Zhuo Junli, holding a blue pig in his hand, said, "..."
Tong Xinyu said, "..."
Other classmates who were watching said, "..."
They had never seen such shameless people before.
Tong Xinyu was filled with anger and slapped the table, shouting, "You've gone too far!"
Shi Qing replied, "I've gone too far? What can you do about it?"
"Fine!"
Tong Xinyu was really furious. She was good-looking and had never lacked suitors since she was a child. But this was the first time she had encountered such an infuriating pursuer like Shi Qing.
Taking a deep breath, she took out her red eraser and said, "Do whatever you want. Anyway, now, Zhuo Junli and I's erasers are a pair."
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Shi Qing raised an eyebrow and leisurely took out another item from his pocket.
Opening his hand, there lay another blue pig in his palm.
He shamelessly placed his pig next to Zhuo Junli's pig.
Pig snout to pig snout.
He looked quite pleased with himself and blinked at the already infuriated Tong Xinyu.
"We are a pair."
Tong Xinyu said, "..."
Ah, she felt like she was about to explode.
How could there be such a shameless person in the world!
"By the way, there's a seating change in the class today. You should know, right?"
However, Shi Qing acted as if he hadn't seen Tong Xinyu's explosive expression at all. He continued to act carefree and casually placed his hand on Zhuo Junli's shoulder, looking like they were the best of friends.
"I told the teacher to seat me next to Zhuo Junli. So, if you happen to find something else to give him, I'll be there."
"And when it comes to discussing questions, I can do that too. But since he's my desk mate, I should get the first shot, right? You don't mind, do you?"
Tong Xinyu said, "..."
She was so angry that her eyes were turning red. She stood up in anger, trembling, and pointed at Shi Qing for a long time before she managed to squeeze out a word:
"Jerk!"
Leaving behind this word, she stormed out of the classroom.
"Hey! Xinyu!"
Tong Xinyu's desk mate was a chubby and adorable girl. Seeing her desk mate leave, she got up and was about to chase after her.
Shi Qing had a "no big deal" expression on his face and waved his hand at her. "No need to chase her. Class will start soon, and since Tong Xinyu loves studying so much, she'll definitely come back for class."
Saying that, he glanced at his watch and clicked his tongue. "She'll be back in five minutes."
Zhuo Junli looked at Shi Qing with a complicated expression.
Lu Tao also had an expression of utter disbelief.
He finally couldn't hold back and approached Shi Qing quietly, saying, "Brother Shi, isn't this not the right way to pursue someone you like?"
"Is there a problem?"
The school bully raised an eyebrow, looking completely justified. "Isn't it going well now? With me sitting next to Zhuo Junli, Tong Xinyu definitely won't come looking for him."
Lu Tao said, "..."
Indeed, Tong Xinyu cared about her reputation, so she probably wouldn't seek out Zhuo Junli anymore.
However, it was even more impossible for her to seek out Shi Qing! If you like a young girl, you should treat her nicely. You're not in primary school, so displaying such an attitude, Tong Xinyu would never agree to Shi Qing's pursuit.
However, Shi Qing, who had always been quick-witted, seemed to have completely missed something. He casually placed his hand on Zhuo Junli's shoulder, looking as if he had won some kind of victory, and sat down in his seat.
When it came time to change seats, Shi Qing successfully sat next to Zhuo Junli, just as he had wished.
In the following days, he dutifully fulfilled his promise, diligently acting as the third wheel between Tong Xinyu and Zhuo Junli.
Tong Xinyu gathered the courage to approach Zhuo Junli with questions, but before she could even begin, Shi Qing, sitting beside them, quickly placed his book in front of Zhuo Junli.
The school bully first raised an eyebrow, looking smug as he asked seriously, "Zhuo Junli, how do you solve this problem?"
And annoyingly, he didn't stop at one question; he asked another, and another, and another.
If Tong Xinyu confronted him, Shi Qing would respond confidently, "What? Who said you can only ask one math question? Can't I ask multiple questions that I don't know the answers to?"
