Category: Come, Let Me Take You Home

No. 18 Piercing the Veil of Pretense

“Wait!”

The sound of our bodies colliding echoed through the darkness.

“We don’t have to fight here. We can settle this when we get back…”

I tried to reason with her as I blocked her relentless attacks.

“Home? What home? What good is a home to me?”

Her attacks grew fiercer, forcing me to raise my leg to defend myself.

This wasn’t good. I had obviously triggered something in her. If this continued, we would be discovered by their reinforcements.

“It’s funny, isn’t it? Me, wanting to be protected, wanting to hide behind someone. I’m so pathetic, right?”

Moonlight streamed through the open doorway, bathing the concrete floor in a silvery glow.

“It’s natural for a girl to want to be protected.”

I blocked another attack, glancing nervously at the door.

“Then why are you so calm? Answer me!”

Her kicks were becoming erratic, her breathing ragged.

“What are you so upset about?!”

Backed against the wall, with nowhere to retreat, I finally retaliated, delivering a swift kick to her stomach. I spun around, appearing behind her, and drove my knee into her back, pinning her against the wall. I pressed my foot against her bare thigh, exposed by her short denim shorts.

“Slap! Slap!”

I grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, my gaze intense. “Listen, in this world, no one cares about your struggles, your pain, except your parents and the readers of a book. And readers are only interested in the main characters. Unfortunately, neither of us is the protagonist of any story. So, please, take care of yourself.”

I understood now.

Huang Yingdie had grown up surrounded by suffocating love and adoration. Her father was the mayor, she knew some martial arts, and she was beautiful. She was the darling of the school and the local gangs. Spoiled and pampered, she had never experienced true hardship.

Her recent string of defeats, coupled with her fear and helplessness in this situation, had probably shattered her sense of pride.

“What right do you have…”

“I am the right.”

I leaned closer, my voice low and steady. “Right now, I am the victor. Remember your place.”

She struggled, but I held her firm.

“Let me go!”

“If I weren’t Yi Yao, if I weren’t a girl your age, but one of those men on the street who lust after you, would you still speak to me like that?”

I deliberately brought my lips close to hers.

Damn it, if she didn’t snap out of it soon, I would have to leave her behind. If their reinforcements arrived, we would both be doomed.

“…”

After another futile struggle, she finally stopped resisting, her face flushed.

“Yi Yao.”

She turned her head away, her voice barely a whisper.

“What?”

“Let go.”

“Have you come to your senses?”

“Yes.”

I released her wrists.

She stretched, then snorted. “I just want to get out of this hellhole. We’ll settle our score later.”

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.”

As if I were her boyfriend.

I was starting to get used to her tsundere personality. I walked over to where we had been chained and picked up the bread. “Do you want some?”

“No, thanks. Who knows what they put in it. You eat it.”

“Fine. I’ll keep it for now.”

I stuffed the bread into my pocket and stepped out of the factory. The sight before me was daunting: a vast expanse of overgrown grass and dense forest.

“Which way do we go?”

Xiaodie cautiously approached me, her eyes scanning the undergrowth. “Are there snakes in the grass?”

“Even if there are, we have to go.”

I took a few steps forward, searching for a path, when the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention.

Several figures were running towards us from the other side of the factory, illuminated by the moonlight.

So, they did have backup…

“Let’s go.”

I grabbed her hand and plunged into the tall grass.

“Do you… do you even know where you’re going?”

Her voice was shaky.

“No, but I know we need to get out of here.”

In this wilderness, under the cover of darkness, even if they knew the terrain, we were on equal footing.

As long as they didn’t have guns.

“Bang! Bang!”

Two gunshots pierced the night.

Something whizzed past my ear, and Xiaodie screamed.

I stopped and turned to her. “What’s wrong? Did they hit you?”

“I… I…”

She clutched my arm, her body trembling. She sank to the ground, her voice weak. “I’m fine.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

I was exasperated. I tried to pull her up, but she wouldn’t budge.

“Stop!”

The figures were less than 800 meters away.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Three more shots. One bullet hit a branch above Xiaodie’s head, sending it crashing down with a loud crack.

“Yi Yao… Go on without me…”

She hung her head, her hair a tangled mess.

She was trembling uncontrollably.

Her fear was palpable, transmitted through her slender arm.

“Don’t be stupid! Get up! We might not escape even if we run, but we’ll definitely die if we stay here!”

I raised my voice, hoping to shake her out of her fear.

“Yi Yao…” She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. “You… you’re not afraid?”

“I am! I’m more afraid than you are! But what good is fear?” I wanted to slap her. “Will your mother’s illness magically disappear if you’re afraid to see her? Will someone come and comfort you if you’re afraid to go home? Will they show us mercy if we cower here in fear?”

The figures were less than 500 meters away.

“You have to fight for your happiness, your dreams! Understand? Those who rely on others will always be weaklings! Where’s that fighting spirit you showed me earlier? You weren’t afraid of a black belt instructor, but you’re scared of a few ordinary men?”

“I…”

She stared at me, her eyes wide with surprise. Perhaps this was the first time she had seen me so assertive.

“Answer me! What is the spirit of Taekwondo?”

“Courtesy… integrity…”

“Louder!”

“Courtesy! Integrity! Perseverance! Self-control! Indomitable spirit!”

I pulled her up.

More bullets whizzed past us.

“Run!”

I grabbed her hand and we plunged into the dense forest.

“Don’t look down! Look ahead!”

I didn’t know what lay ahead, but I knew we had to keep moving.

If you didn’t work hard, you would starve. If you didn’t strive for better, you would be left behind.

This world owed us nothing.

After about thirty minutes of stumbling through the darkness, I stopped.

“I think… they’re not following us.”

The forest was eerily silent, sending a shiver down my spine. Something felt wrong.

But I couldn’t let Xiaodie see my fear.

If I showed weakness now, we were both doomed.

“Come on, this way.”

She followed me obediently.

Since they had taken our phones, I could only navigate by the moonlight.

Now that the immediate danger had passed, we needed to find a safe place to rest and regroup.

A small cave, perhaps.

“Get in.”

The cave was tiny, barely large enough for us to squeeze through the entrance. Those men wouldn’t have shot at us if they had orders to bring us back alive. Since they hadn’t pursued us, they must have given up.

I watched Xiaodie enter the cave, then gathered a large rock and some branches to camouflage the entrance.

The cave was pitch black.

“Xiaodie?”

“I’m here.”

“Meow…”

What was that?

I followed the sound and found a small kitten huddled beside Xiaodie.

“It’s okay. It won’t bite.”

Remembering my experience working at a pet store, I gently stroked the kitten’s face until it stopped meowing. I pulled out the bread I had taken from the factory.

“Do you want some?”

“I’m not hungry. Thank you.”

Still playing the tsundere even in this situation? We hadn’t eaten since lunch. Did she think I was stupid?

I put the kitten aside and opened the bread package.

“If you’re worried about it being poisoned, I’ll eat half. I’ll leave the other half here. You can eat it later if you get hungry.”

No. 16 Bathed in Moonlight

“Get out!”

After a bumpy two-hour ride, the van finally came to a stop. My hands were tied, my eyes blindfolded. Two armed men shoved Xiaodie and me out of the vehicle.

