Chapter 96

Chapter 96

◎It is recommended that you get a paternity test◎

Most high schoolers don’t have much freedom. Things like weekend camping trips are something many wouldn’t even dare to think about. Just being able to sleep in at home instead of being dragged to cram school is already a very happy thing, let alone being taken out to play.

So when they found out that Ji Nanxing and the others went camping on the weekend, many classmates were super jealous. Plus, Jiang Tangtang, who’s a chatterbox, mentioned the fight at the campsite that day, and the topic kept the class buzzing for a couple of days.

Right now, their lives revolve around studying, and they’re at that age where they idolize strength and are full of energy. They think Xiao Ye’s freedom to do whatever he wants is super cool. For a while, more classmates wanted to buddy up with Xiao Ye, hoping they’d be invited to the next activity.

As for Ji Nanxing, the classmates know Ji Nanxing isn’t into the noise. Even though he seems easygoing, there’s a certain aloofness that keeps people at a distance. In addition, Xiao Ye’s undisguised possessiveness towards Ji Nanxing means most people don’t dare to approach him, let alone ask him to take them out to play.

Before, Xiao Ye would’ve chatted and hung out with his classmates, but now he’s full of thoughts, and he just finds the people around him noisy and annoying.

Someone joked (but not really) that they should be invited next time. Xiao Ye slammed the pen he was spinning onto the table and said impatiently, "It’s so noisy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the whole class fell silent.

Ji Nanxing, who was working on his problems with his head down, also looked up at him.

Xiao Ye placed his hand on Ji Nanxing’s head and gently guided him back to his textbook. His voice was much softer than the impatience just now: "Do your problems. I’m going to buy water. Want anything to eat?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head.

Xiao Ye got up, knocked on Zhang Yuan’s table, and walked out.

Zhang Yuan set his book aside and followed him out.

Jiang Tangtang, across the aisle, and Chen Shiyi, further away, immediately ran over to Ji Nanxing and asked, "What’s up with Brother Ye? Is he in a funk?"

Ji Nanxing thought about it. He was fine this morning, and nothing happened to upset him. But Xiao Ye has indeed been a little strange these past two days.

Before, he’d stick close to him even on the couch, but these two days he’s been lying on the single seat playing games by himself.

Even Xie Paner asked him last night why Xiao Ye’s been acting weird lately, and it feels like he’s become less talkative.

Chen Shiyi whispered, "Could it be that time of the month for him?"

Jiang Tangtang knocked on his forehead: "When Brother Ye gets back, you can ask him yourself."

Chen Shiyi snorted. He wasn’t looking to get himself killed.

Ji Nanxing propped his chin and looked out the window, not saying a word.

Zhang Yuan didn’t have anything he wanted to buy, but since he came to the small supermarket, he felt that it would be a waste if he didn’t buy anything. So he took a pack of mint candy from the shelf and threw it on the counter, waiting for Xiao Ye to pay for him.

Xiao Ye brought a bottle of water over, waiting for the phone to scan the code to pay. Zhang Yuan looked at him and said, "What’s wrong? It can’t be that you’re really annoyed by the noise."

Xiao Ye himself is a person who likes noise. In elementary and middle school, his seat was always the noisiest because there was always a group of people around him. He shouldn’t be angry about just a few people today.

Xiao Ye stood still with the water in his hand, frowning and silent. Zhang Yuan raised his eyebrows: "If you have something to say, say it."

Xiao Ye opened his mouth, but finally said, "Forget it, it’s nothing."

Zhang Yuan is very smart, so he can’t ask about something out of thin air. As long as he asks, Zhang Yuan will definitely know that he has that kind of thought about Ji Nanxing.

With this hesitation, Zhang Yuan didn’t need to think to see that it was probably a case of a young man in love. He suspected that Xiao Ye might have had a wet dream these past two days, and perhaps the other person in the dream was Ji Nanxing, so he was a bit unsure of his feelings?

From an outsider’s perspective, Xiao Ye’s thoughts couldn’t be more obvious. It’s just that he might not know it himself, and he only thinks of Ji Nanxing as a friend and brother. Now that a dream has revealed it, he is a bit doubtful about life.

