Read Novel Full Chapter 108 Part 1 – The Power of Knowledge (I)
Chapter 108 Part 1 – The Power of Knowledge (I)
Xia Mian originally just wanted to chat with some innocent high schoolers about their aspirations and enjoy the joy of teaching and nurturing.
But unexpectedly, not much talk about aspirations happened. Instead, she somehow got dragged into a web of teenage emotional drama.
Logically, a high schooler’s summer break should be filled with food, fun, and maybe some homework to round things out. But Zhao Cheng and his crew? Sneaking into clubs, getting cornered by girls for confessions, getting into fights, playing heroes to save damsels in distress…
Listening to their ups and downs, Xia Mian couldn’t help but marvel, “Is it because it’s your last high school summer that you’re all going this wild?”
Sun Yuexin sneered, “Isn’t it all because of Han Haoyan?”
“What about him?”
“One of the top girls in the Thirteen Protectors from No. 14 High took a liking to him. She’s been chasing him down nonstop, trying to get with him.”
Xia Mian laughed, “What’s he done? His charm reached the Thirteen Protectors now?”
Zhao Cheng said, “It was kind of a coincidence. He invited us to a nightclub that day and got there before us.”
“When we arrived, he was already dancing with a few of those delinquent girls from the Thirteen Protectors,” Zhao Cheng said. “You know how Old Han is, always a gentleman to girls, and he didn’t even know who they were. When we showed up, he was bouncing around with them in the dance pool.”
“We were all pretty shocked.”
Xia Mian pictured the scene and chuckled, “Didn’t you say there were fights?”
“A bunch of them,” Zhao Cheng laughed. “It wasn’t even that big a deal. It’s been over a year now, so we all have almost forgotten what the fight was even about.”
“So with Old Han there, we just hung out together, no big deal.”
“It’s just that bastard Hao Jian…” Zhao Cheng frowned deeply. “He’s joined the Thirteen Protectors.”
Sun Yuexin scoffed, “What’s so surprising? That guy’s always been a thug. Even after tasting the iron bars, I doubt he’ll ever change.”
“Exactly. Some of the Thirteen Protectors even think it’s badass that he did time,” Zhao Cheng cursed. “What an idiot.”
“Anyway, that bastard holds grudges and is always looking for trouble with us. Almost led to another fight later on.”
Xia Mian found it amusing. “So what happened? During the fight, the gang’s ‘Big Sis’ fell for Han Haoyan’s dashing moves?”
“Not exactly,” Zhao Cheng said. “That Fan Xiaoman actually has some sway among the Thirteen Protectors. She said a few words to Hao Jian, and that bastard just left with his guys.”
“We’d already spent money, so of course we stayed to enjoy ourselves.”
Li Lizhen said enviously, “Sounds fun. I want to try dancing too. Was it fun? Why did Han Haoyan only invite you guys and not us?”
In this era, karaoke and nightclubs were all the rage among trendy youth, but the prices were steep—far beyond a high school student’s typical means.
“You’re better off not going,” Zhao Cheng shook his head. “It gets pretty wild in there. We guys can handle it, but girls should probably steer clear.”
“I’ve heard of girls getting drugged and assaulted in those places,” he added, frowning again. “They say a few girls from No. 14 High were messed with by Hao Jian—I suspect that’s where he gets the drugs to prey on them.”
Sun Yuexin and Li Lizhen were both shocked. “He’s that disgusting? Isn’t that illegal?”
Zhao Cheng sighed, “When something like that happens, girls usually don’t dare speak up. They’re scared of social repercussions.”
Xia Mian also frowned. “There’s no saving someone like that. Just stay away from him.”
Zhao Cheng warned, “You too, Xia Mian. That bastard still holds a grudge against you.”
Xia Mian sneered, “Let him try.”
Seeing Sun Yuexin and Li Lizhen both looking a bit spooked, Zhao Cheng quickly changed the subject and went back to talking about Han Haoyan and Fan Xiaoman.
“I think Old Han probably regrets everything now. Who could’ve guessed Fan Xiaoman was that intense?”
“You guys don’t even know—after that day, every time we went out, she’d show up. It’s like she had nothing else to do and just made it her job to tail Old Han.”
Xia Mian laughed, “Shouldn’t Han Haoyan be enjoying that?”
“No, no, no. Being tailed every day gets pretty suffocating. Plus, she’s constantly confessing to him, and Old Han doesn’t even know how to respond,” Zhao Cheng chuckled. “Worst part is, it’s ruining his chances of getting close to other girls.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“So what happened in the end? Didn’t you guys end up fighting again?” Xia Mian said. “The Big Sis couldn’t get an answer, realized Han Haoyan wasn’t interested, so she tried to beat him into submission?”
Thanks to her ‘wonderful suggestion,’ Sun Yuexin and Li Lizhen doubled over laughing.
