Chapter 82: The Storm is Coming

Before going to bed that night, Shang Huaizheng sent Ming Jue a WeChat message with a photo attached.

Lying under her blanket, Ming Jue carefully studied the man in the photo. He stood in front of a bathroom mirror, a soft, warm yellow light shining down from above, casting a golden hue on his skin.

He wore a casual Adidas T-shirt, and the faint outline of his chest muscles was visible through the fabric.

Around his neck, he wore the silver leaf necklace she had given him. The leather cord was long, and the three silver leaves hung right at the center of his chest.

Shang Huaizheng: “Did you make this by hand?”

Ming Jue replied quickly: “I strung the beads myself, but I bought the leaves at a silver jewelry shop. You gave me a brooch last time — this is a gift in return.”

Shang Huaizheng: “Thank you. I really like it.”

Ming Jue locked her phone, a smile unconsciously spreading across her lips.

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“Zlyb, bl pyke bl alyzzu zkjle vbl pkzhla zlyq dlnjzynl R tyhl bkx.”

“R vbkdj vblal’p psxlvbkdt vblal,” Nk Elkolk pyke, nzkxckdt sdvs Ykdt Kwl’p cle vs pkv clpkel bla. “G xyd bkp ytl oswzed’v clyv yaswde vbl cwpb kq bl oypd’v kdvlalpvle. Rq bl ynnlrvle uswa tkqv yde lhld pyke bl zkjle kv — bl’p elqkdkvlzu vbkdjkdt psxlvbkdt.”

“Slyzzu?”

“Gcpszwvlzu.”

Ykdt Kwl’p pxkzl talo, bla lulp pbkxxlakdt okvb fsu.

“Zsw pbswze cl y zkvvzl xsal rasynvkhl,” Nk Elkolk pwttlpvle. “Usdqlpp uswa qllzkdtp vs bkx.”

“Wouldn’t that be too forward?” Ming Jue hesitated.

“If he were ten years younger, I’d tell you to wait, but…” Li Weiwei shook her head. “You’re a lot younger than him. If he does like you, he might feel too awkward to make the first move. Age gaps like that can make a guy hold back, so it’s up to you to be a bit braver.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Even though Li Weiwei’s words made sense, Ming Jue was still unsure. What if Shang Huaizheng didn’t think of her that way? She didn’t want to misinterpret things and end up making their relationship awkward.

A few days later, after finishing a cosplay event, Ming Jue was heading back to her dorm when she ran into Shang Bai. She was walking with a group of fashionable young men.

Ming Jue instinctively tried to avoid her, lowering her head and quickening her pace.

But Shang Bai spotted her immediately, said goodbye to her friends, and caught up with Ming Jue. “Hey, sis, already forgot about me?”
Ming Jue stopped and greeted her politely, “Shang Bai.”

“So you do remember me.” Shang Bai casually threw an arm around Ming Jue’s shoulder. Caught off guard, Ming Jue stumbled forward slightly, but Shang Bai grabbed her hand and steadied her.

Around this girl, Ming Jue always felt oddly weak.

Shang Bai gave her a once-over — Ming Jue was wearing a black-and-white maid outfit, her hair curled into small ringlets, and her face carefully made up.

Tugging at one of Ming Jue’s pigtails, Shang Bai smirked. “What’s this? Cosplaying for some kind of uniform seduction?”

“I was at an event,” Ming Jue said, pulling Shang Bai’s hand away. “You wouldn’t get it.”

Shang Bai chuckled. “You’re bold now, huh? Just because my brother likes you, you dare talk to me like this? If it were someone else, I wouldn’t let it slide.”

“Did you need something?”

“Can’t I just want to see you?” Shang Bai grabbed Ming Jue’s hand again. “Come skating with me.”

“Hey, I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

Ming Jue, always direct, blurted out, “Your brother told me to stay away from you.”

Shang Bai secretly cursed Shang Huaizheng and said to Ming Jue, “You really listen to him, huh? So obedient — no wonder he likes you.”

