Chapter 183

Chapter 183

◎Idiot◎

Ji Nanxing's intervention was more effective than Xiao Ye beating him up ten times over. That day, Yu Xuelin didn't even return to class, skipping school for two or three days straight. It wasn't until the homeroom teacher came to his house and dragged him back that he finally returned to school obediently.

But after returning, he seemed different. Sometimes he would stare blankly at Liang Qiao, who sat in front of him, but most of the time he just lay on his desk sleeping. Even if someone accidentally bumped into his desk, he would just let out an annoyed 'tsk' and didn't react violently as he used to.

However, his classmates noticed that Yu Xuelin would initially have an instinctive reaction, his eyes fierce, as if he was about to hit someone the next second. But after that subconscious reaction, he would unconsciously glance in Xiao Ye's direction, and his temper would immediately subside.

This reaction of his was noticed by many, further cementing Xiao Ye's fearsome reputation and solidifying his status as the school's top enforcer.

No one knew that what Yu Xuelin truly feared was Ji Nanxing's methods. That unpredictable, almost supernatural method was truly something to be wary of. Yu Xuelin wasn't afraid of fighting; no matter what, he could fight back. Even if he were beaten to death, at least he would know how he died.

But that day, Ji Nanxing did something to him that made him feel as if he was under a spell, unable to move, and gave him a brutal taste of near-death suffocation. He was genuinely scared, so much so that even accidentally meeting Ji Nanxing's gaze gave him a spine-chilling sense of fear.

Even the two lackeys who followed Yu Xuelin didn't know how they were knocked out the day before. During the days when their boss was absent, they avoided Xiao Ye and Ji Nanxing, not daring to provoke them.

Xiao Ye listened to the rumors and looked at the various speculations and gossip on the school forum, shaking his head with a 'tsk tsk'. Then he poked Ji Nanxing, who was diligently doing his homework beside him, and asked, 'Am I taking the fall for you?'

Ji Nanxing didn't stop writing, replying, 'Didn't you aspire to be the big boss? Now that you've got your wish, isn't that good?'

Xiao Ye made a face that said, 'Don't wrong me': "Who wants to be the big boss? I'm a good student, ranking in the top 30 of my grade. With a bit more effort, I can break into the top ten, and then prestigious universities like Tsinghua and Peking will be within my reach. I'm not like those brutes who only know how to fight. You can't tarnish my reputation like this. I don't care; I took the fall for you, so you have to compensate me!"

Ji Nanxing smiled, flipping to the next page of his exercise book. Now they had to do their homework themselves; there was no longer a Senior to do it for them. Moreover, the academic pressure had significantly increased since the start of the second year of high school, with teachers from all subjects adopting a sea-of-problems tactic. If they didn't take advantage of the breaks to do some work, they wouldn't be able to sleep early at night.

Fortunately, these problem sets were quite simple, and he could solve them just by glancing at them, allowing him to chat with Xiao Ye while working: "What kind of compensation do you want?"

Xiao Ye's eyes darted around, then he picked up a pen from the table and twirled it between his fingers, pretending to be magnanimous: "I won't ask you to treat me to a meal. Just call me 'brother'."

Ji Nanxing stopped writing and turned to look at Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye, who had been leaning lazily against the desk, immediately sat up straight under Ji Nanxing's gaze, trying to recall if his request was too revealing of his ambitions, while also thinking of how to backtrack.

Just as he was about to say it was a joke and move on, Ji Nanxing hooked a finger at him.

Xiao Ye instinctively leaned over: "What's up?"

Ji Nanxing leaned slightly forward.

Xiao Ye's body instantly stiffened, his pupils reflecting Ji Nanxing's approaching figure. His heart raced uncontrollably, and he tried hard to suppress the instinct to swallow, his grip on the pen tightening until his knuckles turned white.

His mind was filled with thoughts: What does Naonao want to do? Is he going to hit me? He's so close to me. Naonao is so handsome. Naonao smells so good.

A breeze blew in from the window. Although their classroom was on the third floor, the dense leaves outside blocked the view. When the wind blew, it created a rustling sound, a gentle swaying that seemed to stir something deep within.

Seeing Xiao Ye's dumbfounded expression, Ji Nanxing smiled, leaned closer to his ear, and softly said: "Brother."

Thump thump thump.

It was the sound of Xiao Ye's heart pounding violently, not just the uncontrollable beating, but also a tickling sensation, as if something had lightly brushed past, spreading a tingling numbness from the center of his heart to every limb.

Zhang Yuan walked into the classroom from outside, placing two bottles of water he had brought for them on their desks. But seeing Xiao Ye looking as if his soul had left his body, he glanced curiously at Ji Nanxing.

However, Ji Nanxing was still doing his homework, answering question after question without even needing to think.

