The next day, Cheng Yue slept until noon. When he woke up, he found that Ji Xu was no longer in the house.
There was a sticky note on the fridge, written in elegant, flowing handwriting with a fountain pen, carrying an air of indescribable charm.
– Remember to have breakfast. I had an urgent matter, so I’ll be back earlier after evening study.
The simple sentence made Cheng Yue squint, thinking it looked like an invitation card from a prestigious family.
Cheng Yue sniffed the ink on the note, but didn’t smell what he was hoping for. He shrugged, stretched lazily, and wandered around the house in only his underwear, chewing on a piece of bread and holding a bottle of milk.
He first wandered around Ji Xu’s bedroom.
Ji Xu’s bedroom was a mix of black, white, and gray, and Cheng Yue recalled the floral curtains Ji Xu had helped him install in his own room, which gave him a headache.
After finishing his breakfast, Cheng Yue squatted in his own room and opened the largest of the four boxes he had shoved under his bed.
Inside were his… treasures.
His grades had always been poor, and he never quite figured out the academic line in his head, but he was decent at drawing.
Whether it was his sensitivity to colors or the talent for immersive influence his teachers had mentioned.
Cheng Yue stared blankly at the wooden easel he had set up, wondering what to draw…
The afternoon passed quickly. Cheng Yue blinked his slightly dry eyes, then plopped down on the wooden floor and checked the time on his phone.
It was already past four o’clock. They had evening study, so he needed to get there before six.
Cheng Yue put his phone down, quickly grabbed a set of clothes from the wardrobe, and headed to the bathroom.
When he came out of the bathroom, it was already past five. He didn’t have time to blow-dry his hair and just grabbed his backpack and ran out the door.
After taking a taxi, Cheng Yue ran from the school gate to the teaching building and then up the stairs to the sixth floor without stopping to catch his breath. His legs felt weak from the run. When he pushed open the back door of the classroom, it was quiet inside, and he was so disoriented from the run that he didn’t immediately realize something was wrong.
The whole class was staring at Cheng Yue, who was bent over, holding the door frame and panting.
Just as Cheng Yue managed to catch his breath and looked up, he saw Teacher Chen glaring at him from the podium.
Cheng Yue: “…”
“Alright, here’s the situation. Everyone, avoid that street if possible. If you have to go, try not to go alone,” Teacher Chen finished the previous announcement, gave Cheng Yue another glare, and then left after the self-study session began.
Cheng Yue let out a sigh of relief and sat down in his seat.
Chen Zong immediately leaned over and looked at him. “Why are you so late?”
“I overslept,” Cheng Yue replied.
“Your hair is still wet. Is it raining outside?” Chen Zong touched his damp hair.
“Stop touching,” Cheng Yue swatted Chen Zong’s hand away.
“Hey!” Chen Zong was about to say something but was interrupted.
“Cheng Yue, someone is looking for you outside,” a classmate sitting near the back door called out.
“Who?” Chen Zong asked.
“Our neighbor class,” the classmate at the back door answered.
“Looking for me?” Cheng Yue turned his head to look out the window but didn’t see anyone. He had to stand up and walk towards the back door.
As he approached the door, he saw a green-haired boy leaning against the railing outside.
“You…” Cheng Yue started to speak but was interrupted by the green-haired boy.
“Come here.” Without even looking at Cheng Yue, the green-haired boy turned and walked away.
Cheng Yue stood there, feeling uneasy, but after thinking it over, he decided to follow.
The green-haired boy led him straight to the bathroom. When Cheng Yue took the first step into the bathroom and was hit by the smell of smoke, he instinctively wanted to turn back.
Not to mention, seeing two or three crew-cut guys standing against the wall made him even more uncomfortable.
However, the green-haired boy noticed Cheng Yue’s intent to leave and shoved him hard in the back, pushing him into the bathroom.
Cheng Yue stumbled, biting his lip and staying silent. He didn’t know the three crew-cut guys in front of him, and he also didn’t know the green-haired boy standing by the door.
Now, trapped in the middle, Cheng Yue remained calm on the outside but began to feel nervous inside.