With this in mind, Zhang Yuan said, "Actually, some things can't be figured out just by thinking."

Xiao Ye was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Zhang Yuan replied, "Human emotions and thoughts are not rational, like solving math problems where you apply formulas and one plus one equals two. Emotions can be influenced by many unstable factors, such as the external environment. When you're troubled, staying home and overthinking will only make it worse. But if you go out and see a different environment, your thoughts might change."

Xiao Ye looked at Zhang Yuan with a complicated expression, "What are you on about? It's all so unclear. You don't even know what's bothering me."

Zhang Yuan smiled, "Whether I know or not is beside the point. As for you, aren't you just uncertain about some things? Then you might as well change your surroundings and look at it from a different angle. For example, if I'm hungry and I want to eat barbecue, but I'm not sure if I really want barbecue or just meat, sitting at home won't help me figure it out. So I go out and stand in front of a barbecue shop, then a grilled meat shop, and even a hot pot shop. If after all that I still crave barbecue, then it's definitely my thing."

Xiao Ye started to get what Zhang Yuan was saying. He was unsure if his feelings for Ji Nanxing were just a fleeting thought or something more.

He was unsure if he should go home for a bit to clear his head, thinking that it might be some illusion caused by spending so much time with Ji Nanxing. But he was also afraid that suddenly deciding to go home would make Ji Nanxing overthink and feel unhappy, thinking that he was distancing himself.

These past few days had really fried his brain.

But after hearing Zhang Yuan's words, he suddenly felt that changing the environment to think about it might be a good idea.

Xiao Ye patted Zhang Yuan's shoulder, "That makes sense. You're onto something, man."

Zhang Yuan chuckled, "There's a lot more to it."

Xiao Ye returned to the classroom and placed a lollipop in front of Ji Nanxing, "They were out of strawberry and grape, so I grabbed strawberry milk."

Ji Nanxing unwrapped the candy, "Strawberry isn't even my favorite."

Xiao Ye said, "When it comes to candy, you love strawberry and grape. You don't care much for the others."

Ji Nanxing muttered, "You think you know it all."

Xiao Ye smiled without saying anything. He did know. After all this time together, he'd have to be blind not to notice.

Seeing Ji Nanxing start solving problems again with the candy in his mouth, Xiao Ye leaned over and said, "I'm heading home tonight."

Ji Nanxing looked up at him and nodded after a while.

He wanted to ask if something was up, but Xiao Ye seemed fine, so he let it go.

Xiao Ye saw that look as hesitation, and his heart melted. He reached out and ruffled Ji Nanxing's hair, "What do you feel like eating? I'll grab something for you tomorrow. Soup dumplings sound good?"

Ji Nanxing brushed his hand away, "Sure, whatever."

Xiao Ye smiled. "Sure, whatever" meant it was fine. He'd call home later and ask Wang Ma to whip up a batch, so he could bring some back and freeze them. They could heat them up whenever they wanted to eat.

He decided to go home today also because of some other matters. Even though those things weren't a big deal and he could easily skip them, Zhang Yuan was right. Getting out of his usual surroundings might help him figure out what he really feels.

He had a friend who went abroad two years ago and just returned. This friend wanted to organize a gathering and specifically invited him via WeChat.

Calling him a friend was a bit of a stretch since Xiao Ye and he didn't really click. That guy was a total playboy, living it up. His wild lifestyle meant he barely showed up to class, and he was eventually told to drop out. His family had no choice but to send him abroad.

His name was Lin Chengyi. They thought going abroad would set him free like a bird. But after going abroad, he realized that foreign countries were not as free as the legends said.

The school his family found for him was in the middle of nowhere. The campus was huge, equivalent to a small town, and the academic requirements were strict. If he didn't meet the minimum credit requirements each semester, he would be directly expelled.

Lin Chengyi's family made it clear that if he got expelled again, they would cut off all financial support and he would have to fend for himself. Lin Chengyi didn't have the ability to support himself, so he lived like an ascetic for two years.

Finally, after getting a pardon, he returned and acted like a mouse that had fallen into a rice jar. After pretending to be well-behaved at home for two days, he couldn't resist inviting people out for drinks.

