Translated by: Queen Dei Mos
Novel Update Schedule: Monday
Characters:
Ji Bai – MC
Ji Feifei – MC’s older sister
Ji Mingzhi – MC’s father
Tao Jiazhi – MC’s mother
Old lady Ji – paternal grandmother – Ji Mingzhi’s mother
Xie Sui – ML
Cong Yuzhou – ML friend
Jiang Zhongning – ML friend
Ai Xiaoxiao – MC’s close friend
Xu Huan – MC’s close friend
Yin Xiaxia – MC’s close friend
Madam Cheng – ML’s birth mother
Chen Zheyang – Childhood friend of MC and Ji Feifei
Chen Zhenheng – Principal of Dexin High School, Father of Chen Zheyang
Director Qin – Director of Academic Affairs
Lu Weiwei – Ex-girlfriend of Jiang Zhongning
Assistant Qin – Assistant of Old Lady Ji
Ji Jing – Cousin from Eldest Uncle (Brother of Ji Mingzhi)
Li Chen – Young master of the Li Group
you1(Original Text): 您 – nín. (English): you – formal, courteous you. = formal speech
Xie Sui, this dog, had no clue what he missed out on because of his impulsive actions. But he was strictly following Ji Bai’s orders; until she calms down, he would avoid her whenever they cross paths at school.
Once, Yin Xiaxia and Ji Bai went to a barbecue restaurant outside the school to eat grilled skewers, and they ran into Xie Sui. Yin Xiaxia thought there would be another confrontation and prepared herself for a “battle”. Unexpectedly, he turned and left without any delay. Before leaving, he even consciously went to the front desk to settle the bill for her.
Yin Xiaxia exclaimed, “Strange, he’s actually so afraid of you. I’ve never seen Xie Sui act so timid ah.”
Ji Bai watched his back and curled her lips. There was something fishy about him.
As a matter of fact, except for the kissing incident which Xie Sui failed to keep his promise, he has kept his word on everything else.
At the end of the month, Old Lady Ji gave Ji Bai another call, “Bai Bai, have you made plans with your friend? Grandma happens to be helping your older sisters choose their dresses. Do you want to come over and take a look, or bring your friend along?”
Ji Bai’s mind buzzed. She almost forgot about this!
“Grandma, it’s okay. I can manage this on my own.”
Ji Bai didn’t dare tell her grandmother that she hadn’t found a plus one yet.
Time was running out, so Ji Bai didn’t delay things. Early the next morning, she went to the door of Class 19 and called Xie Sui to come out.
Jiang Zhongning was all smiles while looking at Xie Sui, “What did I tell you? Girls ah, you can’t spoil them or they’ll walk all over you. Give her the cold shoulder for a few days, and she’ll come crawling back to you.”
Xie Sui slapped the book on his face and walked out of the classroom.
“It’s rare for someone to take the initiative to seek me out.” He put his hands in the pockets of his oversized gray hoodie and cheerfully said, “Missed me?”
Ji Bai reluctantly pursed her lips and grumbled, “Apologize to me.”
“I’m sorry.”
With this apology, Xie Sui straightforwardly and skillfully said, “I was wrong, I won’t do it again.”
Although Ji Bai didn’t quite believe him, since he apologized, she ceremoniously forgave him.
“From now on, you can’t treat me like that.” She still looked at him with annoyance and softly said, “You can’t just do whatever you want. Since we’re together, you have to listen to me.”
Xie Sui vigorously nodded, earnestly reflecting on himself, “Really despicable, mind is full of nonsense, always thinking about kissing Xiao Bai…”
“Ji Bai urgently grabbed at the corner of his hoodie, “You, shut your mouth!”
“Alright, I’ll shut up.” Xie Sui obediently agreed, never been so well-behaved before. “As long as you’re not mad at me, I’ll do anything you want.”
“Then you help me with something.”
When he heard that the girl wanted him to do something for her, Xie Sui immediately became excited. “Speak. What kind of mischief do you want to do?”
He would do anything to help her.
“At the end of March, our family…that is, the Ji Group, is hosting a high-profile charity dinner party. My grandma invited me to attend but I still need a plus one.”
