Chapter 56 Jiang Ruotang: I Dreamed, It’s All the Cheese’s Fault

Chapter 56 Jiang Ruotang: I Had a Dream, and It’s All the Cheese’s Fault

“Was that guy’s brain kicked by a donkey? Do I look like some gold-digger? Do I need someone to take care of me?” Jiang Ruotang was still fuming.

Lu Guifan shook his head and said calmly but firmly, “You don’t.”

You never needed anyone’s support. On the contrary, you’ve given many people the strength to stand on their own.

“I’m obviously a mighty—”

Jiang Ruotang had been about to say he was a mighty oak, but he wasn’t quite there yet.

“Alright, sapling, didn’t you want pizza? Where is it?” Lu Guifan reached out and lightly pressed his hand on Jiang Ruotang’s head, nudging him forward.

“I was so mad I almost was too mad to eat.” Jiang Ruotang planted his hands on his hips, looking both adorable and ridiculous in Lu Guifan’s eyes. “Actually, I regret it—let’s go back!”

“Go back for what?”

“Haven’t you seen those overbearing CEO shows? I want to tell the store manager right in front of that greasy CEO—pack up all the clothes… in our sizes and deliver them to my house! Then I’ll flash my credit card!”

Lu Guifan asked, “Did you bring your credit card?”

“No… which makes me even angrier…”

“Not worth it.” Lu Guifan patted the prickly hedgehog.

After a moment, Jiang Ruotang perked up again because Lu Guifan had been so tense earlier—he must have rushed straight from the subway station to protect him.

“Let’s get pizza!” Jiang Ruotang turned and grinned at Lu Guifan.

Lu Guifan was momentarily stunned. He didn’t quite understand how Jiang Ruotang could switch between anger and happiness so effortlessly.

But his smile was beautiful.

Lu Guifan could almost see why that man had had the hots for Jiang Ruotang—and why he himself needed to grow stronger.

In this world, being good at STEM subjects wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t protect the people he cared about.

They went down to the basement level and found the pizza place. Lu Guifan wasn't picky about food, so Jiang Ruotang did the ordering.

While waiting for the pizza, Jiang Ruotang was still a little annoyed and posted on his social media: *Yours truly doesn’t chase tail!*

Some friends were confused and just liked the post, while others left bemused comments, like Zhao Zhangfeng:

[*Fish? You only know how to eat fish! And you only eat the belly!*]

Jian Sha: [*Fishing is boring. Dragon taming's more your style.*]

Lu Guifan gave it a like.

Jiang Ruotang immediately beamed. “Snagged the class rep!”

Lu Guifan chuckled. For some reason, he really liked the word “caught.”

But Mu Xianqing, a veteran operator in the world of fame and fortune, immediately picked up on the subtext of Jiang Ruotang’s post and sent him a message:

[*Young master, where are you right now?*]

[*At Golden Mall, having dinner with a classmate.*]

[*Who said you were fishing?*]

Jiang Ruotang knew Mu Xianqing was concerned, but involving him would be like bringing a tank to a knife fight—completely unnecessary. Besides, he’d already gotten Lu Guifan’s protection, which felt like a win.

As if sensing Jiang Ruotang’s hesitation, Mu Xianqing sent another message: [*Some things require adults to step in. Some losses aren’t worth swallowing—they’ll just make people think you’re easy to push around. Understand?*]

Jiang Ruotang knew that if he lost money on an investment or got bad reviews on his art, Mu Xianqing wouldn’t interfere—those were just part of growing up.

But some things were Mu Xianqing’s bottom line.

[*I was at EC earlier and got taken for a student from Chengjiang Performing Arts Academy.*]

With that, Mu Xianqing understood everything.

Moments later, the EC store manager received a call. He kept nodding as the person on the other end spoke, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, his expression looking more uncomfortable by the second. Eventually, he approached Pei Qian and handed him the phone.