Zhang Yuan sat back down in his seat, puzzled, took out his phone, and sent a message to Xiao Ye: "What's wrong with you? Your ears are so red they look like they're about to bleed. Can't you control your dirty thoughts in public?"

Xiao Ye, slightly embarrassed, stole a glance at Ji Nanxing. Seeing him still focused on his homework, he tried hard to press his lips together, suppressing a smile harder to control than an AK, and took out his phone to reply: "He called me brother!"

Zhang Yuan looked at his phone and smiled, but his reply remained cold and ruthless: "Is that all? People might think you called him 'husband'."

Seeing those last few words, Xiao Ye's face burned with heat again. Just the thought of Ji Nanxing calling him those two words, with that cool voice in his ear and warm breath on his face, enveloped in Ji Nanxing's scent, made Xiao Ye feel like his whole body was hardening, burning with desire.

Unable to bear it, Xiao Ye locked his phone, put it down, and abruptly stood up: "I'm going to the restroom." He needed to splash cold water on his face to cool down, or else he felt like he was going to burst into flames.

With that, Xiao Ye quickly ran out.

Zhang Yuan scoffed under his breath, "What a wimp."

Ji Nanxing stopped writing and glanced at Xiao Ye's hurriedly retreating figure. He rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window at the lush greenery, also smiling.

In chemistry lab, experiments were done in groups of four. Classes outside the classroom always seemed more interesting. As class was about to start, everyone grabbed their textbooks and headed to the laboratory building.

Liang Qiao was a bit slower after using the restroom. Just as he was about to enter the lab, Yu Xuelin grabbed him.

Fear instantly seized Liang Qiao. Yu Xuelin hadn't been attending class these past few days, and even when he did return, he had become much more subdued after being taught a lesson by Xiao Ye.

He hadn't taken Liang Qiao's homework or forced him into unwanted tasks. Liang Qiao thought he had finally been saved, but now, after just a few days, Yu Xuelin had come for him again.

Trembling, Liang Qiao was dragged to a secluded corner. With red-rimmed eyes and clutching his book, he stammered, "I'll get it for you later."

Yu Xuelin looked at the person who didn't even dare to meet his gaze and asked, "Have you ever considered suicide?"

Liang Qiao was stunned. He didn't deny it. Perhaps Xiao Ye had given him some courage, or maybe he also wanted to know why—why he was the one being targeted and bullied.

For the first time, Liang Qiao looked directly at Yu Xuelin with red-rimmed eyes: "Yes."

That single word made Yu Xuelin clench his fists.

Liang Qiao was still scared, but he felt that since Yu Xuelin had asked, it was a good opportunity to clarify some things: "I've thought about it many times. I don't know why you've targeted me. Since middle school, because of you, I haven't made any friends. Everyone avoids me, afraid that getting close to me will make you target them too. I really don't know what I did to offend you, or if I'm just easy to bully, so you keep picking on me."

"I have a younger sister at home. She's been with our parents since she was little, so they dote on her. At home, I'm like air, and at school, I'm like air too. I don't seek affection or friendship. I just want to study and attend school in peace, but even that's impossible. Yu Xuelin, I beg you, can you let me go? I've really thought about jumping off a building countless times. Almost every day when I open my eyes, I think about it. If you need money, I'll give you all my allowance from now on. I just beg you, please, stop bullying me. I just want a normal life. If I did something to offend you before, I'll apologize, okay? I'll kneel and plead for your forgiveness. Can you let me go?"

Seeing Liang Qiao about to cry, Yu Xuelin couldn't quite explain how things had come to this. Maybe he had inherited his father's violent tendencies.

At first, when he didn't understand his own feelings, he just felt annoyed whenever he saw Liang Qiao. He didn't even understand why he felt annoyed. Maybe he thought he didn't need a reason to dislike someone, so he deliberately walked beside him and bumped into him, then coldly told him to get lost.

But even when Liang Qiao kept his distance, he still felt annoyed, and for some reason, he wanted to bully him, threaten him into doing his homework, make him buy things for him, intimidate, extort, bully, and ostracize him—all of which he had done to Liang Qiao.

Not to mention how others avoided Liang Qiao, not daring to talk to him, which gave Yu Xuelin the illusion that Liang Qiao belonged to him, was his possession.

He knew Liang Qiao was suffering, but so what? He, too, was struggling, and the person who stirred all his emotions was Liang Qiao, creating a vicious cycle that he had become accustomed to.

Now, hearing Liang Qiao say that he had thought about suicide many times, Yu Xuelin was shocked. Shocked that he had pushed someone to such a desperate point, and shocked that he had become the very thing he had despised as a child.

After hearing Liang Qiao's words, Yu Xuelin said nothing, just turned and left the laboratory building.

