Ji Shu finished her shower, changed clothes, and by the time she went downstairs, it was already half past five.
The BUGATTI was parked at the entrance, warm yellow lights glowing inside the car. Xie Zhoulin sat quietly in the driver’s seat, working. Under the light, his proud and noble profile appeared unexpectedly soft and serene.
Ji Shu knocked on the passenger-side window, and only then did he notice her approach and lift his head.
She probably thought it would be just a simple conversation. She wore a simple, comfortable shirt-dress, her black hair, still damp from washing and not fully dried, hung casually over her shoulders, slightly wetting the collar.
The warm lights from the courtyard shone from behind her, outlining her figure in a gentle glow. Her clear skin seemed almost transparent, and her small earlobes reflected a warm orange light.
Xie Zhoulin paused, looked at her for two seconds, and then nodded.
Ji Shu opened the door and got into the passenger seat.
Her clean, refreshing scent immediately filled the car.
Xie Zhoulin handed her a stack of documents.
Ji Shu flipped through a few pages, hesitating: “Chairman, this is… a student council application form?”
Xie Zhoulin replied, “Yes. The student council is currently very busy. While the council does have capable and reliable members, most of the time only Cheng Qiuyuan can barely keep up with my pace. After the last meeting, he praised your abilities to me and said that if you joined, the efficiency of the student council would improve significantly, so he recommended you to me.”
Ji Shu looked at the form again, still a bit surprised: “But my qualifications don’t meet the requirements to join.”
Although the fifth chief position had remained vacant, many people competed for it every year, and the first step to being selected as a chief was to join the student council. Therefore, every year, the first thing Flandre students did upon entering school was to do whatever it took to get into the student council.
Accordingly, the student council’s admission requirements were very strict. Beyond written and oral exams, candidates’ family backgrounds were also screened, eliminating many at this stage alone.
Ji Shu didn’t think her family background could compete with those from established families or new elites.
“In the end, ability is what matters most,” Xie Zhoulin said calmly. “The student council manages all matters concerning Flandre students, but many members, once in, only exercise their rights without fulfilling their duties. The council then becomes nothing more than a title used to wield power.”
Seeing Ji Shu hesitating slightly, he continued, “You are outstanding, very capable, and I am fully aware of it. Your family background won’t be a barrier. If you want to join, just fill out this form and go through the procedure next week.”
Ji Shu felt a little tempted. After joining the student council, she could earn the corresponding credits, freeing up time in her elective classes next semester to focus on preparing for the more important SAT exams.
Xie Zhoulin didn’t pressure her: “You can think it over first. If you’re willing, just submit the form to me next week.”
He paused for a moment, then added, “After joining the student council, you’ll have more time between and after classes to handle grade-level matters with Cheng Qiuyuan and me. You won’t have to stay in the classroom all the time, and your leave privileges will be greater.”
Not having to stay in the classroom meant fewer encounters with Lu Mingxi, and higher privileges meant she wouldn’t be constrained by him in every matter.
At the very least, her student council status would make those who wanted to bully her think twice, whether openly or in secret.
She sincerely said, “Thank you, Chairman. I’ll consider it seriously.”
Xie Zhoulin responded with a simple “Mm.” He didn’t say more on the matter, probably because he knew Ji Shu understood the pros and cons better than he did, and he wasn’t too worried that she would refuse.
Ji Shu folded the form, thinking the matter was over, and was about to bid him farewell when Xie Zhoulin spoke again.
“Ji Shu, the symptoms you mentioned before, have you been to a hospital?”
Ji Shu froze for a moment.
She looked up at Xie Zhoulin. He wasn’t busy with work, and when his dark eyes met hers, his expression was serious, making her heart skip a beat.
“I had planned to go this week, but because of going out to study, the schedule has been postponed to next week,” Ji Shu said nonchalantly. “Is something wrong?”
“This is a hospital under my family’s business. The psychiatric specialists here are very well-known, and one of them is a doctoral advisor at T. Severin Institute of Technology,” Xie Zhoulin said directly. Perhaps because the previous student council invitation had set the stage, he took out a business card and handed it to her.
“But he only accepts appointments. If you need, you can pick a time, and I’ll take you there myself for a consultation.”