“Um, Mr. Pei… Mr. Mu is on the line. He’d… like to speak with you, if that’s alright.”

Pei Qian frowned. Since when does every Tom, Dick and Harry demand to speak with him?

“Which Mr. Mu?”

“Er… Mr. Mu Xianqing, from the Deyi Tianxia Group.”

The moment Pei Qian heard that, he almost fumbled his laptop. He quickly took the phone, apologizing profusely, calling it all a misunderstanding. His young boyfriend had just stepped out of the fitting room and saw Pei Qian kowtowing and scraping, as if facing some VIP.

After hanging up, Pei Qian tossed the phone back to the manager. “Why didn’t you warn me? What kind of ordinary high school student shops here?”

What Pei Qian didn’t realize was that Jiang Ruotang *was* just an ordinary high schooler just window shopping.

Mu Xianqing had chosen his words carefully, simply mentioning that the high schooler who’d visited earlier was a shareholder in his company—young and inexperienced, so he hoped Mr. Pei would look out for him.

Pei Qian rubbed his temples. “Look out for him” meant this boy was absolutely off-limits—avoid him at all costs, and if anyone shared Pei Qian’s tastes, they’d better protect him too.

Deyi Tianxia was a powerhouse. Many of Yunfeng Video’s projects relied on their investments—they were the undisputed kingmakers of the entertainment industry.

Pei Qian sighed. He hadn’t just accidentally come onto a high schooler—he’d offended a little ancestor.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ruotang’s pizza arrived, the gooey cheese smell making him drool.

Lu Guifan watched as Jiang Ruotang picked up two slices, folded them taco-style, and pulled at the stretchy cheese.

“When do the standardized tests results come out?”

“About a month.”

“Then you still need to prepare for the Central Academy of Fine Arts’ entrance exam, and your academic subjects—”

Before Lu Guifan could finish, Jiang Ruotang suddenly stood, bracing one hand on the table while shoving the pizza into Lu Guifan’s mouth with the other.

“Yes sensei, I get it! Please, just eat!”

Lu Guifan leaned back but obediently opened his mouth and took a bite.

When Jiang Ruotang pulled the pizza away, a long string of cheese stretched between them, yielding to gravity and forming a perfect arc.

One end clung to Lu Guifan’s lips, the other to the pizza in Jiang Ruotang’s hand.

Just as the cheese was about to droop onto the table, Jiang Ruotang quickly reached out to catch it, reeling the cheese back up to Lu Guifan’s mouth before biting it off.

Lu Guifan instinctively flicked his tongue out, while Jiang Ruotang froze, watching him calmly slice the crispy-skinned roast chicken.

Yet Jiang Ruotang remained lost in the previous moment.

He had read all sorts of messy novels and comics—he knew exactly how provocative that moment was, even feeling a faint warmth in his chest.

In Jiang Ruotang’s mind, Lu Guifan was like a jade sculpture enshrined in a sacred altar, devoid of worldly desires. Who would have thought that moment could be so damn hot that Jiang Ruotang almost needed to excuse himself?

Seeing Jiang Ruotang standing motionless with the pizza roll in hand, Lu Guifan seemed to understand something and reached out. “I already bit into it. Give it to me.”

This only reminded Jiang Ruotang—how could he let Lu Guifan take back something he’d already bitten?

“Come on, we’re close, aren’t we? It’s already rolled up like this. Just take a new piece.”

With that, Jiang Ruotang took a big bite right where Lu Guifan had bitten before.

The two of them finished an entire pizza, a small roasted chicken, and some snacks, plus the obligatory sodas.

Jiang Ruotang rubbed his full stomach contentedly before lazily turning to Lu Guifan. “Class President, what made you think of coming to Jin Shang Mall?”

Lu Guifan answered straight-up, “I promised my mom I’d buy you something to thank you for connecting them with the job.”

“Huh? Didn’t you already treat me to eel rice?”

