Chapter 82 The Campus Flower’s Arrival

Chapter 82 The Campus Flower's Arrival

Pu Yu said, "Then I won't go back. I want to spend this last bit of time with you today."

He informed Uncle Zhang and then made a call to Mrs. Pu.

Ning Song had his hands in his pockets, listening to him talk to Mrs. Pu. Under the streetlights, the snowflakes seemed golden, and he lifted his head, marveling that such youth belonged to him too.

After Pu Yu hung up, Ning Song grabbed his hand and led him towards their home.

When they arrived, Ning Wei was already asleep, but Liu Fen was still watching TV, waiting for them.

Seeing them covered in snow, she was surprised. "It's snowing so heavily outside."

"It's precisely because it's snowing so heavily that I didn't let him leave," Ning Song said.

Liu Fen hurriedly brought over the heated oil radiator from their bedroom, fetched an extra quilt, and then thought Ning Song's bed wasn't long enough, so she placed a chair at the foot of the bed.

"You sleep on the inside. Xiao Song isn't a good sleeper; he might push you off."

It was too late and too cold, so neither of them took a shower. Liu Fen specifically closed the door behind her as she left.

Ning Song's bed was very narrow, and they were almost pressed together. Outside, the north wind howled, and the windows rattled with the gusts. Pu Yu lived up to Liu Fen's trust, not crossing any boundaries; he didn't even take off his undershirt.

Pu Yu wanted to watch the video Ning Song had made again, but this time he couldn't catch the fish.

Ning Song took his phone and caught it effortlessly.

"I'm better at catching fish."

With that, he turned off the bedside lamp and got into the warm blankets. Pu Yu also lay down, and the narrow bed made them stick closely together. Pu Yu watched the video once more.

Even on the second viewing, it was still moving.

"Actually, my first impression of you wasn't good," Pu Yu said.

"Huh?"

"I thought you were flirting with everyone, joking around all the time. At first, I admired you and wanted to interact with you. But every time I saw your posts and how you joked with others, I didn't want to talk to you anymore."

"I was just joking around. Everyone does that; it's not just me."

He was adapting to the culture of the male forum, where such behavior seemed more mature and less likely to raise suspicions about his age. There was a subtle bias among men: if they thought you were older, they would be more receptive and serious in their discussions. If they knew you were young, they wouldn't take you seriously. While genuine talent would eventually earn respect, it required time and effort. He skipped that step.

Pu Yu nodded and said, "Maybe I had some feelings for you back then. I would suddenly think of you for no reason, feeling a bit annoyed. When you started flirting with me and everyone teased us, I didn't say anything, but secretly, I felt a bit smug."

Ning Song laughed.

"The first time I noticed you, I remember I was arguing with someone called [Dreamy Romance]. He was using foul language, and you thought he was insulting me, so you asked him seriously why he was being rude. I had something to do and didn't reply for a while. When I logged in later, I saw your private message telling me not to get upset and ignore the impolite person."

Pu Yu said, "I thought you were too angry to speak."

Ning Song laughed. "At that time, I thought you were an old man, pretending to be young, calling me 'brother.'"

Pu Yu was more serious online than in real life, never joining in jokes. So when he did join in one day, Ning Song was surprised.

Pu Yu replied, "Be serious."

"I stopped calling you 'brother' after that. Didn't you notice?" Pu Yu asked.

In the darkness, Ning Song changed his position, lying on his back.

Closing his eyes, it felt like a dream.

But it wasn't a dream, for he had never dreamed of love before. His dreams were always about family and success, never about love.

Love felt so intimate, so addictive, that he found it novel. He had never experienced such closeness before. Family was practically nonexistent, and even now, his relationship with Liu Fen wasn't close. Friendship didn't give him the same sense of intimacy. Only love provided this unique bond, a bond that was entirely his own.

This closeness made him want to be even closer to Pu Yu, to occupy more of his life.

He wasn't a complete person; his heart had a large void. Now that it was being filled, he wanted it filled completely, with love, friendship, and family.

The chatty Pu Yu tonight was something he enjoyed, filling his heart with warmth.