Zhao Cheng laughed too. “No way. It’s just that Fan Xiaoman heard Tian Xueya was aggressively pursuing Han Haoyan, so she cornered her. When we went to rescue her, that’s when the fight broke out.”
Sun Yuexin added excitedly, “I heard Tian Xueya’s face got slapped so hard it swelled up.”
Xia Mian looked at her with amusement. “Tone down that smile a bit, will you? Don’t gloat so obviously.”
Li Lizhen laughed as well. “I heard it was a warning for her to stop pestering Han Haoyan?”
Zhao Cheng nodded, “Exactly. She got beaten up pretty bad—fainted right after she saw us.”
Xia Mian shook her head with a sigh. “Can’t even be a proper delinquent. Might as well study more.”
“What good does that Big Sis think this will do? All it’s going to accomplish is make Han Haoyan feel guiltier toward Tian Xueya and treat her even better.”
“This isn’t eliminating a rival in love—it’s helping her out.”
Zhao Cheng slapped his thigh and gave Xia Mian a thumbs-up. “Xia Mian, you’re a damn prophet!”
“Now Tian Xueya calls Old Han every time she goes out,” Zhao Cheng continued. “Poor guy’s practically her bodyguard now. We were supposed to play basketball today, but one call from Tian Xueya and he ran off again—said he had to meet her at the library.”
He was starting to get fed up with Tian Xueya for monopolizing his best friend’s time.
Xia Mian asked, puzzled, “So? Doesn’t that make it easier to corner them both at once?”
“They can’t even catch him anymore,” Zhao Cheng said. “After Tian Xueya got slapped, Old Han got mad and started avoiding them. Most of the time, they can’t even find him now.”
“And even if they do, so what? Back then, if they ran into him, he didn’t mind hanging out. Now he completely ignores them.”
Li Lizhen asked curiously, “Do you guys think Han Haoyan and Tian Xueya might end up together by the time school starts?”
Sun Yuexin pondered, “Hard to say. Tian Xueya’s pretty scheming. If she keeps at it all summer, maybe?”
Zhao Cheng snorted, “Old Han just doesn’t want to hurt girls. He’s not an idiot. With someone two-faced like Tian Xueya? As if he’d actually like her.”
“If it were Xia Mian, maybe there’d be more of a chance.”
Xia Mian rolled her eyes. “I have even less of a chance. Please leave me out of it, thanks.”
But things never go as one wishes. For some reason, plenty of people seemed convinced Han Haoyan had a crush on her.
Anyway, Xia Mian had barely stepped outside the compound when her path was blocked.
She swept her gaze over the four boys and three girls in front of her—all radiating the same unmistakable delinquent vibe.
The girl in the lead wore a floral shirt with flared pants, her hair permed into a puffed-up mess, makeup thick and heavy, a cigarette in hand as she smoked lazily.
At first, Xia Mian thought they were trying to extort her or something, but then the girl said coldly, “Heard Han Haoyan likes you?”
Oh? So it’s about Han Haoyan’s romantic mess? Xia Mian pondered, realizing that this girl must be one of the Thirteen Protectors’ bigwig—Fan Xiaoman. Surprisingly, she had a kind of aloof vibe.
So she adopted an earnest face and tried to explain, “Who said Han Haoyan likes me? We’re not even close. Honestly, I think he probably likes you more than me.”
“Cut the crap!” snapped another girl behind Fan Xiaoman, ears full of piercings. “You think we’re that easy to fool?”
Hm. So there are some brains in the group—maybe reasoning is possible?
Xia Mian glanced at the busy street around them. She still wanted to keep up her little angel image at least until graduation.
Another girl, with a head full of braids tied into a ponytail, threatened, “Don’t try to play games. That b*tch Tian already told us that our brother-in-law has a crush on you!”
Xia Mian blinked, momentarily thrown by the word “brother-in-law,” before it clicked—they were talking about Han Haoyan. She almost burst out laughing. Seriously? Chuunibyou is trending among teenage gangsters now?
Still, the logic tracked. Just like how the boys called their boss’s girlfriend “sister-in-law,” calling the female boss’s maybe-boyfriend “brother-in-law” must make sense in their little world.
Ear-Piercing Girl lunged forward to push Xia Mian, but Xia Mian grabbed her wrist and smiled. “Listen, Sis, let’s not even talk about whether Tian Xueya was telling the truth or not, but you guys should know what happened after you beat her up, right?”
“Right now, Han—uh, your ‘brother-in-law’—is so guilt-ridden he’s catering to Tian Xueya’s every need,” Xia Mian said. “He won’t even talk to you anymore.”
She looked at the smoking Fan Xiaoman. “If you don’t get physical, I’m willing to cooperate and wait here with you for him to show up.”
Ear-Piercing Girl froze. “How did you know we were trying to lure Han Haoyan out?”
Xia Mian tilted her head and said, “Isn’t it obvious? Since you can’t catch him, you’re trying to draw him in.”
Author’s Note:
Brother Sui: “She wished for us to grow old together. Fuyi loves me so much~”