Lu Guifan replied by the book, “But my mom’s budget covered buying you a hat or clothes. Of course, if you prefer something else, that’s fine too.”

Jiang Ruotang smirked to himself. This Lu Guifan—clearly putting thought into picking a gift for him, yet making it sound like a chore.

“Oh? What’s the budget?” Jiang Ruotang tilted his chin up.

“A grand.”

It was his parents’ goodwill. Refusing outright would only make them dwell on it.

“Then why shop here? We should go to the college town—could get a hat, scarf, puffer jacket, sweater, and pants all in one go.”

“But the quality here is better, isn’t it?”

“I know how to check materials and put outfits together. But… forget clothes. Since I get to choose, how about paint? I’ve got the Central Academy of Fine Arts entrance exam in January. I’ll go through tons of paint practicing.”

“Sure.” Lu Guifan smiled.

Because he had actually planned to get Jiang Ruotang paint or art supplies anyway.

“Just save what’s left for later. No need to spend it all at once.”

“Mhm.”

But if they weren’t shopping for clothes here, should they just head home now? If he’d known Lu Guifan came just to buy him something, he would’ve suggested meeting at the college town instead.

That place had everything—food, fun, entertainment.

They were already out anyway, Jiang Ruotang wanted to spend more time with Lu Guifan, but he wasn’t sure if Lu Guifan had other plans.

Like reading academic journals, grinding through competition problems, or just resting?

As Lu Guifan reached for the bill, Jiang Ruotang blurted out, “Wanna hit up the arcade on the eighth floor?”

Immediately, he regretted it.

Lu Guifan was the model student—teachers said arcades were off-limits. No way he’d agree.

Sure enough, Lu Guifan paused. Jiang Ruotang braced for rejection, but instead, Lu Guifan just checked his phone.

“We have class tomorrow. Only an hour.”

“You… you’d really go with me?”

Lu Guifan said flatly, “Yeah. Arcades don’t bite. Why not?”

Jiang Ruotang grinned, his canine teeth peeking.

They took the elevator to the eighth floor. Standing before the neon-blasted “Arcade” sign, Jiang Ruotang still hesitated. “You’re really going in with me?”

“Are you taking me to a red-light district?” Lu Guifan countered, amused.

“Of course not.”

Jiang Ruotang laughed. Since they only had an hour, he didn’t get too many tokens. They checked their coats and bags at the counter.

With Lu Guifan being a total noob, Jiang Ruotang avoided complex games, starting with simple games like hoop shot and table hockey.

From Jiang Ruotang’s observations, Lu Guifan was the slow starter type—like in hoop shot, he ignored the timer, spending the first round adjusting his stance and distance. Once he grasped the technique, the second round was a flawless streak, every shot nothing but net.

Jiang Ruotang, originally competing from the other side, quickly realized they weren’t in the same league. He ended up loading up tokens, collecting tickets, and cheering instead.

With table hockey, Lu Guifan was caught off guard in the first round. Jiang Ruotang laughed shamelessly, hands on his hips—only to get utterly dominated in the second round, barely keeping up as Lu Guifan scored relentlessly.

“Lu Guifan, warning—forever alone alert,” Jiang Ruotang pretended to pout.

Surprisingly, Lu Guifan took it seriously, pondering before replying, “I’m still unfamiliar with the rebound angles and speed. A few more rounds should help.”

“Huh? You crushed me effortlessly. What more do you want?”

“To play more rounds with you. Not ‘forever alone’ level.” Lu Guifan leaned down, tilting his chin—*Again*.

Ugh, so frustrating.

Most people aimed to win fast and hard. Lu Guifan? He strategized how to lose *gracefully*.

But admittedly, once Lu Guifan started “taking it easy on me,” Jiang Ruotang got a real workout. His competitive drive made him go all-out, yet Lu Guifan always deflected with minimal effort. Their back-and-forth was like a full-on badminton match in gym class.

After table hockey, Jiang Ruotang grabbed their prize tickets and dragged Lu Guifan to racing bikes.

