He had done it specifically to humiliate Ming Chengli.
Xu Shuyu’s voice turned cold. "Brother, they didn’t do anything to provoke you. You went too far."
"Sister, you’re too naive. Do you honestly think that if we distance ourselves from that father and daughter, we can just stay out of it and rest easy?" Meng Shuyan scoffed. "Haven’t you seen Mom crying her eyes out these past few days? If Grandpa and Grandma hadn’t protected her, she would’ve been forced to change her surname! When that time comes, even you, Xu Shuyu, won’t have the right to keep the Xu name!"
Xu Shuyu fell silent for a few seconds. "But Mom did indeed take someone else’s..."
"Sister, I can’t believe you think that way too. But what does it have to do with Mom? How old was Mom when the babies were switched? A newborn!" Meng Shuyan interrupted her, his tone cold. "Could an infant control being switched at birth? Mom is a victim!"
Xu Shuyu still disagreed. "Brother, I understand where you’re coming from, but you shouldn’t be so impulsive from now on."
"That’s why I only tore up a few books to put them in their place," Meng Shuyan scoffed lightly. "One way or another, we need to let them know that our position is unshakeable, so they don’t get any delusional ideas."
At 7:15 AM, the bell signaling the end of morning reading rang. Only then did Shaoyuan stroll in through the back door, his hands in his pockets, completely unhurried.
He was the only person in the entire class who didn’t carry a backpack. Evidently, he didn’t need to do homework, and he even enjoyed the privilege of skipping morning reading.
Song Qingmu was green with envy. "If I had even half of the young master’s IQ—no, just a tenth of it—I wouldn’t have to do homework either."
Lu Mi looked at him with disdain. "That’s as high as your ambitions go."
During morning reading, Shi Changying had propped up her language textbook so she could hide behind it and eat.
Shaoyuan sat down beside her, glancing at the assortment of snack wrappers in the trash can behind them. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you full yet?"
Shi Changying swallowed her last cracker and answered decisively, "No."
Song Qingmu was dumbfounded. "Senior Sister, you’re still not full? You’ve got to be kidding me."
Seeing Shi Changying’s plain clothes and hearing from Teacher Bei that she had transferred from an unaccredited rural school, her classmates assumed her family was poor and took good care of her.
Shi Changying had practically eaten her way through all the snacks they brought.
"I figured as much. How could this little bit be enough for you?" Shaoyuan draped his long arm over the back of her chair. It was his habitual, dominant posture.
This was also the reason why no one had been able to sit in this seat since the class was formed in their freshman year.
Yet Shi Changying held her hand out to him. Under the shocked gazes of the other students, she asked matter-of-factly, "Where’s today’s food?"
Shaoyuan raised his eyebrow even higher. "You certainly don’t stand on ceremony with me."
Shi Changying tipped her chin up, adopting an "it’s time for you to pay tribute" expression.
Shaoyuan had indeed brought food specifically for her. However, he didn’t let go of the bag in his hand. Instead, he asked, "If I treat you to something good, how will you repay me?"
Shi Changying was already well-practiced at this. "I’ll consider it proof that I didn’t dote on you for nothing."
Song Qingmu looked at her in horror, his heart nearly stopping.
But unexpectedly, Shaoyuan didn’t get angry. He merely cast a glance at Lu Mi, a half-smile playing on his lips.
Lu Mi sprang up instantly and stammered, "I... I’m going out to get some water!"
It scared her to death. Fortunately, she ran fast.
Song Qingmu breathed a sigh of relief and discreetly wiped away his sweat.
The first period was math class.
Shi Changying listened attentively, only to realize she couldn’t understand a thing.
The numbers and formulas were somewhat familiar; she had seen them before in the math section of the Taichu Holy Scripture.
But that didn’t stop the entire class from sounding like gibberish to her. After all, she wasn’t the one who had written the math section; she had only been responsible for approving it.
When class ended, Shi Changying pushed her textbook aside. "How do you solve this problem?"
Shaoyuan slightly opened his eyes. "Hmm?"
Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, Shi Changying narrowed her eyes. "This kind soul doesn’t want to explain it to me?"
"I don’t." Shaoyuan paused deliberately before drawling, "If I teach you and you replace me, what then?"
Hearing this, Song Qingmu’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Young Master, I really couldn’t tell you held grudges. But yesterday, the person Senior Sister said she wanted to replace was my idol, Emperor Chengtian. The old man himself hasn’t said a word."
Lu Mi chimed in, "Your idol is lying in the dirt. Of course he can’t say anything."
Song Qingmu retorted, "My idol has already merged with Jiuzhou! He is omnipresent and has always been protecting this land!"
Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. "If that day ever truly comes, it just means you aren’t strong enough yet. The strong do not fear being surpassed. Because they are strong enough, they are fearless and invincible."
The moment those words fell, those half-closed eyes suddenly opened.
The lazy aura surrounding Shaoyuan instantly dissipated. As if he had discovered something unimaginably wonderful, he stared fixedly at her. The ink-like hue of his eyes deepened, and the temperature of his gaze became astonishingly scorching. It was as though a spark had ignited in the depths of his long-frozen pupils, finally illuminating the endless night.
Perhaps because he had spent so long in a position of supreme authority, enduring the loneliness at the top while countless officials bowed before him offering flattery, Emperor Chengtian could no longer remember the last time he felt this electrifying thrill tingling through his fingertips. His long-stagnant heart actually trembled slightly at her arrogant words. It was the feeling one only got when meeting a kindred spirit. To think that such a person came from two thousand years in the future. He didn’t know whether it was fortunate or a pity.
"Senior Sister, I’ll explain it to you!" Seeing the two of them in a standoff, Song Qingmu tried to smooth things over. "There’s no need to trouble the young master over such a trivial matter!"
Shaoyuan lifted his eyes and looked at Song Qingmu, his expression impassive and silent.
Song Qingmu instantly retreated. "Th-this problem is so hard, it seems only the young master can explain it."
Shaoyuan picked up a pen and began to explain the problem. He spoke very slowly. When he finished, he asked, "Did you understand?"
Shi Changying shook her head and pointed at one of the middle school math formulas, indicating she couldn’t comprehend it.
After explaining it three more times, Shaoyuan put down his pen. "Your foundation is too weak, but you do have a sharp mind."
Shi Changying absolutely loved being praised. "Of course I’m smart."
"Yes, smart." Shaoyuan lightly tapped the page with his fingertip, a trace of a smile appearing in his eyes. "But you need to build up your foundational knowledge first. There’s no rush to solve problems; go read the middle school textbooks first."
Lu Mi whispered, "The young master is still being subtle about it."
Song Qingmu whispered back, "Yeah, Senior Sister’s foundation isn’t just too weak—it’s practically non-existent. Even a middle schooler is better at math than she is."
Sure enough, only a Shi Changying like this was worthy of their dead-last class!
The morning passed peacefully. Meng Shuyan had indeed wondered if Shi Changying would come looking for trouble.
Last time, if Shaoyuan hadn’t intervened, he definitely wouldn’t have let her leave so easily.
When he arrived for the afternoon session, Meng Shuyan walked into the restroom with his backpack on. Just as he turned around, he was kicked straight into the urinal trough the very next second.
It all happened so suddenly that he didn’t even have time to react.
By the time he regained his senses, the overwhelming stench was nearly suffocating him.
Meng Shuyan struggled to raise his head, shocked and furious. "Who is it? Are you trying to get yourself kicked out of First High?!"
A hand pressed down on the back of his neck and shoved him right back in.
Shi Changying said indifferently, "I really despise the concept of brothers. The grass on the grave of the last person who called himself my brother is already waist-high."