The air was fresh, filled with the scent of earth and leaves, a stark contrast to the city. I guessed we were somewhere far out in the suburbs. Two hours was enough time to transport us to another city. Since I had been blindfolded the entire time, I couldn’t be sure of our exact location.

All I knew was that my luck had officially run out.

You want to kidnap the mayor’s daughter? Fine. But why drag me into this?

“Try anything funny, and you’ll regret it.”

Before I could even regain my balance, something cold and hard pressed against my head.

“Number 3, you take the van back and report to the boss. We’ll handle things here.”

“Yes, sir.”

As they spoke, I quickly assessed the situation. There were three of them: one driver and two gunmen, one fat and two skinny. They were all masked, with no distinguishing features. Their handling of the guns suggested they were professionals. Based on Dati’s information, these men were probably trained mercenaries, veterans of countless battles. I couldn’t afford to act rashly.

No martial art could outrun a bullet.

To my surprise, Xiaodie, the main target of this kidnapping, hadn’t uttered a single word throughout the entire ordeal. I couldn’t tell if she was terrified or if her emotionless facade had returned.

They pushed us along a muddy path for about half an hour. A heavy door creaked open, and I felt a powerful shove from behind, sending me sprawling onto the ground.

“Thud!”

Before I could react, someone grabbed me and dragged me towards a metal pole. I heard a metallic click as they handcuffed me to it.

“Stay put, you two. We have men stationed outside. They have orders to shoot on sight. If you want to live, don’t move.”

The heavy door slammed shut behind them.

Seriously? At least remove the blindfold…

I was already worried sick about Lan Zhuoyue. Now, my heart sank to the depths of despair.

The world fell silent.

The faint croaking of frogs filled the air.

“Yi Yao…”

Xiaodie’s voice, laced with panic, broke the silence.

“Yi Yao, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here. What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t see, so I just sat there, my back against the cold metal pole.

This place was filthy. It hadn’t been cleaned in years. The air was thick with dust.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“There’s no point in talking to unreasonable people.”

“You…”

She was clearly annoyed. “Are you looking for a fight?”

“Save it. We can’t even see. How are we supposed to fight? By the way, Xiaodie, what’s your full name? Why do your friends call you ‘A-Pian’?”

“Hmph, none of your business.”

“Fine, fine, I won’t ask. Let’s just sit here in silence and wait for them to decide our fate.”

“Don’t…”

Perhaps my words had frightened her. Her voice softened, a hint of pleading in it. “I’m sorry… Yi Yao, do you think they’ll just leave us here? This place is so remote. What if snakes get in…”

She shuffled closer, guided by my voice.

Hearing the usually stoic girl sound so vulnerable sparked a strange sense of satisfaction within me. I couldn’t help but tease her. “I thought you weren’t afraid.”

“Who… who said I wasn’t afraid? They have guns… and… they don’t look like good people. I…”

She was, after all, just a teenager. Her voice trembled.

“What if they just kill us and demand ransom from my dad? Or force us to do those…”

“Calm down.”

I interrupted her. “If they wanted to do anything to us, they would have done it in the van. They’re probably planning to use us as leverage against the Jiang Nan Gang and the Black Dragon Society.”

“Leverage? What do you mean?”

“Before we go any further, I need to ask you something. Did the Jiang Nan Gang really send those people to my father’s shop yesterday?”

“Of course not!”

She practically shouted. “Tianhai Ge(Brother) forbade everyone from discussing that matter. Qinghao even promised me he wouldn’t bother you again. Aren’t you the one who’s obsessed with us?”

“That’s what I thought. Those men who caused trouble at my dad’s shop said they were hired by someone named Huang Qinghao.”

“But Qinghao was with me last night and the night before. His phone was dead because he forgot his charger. I can vouch for him. He definitely didn’t send anyone.”

“Which means someone is trying to instigate a conflict between us. And that someone is probably someone we both know. An inside man.”

“Who could it be?”

“How should I know? If Dati hadn’t called…”

The heavy door creaked open again.

“Well, well, well. Looks like you two are having a nice chat.”

The blindfold was ripped off my face. Blinded by the sudden light, I saw the two masked men, one fat and one skinny, shining their flashlights at us.

“Boss, is this her?” the fat one asked, pointing at Xiaodie.

“Yes.” The skinny one nodded, then turned to me. “They’re probably friends or classmates. We brought them both just to be safe.”

“Let her talk to him.”

“Yes, sir.”

The fat one pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Mayor Huang. No… I’m not a reporter. Your daughter is with us… No, we don’t want money. We just need you to do us a small favor… I’ll inform you of the details later… Really? Fine. Your daughter is right here. We haven’t mistreated her. You can talk to her if you want.”

He held the phone to Xiaodie’s ear.

Even from a distance, I could hear a man’s frantic voice. “Xiaodie! Xiaodie! Say something… Xiaodie, are you alright…”

“Dad…”

She choked back a sob. “Dad… I want to go home…”

“Heh heh heh…”

Satisfied with the effect, the fat man chuckled and took the phone back. “You heard that? I suggest you don’t call the police. Otherwise…”

“Bang!”

He fired a shot into the air. The deafening roar echoed through the abandoned factory.

“Here’s your dinner. If you’re worried about it being poisoned, don’t eat it.”

He tossed a packaged loaf of bread onto the ground between us, then holstered his gun and sneered at Xiaodie. “Huang Yingdie, blame your father for being the mayor. Let me tell you something. Whether he calls the police or not, you two won’t live to see tomorrow. This time tomorrow night, you’ll be dead. Hahahaha!”

He spat on the ground, then followed the skinny man out of the factory, slamming the door shut behind them.

We were plunged back into darkness.

“Keep an eye on them. If they escape, you know what will happen.”

“Yes, sir.”

Their conversation sent a chill down my spine.

He was right. There were men guarding the factory.

It was probably around 8:30 PM. We were just two sixteen-year-old girls, our hands cuffed behind our backs, with no tools or weapons.

If what they said was true, we had to escape, no matter the cost.

But first…

“So, your name is Huang Yingdie?”

I struggled to contain my laughter. “I wondered why they kept calling you ‘A-Pian.’ So, your name really is ‘A-Pian’…”

Xiaodie, Huang Yingdie, “Huang-yellow(p*rn) Ying(video) disc,” A-Pian.

“Hilarious, isn’t it? Go ahead, laugh.”

In the faint moonlight, I saw her face, as red as a ripe apple, her lips pouting in annoyance. She looked so adorable, I almost wanted to pinch her cheeks.

“No, you misunderstand. Everyone’s name is unique, just like every life. No life deserves to be ridiculed. I wouldn’t laugh at you.”

Liar… I was barely holding it together.

“Hey, Xiaodie, since we’re going to die tomorrow anyway, why don’t you tell me about your school?”

“What’s there to tell? It’s just…”

She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as I stood up, my hair a mess, my hands free from the handcuffs.

“You!”

I rushed over and covered her mouth before she could scream.

“Shh… I can get us out of here, but you have to promise to do exactly as I say, no matter what.”

No. 15 Drinking Away All Hesitation

“Where’s your driver?”

Under the dim pre-dawn sky, I stood with my black cat backpack, frowning at the man waving at me from inside the luxurious car.