Then Tong Xinyu would be left fuming.
This girl was persistent. The more Shi Qing tried to keep her away from Zhuo Junli, the more determined she became to find opportunities to approach him.
There were moments outside of class where she could make her move. Before morning self-study, during lunch breaks, during physical education classes, and in the evening self-study, she always managed to find opportunities.
However, the higher the wall, the higher the determination.
Shi Qing could indeed monopolize Zhuo Junli around the clock. They shared a dormitory, and Tong Xinyu, being a girl, couldn't visit the boys' dormitory. Even during breaks, as soon as the class ended, Shi Qing would pull Zhuo Junli back to their dormitory, preventing Tong Xinyu from finding a chance.
Everyone in the class knew that Shi Qing was targeting Tong Xinyu. If he couldn't win her over, he wouldn't let her get close to Zhuo Junli either.
He even watched over Zhuo Junli during meals, not allowing Tong Xinyu to get close, not even a strand of her hair.
Lu Tao and the others, including his friends, praised Shi Qing for his clever strategy. Previously, when he bullied Zhuo Junli, Tong Xinyu would feel sorry for him and sometimes report it to the teachers, leading to reprimands for both of them.
But now, Shi Qing, without doing anything else, just monopolized Zhuo Junli.
Zhuo Junli could do whatever he wanted, as long as it was by Shi Qing's side.
Even going to the bathroom, they had to go together.
It could be said that Shi Qing had perfectly controlled his love rival, making it impossible for Tong Xinyu to get close to him.
Impressive!
Incredibly impressive!
As a super-rich second-generation kid, the reason Shi Qing stayed in the dormitory was simple: his parents were too busy with work to take care of him.
Even though he stayed in the dormitory, he could have almost anything he wanted, as long as it wasn't too excessive.
For example, a mobile phone and a laptop, which other students were not allowed to have, were no problem for him. The teachers didn't check his dorm.
Similarly, since the teachers didn't check the dorms, Shi Qing could do whatever he pleased.
Recently, using the excuse of academic pressure, he even had a bathtub brought into his dormitory during class time.
However, everyone knew that in the entire school, only Shi Qing could not have academic pressure. He had always maintained a carefree attitude and enjoyed himself to the fullest.
If anyone did feel academic pressure, it was Zhuo Junli. Even though he was only in the second year of high school, he was already studying relentlessly.
If Shi Qing didn't pull him along every night, he would maintain a fairy-like sleep schedule of going to bed at two and waking up at five-thirty.
Zhuo Junli spent the most time in the bathtub. It's hard to say what he was thinking while soaking in it, but his resistance had dropped to eighty-eight.
After nearly two weeks, Zhuo Junli became adept at dealing with the school bully who clung to him every night like an octopus.
Before Shi Qing challenged Tong Xinyu, his catchphrase was, "Even if I score a zero, I'll still do better than anyone else in the future."
Now, he had a new catchphrase.
During today's physical education class, just as Tong Xinyu seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Zhuo Junli, Shi Qing appeared out of nowhere and casually placed his hand on Zhuo Junli's shoulder, leaning him toward himself.
Skillfully, he raised his chin and raised an eyebrow. "Zhuo Junli, let's go buy some cola."
That was his catchphrase now: "Zhuo Junli, let's go xxx."
And as the person involved, Zhuo Junli obediently followed Shi Qing without considering Tong Xinyu, who was furious and wished she could tear the school bully apart.
Of course, no one blamed him for being too cold-hearted when it came to this matter.
After all, Shi Qing was known for his arrogance and dominance, and even the teachers couldn't control him. Now that Zhuo Junli was his seatmate and dormitory mate, what if he angered Shi Qing? What could he do then?
Zhuo Junli didn't feel anything in particular about it. He followed Shi Qing into the supermarket, and as usual, Shi Qing bought two bottles of cola, one for himself and one for Zhuo Junli.
