able to contribute to the conversation, standing there feeling like an outsider.


    Da Mao, Wang Yao¡ªnone of it piqued my interest, not even if they were the heads of the Nine Princes or Twelve Roses.


    To me, only the na?ve would bother giving themselves such titles. Back in our school, the so-called Four Kings were nothing more than people who got wiped out without a fight.


    Thankfully, the training session ended soon after, and they all returned to their respective groups. I finally had the chance to sit down and continue fiddling with my phone.


    The afternoon dragged on, and once we were dismissed, I prepared to head to dinner. Just as I was leaving the sports field, someone called out to me from behind. Turning around, I was surprised to see Xing Qiu. I initially thought he was coming for revenge, quickly scanning the area for any potential weapons.


    I spotted a brick and rushed over to grab it. Xing Qiu froze. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I replied, ¡°Quit the nonsense, if you want to fight, come at me.¡±


    Xing Qiu chuckled. ¡°If I wanted a fight, why would I come alone?¡±


    I glanced around, and indeed, he was by himself, no backup in sight.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    He handed me a cigarette. ¡°I was being a bit reckless earlier, just joking around with Lin Ke''er. It¡¯s a bad habit of mine¡ªalways messing with women. Zhang Xuan has scolded me about it several times already.¡±


    His tone seemed genuine, so I took the cigarette, lit it, and said, ¡°You really need to fix that habit of yours, getting too handsy for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you''re right. I''m sorry about that,¡± he scratched his head and smiled. ¡°How about lunch tomorrow? Just the four of us¡ªme, you, Zhang Xuan, and Lin Ke''er. I really want to apologize properly to her.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied easily, thinking that Xing Qiu didn¡¯t seem like a bad guy.


    Little did I know, I was far too naive. This was all part of his scheme, one that would lead to both Lin Ke''er and I facing significant trouble.


    But that¡¯s a story for later.


    We finalized the details for tomorrow¡¯s lunch and walked together to the dormitory entrance before parting ways. He had to go pick up Zhang Xuan.


    After dinner at the cafeteria, I remembered HOUZI was still sleeping in the dorm. I brought him a portion of fried rice. When I arrived at 305, he was alone, the place still as dead as ever.


    I woke him up, and he devoured the meal quickly, then asked, ¡°The Nine Princes didn¡¯t cause you any more trouble, right?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s go meet someone,¡± he said, pulling me by the arm as he led me outside.


    Confused, I followed. We arrived at another dorm where a few students were playing cards. One of them, a chubby guy, greeted HOUZI, ¡°HOUZI, you¡¯re here!¡±


    HOUZI nodded and pointed at me. ¡°Da Mao, this is Zuo Fei. You should¡¯ve heard of him.¡±


    I froze, realizing that the man in front of me was none other than the leader of the Nine Princes. He seemed kind enough, not fierce at all.


    Da Mao gave a small nod. ¡°Oh, I heard. You knocked Zhou Kun down with a brick, right? He deserved it, beating people up three times a day¡­¡±


    ¡°Four times,¡± HOUZI corrected.


    I shot HOUZI a resentful glance¡ªreally, was it necessary to quibble over the exact number of times?


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Right, four times,¡± Da Mao said. ¡°That guy was too arrogant. He had it coming. HOUZI, you didn¡¯t need to come all the way here just for this.¡±


    It was clear that Da Mao respected HOUZI, at least in terms of face.


    HOUZI muttered, ¡°I think every one of the Nine Princes needs a lesson.¡±


    Da Mao¡¯s expression shifted slightly, but he said nothing.


    HOUZI continued, ¡°Zuo Fei is my brother. You Nine Princes better watch yourselves from now on, don¡¯t run into him by accident.¡±


    Da Mao¡¯s face grew darker.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± HOUZI said, grabbing my arm and slamming the door behind us.


    ¡°We¡¯re staying up again tonight, I¡¯m going to sleep a little more,¡± HOUZI said, dropping back onto his bed.


    Though HOUZI had been forceful earlier, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had gone a bit too far. Da Mao had been nothing but respectful to him. But then again, this was just how HOUZI was, and it wasn¡¯t really my place to judge. His dorm was a mess, full of cigarette butts and plastic wrappers. I tidied up a little, sweeping the trash outside.


    While I was cleaning, I noticed several people outside pointing and whispering. One of them came up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with HOUZI?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡±


    ¡°HOUZI has friends?!¡±


    ¡°What''s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± the person waved his hand dismissively.


    I grabbed his arm. ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡±


    He hesitated. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? There¡¯s no one else in his dorm.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, where did they all go?¡±


    ¡°They moved out. No one wants to stay in a dorm with him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always borrowing money from people, and never pays it back.¡±


    He jerked his arm free and walked away.


    I turned to look at HOUZI, who was still sound asleep. I closed the door quietly and left.


    The next day, I sat beneath the tree again for the entire morning. The instructor said it was fine for me to rest there, but I couldn¡¯t wander around. After we were dismissed, Xing Qiu came to find me, reminding me of our lunch plans. He told me that Zhang Xuan and Lin Ke''er would join us soon and that we should go ahead to the restaurant.


    Once we arrived, I thought of HOUZI and decided to call him. I told him I was having lunch with Xing Qiu and asked if he wanted me to bring him something. HOUZI was thrilled and said yes, please bring him some food.


    I had no idea that this phone call would end up saving both Lin Ke''er and me.


    After finishing the call, I asked the waiter for something ready-made. She said there were only steamed dumplings, so I ordered two baskets. The food was packed, but Zhang Xuan and Lin Ke''er still hadn¡¯t arrived. I decided to go give HOUZI his meal, promising I¡¯d be back in under ten minutes. Xing Qiu agreed, even offering to help me by packing some vinegar.


    As I stood up, I suddenly felt a sharp blow to the back of my head, and everything went dark with stars filling my vision.


    ¡°D*mn it, I was planning on waiting to make my move,¡± Xing Qiu sneered, kicking me again.


    I collapsed to the floor, only to see him holding a large ashtray in his hand. At that moment, three or four people rushed in, holding me down tightly.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What do I want? You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Xing Qiu said ominously.


    Pinned to the ground, unable to move, I realized Lin Ke''er was likely about to get dragged into this as well. I prayed she wouldn¡¯t come. But, of course, my thoughts didn¡¯t go as hoped. Less than a minute later, the door opened, and Lin Ke''er stepped inside.


    Seeing me pinned to the ground, she gasped and rushed over to try and push the men away.


    ¡°Xing Qiu, what is this?¡± Lin Ke''er stood up defiantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just need to have a little chat with you,¡± Xing Qiu said as he walked over to lock the door.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Zhang Xuan?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not coming. She doesn¡¯t even know about our lunch today.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Ke''er pulled out her phone, ready to call for help. Xing Qiu pressed down on her phone, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Do you really think I''d let you make that call?"


    I cursed, but before I could say another word, the four men restraining me unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches. Well, great¡ªthis was my fifth beating. Realizing that cursing was futile, I clenched my jaw and fell silent, fixing Xing Qiu with a murderous glare.


    "What exactly do you want?" Lin Ke''er asked, her voice tinged with helplessness. "Think carefully¡ªI¡¯m already part of the Twelve Roses."


    Xing Qiu¡¯s expression changed, but he quickly composed himself and spoke with unsettling earnestness. "Ke¡¯er, this has nothing to do with whether or not you¡¯ve joined the Twelve Roses. I just wanted to speak my heart. You must have noticed¡ªI really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"


    "Are you insane?!" Lin Ke''er shrieked. "Do you even care how Zhang Xuan would feel?"


    I stared at Xing Qiu, recalling the way he had once embraced Zhang Xuan with such apparent devotion. Now, looking at him, I felt nothing but disgust¡ªhis hypocrisy repulsive, his actions sickening. And for Lin Ke¡¯er, I felt only pity. Perhaps this was the misfortune of being a beautiful girl¡ªforever the object of unwanted affections.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter anymore," Xing Qiu said coolly. "I¡¯m simply following my heart. Ke¡¯er, say yes. I¡¯ll take care of everything. I swear, I won¡¯t let you suffer even the slightest harm."


    "Never!" Lin Ke''er¡¯s voice was firm and unyielding. "I don¡¯t like you, and I will never be your girlfriend! I''m warning you¡ªlet me and Zuo Fei go immediately, or you will regret it!"


    Xing Qiu fell silent, as if struck by a heavy blow. He slumped into a chair, his face suddenly ashen and lifeless.


    Seeing his state, Lin Ke''er''s tone softened. "Xing Qiu, Zhang Xuan loves you deeply. Be good to her."


    Xing Qiu gave a slow nod, his face seeming to age a decade in mere moments.


    "Well? Are you going to let us go or not?" Lin Ke''er demanded, turning to the men restraining me.


    They hesitated, their eyes flickering toward Xing Qiu.


    Xing Qiu rose to his feet. "Ke''er... is there really no chance?"


    "None." Lin Ke''er¡¯s voice was like steel.


    "Alright then." Xing Qiu let out a long, weary sigh. "Let¡¯s part on good terms. Have a drink with me. And promise me... don¡¯t tell Zhang Xuan about what happened today." He poured two glasses of liquor and handed one to Lin Ke''er.


    Lin Ke''er took the glass without hesitation, downing it in one swift motion. "Satisfied? Can we leave now?"


    Xing Qiu nodded.


    Lin Ke''er turned toward me. Just as I exhaled in relief, I saw her body waver¡ªthen collapse.


    Xing Qiu caught her in his arms, then burst into triumphant laughter.


    In that instant, I understood everything. It had all been an act¡ªan elaborate deception to make Lin Ke''er drink that poisoned wine.


    "Xing Qiu, you son of a b*tch!" I roared, only to be met with another ruthless beating. "If you have any guts, kill me now! Otherwise, I swear, I¡¯ll make you pay for this!" My vision blurred with rage, but my body refused to rise.


    Xing Qiu ignored me, carrying Lin Ke''er toward the door. I dragged myself forward, only to be yanked back once again. I no longer even shielded my head, blindly struggling to stand, but I was powerless¡ªutterly helpless.


    Never had I wished so desperately for strength. If only I were Binzi, I¡¯d kill every last one of them.


    But I wasn''t.


    And so I could do nothing but watch.


    Watch as Xing Qiu opened the door.


    Watch as he stepped outside.


    Watch as Xing Qiu was sent flying back into the room.

 Chapter 07: Drenched by Lin Ke鈥檈r

    Xing Qiu¡­ flew back?


    I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but when I took a closer look¡ªno, I wasn¡¯t mistaken. Xing Qiu had indeed been sent flying, his back slamming against the wall, while Lin Ke¡¯er collapsed beside him. The four men who had been pummeling me froze in shock, staring in disbelief at Xing Qiu¡¯s airborne return.


    "My meal still isn¡¯t here?" Houzi grumbled as he sauntered into the room, then casually planted a foot on Xing Qiu¡¯s head.


    A surge of relief overwhelmed me¡ªI nearly wept with joy. "Houzi!"


    The four men sprang into action, ready to charge at him. Houzi raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks. "Wait, let¡¯s talk."


    They hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances.


    "Zuo Fei, how about covering my meals for a week?"


    "Deal!" I shouted without hesitation.


    "Then go on¡ªget them!" Xing Qiu rasped weakly.


    At last, the four men snapped out of their stupor and lunged. Houzi delivered another swift kick to Xing Qiu¡¯s head before dashing forward to engage them. No matter how skilled he was, even Houzi couldn¡¯t take down four men in an instant. I scrambled to my feet, grabbed a teapot from the table, and hurled scalding water at them. The boiling liquid sent all four men shrieking in agony¡ªalong with Houzi.


    "You idiot! Stop making things worse and go save Lin Ke¡¯er!" he bellowed.


    I didn¡¯t waste another second. I rushed to Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s side and found her eyes open¡ªshe hadn¡¯t lost consciousness after all, just completely drained of strength.


    "Are you alright?" I asked.


    "I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s get out of here," she whispered.


    I stole a glance at Xing Qiu, now lying unconscious on the floor, then scooped Lin Ke¡¯er into my arms and bolted for the exit. Houzi followed close behind, the four men giving chase.


    "Why the hell are you still running after us?" Houzi barked. "Your boss is dead from my kick!"


    The four men skidded to a halt, then hurried back to check on Xing Qiu. We seized the opportunity and dashed out of the restaurant.


    Houzi shot me a look. "Find a hotel. Let her drink plenty of water, and she¡¯ll recover soon enough."


    We hailed a taxi. I bundled Lin Ke¡¯er inside and climbed in after her.


    Houzi leaned against the window. "The moment I heard you were with Xing Qiu, I knew something was wrong, so I rushed over. Remember this¡ªstay the hell away from the Ninth Prince¡¯s people. Each one is more treacherous than the last." He patted my shoulder. "Alright, I¡¯m off to play some games."


    I clenched my fists, burning with resentment. Just yesterday, I thought Houzi was too harsh. Now, I realized he wasn¡¯t wrong at all¡ªevery single one of the Ninth Prince¡¯s lackeys was rotten to the core. If not for Houzi, Lin Ke¡¯er and I would have been doomed.


    Suddenly, a thought struck me. "Houzi, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? Here, take five bucks¡ª"


    Before I could finish, Houzi waved me off. "What do you take me for? I¡¯m not gonna keep mooching off you. Go on, get outta here."


    I watched his retreating figure, my heart swelling with gratitude. Of course, that feeling might have been even stronger if I hadn¡¯t noticed the bag of steamed dumplings he was carrying.


    "Driver, take us to a hotel¡ªone far away from here." I didn¡¯t want to risk the Ninth Prince tracking us down.


    When we arrived, I checked us into a room and laid Lin Ke¡¯er gently on the bed. Filling a paper cup with purified water, I helped her drink. She still had no strength in her limbs, but her mind was sharp, her eyes wide and alert.


    Since she was lying down, drinking was difficult. She coughed and sputtered a few times, nearly choking. Left with no other choice, I lifted her into my arms, letting her lean against my chest as I continued to feed her water.


    After three or four cups, I noticed her face was growing flushed.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" I asked.


    "Nothing. Am I still not better?"


    "It¡¯ll take time. Drink a little more."


    We were so close that our faces nearly touched. She smelled incredibly fragrant, a delicate scent that lingered between us. After a while, I felt her body tremble slightly.


    I sighed. "Come on, are you seriously scared of me? I¡¯m not Xing Qiu¡ªI wouldn¡¯t take advantage of you. We sat next to each other for a whole year, don¡¯t you know me by now? Just relax."


    "It¡¯s not that¡­" Her voice was barely a whisper, softer than the hum of a mosquito.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Then keep drinking."


    But she pressed her lips together, refusing.


    I frowned. "What is it now?"


    Her face turned even redder, and her trembling worsened.


    A sudden realization struck me. "Wait¡­ do you need to pee?"


    She remained silent, but the way her body shook gave me the answer.


    Without hesitation, I scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom, placing her on the toilet. Holding her shoulders firmly, I reassured her, "Lin Ke¡¯er, you know me. You don¡¯t have to worry¡ªI won¡¯t take advantage of you. I¡¯ll close my eyes, help you with your clothes, and that¡¯s it. Don¡¯t overthink it, alright?"


    A faint murmur escaped her lips.


    I crouched down, closed my eyes, and reached out. Since she had no strength, her upper body slumped forward, her chest pressing against my face.


    I was, after all, a young man with blood running hot in his veins. There was no way I wouldn¡¯t react to this.


    Fortunately, she was wearing a skirt. My hands carefully traced along her thighs, searching for the edge of her underwear. Slowly, I helped her slide it down.


    The sound of liquid splashing echoed through the small space. Our breathing grew heavy. It lasted over a minute¡ªclearly, she had been holding it in for far too long.


    Cautiously, I asked, "Do you need me to¡­?"


    "No need¡­" she whispered.


    "Alright." I gently pulled her underwear back up and carried her back to bed. The entire time, I remained hunched over¡ªmy body¡¯s reaction was far too obvious.


    I didn¡¯t dare look at her. Grabbing a cup, I gulped down some water.


    "What are you doing?" she asked.


    "Trying to calm myself down." I drained the entire cup.


    Lin Ke¡¯er gave a soft chuckle. "Pour me some too. I need to calm down as well."


    We each drank three glasses of water, our complexions gradually returning to normal.


    I turned on the television in an attempt to dispel the awkwardness, but for a long while, neither of us spoke. Eventually, Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s phone rang. I retrieved it from her bag, glanced at the screen, and said, ¡°Zhang Xuan.¡±


    Lin Ke¡¯er froze for a moment.


    ¡°Tell her everything,¡± I said, answering the call and putting it on speaker before placing the phone in front of her.


    ¡°Ke¡¯er, have you seen Xing Qiu?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice was laced with urgency and panic. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from him all afternoon!¡±


    I thought Lin Ke¡¯er would blurt out the truth without hesitation, but to my surprise, she remained silent. I shot her a look, urging her to speak.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen him.¡±


    Her answer caught me completely off guard.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll keep looking for him,¡± Zhang Xuan said, disappointment evident in her voice before she hung up.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell her?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    Lin Ke¡¯er pressed her lips together, saying nothing.


    ¡°Are you afraid of hurting her?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± She hesitated for a long while before speaking. ¡°Zhang Xuan loves Xing Qiu¡ªso much that it¡¯s ingrained in her very bones. I¡¯m afraid that if I tell her, she won¡¯t be able to handle the blow¡­ If he could change because of this, that would be best¡­¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? Xing Qiu is absolute scum¡ªgive him a hundred chances, and he still wouldn¡¯t change! Yesterday, he touched your leg, and you said it wasn¡¯t the first time! By hiding this from Zhang Xuan, you¡¯re only enabling him¡ªthat¡¯s why he dared to drug you today! Lin Ke¡¯er, you¡¯ve truly disappointed me. You may have grown more beautiful, more confident, but inside, you¡¯re still just as naive! If you really cared about Zhang Xuan, you¡¯d help her get rid of that bastard!¡±


    Perhaps my tone was too harsh, because Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s eyes shimmered with tears before they finally spilled over.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry,¡± I panicked, reaching out to wipe them away.


    But that only made her sob harder. I had never dealt with this kind of situation before, and now I was utterly at a loss.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she choked out between sniffles. ¡°I¡¯ve only changed on the outside, but inside, I¡¯m still the same¡­ I act strong, but I¡¯m always afraid¡ªafraid of this, afraid of that. I thought if I became pretty, no one would bully me anymore, but look at me now¡­ nothing¡¯s changed.¡±


    She cried even harder, to the point where bubbles of snot formed at her nose. I wanted to laugh, but this was clearly not the time.


    I grabbed a tissue to wipe her face, then pulled her into a hug. ¡°Becoming beautiful was just the first step. Becoming confident was the second. The third step is becoming strong. You¡¯ve already taken two steps¡ªyou''re doing great. Now, let¡¯s take the third.¡±


    I picked up her phone, dialed Zhang Xuan¡¯s number, and put it on speaker, holding it near her lips.


    ¡°Tell Zhang Xuan that her boyfriend is a piece of trash.¡±


    But, unfortunately, the call didn¡¯t go through. The line was busy¡ªover and over again.


    ¡°Every time Xing Qiu disappears, Zhang Xuan calls every single person she knows,¡± Lin Ke¡¯er murmured.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll try again later.¡± I sighed, setting the phone aside.


    We continued chatting, and I asked, ¡°How did you become so pretty? Did you go to Korea for plastic surgery?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Here, feel for yourself¡ªit¡¯s all natural.¡±


    I already knew she hadn¡¯t had any work done. Her facial features hadn¡¯t changed¡ªshe had just been too plain and awkward before for anyone to truly notice her beauty. But still, I played along.


    I traced my fingers over her face, from her brows to her eyes, down the bridge of her nose, across her lips, and finally to her chin. ¡°Hmm¡­ seems like the real deal.¡± Then, I let my hand drift lower.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?¡± Lin Ke¡¯er swatted at me, suspicion in her gaze.


    I grinned mischievously. ¡°Just kidding.¡± I withdrew my hand and picked up the phone again, dialing Zhang Xuan¡¯s number once more.


    This time, the call finally connected.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, I need to tell you something!¡± Lin Ke¡¯er said hurriedly.


    ¡°I have something to tell you too! But we have military training soon¡ªlet¡¯s meet at the cafeteria entrance at six,¡± Zhang Xuan replied before hanging up.


    ¡°That works,¡± I said, putting the phone down. ¡°This kind of thing is better discussed in person anyway.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink some more water.¡±


    Another fifteen minutes passed, and after downing another four or five glasses, Lin Ke¡¯er finally had to go to the restroom again.


    Wait¡ªwhy did I say ¡°finally¡±? Had I been waiting for this moment?


    This time, we had mastered the process. I carried her into the bathroom, shut my eyes, and took care of everything¡­


    When we emerged, both of our faces were burning¡ªthis time, even worse than before.


    ¡°This never leaves this room,¡± Lin Ke¡¯er declared, lying on the bed with unwavering determination.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯d go around bragging about getting peed on.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still talking about it?!¡± She grabbed the nearest cup and hurled it at me.


    I caught it midair and beamed. ¡°Hey, you can move now!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She blinked, then slowly raised her hands, flexing her fingers like an elderly patient doing rehabilitation exercises.


    I held her hands, helping her stand. Step by step, I guided her forward.


    ¡°My hands and feet feel stronger, but my body still feels numb,¡± she said, taking slow, deliberate steps.


    ¡°Keep drinking water¡ªit¡¯ll help.¡±


    We walked side by side, close enough that I could catch whiffs of her delicate fragrance. The atmosphere between us was intoxicatingly ambiguous, as if the very air carried an unspoken promise.


    Before I knew it, we had reached the door. I deliberately took a larger step forward, and just as I predicted, Lin Ke¡¯er stumbled into my arms.


    With my back pressed against the door, I tilted my head downward, searching for her lips.

 Chapter 08: Big Cat, What Do You Think?

    Instead of what I sought, I found Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s slender fingers pressed gently against my lips.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she asked, her eyes locked onto mine.


    ¡°I think¡­¡± I smirked devilishly, letting the suggestiveness of my words linger.


    ¡°Then close your eyes.¡±


    I knew it¡ªour minds were perfectly in sync. Some things simply didn¡¯t need to be said aloud.


    Obediently, I shut my eyes.


    Her arms slipped around my waist in an embrace.


    Then¡ªclick. A sharp sound behind me.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Before I could react, Lin Ke¡¯er suddenly shoved me backward.


    I landed unceremoniously on the cold corridor floor. Blinking in surprise, I found myself outside, while she remained inside, standing triumphantly in the doorway.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just swear you wouldn¡¯t take advantage of me? Take some time to reflect on that outside!¡± She huffed, then unceremoniously shut the door in my face.


    Humiliation washed over me. The corridor wasn¡¯t empty¡ªseveral students were passing by, throwing startled glances in my direction. Clearly, getting thrown out of a girl¡¯s room was a rare spectacle.


    I dusted myself off, straightened my clothes, and feigned indifference as I strolled downstairs. Yet, unwilling to stray too far, I settled onto the lobby¡¯s sofa to wait.


    An hour later, Lin Ke¡¯er finally emerged. Her movements were fluid, her steps light¡ªshe had clearly recovered.


    ¡°Well? Have you reflected on your actions?¡± She grinned playfully.


    ¡°I have. I should¡¯ve made my move while you were still too weak to resist.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± She raised a hand to strike me.


    I caught her wrist with a chuckle. ¡°Alright, enough of that. Let¡¯s grab a bite. We should be heading back to campus soon.¡±


    Neither of us had eaten since noon, caught up in the chaos surrounding Xing Qiu. After enduring five beatings today, I definitely needed to replenish my energy.


    We found a small noodle shop nearby and had a quick meal before strolling around. As the clock neared six, we returned to school.


    The military training sessions had just ended, and students were pouring toward the cafeteria in droves. Amidst the throngs of people, Lin Ke¡¯er stood out effortlessly¡ªbeauty always had a way of drawing attention.


    Before we reached the cafeteria, I spotted Zhang Xuan standing atop the steps in the distance. Lin Ke¡¯er waved, and Zhang Xuan returned the gesture.


    But as we approached, Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Zhang Xuan¡­¡± She reached out, seeking the comfort of her closest friend.


    Zhang Xuan reached out as well¡ªonly to slap Lin Ke¡¯er across the face.


    ¡°Slut! How dare you show your face here?¡±


    Stunned silence.


    Lin Ke¡¯er froze. I froze. Neither of us had anticipated this turn of events.


    But Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t done¡ªgrabbing Lin Ke¡¯er by the collar, she raised her hand for another strike.


    I reacted instantly, shoving Zhang Xuan away and shielding Lin Ke¡¯er behind me.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Get out of my way! I swear I¡¯ll kill this whore today!¡± Zhang Xuan screamed, clawing at Lin Ke¡¯er even as I blocked her path.


    ¡°Are you insane?!¡± My mind raced. ¡°Did Xing Qiu tell you something?!¡±


    Zhang Xuan ignored me, her fury undeterred.


    A crowd had gathered¡ªdozens, maybe even hundreds of students encircling us. Zhang Xuan¡¯s rage was unchecked, her words venomous, her actions ruthless.


    Several girls rushed in to intervene¡ªstrikingly beautiful girls, members of the infamous Twelve Roses. Among them, I spotted Liu Yina. They wrestled Zhang Xuan back, finally prying her away.


    Relieved, I turned to check on Lin Ke¡¯er¡ªher face was streaked with tears. Anger boiled in my chest.


    Liu Yina approached hesitantly. ¡°Zhang Xuan said Lin Ke¡¯er seduced Xing Qiu. Is it true?¡±


    My eyes burned with fury. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    She hesitated. ¡°Then explain it.¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    I scoffed. ¡°Look around¡ªdo you think this is the time for explanations?¡±


    Zhang Xuan was still screaming, the crowd swelling, whispering, watching¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a mere scuffle anymore; it was a full-blown spectacle.


    ¡°Then get Lin Ke¡¯er out of here first,¡± Liu Yina urged. ¡°We can sort this out later.¡±


    Without hesitation, I grabbed Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s hand and pushed through the sea of students. People parted for us as I stormed ahead, dragging her with me.


    We didn¡¯t stop until we had left the school grounds. Across the street, there was a quiet park, and I led her toward the fountain at its center.


    Dusk had settled. The park was nearly empty.


    Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying, her expression utterly broken. The sight made my heart ache.


    Two days ago, I had sworn I wouldn¡¯t let anyone bully her again. Yet today¡ªtoday, she had suffered like this.


    A dark rage ignited within me.


    Clenching my fists, I spoke in a low, steady voice. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll bring Xing Qiu to you. I¡¯ll make sure you get justice.¡±


    Leaving the park, I pulled out my phone and called Houzi.


    ¡°Come to the school gates,¡± I ordered.


    Houzi, sensing my tone, didn¡¯t ask questions. He simply agreed.


    Minutes later, I met him outside the campus and explained everything.


    Houzi¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That bastard¡­¡± He exhaled sharply. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°I want to drag him out and make him talk.¡±


    Houzi nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± Without hesitation, he marched toward the campus.


    I hurried after him. ¡°Wait¡ªshouldn¡¯t we set a trap or something? Just the two of us might not be enough.¡±


    Houzi smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just follow my lead.¡±


    I fell silent. He was fearless, and I trusted him.


    We entered the academic building. Evening self-study sessions were underway¡ªno teachers, just chaotic classrooms buzzing with students.


    Houzi led me to his own class first.


    As soon as we stepped inside, the room fell silent. It was as if a teacher had just walked in.


    I expected him to gather some backup.


    Instead, he grabbed a wooden plank from a broken chair and strode out.


    Moments later, we arrived at Xing Qiu¡¯s classroom.


    He was in the back, laughing with a few classmates.


    Houzi didn¡¯t hesitate. He walked straight up to him.


    Xing Qiu noticed and stood abruptly. ¡°What do you want?!¡± His voice was sharp, defensive.


    ¡°I want to fuck your mother,¡± Houzi growled.


    Then, without warning, he swung the plank.


    It struck Xing Qiu¡¯s head with a sickening crack.


    Xing Qiu staggered. For a moment, he seemed ready to collapse.


    The students around him jolted to their feet, prepared to intervene.


    Houzi raised the plank threateningly. ¡°Back the fuck off.¡±


    They did.


    Without further resistance, Houzi grabbed Xing Qiu by the collar and dragged him toward the door. I clamped a hand around his throat, ensuring he couldn¡¯t struggle.


    The bastard barely had the strength to resist.


    Within moments, we were out of the classroom.


    No stopping. No hesitation. We had to get him off campus before anyone could react.


    We descended the stairs swiftly, slipping into the night¡ªdragging him straight toward justice.


    All along the way, Xing Qiu pleaded desperately, swearing that he wouldn¡¯t dare again, but neither of us paid him any heed. Dragging him to the fountain in the park, we subjected him to a relentless beating. Even Lin Ke¡¯er joined in, kicking him twice¡ªproof enough of how much she loathed him.


    Just as we were in the midst of it, a shadowy mass of figures came rushing toward us in the distance. It was clear that the Ninth Prince¡¯s people had finally caught up.


    I glanced at HOUZI¡ªour pillar of strength in this moment. Without a word, he hauled Xing Qiu toward the fountain. Though it wasn¡¯t running, a shallow pool of water had gathered at the base, with a row of metal spouts protruding from the surface. Positioning Xing Qiu¡¯s head over one of the thinner spouts, HOUZI growled, his voice laced with menace, ¡°Move even a fraction, and I¡¯ll drive this straight through your eye.¡±


    Lin Ke¡¯er and I stepped into the water beside him. The approaching crowd finally arrived¡ªnearly twenty of them, both men and women. Among them were Da Mao, Zhang Xuan, and Liu Yina. It seemed both the Ninth Prince and the Twelve Roses had turned up in full force.


    ¡°You wretched slut, let Xing Qiu go!¡± Zhang Xuan shrieked, attempting to charge forward, only to be held back by the other girls. The men hurled curses as well, all demanding that HOUZI release Xing Qiu.


    ¡°Keep running your mouths, and I¡¯ll skewer him right here,¡± HOUZI snapped.


    The scene fell silent in an instant, a testament to his sheer dominance. I knew I could never command such authority; even Binzi might struggle to match him.


    Da Mao finally spoke. ¡°HOUZI, let¡¯s talk this through. Release him first.¡±


    ¡°Release your damn mother,¡± HOUZI spat. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re plotting?¡±


    ¡°I came to settle this, not to fight,¡± Da Mao replied evenly, his composure unshaken.


    ¡°Fine. Settle it, then. Let¡¯s hear what Xing Qiu has to say for himself.¡±


    Da Mao turned to Zhang Xuan. ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    But Zhang Xuan refused to answer, cursing Lin Ke¡¯er relentlessly instead. It was Liu Yina who stepped forward. ¡°Ke¡¯er, Wang Yao had some matters to tend to, so she asked me to get to the bottom of this. According to Xing Qiu and Zhang Xuan, you confessed to Xing Qiu during lunch, and when he rejected you, you called Zuo Fei and HOUZI to beat him up. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your goddamn mind?¡± HOUZI roared. ¡°Do you really believe that nonsense?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking on Wang Yao¡¯s behalf,¡± Liu Yina replied.


    The mere mention of Wang Yao silenced even HOUZI.


    Lin Ke¡¯er spoke up, her voice steady. ¡°That¡¯s not true. When I arrived at the agreed-upon location, I saw Zuo Fei pinned to the ground¡­¡±


    As she recounted the events, Zhang Xuan continued to hurl insults at her. Just yesterday, I had thought Zhang Xuan was alright, but now I realized her intelligence was pitifully lacking. Did she truly trust no one but Xing Qiu?


    By the time Lin Ke¡¯er finished, Zhang Xuan had cursed her at least a dozen times, spitting words like "nonsense" and "whore" without pause. Yet aside from her, everyone else had fallen into silence.


    HOUZI yanked Xing Qiu¡¯s hair. ¡°Is she telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­¡± he stammered.


    Liu Yina turned to the crowd. ¡°What do you all think?¡±


    No one spoke.


    She then addressed Da Mao directly. ¡°What¡¯s your take?¡±


    Da Mao shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s left to say? I¡¯ll take Xing Qiu back and deal with him myself.¡±


    Liu Yina nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s end it here. Each side handles their own people¡ªno need to make a public spectacle of this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡± Zhang Xuan shrieked, but no one paid her any attention.


    Liu Yina approached Lin Ke¡¯er, taking her hand gently. ¡°Ke¡¯er, don¡¯t hold it against her. You know she¡¯s not a bad person at heart. Let¡¯s go back and sort this out as sisters, alright?¡±


    Lin Ke¡¯er nodded, tears slipping down her face once more.


    I sighed inwardly. It seemed Lin Ke¡¯er had taken that slap for nothing. But the affairs of the Twelve Roses weren¡¯t mine to meddle in. At least this ordeal had restored her innocence.


    Da Mao stepped forward, his expression regretful. ¡°Sorry about this, HOUZI. We¡¯ve caused you trouble again.¡±


    ¡°You lot should just disband the damn Ninth Prince gang already,¡± HOUZI spat. ¡°Every single one of you is a goddamn¡ª¡±


    His words cut off abruptly.


    That wasn¡¯t like him.


    I turned around just in time to see Da Mao gripping the hilt of a knife¡ªthe blade buried deep in HOUZI¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°This one¡¯s to settle our score,¡± Da Mao murmured, his voice cold and venomous.

 Chapter 9: Shut Your Mouth

    HOUZI collapsed into the water, clutching his abdomen in agony. I let out a frantic cry, attempting to rush toward him, but before I could take a step, a swarm of people surged into the fountain, raining down blows until I was sprawled out, helpless.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Liu Yina screamed, her voice cutting through the chaos. The girls around her echoed her cries, their fear betraying their tough exteriors.