“He overslept.” Long Fei gave me a sheepish smile and gestured towards the passenger seat. “We need to hurry, or you’ll be late for school.”

“You’re sixteen, right?”

“Yes, and?”

“Driving without a license at sixteen is a serious offense.”

“It’s my problem, not yours. Get in.”

He opened the car door. “Besides, there won’t be any traffic police this early in the morning.”

I hesitated for a moment, then got in.

“I handed the Black Dragon Society over to Dati.” He started the engine and turned the steering wheel. “Heh, it’s hard to believe it’s over. All those years we spent together, drinking, fighting, causing trouble…”

I remained silent, not wanting to give him the wrong idea.

The car left the residential complex and headed towards No. 3 Middle School.

“Yi Yao.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“…”

“You know, your voice is unique. It’s not soft and gentle like those delicate girls, nor is it rough and loud like a tomboy. It’s… soothing. Like… those girls who dance hip-hop. Cool and cute at the same time.”

His voice was a mixture of sadness and peace. “When I first met you, I thought, ‘This girl must have been dumped by her boyfriend because she’s too handsome.’ You were at an internet cafe, of all places. You almost outshone me.”

“I didn’t have a boyfriend back then.”

I added quietly.

And I still don’t.

“Just an example. Don’t take it personally.”

We fell silent.

This was our usual dynamic. We never argued, but we never truly connected either. We were like two strangers who happened to know each other, only showing a hint of intimacy during the Black Dragon Society gatherings.

Even without my intervention, I was sure Yi Yao would have initiated the breakup soon.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped on a street near the school.

“Get off here. I don’t want you to be subjected to those weird looks from your classmates again.”

He said with a faint smile.

“Did you have breakfast? Do you have enough money?”

“Yes, thank you. I ate already.”

I grabbed my backpack and opened the car door. I hesitated for a moment, then turned back to him and extended my left hand.

“What’s this?”

“You said I never let you hold my hand, right?” I smiled. “Consider this compensation. Stay in touch with everyone after you leave. Don’t disappear without a word. We’re brothers, after all. If we don’t hear from you, Hua She and the others will hunt you down.”

“Yi Yao…”

He stared at my outstretched hand for a long moment, then slowly removed his glove and shook my hand.

“I always thought you were a fragile girl who needed protection…”

“Enough with the sentimental talk. It’s just a different city. You’re the son of Long Teng, the CEO of “Heavenly Fire”. Take care of yourself. And stop smoking so much.”

I cut him off, retrieved my bike from the trunk, and hopped on.

“I’m leaving. The air pollution is bad in the Heavenly Capital City. Don’t die there.”

It was a simple farewell, like any other parting.

I had witnessed countless beginnings and endings in this world…

Love at first sight was just lust. Compatibility was just mutual benefit.

Language had a way of romanticizing the mundane.

I arrived at school just as the morning rush hour began.

I parked my bike, entered the classroom, and saw Tan Lijiang chatting with a few classmates. His face darkened when he saw me.

Did I go too far yesterday?

“Yi Yao, where’s your deskmate?”

Unlike the others, who were now too intimidated to speak to me, the two boys in front of me turned around cheerfully. “Did you inspire him to drop out and get a job?”

I suddenly remembered Lan Zhuoyue. I quickly checked my phone. A new message popped up on the screen:

“Deskmate, I’m in France. Remember to tell the teacher I’m sick. Try to prevent her from calling my parents. I’ll bring you back a gift, as promised. Wait for my good news! – Your bro, Lan Zhuoyue.”

He’s actually gone?

Lan Zhuoyue’s usually bright avatar was now grayed out, silently confirming that this wasn’t a prank.

I frantically dialed his number.

“Sorry, the subscriber you dialed is powered off…”

The emotionless voice of the automated message greeted me.

The morning reading bell rang.

“Alright, everyone, take out your books. We have an inspection today. Read loud and clear, okay? Huh? Where’s Lan Zhuoyue again? Never mind. It doesn’t matter if he’s here or not. Yi Yao, take out your book…”

…

The empty seat beside me was a constant reminder of Lan Zhuoyue’s absence.

He was Yi Yao’s closest friend in this class. Of course, there was a possibility that he harbored romantic feelings for her, but so far, he had always been there for her, helping her whenever she faced difficulties. For that alone, I couldn’t just ignore his disappearance.

Three hundred yuan and a one-way ticket to Paris? He didn’t even speak French, let alone English. How was he supposed to survive?

What worried me most was that I hadn’t received any further messages from him. Coincidentally, our homeroom teacher didn’t have any classes today. She probably didn’t even know he had skipped school.

Which meant that if something had happened to him, it would be at least a day before anyone noticed.

“See you tomorrow.”

“We’re going for dinner. You should head home early, Yi Yao. We have a lot of homework today.”

The two boys in front of me left the classroom, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.

“Bye.”

I waved at them and packed my mountain of test papers.

“Your deskmate… didn’t come today?”

Tan Lijiang approached me as I was packing.

“No.”

“What happened to him?”

I looked up at him, confused.

Weren’t you the one who hated us?

“Don’t get me wrong.” He adjusted his glasses and avoided my gaze. “We saw him throwing up blood in the restroom yesterday. We asked if he was okay, and he said he was fine. But he didn’t come to school today. We’re a bit worried.”

“Throwing up blood?”

I recalled his words from yesterday: “If I don’t go now, it’ll be too late.” A chill ran down my spine.

I shoved the remaining papers into my bag, grabbed my chair, and rushed out of the classroom.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“Home, obviously. I’m not staying for evening self-study.”

I practically flew down the stairs and arrived at the bike shed.

To my dismay, another lock had been added to my bike.

A delicate-looking lock with a small bow, but sturdy nonetheless.

“Clink!”

The sound of keys jingling came from behind me. I turned around and saw Xiaodie standing there, holding the key, her expression cold.

“What are you doing?” I tried to grab the key, but she dodged effortlessly. “I have something urgent to do. We can settle our differences later.”

“Really?”

She scoffed. “So, my matters aren’t urgent enough for you?”

“You…”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Three minutes. You have three minutes. Make it quick.”

She glanced around. “Not here.”

“My dear lady…” I was surrounded by students and cars. I gritted my teeth. “Fine. Where to?”

She didn’t answer, just gestured for me to follow her.

She led me out of the school gate and stopped under a small mango tree by the bustling street.

“What will it take for you to leave Qinghao alone? How much money do you want?”

I had expected a fight, but her words caught me off guard. “Leave him alone? Weren’t you the ones who sent people to harass my family?”

“What are you talking about?”

She looked genuinely confused, then sneered. “Right, you’re the type who needs to make up stories to feel better about yourself.”

Seeing that she was still in denial, I mirrored her sneer and said mockingly, “You have the audacity to deny it after what you did? And you came here alone?”

“So, you want to fight?”

“Heh, aren’t you the one who’s itching for a fight?”

Our confrontation drew the attention of the passersby, who instinctively gave us a wide berth.

“Bring it on. It’s not like it’s our first time. But I won’t hold back this time. You’ve successfully pissed me off.”

“Hmph, you think you’re so tough? Did you really think I was using my full strength before?”

Just as we were about to square off, my phone rang.

“Hold on.”

