"An ungrateful wretch?" Xiang Ri's expression turned peculiar as he looked at the tall, slender girl who suddenly appeared before him. "Surely, you don't mean me?"
"Of course, I mean you!" Ren Jun, having bottled up her anger for two days, seized the opportunity to vent without reservation. "You promised me that day! Why didn't you show up in the end? Do you know how badly my mom scolded me because of you?"
In truth, the scolding had nothing to do with his absence but was entirely her own fault for letting something slip. Still, Ren Jun stubbornly reasoned that if he had shown up, she wouldn't have said anything wrong. Naturally, she concluded that all the blame lay squarely on this jerk before her.
"I promised you?" Xiang Ri looked utterly baffled. Had he even acknowledged this girl that day? "You must be mistaken. I didn't agree to anything. You were the one who tried to force me into it with your one-sided threats."
Ren Jun faltered for a moment. "Even if that's true, you should've at least given me a reason for not coming!"
"The reason is simple—I went abroad." Xiang Ri shrugged nonchalantly.
"Who are you fooling?" Ren Jun glared at him, her tone dripping with frustration at his dismissive attitude. "If you're going to make up an excuse, at least come up with a better one!"
"Believe it or not," Xiang Ri said as he noticed a growing crowd of onlookers. Deciding it wasn't worth the trouble, he added, "Excuse me, I have a class to attend. Please step aside."
Ren Jun squared her shoulders and stood firmly in his path. "This is a public space. I'll stand wherever I like."
Suppressing the urge to shove the unreasonable girl aside, Xiang Ri sighed. "Fine, out of respect for your mother, I won't argue with you." With that, he walked around her.
But Ren Jun wasn't about to let him off so easily. As soon as he sidestepped her, she quickly blocked his path again. Xiang Ri's eyes narrowed, a sly smile curving his lips. Without breaking stride, he bumped into her deliberately, albeit with some restraint.
Even so, Ren Jun staggered back several steps, clutching her chest with a pained expression. "You jerk! That hurt!"
"Didn't you put yourself in my way?" Xiang Ri replied, a hint of schadenfreude in his tone. Though she was thin, he couldn't help noticing her... rather ample figure.
"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Ren Jun spat out the words, her teeth clenched in fury. "Xiang Kui, remember this—I won't let this go!" With that, she stormed off in a huff.
Rubbing his nose in feigned innocence, Xiang Ri was about to continue on his way when a hand suddenly clapped his shoulder.
"You?" Xiang Ri looked up, surprised to see a strikingly tall and beautiful woman standing before him. He couldn't fathom why she would show up here.
"You still remember me, don't you? Chu Chu's boyfriend. This must be our second meeting," Shen Peipei remarked, clearly pleased with her timing. Had she arrived any later, she would've missed quite the spectacle.
"Of course, I remember! How could I not?" Unlike most men who might feel self-conscious standing before a towering beauty, Xiang Ri, thick-skinned as ever, felt perfectly at ease. "So, what brings you here today?"
"Oh, just a minor matter," Shen Peipei replied, her face alight with excitement. "Honestly, what you just did was so satisfying to watch! If I hadn't come by chance, I'd have missed it entirely."
"Satisfying?" Xiang Ri was puzzled. Had he done something particularly noteworthy? At most, he'd driven off a troublesome girl.
Then it hit him. Could Chu Chu's high school friend have a grudge against that tall girl? Judging by her tone, the "hatred" between them seemed far from trivial.
Sure enough, Shen Peipei's next words confirmed his suspicion. "Absolutely satisfying! You have no idea how insufferable that woman is! If only you'd used a bit more force and made her take a tumble in front of everyone—it would've been perfect. I'd love to see her dare to flaunt herself before me again!"
Her disappointment at the missed opportunity was evident. Then, her eyes fell on the bandage wrapped around Xiang Ri's hand. "Oh? What happened to your hand? Don't tell me you injured it during that slam dunk?"
"Of course not! I just slipped and hurt myself," Xiang Ri replied casually. He knew exactly what she was referring to. Given her familiarity with his inhuman athleticism, there was no way she wouldn't recognize him as the #7 player who had single-handedly shattered their basketball hoop during a match.
Shen Peipei's face betrayed obvious disbelief. How could someone so abnormal end up with such a serious injury from a mere slip? The thick bandage around his hand made her skepticism grow, though she didn't press further. Instead, she complained, "Did you have to go so hard that day? You left no face for our school. Do you know that now none of us can hold our heads high, especially in front of your classmates?"
