Chapter 31

Chapter 31

During the morning study session, Gu Yufeng was called into the office by Xiang Haibin for questioning.

"Xie Ci said we were getting cozy at the school gate?"

Gu Yufeng nodded casually, admitting directly, "Yeah, what’s the big deal?"

This attitude made Xiang Haibin furious: "What’s the big deal? You tell me what the big deal is! Both you and Xie Ci are male and underage! How could you act so close at the school gate? Do you know how bad the influence is?"

Gu Yufeng: "Then we won’t do it at the school gate next time."

"Is that the point?!"

Xiang Haibin was so angry that he lectured him for half an hour, and only let him go when the first class was about to begin.

On his first day back at school, Gu Yufeng hadn’t even had time to do anything before being given a thousand-word essay to write.

In Class One, Xie Ci saw Gu Yufeng enter through the back door as if nothing had happened and casually asked, "Did you explain it clearly to Lao Xiang?"

"Explained."

Gu Yufeng took out a notebook, opened the cap of his pen, and started writing.

"Regarding the incident where I and my deskmate Xie Ci were getting cozy at the school gate, causing a bad influence on other students, I seriously think about..."

Xie Ci glanced at it, getting a bad feeling.

"How did you explain it?"

Gu Yufeng wrote as he spoke, "We were getting cozy at the school gate, everyone saw it. If I denied it now, wouldn’t that make me a jerk?"

Xie Ci: "..."

You’re unbelievable.

Originally, he wanted Lao Xiang to put this guy in his place and make him tone it down, but it seems that’s impossible.

This guy can’t be controlled by anyone.

The surrounding students all had the looks of someone who just heard some juicy gossip.

What happened yesterday afternoon had already spread throughout the school—the two best-looking guys in school were seen together at the school gate and even reported by a parent.

However, one of the protagonists was Gu Yufeng, who had openly "declared" his feelings for Xie Ci on his first day of transferring. Most students in Class One thought it must be a misunderstanding, just a friendly cheek touch, but the person himself actually admitted it?

Zhang Ruochuan and the others were laughing their heads off, explaining to the classmates who came to ask about it.

Fang Size: "You can tell from Lao Gu’s carefree attitude that he’s just joking."

Zhang Ruochuan: "Who would dare to admit to a crush in front of the class teacher? Besides, Lao Gu and Lao Xie are both straight."

Jiang Chenyu: "Quit making a big deal out of it, how could Lao Xie like guys? He isn’t even into girls."

Over there, Yang He, Xu Chao, and a group of others were also talking about it.

"Even if it’s not homosexuality, isn’t it gross for two guys to touch cheeks?"

Xu Chao didn’t deliberately lower his voice, and it could be heard from both the front and back rows of the classroom.

His deskmate Yang He sneered, "Haven’t they tried this several times before? I heard there are a lot of gay people among foreigners!"

The boys nearby made disgusted noises when they heard this.

"I’ve only heard about it before, I didn’t expect homosexuality to be so close to me."

"That’s just gross. If someone tried to touch my face, I’d puke!"

"Looks like we’ll have to steer clear of that foreigner from now on. What if he jumps us on the street? That’d be so creepy."

"If some guy kissed me out of nowhere, losing my first kiss to a dude would be a total nightmare, haha."

They got really into the topic of homosexuality, laughing and joking without holding back.

Yang He glanced up and saw Xie Ci standing by his seat, staring him down. He was so startled he forgot what he was going to say.

The others caught on, and the chatter slowly died out.

Right then, the pressure coming from Xie Ci was almost palpable.

Xie Ci: "Since no girl’s ever randomly kissed you, you don’t have to worry about a guy doing it. Everyone’s in the same boat."

Some girls nearby got the hint and started laughing.

Xu Chao and the others instantly lost their smiles.

Yang He: "But he’s gay! It’s not the same! Gay people aren’t normal—they’re freaks!"

"Let’s not even get into whether he’s gay or not."

Xie Ci’s expression was indifferent, his tone as usual, "Even if he is, what are the odds he’d go after you? I’m not worried, so why should you be?"

The boys were embarrassed but couldn’t come up with a comeback.