I kept my eyes on her as I answered the call. Ouyang Dati’s urgent voice filled my ears. “Yi Yao, do you remember those guys who caused trouble at your shop yesterday?”

“Yes, why?”

“They weren’t from the Jiang Nan Gang. I just found out that they were hired by someone from outside the city. The police couldn’t find any records of them.”

“What are you saying?”

“This is targeting both the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang. I know those guys. They used to operate in the Jing Triangle area. They have access to firearms. We just received intel that they’re planning to target Xiaodie today, the girl you fought at the food stall. Do you know where she is?”

“I…”

A black van pulled up beside us.

The door slid open, and I saw two gun barrels pointed at us.

No. 14 Like Flowery Words in a Book

After the girl left, the world fell silent again.

I stood there, the cool evening breeze brushing against my face, staring at the hospital. Memories, long forgotten, resurfaced, refusing to be ignored.

Like the test questions, all the memories from my past life were crystal clear, as if they had happened yesterday.

After almost a year of treatment at Fifth Hospital, Mom, losing hope in Western medicine, had transferred to City Central Hospital, where she spent her final days.

I clearly remembered her words to me the day before she passed away: “Yi Yao, I wish you were a girl.”

Dad had told me that Mom had always wanted a daughter. But according to our family’s tradition, boys were far more valued than girls. Since everyone was an only child, if a wife gave birth to a girl, their family’s status would plummet. But if it was a boy, at least they wouldn’t be looked down upon at family gatherings.

Some relatives, desperate for a son, even resorted to naming their daughters “Zhao Di” (meaning “summoning a younger brother”) and risking fines to have another child.

Yi Yao, “a long road tests a horse’s strength, and time reveals a person’s heart.” That was how my father in the other world had explained my name.

But in this world, Dad had told me that he had wanted another son. Mom’s illness had prevented them from having more children, so he named me Yi Yao, a constant reminder of his unfulfilled wish.

“…”

It was time for my Taekwondo class.

Besides my allowance from Dad, I, or rather, Yi Yao, had another source of income: the Taekwondo instructor.

Taekwondo training was grueling, especially for a girl like Yi Yao. She had only started learning because a classmate, afraid of socializing, had given her a free one-month training pass and asked her to be his sparring partner. However, that classmate quit after two weeks, unable to handle the intensity of the training. Yi Yao, the quiet and unassuming girl, persevered, even using part of her allowance to pay for training and belt tests.

She had been training for six years.

From a clueless white belt beginner, she had steadily progressed through the ranks, earning her yellow, green, blue, red, and finally, black belt. She had even been recommended to the largest Taekwondo gym in Upper Capital City, where she successfully passed the second-degree black belt test.

Now, her skills surpassed everyone else at the gym. She no longer had to pay for training. In fact, the gym paid her a small fee. She even helped out as an instructor when they were short-staffed.

As I walked home, I suddenly remembered that my bike was still in Long Fei’s trunk.

How was I supposed to get to school tomorrow?

I took out my phone, opened QQ, and sent Long Fei a message: “My bike is still in your car. If you don’t deliver it to my building by 9 PM tonight, pick me up for school at 6:30 AM tomorrow.”

He replied shortly after: “I have something to do at the company tonight. Your school is on the way to the airport. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

That’s good.

I sent him a smiley face and put away my phone, then boarded the bus home.

It seemed I needed to make sure Xiaodie wasn’t around the next time I confronted Huang Qinghao.

A girl in love was a force to be reckoned with, especially a girl in love with connections. I would rather avoid making an enemy of her.

If all else failed, I would consult Ouyang Dati…

Traffic in Upper Capital City in 2016 was still manageable. The bus arrived at my stop after a bumpy thirty-minute ride.

I rushed home, grabbed a quick bite, and packed my Taekwondo uniform.

“Dad, I’m going out.”

Dad knew I went for “exercise” every evening. He didn’t say anything, just nodded absentmindedly, sipping his wine and watching a war movie on TV.

I bit back the urge to tell him to drink less and left the apartment.

When I arrived at the gym, the training session had already begun. Over fifty students were jogging around the perimeter of the training area, warming up.

“You’re late. That’s a first.”

The speaker was Zhai Fangning, one of the instructors. He was a short, handsome man with a first-degree black belt. He liked to joke around with the students, but when it came to training, he was stricter than anyone else. We called him Da Ning behind his back.

“Sorry, something came up.”

I bowed to the national flag at the center of the gym, then to Da Ning, and rushed into the changing room.

Bright, intelligent eyes, a clean face, short hair that reached her shoulders, healthy tanned skin, a flat stomach, and long, slender legs—this was Yi Yao’s female body.

Thanks to her training, her legs weren’t as thin and fragile as those of other girls, but they were still aesthetically pleasing. The proportions of her thighs and calves were perfect. As I changed out of my school uniform pants, I couldn’t find a single flaw.

Well, I was a girl now. No point in ogling my own body.

After putting on the loose-fitting Taekwondo uniform, my reflection in the mirror transformed.

No wonder girls who practiced martial arts or dance were so popular. That aura was cultivated through years of training.

When I emerged from the changing room, the students were still warming up. I stretched briefly, then joined them, along with Zhai Fangning.

Proper warm-up was crucial for training. Taekwondo, like any martial art, was a journey of self-cultivation. Only through true understanding could one grasp the essence of each technique.

But before reaching that level of enlightenment, one had to find the path that led to it.

Most of the students here were beginners. They signed up, bought a uniform, tied on a white belt, and showed up for a few classes. Few made it past the green belt level. They either got busy with school or found the training too difficult. This gym had been operating for decades, but I was the only student who had achieved a black belt.

We mostly taught them the basics: running, jumping, stretching, basic kicks and punches. The evening passed quickly.

“Keep going! Five more laps!”

“Get up! Don’t tell me you can’t do it! If you can’t even handle this, how are you going to face the challenges of life? How are you going to pursue your happiness?”

“Yes, good! Keep running!”

The gym was about the size of ten basketball courts. During the day, it was used for badminton and volleyball. In the evenings, a third of the space was allocated for Taekwondo training. But even this limited space was enough to push these students, who spent most of their time cooped up in school, to their limits.

Twenty laps of running as a warm-up was a daily routine. Girls and new students were allowed to take it easy.

Initially, I didn’t believe Yi Yao could run twenty laps. Even with her memories, I doubted it. But after running ten laps myself in this body, I was amazed by her willpower.

“Get up!”

“You can do it! If the boys can do it, so can you!”

Years ago, a nine-year-old Yi Yao had endured this same grueling training, pushing her exhausted body towards the finish line, urged on by the instructor.

Five laps, ten laps, fifteen laps. Finally, at the age of ten, she had shed her “beginner” status and started running twenty laps with everyone else.

In some ways, Yi Yao was stronger than anyone else. But in the end, she had succumbed to the despair that gnawed at her soul.

“Two more laps! Don’t stop! Get up!”

“I can’t… Boss… Can I just stop…”

I had just finished fifteen laps and was starting to feel tired when I saw Zhai Fangning standing beside a student who had collapsed on the floor, urging him to continue.

“I can’t… I’ll die if I keep running…”

The student, who couldn’t even tie his belt properly, lay on the floor, gasping for air, his face flushed.