    Seven or eight of them had me pinned down, and submerged in the water, I had no strength to fight back. This was my sixth beating since transferring to this school¡ªno matter how strong I was, my body couldn''t take it anymore. Like a lifeless dog, I lay there, absorbing every kick and punch until, at last, they relented, dragging me and HOUZI out of the fountain and dumping us onto the cold ground.


    Drenched and shivering, we left a trail of water in our wake. I crawled toward HOUZI, panic clawing at my chest as I saw the blood still seeping from his wound. "You okay?" I gasped. He shook his head faintly, as if to say he was fine, but the pallor of his face and the tightness of his expression told a different story.


    Lin Ke''er rushed forward, pressing a wad of tissues to his wound, her tears falling freely. The girls stood in stunned silence¡ªeven Zhang Xuan, cradling Xing Qiu in her arms, was sobbing.


    "What the hell is this supposed to mean, Big Cat?!" Liu Yina demanded.


    "I''m avenging Zhang Xuan and Xing Qiu," Big Cat said indifferently. "I won¡¯t touch Lin Ke''er. I''ll leave that for Wang Yao to decide."


    "You¡­" Liu Yina trembled with fury. "So you''re saying you actually believe Lin Ke''er seduced Xing Qiu?"


    "Of course. Isn¡¯t it obvious?" Big Cat scoffed, as though he were explaining something to a child. "Xing Qiu and Zhang Xuan are crazy about each other. Lin Ke''er was jealous, so she tried to come between them. But Xing Qiu¡ªbeing the honorable guy that he is¡ªdidn¡¯t take the bait."


    "You¡ª!" Liu Yina was so livid that words failed her.


    "Enough," HOUZI croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. "He''s doing this on purpose¡­ no point arguing with him¡­"


    Liu Yina exhaled sharply, forcing herself to calm down. "Fine. I won''t waste my breath. I''ll wait for Wang Yao to deal with this." She turned to the other girls. "Help me take them to the hospital."


    "Wait a damn second!" Zhang Xuan shrieked. "So you''re on Lin Ke''er''s side now?"


    At her words, the other girls hesitated. After all, Zhang Xuan was closer to them than Lin Ke''er ever was.


    Big Cat chuckled. "HOUZI, six months ago, you stabbed me. Tonight, I return the favor. Now we''re even. I showed you respect before, but you spat in my face. This? This is on you."


    HOUZI said nothing. Words meant nothing now. I, on the other hand, was on the verge of snapping. Every second wasted in this pointless bickering was another second HOUZI bled out.


    Just as Big Cat turned to leave, he issued a final warning. "The two of you better keep your heads down at school from now on. Next time, it won''t just be a single stab wound. Let''s go."


    I had barely exhaled in relief when a voice rang out.


    "Not so fast, Big Cat. Since you''re already here, why not stick around?"


    Big Cat¡¯s expression darkened. Liu Yina, on the other hand, brightened visibly. The girls around us broke into excited whispers¡ª


    "Wang Yao."


    "It''s Yao-jie."


    The atmosphere shifted, as if an idol had descended upon them.


    A girl stepped forward. She was strikingly beautiful, with short, ear-length hair framing a delicate face. Her dark eyes gleamed with intelligence, and her slim figure was accentuated by a tight T-shirt and an equally snug miniskirt, revealing long, pale legs. She exuded a sharp, no-nonsense aura.


    "Wang Yao, Lin Ke''er seduced Xing Qiu!" Zhang Xuan huffed, pouting like a child seeking justice.


    So this was Wang Yao.


    "I heard," Wang Yao said flatly. Then, without warning, she raised her hand and slapped Zhang Xuan across the face.


    "Wake the fuck up. You think Lin Ke''er would ever look twice at that loser Xing Qiu?"


    Zhang Xuan yelped, clutching her cheek, not daring to utter another word.


    Wang Yao turned to the still-collapsed Xing Qiu, stepping forward and planting her heel directly onto his crotch.


    "Talk. Tell me exactly what happened. One lie, and I¡¯ll ruin you."


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Only then did I notice her footwear¡ªstiletto heels, at least eight centimeters high. No wonder she seemed almost as tall as me.


    A suffocating silence enveloped the scene. The sheer force of her presence was enough to suppress everyone.


    "Wang Yao, you¡ª" Big Cat started.


    "Shut the fuck up," Wang Yao snapped, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at him. "Can''t you see I¡¯m handling my own business here?"


    Big Cat immediately fell silent.


    "Speak," she commanded. Her heel dug in.


    "It¡ªit was me! I drugged Lin Ke''er!" Xing Qiu wailed, his voice laced with sheer terror, quivering with unshed tears.


    "You motherfucker," Wang Yao sneered. "You really had the balls to mess with one of mine?" With a swift kick, she sent him sprawling. Xing Qiu curled up, howling in pain.


    The stillness returned, heavy and charged, as though danger itself had materialized in the air.


    Lin Ke''er stood, her tears falling yet again. My hands trembled, not from fear, but from sheer exhilaration. HOUZI, despite his pain, managed a smirk. Big Cat¡¯s breath came harsh and ragged, as if barely restraining himself, but ultimately, he kept his mouth shut.


    Zhang Xuan, though silent, radiated defiance.


    "I know you''re pissed," Wang Yao said, her tone deceptively casual. "You think I¡¯m playing favorites, don''t you?" She pointed at Zhang Xuan. "Since when have I ever been unfair? You two, get over here."


    As if summoned by an unseen force, two students emerged from the shadows. I recognized them instantly¡ªXing Qiu¡¯s lackeys, the same ones who had been in the private room at lunch. Only now, they were barely recognizable, their faces swollen to the point of resembling grotesque caricatures.


    "Tell them what happened," Wang Yao ordered, her arms crossed over her chest, her voice cold as ice.


    The two exchanged a wary glance before speaking, stammering out the full story. Not a single detail deviated from Lin Ke''er''s earlier account.


    "Does anyone still have any objections?" Wang Yao''s gaze fell upon Zhang Xuan.


    Zhang Xuan remained silent, lowering her head without a word.


    "Does anyone else have objections?" Wang Yao surveyed the crowd.


    No one dared to respond¡ªonly Xing Qiu lay on the ground, groaning in pain.


    Finally, Wang Yao turned her attention to Da Mao. "And you? Any objections?"


    Da Mao¡¯s expression shifted between dark and unreadable emotions before he forced a smile. "So that''s how it is. We nearly wronged Lin Ke¡¯er. Fine, I understand now. I''ll take my people and leave."


    His group hurriedly carried Xing Qiu away, their retreat accompanied by a chorus of jeers and boos from the surrounding girls.


    Zhang Xuan watched Xing Qiu¡¯s departure with longing, yet she dared not move, let alone follow.


    Wang Yao stepped up to Lin Ke¡¯er. "Enough crying. It¡¯s not that big of a deal."


    Lin Ke¡¯er immediately stifled her sobs.


    Wang Yao reached out, ruffling her hair with unexpected gentleness. "Zhang Xuan is foolish, but she isn''t malicious. From now on, let¡¯s remain sisters, alright?"


    Lin Ke¡¯er nodded.


    Wang Yao turned back, her voice turning sharp again. "Well? What are you waiting for? Apologize!"


    Zhang Xuan hesitantly stepped forward, eyes avoiding Wang Yao as she looked instead at Lin Ke¡¯er. "Ke¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I wronged you."


    Lin Ke¡¯er nodded, stepping forward to embrace Zhang Xuan. The moment their arms wrapped around each other, tears burst forth once again. The other girls quickly gathered around, hugging the two, and soon, their emotions overflowed, one by one dissolving into sobs.


    Wang Yao, however, stood apart from the sentimental display. Instead, she crouched beside Houzi, looking him over. "Still alive?"


    "Yeah," Houzi grinned weakly. "It could only be you. No one else could have kept this situation under control."


    "You could too, if you wanted to." To my surprise, Wang Yao pulled out a cigarette and placed it between Houzi¡¯s lips. "Since you''re not dead, hurry up and get to the hospital. Don''t tell me you expect a bunch of girls to carry you there?"


    "No need." Supporting himself with one arm, the other pressed against his wounded stomach, Houzi struggled to stand. Blood seeped between his fingers.


    I quickly moved to help him, and despite his injuries, he still managed to walk forward. I couldn''t help but admire his resilience.


    "Thank you," I said, turning to Wang Yao.


    "Oh, you''re Zuo Fei, right? I heard what you did to protect Ke¡¯er. I appreciate it." Wang Yao lit her own cigarette, the curling smoke adding an air of mystique to her already striking presence.


    "Enough with the crying!" she suddenly barked at the girls. "You are the Twelve Roses! Do you want people laughing at you?"


    "Yao-jie! Now that Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s with us, we¡¯re the Thirteen Roses!"


    Laughter and cheers erupted behind us, filling the night air with warmth and camaraderie.


    As I supported Houzi, his steps grew heavier with each passing moment. Guilt gnawed at me¡ªif it weren¡¯t for me, he wouldn¡¯t have taken that knife. I kept asking if he was alright, even offering to carry him.


    "Zuo Fei," Houzi suddenly threw an arm around my shoulder. "Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine. I took that stab on purpose."


    "What?" I stopped in my tracks, stunned.


    Though his face was deathly pale, Houzi still grinned. "Think about it¡ªearlier today, I told you that the Nine Princes are all cunning bastards. Do you really think I, the one who said that, would be dumb enough to let Da Mao stab me just like that?"


    My heart pounded wildly. "Then¡­ then why¡­" I believed him, but I couldn''t wrap my head around it.


    Who in their right mind would take a stab on purpose?


    "I''ll explain everything¡­ once we get to the hospital," Houzi panted.


    "Alright."


    We made it to the park entrance and hailed a cab. By the time we arrived at the hospital, Houzi was on the verge of collapse, his face drained of all color, too weak to speak in complete sentences. At the emergency entrance, a few hospital workers quickly lifted him onto a gurney.


    Houzi clenched my hand tightly, his lips moving as if struggling to form words.


    "Zuo Fei¡­"


    Hearing his frail voice, I nearly broke down. "Say it. Whatever you need, I¡¯ll do it."


    "I¡­ haven¡¯t eaten dinner¡­ Get me some food¡­ and wait for me outside the operating room¡­"


    I stared at him, dumbfounded, as he was swiftly wheeled away.


    "Son of a bitch!" I cursed loudly.


    As Houzi disappeared behind the operating room doors, I walked out to a nearby food stall and began ordering for him¡ªfried rice, two baskets of soup dumplings, two crispy jianbing, a bowl of century egg congee¡­


    Tonight, I was going to make sure he ate until he burst.


    Outside the operating room, I waited for an hour and a half, watching the food gradually go cold.


    During that time, Lin Ke¡¯er called to check on Houzi. I assured her he was fine and undergoing surgery. She wanted to come, but I told her it was too late at night for a girl to be out alone.


    In the end, it was Liu Yina who showed up instead.


    "Lin Ke¡¯er and Zhang Xuan are still crying in the dorm," she said, placing a stack of bills in my hand. "This is from the Thirteen Roses for Houzi¡¯s medical expenses. Yao-jie personally put in five hundred."


    "You don¡¯t need to. I have money."

 Chapter 10: Lend Me Five Bucks

    "Oh, come on. Hanging out with HOUZI always means spending money¡ªwe know him too well." Liu Yina shoved the cash into my hands.


    When HOUZI was wheeled out, he was still unconscious. Once settled in the hospital room, he was hooked up to an IV for antibiotics.


    The doctor said he needed to be monitored for a few days. After running errands to get him some essentials, I glanced at the clock¡ªit was almost 11 p.m. The ward was silent except for the bubbling sound from the oxygen machine on the wall. The food I had bought for HOUZI had long gone cold¡ªthere was no way he¡¯d be eating it tonight.


    Hunger gnawed at me, so I picked up a dumpling and took a bite.


    "You¡­ mother¡­ f***er¡­" A weak, fragmented voice suddenly rasped out. "Don¡¯t¡­ eat¡­ my¡­ food¡­"


    I jolted upright. "You¡¯re awake?!"


    But there was no response. HOUZI remained motionless, eyes tightly shut, the oxygen bubbles still rising rhythmically.


    Dream-talking, probably. I sighed and continued eating.


    "Don¡¯t¡­ eat¡­"


    "What the hell?!" I glared at him, dumpling in one hand while I slapped his face with the other.


    Still no reaction.


    I was dumbfounded¡ªthis guy could guard his food even in a coma.


    Resigned, I put the food down. He needed rest more than I needed a meal. As expected, he didn¡¯t speak again. I rented a small folding bed and drifted off into a half-sleep, half-dream haze.


    The next morning, HOUZI finally woke up, devouring the cold leftovers like a starving beast. When I mentioned his bizarre sleep-talking from the night before, he scoffed and called me a liar.


    I couldn''t be bothered to argue.


    Once he finished eating, he started clamoring to be discharged. The doctor scolded him thoroughly before he reluctantly stayed put.


    "Just stay put, man. No need to rush after the Ninth Prince for revenge. There¡¯s always time," I reassured him.


    "Bullshit," HOUZI retorted. "I¡¯ve got a game quest to finish today."


    I raised an eyebrow. "So, you¡¯re not thinking about revenge anymore?"


    "Of course, I am," he snorted. "But I need you to go find someone for me. Tell him I got stabbed by Big Cat."


    "Who?"


    "Class Two¡¯s Huang Jie. He should be sleeping in the dorms. Here¡¯s the room number."


    That¡¯s when I realized¡ªso HOUZI had friends after all. If he was sending me to find this guy, it meant he was assembling reinforcements.


    After making sure HOUZI was settled, I headed to the dorms.


    Sure enough, inside the room, a guy was sprawled on his bed, snoring.


    I nudged him awake. He cracked open his eyes groggily. "Who are you?"


    "I¡¯m HOUZI¡¯s friend. He told me to find you."


    The moment he heard that, he flopped back down.


    "Hey¡ª" I prodded him again.


    "I got no money. Tell him to find someone else," Huang Jie grumbled, irritation lacing his voice.


    "No, listen. HOUZI told me to tell you¡ªhe got stabbed by Big Cat."


    "What?" Huang Jie shot up, suddenly wide awake. "Who got stabbed?"


    "HOUZI."


    His expression sharpened. "By who?"


    "Big Cat."


    "Which Big Cat?"


    "The one from Ninth Prince¡¯s gang."


    "For real?"


    "For real."


    Huang Jie froze, eyes wide with disbelief. For a second, I thought¡ªyeah, this is true brotherhood. The moment he heard HOUZI was stabbed, he was dumbstruck.


    "I was sent to¡ª"


    Before I could finish, he suddenly burst into laughter.


    A quiet chuckle at first. Then a snicker. Then outright cackling. His laughter grew louder and wilder until he was clutching his stomach like he''d just heard the best joke of his life.


    I stood there, stunned.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    What the hell? He¡¯s this happy to hear HOUZI got stabbed? They must be sworn enemies. So why did HOUZI send me to find him?!


    Huang Jie wasn¡¯t done. He sprang from his bed, slid into his slippers, and started dancing around the dorm, singing:


    "The vast horizon is my love, the endless green hills bloom in spring, what kind of rhythm sways the most, sways the most¡ª"


    I watched him lose his mind in real time.


    Finally, I snapped. "Alright, cut it out! Even if you hate HOUZI, there¡¯s no need to celebrate like this!"


    Huang Jie stopped, staring at me in surprise.


    I scoffed, turned on my heel, and headed for the door.


    "Hey, wait," he called after me.


    I paused, turning back.


    "What¡¯s your relationship with HOUZI?"


    "We¡¯re brothers."


    Huang Jie raised a brow. "He has brothers?"


    I rolled my eyes. "Yes. Me."


    A grin stretched across his face. "Good. Tell HOUZI¡ªI got the message. I¡¯ll wait for him so we can take revenge together."


    I stopped in my tracks. "You¡¯re saying¡­ you¡¯re going to help him?"


    "Of course. We¡¯re brothers. That¡¯s what brothers do."


    "But you were just laughing like crazy¡ª"


    "Yeah, because I know he took that stab on purpose."


    I gaped at him, my brain struggling to keep up.


    "What?"


    "Think about it. Unless he let it happen, you really think that useless bastard Big Cat could stab him?"


    "I¡¯m asking why he did it."


    "He didn¡¯t tell you?"


    "No."


    Huang Jie pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Then it¡¯s best if he tells you himself."


    "Fine." I knew I wouldn¡¯t get any answers from him, so I turned to leave.


    "Hey, wait a sec."


    "What now?"


    "Can you lend me five bucks? I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet."


    "¡­."


    What the actual hell is wrong with these people?!


    I slapped a five onto his desk and stormed out.


    Now, I truly believed he and HOUZI were brothers. I also finally understood why they didn¡¯t live together¡ªtwo broke bastards like them wouldn¡¯t survive in the same room.


    After meeting Huang Jie, my curiosity about HOUZI¡¯s motives only deepened.


    I rushed back to the hospital¡ªonly to find the bed empty.


    HOUZI was gone.


    The IV bag was still half-full, swaying slightly.


    I grabbed a passing nurse. "Where¡¯s the patient?!"


    The nurse blinked in surprise. "Huh? He was just here¡ª"


    "You motherf***ers," I growled, shoving past her. "If anything happens to him, your hospital better be ready to answer for it!"


    The corridor was empty, the restroom was vacant¡ªthere was no trace of him anywhere. Calls went unanswered, and a creeping sense of unease began to gnaw at me. I feared the Ninth Prince had come to the hospital to finish the job, so I ran frantically through the streets, searching every corner. For a moment, I even considered calling the police.


    Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck me¡ªI had completely overlooked the most obvious place.


    I rushed to the internet caf¨¦, and the moment I stepped inside, there he was¡ªHOUZI, donning an oversized headset, hurling profanities at his teammates.


    "Are all you Shanghai players idiots? Running straight to your deaths the moment the match starts? Oh, you''re from the Northeast? Even worse! I swear, Northeasterners are even dumber¡ªhell, your piss freezes into icicles in winter! Ever considered tying a hand warmer to your balls?!"


    I stormed over and yanked off his headset.


    HOUZI stared at me, stunned. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Oh, Zuo Fei, you''re here! Have a seat, have a seat."


    "Sit, my ass! What the hell are you doing here instead of resting in the hospital?"


    "I¡¯ll go back once I finish my mission."


    "Mission? What¡¯s more important, your game or your health?" My frustration mounted, my breath coming in short bursts.


    "...Both," he muttered after a long hesitation.


    "HOUZI, you seriously need to change this self-destructive lifestyle of yours. You just got stabbed yesterday, for God''s sake! You''re still under observation! Could you, for once, take care of your own damn body? You keep talking about revenge, but how do you expect to fight anyone in this state?"


    HOUZI lowered his head, burying his face in his hands, looking as though he was finally contemplating his life choices.


    I sighed in relief. Finally, I had gotten through to him. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t entirely beyond saving. I reached out to pat his shoulder, just as he spoke again¡ª


    "I totally screwed my teammates over. They¡¯re probably cursing me to high heaven right now. Damn it, I might''ve even single-handedly ruined our entire province¡¯s reputation..." he lamented in despair.


    I was done. There was no saving this man.


    Five minutes later, I found myself seated at a computer as well.


    If you can¡¯t change the world, you might as well adapt to it. Who was it that said this profound truth?


    But gaming had never been my thing. After a short while, I grew restless and stepped outside for a smoke. I had barely taken two steps when I spotted Huang Jie standing at the front desk, handing over a five-yuan bill.


    "Put this in my membership account," he said.


    I marched straight over, snatching the bill from his hand in fury. "You said you needed this for breakfast!"


    I recognized the bill instantly¡ªit was the same one I got as change when buying preserved egg and pork congee, with a slightly folded corner.


    Huang Jie blinked at me, dumbfounded.


    Five minutes later, all three of us were seated at computers.


    If you can¡¯t change the world, you might as well adapt to it.


    HOUZI and Huang Jie barely exchanged a word. From the moment they sat down, they acted like complete strangers. But once the game started, they became eerily in sync, effortlessly hurling insults at players across the nation.


    I added them both on QQ and created a discussion group, typing out a single question: So, what¡¯s the plan for revenge?


    No response. The two were too busy cursing out their opponents.


    When noon finally rolled around, I suggested, "Let''s go eat something."


    "I''m not hungry," HOUZI said.


    "I''m not hungry," Huang Jie echoed.


    "I¡¯ll pay."


    Both immediately sprang to their feet. "Wow, suddenly I feel a bit peckish!"


    We ended up at a noodle shop, where the two of them devoured their meals as if they hadn''t eaten in days¡ªor as if they wouldn¡¯t be eating again for the next three.


    I rapped my knuckles on the table. "Can you finally tell me why HOUZI deliberately took that stab?"


    "We''re eating. No need for useless chatter," HOUZI muttered, his mouth stuffed with noodles.


    "Fine, then we¡¯ll talk after you¡¯re done."


    The two of them finished their food almost simultaneously, then stood up in unison, making a beeline for the internet caf¨¦ like it was their long-lost mother.


    "Boss, I don¡¯t have any money," I said casually.


    The apron-clad shop owner immediately blocked their way.


    They begrudgingly returned to the table. "Zuo Fei, you can¡¯t go back on your word," HOUZI grumbled.


    "I¡¯ll pay¡ªif you explain everything first."


    HOUZI and Huang Jie exchanged glances.


    "Half a year ago, I stabbed Da Mao¡ªyou know that, right?" HOUZI finally said.


    "I do. Ever since then, they¡¯ve never dared to mess with you again. They treat you with utmost respect."


    "That stab," Huang Jie interjected, "was one HOUZI let him land. Back then, we were roommates, but I eventually moved out¡ªI couldn¡¯t stand him constantly borrowing money from me."


    "Spare me the bullshit. Have you never borrowed from me before?"


    "You ever lent me a single dime? You''re stingier than a dead miser."


    "Oh, and you¡¯re any better? You wouldn¡¯t lend me a cent even if your life depended on it!"


    The two of them glared at each other, their tones growing more heated by the second. It seemed they were just moments away from throwing punches.

 Chapter 11: Who Is the True Leader?

    "Alright, alright, enough of this nonsense. Can we get to the point now? If you two spill the details, I''ll treat you both to meals for an entire week."


    "Seriously? You better keep your word!" Both of them grabbed onto my arms, one on each side.


    "Well, well, who knew Lefty Fei was such a little tycoon?" Huang Jie even leaned against my shoulder with a sly grin.


    "Have some dignity, will you?" HOUZI followed suit, pressing against my other shoulder. "Little tycoon, from now on, I''m rolling with you!"


    "Enough! Get to the point!"


    Both of them straightened up. HOUZI began, "When the Ninth Prince came around to collect protection fees, I refused to pay. Things escalated until Big Cat had to step in. When Big Cat arrived, Huang Jie handed me a knife, and I put him down with a single stab. After that, just like you said, the Ninth Prince started treating me with respect, acting all polite."


    "And isn¡¯t that a good thing?"


    "No, it''s not," HOUZI said, shaking his head. "That wasn¡¯t my goal."


    "Then what was your goal?"


    "To replace the Ninth Prince."


    I blinked, momentarily stunned. "You want to be his boss?"


    Huang Jie groaned. "For God''s sake, what kind of IQ is this? What HOUZI means is that we¡¯re going to overthrow the Ninth Prince and take over as the top dogs of our grade."


    "Ohhh, now I get it."


    HOUZI continued, "After stabbing Big Cat, I expected him to retaliate fiercely, giving us a legitimate reason to take out the Ninth Prince. But that spineless coward folded too easily. Not only did he stop demanding protection fees, but he also started treating me with excessive courtesy. I even went out of my way to provoke him¡ªbumping into him in the hall, kicking his dorm room door open¡ªbut he just swallowed it all, responding with calm, measured words. I was left with no excuse to go after him. So, I¡¯ve been stuck in limbo, a nobody in this school, with no real power to my name."


    "So you used me and Lin Ke¡¯er as an excuse to provoke Big Cat, just to force his hand and make him retaliate?"


    "Exactly. That way, I¡¯d have a legitimate reason to eliminate him," HOUZI declared, clearly pleased with himself.


    Though I felt a bit like a pawn in his game, it hardly mattered now. "But tell me this¡ªwhy do you want to be the boss?"


    Both HOUZI and Huang Jie looked at me as if I had just asked why people need to breathe.


    "Isn¡¯t it obvious?" Huang Jie scoffed. "What man doesn¡¯t want to be in charge?"


    HOUZI added, "Binzi is the boss in your area, right? Have you ever asked him why he wants to be in charge? A real man lives to fight, to strive, to conquer! Otherwise, what''s the point of even being here?"


    Looking at their determined faces, I felt a surge of excitement. They weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Where we came from, chaos reigned, and we often heard about guys who had "made it"¡ªrolling in luxury cars, basking in success. That was true power. Even Binzi always talked about becoming the underground king of our district, proving that this dream wasn¡¯t uncommon.


    But one question still nagged at me.


    "You two seem to have skipped over an important detail. Once we take out the Ninth Prince, who gets to be the boss?"


    "Me, obviously!" They both shouted in unison.


    I looked at them, stunned. They turned to each other, eyes narrowing, hands shooting up to grab each other¡¯s collars.


    "What did you just say?"


    "I''m the boss, you idiot!"


    "Screw you, I¡¯m the boss!"


    "You wanna settle this with a fight?!"


    "Bring it on! Let¡¯s see who¡¯s tougher!"


    They were seriously about to throw down.


    I burst into laughter. "You two are fighting over leadership, but you don¡¯t even have a single underling!"


    Both of them turned to look at me.


    That¡¯s when I snapped. Slamming my palm onto the table, I stood up. "To hell with that¡ªI¡¯M going to be the boss!"


    I grabbed HOUZI by the collar, HOUZI grabbed Huang Jie, and Huang Jie grabbed me. The three of us were locked in a ridiculous, endless argument.


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    "You? Be the boss? Get real!"


    "The boss should obviously be me!"


    "If you don¡¯t agree, let¡¯s settle it with a fight, right here, right now!"


    "Fine! Whoever wins gets to be the boss!"


    "Settle your bill first!" The restaurant owner finally lost his patience.


    I grudgingly handed over the money, and the three of us stormed out of the restaurant, still bickering, ready to duke it out in the middle of the street.


    Then, I suddenly paused. "You know, isn¡¯t it kinda stupid to fight over who''s boss when we haven¡¯t even taken out the Ninth Prince yet?"


    HOUZI stopped, releasing Huang Jie¡¯s collar. He frowned, deep in thought. "Yeah¡­ that is kinda stupid."


    Huang Jie let go of me, sighing. "Really fucking stupid."


    I released HOUZI as well. "So how about this¡ªlet¡¯s take down the Ninth Prince first, and then figure out who¡¯s in charge?"


    The three of us sat down on the sidewalk, smoking in silence. Then, I voiced the real concern on my mind.


    "Do you guys actually think we can take on the Ninth Prince?"


    Huang Jie exhaled slowly. "The Ninth Prince only has nine core guys, but each of them has their own little crew¡ªsome with three or four, others with seven or eight. If they all mobilize, we¡¯re looking at forty or fifty people minimum¡­ So, do you really think we can win?"


    Silence fell over us again. The more we thought about it, the more absurd our earlier argument seemed.


    I glanced at them, growing more frustrated. "So you got yourself stabbed, and yet you don¡¯t even have a solid plan to take him down?"


    HOUZI shrugged. "Why waste brainpower on that? Let¡¯s go play a game first and think about it later."


    "Good idea," Huang Jie immediately agreed, already standing up.


    I knew them too well. Once they sat down to play, they wouldn¡¯t stop.


    I stepped in front of them, arms crossed, fuming. "Like hell you will. Nobody¡¯s going anywhere until we figure this out!"


    HOUZI studied me for a moment, then asked, "Lefty Fei, do you really want to take down the Ninth Prince?"


    "Are you kidding?!" I practically shouted. "It''s only the third day of school, and I¡¯ve already been beaten up six times! How can I not take revenge?!"


    "They have the numbers, the resources, the advantage. You¡¯re sure you want to go through with this?"


    "Of course!"


    HOUZI chuckled. "Heh, no wonder you''re Binzi''s brother. Alright, let me lay out my plan."


    He sat back down and continued, "Zuo Fei, on the first day of school, did the Ninth Prince come to your dorm to collect protection fees?"


    "In our dorm, Ma Jie handled it. He said he was paying on behalf of the Ninth Prince, but I refused to contribute, so I ended up getting beaten."


    HOUZI nodded. "Right. Every year, the Ninth Prince collects protection fees, but there are always a few stubborn ones like you who refuse to pay. These students usually have some prior experience in the underworld, and they naturally want to assert themselves in a new environment. But in the end, after a good beating from the Ninth Prince, they all end up paying."


    I gritted my teeth. "Even if they beat me to a pulp, I won¡¯t pay."


    HOUZI nodded again. "Very few hold out till the end. In my year, apart from me and Huang Jie, there were only seven or eight others who never paid. These were the real tough ones. Huang Jie and I seized the opportunity to befriend them, hoping that one day we¡¯d have the chance to overthrow the Ninth Prince."


    "And what happened to them?"


    "Well..." HOUZI hesitated.


    I understood immediately. "You kept borrowing money from them, didn''t you?"


    "Ah, let¡¯s not dwell on the past!" HOUZI waved his hand dismissively. "What I¡¯m saying is, once military training ends, the Ninth Prince will target those who still refuse to pay. That¡¯s the perfect chance for us to recruit more fighters. Once we have the numbers, we can take him down!"


    I slapped my thigh. HOUZI¡¯s plan made perfect sense. Anyone refusing to pay was, first and foremost, a fighter¡ªsomeone unafraid of conflict. Secondly, they had already been beaten by the Ninth Prince, so resentment was inevitable. That meant they¡¯d be easy to rally. With such a group, we could amass real power.


    Just imagining the downfall of the Ninth Prince sent a thrill of excitement through me. "We really have to wait until the end of military training?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s their tradition."


    "Fine, then we wait." I clenched my fists, eager for the fight. "That gives you time to recover. Once you''re back in shape, we go to war."


    Huang Jie grinned. "Satisfied now? Can we go play our game in peace?"


    "Go, go. I have to get back to training. I¡¯ve been gone so long, the instructor is bound to chew me out."


    "Pfft, what kind of coward are you, afraid of skipping a bit of training?" The two of them slung their arms around each other and headed toward the internet caf¨¦.


    Suddenly, I called after them. "Once we start recruiting, you two better not borrow money from our new guys!"


    HOUZI turned his head with a smirk. "With a little tycoon like you around, why would we need to borrow from anyone? Just keep a low profile during training and avoid any trouble with the Ninth Prince¡¯s people until the time is right!"


    "Got it!"


    But whether the Ninth Prince¡¯s men would leave me alone wasn¡¯t up to me.


    Back on the training ground, the instructor immediately tore into me, demanding to know where I¡¯d been since yesterday afternoon. His tone was sharp, even threatening to report me to the homeroom teacher. Irritated, I snapped back, "I got beaten up and had to go to the hospital. Can¡¯t you see the bruises all over me?"


    The instructor, who had seen me take hits before, scoffed. "Look at you. No wonder people keep beating you up."


    That nearly made me lose my temper right then and there. I wanted to take a swing at him, but then he sighed and said, "Fine, go sit under the tree. You¡¯re excused from training, but you have to stay here. If your teacher comes looking for you, I need to have an answer."


    That took the edge off my anger. Maybe he wasn¡¯t so bad after all. So while they trained under the blistering sun, I lounged in the shade, scrolling through my phone.


    During a break, Liu Yina came over and asked how HOUZI was doing.


    "He¡¯s alive and kicking. Right now, he¡¯s probably glued to a screen at the internet caf¨¦."


    She nodded, relieved, but then let out a small sigh¡ªalmost as if she was disappointed.


    Then Lin Ke¡¯er walked over with a bottle of water for me, also asking about HOUZI.


    With two beauties hovering around me, I immediately felt the envious stares from all directions.


    As we chatted, Lin Ke¡¯er suddenly waved her hand. "Zhang Xuan, come here!"


    I turned my head and, sure enough, Zhang Xuan was nearby. My expression darkened instantly. I had no fondness left for that woman. But since she and Lin Ke¡¯er were close¡ªespecially with Wang Yao mediating¡ªtheir friendship had returned to normal.


    Zhang Xuan walked over, and the three girls linked arms, chatting away, completely ignoring me. That suited me just fine¡ªI had no desire to talk to her anyway. I went back to my phone, enjoying the peace.


    "Zuo Fei, are you still mad at me?"


    I looked up. Zhang Xuan was gazing at me pitifully.


    I scoffed. "Would I dare? You¡¯re one of the ¡®Thirteen Roses,¡¯ after all."


    "Come on, don¡¯t be angry. I was wrong yesterday. I¡¯ve already broken up with Xing Qiu."


    Seeing her like this, I couldn''t keep up the cold act. I sighed. "It¡¯s fine. Even Ke¡¯er isn''t mad anymore¡ªwhat right do I have to be?"

 Chapter 12: Get the Hell Out

    I had merely meant that this was Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s business, not mine, and that it was hardly my place to be angry. But they misunderstood, thinking I was just standing up for Lin Ke¡¯er¡ªso long as she wasn¡¯t upset, I wouldn¡¯t be either. At once, Liu Yina and Zhang Xuan erupted in exaggerated exclamations, while Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s face turned scarlet in an instant.


    ¡°What a fine gentleman,¡± Liu Yina clicked her tongue. ¡°You two seem quite close¡ªwhen are you planning to make it official?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! The weather¡¯s great today¡ªwhy not settle the matter now? That way, I can snag a free meal,¡± Zhang Xuan chimed in mischievously.


