As the door opened, it was Yang Fan who answered. Despite being mentally prepared, Huo Dali was still taken aback by her appearance. After a moment of staring, he slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Wow, you actually grew up like this! You're a real beauty now!"
Yang Fan, dressed in a simple white dress with a red belt and her hair tied in a ponytail, looked stunning, almost ethereal. Even in the most ordinary student attire, she resembled a celestial being, too beautiful to gaze upon directly. Although Huo Dali had seen many beautiful women during his time in Yangzhou, seeing his childhood friend Yang Fan felt like being hit by a grenade, leaving his mind buzzing.
Yang Fan hadn't expected the visitor to be Huo Dali. In the few years since they last saw each other, Huo Dali had grown from a little boy into a tall, handsome young man, standing over 1.8 meters tall. Tilting her head slightly, she playfully asked, "Why are you back?"
Huo Dali, unable to take his eyes off her, replied, "I'm in Class One at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School."
Class One at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School was the best class in the school, specifically designed for students aiming for Tsinghua and Peking Universities, commonly known as the "Qingbei Class." Rumors had circulated in the No. 6 Courtyard that Huo Dali had become a delinquent, and now this childhood troublemaker was going to study in the Qingbei Class? Yang Fan, always direct, blurted out, "Class One is the Qingbei Class. Why are you there? You'll probably end up last in the class, isn't that embarrassing?"
She smiled slightly and added, "I'm also in Class One at No. 1 High School."
Yang Fan's smile was like the most beautiful bird of the summer, fluttering in Huo Dali's mind, leaving him a bit dizzy.
Huo Dali had come to visit Yang Fan primarily to fulfill his mother's request, but also to see an old friend. It had been years since they last met, and sometimes he missed her. At that moment, he felt that attending Jiangzhou No. 1 High School was the best decision his parents had ever made.
After the brief awkwardness subsided, Huo Dali and Yang Fan sat in the living room, chatting freely, sharing their experiences over the past few years. On the coffee table was a Rubik's Cube, with some of the colored stickers worn off. Without thinking, Huo Dali picked it up and, with a flurry of movements, quickly solved it, aligning all six colors.
Yang Fan, knowing Huo Dali's exceptional talent with the Rubik's Cube, was still amazed. "I bought a guide to the Rubik's Cube and memorized the steps just to barely complete two sides. But you haven't even looked at a guide, and you're still so good at it, finishing in less time than I take. People's brains work differently, and I have to admit, yours is pretty impressive. If only you applied it to your studies."
In Huo Dali's mind, it was as if he had a decoder, with every step of solving the Rubik's Cube laid out clearly. To him, solving the cube was incredibly easy, with no difficulty at all.
On the wall of the Yang family home hung an old-fashioned photo frame, containing a stage photo of Yang Fan during her middle school years.
"I remember you were the dancing queen in kindergarten. Do you still dance? Do you have any videos?" Mentioning videos reminded Huo Dali of the time they sneakily watched an adult video tape as children, and he chuckled.
Yang Fan, also recalling that embarrassing incident, scolded, "What nonsense are you thinking? Don't laugh."
"I'm not thinking anything."
"You're definitely thinking something."
At Huo Dali's insistence, Yang Fan reluctantly agreed to show him a cherished DVD of her dance performance.
In the video, Yang Fan performed a solo dance titled "Peacock Dance." In the wide shots, her white dress looked as pure as snow, and her graceful dance movements made her seem otherworldly, like a peacock that doesn't belong to this world. In the close-ups, her arms were as soft as if they had no bones, exuding a delicate beauty filled with passion.
This dance had been aired on TV countless times, and Huo Dali had seen it before without much impression. But seeing Yang Fan perform it now, he was completely awestruck. The sight hit him like a bolt of electricity, striking his sixteen-year-old heart.