After saying this, she looked expectantly at Xie Sui. He was stunned for quite a while, then understood what she meant. His expression showed some disbelief, “You…are inviting me?”
“It’s nothing special, we’ll just make a quick appearance. We can leave after filling our stomachs. There’s a lot of good food but if you don’t like those kind of occasions, don’t worry about it. I can ask someone else to go with me.”
Xie Sui’s light brown eyes were fixed on Ji Bai, making her feel a little embarrassed. She quickly looked away, feeling a bit shy.
“Xiao Bai, you…are inviting me?”
“Oh, it’s no big deal.” Ji Bai was really embarrassed, her face blushing as she stepped back. “I just thought…”
Her big and dark eyes swept through his face. “It’s just that I think you’re handsome. If you come with me, can…you can help me save face.”
Yeah, that’s it.
Xie Sui couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. For the first time in his life, he felt extremely proud of his looks.
“You think I’m handsome ah?”
“Ah, don’t be like this.”
She was really embarrassed.
“Sure, I’ll go.” Xie Sui readily agreed without hesitation, “I’ll definitely dress up nicely and give you face.”
Ji Bai nodded and turned to leave. She didn’t want to look at his expression for a second longer; she felt so embarrassed that she could die.
But after taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something, “Xie Sui, you’ll need to wear a suit. If you don’t have one, I can help you order one.”
“I have one, you don’t need to worry about it. Who doesn’t have a suit?”
“Okay then.”
That afternoon, Xie Sui casually went to browse a men’s suit shop. In the display window, there was a sharp-looking men’s suit on a mannequin that looked quite impressive, only the price was quite high.
Xie Sui gazed at the suit, his eyes growing darker.
In the past, he never paid much attention to this kind of clothing. He didn’t even know what he was living for; his bleak life had no clear direction or purpose.
But now, whatever he decides to do has been given a different meaning.
He wanted to become better for that girl. He was willing to pay any price to earn her smile. That was the purpose of his existence.
**
In the bustling underground boxing arena, Xie Sui sat in the rest area, preparing to go onto the stage.
He was shirtless, a blanket draped over his shoulders, and holding a pocket-sized English vocabulary book in his hand.
Cong Yuzhou frowned as he looked at Xie Sui, who was fully engrossed in his studies, thinking to himself that he must be completely obsessed or something.
“Brother Sui, are you really serious about applying to S University ah?”
“Yeah.”
“No, you this…Why don’t we set a smaller goal first, like trying to get into an undergraduate program?”
Xie Sui gave him a disdainful look and said, “Good for nothing.”
“You’re saying I’m a good for nothing? Can you count when was the last time you attended a class? You’ve practically wasted your senior high school years. Do you think you can achieve everything overnight?”
Xie Sui put down his English vocabulary book, his eyes filled with irritation and impatience.
Indeed, he had fallen behind too much. With his current level, even getting into an undergraduate program will be a huge challenge, let alone aiming for S University, one of the top universities in the country.
But he wanted to try to catch up to Ji Bai, to work hard to stand by her side.
Xie Sui continued to bury his head in the book.
The VIP room on the third floor had an excellent view. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could clearly see the whole boxing arena perfectly.
Li Chen stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his expressionless face watching the young man on the stage who had just knocked out a heavyweight challenger, earning him a thunderous applause from the audience.
The young man had sharp features and attacked fiercely. He defeated his opponents with a single move and showed no mercy.
Li Chen took a sip of his coffee.
The manager noticed the big boss’s intense gaze on Xie Sui and introduced him, “That’s our boxing arena’s ace player, Xie Sui. He’s still a senior high school student, but don’t let his age fool you. He’s a beast on the stage. No one in the 75-kilogram weight class can beat him.”
Li Chen indifferently asked, “Does he need money?”
“That kid, he goes all out for money like his life depends on it. You’d think a high schooler without any major problems at home would have enough already. I don’t know why he’s still working so hard.”
Li Chen chuckled and said, “There’s no end to human greed. Who can say no to money?”
The manager flattered him with a smile, “Yes, yes, he’s just obsessed with money.”