Ji Shu took the card, surprised.
She had seen information about this hospital online before. It was a very famous private hospital in Landon, but she didn’t know it was part of the Xie family’s business.
At first, she had considered making an appointment with this doctor, but she had heard that so many people sought him out that it could take a year or more just to get a slot, so she had given up the idea.
“This… is really possible?” she asked, hardly able to believe it.
“Your problem isn’t minor, and from what I’ve observed today…” Xie Zhoulin said slowly, “you probably have other symptoms as well.”
Ji Shu didn’t argue.
“You are one of my students. Once you join the student council, you’ll also contribute to its work. Ensuring your health and mental stability is my responsibility,” he said calmly. “Not just you, if any classmates in the class or the council face similar difficulties, I’ll help within my capacity.”
“You don’t need to carry any psychological burden.”
People can refuse expensive gifts, but they often find it hard to refuse what they truly need.
Ji Shu looked at him. The business card in her hand felt warm, she really wanted to decline and make an excuse.
But when she met his eyes, she suddenly found it hard to speak. His gaze was calm, serious, and completely free of distraction, no different from when he discussed work with her.
Xie Zhoulin took her brief silence as consent. He turned back to his computer, opened his schedule, and added the appointment.
“Then after the meeting next Monday afternoon, I’ll take you there.”
“…Thank you.”
“The end of the term is coming soon, it’s best to handle things quickly.”
Ji Shu responded with a soft “Mm,” noticing her name added to the schedule form. The blinking cursor caught her eye and was slightly dazzling.
She felt an odd sensation she couldn’t quite describe, just a strong urge to leave and return to a space where she could be alone.
“I’ll go first, then.”
“Goodbye.”
“Be careful on your way.” Ji Shu got out of the car, greeted him, and turned to leave.
Back in her room, she turned on the lights on the second floor and saw the BUGATTI downstairs start up and gradually disappear from view.
Ji Shu sat at her desk, switched on the lamp, and drew the curtains. The warm light slowly dispelled the subtle feeling stirring in her heart.
She stared blankly at the membership form spread across the desk when her phone suddenly dinged.
It was a message from Shining.
【Are you home yet?】
She had told him that she would go out to study with friends this afternoon.
【Mm.】
Shining: 【How was it?】
He sent a dynamic sticker of a little cat asking.
Ji Shu recalled that today hadn’t exactly been a pleasant experience and slowly typed on the keyboard.
【It was okay, I guess.】
He didn’t ask further. Ji Shu turned the question back to him: 【And you?】
Shining: 【I just got back too.】
Shining: 【So tired.jpg】
The sticker showed a little cat sprawled on the ground, lazy and ridiculous. Ji Shu couldn’t help laughing. 【It’s the weekend today, no classes again, did you just get tired from hanging out with friends?】
The usually instant-responding Shining hesitated. The “typing…” indicator lingered for almost a minute before he replied:
【Nope, went to do something good.】
Ji Shu: 【Something good?】
Shining: 【Helping a good friend I met online as a kid who is now in trouble.】
Ji Shu didn’t overthink it and simply praised him: 【Good Job.jpg】
Receiving the compliment, he happily sent back a dynamic sticker of the little cat looking proud and triumphant.
They chatted idly for a while longer. The conversation gave Ji Shu a strange yet familiar sense of comfort and reassurance.
During the chat, she gradually felt her mood ease. She glanced again at the membership application on the desk, thought for a moment, picked up her pen, and began filling it out.
Xie Zhoulin was right, and she fully understood the pros and cons.
She had just refused Lu Mingxi’s invitation on Friday. He was not a generous person, next, he would either try to isolate her socially or intensify his efforts to manipulate others into bullying her.
She also understood by now that he wasn’t targeting her solely because of Ruan Si’an. His thoughts were always unpredictable, and she couldn’t be sure what schemes he might come up with next.
The only certainty was that her days were not likely to be easy.
However, just as Lu Mingxi had said, she could seek protection from others to safeguard herself.
And the student council, that was the “branch” Xie Zhoulin was offering.
The silver-pink sports car stayed at a steady distance behind the BUGATTI.
Through the rearview mirror, Xie Zhoulin saw the other car turn on its hazard lights.