When Yang Yong and Qin Yu returned home from work, they were delighted to see Huo Dali, whom they hadn't seen in years, and prepared a special meal to welcome their old neighbor's mischievous son. During dinner, Yang Yong inquired about Huo Dali's health. Before the age of four, Huo Dali had been frequently ill, with a fever every month. Yang Yong, a skilled surgeon who also practiced traditional Chinese medicine, had made many herbal pills for Huo Dali. Whether it was the pills or simply growing older and gaining immunity, after the age of four, Huo Dali rarely got sick and turned into a lively monkey.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Yang Yong and Qin Yu stood by the window, watching their daughter see Huo Dali off outside the courtyard. Both were tall, walking side by side, laughing and joking. Yang Fan even playfully raised her hand as if to hit him.
Yang Yong, full of concern, said, "Times have changed. Huo Dali has turned into a spoiled rich kid. I don't want him getting too close to Xiaofan. Their family is too wealthy, and we rely on our skills to make a living. Peace and stability are true happiness."
Qin Yu comforted him, saying, "Huo Dali and Xiaofan haven't seen each other in years. This visit is just like visiting relatives. Xiaofan has her own mind; she won't be interested in Huo Dali."
Trusting their daughter's judgment, the couple didn't worry too much.
After the school year started, Yang Fan quickly became the new campus queen of Jiangzhou No. 1 High School and was even recognized as the most beautiful campus queen in the school's history. Meanwhile, Huo Dali became known as the richest second-generation heir at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School, also regarded as the wealthiest in the school's history.
On Saturday, September 19th, at noon, Yang Fan paced around her house like a cat on a hot tin roof. The day before, Huo Dali had given her a ticket to the opera, inviting her to see a performance. Jiangzhou Opera House had been struggling in recent years, nearly falling into a state of disrepair. Last year, the opera house received an investment for major renovations. Revitalized, the opera house began frequently inviting famous domestic and international performance groups to Jiangzhou. Today, a Western European musical troupe was performing, a group Yang Fan particularly admired.
When Huo Dali had extended the invitation with a cheeky grin, Yang Fan had sensed something deeper in his eyes. Since middle school, she had rejected that kind of gaze countless times. With others, she would have refused without hesitation, but Huo Dali wasn't just anyone—he was the older brother she had grown up with. Even though he had turned into a so-called rich playboy, he was still her brother.
So, Yang Fan accepted the invitation.
The performance was excellent, and Yang Fan enjoyed it thoroughly, though she occasionally worried that Huo Dali might try to hold her hand. If he did, should she refuse or accept? That was a troubling question.
Fortunately, Huo Dali didn't take advantage of the darkness to make any moves.
After the performance, Yang Fan, still immersed in the story, had tears lingering on her face. Huo Dali, however, had felt no connection to the musical and had spent the entire performance battling his own thoughts. Based on his experiences in Yangzhou, he knew he should have seized the moment during the performance to hold Yang Fan's hand, possibly even making further moves. But facing the pure and elegant Yang Fan, he uncharacteristically hesitated, worried that any wrong move would anger her and ruin his chances for the future.
Yang Fan was known for being serious, sometimes to the point of being rigid, and Huo Dali had learned this lesson from a young age.
After the performance, Huo Dali accompanied Yang Fan backstage to get the lead actor's autograph.
Stopping at the backstage door, Yang Fan asked, "Can we really get an autograph? Jack is a big star." Huo Dali smiled mysteriously, "It's all taken care of." Once backstage, the opera house director warmly led Huo Dali and Yang Fan to meet the famous actor, Jack.
With his blue eyes and blonde hair, Jack signed his name for Yang Fan with practiced ease and agreed to take a photo together.
As they left the opera house, Yang Fan, still emotionally stirred by the performance, asked, "Why did the opera house director lead you in to get the autograph?"
Huo Dali replied, "I've got charm!"
Yang Fan retorted, "Stop being slick. Tell the truth."
Huo Dali explained, "The opera house was saved by an investment last year. That investment was from my dad, which is why I had some pull. I knew you liked this musical, and when I found out the troupe was performing in Yangzhou, I asked the opera house to bring them to Jiangzhou. No exaggeration, that's how it happened."
