“Dad!” Following Song Wenyue’s resentful roar into the phone, the four people beside him slowed their pace in silent agreement, distancing themselves from him.
“I am going to the library,” Qin Xiushi said, having no interest in participating in a post-defeat summary.
The other three naturally had no objections. Qin Xiushi had never been particularly sociable, and no one could control his movements anyway. Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing glanced at Mu Huaizhi. Qin Xiushi had already left; was Mu Huaizhi not going too?
Mu Huaizhi smiled and draped an arm over Jiang Xing’s shoulder, patting him to close the distance. “I heard you got beaten by Song Xingqiu this morning. What is the situation? Tell me about it.”
Xue Chengyi’s eyes widened. He looked at Jiang Xing and then at Mu Huaizhi. Jiang Xing was beaten by Song Xingqiu? When did that happen? Why did he not know?
Jiang Xing rubbed his nose. His reasoning had been simple: as long as Song Wenyue taught Song Xingqiu an even more painful lesson, no one would remember his own incident. He had not expected Song Wenyue to be knocked out by Song Xingqiu as well! However, since he was no longer the only one who had been beaten, he felt better. If the sky fell, Song Wenyue was there to prop it up; people would prioritize mocking Song Wenyue over him. Jiang Xing’s mindset was quite shameless.
He did not hide anything and honestly told Mu Huaizhi what had happened that morning, not omitting a single detail. After listening, Xue Chengyi punched Jiang Xing’s arm. He cast a quick glance at Song Wenyue to ensure he was not paying attention before complaining to Jiang Xing, “He is that powerful, and you did not say so earlier?”
Jiang Xing was much more defiant now. He answered righteously, “What use would it have been if I said something? Would you and Young Master Song have stopped yourselves from attacking?”
Xue Chengyi was speechless. That was true. Given their previous undefeated record on campus, they not only would have disbelieved that Song Xingqiu was powerful but would have instead thought Jiang Xing was a waste. The result of inflated confidence is never turning back until one hits a wall. No matter how much Jiang Xing had hyped him up, they would have stubbornly insisted on testing him.
Mu Huaizhi had already known about Jiang Xing being beaten. Previously, he had only heard descriptions from others, but the truth was always most satisfying when coming from the victim’s mouth. For instance, Jiang Xing mentioned Song Xingqiu’s overwhelming pressure and his own feeling of powerlessness. Just listening to it made Mu Huaizhi feel so refreshed that his pores seemed to open.
“Tsk, how exciting.” Mu Huaizhi licked his lower lip. His gaze deepened, revealing an interested expression.
Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing looked at each other, seeing terror in each other’s eyes. They had followed Song Wenyue since their first year of high school, and it had been three full years. They were the people in the school who understood the F4 best. Students who did not know them well would think Song Wenyue was the most terrifying of the F4. He was fierce, liked to lead the bullying, and used his superior status to trample on others’ dignity. The campus bullying targeting scholarship students had started with him. Or rather, he had amplified the class discrimination that was previously hidden.
However, after spending time with the F4, Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing felt that Song Wenyue was the “best” among the four. It was not that his personality was kind, but rather that he was easy to read. His emotions, his needs, and even his malice were transparent. The other three members of the F4 were like they were covered by a veil; they were always misty and impossible to see through.
For example, Mu Huaizhi appeared friendly on the surface, but in private, he played very cruelly and liked to target beautiful scholarship students. Many students, seeking protection, mistakenly boarded Mu Huaizhi’s ship, only to be dumped after he grew bored. Those with stronger mentalities endured until graduation, while the weaker ones had to drop out.
If Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing had to choose, they would rather offend Song Wenyue than Mu Huaizhi. Mu Huaizhi’s current reaction gave them a very bad association. He seemed to show his emotions, but those were all an act. The only things that could truly pull the heartstrings behind his mask were Shen Qianyan, that stubborn mule, and now Song Xingqiu.
Mu Huaizhi could not possibly have taken a liking to Song Xingqiu, could he?
As soon as this thought appeared, both of them shuddered simultaneously. Not only was Song Xingqiu a tough nut to crack, but even if he were weak, he was still the younger son of the Song family and Song Wenyue’s biological uncle! If Mu Huaizhi really tried to mess with Song Xingqiu, Song Wenyue could never stand by and watch. Otherwise, where would the Song family’s face go? Where would Song Wenyue’s face go?
At this thought, a bizarre idea popped into Jiang Xing’s head. If someone were to have a normal relationship with Song Xingqiu, would that person not also become Song Wenyue’s elder? “Song Wenyue: I treat you like a classmate, but you want to be my uncle.” Right?
Jiang Xing laughed out loud at the thought. Mu Huaizhi and Wu Hongzhou gave him a bewildered look. Jiang Xing shut his mouth and suppressed his smile. In short, based on this point alone, Song Wenyue would not allow anyone to pursue Song Xingqiu. At least before graduation, Song Xingqiu could not date.
