Sitting behind the glass window was a middle-aged man, who appeared to be nearly sixty, though he was actually less than forty. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes spoke of the passage of time; his temples were streaked with white, and his eyes were clouded and filled with exhaustion.
When he heard Xu Huai’an address him as “Father,” the man’s face twisted with rage. He slammed his fist on the table. “Shut up! I don’t have a son like you!”
Xu Huai’an remained unmoved. He sat back leisurely, calmly watching the man who was, in name, his father, lose all composure.
“What kind of son sends his own father to prison? Huh? Damn it, back then I should’ve just—” The prison guard came over to warn him, striking him with a baton. Xu Huai’an’s father immediately cowered, looking like a wronged wife.
Judging from the fear in his expression, it wasn’t hard to imagine the kind of special treatment this man had been receiving in prison.
It was only then that Xu Huai’an finally seemed to see something amusing, a faint smile appearing on his face.
His father’s features were grotesquely contorted with fury, his teeth grinding as if he wanted nothing more than to devour his own flesh and blood.
“Seeing you still so full of life, I can rest easy.”
Xu Huai’an spoke as if he genuinely cared. “I have classes to get to. I’ll come see you again next month.”
He turned to leave, but as he reached the door, he paused as if suddenly remembering something. “Oh, I just remembered, you’ve been wondering where your wife went, haven’t you? I had someone look into it. She’s with a younger man now, living it up.”
His father’s eyes widened in fury as he pounded frantically against the glass, screaming at the top of his lungs. “You liar! You scum! You maggot! I don’t believe a single word that comes out of your mouth!”
Xu Huai’an smiled. His tone had been light and airy the entire time, as if nothing could stir his emotions.
Even now, his voice was gentle, as though he were speaking to someone he held dear. Yet his words pierced his father’s heart like a thousand arrows. “Believe it or not, it’s up to you. But by the time you get out of here, your wife will have already given that young man several sons.”
Xu Huai’an left without looking back.
Behind him, his father continued pounding the window in impotent fury. “AHHHH! Why don’t you just go die already?!”
The old butler had been waiting outside for some time. When the Xu siblings saw Xu Huai’an emerge, Xu Zhao tried to approach him, but his phone rang, forcing him to stop and answer the call.
Xu Zhaodi wanted nothing to do with Xu Huai’an. He was a ruthless wolf cub, someone who could send his own father to prison. How could they, relatives who had always looked down on his mother, ever expect to get anything good from him?
Only Xu Zhao was foolish enough to believe this wolf still cared about family ties.
Xu Huai’an had no interest in hearing their thoughts. The butler quickly opened the car door for him to get in.
On the way back, the old butler discreetly observed Xu Huai’an’s expression.
He couldn’t help but reflect, as he had countless times before, that ever since that incident in the Xu family, the young master had become increasingly difficult to read.
Being able to conceal one’s emotions so completely was impressive, but it also worried the butler.
The young master was living too burdened a life.
The butler didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he followed the usual routine: every time they returned from that place, the young master wouldn’t go back to school but would stay at home for a couple of days.
The butler assumed it would be the same this time.
However, to his surprise, this time was different.
As the car entered the city, the silence within the vehicle was broken.
“To the school.”
The butler was taken aback. Oh? That’s unusual.
He turned to look at Xu Huai’an, who was leaning his chin on his hand, idly gazing out the window. His expression was calm and unreadable, betraying no trace of emotion.
The driver smoothly changed course. After hesitating for a moment, the butler asked, “Young master, is there something going on at school?”
He knew that the young master only had one or two friends at school, and he had never changed his plans like this before. As for academics, without false modesty, the young master had yet to encounter any difficulties in that area.
So the butler truly couldn’t figure out what could have made the young master change his mind.
Xu Huai’an gazed out the window, a hint of something meaningful in his eyes. “Mm, I’m keeping a rabbit at school.”
A rabbit?
Did Yancheng No. 1 High School allow students to keep rabbits on campus?
The butler glanced at the driver, who shook his head. Don’t ask me—I don’t know either.
As they passed a high-end artisanal dessert shop, Xu Huai’an said, “Stop the car.”
The driver immediately braked. Before the butler could even finish saying, “Young master, what would you like? I’ll get it for you…” Xu Huai’an had already pushed open the door and stepped out.
The two of them watched him walk into the dessert shop, pause briefly in front of the glass display cases, and point to one of the delicate cakes.
A few minutes later, Xu Huai’an got back into the car. “Let’s go.”
The car was silent. The driver kept his eyes fixed ahead, while the old butler couldn’t help but sneak a glance.
A delicate, small transparent bag sat on Xu Huai’an’s lap, containing a strawberry cake no bigger than the palm of a hand.
