Chapter 11: Innocence

Glancing at Su Han, who was busy drafting her lesson plan at the podium, Yan Yu whispered quietly to Yang Xuefei, “I understand how you’re feeling right now. Irregular periods can lead to irritability, but venting reasonably can help stabilize your mood.”

Yang Xuefei nearly snapped the lead in her pencil. She took a deep breath and said helplessly, “If you want to know something, I’ll tell you, but you’re not allowed to mention my… irregularity again!”

Yan Yu chuckled, “Deal!”

“First of all, I’m not close with Zhao Qingqing. She’s in Class 1, same class as your cousin Zhou Xiaowan. They used to be roommates, and I heard they got along well.”

“If you two weren’t close, why were you at Li Kang’s villa yesterday?” Yan Yu pressed.

“I’m on pretty good terms with Li Kang and his friends. I just wanted to drop by and see what was going on,” Yang Xuefei explained.

Yan Yu nodded slightly. “In your eyes, what kind of person is Zhao Qingqing? Have you ever wondered why she would commit suicide?”

Yang Xuefei cast a strange look at Yan Yu. “Why are you asking all this?”

“Just answer, and in return, I’ll treat you to lunch,” Yan Yu smiled.

“No need, thank you,” Yang Xuefei replied quickly. “I heard Zhao Qingqing’s family was struggling financially, so it was probably because of family issues. As for what kind of person she was… I only know what people say. They say she lived a rather reckless life.”

“You mean…”

“Not long after she died, rumors started spreading that she’d tried to seduce Li Kang. Some even said she was kept by someone outside the school. Zhou Xiaowan once told me there was a brand-new box of Apple X in Zhao Qingqing’s drawer, something she couldn’t possibly afford.”

“I see.”

Yan Yu felt as if a mirror had been placed in his mind, and he’d already uncovered the reason behind Zhao Qingqing’s growing resentment.

A person’s life ends and their soul ascends or descends; the body returns to dust. What remains is merely reputation. So many strive all their lives to leave a good name, and no one wishes to be remembered in disgrace.

Thus, Zhao Qingqing’s resentment stems from her chastity—someone was deliberately destroying her reputation!

Indeed, Yan Yu gleaned many clues from Yang Xuefei. Just as he was about to continue questioning her, his ears twitched; suddenly, he reached out and snatched at thin air.

“Who’s trying to harm me?!” Yan Yu slammed the desk furiously.

He looked down to see half a piece of chalk lying in his palm.

“Yan Yu!” Su Han called from the podium, her face dark.

Yan Yu snapped back to attention, quickly tossing the chalk into the wastebasket and dared not speak to Yang Xuefei any further.

Su Han sighed, unable to resist glancing at Yan Yu a couple more times, muttering softly to herself, “Why does this kid have such a strange aura…”

Finally, the bell rang for the end of class. Yan Yu rubbed his empty, rumbling stomach, ready to head to the cafeteria and fill up.

Just then, two figures blocked his way.

“Zhu Xiangyang, Hao Zhuang?” Yan Yu finally remembered, “Right, I almost forgot about our fight.”

Zhu Xiangyang glanced behind him, waiting until Su Han had left the classroom before threatening, “I bet you’re trying to skip out, huh?”

“No, no, I just think the hill behind the school is too far. How about we settle this right here? I’m in a hurry for lunch,” Yan Yu replied with a smile.

Hao Zhuang was surprised, “Here?”

“Yes, right here.”

There were still plenty of students in the classroom who hadn’t left, including Li Kang and Xu Jin.

Zhu Xiangyang gritted his teeth. “Fine, let’s fight here. If you lose, you give up your seat!”

“No problem. But if you lose, you two have to call me big brother,” Yan Yu countered.

Hao Zhuang rolled up his sleeves, exposing his intimidating muscles and sneered, “You sure are confident! If we lose, forget big brother—I'll call you father if you want!”

“Don’t make me sound old,” Yan Yu retorted.

Zhu Xiangyang snapped, “Facing disaster and you’re still joking around? Wait and see how we deal with you!”

Yan Yu lowered his head, then suddenly looked up and threw a punch with no warning, landing it right in Zhu Xiangyang’s stomach. The two-hundred-pound giant was sent flying over two meters by a single punch!

“Damn!”

Li Kang and Xu Jin, who had stayed behind to watch Yan Yu get humiliated, were stunned, their eyes nearly popping out.

Hao Zhuang turned pale, swallowing hard, suddenly not so confident in his own muscles.

“Your turn,” Yan Yu raised his fist.

Hao Zhuang shrank back, dropped to his knees and hugged Yan Yu’s leg, tears and snot streaming down his face as he wailed, “Father!”

Even Yan Yu hadn’t expected him to switch sides so quickly.

“So, you admit defeat?” Yan Yu asked.

Zhu Xiangyang struggled out from between the desks, sweating profusely, and slapped the floor. “We give up, you’re our big brother from now on. If you tell us to go east, we won’t dare go west. You drink first, you get the girls first…”

Watching Zhu Xiangyang and Hao Zhuang grovel, Li Kang felt embarrassed on their behalf.

“We can’t count on them,” Xu Jin said to Li Kang. “Kang, things aren’t looking good.”

Li Kang frowned, about to speak, when Security Chief Zhang Dagen suddenly appeared at the classroom door. Seeing the scene, he asked, “What happened here? Was there a fight?”

Yan Yu waved him over, “It was me, just some friendly sparring between classmates.”

“Master Yan?” Zhang Dagen’s expression changed instantly. He’d been arrogant just a moment ago, but now he bent and bowed, his face full of ingratiation. “So Master Yan is here too! I haven’t properly thanked you for this morning. How about I treat you to lunch?”

Li Kang stood nearby with a sour expression: Zhang Dagen had always fawned over him, but today, he ignored Li Kang completely and treated Yan Yu with utmost respect!

Damn it! On his first day after transferring, this guy had snatched everything that used to belong to him!

Yan Yu waved him off, “Maybe next time. Did you come here for something?”

“Oh! I’m here to find Young Master Li and Young Master Xu!” Zhang Dagen slapped his forehead. “Li, Xu, the grade supervisor wants to see you.”

“What for?” Xu Jin asked.

“There’s a student named He Qing who bit off his own tongue in the sports equipment room today. Some classmates said you two had been in contact with him recently, so the grade supervisor wants to ask you about it.”

Hearing what Zhang Dagen said, Li Kang and Xu Jin’s faces changed, a hint of fear flashing in their eyes.

Yan Yu noticed clearly—it wasn’t He Qing’s self-mutilation that made them pale, but the words: sports equipment room!