You’re more likely to die if you stop abruptly. After prolonged inactivity, sudden strenuous exercise could be dangerous. You need to cool down gradually, walking and regulating your breathing before resting.

I jogged over to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Instructor, I can’t do it anymore!”

I smiled faintly. “A man never says ‘I can’t.’ How old are you?”

“Huh?” He seemed surprised by my question. “Seventeen. Why?”

“I’m sixteen, and I started later than you. I’m two laps ahead. Are you sure you want to give up?”

“I…”

He flushed, then paled. He looked at my black belt, then at me, his expression conflicted. Finally, he gritted his teeth and stood up. “I don’t believe you’re only sixteen.”

“Telling a girl she looks old will only lower your chances with her.” Seeing that my words had the desired effect, I started running again. “If you can’t prove yourself, you’ll suffer the consequences later.”

“Wait… Wait! I’ll run, okay?”

He scrambled to his feet and followed me, a helpless expression on his face.

I chuckled and picked up the pace.

“Hey… Boss, that’s not fair!”

Due to the high turnover rate, the instructors rarely remembered every student’s name. Five years ago, new students were required to introduce themselves, but the gym owner had eventually abolished this practice. As a result, quiet girls like Yi Yao couldn’t remember a single student’s name, apart from the instructors.

“One more lap. Remember, if you can’t keep up, you’ll regret it.”

“Don’t… Ah! Help!”

“…”

No. 13 Falling from the Heavens

The crowd gradually dispersed.

As I picked up the scattered fruit, watching Long Fei standing in the doorway bathed in the setting sun, a strange sadness washed over me.

He was only sixteen.

While others his age were complaining about the unfairness of life and the pressures of education, he was silently enduring his family’s rigorous training, trapped in a gilded cage.

From e-commerce to computer software, to the etiquette of high society, even martial arts training—so many people in this world were bound by invisible chains from the moment they were born.

Scottish Fold cats suffered from a genetic condition, yet they were more popular than ordinary cats.

“Who is he?”

Dad approached me, pretending to help me gather the fruit, and whispered in my ear.

He had never met my “boyfriend” in person, only heard rumors from neighbors and acquaintances. Always eager to believe gossip, he had used my “boyfriend” as ammunition against me ever since, bringing him up whenever I made a mistake.

Besides, Long Fei, dressed in a suit, looked nothing like a teenager.

“He…”

“I’m Yi Yao’s client.”

Perhaps Dad’s voice was a bit too loud. Long Fei turned around, walked over to him, and handed him a business card. “Your daughter helped promote this shop at school, so I came to check it out.”

“Promote?”

Dad took the card, his eyes widening as he read the prominent title: “CEO of Heavenly Fire Network Technology, Upper Capital City.” He stammered, “I’m afraid we don’t have anything that you need, sir.”

“I think you misunderstand. I’m here to purchase fruit for our company’s employees. Could you please deliver all the remaining fruit to our company by tomorrow? Would that be possible?”

“A-all of it?”

I could see Dad gulp, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Yes, all of it. Please discuss the details with my driver. I need to speak with your daughter privately. Would you mind if I borrowed her for a few minutes?”

“Oh… of course, of course. Yi Yao, go have a chat with our esteemed guest.”

When it came to money, Dad didn’t hesitate to sell me out.

Long Fei winked at me and walked out of the shop. I had no choice but to follow.

“Hello? Yes, it’s me. Go to that fruit shop and buy all their remaining stock. Yes, use that card. Wait for me in the car when you’re done.”

He led me towards a pedestrian bridge while talking on the phone. By the time he hung up, we were standing at the center of the bridge, overlooking the city. The setting sun, half-hidden below the horizon, cast a warm glow, painting the clouds in fiery hues.

“Yi Yao.”

He leaned against the railing, his arms outstretched, basking in the evening breeze. “Will you leave with me?”

This scene felt strangely familiar, like something I had seen in a movie.

I looked down, pretending to be conflicted. After a long silence, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

He turned to me, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. “I had you, yet I still messed around with other women… Heh, perhaps this is my punishment.”

Please, we barely even did anything during our “relationship.” As his girlfriend, Yi Yao wouldn’t even act cute or affectionate. She just ate, drank, and hung out with his friends. He might as well have been single.

“Well, this is for the best, for both of us. Yi Yao, I hope you find happiness.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I need to use the restroom…”

“Pfft…”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re still the same. Alright, I’ll be leaving for the Heavenly Capital City tomorrow. I won’t be back for five years. Forget about me, Yi Yao.”

He patted my head like an older brother, a wry smile on his face. “Go back. There’s a restroom in your dad’s shop, right? And please, don’t use such crude language. You’re picking up bad habits from Hua She and his gang.”

“Then…” I looked up at him hesitantly. “I’ll be going now?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

I bowed to the boy who had taken care of Yi Yao for almost a year, then turned and walked towards the stairs. For some reason, I couldn’t help but look back. Long Fei was still standing there, watching me. As if anticipating my action, he waved at me, his figure silhouetted against the setting sun.

I smiled softly.

“Be good to Zhong Qianqian.”

Zhong Qianqian, Long Fei’s future wife and a famous TV host in Upper Capital City. According to online sources, their families had arranged their marriage when they were children. They would have a happy marriage, free from scandals.

“You…” Long Fei looked surprised. “You know about her?”

“You keep telling Hua She and the others to call me ‘sister-in-law.’ As your supposed girlfriend, I’m obligated to show some interest in your life, right?”

Honestly, it was just Long Fei’s teenage rebellion.

His birth, his upbringing, his future—everything was planned out for him, even his marriage.

A life controlled by others.

“Heh… You’ve really grown up, Yi Yao…”

“Thank you. Then, goodbye.”

I brushed my bangs aside, tucked my hands in my pockets, and walked down the stairs without looking back.

When I returned to the shop, Dad was chatting happily with the employee. He beamed at me, his smile as bright as a poppy flower. “So, did you thank our generous customer?”

“No, he left.”

I went to the restroom, washed my face, and used a hairpin to secure my bangs.

Being a girl was quite troublesome. I never used to fuss with my hair, but this body had its own habits.

“Dad, I’m going out. I’ll be back later.”

“Okay, be careful.”

Unlike usual, he didn’t even ask where I was going.

Of course, he wouldn’t. Thanks to Long Fei, he had sold more fruit in one day than he usually did in half a month. Any businessman would be happy.

If I told him that this “generous customer” was my boyfriend, he would probably forget all his previous prejudices and even encourage our relationship.

But I wasn’t going to give him that chance.

“City Central Hospital.”

I hailed a taxi, got into the passenger seat, and told the driver my destination.

Yes, Huang Qinghao was at City Central Hospital. I had found out through my hacker network on Sunday.

He had crossed the line.

Among delinquents, insults and fights were commonplace. If you didn’t like someone, you fought them. Life was cheap, and grudges were settled with fists. That was the unspoken rule.

But attacking someone’s family was a different matter. That was a line you didn’t cross.

“19 yuan.”

The taxi stopped in front of the hospital.

I rummaged through my allowance, paid the driver, and looked towards the entrance. Coincidentally, Huang Qinghao, his injured hand still bandaged, was walking out of the hospital, supported by a few delinquents, including the mayor’s daughter.