They talked about their past and their lives before they met. Their vastly different backgrounds gave them plenty to discuss. Liu Fen, hearing them talking late into the night, called out, "Xiao Song, it's getting late. Go to sleep. It's already so late."

Ning Song said to Pu Yu, "Well, now she knows we talked all night. Your innocence is safe with me."

Pu Yu hugged him and chuckled.

The next morning, the world outside was covered in snow.

After breakfast, the roads were still covered in uncleared snow, so Liu Fen suggested Pu Yu stay a little longer.

Since Li You and Zheng Xiaobo hadn't attended the birthday party yesterday, Ning Song decided to visit their Mahjong Hall with Pu Yu.

Upon arrival, they found the doors tightly shut, and the place was closed.

He called Li You, but his phone was off.

So he called Zheng Xiaobo, but there was no answer.

Pu Yu suggested, "Call Qiao Qiao and ask."

The wind was strong, blowing snowflakes off the eaves, like a fresh snowfall. Pu Yu pulled his down jacket hood closer and pressed it against Ning Song's hood, blocking the wind and snow.

Ning Song called Qiao Qiao, who was still sleeping. "Xiaobo? Xiaobo hasn't been home recently, didn't I tell you yesterday?"

"Where did he go? Youge's phone is also off."

"He said he went out to play with some friends. I didn't ask for details. Can't you reach him by phone?"

"No one's answering."

As soon as Ning Song finished speaking, he saw the curtain behind the glass door being pulled aside.

Zheng Xiaobo was holding an iron bar, looking at them.

Ning Song: "…"

Seeing it was them, Zheng Xiaobo put down the iron bar and reached out to open the door. "Why are you guys here?"

"What are you doing?" asked Ning Song.

Zheng Xiaobo smiled and said, "There have been people causing trouble lately. I'm using this for self-defense. Come in."

Ning Song and Pu Yu entered and saw Li You inside, wrapped in a blanket, sleeping.

Only the two of them were in the Mahjong Hall. Ning Song asked, "Where's Sister Hong?"

"She went back to her hometown for the New Year and hasn't returned yet."

Zheng Xiaobo swept the accumulated instant noodle cups and cigarette butts on the table into the trash bin. "Why did you two come over?"

Looking at Pu Yu, he added, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Pu Yu replied, looking around. "Isn't Lower Harbor under strict crackdown again? Are there still people causing trouble?"

Zheng Xiaobo said, "Yeah, it's the most chaotic right now."

Li You woke up, looking a bit dazed when he saw them.

"Brother You."

Li You acknowledged them, noticing Pu Yu brushing snow off Ning Song's coat. He squinted and asked, "Is it still snowing outside?"

"Not anymore," Ning Song said, "It's just snow blowing off the eaves."

Ning Song was dressed warmly, wearing a bright indigo scarf, making him look radiant and beautiful. Even the usually quiet and somber Pu Yu seemed to gain warmth and light standing next to him.

Li You looked at him for a while longer before finally regaining his senses and getting dressed.

The four of them went out for breakfast together. Along the way, Ning Song noticed that everyone had their doors open and businesses running, not looking like the area was in chaos.

Li You's hand seemed to be recovering poorly; his little finger appeared weak.

He hadn't noticed it before, but it was particularly evident when he held chopsticks, slightly drooping.

Ning Song said, "Didn't you say your recovery was going well?"

Li You said, "It doesn't affect my life."

Ning Song asked, "Who did you offend this time?"

Li You looked up.

Ning Song said, "Everyone's shop is open for business. Why is your Mahjong Hall closed?"

"Sister Hong went back to her hometown; it's her shop," Li You said.

"When we knocked on the door, Brother Xiaobo was holding an iron bar."

Li You pursed his lips and poured a lot of vinegar into his rice noodles. He probably didn’t know how to respond.

Ning Song asked, "One finger wasn't enough; how many more do you want to break?"

Zheng Xiaobo said, "Ning Song, you shouldn't say that."

Li You said, "Xiaobo."

Pu Yu bumped Ning Song’s knee. But Ning Song said, "I only care because I consider you a friend."

"Got it, got it," Li You said with a smile.