Li Chen looked at the young man below from afar, a cold glint in his eye. “What’s the point of always winning? Go, invite Qiao Ye from the neighboring arena to come and challenge him to a match.”
The manager was dumbfounded. “Boss Li, did I hear that right? You mean Qiao Ye from the next arena? They’re not in the same weight class. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to have Xie Sui, a senior high school student, fight him? This could cause someone’s death, and Xie Sui certainly wouldn’t agree either!”
Li Chen glanced at him at the corner of his eye, “Doesn’t he want to earn money? Keep raising the offer until he agrees.”
“But…but neither he nor Qiao Ye match in either the same weight class or professional level. This isn’t a game. If it doesn’t go well, Xie Sui’s reputation will be ruined ah!”
Li Chen smiled and said, “In business, it’s all about taking risks. The audience is tired of seeing him win all the time. Think about it, in a match with such a huge gap in strength, who would you bet on?”
“I’d definitely bet on Qiao Ye winning ah!”
Li Chen snapped his fingers, “Exactly. Most people would bet on Xie Sui losing, but I’ll bet on him winning. It’s a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. Do you think anyone would be willing to take the risk?”
The manager pondered about this for a moment then immediately grasped Li Chen’s intentions. A match with such a huge gap in strength was exactly what attracted gamblers to place bets.
The manager’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I understand. I’ll go make the arrangements right away!”
Li Chen stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at Xie Sui from afar.
Xie Sui exuded a heavy and cold aura all over his body. He had a determined look in his eyes that showed he was someone who wouldn’t back down easily—a tough character through and through.
Li Chen didn’t actually have any malice toward him; he was simply curious about whether this kind of tough character could ever be broken or bent.
In the rest area, the manager explained his intention, wanting to invite a professional boxer from the neighboring arena to spar with Xie Sui. Winning or losing didn’t matter, they would both get paid. The primary purpose was to give the audience a good show .
Before Xie Sui could say anything, Cong Yuzhou directly refused on his behalf, “No, absolutely not! Let the professionals do it. Do you want Brother Sui to die?”
Xie Sui, who was busy memorizing English words from his pocket-sized vocabulary book, kicked him and retorted, “Can’t you keep your mouth shut?”
Cong Yuzhou seriously said, “Xie Sui, you can’t agree to this ah. Not only because of your reputation, but also because of the strength and skills of a professional boxer. By the end of one match, you’d either be dead or at least half crippled!”
Xie Sui casually asked, “How much for this match?”
After thinking for a moment, the manager said, “If you win, you’ll get ten thousand; if you lose, six thousand.”
Xie Sui couldn’t be bothered to waste words with him. Closing his English pocketbook, he directly stated, “If I win, fifty thousand. If I lose, thirty thousand.”
“Xie Sui you’re asking for a lot ah.”
Xie Sui gave the manager a disdainful glance. “Laozi’s risking his neck for you, at least make it worth something. This is the price. Take it or leave it.”
Cong Yuzhou gripped Xie Sui’s sleeve, “Brother Sui, have you lost your mind? Over such a small amount of money…”
As if afraid that Xie Sui would change his mind, the manager immediately agreed. “Deal, it’s settled. Come, come, let’s get a few guys over here and clear the place out. We’re going to play big this time.”
After the host announced the upcoming boxing match between Xie Sui and the 85kg heavyweight boxer from the neighboring arena and explained the rules, the audience went wild. Boxing fanatics and gamblers alike rushed to place their bets. Most people were putting their money on Qiao Ye but there were also a few daring ones who placed their bets on Xie Sui and decided to take a big gamble.
Li Chen’s judgment was spot on. Due to the huge disparity in strength between the two boxers, the betting stakes for this match were much higher than previous ones, and the audience’s excitement reached a fever pitch.”
As Xie Sui prepared to enter the stage, Cong Yuzhou nervously grabbed him. “Brother Sui, look at Qiao Ye’s size. He’s not in the same weight class as us. Think about it ah, in this underground boxing arena, if you get injured, they won’t compensate you at all ah.”
