Chapter 5

Chapter 5

◎Becoming the School's Tough Guy◎

The military training was scheduled for a week, followed by two days of rest, and then the official school year began on September 1st.

Third-year students had no summer break and returned to school before the freshmen even started their military training. The second-year students had a slightly longer summer vacation, but not by much, as they almost entered school at the same time as the freshmen who had their training early.

So, during the freshmen's military training, the upperclassmen would take a peek during their breaks to see if there were any particularly outstanding or good-looking juniors.

Soon, the name Xiao Ye started to be talked about. Some people's good looks might stir up a bit of debate because everyone's taste is different, but some are undeniably handsome, easily unifying others' aesthetic standards. Xiao Ye's handsomeness clearly fell into the latter category.

Ji Nanxing's name also came up in conversations. That day, he arrived late to school, searching classroom by classroom for his class, and stood out in his casual clothes among the sea of uniforms. Naturally, he was noticed, and his face was hard to forget once seen.

Sadly, he didn't get much attention before he had to take a few sick days. Not many had seen him, so he was temporarily overshadowed by Xiao Ye in the looks department. More people talked about him fainting before the military training even started, labeling him as delicate.

But soon, even the talk about his delicacy faded because, on the third day of military training, even before classes officially started, Xiao Ye made a name for himself in school by getting into a fight.

He wasn't picking on just anyone; it was the third-year sports class students.

According to those who were there that day, Xiao Ye took on three third-year sports students, locking them in the restroom and beating them until they were black and blue, crying for their mothers.

Some said Xiao Ye had already found out who the troublemakers at Yulan High School were and decided to beat them into submission as soon as he entered school, to make a strong first impression and assert his dominance.

Others claimed that the three sports students, impressed by Xiao Ye's good looks, took advantage of being upperclassmen and physically imposing, not just teasing him with words but also getting physical in the restroom, forcing Xiao Ye to fight back.

There were even rumors that the fight was over a love interest, that a girl the sports students liked had gone to see Xiao Ye and even gave him water, which led to the confrontation and subsequent beating.

But regardless of the rumors, the end result was the same: Xiao Ye took on three and beat them badly.

Of course, if the incident had just ended there, Xiao Ye's name wouldn't have spread so widely. Even the most studious bookworms, who usually ignored gossip, couldn't resist their curiosity and went to check it out.

That's because the fight happened in the morning, the parents were called in by noon, and by the afternoon, the drill sergeant in charge of their class's military training, who wanted to discipline this rebel, ended up being easily taken down by Xiao Ye.

At that time, the drill sergeant was scolding Xiao Ye, criticizing him for being impulsive and causing trouble, and even challenged him: "You like fighting so much, you're so good at it, come on, come out and fight me, let's see how much you're really worth!"

Usually, in such scolding, even the most troublesome students rarely confront the drill sergeant. Although he only trains them for a week, being from the military and having undergone professional training, the drill sergeant's authority is rarely challenged by students.

But Xiao Ye was one of the rare ones who directly stepped out of the line and stood face to face with the drill sergeant.

The drill sergeant was so furious he let out a bitter laugh, and immediately went for a grappling move.

Then, in front of several classes and with everyone watching, Xiao Ye took down the drill sergeant in just a few moves, so quickly that even the students in the front row who had the clearest view didn't see what happened.

They only saw Xiao Ye kick a couple of times and extend his hands a few times, and then the drill sergeant was pinned to the ground by Xiao Ye.

That one fight made Xiao Ye a legend. How others saw it, the students of Class Seven didn't know, but in their class, the name Xiao Ye now meant not to be messed with.

It was just the start of the school year, and they hadn't figured out his temper yet, but after these two fights, they were temporarily not daring to provoke him.

Early in the morning, Xiao Ye strolled into the classroom, his bag casually slung over one shoulder, and the previously lively classroom fell silent in an instant. Xiao Ye didn't bat an eye, striding over to his seat with his long legs and sitting down.

Zhang Yuan, sitting behind him, immediately leaned in: "Did your old man beat you up when you got home yesterday?"

Even during military training, there was homework every day. Each subject had exercise books, with a set number of pages to complete daily, and each teacher would check and mark them.

Xiao Ye took out his homework from his bag and placed it on the desk, waiting for the class representative to collect it, while replying to Zhang Yuan: "Why would he beat me? I didn't cause trouble, and I didn't lose the fight. My grandpa isn't unreasonable."

Their family wasn't the type where a call from the school meant a beating at home. As long as there was a good reason and they were in the right, they wouldn't quickly resort to physical punishment, but if they did, it would be serious.