Liang Qiao didn't know if he had gotten through to Yu Xuelin, but seeing him leave, his legs gave out and he squatted down. He had always been timid, not tall, thin, introverted, and weak, which some might even consider effeminate.

He had wondered if that was why Yu Xuelin targeted him, but that was just his personality—slow and weak. Even if he wanted to change, it wasn't something that could happen overnight.

Even his family looked down on his always cowering demeanor. Compared to his sister's boldness, his personality was really unappealing.

But what could he do? Some things were just innate, not to mention that when he was little, his parents had left him with relatives, staying with one family for a while, then another.

Some relatives were kind, treating him the same as their own children, while others, even though they received living expenses from his parents, still treated him with disdain.

Having spent too many days living under someone else's roof and having to read their moods, he learned to read people's expressions and moods. Whenever someone showed even a hint of dislike towards him, he couldn't help but want to hide.

In middle school, Yu Xuelin's bullying led to his isolation, which further solidified this aspect of his personality. By the time he wanted to save himself, it was already too late.

Liang Qiao didn't aspire to become particularly outgoing or assertive in the future. He only wished for a simple and quiet life, to study, eventually leave this place for university, and find a job that could support him.

But all these hopes for the future were based on the premise that he could endure the last two years of high school.

Liang Qiao entered with a pale face and called out a report. The teacher, noticing his complexion, asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell? If you're not feeling well, go to the school clinic. Don't push yourself."

Liang Qiao shook his head, "I'm not unwell, sorry I'm late."

The chemistry teacher said, "It's okay, go to your seat. Alright, class, turn to page twenty-one."

Liang Qiao walked to his seat. Ji Nanxing glanced at him, and Xiao Ye leaned over, "Seeing him like this, that Yu Xuelin must have approached him again. That guy really has no fear of death."

Ji Nanxing said, "He did approach him, but it should be to cut off the peach blossom misfortune. The deadly peach blossom aura on him is gone."

He could see the little thoughts Yu Xuelin was hiding, partly because he had seen too many such things, and some people's little thoughts couldn't escape his eyes. Also, there was a deadly peach blossom misfortune between them.

Now that Yu Xuelin had let go, the peach blossom misfortune that had been entangling Liang Qiao naturally disappeared. Liang Qiao's ordeal was finally over.

Hearing the words "peach blossom," Xiao Ye's eyes wandered, and he eagerly asked, "Do I have any peach blossoms on me?"

Ji Nanxing arranged a pile of utensils according to specifications, "What, do you want peach blossoms? I can make you a peach blossom charm to help boost your peach blossom luck."

Xiao Ye's eyes lit up, "Does it work? Will the peach blossom charm really attract the person I like to like me back?"

Ji Nanxing: "Of course not. A positive peach blossom charm only boosts the user's fortune. When the fortune is strong, it attracts people with compatible energies, giving more opportunities for choices. What you're talking about, making the person you like like you back, either it's mutual affection from the start, or it's casting a spell."

Xiao Ye sighed regretfully, following the teacher's step-by-step instructions, pouring reagents into the utensils, then stealing glances at Ji Nanxing. Seeing that his expression hadn't changed, not even a ripple of emotion, completely indifferent to his desire for peach blossoms, his heart felt a pang of bitterness.

His clueless little desk mate, the road to love is long and fraught with obstacles.

Ji Nanxing recorded the data, seeing Xiao Ye's resentful look, he chuckled to himself, "Fool."

After leaving school, Yu Xuelin went to the karaoke bar opened by Liu Yilong. This karaoke bar wasn't exactly legitimate; apart from avoiding drugs, they dabbled in everything else. If it weren't for the lack of connections and skills, Liu Yilong would have wanted to get into drugs too, as that's where the real profit lies.

Although Yu Xuelin was young, he was fierce in fights, the type who would risk his life, often helping to oversee nightclubs with others. After all, nightclubs have more drunk troublemakers. Liu Yilong thought highly of him, treating him as a protégé, which also made others following Liu Yilong value him, giving him a bit of status here.

He arrived early today; their kind of karaoke bar didn't have many customers in the early afternoon. Seeing him, the afternoon shift greeted with a smile, "Why are you here so early today?"

Yu Xuelin casually grabbed a bottle of alcohol and took a couple of sips, "School is boring."

Someone nearby laughed, "At least get a high school diploma. If you don't stay in this line of work, having a high school diploma makes it easier to find a job than just a middle school one."

Yu Xuelin looked around, "Why haven't I seen Brother Long recently?"

"Brother Long? He's checking out a new venue, planning to open a foot massage parlor. He's been busy lately."

Their main income comes from the guests' sleeping fees; they don't make much from alcohol. Keeping a few pretty girls ensures they never lack customers.