“What’s up with you tonight?” Xie Sui frowned at him, “A few rounds in the arena didn’t injure laozi, so what’s the big deal about moving up a weight class?”
“Brother Sui, please think it over again, alright?”
Xie Sui calmly said, “Once this match is over, laozi will have enough money to buy a suit.”
Cong Yuzhou froze for a moment, then he understood that Xie Sui wanted to earn enough money for a decent suit to accompany Ji Bai to some kind of lousy charity dinner party.
“Brother Sui, is it necessary to go to such lengths…” Cong Yuzhou genuinely felt sorry for him. “It’s just a fucking suit, a regular one would be fine. Ji Bai won’t mind.”
Xie Sui stuffed the English book into Cong Yuzhou’s pocket and patted it lightly. “Out of the question.”
For an event of that caliber, the men and women attending would all be of high status, and their eyes would be sharper than those of a venomous snake.
He wanted to present himself well for his woman and not lose face.
Cong Yuzhou still didn’t want Xie Sui to step onto the stage, feeling very uneasy about it.
“Alright, laozi might not necessarily lose.” Xie Sui looked at Qiao Ye on the stage, whose muscles were so terrifyingly well-developed. “He’s just stronger but his reaction time might not be as good.”
**
During the first round of the match, Xie Sui observed that Qiao Ye’s weakness was his reaction time and speed. He had strong explosive power, however, he couldn’t sustain it for a long fight. Therefore, Xie Sui decided to challenge him on endurance.
Focusing on endurance was no easy task either. Xie Sui took several strong punches from Qiao Ye, leaving him dizzy and almost disoriented but he managed to stay on his feet. Eventually, Qiao Ye pinned him down, grabbing his head and smashing it hard against the stage.
The audience’s hearts were clenched in fear and some women started screaming. The referee was frantically blowing his whistle, trying to pull the enraged Qiao Ye away.
Down below, Cong Yuzhou collapsed, holding his head, almost believing that Xie Sui might not make it out alive.
Blood seeped from Xie Sui’s mouth, and his entire body was completely beaten.
Cong Yuzhou shouted his name until his voice became hoarse, but he couldn’t hear anything.
Fifty thousand, as long as he could get the fifty thousand, he could buy that suit…
With a roar, Xie Sui unleashed a powerful left hook, knocking Qiao Ye off of him and sending him flying.
Qiao Ye fell to the ground, dizzy and exhausted. Xie Sui, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, staggered to his feet, and hobbled over to Qiao Ye. With the last bit of strength of his strength, he pressed down on Qiao Ye.
After the referee counted to ten, Xie Sui released Qiao Ye, turned over and laid flat on the stage, panting heavily. His fingers had no strength left to move.
He could no longer hear the fluctuating shouts around him, only a buzzing noise in his ears. The glaring lights from the ceiling blinded his eyes, and he slowly blinked…
He won.
He could finally…have face to stand beside her.
**
In the following days, Ji Bai hardly saw Xie Sui. He didn’t play basketball and often didn’t wait for her at the bike shed like he used to. Sometimes, she wouldn’t even see his shadow for two or three days.
There was no reason for him to avoid her. She was only joking when she angrily said to avoid her if he saw her ah. Xie Sui shouldn’t have taken it seriously.
Ji Bai even began to suspect that Xie Sui was playing hard to get with her and trying to make her feel uneasy?
That little brat…
One afternoon, Ji Bai rode her bike out of the school gate and saw the tall figure of that little brat from afar.
With a gray hoodie and a shoulder bag slung over his shoulder, he strolled along the sycamore-lined path. The afternoon sun, filtering through the shadows of the trees, casting light on him.
Other than Xie Sui, there was no one else who could make passersby turn their heads with just his back.
Ji Bai pedaled her bike along the sycamore-lined path and slowed down as she approached him. The tiny bell on her bike rang cheerfully, “Ding ding”——
“Kid.”
Xie Sui turned his head and cheerfully said, “Who are you calling a kid?”
“You ah, you childish brat.”
To her surprise, he was wearing a black mask that covered nearly half his face, revealing only his dark and piercing eyes. His slightly messy bangs hung down slightly, giving him a somewhat cold appearance.