Xie Ci outclassed them in both school and sports, so he had every right to say what he did.

The boys watched as Xie Ci walked to the front, dropped his homework on the podium, and headed back to his seat, too scared to keep talking.

After what Xie Ci said, they’d just look like bigger fools if they kept it up.

Xie Ci seemed as calm as ever, but they could tell he was pissed.

Gu Yufeng sat there, watching his defender return, twirling his pen between his fingers, feeling pretty pleased.

As Xie Ci sat down, Gu Yufeng turned to him and said, "That ‘I’m not worried’ line was pretty cocky."

Xie Ci leafed through his textbook for the next class and said, "Oh, really?"

Gu Yufeng drawled, "So, are you saying you know exactly how much I’m into you?"

Xie Ci knew all too well—he’d gone after Gu Yufeng in his past life and won him over easily.

Xie Ci thought to himself but replied, "Don’t take things said in the heat of the moment too seriously."

Gu Yufeng leaned in, boxing Xie Ci in between the wall and himself, and said, "Like I’ve said before, I’m really into you."

Xie Ci noticed the students around them silently looking over, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Do you really have to cause trouble right now?"

Gu Yufeng: "I'm just sharing my thoughts about you. How is that causing trouble?"

Xie Ci tried to push him away, but Gu Yufeng wouldn’t move.

"Gu Yufeng," Xie Ci's tone carried a warning, "cut it out."

The classroom went dead silent.

Xie Ci caught Fang Size giving him a look from across the room. He turned to look out the window behind him and saw Xiang Haibin standing outside, glaring at them with a stormy expression.

"All of you, get out in the hallway and stand there as punishment!"

The bell rang for class, and Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng stood side by side in the hallway, enduring the chilly breeze.

Seeing Gu Yufeng laughing like he didn’t have a care, Xie Ci figured it out.

This kid had deliberately caused trouble to get back at him.

"You happy now?" Xie Ci's voice was colder than the wind.

Gu Yufeng: "Deskmates should share the load, like you said. Why should I be the only one writing a reflection?"

From inside the classroom came Xiang Haibin's roar: "You dare talk while being punished? Each of you write an extra 500-word reflection!"

The two instantly shut up.

Xiang Haibin let out a deep sigh, leaning on the podium as he looked at everyone in the classroom: "The monthly exam results are out."

This made everyone forget the drama, their nerves on edge.

Xiang Haibin picked up the list beside him: "The top scorer in our class is Xie Ci."

Wow—!

The entire class gasped in unison.

The top spot changed hands. Xie Ci just broke Fang Size’s two-year record!

Jiang Chenyu raised his hand excitedly: "Teacher, where does he rank in the grade?"

Xiang Haibin replied matter-of-factly: "Of course, he’s first. The top spot in the grade wouldn’t go to another class."

Wow—!

Another round of gasps.

After Xie Ci aced the last quiz, they’d been eagerly waiting for his ranking in this monthly exam. Even though they’d considered this outcome, seeing it right in front of them still left them stunned.

The top ten in the grade were no slouches—they were all people they admired. No one expected Xie Ci to shoot to the top, going from slacker to academic god in one monthly exam.

Jiang Chenyu shouted out the window: "Lao Xie, did you hear? You’re first in the grade!"

Xie Ci gave an indifferent 'Hmm,' showing no excitement.

The others snapped out of it and realized the top scorer was being punished by standing outside. Suddenly, they found it pretty funny.

Xiang Haibin looked at Xie Ci and asked in a neutral tone: "Now that you’ve taken first place, do you have any tips or advice for the rest of the class?"

Xie Ci, standing by the window, was stared at by the entire class. After thinking for a moment, he spoke with a deep expression: "The facts prove that young love does not affect studies. Everyone can feel free to engage in young love."

The room fell into dead silence.

Someone couldn't help but laugh, and soon the whole classroom burst into laughter.

"Get out and stand by the office door until the end of class!" Xiang Haibin roared, grabbing a piece of chalk and throwing it.

Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng went together to stand by the office door.

This spot was sheltered from the wind, much more comfortable.

Gu Yufeng: "Was that on purpose?"

Provoking Xiang Haibin to get a better spot for punishment.