    ¡°Enough, you two!¡± Lin Ke¡¯er protested, her face growing even redder.


    ¡°Where is all this coming from? Quit your nonsense.¡± Though I feigned annoyance, inwardly, I was rather pleased.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan!¡± A voice suddenly cut through our banter.


    Turning around, I saw Xing Qiu standing beneath a tree a few meters away. He, too, wasn¡¯t attending training, dressed in casual clothes instead. His face was battered and bruised¡ªremnants of the beating Houzi and I had given him yesterday.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression darkened at once. Liu Yina instinctively pulled her behind her.


    ¡°She¡¯s broken up with you. What do you want from her now?¡±


    ¡°I just need to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Liu Yina stood her ground, while Zhang Xuan remained silent behind her.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, come here. I just have a few words to say.¡± Xing Qiu ignored Liu Yina, fixing his gaze solely on Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°I already said no! Get lost!¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with you,¡± Xing Qiu snapped, his temper flaring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Zhang Xuan tugged at Liu Yina¡¯s sleeve hesitantly.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Liu Yina was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, don¡¯t go,¡± Lin Ke¡¯er urged.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just hear him out. There are so many people around¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t dare do anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright then¡­¡± With no other choice, Liu Yina relented.


    Zhang Xuan walked over, standing beneath the tree with Xing Qiu. Lin Ke¡¯er, Liu Yina, and I kept our eyes locked on them, fearing the worst. Sure enough, within moments, their conversation escalated into an argument. Their voices grew louder and louder.


    ¡°Come with me!¡± Xing Qiu suddenly roared, grabbing Zhang Xuan¡¯s arm and attempting to drag her away.


    The three of us immediately rushed over.


    ¡°Xing Qiu, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Liu Yina shouted, grabbing his sleeve.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Xing Qiu shoved her violently, sending her sprawling onto the ground.


    That was it. I could no longer stand by and watch. I sent a powerful kick straight into his stomach.


    Xing Qiu collapsed to the ground. Lin Ke¡¯er hurriedly pulled Zhang Xuan away while Liu Yina got up and cursed at him furiously. A crowd of students quickly gathered around. The anger I had been suppressing toward Xing Qiu surged forth¡ªthis was the perfect moment to settle old scores. I kicked him again. And again.


    By now, I had a clear understanding of my own strength. In a one-on-one fight, I could hold my own. Someone like Xing Qiu was no match for me. But once I got surrounded? That was a different story. The moment three or four people ganged up on me, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    I kept Houzi¡¯s words in mind, but at this point, there was no turning back. Taking advantage of the chaos, I kicked Xing Qiu several more times. He couldn¡¯t even get up. Just as I was about to land another blow, I felt someone pull me back.


    I turned to see Zhang Xuan looking at me pleadingly.


    ¡°Stop. That¡¯s enough.¡±


    My heart softened. I hesitated¡ªand that hesitation cost me.


    Xing Qiu suddenly sprang up and tackled me to the ground. Before I could react, several students emerged from the crowd, joining in to help him.


    I couldn¡¯t even get up. All I could do was curl up and protect my head.


    Goddammit. The seventh beating.


    It was only the third day of school, and I had already been beaten up seven times. And this time, it was in full view of the entire freshman class. The field was packed with students watching me get humiliated. Could anyone in history be unluckier than me? Could they? Could they?!


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    ¡°Stop! Stop it!¡± I could hear Liu Yina, Lin Ke¡¯er, and Zhang Xuan trying to break up the fight, but there was no way three girls could stop a gang of guys.


    Worse yet, the number of people hitting me was growing. It had started with four or five. Then ten. Then more. I was beginning to suspect that Jiutai¡¯s entire crew had shown up.


    More and more people crowded around. I could barely see past the mass of bodies. Amidst the chaos, I heard the girls shouting:


    ¡°Wang Yao! Wang Yao!¡±


    Through a gap in the crowd, I saw a girl sprinting toward us.


    She was holding a steel pipe in her hand, looking every bit like a war goddess descending upon the battlefield.


    ¡°Get the hell out!¡±


    Wang Yao swung the steel pipe mercilessly, striking indiscriminately. She showed no restraint.


    Most importantly, no one dared to fight back. The moment they saw it was Wang Yao, they scattered like rats. Within seconds, the entire crowd had dispersed.


    ¡°What the hell are you all staring at? Scram!¡± Wang Yao pointed her steel pipe at the remaining bystanders. Even those who had only been spectating quickly fled.


    I lay on the ground, panting heavily. Normally, a girl swearing like that might have sounded unseemly, but coming from her, it was nothing short of exhilarating.


    As the dust settled, Liu Yina, Lin Ke¡¯er, and Zhang Xuan immediately swarmed around Wang Yao, their admiration practically radiating from them. At that moment, she was the center of their universe.


    Meanwhile, I remained sprawled on the ground, utterly neglected. The sheer awkwardness of it all nearly suffocated me.


    I sat up, wincing as pain shot through my body. As I dusted off my clothes, Wang Yao walked toward me, followed closely by a group of girls.


    ¡°You alright?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I quickly got to my feet. Getting saved by a girl was humiliating enough¡ªI couldn¡¯t afford to look any weaker.


    ¡°Good. Don¡¯t bother with them anymore. If anything happens, come find me.¡± Wang Yao lit a cigarette, her demeanor exuding the aura of a seasoned delinquent. In contrast, the other girls surrounding her looked pure and harmless¡ªnothing like the infamous "Thirteen Roses" I had heard so much about.


    Her words made it clear¡ªshe was offering to protect me. But how could I possibly accept that? A man needing a girl to look out for him? That was beyond embarrassing.


    ¡°No need, no need. I can handle myself,¡± I said hurriedly.


    Wang Yao chuckled knowingly but didn¡¯t press the issue. Instead, she asked about Houzi. I told her the truth¡ªhe was at an internet caf¨¦.


    She clicked her tongue in frustration, muttered a curse, then turned and walked away.


    Seven beatings in three days. My body was battered, my clothes filthy beyond recognition. Lin Ke¡¯er suggested I go back to the dorm to change, offering to wash my dirty clothes for me.


    I agreed and went to ask the drill instructor for leave. He barely looked at me before waving me off, probably thinking I was pitiful enough as it was.


    When I returned to my dorm, I was greeted by an infuriating sight¡ªmy bedding had been thrown onto the floor, covered in footprints from being trampled.


    I nearly blacked out from rage.


    I hadn¡¯t been back for two days, but I knew exactly who had done this. It wasn¡¯t Jiutai¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t bother with petty tricks like this. If he wanted to deal with me, he¡¯d do it directly.


    No, this was undoubtedly the handiwork of Ma Jie.


    I didn''t touch my belongings. After changing my clothes, I went downstairs and returned to the squad without saying much, simply sitting beneath the tree and playing on my phone. However, my eyes remained fixed on Ma Jie¡ªthe only person in the dormitory with whom I''d formed a grudge over the past few days.


    At that moment, a thought crossed my mind: If I couldn''t even deal with a mere Ma Jie, how could I ever take on the Ninth Prince? It was the same principle as "If one cannot sweep a single room, how can he sweep the world?"


    Since my confrontation with the Ninth Prince was still more than ten days away, I might as well start by using Ma Jie for practice.


    He was still in training, occasionally locking eyes with me before quickly looking away in a panic. During the next break, Ma Jie sat on the ground, chatting with classmates. I walked over and crouched in front of him, prompting the other students to sensibly disperse. Despite having suffered seven beatings in three days, I was still someone they didn¡¯t dare to provoke.


    The moment Ma Jie saw me, he grew visibly uneasy. Without wasting words, I asked him directly about the bedding. He feigned ignorance, insisting he knew nothing about it. But his trembling hands betrayed his lie. I merely chuckled and said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this in the dorm tonight,¡± before standing up to leave.


    Behind me, Ma Jie called out, ¡°You dare lay a hand on me? Don¡¯t you know I belong to the Ninth Prince?¡±


    I turned back and coolly replied, ¡°Do you think that scares me?¡±


    Ma Jie fell silent. Everyone had seen me get beaten by the Ninth Prince¡¯s people, but they also knew¡ªI wasn¡¯t afraid of them.


    Just then, Liu Yina happened to run over and announced loudly, ¡°Zuo Fei, Wang Yao asked me to tell you¡ªshe¡¯s already spoken to Da Mao. From now on, the Ninth Prince¡¯s people won¡¯t trouble you anymore.¡±


    She deliberately raised her voice so that everyone in our class could hear.


    Being under a girl''s protection was embarrassing, but it was also a perfect opportunity to flaunt. I shot Ma Jie a smirk. His expression was worse than if he had swallowed dung.


    The afternoon passed quickly, and in the evening, I went to the cafeteria with Lin Ke¡¯er and Liu Yina. After finishing our meal, I thought of Houzi and Huang Jie and called to ask if they wanted me to bring them food. To my surprise, they declined, saying they''d already eaten at the internet caf¨¦. Curious, I asked how, and they replied that someone had treated them, telling me not to worry about it.


    That night, during self-study, the classrooms remained chaotic, with students loitering around both inside and outside. Lin Ke¡¯er and Liu Yina came to find me, and as we stood in the corridor chatting, more and more of the Thirteen Roses gathered around us. Eventually, even Wang Yao showed up. Surrounded by a group of chattering girls, I suddenly felt like one of them.


    They kept teasing Lin Ke¡¯er and me, asking when we¡¯d make our relationship official and joking about waiting to receive our wedding candies.


    I understood Wang Yao¡¯s intentions¡ªshe wanted the entire grade to see that I, Zuo Fei, was under the protection of the Thirteen Roses, and no one should dare trouble me again. She never stated it outright, considering my pride, which showed her thoughtfulness.


    Later that night, when I returned to the dormitory, Ma Jie was sitting by his bed washing his feet, while the others busied themselves with their own tasks. My bedding was still sprawled messily on the floor.


    I scoffed at his lack of tact¡ªif he had even a shred of awareness, he would have replaced my bedding before I returned. If he had done that, I might have let him off the hook.


    Closing the door behind me, I latched the bolt. A sudden silence filled the room, and everyone sensed the shift in atmosphere. I strode over to Ma Jie, raised my hand, and slapped him across the face. Just as I was about to curse at him, I was taken aback¡ªtears were already streaming down his cheeks.


    I had never expected a single slap to reduce him to tears. Judging by his arrogance before, I had assumed he was a seasoned troublemaker. His sudden sobbing caught me off guard.


    Annoyed, I snapped, ¡°The hell are you crying for? Wasn¡¯t it you who messed with my bedding?¡±

 Chapter 13: I Am Also Houzi鈥檚 Brother

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again¡­¡± Ma Jie stammered, his voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll wash it for you.¡±


    ¡°Then hurry up.¡±


    Tears streamed down his face as he crouched on the ground, removing my bedding and sheets. He sobbed as if he were the one being bullied¡ªas if I were the villain. What kind of person was he? Lacking both courage and capability, yet still choosing to act maliciously.


    After finishing, Ma Jie even spread his own clean bedsheets over my bed, bustling about like a dutiful housewife. Seizing the opportunity, I instructed him to pour me a glass of water and prepare a cup of instant noodles. He complied with every request. It seemed he had truly submitted.


    Just as I lay down, I heard the door creak open. Someone had entered the dormitory. I had no friends here¡ªHouzi and Huang Jie were at the internet caf¨¦¡ªso whoever it was, they certainly weren¡¯t looking for me. I didn¡¯t even bother raising my head. But then, an eerie silence settled over the room, as if the newcomer carried significant weight.


    Curious, I finally looked up¡ªonly to see Da Mao standing beside my bed, grinning.


    Instinctively, I prepared to leap down, assuming he had come to attack me, but Da Mao pressed me back onto the bed. ¡°Relax, relax. You¡¯re injured, aren¡¯t you? Stay put and rest. Here, let me put some medicine on you¡ªit¡¯ll speed up your recovery!¡±


    Like a magician producing a trick, he suddenly held a bottle of red medicinal liquid in his hand.


    I stared at him, completely baffled. What was he up to?


    ¡°Come on, let me help you.¡±


    Da Mao sat down and lifted my shirt. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re covered in bruises. Those bastards really did a number on you. Just wait until tomorrow¡ªI¡¯ll make sure they pay for this.¡± With that, he started applying the medicine to my wounds.


    I immediately pushed his hand away. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Da Mao kept his smile. ¡°Nothing at all. You got beaten up this afternoon, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m just here to help you with your injuries.¡±


    I remained on guard, scrutinizing him carefully.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Da Mao burst into laughter. ¡°Look at you¡ªdo you really think I¡¯m trying to poison you? Wang Yao came to me this afternoon. She told me not to trouble you anymore. I said fine, no problem, I can even treat you like a brother.


    ¡°You see, even though Wang Yao scolded me last night, she and I actually get along pretty well. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come to me, would she? Since she made the request, I couldn¡¯t refuse her favor.¡±


    He paused before continuing, ¡°From now on, you¡¯re under my protection. If anyone wants to mess with you, they¡¯ll have to step over my dead body first!¡±


    I was stunned. Was he¡­ trying to recruit me?


    ¡°Lie down,¡± Da Mao instructed, pressing me back down as he resumed applying the medicine. ¡°Last night, I had no choice. Xing Qiu is my brother¡ªhow could I not help him? But don¡¯t think I let him off easy. I gave him a good beating in private.


    ¡°Tell me, why the hell would you drug Lin Ke¡¯er? What kind of low-life does something like that? It was disgusting, truly disgraceful! But you¡­ you were innocent. You did nothing wrong. You simply helped Lin Ke¡¯er, and for that, you got beaten up several times. I feel incredibly guilty about it.


    ¡°As for Houzi? Well, he had it coming. He¡¯s too arrogant, too reckless. I¡¯ve been more than tolerant with him, but look at the way he behaves¡ªconstantly overstepping boundaries. And you¡¯ve seen it yourself: he doesn¡¯t have a single true friend. No one wants to be around him!


    ¡°He must¡¯ve borrowed money from you a few times already, right? By now, you should have figured out what kind of person he is.


    ¡°But you? You¡¯re different. You have potential. On your very first day, you dared to smash a brick over Zhou Kun¡¯s head. Do you know how rare that kind of courage is? I¡¯ve always admired you. Even if Wang Yao hadn¡¯t said anything, I still would¡¯ve wanted to bring you in.


    ¡°Think about it¡ªLin Ke¡¯er is already one of the Thirteen Roses. Why don¡¯t you join us too? How about becoming the Tenth Prince?¡±


    I was dumbfounded. I never expected Da Mao to say such things.


    The dormitory fell into a heavy silence. Even Ma Jie and the others were too shocked to speak.


    ¡°Well? Say something.¡± Da Mao patted my back. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m done with your back. Turn over, let me treat the front.¡±


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    He flipped me over and continued applying the medicine. His movements were precise and gentle, almost like a professional physician. It felt oddly soothing.


    As he worked, he went on, ¡°What¡¯s so good about hanging around Houzi? You have to buy him meals every day¡ªhe treats you like a servant! But if you join us as the Tenth Prince, you¡¯ll have power, prestige, everything you want. No one would dare lay a finger on Lin Ke¡¯er anymore. And in the future¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know Huang Jie?¡± I interrupted him.


    Da Mao paused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Huang Jie,¡± I repeated, my tone serious.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. He used to be in the same dorm as Houzi, but they fell out over money.¡±


    ¡°No. They¡¯re brothers,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Houzi does have friends¡ªHuang Jie is one of them.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Da Mao scoffed. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t change much. Two nobodies together still amount to nothing.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also me,¡± I added, shoving his hand away. ¡°I am Houzi¡¯s brother too.¡±


    Da Mao froze, his hand suspended in mid-air.


    I sat up, slid on my slippers, and walked to the dormitory door, pulling it open.


    ¡°I have no interest in being the Tenth Prince. If you came here to recruit me, you can leave now.¡±


    Da Mao¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What¡¯s so great about Houzi that you insist on following him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®following¡¯ him. We are brothers,¡± I said. ¡°Once brothers, always brothers. No matter his flaws, he¡¯s still my brother. And being a brother means¡­¡± I hesitated, then shook my head. ¡°Forget it. You wouldn¡¯t understand. Just leave.¡±


    Da Mao stood up. His hands trembled slightly¡ªwhether from anger or something else, I couldn¡¯t tell. For a moment, I thought he might attack me. But he forced himself to calm down, smoothing his expression back into an amiable smile.


    ¡°Impressive. I like you even more now. Think it over carefully.¡±


    With that, he placed the bottle of medicine on my bed and strolled out.


    I shut the door, picked up the bottle, and without hesitation, threw it out the window. Then I climbed into bed and closed my eyes.


    The dormitory remained eerily silent. No one dared to say a word. But I knew that by tomorrow, the entire school would know¡ªI had rejected Da Mao¡¯s offer to become the Tenth Prince.


    And sure enough, the next day during a break in military training, Liu Yina clung to my arm, bombarding me with questions. ¡°Zuo Fei, you¡¯re incredible! If you weren¡¯t already with Lin Ke¡¯er, I¡¯d snatch you up myself!¡±


    Lin Ke¡¯er, blushing beside me, couldn¡¯t hide her proud smile, as if my actions had brought her honor.


    Soon, several other members of the Thirteen Roses gathered around, demanding details of last night¡¯s events. I was once again amazed at how fast news traveled.


    Even Wang Yao was intrigued enough to seek me out. ¡°So it¡¯s true? You really turned him down?¡±


    I nodded.


    She smirked. ¡°Not bad. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such backbone. Are you really planning to stick with Houzi?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®sticking with¡¯ him. We¡¯re brothers,¡± I replied. ¡°In fact, last night, we even fought over who should be the boss.¡±


    Wang Yao burst into laughter. She chuckled for a moment before suddenly grabbing my collar, leaning in close to my ear.


    My gaze dropped instinctively¡ªstraight into the neckline of her summer blouse. My heart pounded.


    Then, in a hushed, teasing whisper, she asked, ¡°Is Houzi planning revenge?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, uncertain whether I should reveal the truth to Wang Yao, as the plan for revenge was meant to be kept secret.


    "Enough." Wang Yao suddenly released me. "Seeing how hesitant you are, I already know he''s planning revenge."


    I was dumbfounded¡ªmy goodness, I hadn''t said a single word, yet she had already figured it out!


    A visible sense of relief washed over Wang Yao''s face. "I was really starting to think he''d lost his edge. Turns out my worries were unnecessary. Just tell him that if he needs any help, he only has to say the word¡ªI¡¯ll fully support him."


    Her voice was hushed, meant only for my ears. The other girls, sensing the moment, tactfully stepped aside to chat among themselves.


    I could only nod in response, feeling as though this girl was as sharp as ice, as if nothing could be hidden from her.


    "Alright then." Wang Yao took a step back. "Now let¡¯s talk about the real matter at hand¡ªwhen are Zuo Fei and Lin Ke¡¯er getting together?"


    The moment she said this, the other girls, who had been idly chatting, immediately swarmed around us, their faces lighting up with excitement.


    "Yes, yes! When will you two make it official?"


    "I want to eat your wedding candies!"


    I was caught completely off guard by Wang Yao¡¯s sudden question and stood frozen, at a complete loss for words.


    The girls'' faces were beaming, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, as if they were about to witness the grandest spectacle of the century. I turned to glance at Lin Ke¡¯er, only to see that her face had turned as red as a ripe tomato.


    Wang Yao continued, "Hurry up already! We¡¯re all waiting. The weather¡¯s great¡ªjust make it official now, so you two don¡¯t have to keep sneaking around without a proper title."


    To be honest, I was more than willing. Lin Ke¡¯er was breathtakingly beautiful, and walking around with her would definitely be a source of pride. Besides, we''d been desk mates for a year, so there was a foundation between us. It wouldn¡¯t feel awkward at all. But seeing her so shy, looking as though she wanted to dig a hole and disappear into it, I said, "Come on, don¡¯t stir things up. Let the two of us talk about it privately, alright?"


    "No way, no way! You have to decide today¡ªI don¡¯t have that much patience," Wang Yao said with a grin, as the other girls joined in, urging us on.


    "Alright, alright, let us discuss it first, okay?"


    Without waiting for their approval, I grabbed Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s hand and led her away. Under the shade of a tree, her face was still burning red.


    "Alright, it¡¯s just us now. Tell me¡ªwhat do you think?" I asked.


    I felt that our relationship had already reached a natural conclusion. I had even passed the test set by her friends, proving that I was a man worthy of trust. Otherwise, Wang Yao and the others wouldn¡¯t have been so eager to push us together. Now, it was just a matter of breaking that final, thin layer of hesitation.


    Lin Ke¡¯er kept her head down, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. After a long while, she finally murmured, "I¡­ I need to think about it."


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. "Alright, then take your time."


    I understood that girls needed to maintain a sense of restraint. Agreeing too quickly would seem too easy. Besides, my current focus was on revenge, and romance wasn¡¯t exactly at the top of my priorities.


    So, I took Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s hand again and led her back. As soon as we returned, the group of girls immediately swarmed around us once more.


    "Well? How did it go?"


    I deliberately pulled a long face. "Lin Ke¡¯er didn¡¯t say yes."

 Chapter 14: Wang Yao鈥檚 Story

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!" Zhang Xuan was the first to exclaim. "She talks about you more than anything else in the dorm¡ªhow could she not have agreed?"


    "Zhang Xuan, stop talking nonsense." Lin Ke¡¯er lightly smacked her arm.


    I chuckled. "She said she needed to think about it. I suppose I¡¯ll just wait a few more days."


    Seeing that today''s matchmaking attempt was destined to fail, Wang Yao waved her hand. "Alright, break it up, break it up. Training starts soon."


    The morning passed without incident. Whenever we had a break, Wang Yao would bring the Thirteen Roses over to where I was, as if my spot had become their designated meeting place. I knew she was doing this on purpose¡ªto deter the Ninth Prince from causing trouble for me¡ªand for that, I was genuinely grateful.


    At noon, I packed two meals at the cafeteria and brought them to HOUZI and Huang Jie. When I arrived at the internet caf¨¦, I found them in the middle of a heated argument, glaring at each other with flared tempers, trading insults about each other''s lack of skill. Since they were from the same province, they couldn¡¯t resort to the usual insult of "everyone from your province is an idiot," so they had modified it to "everyone from your city is an idiot."


    I tried to mediate, but somehow, my own city got dragged into their feud. That was the last straw¡ªI slammed the food onto the table.


    "Are you eating or not? If not, I¡¯ll toss it."


    Only then did they stop bickering, lowering their heads and ravenously devouring the food.


    As he ate, HOUZI glanced up at me. "I heard Big Cat wants you to be the Tenth Prince?"


    I was stunned. "What the hell? How do you even know that?"


    HOUZI smirked. "What do you think I do? I have my own intelligence network."


    My respect for HOUZI grew¡ªuntil Huang Jie snorted. "Intelligence network, my ass. Someone from our dorm told me."


    Ah. That explained it.


    HOUZI looked disgruntled at having his mystique shattered but had no choice but to let it go. He continued, "I heard you turned him down?"


    I nodded. "I want to take him down, not join him."


    "God, you¡¯re such an idiot!" HOUZI clapped me on the shoulder. "You should¡¯ve joined him!"


    I narrowed my eyes. "What are you getting at?"


    HOUZI chuckled slyly. "Think about it¡ªBig Cat clearly admires you. If you pretend to go along and join the Ninth Prince, we could set up an inside job. When the time is right, we¡¯ll wipe them out completely!"


    Huang Jie leaned in as well. "Exactly! With Zuo Fei¡¯s brains, he could have them dancing in the palm of his hand. We might even recruit a few of the Princes as our lackeys. That Xing Qiu guy seems promising¡ªhe could be in charge of polishing our shoes!"


    Judging from their expressions, I could tell they had already discussed this plan in advance. I gestured for them to come closer, and just as they leaned in, I grabbed the backs of their heads and smashed them together.


    "Ow! Ow! What the hell?!"


    I smirked. "HOUZI is obviously smarter than me, and Big Cat likes him more. Why don¡¯t we send him in as the mole?"


    HOUZI rubbed his head, grumbling, "If you don¡¯t want to do it, just say so. Why drag me into it?"


    "Cut the nonsense," I said. "Think of a real plan. Who needs undercover agents for a bunch of petty gangsters?"


    HOUZI let out a mischievous chuckle and didn¡¯t bring it up again. I knew he was just messing around. The so-called ¡®Princes¡¯ weren¡¯t worth such elaborate schemes.


    While they continued eating, I recounted how I had been ambushed the previous day and was saved by Wang Yao.


    HOUZI clicked his tongue. "She really does look out for you."


    I smirked. "More like she looks out for you. She even said that if you ever need help with revenge, you only have to ask."


    HOUZI fell silent, his expression unreadable, lost in thought.


    I continued, "She¡¯s pretty formidable. What¡¯s her story, anyway?"


    HOUZI remained deep in thought, so Huang Jie chimed in. "Of course she¡¯s formidable. You see that street outside?"


    I glanced out the window at the straight road lined with shops and restaurants, bustling with students from our school.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Half of that street is under her brother¡¯s protection."


    I slapped my thigh in realization. "No wonder she¡¯s so fearless! Big Cat is nothing more than a house cat in front of her!"


    Huang Jie let out a sly laugh. "And it¡¯s not just her brother¡ªshe herself is no pushover. When she first came to school, no one knew her background, and a ton of guys were after her. Big Cat was one of them. And that idiot, thinking he could rely on his status as the leader of the Ninth Princes, didn¡¯t even try to woo her properly. He straight-up ambushed her under the dormitory building. Guess what happened next?"


    I raised an eyebrow. "What?"


    "Wang Yao grabbed a machete and chased him across half the campus."


    "Holy shit! That fierce?!"


    "Believe it. This was back in our first year. Most of us hadn¡¯t even seen a real machete before, and she put on a show we¡¯d never forget!"


    I pointed at the still-dazed HOUZI. "Then why is she so different when it comes to him?"


    As I asked the question, my heart pounded inexplicably. Even I didn¡¯t know why.


    "Oh, that¡¯s a long story¡ª"


    "Hey! Old Wang!"


    Just as I was about to hear the tale, Huang Jie spotted an old acquaintance and immediately jumped up to greet him. The two chatted away, seemingly catching up after a long time. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt, so I could only wait on the side.


    "Alright, alright, let¡¯s exchange numbers. Keep in touch!"


    As they finished exchanging contact info, Huang Jie suddenly blurted out, "Hey, I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Lend me five bucks for lunch?"


    I nearly spat out my drink. "What the hell!" I shot up, pressing him back into his seat and turning to the bewildered Old Wang. "Don¡¯t mind him¡ªhe¡¯s just messing with you. You should go."


    Once Old Wang left, Huang Jie huffed, "Zuo Fei, you just cost me money!"


    "Cost your sister¡¯s ass," I snapped. "Now get back to the story¡ªwhat¡¯s the deal with Wang Yao and HOUZI?"


    "Alright, alright." Huang Jie sighed dramatically. "Do you know when the Twelve Roses¡ªoh wait, now Thirteen Roses¡ªwere founded?"


    "When?"


    "Six months ago." He then pointed at HOUZI. "Because of him."


    I was utterly stunned. The Thirteen Roses were formed because of HOUZI?!


    Curiosity burned inside me. "Tell me everything!"


    Huang Jie paused for a moment, then said, "You¡¯ve been at this school long enough to get a feel for what the Ninth Princes are like, especially through people like Zhou Kun and Xing Qiu, right?"


    I nodded. "A pack of perverts and scumbags¡ªshameless to the core."


    That¡¯s more like it. These fools, calling themselves the Nine Princes, truly believe they are royalty, as if all the beauties of East City No. 1 High belong to them. To win a girl over, they will resort to any means necessary¡ªlike Xing Qiu drugging Lin Ke¡¯er the other day. That¡¯s practically routine for them. After all, not every girl is as formidable as Wang Yao.


    During my three years at East City No. 1 High, I¡¯ve seen countless girls fall victim to their predations. But Wang Yao is someone who cannot tolerate injustice. Whenever she encounters such situations, she steps in without hesitation. However, she is but one person, and the Nine Princes are both ruthless and cunning. There have inevitably been times when she was unable to intervene in time.


    Once, she tried to rescue a girl, only to fall into Da Mao¡¯s trap¡ªa classic case of "luring the tiger from the mountain." Just when she believed the girl had been thrown to the wolves, Houzi appeared and escorted her safely back. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Wang Yao showered him with thanks. Houzi simply replied, ¡°You can¡¯t handle this alone. Why not form a group?¡± And thus, the Twelve Roses were born.


    Of course, in the beginning, it wasn¡¯t the Twelve Roses¡ªit started as the Three Roses, then the Four Roses, gradually expanding over time. Whenever Wang Yao saw a girl being harassed by the Nine Princes, she would bring her into the group. Out of respect for Wang Yao, the Nine Princes would then back off.


    There were exceptions, of course. Take Zhang Xuan, for example¡ªa complete airhead. She had finally freed herself from Xing Qiu¡¯s clutches, only to later realize she liked him after joining the group. Wang Yao couldn¡¯t control cases of mutual attraction. However, her reputation preceded her¡ªfoul-mouthed, ruthless, with a no-nonsense demeanor¡ªearning her the label of a delinquent. Consequently, the Thirteen Roses were also seen as a gang of unruly girls. But in a way, this worked in their favor. Few dared to target them, allowing Wang Yao to protect these girls without interference.


    After hearing Huang Jie¡¯s account, my admiration for Wang Yao deepened. She was not just a girl with guts; she had a sense of justice and loyalty¡ªalmost like a modern-day heroine.


    I glanced at Houzi, feeling a mix of emotions. I respected him for his past actions¡ªeven the founding of the Roses could be traced back to him¡ªbut there was also a twinge of jealousy. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, ¡°Does Wang Yao like Houzi?¡±


    Huang Jie froze for a moment. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I asked if Wang Yao likes Houzi.¡±


    Instead of answering, Huang Jie grabbed Houzi¡¯s face and turned it towards me. ¡°You think Wang Yao would be into this?¡±


    Houzi sat there with his disheveled hair sticking out in all directions, his eyes large yet lifeless, his frame so frail he looked as if a gust of wind could knock him over. I burst into laughter, feeling an inexplicable sense of relief.


    Then Huang Jie added with a smirk, ¡°If anything, Wang Yao should be into me.¡±


    I took one look at Huang Jie¡ªwho was in no better shape than Houzi¡ªand couldn¡¯t help but laugh even harder.


    When my laughter subsided, a strange sense of guilt crept in. Wasn¡¯t I already with Lin Ke¡¯er? Why was I even thinking about Wang Yao? But could I really be blamed? A girl like Wang Yao was someone any guy would find himself drawn to.


    With that in mind, I asked again, ¡°Then does Houzi like Wang Yao?¡±


    The moment I spoke, I regretted it. I felt like a gossiping old woman, and I was certain Huang Jie would see right through me. To my surprise, he didn¡¯t seem to care. Instead, he leaned in with a mysterious expression. ¡°Give me five bucks, and I¡¯ll tell you who Houzi actually likes.¡±


    The offer was too tempting to resist. I immediately pulled out five bucks.


    Pocketing the money with satisfaction, Huang Jie whispered, ¡°Listen up¡ªHouzi likes girls with a slim waist and a full chest. The one he¡¯s into is none other than¡­¡±


    ¡°Liu Yina!¡± I blurted out. Among the Thirteen Roses, she undoubtedly had the most striking figure.


    ¡°Where? Where?¡± Houzi suddenly snapped to attention, scanning his surroundings with nervous excitement. Huang Jie and I erupted into laughter.


    Realizing Liu Yina was nowhere in sight, Houzi slumped back in disappointment.


    I teased him, ¡°You awake now? Where were you spacing out just now?¡±


    ¡°Spacing out, my ass,¡± Houzi muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t Wang Yao say she¡¯d help us? I was just trying to figure out what exactly she could do.¡±


    ¡°So, did you come up with anything?¡±


    ¡°Obviously. Unlike you two idiots, who are only interested in talking about Wang Yao¡ª¡®Wang Yao this, Wang Yao that¡¯¡ªlet me tell you something. Stay away from her. She once had a boyfriend, and within three days, her brother dragged the guy out and beat him half to death.¡±


    I shuddered. Huang Jie nodded furiously, confirming the story was true.

 Chapter 15: The Long-Haired Man

    ¡°The specifics of the plan will be revealed when the time comes. For now, we don''t even know if Wang Yao will agree to it. In the meantime, I¡¯ll continue recuperating, Huang Jie will keep gathering intelligence, and Zuo Fei will remain at school. Just remember¡ªstay away from the Ninth Prince. Wang Yao can¡¯t be there to protect you at all times.¡±


    For the next few days, school life remained uneventful. I was still excused from military training, spending my days idly playing on my phone under the shade of a tree. In truth, my head injury had long since healed, but I left the bandages on, enjoying the privileges they afforded me. Every noon and evening, I brought meals to Houzi and Huang Jie. Thankfully, my family was well-off enough to support them; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to sustain their expenses. I had advised them to quit gaming, but my words fell on deaf ears. They would rather spend their last coin on a premium membership than on anything practical.


    Wang Yao frequently brought the Thirteen Roses to visit me. Sometimes five or six of them, other times seven or eight. Either way, I was constantly surrounded by beautiful girls, basking in the envy of others. Under Wang Yao¡¯s lead, they often teased Lin Ke¡¯er and me, turning her face crimson with embarrassment each time. As for me, my heart was set on Lin Ke¡¯er¡ªyet, on occasion, I couldn''t resist stealing glances at Wang Yao. Each time I did, guilt gnawed at me.


    One evening during self-study, while the girls were playing around in the corridor, Wang Yao suddenly pulled me aside, her expression shrouded in mystery. My heart leaped to my throat, but I forced myself to appear nonchalant.


