Chapter 45

In the lead was a girl. The heavy makeup that was applied to her face made the youthful girl look like a mean middle-aged woman.

The blood-red lips opened and closed with her words, “Oh? Were you so scared that you ran away before the new semester started? Why? Did you find out that I started dating the school’s delinquent? I see you also found a rich boy from who knows where. You’re as trashy as your mother.” 

She originally wanted to say that a boy dressed in pink was a white-faced toy boy. However, noticing Gu Jing Yuan’s imposing aura, she immediately swallowed her words back into her stomach. 

She had never seen such a good-looking boy before. He was refined but not in a feminine way and he exuded more masculinity than her school delinquent boyfriend. He sat and watched them calmly and silently, giving off a very formidable aura.

Looking at what he was wearing, from head to toe, he was dressed in designer brands, exuding nobility, and cold arrogance.

Taking a glance back at her own boyfriend once more, he could not even drag his stinky eyes off Tao Yi Xi. 

The contrast was too glaring, and jealousy turned her into a poisonous snake, waiting for any opportunity to bear its fangs at Tao Yi Xi.

Tao Yi Xi was not provoked by her words. Instead, she chuckled aloud and her melodious laughter was full of ridicule.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

“Gqayke sq usw? R osdela kq usw alxlxcla obs oyp vbl sdl vbyv tsv clyvld vs vbl taswde yde ldele wr naukdt yde clttkdt qsa xlanu? Pslp kv zssj zkjl R’x vbl sdl obs dllep vs qkde psxlsdl lzpl vs qktbv xu cyvvzlp?”

“Mbyv’p clnywpl usw rzyule ekavu yde wple y pvwd twd!” Rd vbl lde, vbyv rwddu Mys Zk Dk bye pvlrrle yzz shla bla, xyjkdt vbyv vbl xspv bwxkzkyvkdt xsxldv kd bla bkpvsau sq cwzzukdt svblap.

Jlnywpl sq vbkp, pbl zsolale bla blye yde vwadle vs zssj qsa blzr qasx vblka pnbssz’p xspv nyryczl elzkdiwldv. Gzz kd vbl dyxl sq vyjkdt alhldtl qsa vbl bwxkzkyvksd pbl pwqqlale. Jwv kd vbl lde, okvbswv y xsxldv’p dsvknl, Mys Zk Dk vaydpqlaale vs ydsvbla pnbssz.

“Xdl ytykdpv qkhl. Tso aktbvlswp eke usw vbkdj usw olal?” Mys Zk Dk vkzvle bla blye, yp vbswtb pbl pweeldzu alxlxclale psxlvbkdt lzpl, “Ju vbl oyu, R osdela kq usw’hl oakvvld uswa vball vbswpyde osae alqzlnvksd lppyu yqvla R vaydpqlaale vs ydsvbla pnbssz.” 

Mbl tkaz’p lmralppksd clnyxl wtzkla cu vbl xkdwvl.

Fbl yzps eke dsv jdso obld Mys Zk Dk xydytle vs dsvkqu vbl vlynbla. Gp y vlynbla’p rlv, vbl vlynbla oswze dlhla clzklhl vbyv vblka byaxzlpp eyazkdt oswze aykpl bla byde ytykdpv svblap yde lhld okd. Ohld yqvla pllkdt yzz sq vblx zukdt sd vbl taswde oakvbkdt kd rykd.

Mys Zk Dk bye nakle yde lmrzykdle vbyv psxlsdl byrrldle vs rypp cu yde alpnwle bla, yde vbl vlynbla zyrrle kv yzz wr.

Mbl pnbssz hklole qktbvkdt vs cl y hlau plakswp kppwl. Xd vsr sq vbyv, yxsdt vblka taswr olal csup vbyv iwkv pnbssz yde fskdle tydtp. Mbkp nywple vbl obszl pkvwyvksd vs lpnyzyvl cyezu vs y obszl svbla zlhlz.

The school notified their parents, suspended their classes, and each of them had to write a 3000-word reflection essay that was to be read aloud in front of the whole school during the flag-raising ceremony in the morning.

She was thoroughly humiliated and Tao Yi Xi was responsible for all of it!

“You fucking bitch! You’re just asking for a good beating!” Seeing that Tao Yi Xi was not carrying a bag or hiding any weapons, the girl arrogantly kicked the stool and declared, “I’m telling you, my current boyfriend is Thirteenth Middle School’s delinquent!”

Tao Yi Xi was unfazed. But from the corner of her eyes, she noticed that the boss had spotted the commotion and was about to walk over. 

Yet, before the boss can make his way over, Gu Jing Yuan stood up. His looming height of 1.87 meters suddenly overwhelmed the group with a great sense of oppression.

His expression was as dark as ink, and his black eyes were unfathomable, emanating a dangerous glow.

As he walked towards them, the school delinquent who was proclaimed to be the best fighter, unconsciously stumbled two steps backwards.