Cheng Yue had fought ten times and lost nine, with one draw. He might have a slight chance against the skinny green-haired guy, but the other three crew-cuts looked tough, and he wasn’t sure he could handle them.
“Cheng Yue, right?” the green-haired boy spoke, his smile a bit sinister. “I saw you yesterday. You’re the lawyer’s younger brother, right?”
Cheng Yue was taken aback and looked at the green-haired boy, realizing that his eyes were bloodshot. He frowned in confusion. “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” The green-haired boy suddenly laughed. “That lawyer put my dad in prison, my mom in the emergency room, and my company is a mess. And you have the nerve to ask who I am?”
Understanding the situation, Cheng Yue’s face gradually showed disgust. So this guy was the son of one of those scumbags.
“What the hell are you looking at!” The green-haired boy suddenly exploded, shoving Cheng Yue hard on the shoulder.
Cheng Yue didn’t react in time and was pushed against the bathroom door, banging his waist against the iron handle.
In pain, Cheng Yue lifted his foot and kicked the green-haired boy in the stomach.
“Damn it.” The green-haired boy staggered back in pain and yelled at the crew-cut guys, “Why aren’t you doing anything!”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?” One of the crew-cut guys, with a cigarette in his mouth, pulled it out and stomped it out on the ground. He slowly walked over. “The money you gave me isn’t even enough for one night’s expenses. If it weren’t for…”
The green-haired boy knew what he meant and gritted his teeth, saying, “Add another thousand.”
“Deal.” The crew-cut guy nodded in satisfaction, crooked his neck, and waved his hand. “Get to work, brothers.”
Cheng Yue’s heart sank. He subtly moved to the left, thinking if he could get past the two guys before they grabbed him, he might be able to run out of the bathroom…
Damn it!
Before he could finish his thought, one of the crew-cut guys grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall, lifting him up.
When the fist came towards his face, Cheng Yue closed his eyes, his body tensed up.
The anticipated pain never came. Cheng Yue waited anxiously, then slowly opened one eye and saw that the fist was only a few centimeters from his nose.
The crew-cut guy was also surprised by his halted fist. He turned his head and saw Bai Zhen holding his arm with a cold expression.
“Wow, quite the commotion here.” Bai Zhen said with a smile, his subordinates increasing their grip, forcing the crew-cut guy to move his hand away. “Mind if I join in?”
“Brother Bai?” The crew-cut guy’s face showed a moment of guilt. “Just teaching a lesson to some disobedient juniors. Why are you here?”
Cheng Yue opened his eyes fully, surprised to see the crew-cut guys now respectful toward Bai Zhen.
“Come here.” Bai Zhen glanced at Cheng Yue, pulling him over and giving the crew-cut guys a few disapproving looks.
He then pointed at Cheng Yue and introduced him to the group. “This is my big brother, Brother Cheng.”
The crew-cut guys hesitated, glancing at each other. Ultimately, they couldn’t stand up to Bai Zhen’s usual brutal style and, with reluctance, called out, “Brother Cheng.”
“Louder!” Bai Zhen suddenly shouted.
The crew-cut guys, frightened, jumped and shouted in unison, “Brother Cheng!”
Cheng Yue was startled by their reaction and awkwardly took a step back.
Seeing this, Bai Zhen furrowed his brow and yelled, “Didn’t you see it, you scared Brother Cheng?”
“Sorry, Brother Cheng!” The crew-cut guys shamelessly apologized.
The green-haired boy next to them was also stunned but dared not say a word. Bai Zhen, a senior in their school, was well-known, wealthy, and had many friends. He was generous with his money and his fists, too.
“Alright, get out of here quickly,” Bai Zhen waved his hand.
The crew-cut guys hurriedly scrambled out of the bathroom.
Once the footsteps of the crew-cut guys had faded, Cheng Yue looked at Bai Zhen and said, “Thank you.”
“No need to be polite,” Bai Zhen smiled. “Did you forget how you treated me the last few times?”
“You…” Cheng Yue frowned, about to speak, but Bai Zhen interrupted him.