"Really?" Xiang Ri looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you guys won that day."
"What's the point of winning?" Shen Peipei sighed, her tone dejected. "If it weren't for that final move of yours, we might have salvaged some dignity. But because of you, everything was ruined."
"My apologies," Xiang Ri murmured, feeling a twinge of guilt. If his impulsiveness had caused trouble for this straightforward girl, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry.
"It's fine," Shen Peipei waved off his apology, but then her expression shifted to one of fury. "I just can't stand that woman flaunting herself in front of me!"
Xiang Ri was at a loss for words. Matters like these were not something he could interfere in. Luckily, Shen Peipei didn't linger on the topic and instead asked, "By the way, where's Chu Chu? Why isn't she with you?"
"She should be arriving at school soon—" Before Xiang Ri could finish, a soft, delicate voice called out from behind him, "Xiang Kui—"
"Chu Chu?" Xiang Ri immediately turned around, only to see a figure rushing toward him. Before he could react, she threw herself into his arms, and he instinctively held her.
Beside them, Shen Peipei was stunned, her mouth slightly agape. This was too bold!
Even though she was aware of their relationship, wasn't such public affection a bit outrageous? And to do so right at the school gate, during the morning rush hour when students were streaming in—it drew the attention of every passerby. Even Shen Peipei, who stood closest, found her cheeks reddening.
She wasn't concerned about much, except the possibility that people might misunderstand her as a third wheel. The thought alone made her retreat a couple of steps, hoping to signal that she had nothing to do with this overly affectionate couple.
As for the male students observing the scene, their feelings were far from subtle. Initially, they were envious when a beauty approached the guy who had already driven off another girl. But seeing a third woman throw herself into his arms turned their envy into outright murderous glares.
Beautiful women were a scarce resource, and this one guy had monopolized several. How could any self-respecting man not feel driven to madness?
"Xiang Kui, I missed you so much…" Chu Chu had no care for her surroundings as she nestled in his arms. At that moment, nothing else mattered to her as long as he was by her side.
"I missed you too," Xiang Ri said softly, his hand gently stroking her back. Looking down at her pale and delicate face, his heart ached for her.
"Teacher," a cool, crisp voice suddenly broke through their tender moment.
"Xiao Qing." Xiang Ri turned to see his apprentice standing a few meters away, her face a mixture of shyness and joy. He waved her over immediately.
Chu Chu also lifted her head from his embrace and called out to the approaching girl, "Sister Qing, come here!"
"Mm." Shi Qing nodded, her face slightly flushed. Chu Chu's earlier words replayed in her mind, making her feel a bit nervous. Yet, despite her hesitation, her steps were resolute as she walked toward them.
Watching his apprentice's measured steps, Xiang Ri didn't notice anything unusual about her demeanor. His thoughts had already drifted elsewhere—to his recent trip to France.
Not only had he resolved some hidden dangers, but he had also made a significant fortune. The contents of that little blue notebook were worth a fortune. However, keeping such an important item in his possession wasn't safe. He needed to find an opportunity to hand it over to the government. Choosing the right method would require careful thought. Although he could rely on the help of certain influential figures, when it came to trustworthiness, no one compared to the old man from his apprentice's family.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his expression grew serious. He realized he had overlooked something critically important.
"Chu Chu, do you know which university An Xin attends?" Xiang Ri asked urgently.
"You mean An An?" Although puzzled, Chu Chu immediately recognized the importance of his question from the look on his face. "She's at Beihai University."
"Beihai University?" Xiang Ri released her, turning to both Chu Chu and Shi Qing, who had just reached them. "Chu Chu, Xiao Qing, I have something urgent to attend to. Wait for me here at school—I'll come back as soon as I'm done." Without waiting for a response, he sprinted toward the school gate.
Anxiety gripped his heart as he cursed his own carelessness. To avoid accidents during his return from France—mainly fearing pickpockets—he had hidden that crucial little notebook in an inconspicuous place. Unfortunately, that place happened to be the inside pocket of a "gift" he had given to a certain young lady with a penchant for dressing in men's clothing.
He had intended to retrieve it as soon as he returned, but his eagerness to reunite with Chu Chu had made him forget. Now, all he could do was pray that she hadn't deciphered the notebook's contents. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire!