Liang Muye seemed not to notice Zhou Zhi’s mood and continued cursing under his breath.
He even stole a few glances at Zhou Zhi.
Pretty. Docile.
Every strand of hair signaled obedience.
The bulky school uniform couldn’t conceal her beauty. Standing in such a remote alley, she looked like an angel fallen into a mud pit.
Liang Muye rubbed the bruise on his arm, his gaze unbridled.
The girl seemed completely oblivious to his staring.
Really…
Too well-behaved.
In truth, he couldn’t see what was on Zhou Zhi’s phone anyway.
The string of numbers she had originally typed was deleted and re-entered.
“Ding!”
Liang Muye’s phone rang. He looked down—a WeChat transfer notification popped up.
He was a bit confused.
“You…” He frowned.
But Zhou Zhi cut him off. The girl’s voice was cold, like her entire being—light and airy, untainted by any impurity.
“Medical fees.”
Just three words.
Zhou Zhi didn’t hesitate. Beneath her dark pupils surged emotions as thick and turbulent as ink. She clenched her fist and slammed it hard into Liang Muye’s face.
A faint whoosh of a punch cut through the air. Liang Muye, who had just stood up, crashed heavily to the ground again.
She wasn’t picking a fight.
She was just getting back at him for Ji Xuanxu.
If it were Ji Xuanxu… Ms. Gu would forgive her.
The emotion in the girl’s eyes faded quickly, leaving behind a purity tinged with dimness and dejection.
Zhou Zhi gripped her phone, swept her gaze over Liang Muye still struggling on the ground, and silently turned to leave.
As she walked out of the alley, she smoothed the wrinkles on her clothes.
Pretty. Innocent. Frail.
She was still a good student, wasn’t she?
Inside the alley, Liang Muye stood up, clutching his face.
Pain and swelling piled up on his face—he could barely feel that half of it anymore.
In the blood he spat out were a few shattered molars.
Liang Muye’s cheeks trembled with rage.
He’d been tricked. That bitch!
That punch was even more vicious than Ji Xuanxu’s.
He was going to make a scene! Go to the school and make a scene…
If he couldn’t deal with Ji Xuanxu, he could still make trouble for that slut.
But when he swiped open his cracked phone screen, the zeros on the transfer notification made him completely settle down.
One hundred thousand.
One hundred thousand?!
Liang Muye’s expression darkened.
This wasn’t just medical fees—it was hush money too.
When they left, Ji Xuanxu walked extremely fast—so fast his gait was almost unsteady.
Like he was fleeing in panic.
As if stopping even for a moment would drag him into an abyss of no return, with no way out.
Xu Yao and the others followed behind Ji Xuanxu, falling quite far behind.
Even after they exited the alley into the bustling crowd, the coldness on the boy’s face remained unmelted.
His knuckles were bloody red, skin scraped off, occasionally dripping blood.
It bloomed on the ground, like flowers.
The Cullinan parked at the street corner drew many people’s attention. Xu Yao patted Song Jun’s shoulder and whispered, “Out-of-province plates.”
From the neighboring province.
There wasn’t a guy who didn’t love cars, but Ji Xuanxu was stingy with even a single extra glance. He looked right past it and kept walking without stopping.
Xu Yao shook his head.
Not everyone is born in Rome.
Amid his sigh, the car door suddenly swung open.
Ji Xuanxu stepped back, barely putting distance between himself and the door.
For a split second, Xu Yao almost yelped.
So close… so close…
He’d nearly been hit.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he saw the irritation and ferocity brewing in the boy’s eyes.
When Ji Xuanxu went crazy, he had no restraint—he’d hit anyone.
Anyone who crossed his path, even a dean, would have to steer clear.
Moreover, it was obvious that Brother Ji’s mood was off right now.
Damn.
If a fight broke out here, it would end up on the social news.
Xu Yao and Song Jun both rushed forward.
If they could take a punch for some unknown rich man, would he throw them a hundred thousand or two?
Savior of a big shot!
With that status, they could just lie down and coast straight to the peak of life.
The scene they imagined never came.
The middle-aged man who got out of the back seat wore a black shirt. Though his build was sturdy, his temples were streaked with gray, and the wear of age was clearly visible on his face.
A rugged air and a scholarly grace coexisted in him.
Both of them froze, staring at each other.
All the emotion in the young man’s eyes came to an abrupt halt.
It was Ji Xuanxu who spoke first.
Instinctively hiding his hands in his sleeves, he greeted in a measured tone, “Uncle Zhou.”
Xu Yao’s mouth fell open.
He seemed to see the word “restraint” written all over Ji Xuanxu.
That couldn’t be possible.
An elder’s status might carry weight.
But he’d also seen Ji Xuanxu argue and throw punches with his own father—no shouting, but they’d brawl harder than anyone.
This… who was this…
“Ah Xu, long time no see.” Zhou Yi paused, and when he smiled, the wrinkles on his face deepened.
“You…”
Zhou Yi looked Ji Xuanxu up and down, no less shock in his eyes.
A long-lost sense of shame suddenly welled up inside Ji Xuanxu.
Silver short hair, the scar on his cheek, and bloodstained fists.
All exposed, impossible to hide under the scrutinizing gaze of an elder.
His expression grew tense.
“Not bad, silver looks good.”
“The girl used to like this color too.”
Zhou Yi smiled, a flicker of complicated emotion crossing his face as he reached out and lightly patted Ji Xuanxu’s shoulder.
The young man was already taller than him now.
Ji Xuanxu let out a quiet breath of relief, then thought of something else and tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Uncle Zhou, I still have some things to take care of.”
He was in a hurry to leave.
Zhou Yi glanced at the boys beside Ji Xuanxu and nodded with a smile.
Kids all had their own business.
Too bad the girl hadn’t come yet—the two of them should have met.
Zhou Yi took a few boxes of chocolate from the car, their exquisite packaging printed with English lettering, and pressed them into Ji Xuanxu’s arms.
“The girl loved these, and I remember you did too.”
“Next time, Uncle Zhou will treat you to a meal.”
Ji Xuanxu nodded, waved goodbye, and left.
Only after they’d walked completely off that street, where turning back couldn’t catch even a glimpse of that flashy luxury car, did the taut string slowly begin to loosen.
All the strength drained from his body, and he breathed in shallow gasps, like a survivor who’d just fought his way out of drowning.
He looked down at the boxes of chocolate in his arms, dazed.
He thought of the smile on the girl’s face.
In an instant, it was covered by the unfamiliar name on the nameplate.
Zhou Zhi.
Zhou Zhi, Zhou Zhi, Zhou Zhi…
Why did she change her name! Did she really want to cut ties with him that badly?
“Brother Ji, if you’re not eating the chocolate, give it to me!”
Xu Yao poked his head out, itching with curiosity.
He’d been with Ji Xuanxu for three years and knew Ji Xuanxu hated chocolate the most.
Expensive or cheap, it didn’t matter—it was never allowed around.
But what Ji Xuanxu was holding in his arms was definitely pricey. What a waste to feed it to the trash can.
Quite a few people leaned in.
They’d eaten chocolate before.
But they’d never eaten chocolate that had been in a Cullinan.
Ji Xuanxu: “…”
He stared at Xu Yao’s face, then suddenly let out a cold laugh, dripping with mockery.
He really had lost his mind.
Before Xu Yao had even asked, he hadn’t had the slightest thought of throwing them away.
And even now—
Still—
He couldn’t bear to part with them.
Zhou Yi watched Ji Xuanxu leave, sighing repeatedly, until someone stood beside him.
“Dad.”
Zhou Zhi spoke, and Zhou Yi quickly put on a smile as he turned around.
“Sweetheart, how’s school life?”
“Any trouble adjusting?”