They spotted me at the same time I spotted them.

Instinctively, the girl who had shown up at my house drunk last night stepped in front of Huang Qinghao, shielding him from me.

“Leave.”

Her voice, as clear as a songbird’s, was laced with anger.

“But A-Pian Jie(Sister)…”

“You two, take Qinghao and go.”

She repeated her order, her expression calm.

The two delinquents exchanged glances, then dragged Huang Qinghao, who was glaring at me, away.

I tried to follow, but the girl intercepted me again, assuming a Taekwondo stance.

“You’re really going to protect him?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Xiaodie(Little Butterfly), this is between him and me. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Don’t call me Xiaodie.”

She said coldly.

“Then what should I call you? I don’t know your name. Should I call you ‘A-Pian'(1)* like the others? By the way, how did you get that weird nickname?”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she launched a spinning hook kick at me.

I dodged, then retaliated with a roundhouse kick. “Thud!” My kick connected with her blocking arms, sending her stumbling back. Her graceful posture vanished.

“I have no reason to fight you. Move.”

Before this, neither I nor Yi Yao had known Huang Qinghao. The incident with Liang Zhenyi was purely coincidental. I had targeted him because he was the only one carrying a steel pipe. I hadn’t meant to injure him so severely.

“He’s my brother.”

She regained her footing and attacked me again.

I blocked her kick, then launched a double flying kick at her arms. As she defended, I used the momentum to spin 360 degrees and delivered a swift kick with my left leg.

“Thud!”

Like a master disciplining a student, I sent her crashing into the wall behind her.

“He’s your sworn brother. So what?”

I approached her slowly, looking down at her. Her pretty face was now smeared with dirt. “You take him in as your brother, then slowly develop feelings for him. Then, when you’re least expecting it, he slips something into your drink and takes advantage of you. Is that it?”

“Qinghao would never do that!”

Perhaps this was the first time she had been so thoroughly defeated. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Don’t you dare talk about him like that!”

She really was a girl in love…

“Get up.”

I sighed inwardly and offered her my hand, ignoring the stares of the onlookers.

“Hmph!”

She slapped my hand away, scrambled to her feet, and ran away without even bothering to brush off the dirt, disappearing around the corner.

My hand tingled from her slap.

I straightened up and looked towards the setting sun.

The last rays of sunlight faded from the horizon, carried away by the gentle breeze.

 

---

 

‘A-Pian'(1)* : I have no idea why she has that nickname, but according to what I saw on the internet slangs, it means ad*lt video or p**n, ‘A’ for adult and ‘pian’ for video or film (Well, it could also mean ‘flake'(uncommon), etc)

No. 12 Wishes Are Flowers That Have Fallen from the Branch

The morning’s test had dampened my initial excitement about returning to school. The day passed in a blur.

My sudden rise to the top didn’t cause much of a stir. After the initial shock and confusion, everyone returned to their usual indifference.

Except, I had somehow gained a few “friends.”

With Yi Yao’s original personality, making friends in this class would have been impossible. With her poor grades and quiet nature, she was destined to be a loner.

But after the English test, those who had barely acknowledged my existence before suddenly discovered the art of conversation, approaching me with questions and requests for academic advice.

Apart from Tan Lijiang and his cronies, who refused to apologize to Lan Zhuoyue out of pride, I seemed to be finally integrating into the class.

Another unexpected development was the sudden popularity of my online persona, “bee,” on the Heavenly Fire Forum.

Apparently, I had inadvertently solved a problem that had stumped even national-level computer engineers, helping a large company avert a crisis and sparking a heated discussion about computer security reform on the forum.

…

“Remember to cover for me tomorrow!”

Lan Zhuoyue reminded me as we walked towards the bike shed.

“Seriously? You’re really going to Paris alone?”

I couldn’t believe it.

He turned to me, his figure elongated by the setting sun. “If I don’t go now, it’ll be too late…”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just do me this favor, okay? I’ll bring you back some souvenirs.”

He hopped onto his bike, laughed awkwardly, and sped towards the school gate.

You’re going to get caught by the urban management officers one of these days.

I retrieved my keys from my black cat backpack, unlocked my bike, and joined the stream of students leaving the school.

To my surprise, a car was parked at the school gate, a luxury car worth over a million yuan.

I recognized it. It had picked me up… picked Yi Yao up from school countless times. It was because of this car that the entire school knew “I” had a boyfriend at No. 2 Middle School. To make matters worse, rumor had it that Long Fei had more than one girlfriend at No. 2 Middle School, further tarnishing Yi Yao’s reputation.

Yes, the driver was Long Fei, my “boyfriend.”

“Get in.”

He stepped out of the car, dressed in a suit, and opened the door for me, attracting the attention of everyone nearby.

I pointed at my bike. “It’s okay. I can ride home myself.”

Long Fei was sixteen, but few would mistake him for a minor. He not only looked older than his age, but he also possessed a maturity that belied his years. Even as his girlfriend, Yi Yao had never been able to truly understand him. He was always calm and composed, rarely smiling or showing any emotion. His poker face was unreadable, making him a constant mystery.

“Put your bike in the trunk. I need to talk to you.”

His gaze seemed tinged with sadness. Or perhaps it was just my imagination.

“It won’t take long. I’ll drop you off. We can talk on the way.”

I suddenly remembered hacking into his father’s company yesterday.

“Alright.”

I couldn’t avoid this forever. Besides, I was starting to feel self-conscious under the curious gazes of my classmates. I folded my bike and stuffed it into the trunk, then got into the car and closed the door.

“Star Flower Garden Residential Complex.”

I told the driver, my voice flat and emotionless. Long Fei, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned to me and handed me a bottle of juice.

“Thanks.”

I mimicked Yi Yao’s usual tone, took the juice, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.

“You usually ask me to open it for you.”

His words made me choke on my juice.

“Heh, it’s fine. Honestly, I’m relieved to see you like this.”

He turned back, fastened his seatbelt, and I caught a glimpse of his face in the rearview mirror. He looked exhausted.

“I’m leaving.”

Although I already knew what was coming, I feigned surprise. “Leaving? Where to?”

“To… The Heavenly Capital City.”

The Heavenly Capital City was a large metropolis over five thousand kilometers away from the Upper Capital City. It was a hub for the internet industry, but the competition was fierce.

“Why? Is it for work?”

The car sped along the sun-baked asphalt road.

“No, my dad is sending me there to study. I won’t be back for five years.”

“Oh…”

I looked down and licked the fruit pulp from the bottle’s rim.

“Do you want to come with me?”

His voice was calm, as if he were discussing something trivial.

“I…” I hesitated. “My mother is sick…”

“I know. Leukemia. It requires a lot of money.”

He fell silent.

His family was wealthy. It wasn’t just the Heavenly Fire Network Technology. There was definitely something more, a hidden power backing Long Teng. My sixth sense, heightened by my new female body, told me so.

“Yi Yao…”

After a long silence, he spoke again. “What do you think love is?”

“Love?”

I was taken aback. I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “Love… Calling her ‘wife’ is affection. Calling her ‘dear’ is love.”

I had never experienced love.

In my past life, I was already nearing thirty by the time I paid off my debts. Just as I was ready to embrace love, fate played a cruel joke on me.