This was simpler. Jiang Ruotang was thrilled to win three or four rounds straight—finally getting his pride back.

But by the fifth round, he finally realized: Lu Guifan had been letting him win all along.

It was like cat and mouse—Lu Guifan tailed close enough to create tension, then let him pass at the finish, letting Jiang Ruotang taste the thrill of victory.

Jiang Ruotang exhaled, slouching on his bike to glance at Lu Guifan. *You’ve got real potential as a wingman.*

Lu Guifan remained stone-faced, adjusting his glasses all scholarly-like.

“Still have some tokens left. Wanna do one more thing?”

“Okay.” Lu Guifan nodded.

Jiang Ruotang clutched his chest. *Why do you have to be so damn agreeable? It makes me wanna adopt you.*

The two wandered around the arcade. Jiang Ruotang didn’t want to take him to play any fighting games, and the couple standing by the claw machine made them feel like awkward third wheels. So...

"Hey, let’s try the dance machine?"

"I don’t know how to dance..."

Before Lu Guifan could finish, Jiang Ruotang grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.

"You don’t need to know how—just move to the beat!"

It wasn’t the weekend, so the row of dance machines was mostly empty. Even if they danced clumsily or missed beats, no one would laugh.

Jiang Ruotang set Lu Guifan to practice mode, explained the rules, then positioned him on the left side while taking the right for himself.

"Once the beat drops, gold awaits!" Jiang Ruotang immediately started moving.

"Huh?" Lu Guifan was still confused, missing several beats.

He glanced at Jiang Ruotang on the other side—his steps rhythmic, his fringe bouncing, forehead exposed, eyes fixed intently on the screen.

Sensing Lu Guifan’s gaze, Jiang Ruotang turned his head. "Hurry up! You’ve missed so much already—we’re gonna lose!"

"Oh."

Jiang Ruotang had always thought Lu Guifan was a bookworm, at least during high school. His badminton skills were an anomaly. But today, he realized Lu Guifan was the type who was a slow starter but a fast learner—a late bloomer who quickly surpassed expectations. Before long, practice mode was no challenge, and they were competing in beginner mode.

The dance machine was addictive. They ran out of tokens, but Jiang Ruotang wasn’t ready to stop. Just as he was about to suggest playing longer, Lu Guifan spoke first: "Wait here. I’ll get more tokens."

Jiang Ruotang nodded eagerly. Who said Lu Guifan was boring? Wasn’t he fun and interesting?

Lu Guifan ramped up the speed relentlessly, adjusting the tempo from 120 BPM to 150. Jiang Ruotang, who spent most of his time sitting in the art studio, was outmatched stamina-wise and eventually gave up, standing with hands on hips, admitting defeat.

Then he glanced sideways—holy crap! Lu Guifan had his hands in his pockets, face expressionless, only his feet moving to the beat.

Long legs gave him an effortless grace, and his casual demeanor made bystanders mistake him for some dance machine prodigy.

Jiang Ruotang whipped out his phone and snapped several photos.

"Hm?" Lu Guifan turned, giving him a questioning look.

"Evidence of you in an arcade. For leverage later."

Lu Guifan shrugged. "Think carefully about what you’ll leverage me with. We’re graduating in seven months anyway."

"Oho, getting bold? What if I send these to all the teachers?"

"Go ahead. I’ll suggest they come here for exercise after class."

"..."

Finally, they ran out of tokens again.

Jiang Ruotang collected a handful of tickets. Lu Guifan glanced down. "What are these for?"

"Redeem for prizes—cups, plushies, stuff like that. Nothing too useful."

As expected, their tickets only covered a small nightlight—not even motion-activated, just a basic plug-in model with a simple design.

"Take it. I don’t need it." Jiang Ruotang scratched the back of his head.

Lu Guifan examined it. "Fine. I can tinker with it."