No one found anything wrong with it because Shi Qing had said that he wanted Zhuo Junli to accompany him while shopping. Shi Qing had always been generous, so giving an extra bottle to Zhuo Junli wasn't a big deal.
In the second year of high school, physical education classes were already rare, but their school was a bit different. They believed that students should have good grades and maintain physical fitness.
As a result, their school's physical education class was all about military combat exercises instead of the typical running, chatting, and free activities in other schools.
The principal had good reasons for it. Learning these combat exercises would not only help students protect themselves but would also make them better prepared for military training in college.
In the midst of winter, a group of students wore sweaters and down jackets, following the teacher to learn combat exercises, sweating profusely.
Especially for Zhuo Junli, who had always had poor health. When he was young, his biological father didn't take care of him much, and if it weren't for the neighbor occasionally inviting him to their house for meals, he might have starved to death.
Growing up didn't improve his health much either. He had to work part-time while studying, and sometimes he had to endure his father's abuse when he went home. His health wasn't great, and he was far behind his peers.
He studied very diligently, but his physical stamina couldn't keep up, and he was already quite thirsty. Shi Qing then took him to the convenience store and handed him a bottle of cola.
Zhuo Junli accepted the cola, said thank you, and opened the cap to drink.
Shi Qing's little followers found it quite strange. Zhuo Junli, though good-natured, was somewhat aloof. If someone offered him something, he would reject it 99 percent of the time.
Even for a cheap eraser costing only fifty cents, he accepted it only when Tong Xinyu claimed she had found it and placed it directly in his desk.
However, when it came to Shi Qing during this period, in his efforts to prevent the "rival" from getting close to Tong Xinyu, he would drag Zhuo Junli along for meals and shopping, occasionally buying something for him.
But Zhuo Junli, who was typically polite and declined gifts from others, surprisingly accepted everything Shi Qing offered.
People speculated that Zhuo Junli probably did it out of fear that Shi Qing would get angry if he refused.
The school bully! That was no empty talk.
Physical education was the last class of the day. As soon as the class ended, Tong Xinyu appeared again.
She saw Shi Qing arrogantly draping his arm around Zhuo Junli's shoulder and heading to the cafeteria.
Today was Friday, which meant they could go home after lunch.
Tong Xinyu had a stubborn streak. The more Shi Qing tried to stop her, the more determined she became to get close to her crush.
Now, she could calmly approach the two of them, ignoring the fact that Shi Qing was only talking to Zhuo Junli.
Today, the girl remained shy yet bold, her face slightly flushed. "Zhuo Junli, I remember that we live in the same direction. How about we walk together?"
She liked Zhuo Junli, and of course, she had paid attention to him, so she knew the general direction of his home.
With Shi Qing's arm on Zhuo Junli's shoulder, he could clearly feel that when Tong Xinyu finished her sentence, Shi Qing's hand on his shoulder tightened noticeably.
Actually, Shi Qing had no need to worry; he wouldn't be going home during the break. Was he going to endure a beating by going home instead of staying at school?
The young man remained unfazed, his handsome face maintaining its usual gentle and approachable expression. "No, I have to help the teacher with next week's exam papers, so I can't go with you."
Tong Xinyu didn't give up and continued to ask, "Then how about I accompany you? I don't have any plans today either."
"I don't have any plans today either."
Shi Qing, still smiling as usual, interjected, "How about the three of us go together?"
Tong Xinyu had been holding back for nearly two weeks, and after another rejection, she couldn't hold back any longer. "Why are you so annoying? I've already said I don't like you, and I won't ever like you. I don't like anything you do!"
Zhuo Junli almost immediately shifted his gaze towards Shi Qing. At their age, being criticized like this in public by someone they liked should be quite uncomfortable.
However, the school bully still smiled and looked unfazed by the accusation from his crush. "It's okay; you can do as you please. I won't let you get close to Zhuo Junli. How about this, I'll take you home, and you'll gain an advantage."