“You’re a school delinquent? How coincidental, so am I.” Gu Jing Yuan was a head taller than the other boy. Staring at him with half-closed eyelids and frigid words exiting his thin lips. Just one glance told the boy that the other party was not to be trifled with.

“…”

“Speak, where shall we go to settle this?” 

And the truth turned out to be the same. Gu Jing Yuan was not a person that the group of delinquents should have trifled with.

In the beginning, it was still a one-on-one fight. But gradually the leader of the group started to realize that the situation was not in his favor and he quickly signaled to the other three boys to join in hopes of gaining the upper hand as there were more of them than one Gu Jing Yuan.

But in the end, they were all knocked down, groaning in pain, and unable to get up from the ground.

Whereas Gu Jing Yuan, only his clothes were a little disheveled. 

When he straightened his clothes, he noticed that the thread on his pink sweater was hooked. This caused his eyes to momentarily darken and he gave the group of boys a few more kicks, causing shouts of pain to resonate. 

He towered above them, saying overbearingly, “Next time if you still want to look for a fight, you come find me.”

His tone was very domineering.

“If you dare to find trouble with Tao Yi Xi again, I’ll take it that you no longer have use for your hands and feet. You hear me?” Gu Jing Yuan threatened as he stepped on the leader’s leg.

The leader of Thirteenth Middle School’s group of delinquents trembled and dare not contradict Gu Jing Yuan’s words. He hung onto Gu Jing Yuan’s thigh and begged for mercy as he swore not to do it again. 

A bunch of useless things.

The only unharmed individual in the group was the girl with heavy makeup. She was shaking in anger that even her thick foundation could not cover up her blue face.

Tao Yi Xi stood to the side, drinking her milk tea leisurely. It was specially brought for her by Gu Jing Yuan before they left.

They fought so hard and suffered such a crushing defeat but the main involved party was comfortably standing at one side watching as the whole thing took place. This discrepancy caused others to feel unresigned.

Blinded by her rage, the other girl rushed towards Tao Yi Xi.

Gu Jing Yuan’s heart missed a beat. However, before the heavily make-up girl could reach her, Tao Yi Xi send her tumbling with a kick, joining the rest of her group on the ground. 

Tao Yi Xi usually carried a stun gun as a cautionary measure. But it seemed like the girl had forgotten that she did not need it when dealing with girls, she could easily settle them with her bare hands. 

Gu Jing Yuan was still worried about her.

But she turned her head and said to him, “Don’t come over. This matter needs to be settled between girls.”

His moral of never raising a hand against the opposite sex was a good principle and he should not break this principle because of her. 

Moreover, she currently was able to protect herself. She was no longer that little girl who cried for comfort and help.

Tao Yi Xi stared at the resentful person on the ground with a calm expression, “I heard that your mother gave birth to a younger brother, but he turns out to have no blood relation with your father. I believe your family is in chaos currently.”

Having her family’s dirty laundry aired like this, the girl struggled to get up to seal Tao Yi Xi’s mouth.

“Let me tell you another interesting titbit. I saw your father at the hospital together with a woman and a little girl. The girl looks a lot like your father.” 

The heavily make-up girl was stunned, she did not know that such a thing had occurred.

“Very soon, you’ll also become a child that no one wants.” Tao Yi Xi lightly concluded her sentence. 

The girl shouted angrily, “Why didn’t you tell me when you saw them?!”

“Why would I tell you? Are we very close?”

She was not a saint; she would not show compassion towards her enemies. 

“Instead of spending your timing finding trouble for others, you should settle your family affairs first.” She moved her leg and casually tossed the empty milk tea cup into the bin nearby, effortlessly and nimbly.

“Ge-ge, let’s go.”

Gu Jing Yuan obediently followed behind her. Keeping away the air of hostility that surrounded him as he played with the loose thread of the sweater, one could tell that he was in a bad mood.

“Zip up your coat so you wouldn’t see it,” she suggested.

He pouted. Did she think that he minded others noticing his torn sweater? How dense…

Compare to the sweater, there were more important things he needed to verify.

“Was she the one who bullied you at school?”

“Yes.”

Gu Jing Yuan halted and turned back aggressively. Tao Yi Xi had to pull him back.

“What are you going to do?”

He replied with a cold expression, “Going to give her a few more kicks.”

“No need for that. She’s about to get her due retribution.”

Fortunes will rise and fall; do not mock others randomly as who knows when it will become one’s turn.

The girl’s family background was not well-to-do and she did not place importance on her education. Now that so many things cropped up in her family, the future that awaited her would be more ruthless than the bullying she did to others. 

There was no need to waste time on this girl any further.

In order to prevent him from succumbing to his impulses, Tao Yi Xi grabbed onto his wrist. 

In the few days that they did not see each other, this was the first time she took the initiative to reach out to him. This caused Gu Jing Yuan’s volatile temper to be pacified.

He turned his passive state into a proactive one as he reached out and grab her small hand in his big warm one. He intertwined their fingers and clasped them firmly together.  