Just then, Xiao Gao called—he was almost at Golden Mall and offered to drive Lu Guifan back. It was late, so Lu Guifan didn’t refuse.

In the car, watching the city lights streak by, Lu Guifan smiled faintly.

He’d never imagined stepping into an arcade in his life. He knew Jiang Ruotang had picked the simplest games, but being with him made him want to try things he'd normally overlook.

Back home, exhausted from the day’s focus and the arcade adrenaline, Jiang Ruotang was fighting to keep his eyes open.

He barely finished drying his hair before face-planting into bed.

Half-asleep, he felt something lightly brushing his ear and hair. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Lu Guifan sitting at his bedside!

In the dark, Lu Guifan watched him—radiating a completely different energy from daytime, as if something had seeped from the depths of night, flowing silently. Lu Guifan was the breach.

Jiang Ruotang’s eyes widened in disbelief. Just as he was about to ask, "How are you here?" Lu Guifan placed a silencing finger to his lips—the slight pressure sent Jiang Ruotang’s heart racing. His gaze seemed to say, "If you speak, I’ll vanish."

Lu Guifan gently hugged Jiang Ruotang’s legs over the blanket, resting his cheek against them. His heavy black-framed glasses slid up, lifting his bangs momentarily before slipping back—like an anvil dropping onto Jiang Ruotang’s heart.

Now unobstructed, Lu Guifan’s gaze met Jiang Ruotang’s.

Beautiful, deep, yet pulsing with an unseen power that claimed Jiang Ruotang’s focus, pulling him under.

The promise in those eyes was unmistakable—not refusing was agreeing.

His lips curved, dimples forming.

Jiang Ruotang swore he’d never seen Lu Guifan smile like this—like a devil who’d gotten his way.

He stole the blanket away, pushing Jiang Ruotang to madness. When he looked up, the moment stretched like stretching cheese pulling into strands before snapping—his soul plummeting from the clouds straight into hell.

Jiang Ruotang gasped, jolting upright. His room was empty—no trace of Lu Guifan.

Realizing something, he reached under the covers...

Damn!

Was this the side effect of youth?

Just seeing Lu Guifan eat cheese pizza could trigger such vivid fantasies!

Gritting his teeth, Jiang Ruotang punched the bed a few times before trudging to the bathroom.

That night, Bai Yingchuan sat at his desk, connecting his phone to his computer to rewatch the clip Jiang Huaiyuan had taken of Jiang Ruotang.

Strolling through a shower of golden ginkgo leaves, Jiang Ruotang’s smile was radiant and unguarded.

Suspended in memory, something to long for, to relive.

Like he was made for young love.

A knock interrupted. Bai Yue’s voice came through the door.

"Ying Chuan, can I come in?"

Bai Yingchuan hurriedly minimized the video. "Mom? What is it?"

Bai Yue entered, taking the seat opposite him. "Your determination on taking the lead role in *The Boiling Years* was the right call."

"How rare—you actually agree with me when we disagree."

"The revised script for *The Boiling Years* has passed the network's approval. Apparently, there have been quite a few changes in pacing, dialogue, and character development. They hired a younger scriptwriting team, including some popular online novelists, so instead of the rigid entrepreneurial tropes from before, there are now many unexpected twists for the audience. Originally a C-grade script, it’s now rated A+. If they land an A-list star, it could become an S+ project."

"Seems your news travels faster than mine." Bai Yingchuan let out a bitter laugh. The first person his agent, Sister Yu, informed wasn’t him—it was Bai Yue.

"Several veteran actors have shown interest after reading the script. As you said, it has the potential to be a tribute drama."

"So, I can take this role?"

"Yes. But regarding your hope for me to pay more attention to collaborating with Director Jiang, I must remind you—Jiang Huaiyuan may be talented, but he lacks people skills. In this industry, social skills matter more than ability. Behind the scenes at Universe Pictures, the politics are murkier than you think. Lin Chengdong has a far greater advantage over Jiang Huaiyuan."