In gatherings organized by someone like Lin Chengyi, there would be no shortage of handsome men and beautiful women. In the second-generation circle of Yulan City, inviting a few popular celebrities was not a problem.

When Xiao Ye sat in the luxurious private room, listening to a jumble of songs and watching a group of strangers, he already regretted coming.

Especially when he saw those celebrities who looked stunning on camera but had heavy makeup that looked almost theatrical up close, his irritation skyrocketed.

He must have lost his marbles to think of coming out to see others, even beautiful female celebrities, to figure out his sexual orientation.

What could these people compare to Ji Nanxing? They pale in comparison to Ji Nanxing.

Every morning, he would look at Ji Nanxing’s sleeping face—clean, tender, and irresistibly smooth. Seeing this crowd now was giving him a headache.

When Lin Chengyi approached with a glass of wine, he smiled and said, "It’s not often we get the honor of Young Master Xiao’s company. Why just sit around? What song do you want to sing, or who do you want to join you for a drink?"

Xiao Ye casually picked up a cocktail and clinked glasses with Lin Chengyi: "No thanks, I’ll just hang out for a bit and then take off."

For Xiao Ye to come, even if he just sat for a while or even just popped in to say hello and take a sip of wine, it was a big deal for Lin Chengyi.

Knowing the temperament of this young master, Lin Chengyi wouldn’t be so clueless as to shove people next to him. He simply sat down beside him: "Going abroad used to be a golden opportunity, but now it’s just a hassle. Not only is the food terrible at such a big school, but finding a date is tough too."

Back home, he could summon a group of people with just one phone call, but abroad, sure, there were plenty of hookups, but they didn’t mean anything. Playing with feelings was the real luxury.

Unfortunately, no one wanted to play with him because he wasn’t exactly scholarly, because he relied on skipping classes to earn credits, and because his conversations lacked depth. Those people looked down on him, and this was what frustrated Lin Chengyi the most.

Thinking about how he was once a big deal back home but now felt like nothing abroad, Lin Chengyi couldn’t help but take another gulp of wine.

Xiao Ye looked at him: "Dating?"

Lin Chengyi gave a playboy smile: "Yeah, dating. Dating is all about the thrill—the chase, the strategy, the excitement. It’s not like just a one-night stand."

Unfortunately, his novelty in relationships usually lasted only three months. After that, he’d get bored and want to move on.

Xiao Ye: "How many times have you dated?"

Lin Chengyi smiled and shook his head: "Lost count."

Xiao Ye, who originally wanted to talk to him about relationships, instantly lost his expression.

Lin Chengyi continued: "I might be a bit of a player, but I’m not a jerk. At least I make sure every relationship ends on good terms."

He never cheated when he was in a relationship. If he wanted to start a new one, he’d properly end the current one first. Anyway, his reputation in the circle was well-known, and most people who were willing to date him were just after the three months of material enjoyment.

Everyone knew the deal, and it worked out fine.

Xiao Ye finished the wine in his glass, put down the empty cup, and stood up: "It’s getting late, I’m gonna take off."

Lin Chengyi didn’t try to stop him, standing up to see him off: "Let’s catch up again sometime."

Xiao Ye waved at him and left. As he walked towards the exit, he passed by several celebrities, both male and female, some dressed sexily, others in a more innocent style. At this moment, he missed Ji Nanxing, his sofa, and the coffee table where they used to cram together doing homework.

He felt he didn’t need to confirm anything anymore. He was well aware of how shallow and chaotic the world outside could be. Apart from Ji Nanxing, he couldn’t imagine himself developing a long-term relationship with anyone else for the rest of his life.

If that person were Ji Nanxing, just thinking about it made his heart swell with joy.

He’d already found the best, yet here he was, still second-guessing himself.

Xiao Ye quickened his pace. At this moment, he really wanted to see Ji Nanxing, very, very much.

As he hurried out, he almost bumped into someone at a turn, but he managed to dodge quickly enough.

He didn’t even bother to see who it was; all he wanted was to get out of there and go home, back to Ji Nanxing.

But the person he almost collided with deliberately turned sideways and shoulder-checked Xiao Ye hard.

Xiao Ye's mind was elsewhere, so he wasn’t prepared and almost stumbled from the impact.