"You! Don't! Even! Think!"
"You bastard!!!"
Tong Xinyu was once again infuriated and stormed off.
Shi Qing, on the other hand, moved closer to Zhuo Junli, wearing a satisfied expression as if he had just won a prize.
The young man beside him, with long, dark lashes and deep eyes, didn't say anything.
It was clear that the school bully didn't realize what his "captive" was thinking. After they finished eating as usual, the two of them returned to their dormitory.
"Hey!" Shi Qing lay on the bed and asked Zhuo Junli, who was sitting at the desk reading, "You're not going home this break either?"
"No, I'm not going home."
"Tsk." Shi Qing clicked his tongue. "Are you going to work part-time again this time? Are you still going to the bar to sell drinks?"
He looked down on it, his tone carrying a hard-to-describe sarcastic undertone. "Dressing so tightly, do you think the people buying drinks from you really want the alcohol? They want you instead."
Zhuo Junli's gaze paused as he read. In the past, Shi Qing had caused trouble at his part-time job, deliberately making a scene and causing the bar owner to fire him.
Back then, it would be a lie to say that Zhuo Junli wasn't angry. However, now he had a different perspective.
The young man suddenly raised his head and turned to look at Shi Qing on the bed. "Why did you go to my part-time job and cause trouble before?"
"What? Why?" The school bully was obviously caught off guard by Zhuo Junli's question. His handsome face first showed a brief moment of panic before he regained his composure.
He raised his chin, adopting a "I'm the greatest" attitude. "I do whatever I want."
But Zhuo Junli didn't stop there and continued to ask, "You've only used the bathtub a few times, so why did you install one?"
Shi Qing frowned, looking quite impatient, "Do you think everyone is as poor as you? If I want to install it, I'll do it. I have money, so what?"
However, Zhuo Junli didn't let go of the topic and continued, "Also, my bed is already dry. I think I can go back to my bed to sleep..."
The school bully, who had been peacefully playing games on the bed, suddenly rose, grabbed the young man, and swiftly flipped him over, pinning him beneath.
Shi Qing squinted dangerously, gazing at the slightly dilated pupils and the momentary panic in Zhuo Junli's face as he was pressed down.
With one hand supporting himself next to Zhuo Junli, Shi Qing playfully patted the young man's fair face. "You sure have a lot to say today."
The proximity between the two was so close that Zhuo Junli could see every single strand of hair on Shi Qing's face, although there was no physical contact. The air around them seemed to heat up.
Neither of them spoke, staring into each other's eyes intensely. Even without physical contact, the air around them felt charged.
It was only when Zhuo Junli, feeling uncomfortable, shifted slightly, and his fingertip accidentally brushed Shi Qing's face that the spell was broken.
The school bully's face felt much softer than it appeared. Zhuo Junli's body stiffened, and he instinctively apologized, "I'm sorry."
But Shi Qing, also momentarily taken aback by the contact, soon put on an "I don't care" expression. "Why are two grown men so afraid of a simple touch on the face?"
Zhuo Junli's face still reddened, and he lowered his long eyelashes slightly. "It was unintentional. You should get off first."
"I won't get off."
The school bully above, who usually had a carefree attitude, sounded a bit shaky, "You need to give me a clear answer first. Are you going to sleep on my bed tonight or not?"
Zhuo Junli noticed something off in Shi Qing's tone and, enduring his embarrassment, raised his eyes. He then realized that Shi Qing appeared quite natural but had red ears.
The person in question hadn't noticed that he had given himself away and continued speaking with a hint of unease, "I've gotten used to sleeping next to you these past few days. If you don't cooperate, I might have to resort to more forceful measures."
Zhuo Junli, in the midst of this awkward situation, suddenly felt flustered. He glanced down and realized that his neckline had been pulled down a bit by someone. He pretended not to notice and apologized softly, "I'll cooperate; you should get off first."
Shi Qing was finally satisfied and raised an eyebrow triumphantly. "That's more like it."