The headlights flashed twice, as if sending some kind of warning.
In fact, even while waiting for Ji Shu downstairs, Xie Zhoulin had already noticed that all-too-familiar sports car. The other car was parked not far from him, patiently waiting, a thin layer of ash gradually accumulating on the ground outside the driver’s seat.
He had deliberately spent a long time talking with Ji Shu, partly to see when the other person would lose patience and rush over to interrupt them.
But they didn’t.
Miraculously, Lu Mingxi was patient this time.
Only after leaving the villa district where Ji Shu lived did Xie Zhoulin’s phone ring.
He swiped to answer, and on the other end came a slightly hoarse, lightly amused voice tinged with suppressed anger:
“Park the car. Let’s get out and have a chat.”
There was no suggestion of negotiation, the threat in the tone was clear.
Xie Zhoulin didn’t want to bring him to his home, so he simply stopped the car, removed his glasses, folded the frames, and got out.
After the other person slammed his car door shut behind him, he strode forward, blunt and direct, sneering as he demanded, “Xie Zhoulin, what do you think you’re doing?”
His expression was harsh, the skin under his eyes slightly darkened, and his gaze radiated a strong sense of threat. “I told you before not to meddle in my affairs, right? What’s the meaning of your repeatedly interfering?”
The atmosphere grew tense and heavy.
Xie Zhoulin remained calm. He studied his face and replied with a question of his own, rather than an answer: “Were you dragged off by the Duke again yesterday to handle business and scolded, so you weren’t in the mood to race with your friends at their party today?”
Lu Mingxi cursed, shoved him against the car, and grabbed his collar, knuckles whitening. He spoke slowly, each word deliberate: “Lu Ruqing only asked you to watch me, not to meddle in my business. If you had any self-awareness, you’d stop now, before it escalates into a situation even your mother wouldn’t want to see.”
Xie Zhoulin pushed him away, meticulously straightening his own collar, his arrogance darkly apparent in his eyes.
“You’re welcome to try. Let’s see, does my mother find out first, or does the Duke learn about the things I’ve cleaned up for you first?”
Lu Mingxi stared at him for a moment, letting out a low, grim laugh from his throat: “Fine… fine. I should’ve known you, Xie Zhoulin, couldn’t stand me. What, now you finally stopped pretending? Must be hard for you, reporting my every move to Lu Ruqing on a schedule every day.”
The two fell silent for a while.
Only when the waning moon was hidden by dark clouds, and the long-suppressed air was streaked with falling rain, did the tension finally ease.
Lu Mingxi finally spoke again:
“You were in the car so long just now… what were you doing with her?”
“Are you worried about it?”
“…”
“I just asked her to join the student council,” Xie Zhoulin said, glancing at Lu Mingxi’s tightly furrowed brows. “You should thank yourself for pushing her so hard, otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed so easily.”
“She agreed?” Lu Mingxi’s brow twitched violently. “What did you promise her? What conditions did you offer? My invitation before—”
“No conditions,” Xie Zhoulin said calmly. “She just made a choice any normal person would make. A normal person wouldn’t choose to sink into corruption with you.”
Lu Mingxi couldn’t help but laugh in frustration.
He pressed a hand against his eyes, lowering his head, and a low, vibrating laugh rumbled from his chest. Slowly, he lifted his face and stared intently at Xie Zhoulin:
“Don’t think I don’t know about that terrible, nasty habit of yours, Xie Zhoulin. You’re not normal at all. Do you really think Ji Shu would choose you?”
Xie Zhoulin smiled slightly. “At the very least, she would never choose you.”
Lu Mingxi laughed loudly and turned back toward his car. The rain had intensified. Xie Zhoulin opened his own car door and got in, but before starting the engine, the silver-pink sports car flashed its hazards twice in the rearview mirror, like a show of defiance.
Then, the sports car lunged straight at the BUGATTI.
“Boom—” A sharp cracking sound came from the right rear light of the BUGATTI, denting it, before the silver-pink car swerved and sped past Xie Zhoulin, its engine slicing through the night air.
Expressionless, Xie Zhoulin glanced at the rearview mirror to check the situation behind him and dialed his insurance company.