“Haven’t seen you for the past few days ah.”
Xie Sui raised an eyebrow and said, “What, did Xiao Bai miss me?”
“Who missed you? I’m just giving you a heads-up about next week’s dinner party. You promised me, don’t forget.”
“Don’t worry.”
Ji Bai sized up his mask and said, “Are you trying to look cool ah?”
Xie Sui said in a muffled voice, “Got a cold.”
“Oh.” Ji Bai nodded. “Even the big shot can catch a cold.”
“Why can’t the big shot catch a cold?”
Ji Bai smiled with pursed lips, “Serves you right. Who told you to be so bad?”
Xie Sui was in a good mood. He reached out and ruffled her hair.
Ji Bai tolerated his affectionate gesture. She didn’t know why, but ever since they kissed, she had become much more tolerant of him.
After her rebirth, she had created strategies to deal with the whole world, yet she was completely defenseless against the young man in front of her.
“Go back first.” Xie Sui said. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing your homework? Don’t delay.”
“Okay, I’ll go.” Ji Bai said, getting back on her bike. After riding about ten meters, she saw a pharmacy nearby and hit the brakes.
She went into the pharmacy and bought a few packets of cold medicine. Turning around, she handed them to Xie Sui, “Don’t tough it out if you have a cold. Take some medicine, you’ll feel better soon.”
Xie Sui stared at the packets of cold medicine in his hand in a daze. He opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again. He didn’t know what to say, feeling a mix of sweetness and bitterness in his heart.
“Xiao Bai, I…”
Ji Bai’s ears turned red, and she shyly gave him a push. “You should quickly go back. Rest more if you have a cold, sleep with your head covered, and you’ll feel better tomorrow.”
She finished speaking, her face flushed. Without waiting for his reply, she hopped on her bike and hurriedly left.
Her actively taking care of him made her feel embarrassed, yet she realized she should gradually get used to it and care for him more.
Xie Sui looked down at the cold medicine in his hand and stood there for a long, long time.
The gentle March breeze brushed against his face, but he didn’t know how to alleviate the restlessness in his heart.
He shouldn’t have lied to her; he swore there wouldn’t be a next time.
**
The next day, Ji Bai got up early. She made rock sugar snow pear soup with newly bought pears and poured it into a clean pink thermos.
Reaching the door of Class 19, Ji Bai saw that Xie Sui hadn’t arrived yet, so she waved at Jiang Zhongning.
Jiang Zhongning stepped out of the classroom, a goofy grin spread across his face. “Sister-in-law Xiao Bai.”
“Just call me Xiao Bai.” Ji Bai took out the thermos from her bag and handed it to him. “Here, Xie Sui has a cold, right? I made some rock sugar snow pear soup for him to soothe his throat.”
“Brother Sui has a cold?” Jiang Zhongning scratched the back of his head. “How come I didn’t know about it?”
“Isn’t he wearing a mask? He’s afraid of passing it on to you guys.”
“Oh~ he’s not really sick with a cold.” Jiang Zhongning, being straightforward, leaned against the window sill and blurted out to Ji Bai——
“Didn’t you invite him to some kind of dinner party? He wanted to buy a fifty thousand yuan suit. We all told him that he didn’t need one that was so expensive but he insisted on saving face and just wouldn’t listen.”
“That night he fought with a professional boxer in a heavier weight class and got beaten up badly. He had a bloody nose and a swollen face. He bought the suit, but now he’s got injuries on his face. Xiao Bai, you say, don’t you think that’s a lose-lose situation? With injuries on his face, how can he attend the dinner party with you? Hey, Xiao Bai, what’s wrong with you…”
With a “bang” the thermos fell heavily onto the ground.
Jiang Zhongning’s rambling words were stuck in his throat as he looked at the girl’s pale face. He suddenly realized that he seemed to have… said the wrong thing ah.
The thermos rolled a few times before coming to a stop at Xie Sui’s feet.
He was wearing a black jacket and a mask, his dark eyes as calm as still water, and his whole demeanor was very downcast.
He picked up the thermos from the ground, and his gaze, as sharp as a blade swept toward Jiang Zhongning.