    ¡°Hey, when are you and Lin Ke¡¯er going to make it official?¡±


    So that¡¯s what this was about.


    I exhaled in relief. ¡°I want to as soon as possible, but she¡¯s still thinking it over.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hopeless. When a girl says she¡¯s considering, she¡¯s just being coy. You need to push a little, take decisive action¡ªcut through the hesitation like a blade through tangled vines.¡± She paused, then stuck out her tongue playfully, correcting herself from the more suggestive phrase she had nearly blurted. The sight of her teasing expression made my heart race.


    ¡°I just feel that revenge should come first,¡± I admitted. ¡°Romance can wait.¡±


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°When will that be?¡±


    ¡°After military training.¡± By this point, I trusted Wang Yao completely, so I told her without hesitation.


    A flicker of contemplation crossed her face before she nodded. ¡°Got it. That¡¯s only a few days away. Best of luck.¡±


    With that, she extended her hand.


    I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to meet it. Her palm was soft, smooth.


    Wang Yao giggled. ¡°Hurry up and settle things. I can¡¯t wait to marry Lin Ke¡¯er off¡ªit¡¯s not often we come across a decent guy! But if you ever hurt her¡­ well, you¡¯ll have me to answer to!¡± With a wicked grin, she pinched my waist hard.


    This was the first time I¡¯d been this close to Wang Yao. By all rights, I should have been overjoyed, yet staring into her clear, unguarded eyes, I felt nothing but shame for my errant thoughts. She was so straightforward, so utterly free of hidden intentions¡ªwhat was I thinking?


    That night, I made up my mind. I would stop harboring foolish notions about Wang Yao. My focus belonged solely to Lin Ke¡¯er¡ªshe was the one who deserved my protection. Wang Yao, on the other hand, I would cherish in my heart as a friend, nothing more.


    Later, when I rejoined the group, Lin Ke¡¯er pulled me aside and whispered, ¡°What did Wang Yao say to you?¡±


    I winked at her. ¡°She told us to hurry up and make it official.¡±


    Flustered, Lin Ke¡¯er lowered her head shyly. I reached out to brush her hair, but she dodged away, her movements gentle yet firm.


    That night, as I lay in bed, I counted the remaining days. Three more until the end of military training. Three more days until our counterattack. Hopefully, nothing would disrupt our plans before then.


    The lights went out, and only then did Ma Jie return to the dormitory. Before long, I heard quiet sobs coming from his bed.


    At first, I ignored him, thinking he was just heartbroken over some girl.


    But his crying grew louder, the sound muffled by his blanket yet still filled with anguish.


    Finally, I lost my patience. ¡°What the hell are you crying for? Like some weepy girl in a drama?¡±


    The sobs stopped instantly.


    Just as I was beginning to doze off, they started up again, even louder this time. Furious, I jumped out of bed. ¡°Do you have a screw loose? It¡¯s the middle of the night!¡±


    Once again, silence.


    I climbed back under the covers. Moments later, the wailing resumed.


    That was it. I ripped his blanket away. ¡°One more sound and I¡¯m throwing you out of here.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Ma Jie sat up, his face streaked with tears. Between gasps, he stammered, ¡°F-Fei¡­ Fei-ge¡­ Zhou Kun wants cigarettes¡­ two packs of Furong Wang¡­ If I don¡¯t get them by tomorrow, I¡¯m done for!¡±


    I nearly burst out laughing. ¡°Weren¡¯t you all buddy-buddy with the Ninth Prince? You even got Zhou Kun to beat me up last time. And now he¡¯s extorting you?¡±


    Ma Jie sobbed harder. ¡°I¡­ I bought him spicy snacks, but he said they were too hot and slapped me twice. Then he told me to get him cigarettes¡ªtwo packs of Furong Wang, over 400 yuan! I don¡¯t have that kind of money¡­¡±


    I immediately understood. Zhou Kun was simply toying with him. It was obvious¡ªMa Jie was weak, spineless, and an easy target. If he wanted to stay in Zhou Kun¡¯s circle, he had to pay a price.


    I wasn¡¯t particularly close to Ma Jie, nor did I have any reason to care about his troubles. ¡°That¡¯s tough, but I don¡¯t have money either,¡± I said, turning over to sleep.


    He continued crying. I figured he¡¯d eventually tire himself out, but he wept until past one in the morning. Even when I got up to use the bathroom, he was still at it. Truly a pitiful sight.


    I tried to ignore him, but his cries only grew louder, as if he were sobbing directly into my ear. I turned over¡ªand nearly jumped out of my skin.


    Ma Jie was standing right next to my bed. No wonder his voice sounded so close.


    ¡°Fei-ge¡­ please help me¡­¡± He was practically convulsing from his sobs.


    Annoyed and desperate for sleep, I finally relented. ¡°Fine, fine! Just go to bed already.¡±


    At the time, I thought I¡¯d simply come up with an excuse to turn him down in the morning. But fate had other plans.


    While I was still having breakfast in the cafeteria, Ma Jie suddenly dragged Zhou Kun¡ªalso known as the Long-Haired Man¡ªto my table.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re stepping in for Ma Jie?¡± Zhou Kun smirked, his expression dripping with malice.


    Since the last time Houzi had beaten him so badly he landed in the hospital, I hadn¡¯t seen him around. He looked much healthier now.


    I stared at him blankly for a moment before recalling my words from last night. Now, I was well and truly trapped¡ªbacking down outright would make me look weak.


    Hesitating, I finally muttered, ¡°Well¡­ isn¡¯t that a bit much? Ma Jie¡¯s just a student¡ªwhere is he supposed to get the money for two packs of Furong Wang?¡±


    At that moment, I was still considering my options¡ªif Zhou Kun were to reject me outright or retort with a sharp ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± I would simply take the easy way out, saying we were just dormmates, and I was merely putting in a good word. If he wasn¡¯t willing, then so be it.


    But Zhou Kun gave me no such opportunity. Without a word, he knocked my bowl of food onto the ground.


    ¡°And who the hell do you think you are to plead on his behalf?¡±


    That was it. I lost my temper instantly. He was forcing my hand, escalating the situation beyond return!


    I had never taken a liking to this long-haired bastard¡ªin fact, he was the one who had beaten me up four times in a single day! Without hesitation, I swung a heavy slap across his face, followed by a swift kick from atop the table, striking him squarely in the neck. Zhou Kun crumpled to the floor. I leaped down after him, pouncing onto his body. I mimicked HOUZI¡¯s moves from that day¡ªcoincidentally also the signature combat style of Donnie Yen¡ªraining down punches like relentless cannon fire.


    I must have landed a dozen or so blows before he went completely still, his nose and mouth streaming with blood. I had long since grasped my own strength¡ªwhen it came to one-on-one fights, I truly feared no one. Fortunately, it was still early morning, and he hadn¡¯t been accompanied by any of his cronies. A crowd quickly gathered, but they were just there to watch the spectacle.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to linger¡ªwho knew when one of the princes would show up to back him up? Keeping my composure, I wiped the blood off my knuckles using Zhou Kun¡¯s shirt and sneered, ¡°Now tell me, do I have the right to plead for him?¡±


    With that, I rose to my feet, turned to the dumbfounded Ma Jie, and commanded, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The crowd instinctively parted for us. I strode out of the cafeteria, head held high, feeling like an absolute legend.


    Ma Jie trailed behind me, repeating in awe, ¡°Fei-ge, that was incredible. Fei-ge, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    I was basking in my own pride too¡ªthis fight had been clean, efficient, and decisive. Zhou Kun hadn¡¯t even had a chance to fight back. Since I had eaten before the altercation, I now returned to the dorm to freshen up. Ma Jie, eager to please, immediately tidied up my unmade bed and even took my dirt-caked sneakers, which had been sitting around for days, to scrub them clean. Surprisingly, the kid was meticulous¡ªwhen he returned, my shoes looked as pristine as new. Amused, I bestowed him with a nickname: ¡°Little Wife.¡± From then on, I made him run my errands, and just like that, Ma Jie officially became my lackey.


    But while I was feeling smug, I was also acutely aware that I had stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest. Zhou Kun was one of the Nine Princes¡ªthere was no way he¡¯d take a beating and let it slide. HOUZI had warned me repeatedly not to mess with them, and even Wang Yao had gone out of her way to appeal to Da Mao on my behalf. We had been so close to making it through to the end of training unscathed¡ªonly three days left¡ªand yet, I had still managed to kick the hornet¡¯s nest at the last moment.


    I called HOUZI to report what had happened. He simply said, ¡°Got it. Huang Jie and I will head over now.¡±


    After hanging up, I waited beneath the big tree. Since everyone was still in training, Zhou Kun wouldn¡¯t be coming for me just yet. Each session lasted forty minutes¡ªplenty of time for HOUZI and Huang Jie to arrive, so I felt relatively at ease.


    What I hadn¡¯t expected was that even by break time, there was still no sign of them. I knew those two had probably gotten caught up in their games again¡ªjust like the first time I had called HOUZI to fight for me, only for him to get so engrossed in playing that I ended up waiting from noon till nightfall!


    I hurriedly dialed HOUZI¡¯s number again¡ªbut it was already too late. Zhou Kun had arrived, flanked by four or five other students.


    He looked rough¡ªhis entire mouth was swollen¡ªbut the arrogance in his eyes remained undiminished.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at fighting,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re just too weak,¡± I shot back, despite knowing full well the dire situation I was in. At the same time, I cursed HOUZI¡¯s unreliability under my breath.


    Just then, Liu Yina rushed over and stepped in front of me. ¡°Zhou Kun, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Lin Ke¡¯er, who had been watching from a distance, quickly followed. ¡°Zhou Kun, Da Mao already said to leave Zuo Fei alone. What more do you want?¡±


    Zhou Kun chuckled. ¡°So the rumors were true¡ªyou really went and found the Thirteen Roses as your backers. No wonder you¡¯ve been acting so cocky.¡±


    Truth be told, I was moved by Lin Ke¡¯er and Liu Yina standing up for me, but at the same time, it was humiliating. No man wants to be protected by women. Zhou Kun must have picked up on this, which was why he kept mocking me in this way.


    I knew it was a trap, but I had no choice but to walk straight into it. ¡°Step aside. I can handle this.¡±


    Handle this? Who was I kidding? I was outnumbered¡ªI didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Zhou Kun grinned even wider. ¡°That¡¯s right. You girls stay out of it¡ªthis is a matter between men.¡±


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t control the situation, Liu Yina quickly suggested, ¡°How about we call Wang Yao and have her talk to you?¡±

 Chapter 16: Cease at Once

    At the mention of Wang Yao, the long-haired brute showed no reaction. Instead, he sneered at me and said, ¡°Are you calling Wang Yao to protect you now?¡±


    Another verbal trap. How could I possibly admit to that? I scoffed, ¡°You coward, if you have the guts, face me one-on-one.¡± Yet, a strange feeling crept into my mind¡ªthis guy was never this sharp. How did he respond so quickly this time? It felt as if everything had been premeditated.


    But Liu Yina had no patience for these mind games. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted for Wang Yao at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless, even if you call Wang Yao,¡± another voice interjected. It was Big Cat, striding toward us with over a dozen people trailing behind him.


    An entire battalion, just to deal with me?


    Should I be flattered or horrified?


    I glanced around¡ªstill no sign of Houzi and Huang Jie. But Wang Yao had arrived, breathless from running. Seeing her rush over so anxiously filled me with an unexpected warmth.


    ¡°What now?!¡± Wang Yao snapped, irritation plain on her face. ¡°Big Cat, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    The crowd thickened.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Wang Yao,¡± Big Cat said with a smirk. ¡°I was just about to look for you. Here¡¯s the situation¡ªZuo Fei beat up Zhou Kun this morning. I figured I should drop by and take a look.¡± As he spoke, he grabbed the long-haired brute¡¯s swollen face and turned it toward Wang Yao. ¡°Look at what he did to him!¡±


    I almost couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh. Neither could the spectators, who burst into chuckles. The long-haired brute¡¯s face darkened instantly. That confirmed my suspicion¡ªBig Cat was using him. Those earlier taunts were likely fed to him by Big Cat himself.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, what happened?¡± Wang Yao turned to me.


    ¡°Well¡­ Zhou Kun demanded two packs of Furongwang cigarettes from Ma Jie, but he¡¯s just a student¡ªwhere¡¯s he supposed to get that kind of money? I figured I¡¯d talk to Zhou Kun, and then¡­¡±


    Wang Yao frowned. She clearly thought I was meddling in things that weren¡¯t my business. A flicker of unease shot through me¡ªI started to wonder if I had, indeed, overstepped.


    Big Cat seized the moment. ¡°You heard that, right? Zuo Fei started it. I¡¯ve been letting him off the hook for days, and what does he do? He thinks he can walk all over us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense,¡± Wang Yao cut him off impatiently. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Just pay for his medical expenses and call it a day.¡± She pulled out five yuan and shoved it into Zhou Kun¡¯s chest.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a big deal. Buy yourself some Red Flower Oil and move on. Now, all of you¡ªscatter! What are you standing around for?¡±


    Zhou Kun stood there, stunned, at a loss for words. He turned to Big Cat for help.


    ¡°What are you looking at him for? He¡¯s not your damn father!¡± Wang Yao snapped. ¡°What, you think it¡¯s not enough? Fine, here¡¯s another five. That¡¯s all you¡¯re getting¡ªthis much should cover a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao!¡± She slapped another five-yuan bill into Zhou Kun¡¯s hand, treating him no better than a beggar.


    ¡°Yunnan Baiyao costs over thirty¡­¡± Zhou Kun mumbled.


    ¡°Baiyao my ass! Can you show a little dignity?¡± Big Cat cursed, making Zhou Kun clamp his mouth shut.


    ¡°Wang Yao, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit unfair?¡± Big Cat¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°Aren¡¯t you protecting Zuo Fei a little too much?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m just being reasonable. Isn¡¯t five yuan enough for Red Flower Oil?¡±


    ¡°Come here, let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    Big Cat strolled toward a trash bin. Wang Yao, completely unbothered, followed him.


    With the two of them gone, the rest of us stood there, staring at one another. We could only watch as they spoke in hushed tones, their backs to us. It looked like they were arguing.


    Then, Big Cat subtly flicked his hand.


    Before I could react, Zhou Kun and his lackeys charged. In an instant, they overwhelmed me, sending me crashing to the ground.


    So that was it. Big Cat had deliberately lured Wang Yao away.


    Liu Yina and Lin Ke¡¯er screamed, their voices piercing through the chaos. Then came Wang Yao¡¯s furious roar: ¡°Big Cat, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


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    Right after, Big Cat¡¯s own voice bellowed back: ¡°Who told you to hit him?! Are you insane?!¡± His performance was worthy of an Oscar.


    Fists and kicks rained down on me, trapping me in a whirlwind of pain. This was the eighth time I had been beaten at Dongcheng No. 1 High School.


    ¡°Big Cat, tell them to stop!¡±


    ¡°You guys, stop! Stop! Oh? They¡¯re not listening to me? Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do, Wang Yao¡­¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Wang Yao cursed and rushed forward to help. But she was just a girl¡ªwithout a steel pipe like last time, her thin arms and legs couldn¡¯t pull those thugs off me.


    ¡°Liu Yina, get me a brick!¡± Wang Yao shouted, livid.


    And then, a voice rang out, calm and indifferent.


    ¡°Stop. All of you.¡±


    Zhou Kun and his gang froze. Panting, I struggled to lift my head. Through the gaps in the crowd, I finally saw Houzi.


    A dagger gleamed in his hand, the kind you could buy for a few bucks off a rug vendor. Usually, they came dull, requiring sharpening at home. But Houzi¡¯s blade had been honed to perfection¡ªit glistened under the sun as he pressed it against Big Cat¡¯s throat.


    Big Cat swallowed hard, sweat trickling down his forehead. On his other side stood Huang Jie, tugging at Big Cat¡¯s ear with an annoying smirk. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? Weren¡¯t you just having fun a moment ago?¡±


    ¡°You bastard! If you had shown up any later, your brother would be dead by now,¡± Wang Yao snapped at Houzi.


    ¡°Nah, with you here, Zuo Fei was never in any real danger,¡± Houzi replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate me. Big Cat didn¡¯t give a damn about my face.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he does. I respect you both,¡± Big Cat chuckled nervously. ¡°Now, could you please put the knife away?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Houzi patted Big Cat¡¯s face and turned to me. ¡°You still alive?¡±


    Sitting up, I crossed my legs and scoffed, ¡°You finished your game?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t miss anything important, did I?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I gestured to my dirt-streaked, footprint-covered clothes. ¡°I literally just changed into this outfit this morning!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wash it for you!¡± Ma Jie¡¯s voice piped up from the crowd.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    He instantly shrank back.


    I shot a glare at Houzi. ¡°And you! You seriously showed up over an hour late?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I timed it perfectly. Don¡¯t you think I made the coolest entrance?¡± Houzi grinned shamelessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Huang Jie said. ¡°He got into an argument with some guy from Henan. When he couldn¡¯t win, he accused the guy of stealing manhole covers. That went on for over an hour.¡±


    I stared at Houzi. ¡°You¡¯re fucking shameless.¡±


    ¡°Can you three cut it out and focus on the real issue?¡± Wang Yao finally snapped.


    ¡°Ah, right, the matter at hand.¡± Houzi tapped Big Cat¡¯s face with the knife. ¡°So, how do you propose we settle this?¡±


    Big Cat clenched his jaw, his face pale as a sheet.


    ¡°How about we settle both old and new grudges? You stabbed me once before¡ªwhy don¡¯t I return the favor?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± A group of school instructors finally intervened.


    ¡°Oh, now you care?¡± Wang Yao bristled. ¡°Where were you when they were beating him?¡±


    ¡°The brawl may be overlooked, but the moment a blade is drawn, it¡¯s a different matter.¡±


    The instructors swarmed in, forcefully prying HOUZI away and snatching the knife from his grasp. Throughout the ordeal, he remained astonishingly compliant¡ªso much so that it was almost uncharacteristic of him.


    Later, HOUZI explained, ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d actually stab Da Mao in front of all those people? Back in the dorm or that time in the park, those were private matters¡ªno reports, no consequences. But in broad daylight, with so many witnesses? If I had stabbed him, I wouldn¡¯t just get expelled; I might end up in prison. I may be reckless, but I¡¯m not a fool. I was stalling for time, waiting for the instructors to intervene¡ªotherwise, there¡¯d be no way for me to back down from that situation.¡±


    Huang Jie, however, scoffed at his reasoning. ¡°Don¡¯t buy into his nonsense. When he loses his temper, there¡¯s nothing he wouldn¡¯t do. Stabbing Da Mao in front of a crowd? Hell, he might¡¯ve gone as far as killing him. But the moment he sees soldiers or cops, his legs turn to jelly¡ªyou know why, don¡¯t you? He was born to be trouble. The second those ten or so soldiers showed up, he nearly pissed himself. I was already thinking of finding him a fresh pair of pants.¡±


    I had no way of knowing which of them was telling the truth; neither of them ever had a straight answer for anything.


    Regardless, I gave HOUZI a thorough scolding afterward. Because if he hadn¡¯t handed over that knife, we wouldn¡¯t have had to endure the beating that followed.


    The moment the instructors confiscated his weapon, Da Mao roared with newfound confidence, his voice ringing across the entire field.


    ¡°Get them! Beat them to death!¡±


    The mob descended upon us like a crashing tide. As I¡¯ve mentioned before, I could hold my own in a one-on-one fight, but against a swarm, I stood no chance. I¡¯d land a punch, only to be met with four or five in return¡ªfollowed by a barrage of kicks. There was no way to fight back. Once again, I was sent sprawling to the ground. By now, I had grown accustomed to it. I curled up tightly, shielding my head and groin, leaving the rest of my body to endure the storm of blows.


    Through the gaps between my fingers, I caught glimpses of the chaos outside. HOUZI lasted a solid two to three minutes, taking down at least four or five opponents before finally collapsing. To my surprise, Huang Jie put up an even fiercer fight¡ªdarting and weaving, each punch flooring an opponent, each kick sending another toppling. But even he couldn¡¯t hold out forever. After four or five minutes, sheer numbers overwhelmed him.


    Wang Yao cursed furiously, snatching up a brick to join the fight. No one dared lay a hand on her, giving her an unfair advantage¡ªeach swing of her brick sent someone crumpling to the ground.


    This time, it was the full force of the Nine Princes bearing down on us¡ªat least forty or fifty of them. The uproar was too great; even the instructors couldn¡¯t regain control and had no choice but to escalate the situation to the school authorities. In the end, it took the security department¡¯s intervention to finally break up the fight.


    After giving our statements, the three of us slumped on the steps in front of the faculty building, cigarettes dangling from our lips, our faces swollen and bruised, our clothes covered in footprints. Meanwhile, the Nine Princes strutted away with smug arrogance.


    HOUZI and Huang Jie bickered over the knife incident for a while, until HOUZI finally declared, ¡°Alright, fine. I took that beating on purpose.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh, piss off.¡±


    HOUZI chuckled. ¡°Tell me, Zuo Fei, what¡¯s our plan again?¡±


    I exhaled a long stream of smoke. ¡°Once military training ends, the Nine Princes will start collecting protection fees. That¡¯s when we round up the tougher, more rebellious students¡ªthe ones who can throw a punch¡ªand take the Nine Princes down together. And what the hell does that have to do with you ¡®taking a beating on purpose¡¯?¡±

 Chapter 17: The Heir to Fortune

    ¡°Exactly. But tell me, why should these tough, battle-hardened guys be willing to follow us?¡±


    I found myself momentarily speechless.


    ¡°After today¡¯s fight, the entire freshman class saw what we¡¯re capable of. Our reputation is at its peak.¡± (Me: More like we''re infamous, no?) ¡°Think about it¡ªfirst, I held a knife to Da Mao¡¯s throat, then we took on the whole Nine Princes gang.¡± (Me: You mean we got jumped?) ¡°This already proves our strength. When the time comes, recruiting them will be effortless. They¡¯ve seen us fight, seen us hold our ground¡ªthey¡¯ll naturally want to join us.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a fight like this¡ªone that makes a statement, one that spreads our name far and wide. Winning or losing didn¡¯t matter. Facing off against forty or fifty guys? Even if we lost, no one could call it shameful. But there was never the right opportunity¡ªuntil today. What happened with you couldn¡¯t have come at a better time. Not too early, not too late. Military training ends in three days, which means our reputation will still be fresh. Do you have any idea how thrilled I am? I was so excited, I spent an hour trash-talking with a Henan guy. Actually, I love Henan folks. People saying they steal manhole covers? That¡¯s bullshit! They¡¯re some of the kindest, most genuine people out there¡­¡±


    I stared at HOUZI, dumbfounded by his rambling, then instinctively turned to Huang Jie¡ªwho was usually the first to poke holes in his nonsense.


    Huang Jie merely shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I have no idea if he¡¯s bullshitting or not. Just assume he is.¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡± HOUZI shoved Huang Jie, sending him rolling down the steps. Lying at the bottom, Huang Jie groaned in exaggerated agony while we burst into laughter. I had never seen someone so delighted after getting beaten up.


    But when I was with these two, there was never a dull moment.


    We sat there until the end of training, then headed straight to the cafeteria in our disheveled state. While we were getting our food, HOUZI, in a rare moment of generosity, offered, ¡°Use my card.¡±


    Yet the second I saw his balance¡ªthree cents¡ªI nearly lost it.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Three cents is still enough for a steamed bun!¡± HOUZI shot back, completely unbothered.


    Lin Ke¡¯er came by later, carrying a bunch of medicine. She said Wang Yao had bought them but was too embarrassed to come herself since she hadn¡¯t been much help earlier.


    HOUZI chuckled. ¡°Not much help? She took down ten guys with a brick! That was a huge help! Send my thanks to your boss.¡±


    Back at the dorm, Ma Jie was already waiting for us. He promptly took our dirty clothes and started washing them. Huang Jie, clearly touched, slung an arm around Ma Jie¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°In all my three years here, I¡¯ve never met someone this kind. I¡¯m actually moved. Hey¡­ lend me five bucks? I have no clue how I¡¯m getting breakfast tomorrow.¡±


    After washing up, I sat on my bed, applying Red Flower Oil to my bruises. Ever since coming to this school, I¡¯d been using this stuff almost daily¡ªprobably wouldn¡¯t be shaking it for the next three years. As I was rubbing it in, my phone rang.


    Lin Ke¡¯er.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Applying medicine,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Can you reach everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Obviously not. My back¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Then come downstairs. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Hearing that, I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Snatching the bottle of Red Flower Oil straight from Ma Jie¡ªwho was just about to apply it for me¡ªI bolted for the door.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Fei-ge, your pants¡ª¡±


    I yanked on my pants properly before heading downstairs. Sure enough, Lin Ke¡¯er was waiting for me. I handed her the medicine and lifted my shirt. She began applying it gently¡ªtoo gently, actually. This stuff needed to be rubbed in hard, but I didn¡¯t mind. Her hands were so soft that even the faintest touch made my heart melt.


    ¡°Ke¡¯er, what are you doing?¡±


    A voice interrupted us.


    I turned to see Wang Yao approaching, carrying two thermos bottles.


    ¡°I¡¯m helping Zuo Fei apply medicine,¡± Lin Ke¡¯er replied, still focused on her task.


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    ¡°You call that applying medicine? That¡¯s useless. Let me do it.¡± Wang Yao set down the bottles and snatched the Red Flower Oil from Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    My scream echoed through the campus.


    ¡°Gentler, please!¡±


    ¡°Gentle? What nonsense! It only works if you rub it in hard!¡± Wang Yao continued her ruthless assault.


    ¡­


    Two days passed. Only one day remained until military training ended. As expected, tomorrow night, the Nine Princes would begin their ¡°dorm cleansing,¡± roughing up students who refused to pay protection fees. That would be our moment to strike.


    The students, meanwhile, had grown sentimental about the departing instructors. During a group singing session, several even burst into tears. Personally, I couldn¡¯t relate. Maybe it was because I hadn¡¯t really participated in training or bonded with any of them.


    I wasn¡¯t interested in any of that. The only thing I cared about was taking down the Nine Princes.


    And yet, tonight, instead of resting, HOUZI and Huang Jie were heading to an internet caf¨¦ for an all-nighter.


    ¡°Tomorrow night¡¯s the big fight. Can¡¯t you two at least get some sleep?¡±


    I stood at the school gate, gripping their arms like a desperate wife pleading with her husband not to gamble away their savings.


    ¡°Relax, Zuo Fei. You¡¯ve gotta trust us. Pulling an all-nighter won¡¯t affect us at all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A few rounds of gaming will put us in the perfect mindset for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. No way I¡¯m letting you two go tonight.¡±


    ¡°Hey, look! Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s here!¡±


    I instinctively turned around.


    Empty. No one there.


    I whirled back¡ªonly to find that both of them had vanished.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I cursed, just about to chase after them when my phone rang.


    It was Ma Jie.


    ¡°Fei-ge, Yi Zhen is waiting for you at the dorm.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s Yi Zhen?¡±


    ¡°What?! You don¡¯t know Yi Zhen?¡±


    Out of nowhere, HOUZI popped back up.


    ¡°Yi Zhen?!¡±


    Huang Jie appeared just as quickly.


    ¡°East City First High¡¯s richest kid?! If he¡¯s looking for you, it must be something big!¡±


    Their eyes burned with excitement.


    ¡°You two weren¡¯t leaving?¡± I asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Well, now that I think about it, we do have an important mission tomorrow. Staying up all night might not be the best idea,¡± HOUZI said.


    ¡°Yeah, I never even wanted to go in the first place. HOUZI dragged me into it,¡± Huang Jie added.


    Like glue, the two of them stuck to my side as we headed back to meet the legendary heir of East City First High.


    ¡°He¡¯s definitely treating us to a feast,¡± HOUZI drooled.


    ¡°For sure! He must¡¯ve heard about our fight with the Nine Princes and wants to join us. That means an extra drumstick with every meal from now on,¡± Huang Jie beamed.


    As we stepped into the dorm, a tall, handsome young man sat casually on my bed. His attire and demeanor set him apart from the rest of us¡ªhe exuded wealth.


    The moment he stood up, a polite yet confident smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, right? I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m HOUZI.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Huang Jie.¡±


    The two shameless idiots had already shoved past me, eagerly extending their hands.


    ¡°If you want to be our little brother, it¡¯s simple¡ªjust treat us to meals every day,¡± HOUZI grinned.


    ¡°And cover our gaming expenses,¡± Huang Jie added.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± HOUZI nodded earnestly.


    Yi Zhen looked utterly baffled. ¡°What? I came to see Zuo Fei¡­ Who the hell are you two?¡±


    HOUZI and Huang Jie were utterly dumbfounded.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. Stepping forward, I pushed them aside and said, ¡°Ignore these two¡ªthey''re lunatics. What do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard that the Ninth Prince has been giving you trouble lately, so I wanted to check if you need any help. They would still be willing to show me some respect.¡± Yi Zhen¡¯s gaze was sincere, yet there was an undeniable undertone of pretense.


    ¡°And what, exactly, would you like in return?¡±


    I eyed him warily, for no one in this world offers kindness without an ulterior motive.


    ¡°Nothing at all. I simply wish to be friends.¡± Yi Zhen¡¯s smile remained unshaken.


    ¡°Oh, I love making friends! Especially rich ones like you. Nice to meet you, I¡¯m HOUZI!¡± HOUZI launched himself forward enthusiastically.


    ¡°Can you have some dignity? You hear someone has money, and you immediately want to befriend them? At least try to be reserved like me.¡± Huang Jie scolded, then turned to Yi Zhen, placing his hands on his shoulders. ¡°How does that feel? I know a thing or two about massages. My name is Huang Jie, and we should definitely be friends. Not because you¡¯re rich, of course. I just feel an instant connection with you.¡±


    ¡°Connection?¡± Yi Zhen touched his head. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ve never seen a head as perfectly round as yours!¡± HOUZI eagerly grasped Yi Zhen¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Enough nonsense. Just say what you came for; otherwise, I¡¯m going to bed.¡± I turned toward my bunk.


    ¡°Well, then, get some rest. I¡¯ll have a word with the Ninth Prince,¡± Yi Zhen said, preparing to leave.


    ¡°Wait, wait! You can¡¯t just leave like that! We just became friends¡ªwe should at least have a proper conversation!¡± HOUZI clung to him shamelessly.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, how can you talk like that? Is this any way to treat our dear friend, Yi Zhen?¡± Huang Jie stepped up to me, gave me a firm shove, then leaned in and whispered, ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured it out? He¡¯s here for Lin Ke¡¯er.¡±


    A flicker of realization struck me. I looked at Yi Zhen, who was just about to leave, and blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re doing this for Lin Ke¡¯er, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Yi Zhen turned back, his smile unwavering. ¡°Not exactly. I genuinely want to be your friend.¡±


    At that moment, HOUZI suddenly patted Yi Zhen¡¯s shoulder, his expression serious. ¡°Yi Zhen, I say this as a friend¡ªif you need something, just be direct. Zuo Fei isn¡¯t one for mind games.¡±


    Yi Zhen hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. ¡°Alright, I do have a favor to ask.¡±


    He stepped forward, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small jewelry box. When he opened it, a dazzling necklace lay inside. Even with my lack of expertise, I could tell it was worth a fortune.


    ¡°Can you give this to Lin Ke¡¯er?¡± He paused for a beat before adding, ¡°Do this for me, and I¡¯ll make sure the Ninth Prince doesn¡¯t bother you three ever again.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s stunning!¡± HOUZI once again lunged forward, eyeing the necklace greedily. ¡°Must be worth at least ten yuan, right?¡±


    A muscle in Yi Zhen¡¯s face twitched.


    Huang Jie, ever the troublemaker, chimed in, ¡°What are you talking about? This thing is at least fifteen. I see them at street stalls all the time.¡±


    Even if Yi Zhen had been clueless, it was obvious by now that HOUZI and Huang Jie were deliberately playing dumb.


    Ignoring them, he fixed his gaze on me. ¡°Well? Will you do it?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it to her yourself?¡±

 Chapter 18: Am I Qualified for This?

    ¡°I already tried giving it to her, but she refused to accept it. I heard the two of you are quite close, so I thought I¡¯d try my luck with you.¡±


    ¡°If you know we¡¯re close, then surely you also know we¡¯re on the verge of becoming something more?¡± My voice grew colder.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not together yet, are you?¡± Yi Zhen¡¯s smile remained unwavering. ¡°Can you pass it on for me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I had no interest in entertaining this conversation any longer.


    I expected Yi Zhen to lose his temper, but to my surprise, he merely sighed in disappointment and put the necklace away.


    ¡°As expected¡­ No, huh? Well, I¡¯ll have to come up with another plan.¡± He turned to leave.


    ¡°Hey¡­ shouldn¡¯t you at least ask Zuo Fei how much it would take for him to change his mind?¡± HOUZI called after him.


    Yi Zhen paused and looked back. ¡°Really?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Come on, name your price! You never know¡ªZuo Fei might just be tempted!¡± HOUZI, ever the troublemaker, was reveling in the spectacle.


    ¡°One hundred yuan. How about that?¡± Yi Zhen actually made an offer.


    Before I could respond, HOUZI had already rushed forward. ¡°Done, done! I can handle this too!¡±


    Not to be outdone, Huang Jie jumped in. ¡°I can do it for ninety!¡±


    ¡°Eighty!¡±


    ¡°Seventy!¡±


    ¡°I only want Zuo Fei to deliver it.¡± Yi Zhen cut off their bidding war.


