Read Novel Full Chapter 23.1
Chapter 23.1
“Why hasn’t Xia Zhiqi returned yet?”
“Fuck, did Brother Dog secretly skip class?”
“Secretly? He walked out openly, he’s openly skipping school!”
A few students joked around.
Jin Anzhu turned around. “Brother Sheng, I’m reporting to you, Xia Zhiqi is skipping class.”
Ever since Sheng Yuan emerged in Class 6, there haven’t been many who skip class.
Sheng Yuan looked toward Xia Zhiqi’s seat.
It had already been a whole class period, and he had been gone for quite a while.
But the foundation was there. It wasn’t easy for a delinquent youth to follow the rules, so he could turn a blind eye to occasional transgressions.
At that moment, a voice came from outside the door of Class 6.
“Sheng Yuan, are you here?”
It was an unfamiliar face.
Sheng Yuan stood up and walked outside the classroom.
“I’m here. What’s the matter?”
“Nothing much. I heard you were thirsty, so I came to bring you some water.”
The person’s cunning and twisted smile gradually widened on their face.
“Here.”
The water bottle was handed to him.
Sheng Yuan lowered his head and looked at the transparent mineral water bottle.
The plastic packaging had wiped bloodstains on it, like a corner of white rice paper soaked in ink.
It stood out, glaringly.
The person’s tone turned sinister as they whispered in his ear:
“Your dog is quite obedient.”
Sheng Yuan’s pupils contracted.
“Brother Sheng!”
A boy with a buzzed haircut came from a distance, looking hurried and flustered.
Sheng Yuan turned around.
“Brother Sheng, it’s bad! Xia Zhiqi! Xia Zhiqi was taken to the infirmary!”
The temperature in the corridor rapidly dropped, as if he was in the depths of winter.
“Go take a look, Brother Sheng~ Brother Sheng~” The person beside Sheng Yuan pretended to be pitiful, their voice eerie and unsettling. “That Xia Zhiqi is so pitiful, so pitiful.”
Sheng Yuan stared at him, the mineral water bottle contorting and deforming in his hand, veins bulging on his forehead.
With a bang, the bottle cap flew off, water splashing all over the floor.
Those once calm eyes now carried shades of anger and disgust.
“The water has been delivered, so I’ll be on my way.” He glanced at Sheng Yuan’s neat school uniform. “Good student, hahaha, so funny.”
Sheng Yuan’s eyes turned crimson, and he grabbed Cun Tou.(buzz haircut)
“Brother Sheng, let’s go and see quickly!”
The group rushed to the infirmary.
The school doctor stood at the table, preparing iodine and adhesive bandages.
In the spacious infirmary, there was only one area concealed by a curtain, filled with absolute silence.
It was so quiet Sheng Yuan could even hear the palpitations of his own heart.
He strode inside, approached the white curtain, and his raised hand trembled slightly. He clenched it tightly and then forcefully pulled the curtain open.
His pupils contracted.
Xia Zhiqi lay on the bed, half of his face swollen and bloodstained. Due to the violent beating, his eyes struggled to open but had no space even for the slightest gap.
It seemed like he knew someone had come.
Like a wooden toy, he slowly turned his head with a jerky motion.
“Brother…Brother Sheng.”
Sheng Yuan stood there.
“Who did this?”
His hands clenched into fists, his eyes filled with fury. “I’m asking who the fuck did this!”
The enraged roar with swear words coming out of his mouth were a level of loss of composure he had never experienced before.
He angrily looked at everything before him, a pile of dry tinder in his chest, the anger burning brighter and hotter.
Realizing that Xia Zhiqi’s fellow students were still in the infirmary, he asked, “Did you report it to the police?”
Silence filled the infirmary.
Sheng Yuan couldn’t believe it. “No report?”
At that moment, the school doctor approached. “After he was brought here, your class teacher, Xiao Tao, went to check the surveillance footage. It seems Xia Zhiqi went to the supermarket near the gym, where there are no cameras on the path. Besides, the school usually handles internal incidents of delinquency and fights.”
That’s how things were in this world where delinquency was rampant. If every instance of delinquent youth fighting had to be reported to the police, schools would never have a moment of peace.
And the authorities couldn’t handle all the cases either.
What made it even more complicated was that many delinquents were minors, and only in cases of serious offenses would they end up in a juvenile detention center. But delinquents took pride in outsmarting the police, making them not so easy to apprehend.
The school doctor began disinfecting Xia Zhiqi’s wounds. “Furthermore, his injuries don’t warrant a forensic assessment. Although they look terrifying, they are just superficial wounds.”
Sheng Yuan stood there.
“Is every school like this?”
“Yes.”
An environmental impact.
Sheng Yuan gritted his teeth, his fist trembling from the forceful grip.
Xia Zhiqi had simply gone to buy a bottle of water from the supermarket.
“Brother Sheng.”
The hoarse and helpless voice kept repeating in his mind.