With that said, he naturally turned over and released Zhuo Junli.
Zhuo Junli was still blushing, and the collar of his shirt had been pulled down a bit. He acted as if he hadn't regained his senses yet, and his chest rose and fell as he breathed. His clear eyes now had a dewy quality to them.
One couldn't deny that Zhuo Junli, in his youth, was truly a handsome young man.
Shi Qing nearly couldn't resist pouncing on him.
Fortunately, he still had some self-control. He reached under the pillow, retrieved a Buddhist pendant given to him by Lu Tao the other day, and tossed it onto Zhuo Junli.
The darker-colored pendant landed on Zhuo Junli's fair collarbone, making that area look even more beautiful.
The owner of the collarbone grabbed the pendant and, perhaps because of the excitement from earlier, his eyes shimmered slightly as he looked at Shi Qing.
"What is this?"
"Oh... I found it. This thing looks too ugly, doesn't match my style at all. But it seems to suit your neck. You can have it."
The school bully waved his hand, looking particularly impatient.
Zhuo Junli lowered his gaze, examining the pendant in his hand and then glancing at Shi Qing, who appeared natural but had red-tipped ears. The dewiness in his eyes seemed even more pronounced.
【Ding! Zhuo Junli's Rejection Level: 85/100】
The air in the room seemed to have grown stickier.
Perhaps feeling uneasy, Shi Qing stood up abruptly. "I'm going home now."
Holding the pendant, Zhuo Junli stood up as well. "Do you want me to walk you home?"
"Walk me home? No need for that. What's there to escort between two grown men?"
The school bully left with red ears.
In the dorm room, only Zhuo Junli remained. He looked at the pendant in his hand, which he had carefully hung around his neck. It was the first time someone had given him such a symbol of blessing from childhood to adulthood.
Meanwhile, Shi Qing walked decisively toward the east street with clear intentions.
The system had been avoiding looking at the situation, but now that Shi Qing had finally appeared, it quickly chimed in, "Host, you should head west from your home."
"I know," Shi Qing replied confidently as he strolled along the road. "It's time for good deeds now."
The system was puzzled, "?"
"In the original plot, Tong Xinyu encountered some hooligans on her way home, and since Zhuo Junli is staying in the dormitory, who's going to help her?"
The system suddenly understood, "Are you going to help her?"
"Yes."
Today, Tong Xinyu felt unusually anxious as she walked home. She attributed it to her recent mental struggle against Shi Qing.
Shi Qing!
That annoying guy!
She disliked him so much!
She had clearly told him that she didn't like him, but he kept bothering her! And what was worse, he was bothering her because of her crush!
Now she couldn't even talk to her crush; it felt like an impossible task, and it was driving her crazy.
Tong Xinyu walked with her head down, following her familiar route home, which included a short alley. She knew she'd reach the end of the alley soon, which was part of her usual route home.
But suddenly, she felt something was off halfway through the alley. When she turned around, she found several boys, not from her school, silently following her, although they were dressed in high school uniforms.
Tong Xinyu was frightened and quickened her pace.
However, as she walked faster, so did the boys.
"Little sister, why are you in such a hurry?"
One of the boys smirked and directly grabbed Tong Xinyu.
The others quickly surrounded her.
"Little sister, you're quite pretty."
"Is that Longyin High School? A prestigious school, right?"
"Why are you trembling? We're just here for a chat."
Tong Xinyu was terrified. In an instant, her mind flashed with numerous news headlines: "Teenage Girl Tragically Dies," "High School Girl Assaulted," "Body Found in Alley," and many more.
She let out a piercing scream, which was genuinely ear-piercing. The boy nearest to Tong Xinyu immediately covered his ears.
"Why are you screaming? Hurry up and give us your money!"
Tong Xinyu was momentarily confused. They weren't trying to assault her.
Feeling relieved, she stood up again and trembled, "I don't have any money..."