Ming Jue’s face flushed red. “Don’t talk nonsense!” she said anxiously.

“What nonsense? All these years, so many women have tried to win him over, but I’ve never seen him care about anyone like this.”

Just as Ming Jue was about to argue back, Shang Bai grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the school gate. “Come on, let’s go skating.”

“Wait, I haven’t even changed my clothes yet!”
…

Shang Huaizheng was having afternoon tea with his friends when one of them quickly noticed the necklace around his neck.

The leather cord was hidden beneath his shirt, and though the silver leaves were thin and discreet, his friends — a group of sharp-eyed young men who had grown up with him — immediately caught sight of the leather string peeking out from his collar.

They knew Shang Huaizheng liked collecting handmade items, but wearing a necklace like this with a suit was unusual — and the fact that he kept it hidden under his clothes made it all the more suspicious.

Something was definitely up.

His friends exchanged knowing looks and teased, “Huaizheng, looks like there’s something going on.”

Shang Huaizheng casually touched the silver leaf through his shirt and replied, “Just drink your tea.”

“You didn’t deny it — so there really is someone! Come on, which celebrity gave it to you?”

Leaning back against the sofa, Shang Huaizheng lazily glanced at them. “A female student.”

“A student? Seriously? That’s bold!”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Shang Huaizheng said calmly. “She’s a classmate of my sister.”

His friends weren’t buying it. “Plenty of women have given you gifts over the years, but you never accepted any of them. This time, not only did you accept it — you’re even treasuring it like this? There’s definitely something going on. Spill.”

Shang Huaizheng couldn’t be bothered to respond. Instead, his fingers traced the outline of the silver leaf under his shirt. Being called out didn’t make him feel embarrassed — if anything, there was a quiet sweetness in his heart.

One of his friends leaned in and asked more seriously, “But Huaizheng, are you actually serious about this?”

Shang Huaizheng’s gaze was steady and cool. “I’ve never played games with anyone.”

Not long after, a WeChat message popped up on his phone — from Shang Bai.

“Hahaha! I’m skating with your girl right now. She’s terrible at it — you should see how hard she fell!”

Attached was a video.

In the clip, Ming Jue was sitting on the scratched-up ice, struggling to get back on her feet. She clearly had no skating skills, wobbling uncontrollably in her skates and falling a few more times. Finally, she just sat there, looking helpless.

Shang Bai’s signature mischievous laugh rang out in the background: “Come on, girl! Get up where you fell!”

Shang Huaizheng let out a small humph, locked his phone, and stood up. “I’ve got something to take care of — I’m heading out,” he told his friends.

…

At the ice rink on the fifth floor of Star Plaza, Ming Jue clung to the railing, watching the graceful skaters glide effortlessly across the ice. She glanced down at the bruises on her knees and decided she wasn’t brave enough to step back onto the rink just yet.

The ice was real, and the falls hurt. The entrance fee wasn’t cheap either — a few hundred yuan per session — so even though she had paid, she felt it would be a waste to leave now.

Determined not to quit, she slowly tried to skate along the edge, gripping the railing as she carefully figured out the rhythm.

Shang Bai, skating circles around her like a carefree bird, showed off his skills. “Come on, let’s skate together!”

“No thanks, I’m fine by myself,” Ming Jue said quickly, waving him off. “I’ll just practice alone.”

“Boring.” With that, Shang Bai lost interest and skated away.

Not long after, a tall figure glided smoothly to Ming Jue’s side. A familiar, gentle voice asked, “Are you getting the hang of it?”

Startled, Ming Jue looked up — Shang Huaizheng was there, now wearing skates, his white dress shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar.

“What are you doing here?” she blurted out.

“Your ‘middle schooler’ sent me your location.”

He didn’t explain why he came — just how he found her.

Kneeling down, Shang Huaizheng noticed the bruises on her knees and frowned. “Looks like you’ve taken quite a few falls.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Ming Jue clung to the railing. “It’s my first time skating… I don’t really know how.”

“Bro! You’re here!”