Their hands were tightly stuck together. Since she still had her sense of touch, she was aware of the sudden change in hand placement.

Recalling some past episodes, it seemed that he liked touching her hands very much.

Tao Yi Xi took a glance, “Ge-ge, do you have a hand fetish?”

“No.”

She raised their interlocking fingers and waved them in front of him.

“That’s because your hands are always cold.”

“Oh? Then I’ll remember to bring some heat packs out tomorrow.” 

The grip on her hand tightened as he uttered with much difficulty, “I kinda like it. But, I want something else…”

His gaze was fixed on the corner of her pinkish lips.

He saw the plump lips pursed and a cold rejection followed, “No.”

Gu Jing Yuan lowered his head in disappointment, “I also want to kiss you too…” His tone was low, and he sounded aggrieved.

That day, he was too shocked to react and by the time he did, she already pulled away from him before he even had the chance to savor the feeling. 

The word ‘also’ was spoken very softly.

She had taken the initiative that night.

She paused in her steps and raised her head to look at him. Her eyes flickered and she said, “Ge-ge, we cannot go on like this.”

His Adam’s apple rolled, understanding what she meant.

“We’re not related by blood.”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that my mom and Uncle Gu are together. By law, it’s not possible between us.”

Gu Jing Yuan remained silent.

“That’s why we have to learn to restrain ourselves. On that day, it was my fault.”

Back then, when she regained her senses, she was also startled by her own actions. There were a bit of realness and some parts of pretense, but it seemed that she, herself, was no longer able to differentiate which it was.

But regardless, one of them had to maintain a clear head. 

He clenched tightly onto her hand causing the bone to dig into the flesh.

He wanted to ask if she regretted it. But at the same time, he was afraid that she would reply with an affirmation. 

It was never part of his personality to cower from things, but when it came to her, it became inevitable. 

But he had to admit, she was right.

He could fearlessly and unscrupulously rebel and act out of line. Gu Mu Yang only had him as his only son, so he would clean up his messes.

But who would do that for her? 

In fact, Gu Mu Yang might even push her out to be the scapegoat.

The more he got to know her, the more unwilling he was to see her suffer and get hurt. 

Grandma was wrong.

The members of Gu family were not good people. If it was not for the fact that her grades were stellar and Gu Mu Yang saw some use in her, he would not have allowed her to even take a step into their home.

If Tao Yi Xi was a wastrel like the heavily make-up girl, Xia Yan would never have the guts to even suggest fetching her over. 

Everything she received was achieved through her own hard work.

She was like an orphan despite having a mother and was always taken advantage of.  

A myriad of thoughts flew through his mind, he was filled with indignation and helplessness.

Tao Yi Xi told him gently, “Ge-ge, you should study hard, and let’s go to the same university together. We can discuss these things then?”

One can’t expect the horse to do labor but not let it graze. 

It was best to paint a pretty picture first. As for everything else, they would talk about it when the time comes. 

Who knows how things will turn out in the future? 

It was not that she did not waver before. It was just that reason triumphed over emotion and she attributed her abnormal emotional fluctuations to the fact that during adolescence, boys and girls would be attracted to each other when they spend time together. Perhaps when they grow up and separate, the feelings would dissipate with time.

That’s usually the case, and that might be the case for them as well.    

Gu Jing Yuan felt like he was enlightened and his eyes lit up.

That’s right, when they grow up, these people would no longer be able to control them anymore.

It’s just that…

“I may not be able to get admitted into Tsinghua University.” He confessed in a low voice.

Tao Yi Xi paused before replying, “There’s still a year and a half to go.” 

It’s good that it’s difficult. They both needed to calm down. 

Yet, unbeknownst to her, he had already engraved admission to Tsinghua University in his heart.

As the two held hands, their thoughts went in completely different directions. 

The strength he used to grip her hand lightened. It seemed that he had already calmed down.

Gu Jing Yuan thought to himself, ‘Being able to hold hands now is also good enough.’

It was better than the previous times when they were at each other’s throats.

Glancing at their interlocking hands, her tender little hand was red.

It was he who hurt her just now.

His brows were furrowed and his eyes were filled with self-blame and distress on her behalf.

“I’m sorry.” He lowered his head and placed a light kiss on the pinkish blemish. The touch brushed her skin for barely a second before it moved away.

“It’s okay.” She could not bear to reject him.

They were in a different city and chances of meeting people they knew were close to none. Thus, she allowed them to indulge in this feeling briefly. 

The two of them walked for such a long time in tacit understanding until their feet were sore and their stomachs grumbled in hunger. It was past eight.

“It’s time we head back. Grandma must be waiting for us to go back for dinner.” She was the one who brought up the topic of returning.

“Alright.”

At the intersection close to home, she shook his hand off.

The affectionate episode between them had come to an end and Gu Jing Yuan had no other choice but to let go.

---

Wowow can y’all believe it? We’re already at the halfway mark of this novel~

Although postings are not consistent… it feels like we are slowly, but surely making our way through the novel ><

o(*^▽^*)o