Xie Ci ignored him.

Gu Yufeng didn't mind: "How many times did it take to learn this lesson? Seems like you've pissed off Lao Xiang a lot before."

Xie Ci: "So now I'm paying the price."

Gu Yufeng pretended not to hear the sarcasm in his words: "Before, you stood alone; now I'm here with you. Isn't that nice?"

At first glance, it sounded warm and comforting, but upon closer thought, it wasn't quite like that.

Xie Ci looked at him quietly: "I'm being punished because of you, aren't I?"

Gu Yufeng turned his head to meet his gaze: "If you hadn't talked nonsense last night, I wouldn't have had to write a reflection."

Once the monthly exam results were announced, the whole school was in an uproar.

Xie Ci had taken the top spot in the senior year, spreading much faster than the previous quiz results. Even students who usually didn't care about gossip knew that the dormant academic god had returned after two years.

Almost every teacher in every class used Xie Ci as a positive example to motivate underperforming students.

Meanwhile, the protagonist of the example was being lectured about life by Xiang Haibin in the office.

As Xie Ci was about to leave the office, the door opened from the outside, and a boy about 1.75 meters tall with a somewhat gloomy expression walked in.

As they passed by, the boy glared fiercely at Xie Ci.

Xie Ci was puzzled by the glare but couldn't be bothered to investigate.

Kids at this age are always a bit neurotic, like Gu Yufeng, who, true to his name, could go crazy at any moment.

Xiang Haibin, his throat dry from talking, took a sip from his thermos. The phone on his desk suddenly rang, and he picked it up: "Hello, Director Qian? ... Xie Ci, yes, he did exceptionally well this time. Given the difficulty of the papers, his results have exceeded my expectations..."

Xiang Haibin's previously stern face softened, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Director Qian sighed: "It seems his foster family was indeed problematic. The principal came to me earlier, feeling guilty about Xie Ci's situation, saying the school failed to investigate thoroughly back then, leading him astray."

When Xie Ci first enrolled, his grades plummeted, and the school leadership held a special meeting to analyze the reasons, even calling in Xie Ci's relatives for a talk, but it all came to nothing.

"Luckily, we caught it in time, and it's not too late. The kid is working hard, and there's still a chance to make up for it."

Xiang Haibin then asked, "I heard there's a lawsuit regarding his relatives? How's it going, any hope of winning?"

Director Qian: "Their lawyer came by yesterday, I met with them. The principal's stance is full cooperation; we will not tolerate domestic violence against minors."

Xiang Haibin: "Just let me know if there’s anything I need to help with."

Just before hanging up, Director Qian remembered something: "This morning, a reporter from the education channel contacted us, wanting to do an exclusive interview with Xie Ci. When you get a chance, check with the kid and see what he thinks."

Since middle school, Xie Ci has been a hot topic, a favorite news subject for major media outlets, especially after his fall from grace and now his return to the top.

It’s such a juicy story, and the reporters are already all over it.

Xiang Haibin had initially agreed, but suddenly thought of something and hurriedly said, "I think his grades are still up and down, and with his family issues unresolved, let’s not distract him right now!"

Director Qian: "Alright, I'll help him decline then."

After hanging up, Xiang Haibin was torn.

He didn’t mind Xie Ci doing an interview, but that kid seems steady on the surface, but he’s actually rebellious and tends to talk nonsense. If he says something wild in front of the media, it’ll be a mess.

The media wouldn’t care about Xie Ci’s feelings; they’ll twist anything they can get their hands on.

Xie Ci has finally settled down to study, and we can’t have any more drama right now.

In the classroom, Zhang Ruochuan and a few others gathered around Xie Ci’s seat, discussing where to go for dinner that night to celebrate Xie Ci’s first place.

"No need to go through all that trouble," Xie Ci said.

"We’ve got to keep the tradition alive," Jiang Chenyu disagreed. "Every time Lao Fang gets first place, we have a dinner. We can’t skip it just because it’s you."

Hearing this, Zhang Ruochuan patted Fang Size and teased, "Lao Fang, you’re second this time. Feeling like crying yet?"

Fang Size, sitting on the desk across the small aisle, adjusted his glasses and said, "I already had a little cry in the bathroom."