From a distance, Shang Bai waved enthusiastically. Shang Huaizheng shot him a glare before turning back to Ming Jue. “Do you want to keep trying?”

“Yes… I want to figure it out.”

“Alright. Let me teach you.”

Shang Huaizheng rolled up his sleeves, revealing his slender yet strong wrists. He held out his hand to her. “Hold onto me — let’s try together.”

Blushing, Ming Jue stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before placing hers in his.

Facing her, Shang Huaizheng skated backward, firmly holding both of her hands, guiding her onto the ice step by step.

“Don’t rush. Keep your balance.”

“Okay.”

With his steady support, Ming Jue gradually got the hang of it and stopped falling.

“I’m going to let go now.”

“No!” Ming Jue’s grip tightened on his hand, fear flashing across her face. “Don’t let go — I’ll fall!”

“If I don’t let go, you’ll never learn.” Shang Huaizheng chuckled softly. “I’ll start by letting go of one hand, okay?”

Reluctantly, Ming Jue loosened her grip on his left hand.

He turned around, skating forward this time, still holding her right hand as they picked up speed.

Gradually, he let go of her other hand.

Panic instantly set in — her feet faltered, and as soon as she lost balance, she lunged forward, instinctively grabbing onto Shang Huaizheng’s waist.

He smoothly caught her, his arm wrapping around her slender waist, skating backward several meters while spinning slightly to steady them both.

His hand rested gently at her waist, while Ming Jue clung tightly to him, eyes shut, too scared to let go.

The scorching breath landed near his ear, and Shang Huaizheng’s heartbeat quickened, the once-calm lake of his heart rippling with waves.

The girl slowly opened her eyes, her long, curled lashes trembling slightly. She gazed at him from close range, her eyes wide with fear.
Shang Huaizheng immediately set her down and said, “Don’t rush it. Take it slow.”

Ming Jue’s face was already as red as a tomato, but Shang Huaizheng gently took her hand again.

Shang Bai slid over, circling them playfully, and said to Ming Jue, “My skating skills? All taught by my brother. He’s amazing at it — fancy moves and all. Let him teach you, and you’ll be a pro in no time.”

Shang Huaizheng’s voice turned cold: “Go away.”

“Bro! That’s too harsh. Ming Jue is my good friend now — how can you embarrass me like this in front of her?”

“You call yourself a good friend? You brought someone skating and then left her alone to fall all over the place.”

Shang Bai stuck out her tongue, sliding over to grab Ming Jue’s hand: “Fine! I’ll take the pretty lady skating myself.”

“No need.” Shang Huaizheng pulled Ming Jue back to his side. “With you leading, she’ll just end up falling again.”

“You really don’t trust me at all, huh?”

“Should I?”

Ming Jue obediently followed Shang Huaizheng, skating around the rink for several laps under his guidance. As she looked up at him — his sharp yet soft brows, his handsome features — she realized he had the same striking looks as his younger brother Shang Bai, but with an added layer of mature charm.

Shang Huaizheng kept his gaze fixed straight ahead but suddenly said, “If you keep staring at me like that, you’ll end up falling again.”

Ming Jue quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks burning.

“I wasn’t looking at you. Not at all.”

The corner of Shang Huaizheng’s mouth lifted into a faint smile.

…

After that day, Shang Bai seemed to have decided that Ming Jue was her new best friend. She sought her out every day, even dragging her along to help clean up the 26th teaching building. Ming Jue had a gentle personality — if she had time, she didn’t mind helping out.

Of course, a pampered young lady like Shang Bai wasn’t actually going to lift a finger, so all the cleaning ended up being done by Ming Jue.
To “thank” her, Shang Bai gave Ming Jue a bottle of serum, claiming it was a free sample she got with a skincare purchase. Ming Jue didn’t recognize the brand and asked if it was expensive. Shang Bai laughed, “Are you silly? Samples aren’t for sale — there’s no ‘expensive’ or ‘cheap’ about it. If you like it, I have a few more bottles.”

Since she had done the work, Ming Jue accepted the gift without hesitation.