"Oh, I see." Yang Fan had been raised in a family that valued simplicity and contentment, looking down on the wealthy, at least outwardly. However, following Huo Dali backstage at the performance, where they effortlessly took photos with admired actors, and even realizing that the musical troupe's visit to Jiangzhou was connected to Huo Dali's family, left Yang Fan deeply shaken. She began to feel that the values instilled in her, which seemed to isolate her from the outside world, were somewhat self-deceptive.
Huo Dali had achieved a subtle but effective display of his influence. He felt secretly pleased but pretended to be nonchalant. As Yang Fan pushed her bicycle forward, Huo Dali walked beside her, engaging in casual conversation.
They walked along the tree-lined path for about ten minutes until they could see the tall building of Sannan Bank in the distance. Reaching this building meant that Yang Fan would soon get on her bike and ride along Shengli Road out of town, back to Shian Factory. Huo Dali slowed his pace, hoping to extend their walk together.
At the corner of the street, the sound of commotion erupted, with people running and gathering quickly. The citizens of Jiangzhou loved watching a spectacle—be it a fight or a car accident—often drawing a crowd. The noise and running indicated something unusual had happened on the street.
On the side of the street, a young man and woman were having a heated argument, like two fighting roosters, neither willing to back down. It seemed they were a couple, with the woman wanting to break up and the man refusing. The woman, around eighteen or nineteen years old, was quite attractive, while the man, in his early twenties, looked and acted very ordinary. The onlookers were highly interested, discussing the situation among themselves, with some even egging the couple on to break up. After arguing for a while, the woman turned to leave. The man grabbed her, and as she struggled to free herself, he, in a fit of rage, pulled out a knife and stabbed her.
The crowd, which had been there just to watch the drama unfold, was stunned into silence as they saw the man stab the woman. The woman, stabbed in the shoulder, wasn't fatally injured, but seeing the murderous look in her former lover's eyes, she was paralyzed with fear, unable to respond.
One of the onlookers snapped out of it and yelled, "Run!"
The man dragged the woman to the ground, crouching beside her, and methodically stabbed her a second and third time. A reporter, who happened to be among the crowd, instinctively chose an ideal angle and captured both the brutal killer and the frozen spectators in his frame.
When the man was about to deliver the sixth stab, Huo Dali charged forward, carrying Yang Fan's bicycle. He lifted the bicycle high and smashed it into the man's face. The man, completely focused on the woman, hadn't noticed the commotion around him and was struck hard, seeing stars and falling to the ground. Huo Dali then kicked the man forcefully in the face.
The attacker, in a state of frenzy, lay on the ground, wildly swinging his knife. Huo Dali's shoe made a sharp "crack" as it connected with the man's face.
At this moment, a young man with a backpack jumped in, kicking the attacker on the other side of his face. This young man was Chen Lei, a classmate of Huo Dali and Yang Fan. Although Chen Lei had been associating with street thugs since middle school, getting into fights and stealing cars, this was his first time witnessing a murder in public, leaving him momentarily stunned. It wasn't until Huo Dali knocked the attacker to the ground that Chen Lei came to his senses and viciously kicked the attacker.
The power of example is immense. Once someone dares to stand up, a second and third person will follow. The third was a chubby man who picked up the bicycle again and threw it at the attacker. More and more people joined in, punching and kicking the man.
By the time the police arrived, the attacker was lying on the ground, covered in blood, like a dead dog.
Unfortunately, the woman's injuries were too severe, and she died on the spot.
After the attacker was subdued, Yang Fan used her bicycle to transport Huo Dali to a nearby hospital to get his wounds treated. In the emergency room, Huo Dali gritted his teeth and pulled up his pant leg. The wound on his calf was four or five centimeters long, with blood still pouring out. Yang Fan turned pale with fear.
As the doctor began treating the wound, Huo Dali reached out and held Yang Fan's hand. It was a bold move, but given the right time and place, Yang Fan didn't refuse.
Huo Dali was overjoyed by his success. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of holding Yang Fan's hand. During their childhood, they often played together, hugging, pushing, and shoving, with no particular feelings involved—it was just like touching your own hand. But now, as a teenager, holding Yang Fan's hand again, he felt her soft, boneless hand sending waves of electric sensation through him, making his heart race and triggering a surge of dopamine.
