"Ye Feng, what are you doing? Stand up right now, or I won't speak to you again."
On the track field of Jinghai City's First High School, a graceful girl in a white dress looked down at a young man half-kneeling before her.
Ye Feng, kneeling on the ground, raised his head slightly, his clear eyes meeting the beautiful gaze of the girl. "Shiyun, please say yes. I know I'm poor now, but I'll work hard to earn enough to support you. Just agree to be my girlfriend. If you don't, I'm not getting up."
At that moment, Ye Feng's confession echoed around the field, and whispers quickly broke out.
"Is this kid Ye Feng insane? He's daring to go after a girl that Young Master Bai has his eye on," a classmate sneered.
Another chimed in, "Exactly. This guy is delusional, like a toad dreaming of eating swan meat!"
"And with that poverty-stricken look? Trying to win over the goddess when even Young Master Bai couldn't? He's hopeless," mocked yet another.
Li Shiyun raised her voice, saying, "Ye Feng, don't do this. I only see you as a close friend, nothing more. Don't read too much into it; we can only be friends. There's no future for us. Please, just get up."
"Only friends… no future…" Shiyun's words shattered Ye Feng's resolve. Slowly, he rose to his feet, muttering her words under his breath, looking utterly defeated.
"Quiet, quiet!"
"Move aside, Young Master Bai is here!"
Suddenly, a ruckus erupted nearby, and the crowd quickly fell silent. They knew the power of the approaching figure, so they tactfully stepped aside, making way for him—a demonstration of the influence that power holds.
The newcomer, with silver hair cascading over his brow, wore a white Versace T-shirt and a Vacheron Constantin watch on his wrist. With a sneer on his lips, he strode over and kicked the already disheartened Ye Feng to the ground, taunting him, "Well, if it isn't our top student Ye. What, no part-time job at the restaurant today? Dreaming of swan meat, coming here to make a fool of yourself?"
The phrase "toad dreaming of eating swan meat" was delivered with a mocking tone, dripping with condescension.
Li Shiyun hurried over to help Ye Feng up, but midway, she stopped, recalling the awkwardness between them. She hesitated, then turned to Bai Zhen and said, "What are you doing, Bai Zhen? My business is none of your concern. Take care of yourself."
"Shiyun, I'm doing this for you," Bai Zhen replied in a fawning tone.
Li Shiyun's eyes flashed with distaste as she looked at him. "Bai, didn't you have enough girlfriends to entertain? Besides, I've told you not to call me 'Shiyun.' My name is Li Shiyun. Call me 'Miss Li' or 'Li Shiyun.'"
"Yes, yes, Miss Li. My apologies," Bai Zhen replied calmly on the surface, but inside, he seethed with resentment. "Damn brat. If her father weren't in a higher position than mine, I'd have her at my mercy. But once I get her, I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget."
Meanwhile, Ye Feng had dusted himself off, his voice calm as he asked, "Shiyun, tell me—what kind of man would be good enough to be your boyfriend?"
The question was devoid of emotion, as if everything that had just happened no longer affected him.
Bai Zhen fell silent, his eyes also focused on Li Shiyun, anticipating her response.
Li Shiyun paused, her heart wavering as she looked at the gentle boy before her. She felt some affection toward him, but remembering her family's status, she knew her love wasn't hers to decide. To avoid dragging both of them down, she steeled herself and replied, "Only someone wealthy beyond measure, with boundless power, able to control the clouds and summon the rain, would be worthy of me."
"Understood." Ye Feng nodded, his face expressionless as he turned and walked away, leaving the school grounds.
"So, in the end, no one can escape the pull of wealth and power," Ye Feng mused bitterly, a faint smile of anguish playing on his lips. An orphan, he'd relied on the kindness of strangers to fund his education through middle school, and in high school, he supported himself with part-time jobs and scholarships.
He had always been diligent, smart enough to rank first in his class at Jinghai's First High, a student highly valued by the school. Yet aside from covering tuition and basic expenses, he had little left over. He was so poor, he barely had the courage to confess his love. Today, after finally mustering the courage, he'd been rejected, leaving his heart in shadows.
He wandered aimlessly down the street, lost in thought, when he suddenly heard a desperate scream: "Ah! My child!" A beautiful woman was watching in horror as a stroller rolled toward an oncoming truck. Without thinking, Ye Feng dashed toward it and pushed the stroller to safety.
…
"Hey, hey, hey! Ox Head! Look, there's been an accident over there, that kid's soul is leaving his body. He's as good as dead; let's take his soul to the underworld," said a figure with a horse's face, his spirit form floating in the void, speaking to a nearby creature with an ox's head.
"Are you sure? The boss didn't say anything about collecting this guy," Ox Head replied, a bit uneasy.
"What's there to worry about? His soul's out of his body; there's no saving him now. Better we collect him now than waste time coming back. Dead is dead, sooner or later. Let's just grab him," Horse Face shrugged.
Ox Head sighed. "Alright, alright, let's take him."
…
As Ye Feng's soul drifted upwards, he looked down at the medics surrounding his lifeless body, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Shiyun, I guess we'll have to be together in the next life."
A warm light enveloped him, comforting and serene, lulling him into a deep sleep.