That got everyone cracking up.

They finally settled on Lao Li’s Stir-Fry place.

While munching on his skewers, Gu Yufeng suddenly understood what Xie Ci had said that morning they went hiking.

Some things you don’t love, but you miss them after a while.

Some people are the same.

Seeing Gu Yufeng turn to look at him, Xie Ci raised an eyebrow: "What’s on your mind now?"

Gu Yufeng was amused by his cautious tone: "Relax, I’m not about to kiss you out of nowhere."

Xie Ci: "You never know."

Gu Yufeng: "Are you hoping for it?"

Xie Ci just kept quiet.

If they kept talking, it’d go somewhere he didn’t want it to.

Zhang Ruochuan and Fang Size secretly exchanged glances, both understanding each other’s thoughts.

The vibe between Lao Xie and Lao Gu was getting more and more... interesting.

They started talking about the class get-together on Saturday night, and Zhang Ruochuan asked, "What are you guys bringing as gifts? I’m still drawing a blank."

Gu Yufeng: "Just show up, no need to bring anything."

"No way, we can’t show up empty-handed."

Zhang Ruochuan turned to ask Jiang Chenyu, "You’re the idea guy, got any thoughts?"

Jiang Chenyu stroked his chin and thought for a moment: "A week’s worth of socks, so you can save up a week’s worth of dirty laundry."

The guys burst out laughing.

Zhang Ruochuan: "Good idea, but if you’re giving socks, I can’t exactly give underwear, right?"

Fang Size: "If you guys are giving stuff, what should I bring?"

Jiang Chenyu: "How about shoe inserts?"

Fang Size: "...What a brilliant idea."

Zhang Ruochuan laughed and asked Xie Ci: "What about you, Lao Xie? What’s your gift?"

Jiang Chenyu: "Dude, I got you covered—just bring foot soak packs."

Gu Yufeng was speechless: "Can I just say no to that?"

Xie Ci, after finishing the barbecue in his mouth, casually said: "I’ve already got the gift ready."

Everyone at the table looked at him, even Gu Yufeng was curious.

In his past life, Xie Ci always gave him gifts for holidays and anniversaries—luxury items, sports cars, stuff like that. But now that Xie Ci was broke, Gu Yufeng was dying to know what he’d come up with.

Gu Yufeng couldn’t help but ask: "So, what’d you get?"

Xie Ci: "You’ll see when it’s time."

The whole table: "..."

He’s such a tease!

On Saturday afternoon, Xie Ci got dressed, checked the buzzing group chat, and headed out with Xie Qian.

He got to the meeting spot first, hopped out of the passenger seat, and grabbed the wrapped painting from the back.

"Hey, Xiao Ci."

Xie Qian called out to him worriedly, "If anything goes wrong, call me right away."

Xie Ci agreed: "Take it easy on the drive back."

Xie Ci waited at the square corner as Zhang Ruochuan and Fang Size showed up.

Soon, a van pulled up, and Jiang Chenyu’s face appeared as the window rolled down.

"Hop in, guys!"

The guys were pumped, talking a mile a minute the whole ride.

Jiang Chenyu noticed the thing by Xie Ci’s feet and asked, "Lao Xie, is this your gift? It’s huge."

Xie Ci: "Yep, it’s a painting."

Jiang Chenyu’s face went blank: "...What?!"

Zhang Ruochuan was somewhat surprised: "Right, you can give a painting! Way classier than socks. Lao Xie, you’re such a sneak for not telling us."

Fang Size: "Good thing I didn’t end up buying insoles."

Jiang Chenyu stared at the painting, his eyelids twitched, his blood pressure spiked, and his mind raced, completely unable to joke around.

Jiang Chenyu pointed at the painting, dumbfounded, and asked Xie Ci: "Lao Xie, this... this painting isn't...?"

Xie Ci calmly replied: "Yes."

Jiang Chenyu: "No way!"

Last Sunday, when Xie Ci sold the old man's painting, he said that Gu Yongnian had a painting from the same series. Who knew he still had that painting and hadn’t given it away?

So that day, Xie Ci just talked his way into scamming a million bucks!