He turned around and saw the guy who’d intentionally bumped him smirking with malice. It was none other than Han Zhanwen, the guy he’d tangled with at the campsite.

Han Zhanwen was with a group of guys who looked pretty rough, likely not his classmates. They all had the same smug grins, like they were saying, ‘So what if we bumped you? What’re you gonna do about it?’

Han Zhanwen looked at Xiao Ye, shoved the guys next to him aside, and stepped forward.

They were about the same height, but their builds were totally different. Han Zhanwen was stocky, even a bit burly, making him look intimidating next to Xiao Ye, who was lean but toned.

Han Zhanwen had always been a hothead. He was naturally quick-tempered, and since he’d been big and strong since he was a kid, no one messed with him. If they did, he’d beat them down, and he always came out on top, which just made him even more domineering.

Right then, he didn’t feel a shred of guilt for bumping Xiao Ye and didn’t even give him a second thought. He barked, ‘Those two guys who pinned me down the other day—I saw them with you. Get them out here.’

Xiao Ye looked at him, smirked, and asked, ‘And then what?’

Han Zhanwen shot back coldly, ‘Once they’re out, you’re done.’

Xiao Ye countered, ‘What if I don’t?’

Han Zhanwen narrowed his eyes, his face darkening. ‘Then you’ll take their beating.’

Xiao Ye had been on edge for days, and now that he’d finally figured out his feelings, he was buzzing with energy. He glanced at a nearby dark private room and pushed the door open. ‘The hallway’s not the spot for this.’

Han Zhanwen was amused by what he thought was a bold move and let out a cold chuckle. He shot a look at the guys around him, and they cut off Xiao Ye’s escape.

Once they were sure he wasn’t going anywhere, Han Zhanwen headed into the room.

Xiao Ye brushed past the lackeys and followed Han Zhanwen in.

The guys outside filed in, lining up at the door, clearly planning to block it and keep Xiao Ye from bolting.

Xiao Ye didn’t even look back. He swung his foot and kicked Han Zhanwen, who was standing in front of him, sending him sprawling.

Han Zhanwen wasn’t a lightweight. At the campsite, it had taken four or five guys just to drag him away, and even then, they’d barely managed. This showed just how strong he was. But now, Xiao Ye had kicked him onto the couch with a single blow.

Before Han Zhanwen could react, Xiao Ye stepped onto the coffee table, jumped onto the couch, and punched Han Zhanwen in the face.

Han Zhanwen had a naturally violent streak. Once his adrenaline kicked in, he easily lost control. Unlike most people, who would feel fear after being hurt, he only became more uncontrollable.

The two quickly got into a fight.

In terms of raw strength, Xiao Ye might not have been as strong as Han Zhanwen, but Han Zhanwen had never received any formal training. He was just naturally hot-tempered and prone to violence. His family had been trying to temper this side of him, restraining him and even encouraging more refined hobbies to calm him down. They certainly hadn’t trained him in combat.

As a result, Han Zhanwen was at a disadvantage. He couldn’t land a hit on Xiao Ye but kept getting punched himself. He was like a trapped beast, lashing out wildly, his eyes bloodshot as if he wanted to devour someone.

At first, his lackeys had thought about stepping in, figuring that with so many of them, they could easily overpower Xiao Ye. But they quickly abandoned that idea because Han Zhanwen looked terrifying. He had picked up a chair from the room and was trying to smash it down on Xiao Ye.

If Xiao Ye hadn’t been quick enough to dodge each time, a single hit could have been fatal.

This was no longer just a simple fight fueled by dislike. If things got out of hand, it could easily turn deadly.

The lackeys had initially followed Han Zhanwen because, despite his temper and lack of intelligence, they could always get something valuable out of him by flattering and indulging him. But now, seeing him like this, they were afraid of getting involved and quickly fled.

Soon, the staff at the club heard the commotion and called in a group of security guards. When they saw the destruction inside, they didn’t hesitate to call the police.

Ji Nanxing showed up at the police station with his legal team. Xiao Ye was sitting on the bench in the interrogation room, while Han Zhanwen, because he was so worked up and violent, was locked in a small cell with iron bars.