Jiang Zhongning’s heart pounded in his chest. “Uh, well…class is about to start. I’ll head back to the classroom first, okay? You guys talk slowly.”
Ji Bai shot him a fierce glare and turned to leave.
Xie Sui tightened his grip on the thermos and paused for a few seconds before turning around to chase after her.
In the deserted staircase, Xie Sui caught Ji Bai’s hand, “Xiao Bai…”
Ji Bai spun around, her movement swift and unexpected. With a sharp tug, she ripped off his mask.
There were noticeable bruises at the corners of his mouth, and there seemed to be a small cut near the bridge of his nose……He had never been injured like this before, never!
Ji Bai’s heart felt as if it had been stabbed repeatedly with a knife bleeding and painful to the point of being unable to breathe, her hand trembling uncontrollably as she clutched the mask.
“You actually…you…”
“Xiao Bai, don’t get agitated.”
Xie Sui was genuinely panicked, holding her delicate wrist. “It’s nothing. It’s just a superficial wound, like a scratch. I can barely feel it.”
Ji Bai bit her lower lip until it turned white. She was angry at him for lying, angry at him for being stupid, and even more angry at herself for being so stupid to invite such an idiot to such a ridiculous dinner party…
She would rather not go than have him suffer even the slightest bit of harm.
She left, taking out her phone as she walked. She planned to call her grandmother and say she wasn’t going to attend the dinner party.
As Xie Sui watched her walk away, he felt as if every breath was tearing his organs apart.
“Xiao Bai, that suit…I really look handsome in it. Tomorrow, I’ll wear it for you to see, okay?”
The empty corridor echoed with the abrupt stop of Ji Bai’s footsteps. She turned, her hand tightening around the railing of the stairs, her gaze fixed on him with bitter resentment.
Sunlight streamed in through the skylight, enveloping his solitary and lonely figure.
Ji Bai took a deep breath and “thump, thump, thump” went back upstairs. She stopped in front of Xie Sui.
In the end, she couldn’t bear it.
Xie Sui tugged at her sleeve, coaxing her, “Don’t be mad at me…”
Ji Bai walked up to the step where he stood, locking eyes with him. She reached out to touch the bruise at the corner of his mouth, then touched the bridge of his nose. Lifting his chin, she looked left and right, checking if there were any other wounds.
Xie Sui felt the girl’s soft fingertips tracing his face. It was light and cool on his skin, sending waves of tingling electric currents rippling through his heart.
He closed his eyes, letting his eyelashes fall as he enjoyed her brief, intimate touch.
She gently scolded, “Idiot…”
He looked up at her with dark and anxious eyes.
Ji Bai really wanted to be angry, but at this moment, she felt more regret and heartache. She sullenly muttered, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have invited you.”
“You’re not thinking of backing out now, are you?!” Xie Sui exclaimed after hearing what she said. Agitated, he said, “Laozi already bought the clothes!”
Ji Bai gave him an unhappy glance then turned and said, “Come with me to the infirmary for a checkup.”
“No need, it’s nothing serious.”
“Are you going to listen to me or not?”
Xie Sui was taken aback for a moment, realizing that the girl seemed to have forgiven him unconditionally once again. His mood lifted as he caught up with her in two or three steps, saying with delight——
“Listen, I’ll listen to everything Xiao Bai says.”
T/N:
Hey guys! Sorry for the super late update! I know I said I’d probably be gone for 2 weeks, but getting my wisdom teeth out really knocked me out, and it’s taken way longer than I expected to heal. I still feel a bit of pain whenever I eat…
Rant: This translator thinks what Xie Sui did is stupid! Very stupid…Why can’t the man just borrow the suit!! Who in this economy would buy an expensive suit just to wear it for ONE TIME?! What’s the use of face when you die and Ji Bai is left all alone. What the Hickory!
In addition, I didn’t expect Li Chen to be so black bellied, already on my blacklist.
Please comment and share if you like the story!
If you like what I do, please do support me thru ko-fi~ Every $2 is an extra chapter. |･ω･｀)Chapters Left: 49