Ning Song sighed.

"I really get it," Li You said.

The tone was so helpless it verged on affectionate, causing Pu Yu to give Li You an extra glance.

Their eyes met, and Li You lowered his head to eat his noodles quickly.

After finishing their meal, they headed back. On the way, Pu Yu asked Ning Song, "Are you getting too involved with Li You?"

"He helped me a lot in the past," Ning Song said, "Don't you remember when he was limping?"

Pu Yu thought Ning Song was just too soft-hearted.

If someone showed him a little kindness, he would remember it tenfold, which is why he cared about so many people. Sheng Yan used to be one, and now Li You was another.

He himself had taken advantage of Ning Song’s soft heart, so he was very sensitive about others doing the same.

For him to let these people go, they would have to be doing well themselves.

Like Sheng Yan, he felt Ning Song had moved on from him.

Li You’s current situation was indeed worrying.

He didn’t want Ning Song to keep worrying about him.

Pu Yu thought for a moment and then said, "I think he listens to you quite well. If he didn't listen this time, there might be another reason."

Ning Song turned to look at him.

Pu Yu said, "If you want to manage it, you should first find out what the reason is."

After returning home, Ning Song thought about it and had Qiao Qiao make up an excuse to call Zheng Xiaobo out.

Seeing Zheng Xiaobo, he immediately said, "You're Li You's best buddy, right? You want him to be okay, don't you?"

Zheng Xiaobo: "...As if I need to tell you."

"Who did he offend?"

Zheng Xiaobo said, "The Qin family."

He pursed his lips, "He always told me not to tell you. Do you remember last year when someone submitted a report saying Qin Yi was abusing boys and tarnishing his father's reputation?"

Ning Song asked, "Was it him who submitted the report?"

Zheng Xiaobo nodded, "Actually, when someone sent you a threat letter, he figured out it was Qin Yi behind it and wanted to take him down completely. I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen. He gathered some dirt on the Qin family from a few friends. There's an illegal casino in Underground City that belongs to the Qin family, and he collected some evidence and submitted it anonymously. No one knew who did it, but suddenly one day, we were ambushed. That's when Li You's tendon got cut. Damn it."

Ning Song's face paled, "Were they from the Qin family?"

Zheng Xiaobo shook his head, "We don't know. They were just a bunch of professional thugs. We only suspected it was their doing. Luckily, they had no evidence, and Li You isn't without support."

"Are you now guarding against these people?"

Zheng Xiaobo shook his head, "No, many people found out about Li You's injury. There's someone called Four-Eyes who took the opportunity to cause trouble. A while back, Li You beat up one of his guys. Here, it's either you dominate or you get dominated. It's a mess here. Li You didn't want you involved because he says you're not like us anymore."

He looked at Ning Song, "So don't blame him for causing trouble. Even if he doesn't start it, trouble will find him. Li You often says our lives are set. When he drank with me, he said there was a time he thought things would be different, but later realized he was just dreaming. I think he meant when he studied hard last year."

He looked up at Ning Song, "So, Ning Song, don't blame him anymore."

Ning Song pursed his lips and nodded.

His reaction surprised Zheng Xiaobo a little. He thought Ning Song was about to cry.

"I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty. After all, you didn't know."

Ning Song nodded, "Thank you, Brother Xiaobo, for telling me this."

"Don't tell Li You about this. He has his own stubborn logic! He'll be furious."

Ning Song went home briefly and soon returned to the Mahjong Hall with his backpack.

Seeing him again, Li You was taken aback, "What are you doing here?"

"Bored alone, so I came here to do my homework."

"There's no heating here. You can do your homework here."

"Our place doesn't have heating either. You've fallen behind in your studies recently. I can help you catch up." Ning Song said.

He saw Li You lock the door and draw the curtains.

Of course, Li You wasn't going to study. He had been playing *Black Rose Academy* recently.

He and Zheng Xiaobo were lying on the bed playing games, while Ning Song was doing his homework nearby.

At noon, Ning Song didn't leave and invited them to lunch.

In the afternoon, Li You couldn't help urging him to go.

"We have something to do," he said.

"I can stay and watch the shop for you."