You can't just order girls at their place; without being a regular, you wouldn't even see the girls in the shop. Even if a stranger directly asks if there are girls, they maintain a legitimate business front and refuse.

That's why they've managed to avoid several anti-vice operations over the years, mainly due to their caution.

As for the gang Xiao Ye had investigated, it was actually just some of Liu Yilong's followers, quite a number, about twenty to thirty people, who called themselves the Black Dragon Gang. In reality, they were just a motley crew.

Watching the busy people in the shop, Yu Xuelin zoned out for a moment. Suddenly, he felt a bit lost. Following Brother Long in his ventures, the life of fighting and killing was thrilling. Seeing Brother Long's successful boss demeanor, able to speak on both sides of the law, Yu Xuelin had fantasized about becoming such a wealthy and powerful person in the future.

But today, on his way after taking off his school uniform, he suddenly felt lost as he walked. He suddenly thought this kind of life was a bit meaningless, even more boring than school.

It wasn't yet time for him to start work, so Yu Xuelin greeted someone and prepared to leave the KTV, wanting to take a stroll outside.

Before leaving, he went upstairs to put his changed clothes in the wardrobe. As he was leaving, he seemed to hear Long Ge's voice, which made him feel a bit strange since he had been told that Long Ge had gone to check out a new venue.

As he was about to push the door to greet him, he heard Long Ge talking on the phone with someone. He casually overheard something about money.

Yu Xuelin didn't listen further, thinking it was probably about fundraising for the new venue. Not wanting to disturb Long Ge, he left.

After finishing the call, Liu Yilong habitually checked the surveillance footage and saw Yu Xuelin standing at the door for a while before leaving, narrowing his eyes slightly.

The homeroom teacher of Class One, Teacher Mao, is a very responsible teacher. Students' grades aren't the most important thing to him; as long as they're safe, he'll try to help those with poor grades, but he doesn't force it. This is what he told the class at the beginning of the semester.

But some students, especially since it's just the start of the semester and the class assignments are new, repeatedly skipping school is really challenging his authority as a homeroom teacher.

Unlike the last time when he successfully caught Yu Xuelin at home, this time he went twice but couldn't find him, and his phone was turned off. Asking the neighbors around, they couldn't tell if he had come back.

There are no adults at Yu Xuelin's home, and if something happens outside, the school would be responsible. So Teacher Mao reported the situation to the school and went to the police.

Gossip spreads the fastest, and the next day the news spread in the class. Xiao Ye glanced at Yu Xuelin's seat: "Really not coming?"

Zhang Yuan said, "I asked someone, and Teacher Mao really called the police yesterday."

Zhang Yuan's deskmate, Dong Qi, was surprised: "Who did you ask? The news is so well-informed."

Zhang Yuan: "I asked the police. My dad is a police officer."

Dong Qi was amazed: "That's impressive."

The most nervous and expectant person hearing this news was naturally Liang Qiao. He was nervous that if Yu Xuelin really went into society, his influence might become stronger, and if he came to bully him again, even Xiao Ye might not be able to help him.

He also hoped that Yu Xuelin would really give up on school. If he never came back, it would be even better. Not being in the same class, not having to be nervous and scared all the time, if he could have no more interaction with him, Liang Qiao felt he would really be free.

Ji Nanxing, however, looked at Yu Xuelin's empty seat with some confusion. He lightly pinched his fingers in the air, and a wisp of smoke invisible to others floated over, caught between his fingers.

After a moment, Ji Nanxing waved his hand to disperse the wisp of smoke and whispered to Xiao Ye: "He's about to die."

Xiao Ye was shocked: "What's the situation? Did he get into trouble outside and get killed?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "My intuition tells me it's related to Liu Yilong. I'll have the male assistant call the teacher to ask for leave for me later. I'll go look for him first."

Xiao Ye: "I'll go with you!"

Knowing that refusing Xiao Ye's temper was useless, Ji Nanxing didn't waste time refusing and thought about having the male assistant ask for leave for both of them, finding some excuse, better than skipping class and writing a reflection.

Zhang Yuan saw them carrying their bags and leaving, thought for a moment, and followed.

Xiao Ye looked at him: "We can ask someone to ask for leave, but if you follow, be careful of being called to bring your parents."

Zhang Yuan: "So be it. Where are you going? Is there something going on?"

Ji Nanxing: "Don't know yet, let's go out first and see."

Zhang Yuan: "Ah, is there a lingering ghost seeking justice?"

Xiao Ye: "No, Naonao calculated that Yu Xuelin is about to die, we're going to save him."

Although that Yu Xuelin is not a good person, after all, it's a life. Zhang Yuan didn't say anything, instead pulling them to walk quickly out of the school: "Let's go, hurry up and save a life."