Hearing that he wasn't beaten, Zhang Yuan felt relieved, then said: "That guy named Qi Kang, I checked the forum last night, he's a real troublemaker, taking advantage of his size to bully others, and has been involved in a lot of bullying. He was unlucky this time, running into you."

Actually, nothing particularly special happened that day. Xiao Ye had just accidentally gotten oil on his hands while eating breakfast and went to the first-floor restroom to wash his hands before returning to the classroom.

The sports students had morning training and would go to the first-floor restroom afterward, which led to the encounter between a third-year and a first-year student who wouldn't normally be in the same restroom.

It was only two days into the new school year, and Qi Kang had already heard the name Xiao Ye mentioned several times, especially by some girls. So when he ran into him, he had to see for himself what was so special about this guy.

Although Xiao Ye was indeed handsome, at that age and being male, Qi Kang just scoffed and said, "Is that all?"

Xiao Ye ignored him, finished washing his hands, and turned to leave.

Qi Kang couldn't accept being ignored by a first-year student like that, and without thinking, he blocked Xiao Ye's path.

At first, Qi Kang just wanted to intimidate Xiao Ye, but Xiao Ye wasn't one to take things lying down and immediately slapped away Qi Kang's hand that was poking at him.

Then they started fighting.

Qi Kang wasn't alone; he had two friends with him, and the three of them were beaten up by Xiao Ye in the restroom.

Zhang Yuan said to Xiao Ye: "I also heard that those sports students have some friends outside. You should be careful during this time."

He believed in Xiao Ye's fighting skills, but he was worried about hidden dangers. If they were ambushed by ten or twenty people, Xiao Ye alone might find it hard to handle.

Xiao Ye chuckled lightly: "Let them come if they dare."

Zhang Yuan didn't say more, instead showing a bit of a spectator's interest: "Do you think our class's drill sergeant will come today?"

Being taken down by a student, and not even lasting five moves, if he had any shame, he probably wouldn't want to see Xiao Ye ever again.

Xiao Ye: "If he doesn't come, that would really be a joke."

A grown man who can't handle losing, that would be a waste of his uniform.

The first bell rang, and Zhang Yuan stretched, about to sit back, when he saw someone slowly walking over from the corridor and quickly kicked Xiao Ye's chair: "Hey, your deskmate is here!"

Xiao Ye looked up just in time to see Ji Nanxing, wearing his school uniform and carrying his bag, walk into the classroom.

His clean and neat hair looked smooth as silk, turning a light brown under the morning light as he walked down the corridor, only returning to pure black as he entered the classroom.

The boy's school uniform was a bit oversized. Ji Nanxing was thin, but the baggy uniform didn't make him look like a skinny scarecrow; instead, it gave him a straight yet lazy appearance.

The rolled-up sleeves revealed arms that were well-proportioned, not frighteningly bony due to his slim build, and even showed faint muscle lines.

Besides his face, the most beautiful part exposed was his hands, which were perfect for playing the piano. Even just resting on the black and white keys, they exuded an artistic elegance.

Xiao Ye watched as the boy looked at the seating chart posted next to the blackboard, searched the classroom with his eyes, and then, gripping his bag strap a bit tighter, walked over.

Ji Nanxing didn't expect to be seated next to this boy, Xiao Ye. The character "Ye" in his name had a somewhat negative connotation, and not many people used it in names. The character "Ye" was broad and vast, and not everyone could carry it well.

But for this boy, it seemed quite fitting—vast and free. Judging by his appearance, he had a full and prosperous family life, so the name likely carried the wish for him to grow freely and be resilient.

Ji Nanxing walked over to Xiao Ye, but the seated boy didn't move, which puzzled Ji Nanxing. Previously, this person seemed quite good-tempered, having interacted with him a few times without showing any coldness, even helping him block a railing and catching him when he fell. Why did he seem different now?

Seeing that he wasn't moving, Ji Nanxing spoke up: "Excuse me, could you let me in?"

Only then did Xiao Ye seem to snap out of it, put down the pen in his hand, turn around, and move his long legs out from under the desk, making a path for Ji Nanxing to enter.

As Ji Nanxing moved in, the slightly narrow passage inevitably led to some physical contact.

Ji Nanxing felt the warmth being conveyed, while Xiao Ye was startled by the icy skin sensation he could feel through the thin fabric of his pants, making his heart thump inexplicably, sending a shiver through him and raising goosebumps.

Having smoothly returned to his seat, Ji Nanxing noticed Xiao Ye rubbing his arms and glanced over at him.

He was closely watching Xiao Ye's face and vibe, checking if there were any adverse changes due to their contact.

But he didn't notice any issues.

The yang energy around Xiao Ye was still very strong. While others have three small flames on their shoulders, Xiao Ye's three flames were truly like three blazing fires. If you kept your spiritual eyes open, sitting next to him would be even more dazzling than the sunlight outside.