Zheng Xiaobo chose to remain silent.

He felt that Ning Song's demeanor had changed after their conversation.

Just as Li You was about to say something, they heard the sound of motorcycles outside.

He lifted the curtain to look outside and then turned back to see Ning Song holding Zheng Xiaobo's iron bar.

The cold metal stung his hand. Ning Song walked to the door and saw seven or eight young thugs getting off their motorcycles, laughing and walking toward the door, knocking on it.

Li You thought for a moment and then turned to Ning Song, "Put the bar down."

He opened the door.

Zheng Xiaobo had already jumped up from the bed and ran to Ning Song, trying to pull him into the back room, but Ning Song didn't move.

An extremely handsome boy dressed neatly, holding an iron bar, looked incredibly out of place.

The group of thugs entered, lifting the curtain, looking exactly like the familiar and detestable gangster types, asking, "Where's the money?"

Li You pulled out a red plastic bag full of money from the drawer and tossed it over.

The leader, wearing glasses, caught the money, opened it, and glanced inside, "This isn't the amount we agreed on, is it?"

Li You said, "This is for your brother's medical expenses. Any more, and there's nothing left."

The man sneered and turned to Li You, "Brother You still has such a tough attitude. Heard you can't use your hand properly anymore."

"Then come and try," Li You said.

Their eyes swept over Ning Song and Zheng Xiaobo, lingering on Ning Song's face for a moment. He raised an eyebrow, looked at the iron bar in Ning Song's hand, and laughed, "This pretty boy is new. So fierce."

Li You said, "Take the money and get lost."

The man grabbed a chair from the mahjong table and sat down, crossing his legs and staring at Ning Song: "Are you a student?"

Ning Song asked, "How much do you want?"

Li You said, "Don't worry about it."

"Are you going to pay for him?" The man sized him up.

"I'll see how many years in jail that amount will get you," Ning Song said.

The man's face darkened, and his underlings were about to charge forward but were kicked away by Li You.

The thugs immediately got angry, stepping forward and rolling up their sleeves. Zheng Xiaobo picked up a beer bottle from the ground: "Come on!"

"If you still want medical fees, I have some here." Li You pushed Ning Song behind him.

The man stood up: "Brother You is tough. Looks like I won't be able to mix it up on this street unless I take a bite out of Brother You's hard bone."

As he walked out, he said, "Smash everything! Get Little Liu's leg from this fishmonger."

Hearing this, Zheng Xiaobo threw the beer bottle at him: "F*ck your grandpa, come and get it if you dare!"

The bespectacled man reacted quickly; the bottle grazed his neck and shattered against the door curtain, falling to the ground in pieces. Ning Song then pushed aside Li You, grabbing a stick and rushing forward.

Li You couldn't stop him in time. Ning Song flicked his wrist, and the iron rod swung around Li You's arm, hitting the first person's stomach. Within seconds, both sides were in a chaotic fight, which dispersed in less than ten seconds.

They were all terrified by Ning Song.

This kid looks so delicate, yet he fights so viciously!

They wanted money, not lives!

Several people lay on the ground, moaning while holding their arms. Fortunately, they had used their arms to protect their heads; otherwise, a blow to the head would have been fatal.

Even Li You was stunned. In his memory, Ning Song had always been a well-behaved student. He had heard that Ning Song was strong, having beaten Qin Yi into a pulp, but seeing it firsthand was different. Ning Song fought harder and harder, making everyone's hearts tremble. Li You snatched the iron rod from Ning Song's hand, who, panting and looking confused, tried to take it back.

"Holy sh*t." The bespectacled man backed to the door, looking at Ning Song in disbelief, signaling others to drag their fallen comrades over.

The mahjong hall echoed with cries of pain as nearby shopkeepers gathered and then scattered.

"You're ruthless, kid!"

"How else can I be your father!"

The man, losing the fight but not the spirit, said, "Wait and see!"

Ning Song held the stick, watching them walk away, panting and licking his lips. He asked, "Isn't there a crackdown recently? Why are they still collecting protection fees?"

But neither Li You nor Zheng Xiaobo answered. Both looked at him in surprise.