    Both HOUZI and Huang Jie turned to me, their faces glowing with the unmistakable look of someone who¡¯s just stumbled upon a golden opportunity.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do it. Even if you offer me a thousand, ten thousand¡ªI won¡¯t do it.¡±


    Yi Zhen¡¯s insistence on me delivering it exposed his true intent. This wasn¡¯t merely about passing along a necklace¡ªit was a challenge, a provocation, a declaration of war.


    He shook his head once more and walked away.


    ¡°Hey, are we still friends?¡± HOUZI called after him again.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yi Zhen flashed a perfectly composed, impeccably polite smile¡ªthe kind only a child from an affluent family could master.


    ¡°Great!¡± HOUZI beamed. ¡°Lend me five yuan.¡±


    ¡­


    With five yuan in his pocket, HOUZI was bouncing around the dormitory in delight, while Huang Jie, having missed his chance, wore a look of deep regret, grumbling that they should split the money.


    ¡°Are you two serious?¡± I knew they were just messing around, but this wasn¡¯t amusing to me in the slightest. Yi Zhen was clearly my rival.


    HOUZI suddenly quieted down. ¡°Zuo Fei, since you¡¯ve been at Dongcheng No. 1 High, have you heard the saying, ¡®Better to provoke the Big Cat than to cross Yi Zhen¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± came a voice from the bed. Ma Jie, half-asleep, chimed in lazily, ¡°Yi Zhen is just too rich. When you have money, you can crush anything in your path.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I shot Ma Jie a glare, and he immediately withdrew his head under the covers. Then I said, ¡°Never heard it before. And even if I had, I don¡¯t care how untouchable he is¡ªhe won¡¯t lay a finger on Lin Ke¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is, you can go head-to-head with the Big Cat, but don¡¯t clash with Yi Zhen outright. If you want to take him on, be subtle, be strategic. That¡¯s my advice.¡±


    HOUZI yawned. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m out.¡± He and Huang Jie left the dormitory.


    I thought for a moment, then ran out and yelled after them, ¡°You two better not be heading to the internet caf¨¦!¡± But, of course, it was already too late.


    Lying back on my bed, I replayed Yi Zhen¡¯s words in my mind, feeling more and more irritated. Who wouldn¡¯t be, knowing someone had set their sights on their girlfriend? By now, I had already regarded Lin Ke¡¯er as my own.


    But no matter how frustrated I felt, I had bigger things to handle first.


    The next morning, I dragged HOUZI and Huang Jie back from the internet caf¨¦. They had been up all night and needed sleep. Huang Jie was easy¡ªhe was already exhausted and went with me without resistance. But HOUZI, still brimming with energy, clung to his chair and refused to budge, shouting, ¡°I can¡¯t let my teammates down! Shanxi Province will become a joke if I back out now!¡±


    I shut his computer off without a second thought. HOUZI was so furious he nearly fainted on the spot. I could never understand how a game could be this important.


    After forcibly dragging them back to the dorm and shoving them into bed like some kind of nanny, I spent the day under a tree, watching the others train. It was the final day of military drills, and everyone was reluctantly bidding farewell to their instructors.


    Wang Yao showed up again, leading her ¡®Thirteen Roses¡¯ entourage to find me. She was certainly taking her role as my self-appointed protector very seriously.


    But after tonight, she wouldn¡¯t need to protect me anymore.


    By evening, a tense atmosphere hung over all of the first-year students. Word had spread¡ªtonight, the Ninth Prince was planning a dorm raid.


    As soon as night classes ended, I rushed to HOUZI¡¯s dormitory. He was still asleep. Surely, after an entire day in bed, he had to be well-rested by now?


    ¡°HOUZI! HOUZI!¡± I shouted.


    He groaned, rolled over, and mumbled, ¡°Shove your damn kill count. If you can¡¯t play, just go home and drink milk.¡±


    I shook him harder, but he still wouldn¡¯t wake up. He muttered, ¡°Can¡¯t abandon my teammates, Zuo Fei¡­ You¡¯re such a traitor.¡±


    I was getting impatient. ¡°All you people from Shanxi are idiots!¡±


    HOUZI sat up in an instant. ¡°Who said that?! Bullshit!¡±


    Now that he was up, we went to wake Huang Jie. This time, I didn¡¯t bother with nonsense¡ªI simply whispered in his ear, ¡°You people from Shanxi are all idiots.¡±


    To my surprise, Huang Jie didn¡¯t even flinch. He just mumbled in agreement, ¡°Yeah¡­ all idiots¡­¡±


    HOUZI smirked. ¡°Watch this.¡±


    He bent down and whispered, ¡°Huang Jie, lend me five yuan.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any!¡± Huang Jie shot up instantly, furious. ¡°Go borrow from someone else, damn it!¡±


    HOUZI grinned smugly. Huang Jie, realizing he had been tricked, sighed in relief and hummed a tune as he put on his shoes. ¡°What kind of rhythm¡­ makes you want to dance all night¡­¡±


    The three of us headed to my dorm, set up a table, and started playing cards while waiting for the Ninth Prince¡¯s men to arrive. Ever the dramatist, HOUZI theatrically planted a knife in the table and declared, ¡°If the Big Cat dares to come for us, I¡¯ll make sure he leaves with a blade in his belly!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°HOUZI, where do you even get all these knives?¡±


    Huang Jie smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t know? There¡¯s a street vendor on the way back from the internet caf¨¦. Every time HOUZI walks by, he swipes a new knife.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I borrow them, okay?¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Do they just lend you dozens of knives for free?¡±


    Realizing that they were joking again, I chose not to pursue the matter further.


    Students gradually returned to their dorms. I instructed Ma Jie to open the door, and soon, the corridor was filled with lively chatter¡ªsome were playfully scuffling, others were washing up. Not long after, a voice rang out from outside:


    ¡°The Ninth Prince is here!¡±


    At once, the corridor fell into an eerie silence. Everyone scrambled back to their dorms. Moments later, the rhythmic stomp of hurried footsteps echoed through the halls, accompanied by the occasional curse:


    ¡°Get back to your rooms! No one dares to stick their head out!¡±


    The mere sound of those words sent Ma Jie scurrying onto his bed in fear.


    ¡°What are you so afraid of? Haven¡¯t you already paid your protection fee?¡± I asked.


    Ma Jie pulled a long face. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of them¡ªI¡¯m scared Zhou Kun will ask me for cigarettes.¡±


    Houzi unsheathed his knife and waved it in front of Ma Jie. ¡°If he dares ask, just give him a stab!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Ma Jie frantically waved his hands in refusal.


    With a loud bang, the sound of a door being kicked open echoed through the corridor, followed by a furious voice:


    ¡°Who the hell is Yang Zecheng?!¡±


    Houzi glanced at me, and I nodded, committing the name to memory.


    Tonight, the Ninth Prince and his gang were sweeping the dorms, targeting those who refused to pay protection fees. Their true aim was to establish dominance, so their display of force was bound to be overwhelming, their voices deliberately raised to intimidate. We didn¡¯t even need to step outside to witness the scene; just sitting in our dorm, we could hear everything unfold.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yang Zecheng, you bastard!¡± another voice rang out defiantly.


    The moment such words were exchanged, a fight was inevitable. The corridor erupted with the cacophony of fists meeting flesh¡ªthuds, crashes, the scuffle of bodies. Judging by the sound, at least a dozen people were pummeling this Yang Zecheng. Despite the onslaught, his voice still rang out, hoarse but unyielding:


    ¡°I¡¯ll never give you bastards a dime!¡±


    The three of us exchanged glances and nodded. This man had guts¡ªhe was someone worth recruiting.


    But no matter how strong one¡¯s will, fists alone could not fend off a mob. Yang Zecheng¡¯s curses gradually weakened until they faded almost entirely. Then came Zhou Kun¡¯s mocking voice:


    ¡°You ungrateful fool. If you won¡¯t pay, we¡¯ll beat you every day until you do!¡±


    ¡°Zhou Kun, don¡¯t be too ruthless,¡± another voice chimed in¡ªDa Mao, with his usual feigned concern. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done, you¡¯ve smashed his nose! How¡¯s he supposed to find a girlfriend now?¡±


    ¡°Damn it, what a waste of time. Let¡¯s move on to the next one¡­¡±


    Bang! Smack!


    ¡°Who the hell is Gao He?!¡±


    It seemed Zhou Kun was the main enforcer tonight, seizing every chance to assert his dominance.


    I made a mental note of this name too. Five minutes later, Gao He suffered the same fate as Yang Zecheng¡ªbeaten so brutally that he could barely muster a curse. But just like Yang, he proved himself a man of principle. Another one we had to recruit.


    The corridor remained a hub of violence and hushed tension. Apart from the Ninth Prince¡¯s gang and the victims, no one dared to make a sound. Even within our dorm, we could feel the suffocating atmosphere. Ma Jie had completely lost his nerve, trembling under his blanket, hiding his head as if that could shield him from the chaos outside.


    Half an hour passed. More than ten students had been beaten, with some dorms having multiple victims.


    Houzi rubbed his hands together with excitement. ¡°Damn, this is amazing. So many tough guys this year!¡±


    Huang Jie and I shared his enthusiasm¡ªthe more defiant students there were, the better our chances of victory.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just sit here anymore, I have to go take a look.¡± Houzi stood and headed for the door.


    Shortly after, we heard Da Mao¡¯s voice from the corridor. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Houzi. Where are you off to?¡±


    ¡°Just the restroom.¡±


    ¡°I seem to recall that you haven¡¯t paid your protection fee either.¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Come find me later¡ªI¡¯ll be in Zuo Fei¡¯s dorm.¡±


    Houzi made a quick round outside and returned, his face alight with excitement. ¡°Holy shit, there are bodies sprawled all over the corridor. The Ninth Prince¡¯s gang has gone mad¡ªthey¡¯re beating people like they¡¯re trying to kill them!¡±


    The more brutal the beatings, the deeper the grudges¡ªand the easier it would be for us to rally support. This was playing right into our hands.


    ¡°But it¡¯s odd,¡± I mused. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone step in when someone else is being beaten?¡±


    Houzi smirked. ¡°That¡¯s just common sense. Without a leader, who would dare to make a move? Haven¡¯t you heard the saying? ¡®One Chinese man is a dragon, but a group of Chinese men are mere insects.¡¯ Without someone to take the lead, people will always remain scattered, like grains of sand.¡±


    Huang Jie straightened his collar. ¡°Clearly, I¡¯m the one meant to take the lead.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, that role belongs to me,¡± Houzi declared, pointing to himself.


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh, come on. Who could possibly be more suited to the role than me?¡±


    This was an old argument of ours¡ªwhenever it came up, we inevitably ended up bickering. Within moments, we were red-faced, each gripping the other¡¯s collar, ready to throw punches.


    ¡°Well, well, what do we have here?¡± A familiar voice cut through our quarrel.


    We turned to see Da Mao standing in the doorway, flanked by a crowd¡ªincluding Xing Qiu, Zhou Kun, and several other key figures. That was the privilege of being the boss¡ªwherever he went, he commanded presence.


    We immediately let go of each other and, almost in unison, said, ¡°Nothing, nothing¡ªjust exercising.¡±


    Da Mao stepped forward. ¡°Right. Now, let¡¯s talk about that protection fee.¡±


    Houzi drew his knife and plunged it into the wooden table with a sharp thud. ¡°How about this? Does this count as payment?¡±


    Da Mao¡¯s expression stiffened¡ªclearly, he hadn¡¯t expected Houzi to be so bold. He had underestimated him.


    Huang Jie and I remained nonchalant, shuffling our playing cards as if Da Mao and his gang were beneath our notice.


    ¡°Three with a pair¡ªit¡¯s your move, Houzi,¡± Huang Jie said, tossing his cards onto the table.


    ¡°Royal flush!¡± Houzi slammed down his hand with such force that the knife in the table trembled. ¡°Blowing you straight to hell¡ªlet¡¯s see you act tough now!¡± His words carried an unmistakable provocation.


    Da Mao¡¯s expression darkened, but he refrained from stepping any further into the room.


    ¡°Heh. I¡¯ll deal with you three later.¡± With a smirk, he turned and walked away.


    Da Mao was shrewd. He knew when to advance and when to retreat. It was precisely this adaptability that had kept him alive this long.


    But only until tonight.


    Tomorrow, we would bring down the Ninth Prince.


    As the night dragged on, the beatings continued outside while we remained in our dorm, playing cards as if nothing was amiss. The school¡¯s administration didn¡¯t interfere, nor did the dorm supervisors step in. It was as if this brutality was an accepted norm.


    By the time the ordeal ended around midnight, I had memorized over twenty names.


    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s wrapping up,¡± Houzi said with a yawn. ¡°That¡¯s enough for tonight. Time to call it a day.¡±


    As a coded phrase, ¡°disbanding¡± carried a hidden meaning¡ªsince there were outsiders in our dormitory, HOUZI was subtly hinting that the reign of the Ninth Prince was nearing its end and that it was time for us to gather these iron-willed individuals to discuss our next move.


    ¡°Who the hell is Zheng Wu?!¡± Zhou Kun¡¯s voice rang out again, though it was now distant, suggesting that they had reached the far end of the corridor¡ªperhaps their final target for the night.


    ¡°I am Zheng Wu!¡± A thunderous voice roared in response, brimming with defiance and unyielding fury, drowning out Zhou Kun¡¯s call. It was so powerful that it seemed to shake the entire dormitory building.


    Then came the screams¡ªone, two, three¡ªeach more agonized than the last, followed by the frantic sound of feet scrambling.


    No single person could produce that many cries of pain. That meant¡ªthe ones wailing in agony were none other than the Ninth Prince¡¯s men!


    The three of us exchanged glances, then bolted out the door in unison.


    In the corridor, the Ninth Prince¡¯s men were fleeing in all directions, while a shirtless student pursued them relentlessly. His muscular chest rippled with each movement, and in his hand, he wielded a heavy black power rod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill every last one of you bastards!¡± Zheng Wu bellowed, swinging the rod furiously. Each time it connected, another cry of agony erupted.


    Zhou Kun had already taken several blows and was now running for his life, shrieking in panic.


    ¡°Ai, mama! Ai, mama!¡± Zhou Kun¡¯s wails echoed as he dashed past our dormitory door.


    ¡°Damn! We¡¯ve found a real beast!¡± HOUZI¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched Zheng Wu.


    ¡°Holy shit, I think I¡¯m in love,¡± Huang Jie murmured, eyes wide with admiration.


    At that, I instinctively took a step away from him¡ªsince when did he have that kind of preference?


    ¡°Stop panicking like a bunch of headless chickens!¡± Da Mao suddenly emerged from the restroom, gripping a broken mop handle¡ªwait, wasn¡¯t that the one I had kicked in half last time?


    ¡°Grab your weapons!¡± he roared before charging forward.


    Da Mao swung his makeshift club, but Zheng Wu countered with his steel rod. The difference was obvious¡ªwood could never match iron. Da Mao let out a grunt of pain, but to his credit, he held his ground and kept fighting.


    As much as I hated to admit it, Da Mao¡¯s leadership wasn¡¯t just for show. There was some real strength behind his position as the Ninth Prince¡¯s second-in-command.


    Despite being slightly overpowered, Da Mao¡¯s defiance reignited his gang¡¯s morale. The others surged forward, grabbing whatever they could¡ªfolding chairs, wooden sticks, even pickaxe handles¡ªbefore rushing Zheng Wu en masse.


    No matter how strong he was, Zheng Wu could not withstand an onslaught from two or three dozen attackers. After a fierce struggle, he collapsed into a pool of his own blood, yet the Ninth Prince¡¯s men continued to rain down merciless blows upon him.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Huang Jie cursed under his breath, grabbing a chair and preparing to charge forward. I, too, instinctively reached for a folding stool¡ªthis was no longer just a beating; they were trying to kill him.


    ¡°Stand down.¡± HOUZI¡¯s voice cut through the tension as he blocked our path, his gaze locked onto Zheng Wu.


    We knew exactly what he meant. We had agreed beforehand that we wouldn¡¯t intervene tonight. The longer the Ninth Prince¡¯s men indulged in their brutality, the deeper the hatred would fester in their victims¡¯ hearts. However, if this went on any longer, we feared Zheng Wu might not make it out alive. HOUZI watched intently, waiting for the right moment to act.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Finally, Da Mao spoke.


    The gang stepped back, leaving Zheng Wu sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath him.


    ¡°That was just a small warning,¡± Da Mao sneered. ¡°If you don¡¯t pay up in three days, it won¡¯t end so lightly next time.¡±


    With that, he led his men away.


    ¡°Move.¡± HOUZI¡¯s command was all it took¡ªwe sprang forward like wild horses, rushing toward Zheng Wu.


    But before we could reach him, Zheng Wu had already pushed himself up. He wiped the blood from his forehead, muttered a curse, and¡ªwithout so much as a glance in our direction¡ªstrode off toward the washroom as if nothing had happened. His demeanor was one of sheer arrogance, as if he had just emerged victorious from the fight.


    ¡°Damn, this guy is insane,¡± HOUZI muttered, a glint of excitement in his eyes. ¡°Zuo Fei, this one¡¯s yours. Huang Jie and I will gather the others¡ªmeet in Room 305.¡± That dorm was empty except for him, making it the perfect place for private discussions.


    ¡°Got it!¡± I took off toward the washroom, my curiosity about Zheng Wu now burning hotter than ever.

 Chapter 19: HOUZI鈥檚 Plan

    The image of Zheng Wu, unfazed despite being beaten by so many people, lingered in my mind. His unyielding demeanor had undoubtedly earned him the title of tonight¡¯s number-one warrior.


    I burst into the washroom and saw him standing by a row of faucets, clutching his head while washing his wounds, groaning in pain, "Damn it! This hurts like hell... hurts like hell... hurts like¡ª" He suddenly seemed to sense someone behind him. Instantly, he straightened his back and struck a nonchalant pose, wiping his forehead as he muttered coolly, "A bunch of weaklings. They couldn¡¯t even land a proper hit."


    I was momentarily at a loss for words.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I finally asked.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Zheng Wu¡¯s tone was anything but friendly.


    "Zuo Fei."


    "Never heard of you." Zheng Wu continued rinsing his forehead, the crimson water spiraling down the drain.


    I had assumed my reputation was well established¡ªafter all, the fact that I had been beaten seven times in three days should have made me somewhat notorious. Yet, Zheng Wu had no clue who I was. Undeterred, I pressed on, "That doesn¡¯t matter. Are you interested in taking down Jiu Taizi with us?"


    That, at last, caught his attention. He turned to scrutinize me, his eyes narrowing slightly before a look of realization crossed his face.


    "Oh, I remember now. Weren¡¯t you the one who got jumped by Jiu Taizi three days ago with those two clowns?"


    By ¡°clowns,¡± he was obviously referring to HOUZI and Huang Jie. I nodded quickly. "We fought bravely, but they had forty or fifty guys. Just like how you were surrounded by thirty tonight¡ª"


    "Who said that?!" Zheng Wu snapped, visibly ruffled. "Who was surrounded? It was me who had them crawling on the ground!"


    Once again, I was left speechless. From his forced nonchalance to his outright refusal to admit the truth, it was clear that Zheng Wu was someone who cared deeply about saving face. And if that was the case, I would grant him the dignity he desired.


    ¡°Well then, we¡¯re planning to take down Jiu Taizi. Care to join us?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zheng Wu rejected me without hesitation.


    "Why not? Don¡¯t you want revenge?"


    "Heh, I can handle it myself." Zheng Wu rolled his shoulders, his bare torso covered in bruises, yet the injuries only accentuated the raw masculinity exuding from him.


    "Strength lies in numbers," I argued, stepping closer. "It¡¯s not just the three of us. We have other allies. We could form a new faction and crush Jiu Taizi." I wasn¡¯t about to give up. HOUZI had entrusted me with this mission, after all.


    "I¡¯ll say it one last time¡ªI work alone," Zheng Wu stated firmly, jabbing a finger at me. "I have no interest in joining any faction."


    There was no getting through to this guy. I decided to return to HOUZI and see if he had a better idea. Just as I turned to leave, Zheng Wu¡¯s phone rang.


    ¡°Hello? Maomao? Damn it, I just got jumped. No joke, I was bleeding all over! A hundred guys came at me, but I held out for half an hour and took down seventy or eighty before I finally went down. Huh? Oh, right, you mentioned introducing me to someone. Yeah, HOUZI, right? Room 305? Got it, I¡¯ll go find him later.¡±


    I nearly burst out laughing on the spot. Without wasting a second, I bolted straight to Room 305.


    HOUZI and Huang Jie hadn¡¯t returned yet¡ªit wasn¡¯t easy gathering twenty-something tough guys one by one. But I was in no rush. I sprawled across HOUZI¡¯s bed and hummed a tune.


    ¡°The boundless horizon is my love¡­¡± Having spent too much time with Huang Jie, I had developed a habit of singing this song. Just as I reached the part about "the most swinging rhythm," the door swung open, and HOUZI and Huang Jie stepped inside.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you grinning like that? Where¡¯s Zheng Wu?¡± HOUZI asked, eyeing me suspiciously.


    Huang Jie, on the other hand, picked up my song where I left off, cheerfully continuing, ¡°What kind of melody brings the most joy?¡± He even started dancing, looking absolutely elated.


    "He¡¯s on his way," I said, crossing my legs leisurely.


    "You convinced him?" HOUZI looked stunned.


    "Yeah."


    "That¡¯s impossible." HOUZI frowned. "From what I¡¯ve seen, that guy is way too arrogant. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d agree so easily."


    "So that¡¯s why you dumped this impossible task on me, huh?" I smirked. "Relax. He¡¯ll be here soon. But where are your people? I don¡¯t see anyone yet."


    "They¡¯ll come in batches. If we make too much noise, Jiu Taizi might catch wind of it," HOUZI explained. He was meticulous as always.


    He then walked up to me again. "Are you absolutely sure Zheng Wu is coming?"


    "Just wait and see," I said, completely unfazed.


    "Alright, we¡¯ll discuss things when everyone¡¯s here¡ª" HOUZI suddenly groaned, exasperated. "Huang Jie, will you cut that out?!"


    Huang Jie ignored him, still dancing and singing his heart out, his moves eerily resembling those of middle-aged women at public square dances.


    "Just let him be. He¡¯s in a good mood," I said, tempted to join in myself.


    "Are you kidding me? If people walk in and see him acting like this, how the hell is he supposed to lead them?"


    That remark had an immediate effect. Huang Jie stopped dancing, straightened his clothes, and said with an air of seriousness, "You¡¯re right. A leader must be dignified and composed."


    "What did you just say?!" HOUZI glared at him.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡­


    Five minutes later, the three of us were tangled in a heated argument over who should be the leader.


    Just then, the door creaked open, and four or five people walked in, staring at us in stunned silence.


    ¡°Nothing to see here, just¡­ working out,¡± we quickly disentangled ourselves and chuckled sheepishly.


    ¡­


    I suddenly realized¡ªI was becoming more and more of a clown, wasn¡¯t I?


    ¡°Everyone, take a seat,¡± HOUZI called out, motioning them in while making introductions. "This is Li Baiyu, and this is Zhu Jianlong..."


    These were all names Jiu Taizi had targeted. Huang Jie and I wasted no time, greeting them and guiding them to their seats.


    "More people are coming, so let¡¯s squeeze in a bit," I added.


    As the room filled up, HOUZI continued his introductions. "This is Yang Zecheng, and this is Gao He¡­"


    I had to hand it to him¡ªHOUZI might not be great at academics, but when it came to remembering names, he was a natural. He rattled off over twenty names without missing a beat.


    The more I observed him, the more I realized¡ªHOUZI was truly something else. Brave and intelligent? That remained to be seen. But at the very least, he had an extensive network. Binzi had introduced me to him, and Maomao had introduced Zheng Wu to him. That couldn¡¯t just be a coincidence, right?


    Before long, every bed in the dorm was occupied, with some people perching on windowsills and radiators. Despite the growing numbers, the atmosphere remained heavy¡ªafter all, they had all just endured a brutal beating. No one was in the mood to laugh.


    The atmosphere in the dormitory was slightly stifling; few words were exchanged among us.


    "Alright, almost everyone is here. Just one more to go," HOUZI said, turning his gaze toward me. "Zuo Fei?"


    "Yeah¡­ he should be here soon," I replied, though my confidence wavered. It had been twenty minutes¡ªwhy hadn''t Zheng Wu arrived yet?


    Just as my words fell, the dormitory door swung open, drawing everyone''s attention.


    A student clad in a black leather jacket and leather pants stepped inside, a pair of dark sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose, concealing most of his face. His hair stood rigidly on end, clearly sculpted with copious amounts of gel.


    We were momentarily taken aback by this "Terminator"-styled figure, and he, upon seeing the room full of people, seemed equally surprised.


    But the "Terminator" quickly regained his composure and asked, "Who''s HOUZI?"


    It was then that I finally recognized him¡ªZheng Wu. But why on earth had he dressed like this? And in this sweltering heat, no less¡­


    "I am," HOUZI stood up. "You must be Zheng Wu?"


    "You know me?" Zheng Wu removed his sunglasses, a trace of surprise in his eyes. "Did Maomao tell you?"


    "Maomao? The one from Seventh High? He didn¡¯t mention you, but I know who you are. That was quite the spectacle earlier¡ªoutrunning over thirty of the Nine Princes in the corridor." HOUZI certainly had a way with words.


    "Haha, that was nothing," Zheng Wu said smugly, his leather shoes clicking against the floor as he stepped forward. "Good thing they ran fast, or I would¡¯ve beaten them all to a pulp." He then added, "Maomao sent me to find you¡ªsaid we should get to know each other."


    "Haha, I see. Come in, have a seat," HOUZI gestured, but the cramped dormitory offered no available space.


    "No worries, I¡¯ll just stand," Zheng Wu said indifferently.


    "Apologies for the crowd tonight. We were just discussing how to deal with the Nine Princes."


    "Count me in," Zheng Wu said offhandedly. "I can help you guys. The Nine Princes are no match for me."


    "Haha, well then, thanks in advance."


    "No need to thank me. You¡¯re Maomao¡¯s friend, after all. It¡¯s only right for me to lend a hand."


    I nearly burst out laughing. He came here to seek HOUZI¡¯s help, yet he made it sound like he was doing HOUZI a favor. This guy sure had an ego.


    Zheng Wu scanned the room before remarking, "Not bad. As expected from Maomao¡¯s friend¡ªyour little followers are quite numerous. Almost a tenth of mine."


    After delivering this audacious claim, he slipped his sunglasses back on and leaned coolly against the doorframe, striking a pose befitting a cold-blooded assassin.


    I couldn''t hold back anymore¡ªI laughed out loud.


    Everyone turned to look at me, and Zheng Wu lowered his sunglasses slightly, peering at me over the rim.


    "You?" Recognition dawned in his eyes.


    "Yeah, it¡¯s me! Hahaha¡­" I couldn''t stop laughing. The others cast me puzzled glances. Honestly, if I hadn¡¯t witnessed him wailing in the washroom¡ª"It hurts! It hurts so much!"¡ªor overheard him calling Maomao to rally a hundred men for a fight, I might have actually believed he was some kind of legendary fighter.


    "HOUZI, keep your little follower in check," Zheng Wu said, pushing his sunglasses back into place, his expression once again dark and brooding.


    "Zuo Fei, quiet!" HOUZI snapped.


    I was about to retort, but given the number of people present, I decided to let him save face¡ªfor now.


    The dormitory fell silent again as HOUZI resumed, "Everyone here knows why I called this meeting, so I¡¯ll keep it short. The Nine Princes have about forty to fifty members, but every one of us here is a true warrior. If each of us takes on two of them, victory is within our grasp. That¡¯s why I propose we unite and take them down in one decisive strike."


    "Agreed!"


    "I can handle two, no problem!"


    "I¡¯ve had enough of those arrogant punks¡ªacting all high and mighty for nothing!"


    The room buzzed with excitement, the tension finally giving way to a sense of camaraderie.


    "Only forty or fifty?" Zheng Wu suddenly interjected. "I could take them all on myself."


    A hush fell over the room. Zheng Wu stood with his head slightly bowed, his sunglasses only amplifying the air of mystery around him.


    "But," he continued, "I am but a humble cog in the machine. HOUZI, just tell me what to do."


    I had grown accustomed to his grandstanding, but I had to admit¡ªhis confidence was something else.


    HOUZI didn''t dwell on it and got straight to the point. "Alright, here¡¯s the plan. The Nine Princes are structured around their core nine members, each with their own small crew¡ªsome have two or three, others as many as seven or eight. Luckily, they¡¯re scattered across different classes, which works to our advantage. Tomorrow marks the official start of the school term. When the second-period bell rings, we skip class and strike simultaneously, catching them off guard. We need to take them down in one swift move before they have a chance to regroup. Now, listen carefully as I assign each of you a target."


    He began listing names and assignments, speaking rapidly yet with precise clarity, as if he had meticulously planned every detail in advance. There was no trace of his usual playful demeanor¡ªonly a serious, commanding presence. Even Huang Jie, usually the loudest, remained silent.


    "Finally, the toughest one¡ªYang Cheng from Class 9. He¡¯s not just a skilled fighter; he¡¯s got seven or eight guys backing him up."


    "I¡¯ll handle him," Zheng Wu declared immediately.


    Internally, I couldn''t help but admire him. Whether or not he was exaggerating his abilities, his sheer audacity was commendable. Seven or eight guys? I''d be down after fighting just three!


    "Alright," HOUZI agreed without hesitation. "But taking him on alone might be risky. I¡¯ll assign someone to back you up."


    "There¡¯s no risk," Zheng Wu replied coolly. "I can take them."


    Everyone exchanged glances, clearly impressed by his confidence¡ªor perhaps his sheer bravado.


    "At least let me assign you someone to hand you weapons."


    "Hmm¡­ fine," Zheng Wu finally conceded with a nod.


    I nearly burst out laughing again. HOUZI was hilarious¡ªassigning someone just to hand Zheng Wu weapons? Who would willingly take that role? Everyone here had their pride!


    "Zuo Fei, you¡¯ll assist Zheng Wu tomorrow," HOUZI continued.


    "¡­"


    I wanted to stab HOUZI.


    Zheng Wu lowered his sunglasses slightly, glanced at me, and nodded approvingly. "Not bad."


    Not bad, my ass! I was a decent fighter too, and he was making me a mere weapon boy?!


    I was about to protest when Huang Jie pulled me aside and whispered, "Zheng Wu¡¯s got real skill, but he¡¯s arrogant. HOUZI is worried he might get into trouble, so he wants you to keep an eye on him. He trusts you¡ªthat¡¯s why he gave you this task."


    "¡­" I wanted to strangle him.


    "Alright, that¡¯s settled," HOUZI concluded. "Everyone, go prepare. Those paired up should discuss strategies¡ªwhat weapons to bring, and so on¡­"


    I could only grit my teeth and hold my tongue for now.


    "Wait, I have a question," a student suddenly asked. "Why isn¡¯t anyone assigned to take down Big Cat?"


    His words stirred the room into another uproar.


    "Yeah, why aren¡¯t we going after Big Cat?"


    "He¡¯s the real leader of the Nine Princes!"


    "If we don¡¯t deal with him, how can we claim victory?"


    When the commotion subsided, HOUZI spoke each word deliberately.


    "Because Big Cat won¡¯t be here tomorrow."


    "What?!" The room erupted once more.


    Even I was shocked. Since when did Big Cat report his whereabouts to HOUZI?


    I turned to look at Huang Jie, who only shook his head¡ªhe was just as clueless as I was.

 Chapter 20: In Dreams, A Thousand Armies

    HOUZI remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.


    ¡°Say something!¡± someone urged impatiently. ¡°If the Big Cat doesn¡¯t show up, we can¡¯t really say we¡¯ve eliminated the Ninth Prince.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± the others chimed in.


    ¡°Relax. He won¡¯t come tomorrow¡ªbecause he¡¯s mine to deal with.¡± HOUZI spoke with an effortless calm, yet his words carried undeniable authority.


    The crowd exchanged uncertain glances, but the solemn expression on HOUZI¡¯s face left no room for doubt.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s split up and take action,¡± someone announced, standing up. The others followed suit, preparing to leave.


    Just as they were about to step out, someone suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, after this battle, you¡¯re not going to think of yourself as our leader, are you?¡±


    Everyone halted, turning their eyes to HOUZI.


    I, too, watched him closely. Of course, we all hoped that after taking down the Ninth Prince, we could form a new force of our own. Otherwise, how else would HOUZI and Huang Jie¡¯s ambitions be realized? But these men were proud and untamed; they wouldn¡¯t submit to anyone so easily.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± HOUZI smiled. ¡°As they say, ¡®The enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡¯ We¡¯re just temporarily united against a common foe. Once the Ninth Prince falls, we¡¯ll all go our separate ways. That said, if you ever need anything in the future, you can always come to me¡ªI might just be able to help.¡±


    Beautifully said! I was impressed. HOUZI neither claimed leadership nor severed ties completely. By saying, ¡°You can come to me,¡± he was also implying, ¡°I might come to you.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± The others didn¡¯t seem to catch the subtle nuance and finally dispersed.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± HOUZI suddenly called out. ¡°We¡¯re friends now, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the crowd responded, puzzled.


    I immediately realized what HOUZI was about to do and rushed toward him.


    ¡°Then can you lend me¡ª¡±


    I clamped a hand over HOUZI¡¯s mouth just in time, muffling the last two words: ¡°five bucks.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± someone asked, confused.


    ¡°Mmmph mmmph¡­¡± With my hand still over his mouth, HOUZI¡¯s words were unintelligible.


    ¡°He¡¯s saying you guys can lend¡ª¡±


    Before Huang Jie could finish, I used my other hand to silence him, pinning them both onto the bed.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± The others grew even more suspicious.