Sheng Yuan’s face turned grim, and he turned and stormed out of the room.
Cun Tou: “Brother Sheng!”
“Brother Sheng!”
He hurriedly ran after him.
Sheng Yuan returned to Class 6, walked to his own seat, and raised his hand to pull the challenge letter out of the hole in his desk.
———————-
“Hahaha, you guys didn’t see the look on his face when I went to take the water.”
“It was absolutely brilliant!!!”
“Why didn’t you take a video?”
“Hahaha, I don’t need to record it, I can remember it for a lifetime. That expression, it was so intimidating.”
“Do you think he might have gotten scared after seeing his little brother beaten up and wouldn’t dare to come fight with Brother Chu?”
“Hahaha, that’s so mean, but not ruling out that possibility!”
Several people gathered in the cafeteria, while Chu Weitian sat at a distance, having his meal.
“Why is Brother Chu still eating?”
“Brother Chu has a large appetite, aren’t you aware of that.”
Although he eats a lot, his physique was quite proportionate.
“Hey, isn’t that Sheng Yuan!”
As a few people chatted and making noise, one person turned his head and fixed his eyes directly on Sheng Yuan.
The others turned around as well.
“It really is him.”
“Why is he here? The fight was scheduled for ten o’clock tonight.”
“Probably scared and came to beg for mercy.”
“Hahaha, that’s what I think too.”
Sheng Yuan had a dark expression on his face, holding the challenge letter in his hand, looking down at them with an air of superiority. His voice was calm. “Are you Chu Weitian?”
Blocked by the shadow in front of him, Chu Weitian set down his chopsticks and lazily raised his head. “Yes.”
He assessed the person before him.
Sheng Yuan.
A new face.
Never heard of him before, suddenly emerging during the period he had suspended classes.
Chu Weitian’s blonde hair was flamboyant, just like his personality. When he met Sheng Yuan’s gaze, there was no emotion in his eyes, only impatience at being interrupted while eating.
“Xia Zhiqi, you’re the one who brought people to fight him.”
Chu Weitian sat back in his chair. “Yes, it was me. So what?”
“What gives you the right to hit him?”
“What gives me the right?” Chu Weitian pondered with distress. “Let me think.”
“Ah!” He suddenly realized. “I remember now.”
His mouth opened and closed, “No reason, I just didn’t like him.”
Sheng Yuan clenched his fist.
“Do you think Sheng Yuan will kneel before Brother Chu and beg him to spare him?”
“Hahaha, looking at his demeanor, he definitely can’t do anything in front of Brother Chu.”
“But he seems resolute.”
Just as they mocked and laughed, Sheng Yuan made a move.
He raised his hand, grabbed Chu Weitian’s head, and swiftly smashed it down, straight into the food tray.
With a bang, the connected tables trembled three times.
The sound of the food tray shattering pierced their ears.
“Damn it!!!”
“Brother Chu!!”
Sheng Yuan coldly watched it all unfold and threw the challenge letter into Chu Weitian’s rice bowl.
“Here’s your challenge letter. I’m accepting it.”
“You brat, you’re asking for death!!!”
“You’re so arrogant! Who do you think you are?!”
“Today, I’ll make you understand what my last name is!”
Several people surrounded Sheng Yuan.
In the indifferent gaze of the other party, there was not a trace of fear.
“You pieces of trash.”
They were stunned.
Just as one person angrily approached, a voice intervened to stop them.
“Let him go.”
“Brother Chu!”
Chu Weitian lifted his head from the food tray and removed the vegetable leaves on his face. “Let him go.”
The big brother had spoken, so although the others felt unwilling, they still made way.
Sheng Yuan walked out with a cold expression on his face, taking large strides.
Chu Weitian looked at the challenge letter stained with oil.
His brows and eyes were full of ruthlessness.
“Brother Chu, you just let that Sheng Yuan guy go like that.”
Chu Weitian took the tissue handed to him. “That kid has some loyalty, and also…”
“And what?”
“I will personally defeat him tonight.”
“Hahaha, that kid can expect to cry for his mommy tonight.”
Loud laughter erupted from the place.
Sheng Yuan’s eyes were like ice as he returned to the medical room.
Xia Zhiqi had fully regained consciousness, but his body was still sore and weak. It would take a while for him to move. The school doctor was afraid he might be thirsty, so he placed a straw near his mouth for him to sip.
So when Sheng Yuan entered, he saw Xia Zhiqi in an extremely distorted state, sucking on the straw.
It was dinner time now.
When Xia Zhiqi saw that Sheng Yuan had arrived, his eyes squinted and brightened.
“Brother Sheng.”
His voice had improved considerably.
But Sheng Yuan couldn’t forget the despairing cry he heard the first time he came.
“Are you hungry?”
Sheng Yuan pulled a chair and sat beside him.
“Brother Sheng,” Xia Zhiqi spoke up, “I want to eat instant noodles.”
“I happen to have two cups here.” The school doctor threw them over. “You can get hot water from the water dispenser to soak them.”