Facing the murder scene together caused Yang Fan's feelings and evaluation of Huo Dali to change significantly. When he first returned from the provincial capital, he exuded a strong playboy vibe, which made her feel distant. But after the murder, when Huo Dali was the first to rush out and take down the killer, her impression of him completely changed.
After leaving the hospital, Yang Fan said, "I didn't expect you to still be as brave as you were when we were kids."
As she spoke, Yang Fan subtly shook off the "claw" that was holding her hand, much to Huo Dali's disappointment. Even more regrettable, he added, "We were too far from the murder scene, otherwise, we could have saved that girl. Such a pity."
Yang Fan gently comforted him, "You did your best. If the people around had stepped in sooner, maybe the girl could have been saved."
At Huo Dali's strong insistence, the two of them returned to the scene. The area had been cleaned up quickly, but a group of idle onlookers still lingered, discussing the incident. Huo Dali and Yang Fan joined the crowd, listening for a while and learning many details: the murdered girl's brother worked at the nearby bank as the head of security; he was tall, and upon learning of his sister's death, he fell to his knees and cried.
The bank's residential area was nearby, and some of the bank employees' families were gossiping about the security chief's personal life.
An elderly woman with a shopping basket expressed her sympathy for the security chief, saying, "He's such a good man, not much of a talker, but very responsible in his work, and always sincere. They're siblings, and when they were young, their parents died in a car accident. The brother raised his sister, being both her elder brother and her parent. It wasn't easy. He brought her up with such care, their bond is stronger than most siblings'. I heard he was working on getting her transferred to a teaching job in town, and it was almost settled. Who could have predicted this? It's true, man proposes, but God disposes!"
Hearing this, Yang Fan sighed, "What kind of world is this, where good people don't live long, but evil ones live a thousand years?"
Unlike the sentimental Yang Fan, Huo Dali was more carefree and said, "Then I'll become one of those evildoers and live a thousand years."
Yang Fan scolded, "Don't joke around at a time like this, I'm not in the mood. I've heard about all the trouble you've caused in the provincial capital—don't look at me like that, it's true. If you want to be my friend, you'll have to turn over a new leaf, study hard, and become a respectable person."
In the social circles of the provincial capital, anyone saying something like this would have been laughed at and labeled as fake or foolish. But when Yang Fan said it, her sincerity left Huo Dali unable to dismiss her with sarcasm.
That night, Yang Fan dreamt repeatedly of the scene where Huo Dali rushed in to save the girl. Without hesitation, he had thrown himself into danger, acting purely on instinct. The image of his courageous and decisive actions was deeply etched in her mind.
News of the street murder quickly appeared in the Jiangzhou Evening News.
Every evening at dinner, Yang Yong had a habit of reading the newspaper before eating, to stay informed about Jiangzhou's news—a routine he never skipped. After reading the fourth page, he placed the newspaper on the table and sighed, "People's hearts have changed. Ten years ago, a whole group of people would have rushed out to help the victim."
Yang Fan, curious, picked up the newspaper. After reading the article on the fourth page, she angrily said, "That reporter has no professional ethics, twisting the facts like this!"
Yang Yong asked, "How do you know the reporter is being misleading?"
The fact that Yang Fan had gone to see a performance with Huo Dali was a secret she couldn't let her parents know. Otherwise, it would lead to endless nagging. After a brief pause, Yang Fan replied, "Some of our classmates were there at the scene. They know exactly what happened. The attack was so sudden that everyone was in shock and didn't react immediately. But later, many people stepped in to subdue the attacker. The reporter only covered the first part of the event, leaving out the part where the crowd worked together to bring down the attacker."
"Is that so?" Yang Yong picked up the newspaper again.
The headline read, "Indifference of Bystanders Leads to the Death of a Young Woman," and underneath was a clear photograph: the attacker was raising his knife, ready to stab the young woman lying on the ground. Her body was covered in blood, she had given up resisting, and her expression was one of pain and despair. Beside the attacker stood a few people, their faces devoid of smiles, their expressions somewhat vacant.