    ¡°Nothing, nothing! Just messing around. You guys should go back and discuss tomorrow¡¯s plan.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Alright then.¡± The group finally left the dorm.


    Only then did I let them go, scowling. ¡°What the hell was that? Didn¡¯t we already agree at the internet caf¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right! I totally forgot. My bad, it¡¯s a habit.¡± HOUZI smacked his forehead.


    ¡°I had nothing to do with this¡ªit was all HOUZI¡¯s idea,¡± Huang Jie declared, raising his hands in surrender.


    ¡°Are you trying to scare them all away?¡±


    I sighed, then turned around¡ªonly to let out a startled curse.


    Standing at the door, dressed in leather from head to toe, was Zheng Wu. He remained silent, head slightly lowered, exuding an aura of effortless cool.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I asked, shaken.


    ¡°Zheng Wu, do you need something?¡± HOUZI got up as well.


    Zheng Wu removed his sunglasses and said, ¡°Maomao is my brother. And you¡¯re Maomao¡¯s brother. That makes us brothers too.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± HOUZI¡¯s eyes sparkled¡ªI suspected he was about to ask for money again.


    ¡°I¡¯m also HOUZI¡¯s brother, which makes us brothers too!¡± Huang Jie chimed in excitedly, like a wolf eyeing its prey.


    The two of them were practically sharpening their blades, ready to take advantage of the naive Zheng Wu.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re all brothers.¡± Zheng Wu nodded. ¡°Can you lend me five bucks? I haven¡¯t eaten dinner yet.¡±


    HOUZI: ¡°¡­¡±


    Huang Jie: ¡°¡­¡±


    Me: ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡±


    Zheng Wu, oblivious to their stunned silence, mistook their hesitation for reluctance and quickly explained, ¡°I know it¡¯s not great to ask for money right after meeting, but I had no choice. This afternoon, I saw an old lady fall on the street, so I helped her up¡­ and ended up losing the two hundred bucks I had in my pocket.¡±


    HOUZI: ¡°¡­¡±


    Huang Jie: ¡°¡­¡±


    Even I found his story hard to believe. Who would dare help an old lady on the street these days?


    ¡°So, HOUZI, can I borrow it? I¡¯ll pay you back once I get some from Maomao tomorrow.¡±


    I watched HOUZI with amusement, eager to see how he¡¯d handle this.


    ¡°What are you saying? Brothers don¡¯t keep track of petty debts.¡± HOUZI turned to me. ¡°Zuo Fei, give him five bucks.¡±


    Me: ¡°¡­¡±


    Reluctantly, I handed over the money. Zheng Wu took it and sighed in admiration. ¡°Being the boss sure is nice. When you¡¯re out of money, you can just ask your underlings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not his underling!¡±


    But Zheng Wu ignored my protests, tucking the money away and striding out the door.


    Now, only the three of us remained in the dorm. Without wasting time, I asked, ¡°HOUZI, how do you plan to deal with the Big Cat?¡±


    ¡°Go find Zheng Wu and discuss tomorrow¡¯s plan first. Then come back¡ªI¡¯ll tell you then.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I stepped out but suddenly realized something was off. Since when did I follow HOUZI¡¯s orders so obediently? Wasn¡¯t I just proving his claim? But since I was already out, I decided to just go with it. I hurried after Zheng Wu, trailing him back to his dorm.


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s so hot.¡± As soon as he entered, Zheng Wu removed his sunglasses and started taking off his jacket. Then, hearing my footsteps, he quickly put it back on. Seeing that it was me, he coolly asked, ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re hot, just take it off¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What do you want?¡±


    Ignoring his stubborn pride, I got straight to the point. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯re fighting Yang Cheng, right? He¡¯s got seven or eight guys. HOUZI sent me to discuss our strategy.¡±


    ¡°HOUZI really is a meticulous guy. And you, well, you¡¯re a loyal little underling.¡±


    ¡°I am NOT HOUZI¡¯s underling!¡± I snapped.


    ¡°Haha, you say that, but it sounds almost rebellious. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell HOUZI.¡± Zheng Wu even winked at me.


    ¡°¡­¡± I was at my breaking point. Dealing with these people was exhausting.


    ¡°Tomorrow, just stick close to me and hold onto this.¡± Zheng Wu handed me a weighted baton.


    I took the hefty weapon. One hit from this thing and I¡¯d probably be done for.


    ¡°Alright, you can go now. Just remember to meet me tomorrow.¡±


    Taking the baton, I returned to Room 305. As expected, I found HOUZI sprawled on his bed, fast asleep.


    Let him sleep. There''s no rush to ask about Big Cat; tomorrow will suffice. Though HOUZI often seems unserious, he is undeniably reliable when it comes to handling matters. Returning to my dormitory, I placed the strength rod beside my pillow and drifted into sleep.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    In my dreams, thousands of warriors and gallant steeds charged forth.


    The next morning, gripping the strength rod, I made my way to the classroom. The first official day of lessons passed uneventfully. Each class resumed its usual order, and the campus exuded an air of tranquility. Yet, beneath this veneer of peace, a select few were aware of the impending battle.


    After the first lesson, I stood in the corridor. Before long, Liu Yina, Lin Ke''er, and the others gathered around me. At this point, I was practically one of their closest companions, almost becoming the fourteenth ¡®Rose¡¯ in their circle. No wonder Zhou Kun teased me about being surrounded by women.


    Something was amiss today. The usual chatter filled the air, yet one person was missing¡ªWang Yao.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Wang Yao?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Oh? The first name off your lips is Wang Yao? Are you planning to juggle two girls at once? That¡¯s rather heartless of you, disregarding our dear Ke¡¯er like that,¡± Liu Yina teased, her words rapid-fire. I barely uttered a sentence, yet she had already unleashed four or five.


    ¡°Zuo Fei!¡±


    HOUZI approached, beaming with delight. ¡°Oh, Liu Yina is here too? What a coincidence! Fate truly brings us together.¡±


    ¡°I see hundreds of classmates every day. Does that mean I¡¯m fated to be with each of them?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is different,¡± HOUZI scratched his head, his face suddenly flushing red.


    I was momentarily stunned¡ªwas this the same thick-skinned HOUZI I knew? Then I recalled his feelings for Liu Yina and seized the chance. ¡°Oh? And what makes this different? Could it be that it¡¯s different because Liu Yina is here?¡±


    The girls erupted into laughter; clearly, they were all aware of HOUZI¡¯s affections.


    Meanwhile, Lin Ke¡¯er gently tugged at my sleeve and whispered, ¡°Wang Yao said she had something to do today, so she didn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± I nodded, not giving it much thought.


    As class time approached, my nerves began to tighten. Yang Zecheng, Li Baiyu, Zhu Jianlong¡ªeach of them had positioned themselves outside their respective targets'' classrooms, feigning ignorance of one another. Though I had been in fights before, my palms were now slick with cold sweat, and even conversing with Lin Ke¡¯er felt somewhat distracted.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, are you alright?¡± She sensed something was off.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You should head back; class is starting soon.¡±


    Perhaps my tone was too serious. Lin Ke¡¯er gave a slight nod before departing with Zhang Xuan and the others.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two? So secretive,¡± Liu Yina glanced between me and HOUZI.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to take on a raid boss,¡± HOUZI whispered. ¡°Today marks the end of the Ninth Prince.¡±


    So, in the presence of the girl he liked, all secrets and strategies ceased to exist.


    Liu Yina nearly exclaimed aloud.


    ¡°Shhh!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything! When do you make your move?¡± Her eyes sparkled with excitement.


    HOUZI checked the time. ¡°As soon as class starts. That gives us¡­ three minutes.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! Best of luck¡ªI hope you achieve swift victory!¡± She eagerly held out her hand.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± HOUZI, equally thrilled, high-fived her.


    At that moment, for some inexplicable reason, Wang Yao¡¯s face surfaced in my mind. It was truly a pity that she wasn¡¯t here today.


    ¡°HOUZI.¡±


    A voice suddenly called out.


    We turned to see Zheng Wu standing before us, clad in the same outfit from last night¡ªblack leather jacket, black leather pants, and black sunglasses.


    ¡°You¡¯re still wearing that?¡± Even HOUZI couldn¡¯t hold back. Wearing such attire in the sweltering heat was borderline absurd.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Zheng Wu adjusted his jacket. ¡°Does it not look good?¡±


    ¡°¡­It looks fine, but don¡¯t you feel hot?¡±


    ¡°Not really. This is my battle attire. Whenever I fight at Seventh High with Maomao, I wear this¡ªit makes me feel secure.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fair enough.¡± HOUZI was left speechless.


    ¡°Zuo Fei.¡± Zheng Wu lowered his sunglasses slightly, casting his gaze upward. ¡°Where¡¯s my weapon?¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡± I patted the inside of my coat.


    ¡°Good.¡± He pushed his sunglasses back into place. ¡°Stick close to me later.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    One minute remained. Most students had already entered their classrooms, leaving the hallway nearly deserted except for us. Still, we maintained an air of casual conversation, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary.


    ¡°HOUZI!¡±


    Huang Jie approached, grinning.


    ¡°Are we ready?¡±


    ¡°All set. Here¡¯s yours, and here¡¯s mine.¡± He pulled out two pick handles, handing one to HOUZI.


    ¡°Nice.¡± HOUZI gripped the handle, his lips curling into a knowing smile.


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it? I took a quick walk past Class Five¡ªBig Cat really isn¡¯t here today. HOUZI, how did you pull that off?¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a secret.¡± HOUZI smirked mysteriously.


    ¡°Wait, Big Cat¡¯s not here? And Wang Yao¡¯s absent too?¡± Liu Yina remarked.


    My mind buzzed. Two seemingly unrelated statements suddenly aligned.


    I thought back to that day at the internet caf¨¦¡ªwhen I told HOUZI we were going after the Ninth Prince, Wang Yao had offered her help. At the time, HOUZI had fallen silent for a long moment before claiming he had an idea. When I asked what it was, he refused to say.


    Grabbing HOUZI by the arm, I pulled him aside and asked urgently, ¡°Did you have Wang Yao lure Big Cat away?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You figured it out?¡± He chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s right. If we¡¯re taking down the Ninth Prince, there¡¯s no way Big Cat can be around. Without him, the Ninth Prince is a headless snake¡ªtaking him out will be effortless. We wipe out his lackeys first, and then dealing with Big Cat later will be easy. Only Wang Yao could make this happen. If she asked Big Cat to meet her, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d refuse.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ won¡¯t Wang Yao be in danger?¡± My hands trembled slightly.


    ¡°Come on, what danger? Even if you gave Big Cat a hundred times the courage, he wouldn¡¯t dare lay a finger on Wang Yao.¡± HOUZI dismissed the concern with ease.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Just then, the shrill chime of the class bell rang out. As if it were a battle horn signaling the charge, Yang Zecheng, Li Baiyu, and the others simultaneously brandished their weapons and surged into their target classrooms like a tidal wave.


    ¡°HOUZI, move!¡± Huang Jie roared as he dashed toward a classroom.


    ¡°Got it!¡± HOUZI followed closely, heading straight for another formidable adversary within Jiu Taizi¡¯s ranks¡ªone said to be no less difficult to deal with than Yang Cheng, the very one Zheng Wu and I had set our sights on.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, let¡¯s go!¡± Zheng Wu strode toward Yang Cheng¡¯s classroom, his black leather jacket and pants lending him an almost cinematic flair.


    Yet, I remained rooted in place. My mind was consumed with thoughts of Wang Yao. Would Da Mao truly dare not touch her? Though Wang Yao was fierce in her own right, and though her brother had a notorious reputation, what if Da Mao¡¯s depraved courage overcame his restraint¡ªjust as Xing Qiu had drugged Lin Ke¡¯er?


    I dared not entertain the thought any further. Perhaps I didn¡¯t understand Da Mao and Wang Yao as well as HOUZI did; perhaps that was why he was so assured, so nonchalant. But all I knew was that I could not¡ªabsolutely could not¡ªallow Wang Yao to be alone with Da Mao.


    By now, agonized cries and the chaotic clatter of combat filled the school. Screams echoed down the corridors as panicked students fled from their classrooms.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, what the hell are you doing?! Give me the power rod¡ªnow!¡± Zheng Wu shouted from the doorway of Yang Cheng¡¯s classroom.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Jolted from my trance, I hurried over, my mind still in turmoil¡ªso much so that I had forgotten to retrieve the power rod.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Zheng Wu cursed.


    I barely had time to look up before Yang Cheng, alerted by the commotion from other classrooms, burst out the door, swinging a chair straight at Zheng Wu¡¯s head.


    But Zheng Wu was Zheng Wu. He merely staggered for a second before retaliating with a brutal kick to Yang Cheng¡¯s stomach, sending him sprawling back into the classroom, limbs flailing.


    ¡°The rod!¡± Zheng Wu snapped, glancing back at me. I hastily handed it over.


    With a roar, he charged inside. I followed closely. The classroom was already in chaos¡ªseven or eight boys had surrounded Zheng Wu, brandishing whatever makeshift weapons they could find. Yet, wielding his power rod like a tempest, Zheng Wu forced them all back with sheer, unrelenting ferocity.


    I, however, had only one thought in mind¡ªWang Yao. I couldn¡¯t waste time here. Just as I was about to turn and leave, I caught a glimpse of Yang Cheng struggling to his feet, gripping a chair, and preparing to strike Zheng Wu from behind.


    I couldn¡¯t stand idly by. Grabbing a chair of my own, I swung it down hard on his back. He collapsed with a resounding thud.


    Zheng Wu turned, momentarily startled, before smirking. ¡°I saw him coming. I was just about to deal with him myself. Don¡¯t go thinking you saved me.¡±


    ¡°Watch out¡ªfront!¡± I shouted, hurling my chair at another attacker, who was poised to bring a club down on Zheng Wu¡¯s head. The man crumpled instantly.


    Zheng Wu had no words this time. He simply gripped his power rod tighter and charged forward again. In his black leather ensemble, he looked even more imposing¡ªhis aura sharp, his movements decisive. The sight alone sent Yang Cheng¡¯s lackeys stumbling backward in fear. He cut through them effortlessly, felling one after another like a blade through bamboo.


    The girls in the classroom screamed, either cowering in corners or fleeing into the corridor. Desks and chairs lay toppled in every direction. But with Yang Cheng incapacitated and Zheng Wu clearly holding his own, I turned and bolted from the classroom.


    The corridor was a warzone¡ªsome fights had already spilled out into the open, furious shouts ringing from all directions. Those who had bottled up their rage since last night were finally unleashing it in full force.


    Not even the school¡¯s security guards would be able to contain this madness.


    I sprinted to another classroom, where I found HOUZI and Huang Jie locked in combat, striking with precision and overwhelming their opponents with ease. Navigating through the overturned desks, I made my way to HOUZI¡¯s side.


    ¡°HOUZI!¡±


    ¡°Zuo Fei? What are you doing here? How¡¯s Zheng Wu?¡± He spoke while still exchanging blows, barely breaking stride.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine¡ªhe can handle it alone. Where did Wang Yao take Da Mao?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t ask. I told you¡ªthere¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°No! I have to check. Where might they be?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a milk tea shop near the school entrance¡ªmaybe there? I can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    I didn¡¯t waste another second. I turned and ran, dodging the chaos in the hallways and dashing down the stairs. Just as I reached the lower floor, I saw the security team storming in, fully armed.


    Bursting out of the school gates, I immediately dialed Wang Yao¡¯s number. The prolonged ringing on the other end made my anxiety skyrocket. Then, at last, she answered.


    ¡°Wang Yao! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m at the milk tea shop near the school. You guys finished already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± she chuckled. ¡°Are you coming over? Da Mao¡¯s here too.¡±


    Relief washed over me. ¡°Alright, wait there.¡±


    Just as I was about to hang up, a sudden yell erupted from the background.


    ¡°Da Mao, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    My stomach dropped. I pressed the phone closer. ¡°Wang Yao? What¡¯s happening? Talk to me!¡±


    A loud crash sounded¡ªher phone had hit the floor, but the call was still connected.


    ¡°Heh¡­ I was planning to wait a little longer, but since you went and invited someone else¡­¡±


    ¡°Da Mao! Don¡¯t you dare! My brother will kill you!¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ If I can have you for one night, it¡¯d be worth dying for¡­ I¡¯ve waited too long for this. Can you believe it? This is the very drug Xing Qiu used¡ªit¡¯s supposed to be incredibly potent¡­¡±


    The line went dead.


    My ears buzzed.


    It had happened. It had really happened.


    I took off without hesitation, sprinting at full speed. The wind roared past my ears as I tore through the streets.


    At last, the milk tea shop came into view. I kicked open the door and stormed inside. The startled employees looked up, wide-eyed. But the shop was empty¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a single customer in sight.


    Had they already left?


    My hands trembled. One of the staff members cautiously stepped forward. ¡°C-Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Just now¡ªwas there a chubby guy and a beautiful girl here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where did they go?!¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t leave. They¡¯re still here.¡± The employee pointed toward the shop¡¯s private booths.


    A booth?


    They were still here!


    Without a second thought, I charged forward and kicked the door open, bellowing, ¡°Da Mao, you son of a¡ª¡±


    My voice cut off.


    The booth was empty.


    Only two steaming cups of milk tea remained on the table.


    But the window was open.


    I didn¡¯t stop to think¡ªI leaped onto the windowsill and jumped out. The alley beyond was narrow and dimly lit. Not far ahead, a plump figure was fleeing, a girl cradled in his arms.


    ¡°Da Mao! Stop right there!¡± I roared, launching myself forward in pursuit.

 Chapter 21: Buy Me Some Food

    As Da Mao heard my voice, he quickened his pace, but his bulky frame, coupled with the weight of the person in his arms, meant he could never outrun me. As I closed the distance, I spotted a grimy wooden plank discarded on the ground. Without hesitation, I bent down to snatch it up, fully aware that Da Mao was a formidable fighter¡ªotherwise, HOUZI wouldn¡¯t have taken him so seriously.


    By the time I straightened, Da Mao had turned to face me, setting Wang Yao down beside him. Seeing that he was unarmed, a surge of confidence steadied my resolve. Without exchanging a single word, I lunged forward, swinging the plank with all my might. The impact landed squarely on his neck with a dull, resounding thud.


    A flicker of triumph shot through me¡ªonly for it to be instantly extinguished by a sudden, searing chill in my abdomen. A moment later, pain erupted through my core, stealing the strength from my limbs. I glanced downward, my breath hitching at the sight of the blade now embedded in my stomach.


    Da Mao let out a cold chuckle, releasing the knife¡¯s hilt. ¡°You thought you could stop me?¡± he sneered.


    My knees buckled, but not in surrender¡ªmy body simply refused to hold me upright. It was my first time being stabbed, and with no experience to draw from, my instincts took over. My hands clamped down over the wound, futilely trying to stem the steady stream of blood trickling between my fingers. The blade remained lodged in my flesh, unmoving, its cruel presence growing heavier by the second.


    But even through the agony, I knew one thing for certain: men like Da Mao and HOUZI might have the guts to wield a knife, but they weren¡¯t the kind to deal a fatal blow.


    HOUZI had once told me that as long as I didn¡¯t bleed out, even if my intestines were spilling out, I could still be saved.


    So despite the pain, I wasn¡¯t afraid. My fear wasn¡¯t for myself¡ªit was for Wang Yao.


    As Da Mao turned to leave, I reached out and clutched his leg with every ounce of strength I had left.


    He glanced down at me before driving his foot into the side of my head. My vision swam, stars bursting across my sight, but I refused to let go.


    Wang Yao¡¯s terrified screams rang out just a few feet away. ¡°Zuo Fei! Zuo Fei! Da Mao, if you dare lay another finger on him, I¡¯ll have my brother hunt you down and kill you!¡±


    But Da Mao paid her no heed. He was beyond reason now, having cast aside all restraint. If he had the audacity to drug her, then there was truly nothing he wouldn¡¯t do. The phrase ¡°blinded by lust¡± wasn¡¯t just a poetic turn of phrase¡ªit was a grim reality.


    His kicks kept coming, each one more vicious than the last, as though he wouldn¡¯t stop until I finally released my grip.


    Wang Yao¡¯s cries grew more desperate. Like Lin Ke¡¯er before her, she had lost control of her limbs but could still speak.


    I had no idea how many times I¡¯d been struck. My consciousness wavered, her voice growing fainter, as though it came from the other end of a vast, endless void. I knew I was on the verge of passing out, yet I clung to Da Mao¡¯s leg with sheer force of will.


    A bitter thought filled my mind¡ªwho would come to save us now?


    HOUZI and the others were still at school, undoubtedly detained by the security team.


    HOUZI, you miscalculated this time. Da Mao is capable of anything!


    Then, out of nowhere¡ªBANG!


    A deep, heavy impact rang through the alley. The sound seemed distant, muffled, as if reaching me through layers of fog.


    I struggled to lift my head.


    Another figure had entered the fray, engaged in a brutal fight with Da Mao.


    Tall and lean, with long bangs that nearly concealed his eyes¡ªexcept his eyes weren¡¯t hidden at all. They burned with a savage intensity.


    A baseball bat glinted in his grip, descending on Da Mao¡¯s skull with relentless force.


    Da Mao attempted to fight back at first, but it wasn¡¯t long before he crumpled, his body going limp.


    Yet his attacker did not relent. He continued striking, as if intent on beating him to death.


    Only after a long moment did he finally straighten and turn toward me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Zuo Fei,¡± I croaked.


    ¡°What¡¯s your connection to HOUZI?¡±


    ¡°Brothers,¡± I forced out, my voice fractured into two labored syllables.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mao Mao,¡± he replied. ¡°HOUZI told me to keep an eye on Wang Yao.¡±


    I gave a weak nod. ¡°Mao Mao from No. 7 High¡ªI know you.¡±


    Then, at last, darkness claimed me.


    My final thought before unconsciousness was:


    So HOUZI had planned for this all along. Would it have killed him to let me in on it earlier? Would it have killed him?!


    But despite the frustration, a profound sense of relief settled over me.


    Wang Yao was safe.


    When I next awoke, I was being lifted onto a stretcher by medical personnel clad in crisp white coats.


    Around me, a crowd had gathered¡ªHOUZI, Huang Jie, Zheng Wu, Mao Mao, Lin Ke¡¯er, Liu Yina, Zhang Xuan¡­ They were all there.


    ¡°Zuo Fei!¡±


    HOUZI was the first to notice my open eyes.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Wang Yao?¡±


    That was the only question that mattered.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Some friends are watching over her,¡± he assured me.


    I gave a small nod. Then, without warning, a metallic tang filled my throat, and a mouthful of blood spilled past my lips.


    I barely had time to register my own shock¡ªhow did a stab wound to the stomach make me cough up blood?!¡ªbefore another wave of agony crashed over me, threatening to drag me under once more.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, you¡¯d better hold on, damn it!¡±


    Through the haze of pain, I saw HOUZI¡¯s eyes glisten, moisture pooling at their edges.


    The stretcher moved swiftly, but I refused to release my grip on his hand.


    ¡°¡­Buy me some food¡­¡± I rasped, before slipping back into oblivion.


    Damn, vengeance felt good.


    I drifted in and out of consciousness, catching fleeting glimpses of masked surgeons hard at work beneath the harsh glare of the operating room¡¯s overhead lights.


    Then, blackness again.


    By the time I woke properly, I was lying in a hospital bed. A clear blue sky stretched beyond the window, and a crisp white blanket covered me. An IV was inserted into the back of my hand, its slow drip feeding sustenance into my veins.


    Beside me, a girl busied herself at the bedside table, arranging items with meticulous care.


    Lin Ke¡¯er.


    I let out a faint groan.


    She turned immediately, her face lighting up with relief. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±


    I gave a slight nod, my throat unbearably dry.


    ¡°Here, have some water.¡± She adjusted the bed so I could sit up, bringing a cup to my lips. The liquid carried a faintly salty taste.


    ¡°The doctor said you should drink light saline water for now.¡±


    I nodded again, swallowing carefully.


    ¡°What about Wang Yao?¡± I asked, my voice still hoarse. ¡°She¡¯s alright, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    The moment the words left my lips, regret crept in. Of course, Wang Yao was fine¡ªso many people were watching over her. But my reaction had been a little too concerned, and I couldn''t help but wonder if Lin Ke''er would pick up on it.


    "Wang Yao is alright. She even came to see you last night, but you were still unconscious. She left a thousand yuan and then left," Lin Ke''er answered calmly, showing no sign of suspicion.


    I exhaled in relief and asked, "What about the others? Is Houzi okay?"


    "They¡¯ve all gone back to class. I took time off to stay with you. As for Houzi and the others, they¡¯re fine. The Ninth Prince is completely finished, and Da Mao is still in the hospital. But Wang Yao¡¯s brother has made it clear that he intends to destroy Da Mao completely. I doubt Da Mao will even dare to return to school. The rest of them are even less capable¡ªsome haven¡¯t shown up for class, while others have already surrendered to Houzi. The Ninth Prince is nothing more than a relic of the past now."


    "And the school? They didn¡¯t say anything?"


    "Of course they did. Yesterday, all of them were taken to the security office. Apparently, the school authorities were furious and threatened severe punishment. But then Houzi said just one sentence, and the school let them off."


    I was intrigued. "What did he say?"


    "Houzi asked, ''When the Ninth Prince was extorting protection money, where were you? Did you turn a blind eye because you were getting a cut? Should I give the education bureau a call and ask them to look into it?''"


    "The school officials backed down instantly. I¡¯m not sure what kind of deal they made, but in the end, the school covered the students'' medical expenses and swept the entire incident under the rug. All Houzi and the others got was a minor disciplinary warning."


    I couldn''t help but laugh. That was Houzi for you¡ªalways goofing around, but when it mattered, he never faltered.


    With a sigh, I lay back on the bed, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. Life was good. "Houzi really had it all planned out¡ªgetting Wang Yao to lure Da Mao out and posting Mao Mao from Seventh High nearby. If I¡¯d known all this earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have charged in like an idiot."


    As soon as I said that, my heart pounded uneasily. It almost sounded like I was trying too hard to explain myself, as if I feared Lin Ke''er might misunderstand. Sure enough, she just stared at me, eyes fixed as if trying to read my soul.


    "What?" I forced a laugh, though it came out stiff.


    "Zuo Fei, tell me the truth. Do you like Wang Yao?"


    "Of course not!" I blurted out, a little too loud. "She¡¯s helped me so many times before. I just felt like I owed her one, so when I heard she was in danger, I ran over. Don''t get the wrong idea, okay?"


    Even as I said it, I felt a flicker of guilt. The truth was, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how I felt about Wang Yao. I despised men who couldn''t be faithful, and I refused to be the kind of person who wanted both the meal in front of him and the one on another¡¯s plate. So I convinced myself that whatever emotions I had toward Wang Yao were purely gratitude¡ªnothing more. Even if there was the faintest trace of affection, I would smother it before it could take root. Lin Ke''er was the only one I wanted to be devoted to.


    After all, wasn¡¯t self-control what separated humans from beasts?


    Lin Ke''er said nothing, her gaze unwavering as if trying to pierce through my lies.


    "It¡¯s true," I insisted, forcing a grin. "I was actually planning to confess to you after we took down the Ninth Prince. You better be ready¡ªdon¡¯t make me embarrass myself when the time comes."


    Lin Ke''er lowered her head, lost in thought, still silent.


    I knew she was overthinking it. Just as I was about to say something to reassure her, the door to the hospital room swung open.


    Both Lin Ke''er and I looked up. A man walked in, carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers.


    "Zuo Fei, how are you feeling?" he asked with a warm smile, placing the bouquet on my bedside table.


    The moment I saw his face, fury ignited within me. It was Yi Zhen.


    A weasel paying respects to a hen¡ªhe couldn¡¯t possibly have good intentions.


    "Lin Ke''er, you''re here too," Yi Zhen continued, his smile unwavering.


    "Mm," Lin Ke''er replied curtly, clearly uninterested in talking to him.


    "I''m just here to visit Zuo Fei. We¡¯re good friends, after all. I didn¡¯t expect to run into you," Yi Zhen said, his eyes lingering on Lin Ke''er.


    "Mm. You two chat, I¡¯ll step out for a bit." Lin Ke''er stood up to leave.


    "Hey, don¡¯t go," Yi Zhen reached out and grabbed her arm.


    That was the last straw.


    "Let. Her. Go," I growled.

 Chapter 22: Keeping What Belongs to Oneself

    Yi Zhen froze in place, and Lin Ke''er took the opportunity to wrench free from his grasp, striding out of the room without a backward glance.


    I glared at Yi Zhen with barely restrained fury. He, however, merely chuckled. "Why so angry? I just wanted the three of us to have a little chat."


    "Cut the act. If you¡¯ve got something to say, say it. I have no interest in making conversation with you."


    Houzi had advised me not to confront this man head-on, but watching the way his lustful gaze lingered on Lin Ke''er made my blood boil. What kind of man could remain calm in a situation like this?


    At last, Yi Zhen''s smirk faded, and a cold shadow crossed his face¡ªhe could no longer keep up the charade.


    "Fine, I''ll get straight to the point," he said icily. "I intend to pursue Lin Ke''er. Do you have any objections?"


    I let out a dry laugh. "Go ahead, chase after her if you can. If she chooses you, then that¡¯s your win. But let me warn you¡ªif you resort to underhanded tactics, my fists won¡¯t show you any mercy."


    "The biggest obstacle in my way right now is you."


    "And what exactly do you plan to do about it?"


    "Call it clich¨¦ if you like, but I¡¯ll ask anyway¡ªhow much will it take for you to back off? Name your price, and I¡¯ll do my best to meet it." He flashed a self-assured smile, the kind only a man accustomed to wielding power and wealth could muster.


    I couldn''t help but laugh outright. "You seriously think money can solve everything?"


    "In reality, money does solve everything," he countered, his tone unwavering.


    "Then you''re mistaken. You can¡¯t buy me off¡ªnot even if you offered ten million." Truth be told, my family wasn¡¯t extraordinarily wealthy, but I had never lacked for anything growing up. Money had never been my weakness.


    Yi Zhen smirked again. "Impressive. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such integrity. But have you ever considered that not everyone shares your indifference to wealth? You think taking down the Ninth Prince means you''ll have smooth sailing at Dongcheng First High? I can easily bring in more senior thugs from the second and even third years to make your life unbearable¡ªuntil you have no choice but to drop out."


    "Do as you please." I knew he wasn¡¯t bluffing, and to say I wasn¡¯t afraid would be a lie. But if he thought that alone would make me surrender, he was sorely mistaken.


    "And your friend, Houzi¡ªhe¡¯s the leader of your little group now, isn¡¯t he?" Yi Zhen continued. "From what I hear, he''s so poor he can barely afford a meal. What do you think will happen if I offer him money?"


    My mind went blank for a moment. Money might not have been my weakness, but for Houzi, it was undeniably a vulnerable spot.


    Would Houzi betray me for money? I had no answer. He¡¯d borrowed five yuan before without hesitation¡ªif someone suddenly dangled a thousand, two thousand, or even ten thousand in front of him, would he turn against me?


    "Now you understand, don''t you? Fear is settling in, isn''t it? Walk away from Lin Ke''er now, or you¡¯ll be completely destroyed."


    "Get out!" I roared, snatching up the bouquet on my bedside table and hurling it straight at Yi Zhen.


    Of course, flowers wouldn¡¯t hurt him, but they struck at his pride. A man like him had probably never been humiliated like this before.


    In that moment, I regretted not grabbing the thermos instead¡ªhad I done so, his head might have been split open by now.


    Yi Zhen¡¯s expression grew even darker. He wasn¡¯t the type to resort to violence, but anyone else in his position would¡¯ve already thrown a punch.


    Slowly, he stood up, his voice eerily calm. "Zuo Fei, let me tell you something¡ªyou¡¯re finished. Even without Lin Ke''er in the picture, I will make sure you are completely ruined."


    "Yi Zhen, please leave."


    Lin Ke''er had returned. She must have been listening at the door the entire time.


    Yi Zhen said nothing more. He walked toward the exit, but just as he passed Lin Ke''er, he muttered under his breath, "You will be mine, sooner or later."


    "Keep dreaming," she replied icily.


    Yi Zhen pushed the door open and left. Lin Ke''er, her face clouded with anger, walked toward me.


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    "Ignore him," I reassured her. "He¡¯s just a delusional idiot. Watch how I deal with him later."


    Lin Ke''er lowered her head. "It feels like... I¡¯m always bringing you trouble."


    "What nonsense. If I have a beautiful girlfriend, it¡¯s only natural that I should be prepared for a few headaches."


    I chuckled and reached out to gently touch her face, but she subtly pulled away.


    "Oh, right¡ªI forgot. You¡¯re not officially my girlfriend yet," I said, withdrawing my hand with an exaggerated grin. "Just wait till I recover. Once I confess, we can finally be together without any more sneaking around."


    "You talk too much," she murmured, her cheeks tinged pink. To hide her embarrassment, she busied herself with tidying up the room¡ªstarting with tossing Yi Zhen¡¯s bouquet straight into the trash.


    Watching her, I felt nothing but warmth in my heart.


    By noon, more visitors had arrived¡ªHouzi, Huang Jie, Zheng Wu, Liu Yina, and Wang Yao. To avoid any misunderstandings, I simply greeted Wang Yao with a casual nod, though just seeing her still made my heart race uncontrollably.


    But no matter what, I would restrain myself. After all, it was humanity¡¯s ability to exercise restraint that made us superior.


    With so many people around, the mood lightened. Houzi and Huang Jie, the two class clowns, had everyone in stitches, and with Liu Yina joining in, the room was filled with laughter.


    After a while, Huang Jie and Houzi stepped out for a smoke, and Liu Yina accompanied Lin Ke''er to fetch water. That left only me and Wang Yao in the room.