“Thank you.”
Sheng Yuan politely expressed his gratitude, tore open the packaging in no time, and went to prepare the instant noodles.
During the waiting time, they chatted.
“Have your family members come?”
Xia Zhiqi chuckled foolishly. “I didn’t tell them. You know, my family only consists of my grandmother, and she’s getting old. I can’t scare her.”
Sheng Yuan’s breath momentarily caught.
“But the headmaster came just now, insisting on giving me an explanation. Although he’s a relative, when it comes to this matter, he’s as cold-hearted as Judge Bao. He has already started contacting the parents of those people. I heard some of them are out of town and can’t come, so he scolded them fiercely and told them to rush over.”
The people scolded were Chu Weitian’s parents.
The noodles were ready, and Sheng Yuan placed a small table in front of Xia Zhiqi. With his good physical condition and only superficial injuries, he would soon be able to move on his own.
Sheng Yuan handed the fork to Xia Zhiqi and ate a few bites of noodles together with him. Seeing that Xia Zhiqi could manage on his own, he gradually let go and began eating his own portion.
While eating the noodles, Xia Zhiqi looked at Sheng Yuan.
Something seemed different about his Brother Sheng.
He couldn’t quite put a finger on it.
But he was not the same as usual.
What was different?
Brother Sheng still had the same grace and courtesy as before.
He took a slurp of noodles.
But, his Brother Sheng was still cool and awesome!
But as time passed in silence, Xia Zhiqi swallowed the last sip of soup and called hesitantly, “Brother Sheng…”
Sheng Yuan took the empty noodle cup, intending to dispose of it.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you angry?”
Sheng Yuan paused his steps.
“No, rest well.”
He stepped out of the infirmary.
Xia Zhiqi watched his figure fade into the distance.
“Brother Sheng…”
————————
The time had already passed nine o’clock in the evening, and the sky outside was pitch black. Sheng Yuan arrived at a classroom and knocked on the door. The students inside looked up. Before Sheng Yuan could speak, Zheng Zilu stood up on his own. He quickly walked out of the classroom, glancing around like a thief to see if there were any teachers nearby.
The school had been bustling all afternoon. A large group of parents had arrived, and they were still gathered at the disciplinary office. The disciplinary teacher was scolding them so loudly that it could be heard from the corridor. The school leaders had organized multiple meetings with the teachers, one after another. But even so… they all knew deep down that it wouldn’t change much in the end. As long as the culture of delinquency persisted, incidents like this would continue to occur.
Zheng Zilu looked at Sheng Yuan and asked, “Why are you still at school? Why aren’t you going home?”
He had heard about Sheng Yuan receiving a challenge from Chu Weitian, tonight of all nights. Despite being scolded by the Headmaster and being confined to the dormitory until his parents arrived from out of town, there was no guarantee that Chu Weitian wouldn’t sneak out on his own.
Sheng Yuan remained expressionless and didn’t respond. Zheng Zilu pushed him, urging, “You should go home now, quickly!”
Although Zheng Zilu often found Sheng Yuan annoying with his teasing and provocation, deep down, he didn’t actually dislike him.
But Sheng Yuan didn’t budge.
“Zheng Zilu.”
“What?”
“I have a favor to ask you.”
…..
During the period when the headmaster was on rest due to a broken leg from the earthquake evacuation, there were incidents of fights and brawls on campus.
Because there was an unruly brat in the family, the headmaster had always been particularly vigilant about delinquent behavior. When Chu Weitian was suspended back then, he limped over to deal with the situation. The level of patience that he exerted was far beyond what an ordinary person could achieve.
He went to the medical room and, acting as a parent, bowed to Xia Zhiqi, apologizing and assuring him that he would provide an explanation. The parents of the offending students started to arrive at the school, and some parents were rushing from out of town. With so many people involved, the discussions couldn’t be concluded in one day. They would likely be trapped in the disciplinary office until the next sunrise. The offending students were also required to stand in the disciplinary office as a form of punishment.
Chu Weitian was difficult to control. When the headmaster slapped him, he almost pushed him over.
“You truly have no regard for authority! Look at what you did to him! You’re classmates!” Chu Weitian steadied his uncle and retracted his hand that had reached out to help, not saying a word.
The slap on his face burned.
“You don’t understand, this is a matter of honor.”
“Bullshit honor!”
The headmaster was furious.
Chu Weitian had been cherished and cared for since he was young. Even when his parents went on business trips, they would call him every day to check on him. Growing up in doting love, he was cherished by his elders.
The headmaster said, “If I had known it would come to this, I shouldn’t have believed your parents when they said you would change!”
Chu Weitian also knew that his uncle genuinely had his best interests at heart. “Uncle, you don’t understand! We’re not of the same generation, you don’t know what matters to us at this age.”
‘Decaying wood!
Irreparable decaying wood!’
“Until your parents arrive, you stay put and behave!” The headmaster slammed the door and left.