Feeling his deskmate's gaze, Xiao Ye stopped rubbing his arms, coughed lightly, and was about to turn and ask what he was looking at.

As he turned, he met those beautiful phoenix eyes, shaped like a fan, with thick, slightly curled eyelashes. The pupils, perhaps due to the indoor lighting, appeared as a clear, bright black, with a moist, lustrous quality, so stunning that just one look could pull you in.

Ji Nanxing, seeing him staring motionlessly, asked with slight confusion, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Ye first responded with a puzzled "Hmm?" before realizing he was being asked and replied, "Nothing, I was just wondering what you were looking at earlier."

Ji Nanxing shook his head, "Nothing much. Thank you for last time; if you hadn't caught me, I would have fallen."

Xiao Ye: "No big deal, I was just standing behind you. Are you feeling better now?"

Ji Nanxing: "I'm fine now."

Xiao Ye picked up a pen from the desk, twirling it between his fingers, nodding, "That's good to hear."

Then, they fell silent.

After the last fainting episode, the homeroom teacher decided Ji Nanxing shouldn't even go downstairs. As it happened, Ji Nanxing hadn't done his homework for the past three days, so the teacher had Chen Shiyi and Ji Nanxing stay in the classroom, only going down to gather for lunch around noon.

After everyone left, Chen Shiyi quietly celebrated, clutching a book and sitting in Xiao Ye's seat, "You're finally here. Now that you're here, I don't have to go downstairs anymore. You have no idea how awkward it is to stand alone watching them train every day."

Ji Nanxing took out a blank worksheet and asked Chen Shiyi, "Up to where do we need to do the homework?"

Chen Shiyi flipped through his homework book, "Including today's assignment, each book needs to be done up to page twenty. I've already turned in my homework; otherwise, I could have let you copy the earlier parts."

Ji Nanxing: "No need, these are easy; I can finish them quickly."

The classroom returned to quietness. Ji Nanxing started with math; his mind was sharp, and even with only a third of his focus, he could complete the assignments well.

Especially since he had missed many classes before, his mother worried he might fall behind. From elementary to junior high, he always had private tutors, and by junior high, he had already covered high school material.

Now, he didn't need to think much as he wrote; most problems didn't even require rough drafts—he could calculate the answers just by looking at them.

Meanwhile, Chen Shiyi was reading a book with a cover from one of the Four Great Classical Novels, but the actual content was some unknown novel. He chuckled as he read, and when he found something particularly funny, he wanted to share it with Ji Nanxing.

But just as he raised his hand, before he could touch Ji Nanxing, Ji Nanxing seemed to sense it and leaned away, avoiding his hand.

This clear avoidance left Chen Shiyi's hand awkwardly hanging in mid-air, "Uh..."

Ji Nanxing used the tip of his pen to press down Chen Shiyi's hovering hand, "Don't touch me, I don't like being touched by others."

People like Chen Shiyi, who are naturally ill and thus more yin, touching him could either bring bad luck or worsen his condition. It's okay to talk from a distance, but too much contact could be deadly.

Most people, when Ji Nanxing told them this, wouldn't say anything but would have some thoughts. Many who initially wanted to be close to him gradually distanced themselves because of this.

But Chen Shiyi wasn't like most people. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Then if I talk to you, will you find me annoying or think I'm too noisy?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head, "No."

Chen Shiyi wasn't particularly noisy, so it wasn't an issue.

Hearing this, Chen Shiyi felt relieved, "That's good. Don't worry, I'll be careful not to touch you in the future."

After saying this, he hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't ask the question that had just popped into his mind.

He really wanted to ask if Ji Nanxing had been bullied as a child, hence his aversion to being touched. Being a boy with such good looks could be dangerous, but they had just become classmates and weren't familiar enough to broach such a personal topic.

However, he made a mental note of Ji Nanxing's dislike for being touched and resolved to minimize physical contact with him in the future.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ye, having completed ten laps around the playground as a warm-up, was stretching and relaxing, taking a break while others were still running.

As he stretched his arms, he could see their classroom window, but unfortunately, being on the first floor, he couldn't see into the third-floor classroom. After watching for a while and finding it boring, he turned his back to the school building and looked out at the playground.

Watching his classmates struggling with just ten laps, Xiao Ye chuckled, then thought about how if his deskmate were to run, not even ten laps, but with that small frame, just standing for a while could make him faint. One lap might be fatal.

This thought inexplicably dispelled the restlessness that had been lingering in his heart, even bringing a bit of amusement.

Author's note:

Now

Xiao Ye: My deskmate is such a weakling, might not even finish one lap.

Later

Xiao Ye: Wife, have mercy, I can't win, just can't.