That day, Shang Bai mysteriously pulled Ming Jue into a bathroom stall and started unzipping her coat. Ming Jue, startled, backed against the wall. “What are you doing?!”

“Showing you my tattoo,” Shang Bai replied, lifting her sweater. The tattoo, a string of unfamiliar letters, was inked just below her collarbone.

Ming Jue’s eyes, however, were glued to something else — the small curve of Shang Bai’s chest and the black lace camisole she wore.

Shang Bai waved a hand in front of her face. “Hey! What are you staring at, you little perv?”
“Uh…” Ming Jue finally focused on the tattoo. “What do the letters mean?”

“No clue, but who cares? It looks cool.” Shang Bai let her sweater fall back into place. “I’ll take you to get a tattoo tonight.”

“No way!” Ming Jue shook her head frantically. “I’m scared of the pain.”

“Pain is nothing — just grit your teeth and it’s over.”

“I really can’t. I’m in the drama club. I can’t have any visible tattoos.”

“Fine, whatever,” Shang Bai shrugged, not pushing the matter.

Just as they were about to leave the stall, they heard a group of girls enter the bathroom, chattering loudly about Ming Jue.

“I saw it with my own eyes — Ming Jue is using La Prairie serum!”

“Seriously? That stuff is crazy expensive.”

“No way can her family afford skincare like that. But I’ve seen a fancy car pick her up a couple of times — an older guy was driving.”

“You mean she has a sugar daddy?”

“What else could explain it? Suddenly using luxury skincare… And she calls that guy ‘Mr. Z.'”

“Is this ‘Mr. Z’ married?”

“Probably. Might even have kids already.”

“So she’s a homewrecker? Ugh, disgusting.”

Ming Jue instantly recognized one of the voices — Li Weiwei. Someone she had always considered a close friend. Hearing Li Weiwei say these things behind her back was like a slap to the face.

Before Ming Jue could even react, Shang Bai had had enough. She kicked the bathroom door open, grabbed Li Weiwei by the collar, and kneed her hard in the stomach, sending her to the floor.

Li Weiwei groaned in pain, unable to speak.

Shang Bai didn’t fight like a “proper” girl — no slapping or hair-pulling. Growing up running wild with a bunch of guys, she fought like one too — punches, kicks, and all.

The other girls, terrified, bolted to find a security guard. If Ming Jue hadn’t held Shang Bai back, she would have kept hitting Li Weiwei.

“Listen up, you blind bat — I gave Ming Jue that serum!”

“And that ‘old man’ you’re gossiping about — that’s my brother! You dare talk crap about him too?”

“You better believe I can make sure you don’t show your face in Jiangcheng again!”

Ming Jue couldn’t help but wonder how someone from the wealthy and powerful Shang family could end up with such a fierce, street-savvy sister.

Unsurprisingly, the whole lot of them ended up in the academic office afterward.

For Shang Bai, the place was familiar territory. But for Ming Jue — the model student who won scholarships every year — this was her first-ever visit to the academic office. She couldn’t believe she’d gotten “dragged down” like this.

The Director of Academic Affairs didn’t dare to confront Shang Bai directly, so they directed all their anger at Ming Jue, saying they would report her to the college and deduct points from her conduct record.

Ming Jue kept her head down and stayed silent, but it was clear the news hit her hard. She relied heavily on her conduct points to secure her scholarship.

Shang Bai stepped forward. “It has nothing to do with her. I’m the one who hit someone. If you want to punish someone, punish me. You want to deduct points? Take mine!”

The Director of Academic Affairs shot her a glance. “Your conduct points have long been in the negative.”

“Still, you can’t bully Ming Jue!”

“One is influenced by the company they keep,” the director said, ignoring Shang Bai completely and turning to Ming Jue with a heavy tone. “You’re an excellent student. I remember you won first prize in the drama competition held by the city last year.”

“Exactly! So you shouldn’t deduct her points!” Shang Bai chimed in.