“Enough,” Bai Zhen said with a smile. “Are you still interested in that bike? I’ve had it in the shop for so long, and you haven’t contacted me to pick it up. You’re quite generous.”
Cheng Yue frowned. He hadn’t forgotten about the motorcycle, but he was afraid that seeing it would stir up emotions he couldn’t control. Besides, he couldn’t ride it anyway, and he knew it had been taken back to the shop.
“Want to see it after evening study?” Bai Zhen suggested.
After some hesitation, Cheng Yue couldn’t resist the temptation and nodded.
“Alright, I’ll wait for you at the school gate,” Bai Zhen flicked Cheng Yue’s forehead. “Next time, don’t just barge into the bathroom like that.”
Cheng Yue covered his forehead where Bai Zhen had flicked him, feeling a bit impatient and annoyed, and directly left the bathroom.
“Bad temper,” Bai Zhen chuckled and also exited the bathroom.
On his way back to class, Cheng Yue ran into Chen Zong, who was rushing towards him.
“Damn it!” Chen Zong was out of breath and anxious. “Are you alright? You scared me to death.”
“What happened?” Cheng Yue helped him steady himself.
“I heard someone say you were trapped in the bathroom by Ma Biao’s gang. What could you possibly handle with your little body?” Chen Zong finally caught his breath. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Cheng Yue replied. “Let’s go back to class.”
After enduring until evening study ended, Cheng Yue grabbed his backpack and ran towards the school gate.
As soon as he exited the gate, he saw Bai Zhen, wearing a helmet and riding a motorcycle by the roadside.
Bai Zhen tossed a helmet to Cheng Yue as he approached. “Hold on tight.”
Cheng Yue put on the helmet carefully and, once on the motorcycle, tensed up at the sound of the engine starting.
After a short drive, Cheng Yue looked to his side and saw a small electric scooter keeping pace with them.
He then glanced at Bai Zhen, who was wearing a helmet as well, feeling a bit helpless.
When they arrived at their destination, Bai Zhen parked the motorcycle and led Cheng Yue into the shop while explaining, “Safety first.”
Cheng Yue: “…”
Bai Zhen quickened his pace, walked to a corner of the lobby, and removed the black silk cover from the motorcycle, smiling as he said, “Here’s your bike.”
Cheng Yue looked at the motorcycle, feeling a bit emotional. He struggled to hold back his feelings and reached out to touch it for a while.
“This bike, after being modified, can easily outpace 90% of the cars on the street,” Bai Zhen said with admiration in his eyes. “I’m planning to build one just like it.”
“When I last rode it, I almost lost control,” Cheng Yue recalled the sensation of the wind from his previous ride. “It felt like I was overtaking the wind.”
“The engine’s vibration is particularly satisfying!” Bai Zhen pulled Cheng Yue off the bike and sat on it himself. “The modifications on this bike are really impressive!”
The two talked about the bike’s performance, equipment, favorite brands, and techniques.
After chatting aimlessly for a while, Cheng Yue suddenly found that Bai Zhen wasn’t so annoying after all.
The conversation made Cheng Yue lose track of time. When he reached for his phone to check the time, he realized he had left it behind.
“What time is it?” Cheng Yue asked Bai Zhen.
Bai Zhen took his phone out of his pocket and checked. “It’s already past midnight. You might as well stay here; it’s closer to school.”
“Past midnight?” Cheng Yue was stunned.
After parking the car, Ji Xu checked the time on the elevator. It was already past midnight. He tried to be quiet as he approached his apartment, worried about waking Cheng Yue.
In the hallway, Ji Xu changed his shoes, took off his coat, and grabbed a can of cold beer from the fridge. He took a couple of swigs and then walked to Cheng Yue’s room.
He listened for any sounds, then slowly opened the door.
The room was dark. Ji Xu, sensing something, quickly looked at the empty bed and frowned as he turned on the light.
The sudden brightness made Ji Xu squint, but it allowed him to see the room clearly.
The room had an easel but no Cheng Yue, who should have been lying in bed.
Seeing the empty room, Ji Xu’s expression darkened. He crumpled the beer can in his hand with a crunch.