The butler stared a moment too long, and Xu Huai’an asked casually, “What is it?”
The butler immediately turned away. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just… I didn’t realize the young master’s tastes had changed. You never used to like sweets.”
Although he said it was nothing, there was a hint of probing in his tone.
Xu Huai’an didn’t seem to mind. A relaxed expression appeared on his face, one he himself wasn’t even aware of. “Hmph, I still don’t like them.”
The butler was genuinely surprised this time. If he wasn’t eating it himself, then it was a gift for someone.
But before he could ask further, the car pulled up at the entrance of Yancheng No. 1 High School.
It was the break between second period, the long recess.
The night before, after realizing that Xu Huai’an had missed the entire evening self-study session, Xie Wenxing had been restless all evening. He couldn’t focus on anything and was incredibly agitated.
After only a few minutes of working on his problems, he slammed his pen down in frustration, startling Song Yuan.
Song Yuan picked the pen up for him. “Whoa, Xingxing, what’s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?”
How could Xie Wenxing tell him the truth? He furrowed his brow and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s nothing.”
But then he glanced at Xu Huai’an’s empty seat, and a moment later, he snapped his textbook shut with a loud clap, making Song Yuan jump.
He felt like his friend was acting like he’d swallowed dynamite tonight.
The reason for Xie Wenxing’s irritability was simple: he kept thinking about whether Xu Huai’an had skipped class because of what happened, because he had followed him.
What if Xu Huai’an thought he was a pervert and never wanted to see him again?
One question after another piled up in his mind, nearly crushing him. Even after returning to the dorm and turning off the lights, he would suddenly blurt out in bed, “Ugh, this is so frustrating!”
Song Yuan would quietly glance at him and shrink deeper into his blankets, afraid that the light from his phone was bothering him.
Xie Wenxing didn’t sleep well that night.
He had a dream in which Xu Huai’an looked at him with nothing but disdain, while he himself crouched in a corner, on the verge of tears from sheer misery.
He woke up the next morning feeling utterly listless. If Song Yuan hadn’t grabbed him on the stairs, he would have missed a step and tumbled down.
He had thought Xu Huai’an would surely come to class today, but after two periods, he still hadn’t shown up.
Xie Wenxing was completely drained, listless as if his soul had left his body.
After morning exercises, he walked out of the sports field with his head down, still mentally replaying the events of the day before. Had something he said or done made Xu Huai’an angry? Was that why he still hadn’t come to class?
“Hey? Xingxing, look! Xu Huai’an is standing over there, holding something. It looks like he’s waiting for someone.”
Song Yuan’s words instantly revived Xie Wenxing.
Xie Wenxing snapped his head up. “Where? Where?”
He didn’t need Song Yuan to point, he saw him immediately.
Xu Huai’an was impossible to miss.
The tall, lean boy stood at the entrance to the sports field, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a small bag. The arm visible beneath his sleeve was long and well-defined.
Just standing there quietly, he seemed to absorb all the light around him.
For a moment, Xie Wenxing felt as if Xu Huai’an was looking directly at him. Those lazy, intent eyes seemed to see no one else in the world.
Slap! Slap!
Xie Wenxing slapped his cheeks.
You’re overthinking it, Xie Wenxing! If Xu Huai’an isn’t even angry, you’re already beyond lucky. But he looks like he’s waiting for someone, who could it be?
This was the first time Xie Wenxing had ever seen Xu Huai’an wait for someone. The thing in his hand must be a gift for that person.
In that moment, the boy newly caught in the web of first love deeply tasted the bitterness of jealousy.
He saw Zhou Yuan run up to Xu Huai’an, exchange a few words, and reach for the bag in his hand.
If it was for Zhou Yuan, that would still be acceptable.
As Xie Wenxing drew closer, he saw Xu Huai’an stop Zhou Yuan with a look and say calmly, “It’s not for you.”
Huh? If it’s not for Zhou Yuan, then who is it for?!
Was it Luo Yinyin, who had once confessed to Xu Huai’an? Or Chen Yun, who had vaguely hinted at her feelings?
Xie Wenxing’s handsome brows knitted tightly together, his whole being shrouded in a heavy gloom, when suddenly, a delicate pink transparent bag appeared right in front of him.
Xie Wenxing stared blankly at the plump red strawberry inside. He looked up in a daze, and there stood the boy he had been yearning for, right before him, backlit by the light. Xu Huai’an’s thin lips parted slightly. “A gift.”
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
At that moment, it felt as if everything else in the world had vanished. The only things that remained were his heart, threatening to burst from his chest, and the overwhelming presence of Xu Huai’an.
Author’s Note:
Xu Huai’an: The little mischievous bunny seems upset. Time to cheer him up.