Love was different for girls and boys.

If there was true love between Yi Yao and Long Fei, I wouldn’t be here now. With Long Fei’s wealth, he could easily support Yi Yao. She wouldn’t have to worry about her future, and she wouldn’t have sought solace in her “brother.”

But if Yi Yao were a boy, even if she had stayed up all night at the internet cafe that night, she wouldn’t have caught Long Fei’s attention. None of this would have happened. That was the difference between love for a girl and love for a boy.

“Affection and love… Your answer is so like you.”

He sighed deeply. His voice, for the first time, sounded weary. “We’ve been together for almost a year now… Or perhaps we were never truly together. I’ve met many girls, Yi Yao, but you’re the only one who wouldn’t even let me hold your hand. Perhaps, it’s for the best that we part ways.”

Yes, yes, for the best.

I almost blurted it out.

“Long Ge.”

The car passed by my father’s fruit shop. The driver, who was familiar with my situation with Long Fei, spoke up, noticing the commotion outside.

Long Fei glanced out the window and immediately ordered, “Stop!”

The car screeched to a halt.

“What’s going on?”

We got out of the car and saw a crowd of menacing-looking men gathered outside my father’s usually deserted fruit shop. I rushed over, pushing my way through the crowd.

“You’re not leaving until you give us an explanation!”

I entered the familiar shop and saw my father, his face flushed, arguing with a burly man.

“Brother, we didn’t take anything! You’ve already searched the entire place!”

Apples, grapes, dragon fruits were scattered across the floor, some crushed beyond recognition. The stench of sweat and dirty shoes filled the air, making me gag.

“What happened?”

I pulled aside one of the employees.

“That guy over there,” he pointed at the burly man, “bought a bag of fruit, then came back a few minutes later with all these guys, claiming we stole his wallet.”

The employee was clearly angry but didn’t dare speak up, intimidated by the crowd.

“And then?”

“They trashed the place and said they wouldn’t leave until we returned his money.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?”

“We did! Half an hour ago! But they haven’t arrived yet. What can we do?”

Half an hour?

I scanned the shop, my gaze finally settling on the burly man.

There were over ten of them, all men, all looking like they could handle themselves in a fight. They might even be carrying weapons. I couldn’t fight them head-on.

The question was, who sent them?

Dad had been at the hospital taking care of Mom. The shop had been closed for days and had just reopened today. It was too much of a coincidence, unless…

The Jiang Nan Gang?

I spotted a few familiar faces among the crowd, reminding me of the incident at the food stall.

This kind of thing wasn’t unheard of in the Upper Capital City. People would pay thugs or homeless people to harass their enemies as a form of intimidation.

If that was the case, for the safety of my family, I needed to deal with this Qinghao character sooner rather than later…

“Move!”

An impatient voice cut through the commotion, drawing everyone’s attention.

Long Fei, still in his suit, walked through the crowd, one hand in his pocket, the other covered in a white glove. Whether it was his imposing aura or his unknown background, everyone instinctively stepped aside as he approached.

“Who the hell are you?”

The burly man turned around and pulled out a knife. “Do you know who…”

Before he could finish his sentence, his feet left the ground.

No one saw how Long Fei, who had been several meters away, suddenly appeared beside the burly man and lifted him off the ground. By the time everyone reacted, Long Fei’s gloved hand was already clamped around the man’s carotid artery.

“I… Cough… Cough…”

The man struggled violently, dropping his knife.

“Tell me, who sent you.”

“Brothers… What are you waiting for…”

He choked out, urging his companions to attack.

“If any of you come any closer, he’ll be dead before tomorrow.”

Long Fei held the man up with one hand and glanced coldly at the others. “I can afford to pay for a life, but I doubt this gentleman can say the same for his wife and children.”

“Don’t… Don’t… We’ll talk… It was a guy named Huang Qinghao. He paid us to do this…”

One of the men, holding a steel pipe, finally cracked under pressure, his voice trembling.

Long Fei snorted and tossed the burly man aside like a piece of trash.

“Get out of here. If you need money, go to the Heavenly Fire Network Technology. We’ll pay you double what your previous employer offered.”

No. 11 Fleeting Warmth

“Yi Yao… 150 points.”

As if worried the class hadn’t heard her clearly, the teacher, still dazed, repeated my score, her eyes fixed on the grading machine.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

For ten long seconds, the classroom was so quiet that you could hear the chirping of birds outside.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the aisles between the desks.

Liang Tong, the group leader, was so stunned that he didn’t even notice he had dropped his water bottle.

“Clang!”

The bottle hit the floor, spilling its contents and jolting everyone back to reality.

“What did she say?”

“One hundred and fifty points?”

“Wait, did I hear that right? Isn’t that a perfect score?”

“Crab Jie repeated it twice. You heard right. I heard right. It’s definitely one hundred and fifty.”

“Has the world gone mad, or have I?”

“I don’t know, but I think Tan Lijiang is about to lose it.”

The commotion in the classroom finally roused Tan Lijiang from his daze. He rushed to the grading machine, his face pale. He stared at the three clear digits on the display: 150. In disbelief, he pulled out my answer sheet and scanned it again.

“Beep.”

150 points.

“You can try as many times as you like. The result won’t change.”

I leaned against the podium, striking Yi Yao’s signature pose from the Black Dragon Society’s headquarters, my hands casually tucked in my pockets. “You lost, Tan Lijiang.”

“Impossible! This is impossible!”

He grabbed my answer sheet and frantically compared it to his own, his body trembling. “Question one, A. Question two, C. Question three, D… BCADD…”

I waited patiently as he checked all 150 questions, one by one.

“Can I have my answer sheet back now?”

“No! This can’t be real! You cheated!”

He clenched his fist and swung at me. But he, a boy who spent all his time studying and rarely exercised, was no match for me. I easily caught his arm and twisted it behind his back.

“Fighting in school will get you demerit points, Tan Lijiang.”

I maintained my calm demeanor, looking down at him. “It’s just an apology. You resort to violence just because you lost a bet? Are you even a man?”

His score of 140 confirmed my belief that I could change this world.

Even if it was just a slight emotional shift caused by me, his score was indeed lower than in the parallel world I came from. That was a fact.

The butterfly effect: a butterfly flapping its wings in South America could, through a chain of events, cause a typhoon in Asia.

Let the storm rage.

Yi Yao, you gave me a second chance at life. I’ll give you a better world.

“Tan Lijiang!”

Ms. Pang finally snapped out of her shock and pulled him away from me. “I’m so disappointed in you!”

“Teacher! She cheated!”

He pointed at me accusingly.

“I watched her finish the test in thirty minutes. Tell me, how did she cheat? Are you suggesting I gave her the answers beforehand?”

“Thirty minutes?”

“It would take at least five minutes to guess all 150 questions, plus another ten minutes to fill in the answer sheet. Damn!”

“She’s been hiding her true abilities!”

“Crap, I remember giving her the stink eye before. Is it too late to suck up to her now?”

“It’s just one test. You think she can get this lucky every time?”

You’re all getting a little too excited.

Ignoring Tan Lijiang, who was speechless after being reprimanded by Ms. Pang, and the rest of the class, who were now buzzing with excitement, I retrieved my answer sheet and calmly returned to my seat.