In other words, even after Bai Yue lost tens of millions following Lin Chengdong’s failed investment in *Ark*, she still staunchly supported him.

Bai Yingchuan thought with derision. She'd bang her head against a wall and still keep going, and would march straight into her own grave.

"Then I’ll support Jiang Huaiyuan."

"Yingchuan, what's your deal lately? Are you going through some rebellious phase? You used to listen to me. What’s wrong with you now?"

Bai Yingchuan looked at Bai Yue quietly, suddenly unsure why he had ever treated her word as law.

The truth was… she was gambling just the same.

She thought Lin Chengdong was resourceful, but the man had tunnel vision—just look at how he raised Lin Lu.

At this point, Bai Yingchuan suspected his mother had some leverage held by Lin Chengdong. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be acting so out of character.

That sinking ship of Lin Chengdong’s was one Bai Yingchuan refused to board.

"Mom, do you know how the three Zhuge brothers invested? They placed bets on all three kingdoms—Zhuge Jin served Sun Quan, Zhuge Dan was a general for Wei, and Zhuge Liang became the prime minister of Shu. So, Ms. Bai Yue, after Lin Chengdong had to give up so much following Huang Tengyue’s downfall, how do you know Zhao Yunshu’s tactics and the Qin family’s backing won’t make him lose ground steadily?"

Bai Yue froze. Though Bai Yingchuan’s lecture sounded childish, the point stood—don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

"Fine, give it a try. I’d like to see if Jiang Huaiyuan still has the pull to keep elevating you."

With that, Bai Yue stood and left.

But Bai Yingchuan’s thoughts lingered on Jiang Ruotang.

This boy, almost the same age as him, kept his cool under pressure and predicted industry trends with scary accuracy.

More importantly, Bai Yingchuan sensed that Jiang Ruotang’s advice was forward-thinking—his vision was on a completely different level from Lin Lu, even Lin Chengdong.

On the first weekend of December, Zhao Zhangfeng was set to compete in the provincial championship finals for the school team.

With the unified examination just over, Jiang Ruotang decided to skip art class to relax, rounding up his friends along to cheer for Zhao Zhangfeng.

It was their first time attending such a formal match in person.

Xiao Gao dropped them off at the stadium entrance. Cai Ji was the first out, just as the school bus arrived with the athletes.

First came the coach, assistant coach, and team doctor, followed by the captain and starters.

Meng Yang was the last to step out leisurely. The moment he spotted Cai Ji, he saw red.

If not for Cai Ji getting Li Chun arrested, Li Chun wouldn’t have implicated Meng Yang, leading to his disciplinary record and benching.

This match was crucial—coaches from the province's top-tier schools would be watching, and Meng Yang had lost his chance.

At the sight of Cai Ji, he looked ready to ram the kid’s head into the bus door.

"Well, well, look who’s here? Cai Ji, with your brother locked up, you’ve got some guts, huh? A sewer rat daring to bask in the sun?"

But these days, Cai Ji had friends and people who cared about him. He was no longer the spineless doormat who cowered at threats.

Tilting his head up at Meng Yang, who loomed over him, he said, "Being a rat isn’t so bad. You used to trample on rats, but one day they’ll piss on your grave."

"Cai Ji! You wanna die?" Meng Yang grabbed Cai Ji’s collar just as the coach noticed.

"Meng Yang—already benched, now you want expulsion?"

Meng Yang released Cai Ji with a sneer. "You really think clinging to Zhao Zhangfeng will save you? Wake up—without me, Beicheng Guangyao doesn't stand a chance!"

Jiang Ruotang, buying drinks nearby, rushed over. "Meng Yang, what’s your damage?"

Meng Yang shot him a glance. "You really think you’re some white knight?"

"Whether he is or not, Li Chun’s statement shows you bribed him to assault Cai Ji. If Cai Ji presses charges, you could face fines or even detention."