As Ji Nanxing walked towards Xiao Ye, he passed by the cell where Han Zhanwen was still glaring with pure hatred, like he wanted to tear someone apart.

As soon as Xiao Ye saw Ji Nanxing, he walked over and hugged him with a pitiful look: "Naonao, I didn’t want to fight. He’s the one who picked a fight with me."

Looking at Xiao Ye, who was complaining in a pitiful tone, Ji Nanxing gave him a suspicious glance. This reaction seemed a little strange. However, it was also unusual for Xiao Ye to call him to bail him out after being detained at the police station. In fact, given Xiao Ye's style, he might have even tried to hide the fact that he was at the police station tonight.

But now was not the time to analyze Xiao Ye's behavior patterns. He gave Xiao Ye a pat on the shoulder, telling him to let go, and then asked, "Are you hurt?"

Xiao Ye shook his head: "No, I can handle myself."

Ji Nanxing asked, "How did you get into a fight with him?"

Xiao Ye replied, "We ran into each other at the club. He was still mad about the two bodyguards who stopped him that day and demanded that I call them out. No way I was going to do that. You know how he is—he wouldn’t let me go. So, I had to fight back."

The lawyer who came with Ji Nanxing finished negotiating with the police and walked over: "The club will send over a bill. The specific compensation will be discussed with the other party. As for the fight, if both sides agree to settle, it’ll just be a verbal warning. If they refuse to settle, the responsibility will be determined based on the surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts. I just reviewed the footage—the other guy started it. Also, the club staff saw Mr. Han breaking stuff, while Mr. Xiao was just passively avoiding. If responsibility is to be assigned, they have a bigger issue."

Ji Nanxing nodded and asked, "Is the other guy’s family here yet?"

As soon as he finished asking, three people walked in from outside. At the front was a middle-aged woman who looked gentle but had a sharp, no-nonsense air about her. Behind her were a man and a woman dressed in formal professional attire, looking like assistants.

The woman first glanced at her son, who was locked in the cell, and her expression instantly showed an indescribable weariness. Then she walked over to Xiao Ye: "I’m sorry about what happened tonight. My assistant has already contacted the police station, so I have a general understanding of the situation. We’ll cover all the costs for the club and your side. I hope you can agree to a private settlement."

Ji Nanxing looked at the woman and then at Han Zhanwen, who was still glaring at them from the cell, and asked, "Are you his mother?"

The woman nodded: "Yes, my son has a medical condition that makes him really irritable. I apologize on his behalf. Please let us know what kind of compensation you need."

Ji Nanxing looked at Xiao Ye, who said, "Let’s just drop it. This is probably his second time at the police station this week. If you keep letting your son off the hook like this, it could end in disaster."

The woman pursed her lips slightly and didn’t say much, only thanking them again for their understanding.

Seeing Han Zhanwen's face flushed with anger, Ji Nanxing asked, "Have you done a paternity test?"

The woman was stunned and looked puzzled as to why he would ask that.

Ji Nanxing explained, "I know a little about reading faces. Although his appearance is slightly abnormal due to supermale syndrome, it seems there is no blood relation between you and him. Maybe I’m wrong, but I suggest you take a paternity test."

The two assistants behind the woman exchanged glances and then simultaneously turned to look at Han Zhanwen. To be honest, they also thought Han Zhanwen didn’t look like their boss, but they had attributed it to the effects of supermale syndrome.

If Han Zhanwen wasn’t the boss’s son, then where was her real son?

After leaving the police station, Xiao Ye was still surprised: "Are they really not mother and son?"

Ji Nanxing nodded: "Very likely."

Xiao Ye exclaimed, "Wow, physiognomy can reveal so much! You can even tell if someone is biologically related."

Ji Nanxing said, "Fortune-telling is all about stuff like this. Although I’m not an expert in fortune-telling, I do know a bit. That lady is destined for a happy later life, with a harmonious and happy family, surrounded by children and grandchildren. But Han Zhanwen, with his face showing signs of impending disaster, is likely to get involved in a fatal lawsuit. Combined with his inherently violent nature, he probably won’t bring that lady happiness in her later years. Most importantly, there is no bloodline connection between them."