Ning Song's delicate features had lost their ferocity. He adjusted his scarf around his neck and looked at them.

"You fight really well," Zheng Xiaobo remarked.

Ning Song said, "These guys are like leeches. If you don't hit them hard today, they'll come back tomorrow. They act tough, but they're all scared of death. Show them who doesn't fear death, and they won't dare mess with you. Besides, there are no cameras here, and they came into our shop. They're probably regulars at the police station with a pile of records. The cops would definitely side with me. I know how to play the pity card."

He spoke confidently, sounding like an old hand. Zheng Xiaobo said, "I'll look up to Brother Ning from now on."

He had always thought Ning Song was a docile kid who only fought when cornered.

Li You, however, looked serious and said, "You shouldn't fight like that."

"Would they stop if I didn't?"

"They might not stop even then."

"They won't last long. Uncle Pu will return and crack down hard," Ning Song said. "Trust me, I have experience."

"I don't want you involved in these things. Just focus on your studies and stay out of trouble."

"Should I just ignore it?"

"No need for you to handle it."

Ning Song stood there for a moment, lips pressed together. He managed to control his temper and remained silent.

Li You went to the room, fetched Ning Song's backpack, handed it to him, and gestured: "Go."

Ning Song left with his backpack. Zheng Xiaobo chased him to the door, stopped, and turned to Li You: "Why are you being stubborn?"

Li You closed the door: "Do you know what would happen if he hit someone's head?"

"I think he knows what he's doing. He has a sense of control."

Li You said, "He has no control." He frowned at Zheng Xiaobo: "Did you talk to him about something?"

Zheng Xiaobo felt guilty. Li You raised his foot to kick him.

"He asked, so I told him. But I didn't tell him you like him!"

Li You was taken aback.

Zheng Xiaobo said, "Do you think I can't see anything? Coward, only brave enough to be tough with me."

Unexpectedly, Ning Song returned after a while, bringing a technician to install surveillance cameras.

Li You went straight to the inner room, ignoring him. Zheng Xiaobo came over to help and said, "We installed cameras before, but they're useless. Do you know who's backing these guys?"

"Things will be different from now on. Trust me." Ning Song said.

"Will they really be different?" Zheng Xiaobo asked.

Staring at the properly set-up camera in a daze.

"Yes, they will." Ning Song said firmly.

Ning Song accompanied his master to adjust it and checked it on the computer. Li You was lying on the bed.

After setting everything up, he left.

Halfway through, he turned back and saw Li You following behind.

He didn't bother with him and went straight home.

After dinner, he saw Li You still outside.

So he went down and said, "I care about you, and you care about me. Why do we have to do this?"

"You were too dangerous."

"If it were the other way around, you wouldn't ignore it either." Ning Song looked at Li You. "I'm hungry; treat me to some late-night snacks."

Li You took him to eat some late-night snacks.

They ordered two bowls of small wontons by the roadside.

Sour soup, very spicy, very appetizing.

It was very cold, but the food steamed hot.

The warm broth warmed their bodies and hearts. Ning Song started talking more, saying many reassuring things to Li You: "I'm not just an ordinary person anymore, with hundreds of thousands of fans. If I encounter any injustice, my voice will definitely be heard. I know that sometimes righteousness alone isn't enough. Now I also have money, and we have friends like Pu Yu..."

Li You silently finished his bowl of wontons and drank the hot soup, then said, "Do you know why I don't want you to get involved with me?"

Ning Song paused, with a wonton in his mouth, and said, "I don't want to know."

Li You smiled and said, "It's not just because I don't want you to get involved in these matters."

"Brother You." Ning Song interrupted him, his gaze falling on his lifeless pinky finger.

"And because the more you do this, the more I like you. Because I like you."

Li You said: "...See, we can't be friends."

He stood up, moved his lips, and said, "Once you move away, don't come back to Lower Harbor. You don't belong here."

Ning Song looked up at him, tightly pursing his lips, tears welling up but held back.

As Li You walked away, it was very cold, but only the bowl of wontons remained steaming hot, warming his body. This was truly one of the best bowls of small wontons he had ever eaten.