The director seemed determined to make an example out of someone. “Forget about the scholarship this semester. We’ll see how you perform next semester. You should stop hanging around with this young lady. You know what kind of family background you come from. Following Shang Bai around won’t get you anywhere — you’ll only hurt yourself in the end.”

Ming Jue gritted her teeth and said nothing.

Shang Bai blinked in surprise. “What’s wrong with her family background? Wait, what do you mean by that?”

From the side, Li Weiwei sneered. “No parents, no one to look after her. You think everyone’s like you, with a powerful family background and untouchable status?”

Ming Jue couldn’t bear to listen any longer. She lowered her head, tears welling up, and rushed out of the Academic Affairs office.

It took Shang Bai a moment to react before she hurried after her, but by the time she got outside, Ming Jue was nowhere to be seen.

In the distance, dark clouds loomed over the horizon, a storm clearly on its way.

Shang Bai pulled out her phone, her voice trembling as she called Shang Huaizheng. “Brother, I think I messed up.”

…

The rain began to patter softly.

By the time Shang Huaizheng found Ming Jue in the small garden outside the dormitory, it was already 8 p.m.

Ming Jue sat on a horizontal bench in the garden’s pavilion, leaning against a pillar, staring blankly at the heavy rain pouring down from the night sky.

Raindrops trickled down from the upturned eaves of the pavilion like strings of pearls. Ming Jue hugged her legs tightly, burying her face into her knees.

Not far away, a tall man approached, holding a black umbrella. He wore a dark gray suit that blended seamlessly into the night.

Ming Jue lifted her head, blinking her tear-reddened eyes, and clearly saw his handsome face.

Shang Huaizheng.

He stepped into the pavilion, folded his umbrella, and set it by the bench before sitting beside her.

There was no scolding, no questioning — just a soft voice asking, “It’s late. Why aren’t you back yet?”

Ming Jue shook her head.

Shang Huaizheng turned slightly to look at her. Her shoulders were thin, and her damp cotton shirt clung to her skin, faintly revealing the color of her flesh. Her hair was wet, sticking to her cheeks. She looked small and frail — a stark contrast to Shang Bai’s plump, lively face.

A wave of pity swept over Shang Huaizheng’s heart.

“Not willing to go back?”

Ming Jue nodded. “My best friend betrayed me. I won’t forgive her.”

Her words were full of childish stubbornness, and Shang Huaizheng smiled faintly. “Anyone who can betray you was never a true friend. Just stop associating with her — no need to make yourself miserable.”

He already knew what had happened from Shang Bai’s phone call. Even that fearless girl had sounded anxious and guilty — a rare sight.

“If you’re upset, want to talk about it?” Shang Huaizheng asked gently. “I can be your most loyal listener. I won’t tell anyone.”

Ming Jue’s bright, watery eyes lifted to meet his gaze. “I think I like someone.”

She carefully observed Shang Huaizheng’s expression, but to her disappointment, his face remained calm, betraying no particular reaction.

Of course — who was he? A man like him wouldn’t be flustered by the childish feelings of a young girl like her.

Ming Jue rested her head on her knees, her gaze drifting away. She sighed softly. “I don’t know if I should like him.”

A flicker of something unreadable passed through Shang Huaizheng’s eyes. He patted her shoulder gently. “Go back and get some sleep. Think about it tomorrow — there’s no rush.”

Ming Jue’s face showed a stubborn streak. “I’m not going back.”

She was still fuming at Li Weiwei and had no desire to return to the dormitory and face her.

Shang Huaizheng sighed. “Are you planning to sit in this pavilion all night?”

“I’ll go sleep at a small hotel outside the school later,” Ming Jue insisted.

After a moment’s thought, Shang Huaizheng said, “Come on. You can stay at my place.”

---

Sansukini: Well, they’re kinda cute. It reminds me a bit of this CP I often watch on chinese short dramas on yt, Yang Mie Mie and Yu Long. They always play the young girl, older love interest (you know, the uncle romance) kind of trope. This novel will end next week, with 2 more chapters and we’ll also start a new novel.

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