Meng Yang went pale, scoffed, and stormed away.

Jiang Ruotang and Cai Ji turned to see Lu Guifan’s calm face.

"Class rep, you’re amazing!" Cai Ji gushed.

Jiang Ruotang met Lu Guifan’s gaze, that familiar sense of security washing over him.

Lu Guifan raised a hand. Expecting a head pat, Jiang Ruotang was surprised when Lu Guifan only flicked the cowlick atop his head.

"Next time, think before charging in to help."

"Got it. Victory without bloodshed is the real victory, right?"

Lu Guifan smiled faintly.

A few girls entering the stadium glanced his way.

As seniors, they wore uniforms almost year-round. This was Lu Guifan’s first time in casual clothes—a fleece-lined hoodie under a simple wool coat, paired with chinos and white sneakers, accentuating his clean, refined aura. He embodied the phrase "like an elegant willow."

"They’re staring at you," Jiang Ruotang teased.

"What’s there to see?" Lu Guifan paid no mind to the attention.

"You’re handsome. Even if knowledge fails you, your looks've got you covered."

"And with an ego this big, you’d survive even if art school rejects you."

With that, he pinched Jiang Ruotang’s cheek.

Jian Sha chimed in, "Ooh, could pinch out a dumpling! Jiang Ruotang, putting on pounds?"

"A daily bubble tea habit—you’re the one going soft."

Their group settled into the stands.

Jiang Ruotang couldn’t shake the feeling that Meng Yang’s last smirk had held something cold.

In their past friendship, Meng Yang had once used their bond to manipulate Zhao Zhangfeng, making Zhao Zhangfeng grab rebounds, provide assists, and set screens for him, then feed him the ball so Meng Yang could pad his stats.

With Zhao Zhangfeng’s selfless dedication, Meng Yang had played like a superstar in previous matches, earning plenty of favor from the coaches. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhangfeng barely scored in the semifinals, looking like just a supporting player compared to Meng Yang.

But was that really enough to make Zhao Zhangfeng get completely overlooked? Jiang Ruotang felt these college coaches couldn’t be that incompetent.

What else had happened?

How had Zhao Zhangfeng performed in the finals?

Jiang Ruotang racked his brain for anything Zhao Zhangfeng had told him.

That kid had one habit—both a strength and a flaw—he wouldn't badmouth others. Even if he was burning with resentment, he’d swallow it himself.

The only person Jiang Ruotang had ever heard him curse at was Lin Lu, because he couldn’t stand how Lin Lu had squeezed Jiang Ruotang dry of all his effort and value.

No matter how he thought about it, Jiang Ruotang couldn’t shake off his worry. He called Zhao Zhangfeng.

“Huh? What’s up?”

“Is Meng Yang still with your team? Wasn’t he suspended? What’s he even doing there? He shouldn’t even be allowed on the bench.”

Zhao Zhangfeng was putting on his ankle brace. At Jiang Ruotang’s words, he glanced over and replied, “He’s just in the locker room passing out water to the team, managing stuff, that kind of thing.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang’s warning bells went off. “Don’t let him touch your things, and don’t drink any water he gives you. Buy your own from the vending machine.”

Zhao Zhangfeng paused, then said quietly, “Come on, it’s not that bad… He can’t even play. What’s the point of stirring up trouble?”

“Remember what I told you? He’s not a real friend. He won’t wish you well, won’t take pride in your success. Just like how you always tell me Lin Lu isn’t reliable, I think the same about him.”

That “big bro” from Jiang Ruotang made Zhao Zhangfeng’s heart tremble. He knew Jiang Ruotang was genuinely worried about him—dead-set serious.

“Okay, got it, bro.” Zhao Zhangfeng nodded.

After hanging up, Zhao Zhangfeng bent down to grab his sneakers. As he untied them and slipped his foot in, a sudden premonition surged through him.

Jiang Ruotang had just said, “Don’t let him touch your things.”