"No money? Aren't you all wealthy at Longyin High School? Don't pretend. Hand over the money."
"I told you, maybe you thought we're a bunch of nice guys."
"I really don't have any money..."
The boys hesitated and glanced at each other. "Should we search her?"
"Smack!"
The leader slapped the one suggesting the search. "Are you stupid? She's a girl, and we're guys. How do you plan to search her?"
"Close your eyes and search her. This girl might be hiding something. Dude, you're afraid we'll take advantage of her, right?"
"You're the stupid one. How can you find money with your eyes closed?"
"Then, I'll do it with gloves on."
"You think wearing gloves will help you find money?"
"You're the smart one. So, how do we search her? I said we should've recruited a girl into our gang from the beginning. Look at what you've done."
As the boys argued, Tong Xinyu watched them in astonishment. They seemed to grow angrier and pushier, and one of the boys was pushed towards her, accidentally bumping into her.
Tong Xinyu let out another scream.
It was at this moment that Shi Qing arrived.
Without much talk, Shi Qing took action while the boys were preoccupied with their argument. He walked right up to the nearest one.
"What the hell!"
That guy fell flat on his face, and upon seeing Shi Qing, his expression immediately soured. "Shi Qing! You've already transferred schools, so why are you meddling? We don't even go to the same school. What business do you have with us?"
Shi Qing raised his chin and pointed to Tong Xinyu on the ground. "She's in my class."
The boy hesitated, recalling the fear he used to have when Shi Qing was in control.
"Well, since she's from your class, we'll give you face and let her go..."
Shi Qing dropped his schoolbag without a word. "No more nonsense, let's fight!"
The others were taken aback. "What the..."
They didn't want to fight.
The leader said, "Actually, we could..."
"Bang!"
Shi Qing kicked him. The leader fell flat.
The others muttered, "This is..."
"We got off easy, didn't we?"
"Let's go. There's no need to fight..."
After ten minutes, Shi Qing picked up his schoolbag and dusted it off. Tong Xinyu, standing beside him, was in complete awe.
She approached Shi Qing cautiously, "Shi Qing, you're amazing!"
Shi Qing slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, looking quite pleased. "It's nothing. They were just weak."
"They came out to rob, though. I used to go to the same school as them, and I thought they might be reasonable because of that, but they were so stubborn. They insisted on fighting me."
Tong Xinyu's eyes were practically sparkling. Upon hearing Shi Qing's words, she enthusiastically nodded, "Yes, yes! They were so bad!"
The group of battered individuals mumbled to themselves, "..."
Who the heck wanted to fight you!
But at this moment, the only witness, Tong Xinyu, had clearly lost all objectivity. In her eyes, Shi Qing, who had just come to her rescue, was radiating colorful light from head to toe.
Shi Qing was electricity!
Shi Qing was light!
Shi Qing was the only legend!
Her crush?
He had been replaced!!
The school reopened on Monday.
Tong Xinyu, blushing, held a delicate little gift box and walked confidently to the third row of desks.
Zhuo Junli was in the middle of studying, and his neck was suddenly pulled by the school bully next to him.
These days, he had become accustomed to such unexpected situations and was quite skilled at putting down his book and waiting for Tong Xinyu to arrive.
Shi Qing hooked his desk partner's neck and stated firmly, "Zhuo Junli is busy; he's helping me with a problem."
Saying that, he casually grabbed Zhuo Junli's hand and placed it on his own neck. "His hands are also occupied; he can't accept your gift."
Tong Xinyu's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "I'm not here to see Zhuo Junli."
She hesitantly placed the gift on the table. "Shi Qing, this is for you! I baked these cookies myself, and they're delicious."
"For me?"
Zhuo Junli, who had a calm expression just moments ago, suddenly froze. He glanced at the visibly delighted school bully and then at Tong Xinyu, who was looking at Shi Qing with shyness in her eyes.
A hint of darkness flickered in the young man's eyes as he clenched the Buddhist amulet around his neck.
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