Yang Fan blinked and said, "Two of our classmates saw everything clearly."
Yang Yong glanced at the names of the photographer and editor, saying, "If what you're saying is true, then there's a big problem with this report. The newspaper criticizes bystanders for their indifference, yet the newspaper's photographer was also there. He was busy taking pictures instead of stepping in to help. As a photography enthusiast myself, I understand the urge to capture the moment, but a human life is far more important than a dramatic photo. At that moment, the right thing to do would have been to put down the camera—even just shouting at the attacker would have been more valuable than getting a great shot."
"Dad, that's a sharp observation." Yang Fan, who had only focused on being angry, hadn't noticed the contradiction hinted at in the article.
Yang Yong said angrily, "Nowadays, newspapers are only concerned with exaggerating or even fabricating stories to boost sales. More sales mean more advertising, and more advertising means more money. When money is the main driver, that's the root cause of society's moral decline and the corrupting of social values."
On her way to Jiangzhou No. 1 High School, Yang Fan slipped the newspaper into her bag.
After school that afternoon, Huo Dali and Yang Fan walked out of the school one after the other and headed to the riverbank.
This section of the river running through Jiangzhou is known as the Jiangzhou River. The river flows through the city, then eastward, eventually merging with the Yangtze River. In recent years, the Jiangzhou city government had been developing scenic areas along the river, constructing a riverside garden belt, providing a natural resting place for the citizens.
"What's up? You were being so secretive earlier and wouldn't tell me." Huo Dali glanced around and instantly liked this "meeting" spot.
"The newspaper reporter completely ignored the facts. The part where everyone joined together to subdue the attacker wasn't mentioned at all in the news." Yang Fan handed the Jiangzhou Evening News to Huo Dali, directing him to read the article on the fourth page.
"Thank goodness! My dad's a scaredy-cat now, the richer he gets, the more afraid he becomes, especially of me getting into trouble. If he found out that I'd done something heroic, the sky would definitely fall, and the house would be in chaos. He'd probably hire two bodyguards for me." Huo Dali patted his forehead, exclaiming how fortunate he was.
Yang Fan, amused by the thought of "men in black" bodyguards, couldn't help but smile. She said, "Is it really that exaggerated? I think the public safety here is pretty good. You're deliberately tarnishing Jiangzhou's reputation, aren't you?"
"To put it in formal language, public safety is like the Yangtze River—calm on the surface, but turbulent underneath." Seeing Yang Fan roll her eyes, Huo Dali continued, "My dad has a friend named Ding Chenguang, who's also in the motorcycle business. His only daughter, Ding Li, was killed in Jiangzhou a few years ago, and the case is still unsolved. After her death, my dad was scared out of his wits and, during our early days in Yangzhou, even hired bodyguards for me."
Yang Fan's parents chose to be salaried workers, sacrificing wealth for peace. Over the years, Yang Fan lived a sheltered life within the school and the Shian Factory compound, rarely confronting the darker sides of society. Hearing Huo Dali speak of the ruthless world of business made her shudder. She looked at him sympathetically and asked softly, "Dali, what's it like being a rich second generation? Are you not happy, maybe even troubled?"
"Do you want the truth?" Huo Dali asked, feigning a troubled expression.
"Of course, I want the truth. Uncle Huo becoming wealthy must have had some negative effects on you. Just hearing about Ding Li made me anxious."
The belief that "being wealthy brings great pressure" was a common viewpoint of Yang Yong and Qin Yu. Over the years, they often discussed how Huo Dali, once a clever and adorable child, had gone astray due to becoming a rich second generation, ruining his life. In their conversations, they frequently expressed sympathy for him. Influenced by her parents, Yang Fan also thought that Huo Dali was quite pitiable for losing the love and guidance of his parents.
"I'll be honest with you, but I haven't been honest with anyone else." Huo Dali's expression grew serious. First, he looked down at the calm river, then gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, before finally casting a deliberately deep look at Yang Fan. He said, "Aside from the safety issues, being a rich second generation is pretty good. If I were to be a full-time playboy, it would be amazing—amazing!"