Jiang Xing braced himself and said, “It is not excitement; it is just that his fists are powerful.” He hoped Mu Huaizhi would put away his unreliable ideas. He did not want Mu Huaizhi and Song Wenyue to have a falling out; if that happened, it would be the subordinates who suffered. Please stay quiet for a while, ancestor!
Mu Huaizhi burst into laughter at Jiang Xing’s words. He patted Jiang Xing’s shoulder hard. “Why did I never notice you were so funny before?”
Jiang Xing could only laugh along.
On the other side, Song Wenyue finally returned after complaining to Song Cheng. His face was clouded. The conversation with Song Cheng had not dispelled his anger; instead, it made him more frustrated. His father did not comfort him or curse that bastard Song Xingqiu with him. Instead, he questioned what Song Wenyue had done at school to make his uncle so angry.
Uncle? Was his father crazy? Before this, his father had never used the word “Uncle” to refer to Song Xingqiu. Song Wenyue was so agitated that he hung up before his father could finish speaking. He was in a bad mood, and seeing Mu Huaizhi laughing so happily made him feel worse. However, he could not vent his anger on Mu Huaizhi. He turned to look at Jiang Xing and spoke harshly, “You seem to be in a good mood, still able to tell jokes to Mu Huaizhi.”
Jiang Xing was silent. Why was he always the one who ended up hurt? He answered with a long face, “I was not telling jokes.”
Song Wenyue pinched his shoulder and sneered, “Then let me ask you, why did you not fight that bastard in the cafeteria today? You even knelt down yourself. Are your knees that soft?”
Jiang Xing had no choice but to explain that he had already been taught a lesson by Song Xingqiu in the classroom. Song Wenyue grew even angrier. “Are you a mute? I think you just wanted to make me look like a fool!”
Song Wenyue beat Jiang Xing until he cried out. Xue Chengyi silently took a step back. Jiang Xing could not escape this beating; he had to take it eventually! It was just the difference between being hit by the uncle or the nephew.
In the afternoon, Song Xingqiu returned to the classroom. The moment he walked in, the room fell silent. Everyone quieted down upon seeing him. After the events of lunch, no one dared to question Song Xingqiu again.
Song Xingqiu walked toward his seat. Yesterday, this had been Jiang Xing’s seat. As for Jiang Xing, Song Xingqiu glanced over and saw he had not come. The desk covered in dried glue was still there, but the seat was empty. He sat down and opened his book. Although studying was optional for him now, his grades could not be so bad that he lost face. He at least had to rank in the middle.
After being troubled by his nephew and classmates all day, Song Xingqiu did not feel bothered. However, speaking of grades and studying, he pressed his temples with a headache. To finish campus life early, he had used a small trick to enter the fourth year ahead of schedule. During this time, he had only been reading the novel and the complex character relationships; no one told him the curriculum at Axellonia Academy was this difficult.
It was a miscalculation. The school he attended in the Federation was not this strict. He had always been easygoing, not pursuing the top spot but maintaining average grades. He did not expect that his average grades from the Federation would be completely insufficient at Axellonia. Song Xingqiu tried his best to pour the knowledge the teacher was sharing into his mind.
The dormitories at Axellonia Academy consist of one suite with two rooms. Two people live in each dormitory, with each student having their own private bedroom and sharing a common living room.
In the evening, Song Xingqiu arrived at the dormitory. His belongings had already been placed in the living room by others. He did not like people entering his room, so he had not allowed them to unpack or organize his things; he needed to do it himself. Before entering the bedroom, he cast a casual glance at the nameplate on the adjacent room.
[Jiang Baixie]
Seeing this name, Song Xingqiu raised an eyebrow. Jiang Baixie was none other than the F2 of the F4, who was currently visiting a school abroad. He was the only member of the F4 that Song Xingqiu had not met today. He had not expected Jiang Baixie to be his roommate. When he read the book, he clearly remembered that Jiang Baixie and Song Wenyue shared a dormitory. Why had it changed now?
Song Xingqiu was puzzled for only a second before composing himself. A novel is a novel, and reality is reality. There will always be discrepancies; it is impossible for them to be exactly the same. This reminded him not to rely too much on the novel or treat it as an absolute truth.
Song Xingqiu pushed his luggage into his room and began to organize his things. After finishing the bedroom, he took out the micro-camera he had prepared. He had originally intended to install it after greeting his roommate, but the roommate was not there. Since that was the case, he would act first and report later.
Song Xingqiu went to the living room to install the camera. Out of caution, he picked up a detection device. Suddenly, he let out a soft “huh?” The living room already had a device.
Song Xingqiu squinted at the name Jiang Baixie on the door for a while before letting out an almost inaudible cold snort. In the F4, who was truly innocent?