    The atmosphere grew awkward. I had no idea what to say, and an uncomfortable silence settled between us.


    Then, out of nowhere, Wang Yao leaned in and asked, "Tell me¡ªhave you fallen for me?"


    My mind went blank. I had never expected her to ask such a question. My tongue twisted in nervousness. "N-no!"


    "No?" She arched an eyebrow. "Then why did you risk your life to save me?"


    "You¡ªyou¡¯ve helped me so many times before. I¡ªI just wanted to return the favor. If I had known Houzi had already made arrangements, I wouldn¡¯t have gone."


    "Really?" Her gaze was piercing, making me uneasy. Compared to Lin Ke''er, being around Wang Yao was far more nerve-wracking.


    "Really."


    She sighed in relief. "Good. From now on, stay out of my business. I don¡¯t need people gossiping. And one more thing¡ªtreat Lin Ke''er well. If you ever have any improper thoughts, I¡¯ll castrate you." She made a slicing motion toward my lower half.


    I shuddered, remembering how she had dealt with Xing Qiu last time. She wasn¡¯t the type to make empty threats. I quickly nodded like a pecking chick. "I wouldn¡¯t dare! I already told Lin Ke''er¡ªwe¡¯ll officially be together once I recover."


    "Good. Remember¡ªdon''t you dare bully my Ke''er."


    At last, Wang Yao smiled.


    Still protecting her best friend¡­


    Looking at her, so fierce yet so kind-hearted, I felt a deep sense of guilt for ever wavering.


    Fortunately, I had enough self-control to keep my emotions in check.


    Upon realizing that I harbored no ulterior motives, Wang Yao hummed a cheerful tune, yet a faint trace of melancholy still lingered in my heart.


    After a while, Houzi and the others returned. Seizing a moment when the room quieted down, I recounted the incident with Yi Zhen. Of course, I deliberately withheld the part about him attempting to bribe Houzi.


    ¡°Oh wow, Yi Zhen wants to pay some senior students to deal with you? Maybe I should have a word with him¡ªhe might as well just hand me the money, and I''ll give you a beating myself! Hahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Keep the wealth within the family,¡± Huang Jie chimed in with a grin.


    I knew they were joking and played along with a laugh, but deep down, an inexplicable unease settled in. If only Houzi had said something like, ¡®If he dares touch you, I¡¯ll make sure he regrets it,¡¯ I would have felt much more reassured. But that was never Houzi¡¯s way¡ªhe wasn¡¯t one to make such declarations. Instead, he kept his thoughts veiled, leaving others to guess at his true intentions.


    ¡°How can you even joke about this? How could you turn against your own brother for money?¡± The ever-straightforward Zheng Wu, taking their banter seriously, turned to me and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zuo Fei. If that guy dares make a move, I¡¯ll be the first to take him down.¡±


    I looked at Zheng Wu, and for the first time, a deep sense of gratitude filled my heart. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need for that. We¡¯re brothers, aren¡¯t we?¡± Zheng Wu beamed, his face radiating warmth.


    ¡°Ah, I suddenly feel so ashamed! Compared to Zheng Wu, I must be utterly shameless.¡± Houzi dramatically covered his face, and the room erupted in laughter once more. Everyone knew he was joking, yet my smile never quite reached my heart.


    The thought of Yi Zhen¡¯s smug, confident expression cast a shadow over my mood.


    ¡°If you know you¡¯re shameless, then fix it!¡± Zheng Wu declared loudly. Today, he was dressed in normal clothes¡ªperhaps because there were no fights to be had, he had left behind his usual bizarre ¡®battle robes.¡¯


    ¡°Zuo Fei, here¡¯s your five yuan.¡± Zheng Wu handed me the money. ¡°I borrowed a little from Mao Mao. He said you¡¯re an interesting guy and hopes to be friends with you someday.¡±


    I nodded, trying to recall Mao Mao¡¯s face, but the memory was faint. The only thing that stood out was the pair of fierce eyes, so intense that even his long bangs couldn¡¯t fully conceal them.


    After a lively afternoon, they all returned to class, leaving Lin Ke¡¯er to stay with me for my IV drip. Unlike Houzi, who had the resilience to sneak off to an internet caf¨¦ the same day as his surgery, I obediently followed the doctor¡¯s orders and remained hospitalized for observation. The doctor had advised at least seven days of rest. Since Lin Ke¡¯er couldn¡¯t take care of everything alone¡ªespecially at night¡ªeveryone took turns looking after me. During the day, it was Lin Ke¡¯er, Liu Yina, and Zhang Xuan, while at night, Houzi, Huang Jie, and Zheng Wu took over.


    Through this ordeal, Zhang Xuan and I reconciled, and our friendship gradually warmed. Wang Yao had been right¡ªthough Zhang Xuan could be a bit airheaded at times, she was genuinely kind at heart. Especially after parting ways with Xing Qiu, she seemed to have regained her clarity. In her own words, it was as if she had been blinded by lard before.


    The days passed pleasantly¡ªafter all, with beautiful company during the day, there was never a dull moment. Nights, however, were another story. Though Houzi and Huang Jie were supposed to take care of me, they would often disappear to the internet caf¨¦ halfway through the night. Zheng Wu, on the other hand, was diligent¡ªbut his thunderous snoring was an ordeal in itself. His presence disrupted my sleep so much that I almost preferred him not being there at all!


    And just like that, seven days flew by. At last, I was discharged. Though I wasn¡¯t fully recovered, the doctor assured me I could recuperate at home. And with that, I figured the time had finally come to confess to Lin Ke¡¯er. The timing, the setting, and the people¡ªeverything was in my favor, wasn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 23: What Do You Want Me to Use?

    Upon returning to school, I resumed classes after a seven-day absence. My homeroom teacher called me in for a talk. He acknowledged that the Ninth Prince had persistently troubled me in the past, but now that the threat was gone, he hoped I could focus on my studies. I was well-versed in handling such conversations, so I immediately assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I will dedicate myself to my studies.¡±


    With the teacher appeased, it was time to focus on my real priority¡ªhow to confess to Lin Ke¡¯er. I hadn¡¯t yet decided on the approach; love letters, roses, and candlelit gestures all felt too clich¨¦, leaving me unable to settle on a plan. I consulted Houzi, asking if he had any bright ideas.


    ¡°Forget all that nonsense,¡± Houzi scoffed. ¡°You think it¡¯s romantic? I think it¡¯s downright stupid. Just call her out, confess directly, and see what happens. If it works, great. If not, move on.¡±


    I shot back, ¡°You talk big¡ªwhy don¡¯t you confess to Liu Yina then?¡±


    Houzi, never one to back down, grinned and said, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do it together. Snagging Liu Yina? That¡¯s a piece of cake.¡±


    I was already convinced that Lin Ke¡¯er and I were practically a done deal¡ªthis confession was just a formality. But I wanted to make it a bit more entertaining, and with Houzi joining in, my excitement grew.


    What I didn¡¯t anticipate was that before the time and place were even set, that idiot Houzi had already turned it into the hottest gossip in school.


    Huang Jie was the first to approach me, asking if I was really planning a confession. He even threatened, ¡°Lend me five yuan, or I¡¯ll spill the secret to Lin Ke¡¯er and ruin the surprise.¡± Resigned, I handed over the money, and he scampered off to the internet caf¨¦, delighted.


    Next came Zheng Wu, who, in all seriousness, told me, ¡°A confession is a big deal. You need to dress the part. I can lend you my battle robe.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll just wear my own clothes,¡± I replied hastily.


    Zheng Wu gave me a look that screamed, You have no taste, and I barely escaped using the excuse that I needed to use the restroom.


    Then Liu Yina found me, her face glowing with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re confessing, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I admitted. ¡°But besides me, have you heard of anyone else confessing?¡±


    She looked puzzled. ¡°No, why?¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Houzi is confessing to you. You¡¯d better be ready.¡±


    Later, Wang Yao came running to me, even more thrilled than Liu Yina. ¡°This is amazing! I¡¯ve been waiting for this day! You must treat my Ke¡¯er well.¡±


    Looking at her, a pang of melancholy hit me, but I swallowed it down.


    By the time even Ma Jie, the dorm¡¯s unofficial housewife, caught wind of it and started washing my clothes so I could look sharp for the confession, I wanted to strangle Houzi.


    What I never saw coming, though, was Yi Zhen showing up.


    That night, as I soaked my feet and chatted idly with Ma Jie, the door to the dorm swung open.


    Yi Zhen walked in.


    The mere sight of him soured my mood instantly. Without preamble, I asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Frankly, if Houzi hadn¡¯t repeatedly warned me not to provoke Yi Zhen, I¡¯d have already beaten him to a pulp every time we crossed paths.


    Yi Zhen dropped all pretenses. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of a smile on his face. ¡°I hear you¡¯re confessing to Lin Ke¡¯er. When?¡±


    I had the urge to spit in his face. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°When?¡± His expression darkened further.


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I answered on impulse. I hadn¡¯t actually decided, but since Yi Zhen was asking, why not just throw out a date?


    His face went deathly pale. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one last time. Will you give up on Lin Ke¡¯er?¡±


    So, he knew. He knew that if I confessed, Lin Ke¡¯er would be mine without question.


    I sneered. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, the dorm door burst open again.


    ¡°Zuo Fei, lend me five yuan! I need to book an overnight session at the internet caf¨¦!¡± Houzi barged in, completely oblivious to the tension.


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    ¡°Me too, me too!¡± Huang Jie dashed in right behind him, as if afraid of missing out.


    I was in no mood for their antics. With a cold expression, I snapped, ¡°I don¡¯t have any!¡±


    ¡°Oh hey, Yi Zhen! Long time no see!¡± Houzi¡¯s eyes lit up as he lunged forward, grabbing Yi Zhen¡¯s hand in an exaggerated handshake. ¡°My dear friend! How have you been? It¡¯s been ages! I¡¯ve missed you so much¡ªare you well?¡±


    Not to be outdone, Huang Jie seized Yi Zhen¡¯s other hand. ¡°Ah, Yi Zhen! It¡¯s been too long! How have you been? Is your esteemed mother well? Your father? How¡¯s the family business?¡±


    On any other day, I would¡¯ve burst out laughing at their ridiculous display. But not tonight. Instead, I kept my head down and continued washing my feet in silence.


    Yi Zhen, however, chuckled slightly. ¡°Houzi, Huang Jie¡ªyou two wanted to borrow money, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! We need cash for an overnight session!¡±


    Yi Zhen pulled out a crisp hundred-yuan bill. ¡°Take it. Buy some food and drinks, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, my dear patron saint!¡± Houzi gleefully pocketed the bill, practically clinging to Yi Zhen.


    ¡°Yi Zhen, you¡¯re truly a noble soul, treating money like dirt. A true gentleman,¡± Huang Jie fawned.


    Yi Zhen remained composed. ¡°I actually came to speak with Zuo Fei.¡±


    ¡°What about?¡± Houzi finally backed away.


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s confessing to Lin Ke¡¯er. I came to ask if he would reconsider.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s a bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡± Houzi hesitated, rubbing his hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to pay,¡± Yi Zhen continued smoothly. ¡°Whatever price he names, I¡¯ll meet it.¡±


    Houzi shot me a glance. I quickly looked away, terrified that he might actually try to persuade me to back down.


    ¡°Well,¡± Houzi finally said, his voice filled with feigned difficulty, ¡°if it were me, I¡¯d definitely step aside¡ªfor the sake of our friendship, of course! But Zuo Fei¡­ he and Lin Ke¡¯er go way back. Childhood sweethearts, you know? Breaking them up wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± (Damn, he really knows how to embellish things¡­)


    ¡°Exactly, exactly,¡± Huang Jie chimed in.


    A slight relief settled in me¡ªHouzi, at least, had finally said something decent.


    ¡°I see,¡± Yi Zhen sighed. ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing more to be done. I won¡¯t make things difficult for Zuo Fei.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Houzi beamed. ¡°No need for conflict¡ªtake a step back, and the sea is wide and the sky limitless!¡±


    Then, Yi Zhen suddenly turned to Houzi. ¡°Houzi, with the Ninth Prince gone, you¡¯re now the most influential figure in the first year. Could I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°What kind of favor?¡± Houzi asked warily.


    Yi Zhen¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°I need you to help me beat someone up.¡±


    "Who? Just say the name! I won¡¯t make any promises for the seniors, but among the freshmen, my word is law!" HOUZI declared, thumping his chest.


    Yet, a sense of unease crept over me.


    "This might be a difficult request, but I¡¯m willing to pay handsomely. How about five hundred yuan?"


    HOUZI¡¯s eyes widened, and beside him, Huang Jie swallowed hard. Five hundred yuan was no small sum for a student.


    "Who do you want me to deal with?" Strangely, instead of excitement, HOUZI seemed to have calmed down¡ªperhaps this was the composure of someone truly cut out for the game.


    I stared directly at Yi Zhen, already guessing who he was about to name.


    "Him." Yi Zhen lifted a finger and pointed at me.


    Just as I expected.


    "Zuo Fei?" HOUZI frowned.


    A brief silence fell over the dormitory, making the air feel even heavier. My heart pounded in my chest.


    All eyes turned to HOUZI, including mine. I feared he might say, Zuo Fei, let me rough you up a little, and we¡¯ll split the five hundred. Or worse, Zuo Fei, I really don¡¯t want to do this, but you understand, right?


    HOUZI remained silent. I shut my eyes.


    "Not enough? I can go up to a thousand."


    "What do you want me to use to hit him?" HOUZI asked suddenly.


    My heart plummeted.


    I opened my eyes. If HOUZI was really going to do it, I would watch him do it with my own eyes.


    The room remained eerily still. Yi Zhen glanced around, seemingly searching for a suitable weapon.


    "That beer bottle over there should do."


    In the corner of the room sat an empty beer bottle, one I had just finished earlier that day.


    HOUZI walked over, gripped it tightly, then strode back.


    Huang Jie said nothing.


    Cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I locked eyes with HOUZI.


    "Smash his head open, and the money is yours," Yi Zhen said, his voice devoid of warmth, laced with arrogance.


    HOUZI looked at me¡ªand then, unexpectedly, he grinned.


    I smiled back.


    HOUZI lifted the bottle high and brought it down with a resounding crash.


    Right on Yi Zhen¡¯s head.


    The pampered young master didn¡¯t even have time to react before collapsing onto the floor without so much as a twitch.


    At that moment, I seized the basin of foot-washing water at my feet and dumped the entire thing over Yi Zhen¡¯s head.


    Then, together with HOUZI, I rained down kicks upon him, sending him rolling across the floor like a discarded ragdoll.


    By the time we stopped, Yi Zhen lay curled up like a shrimp, his soaked hair dripping with a grotesque mixture of blood and foot water. Gone was the air of nobility¡ªhe now resembled nothing more than a pitiful wretch.


    "A mere thousand yuan for my brother¡¯s head?" HOUZI sneered.


    I squared my shoulders, proud to have a friend like him.


    "At least throw in an extra five yuan," HOUZI added nonchalantly.


    I: "¡­"


    Yi Zhen remained motionless, sprawled on the floor like a beaten dog.


    Huang Jie, who had yet to lay a hand on him, lowered his head and, in the most exaggeratedly shameless voice, began to sing, ¡°Oh, the vast horizon is my love, beneath the rolling green hills, the flowers are in bloom¡­¡±


    Yi Zhen slowly picked himself up, chuckling coldly as he wiped the blood and foot water from his face with his sleeve.


    "You can always run crying to your daddy," HOUZI suggested, his tone dripping with mockery. "Tell him someone at school bullied you. If your old man steps in, we¡¯re done for."


    "You think you lot are even worthy of my father¡¯s attention?" Yi Zhen sneered.


    "Or, you could go to Ding Sheng and Liang Qi," HOUZI continued, unbothered. "Slip them some cash, and they¡¯d be more than happy to take care of it for you."


    Yi Zhen said nothing more. He turned and stormed out, slamming the dormitory door behind him.


    "Heh, made a hundred bucks," HOUZI said, fishing out the bill Yi Zhen had given him earlier. He examined it under the light, then dramatically brought it to his lips and kissed it.


    "This is for both of us!" Huang Jie lunged forward, trying to snatch it.


    "Get lost! I was the one who fought Yi Zhen¡ªwhat did you do?" HOUZI retorted with conviction.


    Huang Jie: "¡­"


    I turned to him. "Who are Ding Sheng and Liang Qi?"

 Chapter 24: The Grand Confession

    Huang Jie scoffed, "You call that helping Yi Zhen in a fight? You nearly beat him to death! If I were you, I¡¯d be too ashamed to take the money!"


    HOUZI spat disdainfully. "At least I threw a punch. What did you do? Just sing a few lines? Phoenix Legend gets paid hundreds of thousands for a performance, and yet, after singing your heart out, how much have you earned?"


    I asked, "Who are Ding Sheng and Liang Qi?"


    "My singing was background music for you guys! A fight like that needs a rousing soundtrack!"


    "¡®The Hottest Ethnic Trend¡¯ is a rousing song? I nearly broke into a dance! My reputation was almost ruined in your hands, do you even realize that?"


    "Who the hell are Ding Sheng and Liang Qi?!" I was losing patience.


    "They''re seniors in second year, leaders of a rather powerful group," Ma Jie, our timid dorm mate, murmured hesitantly. He cast a glance at me before shrinking back under his blanket.


    "HOUZI, why did you push Yi Zhen towards the second-years?" I grabbed HOUZI¡¯s collar, making sure he wouldn''t dodge the question again.


    "Zuo Fei, let me ask you: If you were trapped between a wolf in front and a tiger behind, and you had no choice but to fight one, which would you choose?"


    "The wolf, of course. At least I¡¯d have a fighting chance. There¡¯s no surviving a fight with a tiger!"


    "Exactly," HOUZI said with a smirk. "I''d rather Yi Zhen go after Ding Sheng and Liang Qi from the second-years¡ªwe might still stand a chance¡ªthan have him bring down the wrath of those third-year mad dogs on us!"


    "Before he gets to them, can¡¯t we go and find Ding Sheng first?" I suggested cautiously. With our standing among the first-years, getting an audience with the second-years'' leaders shouldn''t be too difficult, right?


    "You think we can offer them more than Yi Zhen¡¯s money?"


    "Not everyone is swayed by money!"


    "Oh? And who exactly? Name one person, and I''ll bow down to them!"


    "You, for example. Didn¡¯t you refuse to take Yi Zhen¡¯s money to hit me?"


    "That¡¯s because he offered too little. If he had thrown in another five bucks, I¡¯d have cracked your skull open on the spot."


    "Tch..." I rolled my eyes, knowing he was joking.


    "Alright, let''s go pull an all-nighter!" With that, HOUZI and Huang Jie vanished like a gust of wind.


    A puddle of water remained on the floor. Just as I grabbed a mop, Ma Jie jumped up eagerly. "I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it!"


    ¡­


    The next morning, just as early self-study ended, someone called out to me from the classroom door.


    "Zuo Fei! Zuo Fei!"


    I looked up to see Wang Yao and immediately scampered outside.


    "I heard you guys dealt with Yi Zhen last night?" she asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "That¡¯s right," I replied with pride. "That idiot actually wanted me to give up on Lin Ke¡¯er!"


    "Hah! Well done! That bastard thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he¡¯s got money. Keep putting him in his place! If things ever get out of hand, you¡¯ve got me to back you up!" She patted my shoulder smugly.


    The more I looked at Wang Yao, the more I liked her. But I forced myself to suppress the feeling. "Heh, we can handle it ourselves."


    "By the way, when are you finally confessing to Lin Ke¡¯er? We¡¯ve been waiting forever, you know! Keeping this a secret from her has been exhausting!"


    "Tonight!" I paused for effect. "After night classes!"


    "Awesome! If it works out, you owe me a drink!"


    I noticed she said "me" instead of "us," and for a fleeting moment, something stirred in my chest. "No problem!"


    "Heh, I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news then!"


    As I watched Wang Yao walk away, my gaze lingered longer than it should have. But fate had already made its choice¡ªours was a path that would never cross in that way.


    At noon, I went to the internet caf¨¦ to find HOUZI and told him about my plan to confess that night. He grinned and wished me luck.


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    "Aren¡¯t you confessing too? Didn¡¯t we agree? I confess to Lin Ke¡¯er, you confess to Liu Yina!"


    HOUZI hesitated. "I don¡¯t think Liu Yina and I are at that stage yet¡­"


    "Tch, coward. You¡¯re a disgrace to Shanxi, you know that?"


    "What did you just say?!" HOUZI sprang up. "Who dares say Shanxi men are cowards?!"


    "Then prove me wrong¡ªconfess with me!"


    "Fine! Who''s afraid of who?!"


    And just like that, I dragged HOUZI out of the caf¨¦. Huang Jie trailed behind, sighing melodramatically, "What is love, if not the willingness to die for it..."


    Back in the dorm, I forced HOUZI to change into clean clothes¡ªhe reeked of the internet caf¨¦. I even got Ma Jie to tidy him up. To his credit, Ma Jie was quite good at this, even spritzing a little cologne on him. At last, HOUZI looked like a decent human being.


    I was buzzing with anticipation the entire afternoon. HOUZI, on the other hand, was unnervingly calm. "It¡¯s just a confession," he said lazily. "Why are you so worked up?"


    Before class, I told Lin Ke¡¯er to keep her schedule free after night lessons. HOUZI did the same with Liu Yina. And then we waited. Time crawled at a torturous pace.


    By the time night self-study began, I was practically vibrating with nerves. In the span of an hour and a half, I ran to the bathroom three times. Strangely, every time, I bumped into members of the Thirteen Roses. Turns out, they were just as anxious as I was, sneaking off to the restroom out of sheer excitement. On my last trip, I even ran into Wang Yao.


    I grumbled, "I¡¯m the one confessing¡ªwhy are you all so worked up?"


    "You don¡¯t get it. Lin Ke¡¯er is the best girl among us!"


    "Honestly¡­ you¡¯re pretty great too," I thought, though I didn¡¯t dare say it aloud.


    Finally, night class ended. The moment I stepped out, I was met with an overwhelming sight¡ªevery single member of the Thirteen Roses was there, except Lin Ke¡¯er.


    "Go, go! We¡¯ll be waiting here for you!" they urged, winking and grinning like a gaggle of gossiping aunties.


    As I strode ahead, they trailed behind me, giggling and whispering. Nosy busybodies, the lot of them.


    But then, instead of heading toward Lin Ke¡¯er, I walked into HOUZI¡¯s classroom. The girls froze in confusion.


    "Wait¡­ is Zuo Fei about to confess to HOUZI?"


    "Wasn''t tonight supposed to be about Lin Ke¡¯er?"


    I turned and pointed at Liu Yina. "You, stay put! HOUZI is confessing with me tonight!"


    Liu Yina paled instantly.


    Inside, I found HOUZI slumped over his desk, fast asleep. A puddle of drool had soaked through the sleeve of his freshly changed shirt. Unbelievable¡ªhow could he sleep at a time like this?!


    "HOUZI, wake up! It¡¯s confession time!"


    "...Don¡¯t feed the enemy¡­" he mumbled in his sleep.


    "You people from Shanxi are all idiots!" Left with no other choice, I resorted to my ultimate weapon. I wasn''t trying to be prejudiced¡ªI swear.


    HOUZI remained unresponsive.


    "You people from Shanxi are all cowards!"


    Still, no reaction.


    I was getting frustrated. I grabbed HOUZI and shook him vigorously. "Get up! It''s time for the confession!"


    "Zuo Fei, forget about him! Lin Ke''er is waiting for you!" Zhang Xuan called from the doorway.


    There was no helping it¡ªI had to go. At such a critical moment, HOUZI had completely bailed on me. It seemed I was the only one left to hold the fort. The group of girls all grinned mischievously, even Liu Yina was chuckling along.


    "Don''t celebrate too soon¡ªHOUZI will wake up in a bit."


    Liu Yina turned on her heel and bolted, prompting a wave of laughter from everyone.


    "Alright, stay here and wait. No one is allowed to follow me. I''m going to confess to Lin Ke''er!"


    As I made my way to Lin Ke''er''s classroom, the group of girls, for once, didn''t trail behind me. Standing at the doorway, I turned back to glance at them¡ªall of them were beaming with excitement.


    Yet, in that moment, I noticed something¡ªWang Yao''s smile seemed a little forced.


    Was I imagining things?


    No. It didn¡¯t matter now. Lin Ke''er was my priority. Whatever was going on with Wang Yao could wait.


    Taking a deep breath, I called out, "Lin Ke''er, come outside for a moment."


    As if she had been expecting me, Lin Ke''er swiftly walked out. "What¡¯s the matter?" she asked.


    I glanced back at the girls¡ªthey were grinning, some even whistling. Were they seriously trying to act like gangsters now?


    "Let''s talk over there," I said, pointing to the end of the corridor.


    Once we reached the quiet corner, I turned to face Lin Ke''er. As I looked at her delicate, radiant face, I gathered every ounce of courage. The moment had finally come.


    "Ke''er," I said solemnly, "I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"


    Lin Ke''er lifted her gaze to mine, but she didn¡¯t respond immediately as I had hoped. Instead, she asked, "Zuo Fei, do you really like me?"


    I nodded firmly. What kind of question was that? Why would I be confessing if I didn¡¯t?


    "Do you like me, or do you just like my face?"


    I was momentarily stunned before realization dawned on me. Two years ago, Lin Ke''er had been awkward and plain-looking. Back then, I had rejected her outright, even throwing a ring in her face. Now, she had blossomed into a beauty, and I was chasing after her, protecting her, wanting her to be mine.


    Any girl would feel uneasy about that, wouldn¡¯t she?


    Fortunately, I had already considered this question.


    "Ke''er, do you know what I thought about the most during the two years you were gone?"


    "What?" she asked, her face full of curiosity.


    "I kept thinking that if you ever appeared before me again, I would make sure you became my girlfriend. Lin Ke''er, don¡¯t you understand? I actually liked you even two years ago. Why else would I have always protected you? But back then, I was too foolish to recognize what that feeling was. Everyone around me called you ugly, and I was afraid that if I stayed by your side, they¡¯d mock me too. I was immature and stupid, and that¡¯s why I made such a mistake.


    "But after you disappeared, I felt like a part of me had been ripped away. Life lost its color. Day after day, I thought about you, missed you, wishing desperately for a chance to see you again. And by some miracle, that day has finally arrived.


    "I swear on everything¡ªI would have loved you just the same even if you still looked the way you did before. In fact, I almost wish you hadn¡¯t changed. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about all these other people trying to steal you away from me.


    "So please, Lin Ke''er, believe me. My feelings for you are genuine, not because of your face, but because of who you are. And this time, I won¡¯t let you slip away again!"


    By the time I finished, Lin Ke''er''s face was already streaked with tears.


    "Don''t cry, don''t cry," I said hurriedly, reaching out to wipe away her tears. "If someone sees you like this, they¡¯ll think I bullied you. Ke''er, two years ago, I vowed to protect you. And now, two years later, I want to keep that promise. No¡ªmore than that¡ªI want to protect you forever."


    With that, I opened my arms and gently pulled her into an embrace.

 Chapter 25: The Forceful Kiss with Wang Yao

    Just when I thought everything had fallen perfectly into place, my hands grasped nothing but empty air¡ªLin Ke''er had taken a step back.


    "Zuo Fei¡­" Lin Ke''er was still crying, her delicate face stained with tears.


    I stared at her in shock, a terrible premonition suddenly creeping over me.


    "If I say that I haven''t made up my mind yet, would you blame me?" Lin Ke''er''s voice trembled, her tears falling like shattered pearls. "Unlike you, two years ago, I thought I liked you. You were always there to protect me, you even fought with Wang Baocheng for my sake. Every day, my mind was filled with thoughts of you, and I longed to be with you. But after I transferred schools, when I slowly reflected on our relationship and examined my feelings, I realized that most of what I felt was simply being moved, not love. Being touched by someone''s kindness is not the same as truly loving them. And you, Zuo Fei¡­ just now you said you liked me since two years ago, that you searched for me, wanting to be with me. But have you ever thought that perhaps what you feel is just guilt? A subconscious desire to compensate for what happened back then?"


    I was dumbfounded, gazing at Lin Ke''er with a blank mind, unable to utter a single word in response.


    Lin Ke''er continued, her voice filled with sorrow, "So you see, Zuo Fei, our so-called love isn''t pure. Perhaps I was simply touched by your kindness, and perhaps you are merely trying to make up for your guilt. But what happens when those feelings fade, when the guilt dissipates, and we realize we never truly loved each other? By then, it would already be too late. Zuo Fei, I think we both need to think carefully about our feelings for each other."


    My body swayed slightly, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach. Was this¡­ a rejection? This was clearly a rejection!


    My mind was a chaotic mess. I couldn''t think, couldn''t process her words. The only thing I knew was that she had refused me, and when I walked back to face that group of girls, they would undoubtedly laugh at me.


    "Zuo Fei, listen to me, let''s think this through¡­"


    "Enough!" I turned my head away, not wanting to stay here for another second. I felt like a complete fool¡ªpathetically chasing after her every day, getting into fights with Zhou Kun, Xing Qiu, and even the Ninth Prince for her sake. I even provoked Yi Zhen because of her. And now? She rejected me.


    I just wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but my legs felt as heavy as lead. Lin Ke''er was still calling after me, but I heard nothing. I just wanted to escape, to get away from this humiliation.


    Wang Yao and the girls were still waiting in the corridor. When they saw me approaching with a deathly pale face, they were visibly stunned.


    "Zuo Fei, what''s wrong?" Wang Yao asked cautiously.


    "She rejected me." I forced a bitter smile, unwilling to say anything more, and kept walking forward like a lost soul.


    They didn''t follow me but instead rushed toward Lin Ke''er.


    As I turned the corner of the hallway, I suddenly saw a boy and a girl walking hand in hand toward me.


    I froze. It was Houzi and Liu Yina.


    Clearly, while I was off making a fool of myself with my confession, Houzi had confessed as well¡ªand he succeeded. I failed, and he succeeded. How ironic. I originally thought my chances were far better than his, given that Liu Yina always seemed indifferent toward Houzi. But in the end, fate played its cruel joke.


    "Zuo Fei, how did it go? Did you confess?" Houzi asked cheerfully, unaware of my misery.


    My throat tightened, and I felt the sting of tears threatening to fall. Without answering him, I turned and hurried down the stairs. Houzi and Liu Yina both called after me, but I never once looked back. I just wanted to get away from this cursed place.


    I sprinted out of the school gate, not knowing where I was heading. I just ran, hoping to leave everything behind¡ªmy humiliation, my heartbreak, and the mocking glances I would soon face. After what felt like an eternity, I spotted a small barbecue stall by the roadside. The evening air had grown a bit chilly, and the stall''s business seemed sparse, the vendor idly sitting by.


    "Boss, give me a bucket of draft beer," I said, slumping heavily onto a seat. Tonight, I was determined to drown myself in alcohol.


    Foam overflowed as I poured the first glass. Without hesitation, I raised it to my lips and downed it in one go. The icy bitterness of the beer burned down my throat, but it was nothing compared to the cold, crushing numbness in my chest.


    "Drinking alone is rather pointless, isn''t it? Boss, bring me a glass too," a familiar voice suddenly sounded.


    I looked up in surprise¡ªit was Wang Yao.


    I glanced around but saw no one else. She had come alone.


    "You remember what I said last time, right? If you succeeded, you''d treat me to a drink. If you failed, I''d treat you instead. So¡­ here I am."


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    I forced a bitter smile. "Fine."


    Wang Yao poured herself a glass, then downed it in one go without hesitation. Setting the glass down, she scolded, "For god''s sake, stop looking like a beaten dog. So you got rejected, big deal! It''s not like the world ended."


    "Yeah¡­ big deal." I let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "I mean, look at me¡ªI''m Zuo Fei, the most handsome guy around. Surely, I won''t have trouble finding a girlfriend, right?"


    "That''s the spirit," Wang Yao laughed. "Besides, Lin Ke''er didn''t flat-out reject you. She just asked for time to think. Your relationship is complicated; even outsiders can''t make sense of it, let alone the two of you. Just¡­ give it time."


    I nodded, though I didn''t feel any better. I didn''t want to talk anymore¡ªI just wanted to drink. Wang Yao seemed to understand and didn''t press me further. She simply kept pouring and drinking with me, glass after glass, like a silent companion.


    At some point, my head became a haze, and my words began to pour out like a broken dam. I rambled on about our middle school days, about how Binzi and I ruled the campus, about how I once treated Lin Ke''er so cruelly, even throwing a ring at her face.


    Wang Yao said nothing. She just listened and drank alongside me, as if willingly becoming my personal trash can for all my pent-up emotions. Hours passed, and we were both hopelessly drunk. The barbecue vendor eventually sighed and told us to go home. Wang Yao paid the bill without hesitation and helped me stagger back toward the school.


    As we stumbled along, arm in arm, Wang Yao grumbled, "Damn¡­ this road is so uneven. They should fix it."


    I laughed bitterly. "Thank you¡­ really. I don''t know what would''ve happened to me tonight if you hadn''t come."


    "Don''t be ridiculous. You''re just too hung up on her, that''s all. Lin Ke''er didn''t even reject you, she just needs time to think. You''re acting like she kicked you off a cliff or something."


    "Yeah¡­ maybe you''re right," I muttered. "Honestly, I''m starting to think she was right. Maybe all this time, I was just drowning in guilt, not love. Maybe I''ve just been trying to make amends instead of genuinely loving her."


    "Exactly. Just let things happen naturally," Wang Yao smiled.


    I nodded, but deep down, I couldn''t shake off the lingering bitterness. As we stumbled toward the school gate, drunk and disoriented, I suddenly felt how small the gap between Wang Yao and I had become. The once untouchable girl, the goddess of our school, was now casually holding me up as if we were the closest of friends.