He started solemnly but ended with a beaming smile.
"You actually said being a playboy is amazing! That's awful; I'm not talking to you anymore." Yang Fan, expecting a different kind of complaint, was surprised by the sudden change in tone. Annoyed, she raised her hand to slap him.
But Huo Dali quickly grabbed her wrist.
Since Huo's family had moved away from the Sixth Courtyard, Huo Dali and Yang Fan had not seen each other for several years. Reuniting at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School and then experiencing a traumatic event together had instantly brought their relationship back to where it was years ago. Their interactions had always been like siblings, growing up together and seeing each other daily, with a strong bond of friendship and affection. The years apart and the significant changes in their family environments had given them the space to grow, bringing a new perspective, transforming their "sibling" relationship into one of mutual admiration between a young man and woman.
In their childhood, Huo Dali often held Yang Fan's hand, and they even wrestled with each other, never feeling anything unusual. But now, things were different. He still vividly remembered his reaction when Yang Fan had opened the door earlier—it felt like a teenage goddess had appeared out of nowhere. This feeling was entirely different from the brotherly affection he had felt before.
Yang Fan's face turned bright red, all the way to her neck, as she tried to pull away but couldn't escape his grip. She hadn't expected Huo Dali to be so bold, and for a moment, her thoughts became jumbled, her face burning like it was on fire.
"Let go!"
"I won't!"
"Huo Dali, let go!"
"Paper Girl, I won't!"
Hearing him call her "Paper Girl," Yang Fan was reminded of an embarrassing incident from their childhood and couldn't help but laugh. Seeing her smile, Huo Dali felt encouraged and was even more reluctant to let go.
In the end, Yang Fan gave in, no longer trying to free her hand from Huo Dali's grasp.
The two of them continued talking under the trees by the river, with Yang Fan's radiance shining even brighter, her youthful beauty overwhelming Huo Dali with its purity.
They chatted by the river for about twenty minutes before Yang Fan had to go home. She was her parents' precious daughter, and they had strict rules about when she needed to be home. If there was a significant delay between school ending and her arrival home, she had to provide a reasonable explanation to her father.
After returning to the city, Huo Dali bought a bicycle. The next day after school, he rode it to take Yang Fan back to Shian Factory. When they reached the Shian Bridge, Yang Fan refused to let him continue accompanying her.
Huo Dali insisted, "Let's get off the bikes and walk for a bit."
Deep down, Yang Fan also wanted to spend more time with Huo Dali, so she "reluctantly" agreed. They walked together, pushing their bikes toward Shian Factory. The one-kilometer walk from Shian Bridge to Shian Factory was filled with conversation, making the journey seem far too short.
Huo Dali observed, "I've been following you these past two days, and I've noticed that when you ride your bike from school to Shian Factory, you have a very consistent route, almost never deviating."
"Really? I guess I take after my dad. You know how he is—he's a surgeon, meticulous in everything. Not just at work, but in life too. From another perspective, you could say he's a bit rigid. After I graduated from middle school, I passed the exam to join the military's arts troupe during the summer and got in. But my dad wanted me to study medicine, thinking that joining the arts troupe would be a short-lived career based on youth, so he was firmly against it. I really wanted to go, but eventually, I gave in and ended up at No. 1 High School instead."
Yang Fan began talking about something very important to her, something she deeply regretted.
"Good thing you didn't go, or we wouldn't have been able to meet up again," Hou Dali comforted her. "If you're really interested in the arts troupe, I could get the Guolong Group to invest in a Guolong Arts Troupe. You could be the leader and run it however you want."
Yang Fan rolled her eyes at this rich kid and said, "There are many things money can't buy. You need to get rid of that 'rich kid' mindset. My future boyfriend must get into a top university on his own merits."
Over the years, the childhood friends had grown apart in their thinking. Yang Fan realized that Hou Dali had indeed developed a rich kid mentality, measuring everything by money. Despite their evolving views of the world, the bond they had formed since childhood, combined with the natural chemistry between a handsome boy and a beautiful girl, made their interactions very pleasant.