    And somewhere deep in my chest, a different kind of warmth began to stir.


    We returned to the school, the girls¡¯ dormitory situated just behind the boys¡¯. I decided to escort Wang Yao back. By the time we reached the entrance of her dormitory, my head was spinning, my consciousness already muddled. Wang Yao glanced at me and said, ¡°You¡¯d better hurry back and rest. Message me when you get there, so I know you¡¯re safe.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I just stood there, staring at her in a daze. Under the dim glow of the streetlamp at the entrance, her face, flushed from the alcohol, appeared even more delicate and alluring. Her soft, rosy lips seemed moist and tantalizing, like dew-kissed petals in the morning light.


    I don¡¯t know where I mustered the courage, but I suddenly grasped her arm and pressed my lips against hers.


    It was just a fleeting touch, not even long enough for me to savor the softness of her lips before she violently pushed me away.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Zuo Fei?!¡± Her voice was filled with disbelief and fury.


    I was so startled that half of my drunken stupor instantly evaporated. Flustered, I kept apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Wang Yao shot me a piercing glare and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re drunk. Go back to your dorm and sleep it off.¡± Without giving me another glance, she turned and ran into the girls¡¯ dormitory, leaving me frozen in place, a wave of embarrassment and self-loathing crashing over me.


    I staggered my way back to the boys¡¯ dormitory, my heart pounding like a war drum. I kept replaying the scene in my mind ¡ª what the hell did I just do? Did I seriously just force a kiss on Wang Yao, the leader of the Thirteen Roses? Am I out of my mind? Did I have some sort of death wish?


    Back in my dorm, my mind was still a chaotic mess. I stumbled to the washroom, splashed cold water on my face, and then collapsed onto my bed. Ma Jie, my bunkmate, poked his head over and asked, ¡°Hey, how¡¯d the confession go?¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡± I spat the words coldly, and he wisely retracted his head without another word.


    Strangely enough, my mind was no longer preoccupied with Lin Ke¡¯er. Instead, it was flooded with the image of Wang Yao ¡ª her face under the streetlamp, her fiery response, and that brief moment when our lips touched. Perhaps it was because I had been suppressing my feelings for her all along, and the alcohol merely unshackled them, allowing them to erupt like a long-dormant volcano.


    I realized, with a trace of bitter amusement, that if my heart were a balance scale, with Lin Ke¡¯er on one side and Wang Yao on the other, the scale had always leaned heavily toward Lin Ke¡¯er. I had willingly suppressed my affection for Wang Yao because I was so fixated on atoning for my past mistakes with Lin Ke¡¯er. But now, with Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s rejection and her painful sermon about ¡°guilt and gratitude,¡± combined with Wang Yao¡¯s companionship tonight and the kiss that I had stolen ¡ª whether I admitted it or not, the scale was slowly but surely tilting toward Wang Yao.


    Humans are such fickle creatures, aren¡¯t they?


    Perhaps it was the lingering effect of the alcohol, but my brain suddenly burned with an intense, almost desperate desire ¡ª I wanted to confess to Wang Yao. Right now. Tonight.


    I knew it was an absolutely ridiculous, even contemptible thought. Just this morning, I had confessed to Lin Ke¡¯er and been rejected. Turning around within mere hours to confess to Wang Yao? I would look like the biggest scumbag to ever walk the earth. Furthermore, what were the chances that Wang Yao would even accept me? She had just pushed me away in disgust ¡ª she would probably see me as nothing more than a drunken fool.


    But the more I thought about it, the less I could suppress it. My emotions were like a dam on the verge of collapse ¡ª once the cracks appeared, the flood was inevitable. I knew it was foolish. I knew I would probably regret it. But my impulsive nature, the same nature that had once driven me to cruelly humiliate Lin Ke¡¯er with a ring two years ago, was now driving me to do something equally irrational.


    I suddenly sprang from my bed, driven by a reckless determination. My mind screamed at me that it was a terrible idea, but my heart was already ablaze ¡ª I was going to confess to Wang Yao. Tonight.


    To hell with logic. To hell with regrets. I only knew one thing: this was what I wanted to do. And once I had set my mind on something, nothing could stop me.


    I slipped on my flip-flops and bolted out of the dormitory. Ma Jie, who was still peeking over, called out, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    He immediately retracted his head, clearly accustomed to my temperamental moods.


    I dashed down the corridor, my heart thundering in my chest. As I stepped outside, I nearly collided head-on with Zheng Wu, who was returning from the washroom, his hair still damp and a plastic basin in his hands. He caught sight of me and blurted, ¡°Hey, Zuo Fei, I heard you confessed and got rejected? Damn, I told you to borrow my lucky jacket¡ª¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother to respond. I veered around him and kept running.

 Chapter 26: Beaten Up by Wang Yao

    I had no intention of confessing my feelings over the phone ¡ª something as sacred as a confession must not be treated with such carelessness. I was determined to have Wang Yao come down so I could tell her face to face.


    As I ran towards the girls'' dormitory, I couldn''t help but laugh bitterly. Two confessions in a single day, and to two different girls, no less. I wondered if this could qualify as a world record ¡ª of course, excluding those seasoned playboys. One day, when I grow old and write this chapter into my memoir, I''m sure my grandson will stare at me in disbelief and say, "Grandpa, you really were a scumbag, huh?"


    Sometimes, even when you know you''re destined to be rejected, you still throw yourself headfirst into it. There was a strange, fiery excitement in that thought.


    Life rarely offers us the chance to act like a fool ¡ª since I''ve already stepped into this role, I might as well play the fool to my heart''s content!


    Just as I was about to reach the dormitory, I vaguely saw a girl rush out of the building.


    It was Wang Yao!


    What was she doing out here so late at night?


    I had planned to call her downstairs, but seeing her come out on her own threw me into a panic. Instinctively, I ducked behind a tree nearby.


    To my astonishment, Wang Yao stopped about three meters away, panting heavily, hands on her knees.


    "Why are you hiding? Come out now."


    I froze. Was she¡­ talking to me? Impossible. She couldn''t have seen me, could she?


    "Zuo Fei, are you coming out or not?"


    I was utterly dumbfounded. She really was talking to me! My heart pounded as I sheepishly emerged from behind the tree, clutching my knees and gasping for breath alongside her.


    "I¡¯m asking you, what are you doing out here this late?" Wang Yao''s eyes were ablaze with anger.


    I was completely thrown off. What did I do to provoke her? I stammered, "I¡­ I¡­" unable to find an excuse.


    "Speak!" Her gaze was sharp and piercing.


    My confidence crumbled under her glare. The fervent passion I felt moments ago was now doused like a flame drenched in cold water. I fumbled, "I¡­ I was just¡­ taking a walk¡­"


    "Liar!" Without warning, Wang Yao''s fist crashed into my abdomen.


    "Oof!" I gasped, nearly doubling over from the impact. I had no idea her punches packed such a force!


    "Are you going to tell me the truth or not?" she seethed, grabbing my arm and driving her knee hard into my stomach.


    I bent over in pain, my breath knocked out of me. At that moment, it never crossed my mind to fight back ¡ª not only because she was a girl, but also because I was utterly clueless about why she was so furious.


    "I swear, I was just taking a walk, sister¡­ I mean, auntie¡­ grandma¡­ just spare me, please!" I was one step away from falling to my knees.


    But Wang Yao showed no intention of letting me off. Seizing the opportunity while I was doubled over, she drove her elbow down hard onto my back several times. The pain was excruciating, as if my spine was about to crack.


    "I''m begging you! What did I do to deserve this?" I pleaded, staggering back a few steps.


    "You kissed me earlier, and now you''re lying to my face! Do you still dare to say you haven''t wronged me?" Wang Yao growled, taking another step towards me, her fists clenched.


    I panicked. Without thinking, I turned around and ran.


    "Stop right there, Zuo Fei!" she bellowed from behind me.


    "Like hell I would!" I screamed in my mind, running as if my life depended on it.


    Wang Yao was relentless. She chased me halfway across campus. We sprinted from the dormitory to the basketball court, the streetlights growing dimmer as we ventured into darker areas.


    "I said STOP!" Wang Yao''s voice rang out. "Last warning ¡ª if you don''t stop now, I''ll go get my machete!"


    Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I remembered the rumor about her once chasing Da Mao with a machete. My feet skidded to a halt. Getting beaten up was still better than being hacked to death.


    Wang Yao caught up and immediately resumed her assault. Her fists pummeled my stomach again and again. "Run, huh? Keep running, I dare you!"


    I dared not retaliate. I could only curl up and endure the beating. Thankfully, she was gracious enough to spare my face ¡ª she probably knew my face was my meal ticket.


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    Finally, when she had exhausted herself, she asked, "Now tell me ¡ª why did you come out here so late?"


    I was on the verge of tears. Confess? Absolutely not. I braced myself and insisted, "I told you¡­ I was just taking a walk¡­ HOUZI succeeded, I failed, I was heartbroken, so I came out for some air¡­ and then you¡­ you beat me up for no reason¡­ Where''s the justice in that?"


    "Still lying!" Wang Yao scanned the ground and, to my horror, spotted a brick. Without hesitation, she picked it up and marched toward me.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Wang Yao!" I stumbled backward, waving my hands frantically. "Let''s not escalate this, okay?"


    "Last chance ¡ª are you here to confess your feelings to me or not?"


    Her words were like a lightning strike. I was utterly dumbfounded. How did she know? Was she a mind reader?


    Seeing my stunned expression, she knew she had hit the mark. Without another word, she threw the brick aside and swung another punch ¡ª this time, it landed square on my face. My cheek instantly burned like fire, and I could feel it swelling up.


    And she still wasn''t done. Fists, kicks, and curses continued raining down on me. "You scumbag! You confessed to Lin Ke''er in the morning and now you''re confessing to me at night? Who the hell gave you such audacity? What do you take me for, huh? How long have you been lusting after me?"


    I was speechless, but Wang Yao didn''t need my answer. She continued her tirade, venting her fury with every blow.


    "I hate men like you the most ¡ª chasing one girl while eyeing another. Do you think I need your pity? You think you can just come and mess up my life like this? If word of this spreads, how am I supposed to maintain my reputation? I swear, I¡¯ll kill you for this!"


    Having had enough, she turned to leave. I scrambled after her, apologizing profusely, "I''m sorry! I was wrong! I promise I won''t think about you again. I swear I''ll keep my mouth shut. Please, don''t let this affect your reputation!"


    But she ignored me, striding furiously ahead.


    After about fifty meters, she abruptly stopped. Without warning, she slumped down on the steps beside the basketball court, buried her head in her knees, and her shoulders began to tremble.


    She was crying.


    I froze, unable to believe my eyes. Wang Yao¡­ crying?


    "What do I do now¡­" she sobbed.


    I quickly sat beside her, gently patting her back. "Alright, alright, it''s my fault. I was out of line. I get it now. I promise I''ll never like you again. I swear I won''t tell a soul about what happened. I''ll make sure no harm comes to your reputation, okay?"


    But Wang Yao didn''t respond. She only cried harder. I was utterly helpless, my mind blank. I could only keep apologizing like a fool.


    After a long while, she finally lifted her head. Her face was swollen from crying, her voice choked, "You don''t get it, do you?"


    I was confused. "Get what? You just beat me up, cursed me out, and now I''m promising to stay away. What else do you want?"


    Through her tears, she croaked out the words that hit me like a thunderbolt:


    "But¡­ what if I¡¯ve already fallen for you?"


    I was momentarily stunned, staring blankly at Wang Yao. It was already close to midnight, and there wasn¡¯t a single light illuminating the basketball court. I could only rely on the pale moonlight to make out her face.


    I was certain she wasn¡¯t joking ¡ª the sincerity in her voice was unmistakable. Wang Yao was still sobbing intermittently, her slender shoulders trembling slightly. The cool night breeze swept across us, and for a long, long time, silence hung heavily between us. Wang Yao had developed feelings for me? I could hardly believe it. I almost suspected I was dreaming, but the genuine sound of her weeping and the chill of the night wind reminded me that this was undeniably real.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Wang Yao¡¯s voice was choked with emotion. ¡°Maybe from the moment the girls first told me about a boy who kept standing up for Lin Ke¡¯er, even after getting beaten up seven times in three days¡­ I started to feel you were different. Later, in the park, you protected Lin Ke¡¯er without hesitation, even if it meant going against the entire Nine Princes. That was when I began to admire you. You know¡­ the few of us sisters have had our hearts broken by unworthy men before. Most of the guys we met were scum. I once dated a boy ¡ª brilliant student, excellent character, good-looking too ¡ª but after dating for less than three days, he got beaten up and didn¡¯t even dare talk to me afterward. That¡¯s why when everyone praised you, saying how remarkable you were, I couldn¡¯t help but secretly glance at you a few more times.¡±


    She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, ¡°But I knew I couldn¡¯t do that. You were Lin Ke¡¯er¡¯s predetermined boyfriend. I couldn¡¯t possibly betray my sister like that, so I kept suppressing myself. But then that night¡­ when Da Mao stabbed you to protect me¡­ I almost couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. I was so jealous of Lin Ke¡¯er. Why did she get to have such a wonderful boyfriend? But I still endured it. I kept telling myself ¡ª he¡¯s not mine, I can¡¯t think that way. Until tonight¡­ when I heard you confessed and got rejected. You know how happy I was? Is that very despicable of me? I know it is, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I thought maybe I¡¯d have a chance, but when I asked Lin Ke¡¯er, she said she hadn¡¯t figured out her feelings yet. I pretended to comfort her, but deep down, I was utterly disappointed¡­ Forget it, the more I say, the more vile I feel. This is not who I am!¡±


    ¡°Keep going,¡± I said softly. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Wang Yao fell silent for a moment before she continued, ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d be upset, so I went to drink with you. But during the drinking, I realized something was wrong. Why did you keep glancing at me? And later, after we got back to the dorm¡­ you actually had the nerve to kiss me! Do you know how lucky you are that I didn¡¯t beat you to death on the spot? When I got back to my room, I kept thinking ¡ª what if this fool got carried away and came to confess to me? Wouldn¡¯t that completely ruin me? I had to stop you. So I ran down to check, and sure enough ¡ª you really dared to come!¡±


    As she finished speaking, she punched my shoulder again.


    I didn¡¯t dodge. I just looked at her and said gently, ¡°Do you want to hear my side of the story?¡±


    And so, I began to recount my journey ¡ª from the moment I first laid eyes on her and was instantly captivated, to how I suppressed my feelings repeatedly because I didn¡¯t want to be a fickle man. I told her how I forced myself to wholeheartedly pursue Lin Ke¡¯er, convincing myself it was the right thing to do. Yet every time Wang Yao appeared, my heart would waver uncontrollably. And when she was abducted by Da Mao, my bottled-up emotions exploded, and I fought recklessly to save her. I admitted that I kept suppressing my growing affection for her, refusing to become the kind of man I despised. But after being rejected by Lin Ke¡¯er tonight, the alcohol in my system and that impulsive kiss had completely unraveled my restraint, compelling me to come find her.


    By the time I finished speaking, Wang Yao was just as dazed as I had been earlier. In fact, we were caught in the exact same emotional turmoil.


    I let out a long breath and said, ¡°Since we like each other, why don¡¯t we¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Wang Yao suddenly sprang to her feet, her voice sharp and resolute. ¡°I will never be with you!¡±

 Chapter 27: Tangled Emotions, Unraveled Threads

    "Why?"


    "What do you think?"


    In fact, I already knew the answer. Proposing to two different girls in one day ¡ª no woman would accept that. Even if Wang Yao could overlook this, she could never tolerate the ambiguity lingering between me and Lin Ke''er. A girl with her personality ¡ª passionate in love, resolute in hatred ¡ª would never cross the line of betraying her best friend for a man.


    "If one day, Lin Ke''er makes it clear that she doesn''t have feelings for me, and there are no lingering ties between us¡­ would you then consider being with me?"


    Wang Yao fell silent, seemingly deliberating over my words. After a long pause, she mumbled, almost incoherently, "We''ll talk about it when that day comes. But listen to me, until then, you must treat Lin Ke''er well ¡ª and absolutely, absolutely, do not harbor any inappropriate thoughts about me!"


    "Alright." I smiled softly.


    Wang Yao rose to her feet. "Also, tonight''s events ¡ª you''re not allowed to tell a soul!"


    "I won''t. This will remain our secret."


    We walked back together, and once again, I escorted her to her dormitory. But things were no longer the same. We were both sober now, and after sharing our inner turmoil and unspoken stories, our hearts felt even more complicated. As we walked, Wang Yao kept nagging me, urging me not to think too much about her and to cherish Lin Ke''er instead. She insisted that Lin Ke''er was more suitable for me, having been my classmate for so many years, while she and I were merely a fleeting spark, nothing more.


    I nodded repeatedly, suppressing a laugh. Earlier she had accused me of being overly sentimental in relationships, yet here she was, rambling like an old mother-in-law. I couldn''t help but find it amusing. All the way, she kept emphasizing that I should forget about her and focus on Lin Ke''er, as though she was terrified that our little episode tonight would spiral into something irreversible. I chuckled and said, "Aren''t you being a bit dramatic? Lin Ke''er and I aren''t even a couple ¡ª we''re both single, so what''s the big deal?"


    Wang Yao let out a bitter sigh. "You don''t understand¡­ it''s not that simple."


    When we arrived at her dormitory entrance, her expression darkened visibly. She stomped her foot and muttered, "Damn it¡­ damn it¡­"


    I was puzzled. "What''s wrong?"


    Wang Yao clutched her head, exasperated. "I must have lost my mind tonight ¡ª how could I blurt everything out to you like that? Can you¡­ can you just go back to sleep and forget everything I said?"


    So that was it ¡ª she regretted it. I couldn''t help but laugh out loud. "Forget it? Impossible. Not in this lifetime."


    Rendered speechless, Wang Yao could only point at me, glaring. "Fine then! From now on, you and I should talk less. Let''s keep our distance, alright?"


    Without waiting for my reply, she turned and bolted into her dormitory. I watched her disappear behind the doors, then turned around and made my way back to my room. My emotions were in complete disarray. Hours ago, I was still wallowing in the humiliation of being rejected by Lin Ke''er. Yet now, unexpectedly, Wang Yao had stumbled into my life ¡ª a silver lining hidden within the darkest cloud. It was as if I''d lost everything on a lottery ticket, only to turn around and hit the jackpot on another. I didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Lying in bed, I found myself unable to sleep. One moment I was thinking about Lin Ke''er, the next I was thinking about Wang Yao. The lights had long been extinguished, yet I tossed and turned, wide awake. Suddenly, Ma Jie, my roommate, mumbled, "Fei Ge, don''t be too upset. It''s just a girl ¡ª you''ll find someone even better in the future."


    "Shut up," I muttered.


    Ma Jie immediately rolled over and went back to sleep.


    I didn''t drift off until well past midnight. When morning came, I got out of bed feeling groggy, only to find two dark circles under my eyes when I looked in the mirror. After washing up, I returned to my room and was surprised to find Houzi and Huang Jie sitting on my bed.


    "What are you two doing here?" I asked, genuinely surprised. This early in the morning, seeing them here was beyond unexpected ¡ª usually, they''d either be sleeping in or gaming at an internet caf¨¦.


    "Fei, are you okay?" Houzi asked cautiously, handing me a steaming plastic bag.


    I peeked inside ¡ª two crispy, hot jianbing guozi. My goodness, Houzi actually bought me breakfast! The sun must have risen from the west today. But I quickly realized ¡ª he must have heard about my rejection and came to comfort me. The fact that he willingly sacrificed his game time to care about me was genuinely touching. Without hesitation, I grabbed the jianbing guozi and started wolfing it down.


    "Fei, don''t be too downhearted. I heard about what happened, but you still have a chance," Huang Jie added, trying to comfort me.


    I mumbled nonchalantly as I devoured my breakfast, too lazy to engage with them.


    Huang Jie suddenly perked up. "How about I sing you a song? Something cheerful ¡ª The vast horizon is my love¡­"


    "Stop." I waved my hand, mouth full. "I''m fine, really."


    "You sure?" Houzi looked skeptical.


    I patted my chest and grinned. "Do I look like someone who''s heartbroken?"


    "Alright then, pay me five bucks for the jianbing guozi," Houzi said with a deadpan face.


    I shoved the plastic bag over his head. "Pay my ass." Then I wiped my mouth and strode toward the door, the two of them scrambling to keep up.


    Seeing that I was genuinely unbothered, they soon resumed their usual banter. Houzi mocked me mercilessly, calling me a loser for failing to win Lin Ke''er''s heart, thumping his chest proudly and boasting, "Look at me ¡ª I laid claim to Liu Yina already! I strike once, and it''s a sure win!"


    Truthfully, I was no longer upset about Lin Ke''er. The mere thought of Wang Yao filled my heart with an indescribable warmth. But I couldn''t possibly mention it to them, so I could only play along, feigning jealousy. "Please, Liu Yina must be blind to fall for you."


    The three of us laughed and bantered all the way to the teaching building. Just as we entered, we spotted several tall, well-built students lingering near the staircase ¡ª their mature demeanor unmistakably signaling they were upperclassmen.


    "Hey, you guys ¡ª come over here," one of them called out.


    We exchanged glances before cautiously approaching them.


    "Which one of you is Zuo Fei?"


    "I am," I answered warily, mentally preparing myself for a sudden slap. I''d seen this trick too many times ¡ª the classic ''Who''s XX?'' followed by an instant, face-numbing smack. I braced myself.


    To my surprise, the guy didn''t hit me. Instead, he continued, "Who''s Houzi?"


    "I''m here," Houzi squinted, visibly on guard.


    The guy simply nodded. "I''m a senior¡­ from Class Two¡­"


    "Hey, you forgot to ask who I am," Huang Jie cut in enthusiastically.


    The upperclassman gave him a puzzled glance. "And you are?"


    "Me? I''m Huang Jie ¡ª Huang, as in the Yellow Emperor''s descendant, and Jie, as in one of the Top Ten Outstanding Youths!" Huang Jie proudly declared.


    The upperclassman stared at him like he was a complete idiot, then turned back to us. "Listen, I''m here on behalf of Sheng Ge and Qi Ge. I heard you guys recently offended Yi Zhen?"


    We exchanged glances again. Houzi answered bluntly, "Yeah, so what?"


    "He offered a thousand bucks to have you guys dealt with," the upperclassman said, his tone oddly gentle, as though genuinely concerned for us.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    But until we figured out his true intentions, none of us dared to say a word.


    "Mm, and then?" HOUZI pressed on.


    Just as the man was about to speak, the morning class bell suddenly rang. Hastily, he said, "Go to class first. I''ll come back and find you later. By the way, my name is Xiaowei."


    HOUZI nodded politely. "Brother Wei."


    "Don''t call me Brother Wei, it sounds awful," Xiaowei waved his hand dismissively, flashing a grin. "Just call me Xiaowei. Alright, I''m off now. We''ll talk later."


    He patted each of us on the shoulder and left with his group.


    The three of us exchanged puzzled glances, completely clueless about the nature of this encounter.


    As we ascended the stairs, HOUZI muttered, "Man, I haven''t attended a morning class in ages. Left Fei, I''m really sacrificing a lot for you."


    "Why are you bringing that up instead of talking about Xiaowei?"


    "What''s there to talk about? He said he''d come back to us later, didn''t he?"


    We then parted ways and entered our respective classrooms.


    During the morning class, I was dozing off when Liu Yina moved over to sit beside me, earnestly advising, "Ke''er is a bit stubborn. You need to spend more time and patience comforting her."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know," I replied absentmindedly.


    But honestly, my heart was no longer with Lin Ke''er. My mind was now filled with thoughts of Wang Yao.


    You might say I was being fickle, but it wasn''t that simple. Before, Lin Ke''er in my heart was like a towering tree, overshadowing everything else. Wang Yao, on the other hand, was merely a sprouting weed, something I deliberately tried to suppress. But after last night, the towering tree suddenly collapsed, and the weed ¡ª against all odds ¡ª began to thrive. Yet this newfound affection was a secret I dared not share with anyone.


    When the bell finally rang, I strode out of the classroom. Just as I looked up, I saw HOUZI approaching.


    "Whoa, you''re actually asking me to join you for lunch today? Has the sun risen from the west or what?"


    "Who said I was asking you?" HOUZI rolled his eyes, pulled Liu Yina along, and left.


    I was speechless when someone clapped me on the shoulder. "Tsk, HOUZI''s no good. Ditching his bro the moment he gets a girlfriend. Come on, I''ll accompany you to lunch."


    "¡­You just want me to treat you to lunch, don''t you?" I glared at Huang Jie.


    After lunch, we returned to the teaching building, loitering in the corridor while waiting for class to begin. HOUZI and Liu Yina were still flirting and messing around. Meanwhile, Huang Jie and I, the two lonely bachelors, could only watch enviously from the sidelines.


    As time passed, more people gathered around us ¡ª Zhang Xuan and a few of the Thirteen Roses even joined the crowd. Naturally, Lin Ke''er and Wang Yao were absent.


    The girls teased HOUZI and Liu Yina while simultaneously taking turns lecturing me, offering heartfelt advice about how I should continue pursuing Lin Ke''er. I desperately wanted to tell them that I was done with Lin Ke''er ¡ª my heart now belonged to Wang Yao ¡ª but I simply didn''t have the guts. Eventually, they noticed I wasn''t as crestfallen as they had expected, and the lectures gradually subsided.


    Soon after, even Zheng Wu showed up, clutching his signature black leather jacket in his hands.


    "Left Fei," Zheng Wu said solemnly, "the reason you failed your confession was because you didn''t wear the battle armor. Listen to me, put this on and confess again. If it doesn''t work, you can cut my head off."


    I was stunned while the crowd erupted into laughter, egging me on to wear the jacket and give it another shot.


    With people like HOUZI and Huang Jie joking around, everyone knew they were just messing with me. But Zheng Wu? This guy was dead serious. I''ve long known him to be a bit of a braggart, but he''s also a one-track mind. Once he sets his mind on something, there''s no changing it.


    Caught between amusement and helplessness, I said, "Maybe next time, okay?"


    Zheng Wu shook his head solemnly. "Confession is like striking while the iron is hot. Miss the moment, and the chance is gone. I won my girlfriend''s heart thanks to this jacket, you know?"


    Yeah, right. Like Zheng Wu ever had a girlfriend. His penchant for bragging was legendary.


    As class resumed, everyone dispersed. Having fallen behind in my studies, I paid unusually close attention to the lesson. I was neither a top student nor a slacker ¡ª just your average middle-of-the-road guy who took class seriously when necessary but also enjoyed having fun.


    Midway through the lesson, my phone vibrated. I took it out, only to find a message from Lin Ke''er.


    It simply read: "How are you?"


    I replied: "I''m fine."


    She quickly responded with an apology, then sent a long-winded text filled with last night''s theories ¡ª about how my love for her was rooted in guilt, and hers for me was merely gratitude. She insisted we both needed to think carefully.


    I replied briefly: "Don''t worry. It''s alright." Just eight simple words.


    Had this been before last night, I probably would have poured my heart out in a lengthy response ¡ª promising, explaining, and trying to win her back. I might have even written something so sentimental that I could move myself to tears.


    But now? I simply couldn''t muster the enthusiasm. My mind was too preoccupied with Wang Yao.


    Honestly, even I was astonished by how quickly my feelings shifted. Was I falling too fast simply because Wang Yao offered me a branch of affection after Lin Ke''er rejected me? Or was it that I had long buried my feelings for Wang Yao, and her subtle warmth simply rekindled them?


    I couldn''t tell. Maybe I was just too young to understand my own heart.


    Several days passed, yet Xiaowei from Year Two never came to find us. Meanwhile, HOUZI, having officially started dating Liu Yina, rarely visited internet cafes anymore ¡ª a testament to the overwhelming power of love. Watching Huang Jie''s lonely figure trailing behind them, I couldn''t help but feel sorry for him. So much for our "bros before hoes" pact.


    As for me, I was stuck in a stalemate. My interactions with Lin Ke''er dwindled to the point where if she didn''t text me first, I wouldn''t text her at all. And Wang Yao? She completely stopped talking to me. In fact, she even avoided appearing in the same space as me.


    We used to gather and chat in the corridor after class. Wang Yao, being the charismatic leader of the girls, used to join us all the time. But ever since that night, she deliberately kept her distance from me. If she had to show up, she would appear visibly uncomfortable ¡ª as though she had done something wrong ¡ª and quickly make an excuse to leave.


    One time, Zhang Xuan forcibly dragged her over, but the moment she saw me, she instantly looked uneasy. Once, I was the one too timid to meet her gaze; now, it was her who couldn''t look me in the eyes. It was as if we shared a shameful secret, and she was desperately avoiding exposure.


    Still, no one else suspected a thing. Even if they racked their brains, they''d never guess that Wang Yao ¡ª the formidable and untouchable queen bee ¡ª might have feelings for me.


    But regardless, the truth remained: I had practically severed ties with Lin Ke''er, while Wang Yao and I had drifted into a painful ambiguity. And in the midst of it all ¡ª I couldn''t quite tell if I was miserable, ecstatic, or simply lost.


    Regardless of everything, my relationship with Lin Ke¡¯er was gradually cooling down, while my yearning for Wang Yao deepened day by day. I longed to see Wang Yao, but I dared not make it too obvious, leaving me in a constant state of distraction throughout the day.


    That day, after the second class, we skipped the radio calisthenics and hid in the restroom to smoke ¡ª a pastime every delinquent in school was keen on. At the end of the corridor, the restroom was occupied not only by me, Houzi, and Huang Jie but also by Yang Zecheng, Li Baiyu, Zhu Jianlong, and a few others. Although we didn''t usually hang out together, we always exchanged warm greetings when we crossed paths, having once fought side by side in the past.


    By the way, Zheng Wu was not present. He didn''t smoke, which surprised me. I always thought smoking was a universal emblem of a delinquent.


    I once asked him why he didn''t smoke, and he replied with a sheepish grin, "Hehe, my girlfriend doesn¡¯t allow me to."


    I teased him, "Bring your girlfriend out to meet us someday." He readily agreed, saying, "Sure, she studies at No.7 High School. We¡¯ll grab a meal together sometime, and I''ll bring Maomao along too."


    Back to the restroom ¡ª about ten of us were there, smoking and bantering when suddenly, the door creaked open. In walked those senior students from the last time, led by Xiao Wei. Xiao Wei entered with a warm demeanor and said, "I need to have a word with Zuo Fei and Houzi. The rest of you, please step out for a moment."


    Huang Jie, flustered, hurriedly asked, "What about me? What about me?" as if terrified of being left out.


    Xiao Wei glanced at him and smiled, "You can stay too."


    Huang Jie grinned with satisfaction. Inwardly, I thought, You''ll stop smiling once you get a beating, you idiot.


    The presence of these senior students carried an undeniable air of dominance. Combined with their upper-year status, Yang Zecheng and the others quietly exited, leaving only the few of us behind.


    An intense wave of unease swept over me. My eyes darted around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Ah, there was an empty beer bottle on the windowsill.


    Xiao Wei asked, "Have you guys thought it through?"


    Houzi was puzzled, "Thought what through?"


    "Yi Zhen offered us money to beat you up. Don¡¯t you have any response to that?"


    The three of us exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what Xiao Wei was getting at.


    With a sigh, Xiao Wei said, "It¡¯s been days, yet you guys show no reaction. Sheng Ge and Qi Ge are getting anxious."


    Scratching his head, Houzi asked, "What are they anxious about?"


    "You guys have recently gained prominence. Among this batch of freshmen, you''re practically the top dogs. Sheng Ge and Qi Ge believe it''s crucial to build rapport with you instead of suppressing you, so we¡¯ve been holding off on Yi Zhen¡¯s request as much as possible."


    A wave of relief washed over me ¡ª it turned out these senior students weren''t so bad after all. Despite Houzi''s claims that money could buy anything, clearly, it couldn¡¯t buy these guys. Even Houzi beamed with joy, "Really? Please help us thank Sheng Ge and Qi Ge. We should get together sometime." His choice of words was tactful ¡ª "get together" instead of "grab a meal," since we clearly couldn¡¯t afford a meal.


    Although we were the top dogs among freshmen, we never extorted protection fees.


    Xiao Wei continued, "Yes, that''s only natural. Compared to Yi Zhen, Sheng Ge and Qi Ge find you guys more promising."


    "Alright then, Xiao Wei, we¡¯ll get going first," Houzi said gleefully, already making his way toward the door.


    "Hold on," Xiao Wei''s voice suddenly turned cold. "You think you can just leave like that?"


    Houzi paused, equally confused. "What else is there to do?"


    Xiao Wei¡¯s smile vanished. "We turned down Yi Zhen¡¯s money, which means you guys now owe us that one thousand yuan. Sheng Ge and Qi Ge have been waiting for days. Why are you guys acting like nothing happened, forcing me to come here personally?"


    The air in the restroom turned deathly silent.


    Houzi looked at Huang Jie. Huang Jie looked at me. I looked at Houzi.


    "Heh... heh... heh..." Out of nowhere, Houzi started laughing.


    "Heh... heh... heh..." Huang Jie quickly followed suit.


    I had no idea what these two idiots were laughing about, but not wanting to feel left out, I forced myself to chuckle along, "Heh... heh... heh..." God, why do I always end up doing weird things with these two morons?


    Xiao Wei''s expression darkened. "What''s so funny? Are you guys refusing to pay up?"


    "Xiao Wei," Houzi finally curbed his laughter, "Why don¡¯t you lend me five yuan first? I haven¡¯t even figured out what to eat for lunch today."


    "What did you just say?!" Xiao Wei¡¯s voice was laced with fury.


    At that moment, the restroom door swung open again. Zheng Wu swaggered in like he owned the place.