Nothing stayed the same forever.

Not relationships, not people’s hearts.

Liang Tong was one of the most disliked students in our class. He often snitched on his classmates to the homeroom teacher, earning him everyone’s scorn.

But I knew that after entering high school, he, the model student who had won countless awards in junior high, would become the biggest troublemaker in his class, skipping class, going to internet cafes, and getting into fights. Despite being scolded by the teacher almost every day, he would gradually gain a group of “brothers” at school.

That’s how people were. When they reached the end of one path, with nowhere else to go, they would choose another, even more extreme path.

“Way to go, deskmate!”

“Yi Yao, you’re the best! I have mad respect for you!”

As I sat down, not only Lan Zhuoyue, but even the two quiet boys in front of me turned around and gave me a thumbs-up.

I smiled and nodded politely.

Although I knew they were mostly impressed because I had put Tan Lijiang in his place.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the second period.

“Those who haven’t handed in their answer sheets, do so now. Yi Yao, come to my office.”

As expected, Ms. Pang summoned me to her office.

“Another heart-to-heart with the teacher, huh? But this time, it’s probably a good thing.”

Lan Zhuoyue, beaming with pride after scoring a hundred thanks to my answers, couldn’t stop grinning.

“Let’s hope so.”

I gave him a weak smile, put away my answer sheet, and left the classroom. As I arrived at Ms. Pang’s office, I bumped into our homeroom teacher, who was returning from her break.

“Failed another test?”

She looked at me with disdain, her beady eyes scanning me from head to toe. She snorted and entered the office ahead of me.

I didn’t have much of an impression of this homeroom teacher. In my past life’s memories, she would be transferred to another school in a month or so. She had contributed little to our class. The new homeroom teacher, on the other hand, would be a force to be reckoned with…

“Yi Yao, you need to wake up.”

She sat down at her desk, took a sip of water, and looked at me condescendingly. “What are you going to do with your life with such terrible grades? I know your family isn’t well-off. I understand you’re pretty, but don’t let your lack of knowledge lead you down the wrong path…”

I knew what she meant.

Pretty girls, even those with bad grades and no job prospects, could always find happiness by marrying a rich man.

Many considered this the “wrong path.”

I vaguely remembered overhearing a conversation between my female colleagues in my past life. They were discussing how some of their pretty and educated friends had the opportunity to marry rich and powerful men but were instead attracted to good-looking, well-educated boys from prestigious universities who worked at renowned companies, worked late hours, and went to the gym. They thought these boys were ambitious and had potential… Five or six years later, those girls were filled with regret.

But I wasn’t like those girls.

I would achieve happiness through my own efforts.

I didn’t need their pity or prayers.

“Yi Yao, don’t just stand there. Have a seat.”

After waiting for about three minutes, Ms. Pang finally arrived, her face beaming. “Are you thirsty? Let me get you some water.”

She pulled out a chair for me, then went to the water dispenser and poured me a glass of water.

“Xiao Wu, what’s going on?”

The homeroom teacher stared at her in confusion. “What did she do this time?”

“Good things, heh, good things.”

Ms. Pang pulled out a test paper from her desk and handed it to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yi Yao, take a look at this test paper. What are the answers to the first five questions?”

I glanced at the paper and instantly rattled off the answers. “ACCBA.”

“Oh my god…”

Ms. Pang was ecstatic. “Yi Yao, does this mean your previous test scores…”

“Were all random guesses.”

My answer both amused and exasperated her.

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I felt like it.”

I didn’t know how to explain it, so I decided to play dumb. No one would question a good thing, right?

“Well… can you promise me you won’t do that again? Please take your exams seriously from now on.”

Her gaze was completely different from before.

Sunlight streamed through the window, reflecting off the glass on the water dispenser.

The air conditioner hummed tiredly.

“Okay.”

I replied calmly, finishing the water she had given me.

“Hey, Xiao Wu, what are you two talking about?”

The homeroom teacher was completely lost. “Did she fail again?”

“No, no, Liu Jie. Do you know what Yi Yao scored on the English test?” Ms. Pang patted my shoulder, her voice filled with pride. “150 points! A perfect score!”

The homeroom teacher still didn’t understand. “What do you mean? Were there 300 multiple-choice questions this time?”

“150 questions. A perfect score. Let me put it this way.” Ms. Pang cleared her throat and announced, as if showing off a new toy, “She got first place!”

“First place?!”

The homeroom teacher choked on her water. “Did you give her the answers?”

“No! I’m telling you, Yi Yao…”

As the two teachers were about to launch into a debate, I stood up.

“Excuse me, I need to get back to class.”

“Wait.”

The homeroom teacher called out to me as I turned to leave.

“Yi Yao…”

I cut her off, knowing what she was about to say. “Don’t worry. I’ll do just as well in my other subjects.”

The sudden change in their attitude made me uncomfortable. Yi Yao’s past memories of sadness and loneliness flooded my mind. I just wanted to get out of there.

It was like someone who had been trying to kick you out of their house suddenly offering you candy and begging you to stay.

I was used to such fickle behavior.

In the corporate world, people only cared about your performance.

You could be the most hated person in the company one day, then become the most popular the next after closing a big deal and earning everyone a bonus.

I didn’t expect school to be any different.

“Beyond the endless stretch of dreams, lies a journey through a cold and unforgiving world.” Perhaps this was what Yi Yao wanted me to understand.

We were strangers now.

No. 10 A Melody for the Fallen Princess

If the heart has no resting place, it wanders everywhere.

Similarly, if a person has no good intentions, they create chaos wherever they go.

School has always been a microcosm of society, ever since its inception.

Long ago, in my past life, when I was still a “model student” in this very class, I had no idea how toxic the environment was. I didn’t know that Lan Zhuoyue, the boy who often skipped class, got into fights, and talked back to teachers, was such a loyal friend. And I certainly didn’t know that Tan Lijiang, the boy who always approached me with a smile and asked questions, would say such hurtful things to his classmates.

“By the way, when you copy my homework, remember to change a few answers. Don’t copy everything.”

I finished organizing my desk just as the morning reading bell rang. I pulled out my English textbook and spoke casually.

“I know, it’s not my first time copying.”

Lan Zhuoyue scribbled away furiously. “But seriously, deskmate, were you being serious earlier? Do you actually have the answers to this English test?”

“No.”

“Then why did you make that bet with Tan Lijiang?”

“Because I won’t lose.”

“What?”

He stopped writing and stared at me. “Are you telling me you’ve been faking your bad grades all these years, just to surprise everyone in ninth grade?”

I glanced at him. “Is that a problem?”

“Hey, I’m not saying it’s a problem. I’m just saying, if that’s true, you’ll be our protector from now on.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll protect you. Happy now?”

I rolled my eyes and swatted his head with my textbook. Only after the book landed on the desk with a loud “thwack” did I realize this was one of Yi Yao’s habits as a girl.

Lan Zhuoyue, seemingly accustomed to my “princess” behavior, just laughed. “Yi Yao Xiong, you seem different today.”

“More adorable?”

“Adorable my ass. More like… more mature. Or to put it bluntly…”

I rolled up my textbook into a makeshift baton. “Bluntly what?”

“Don’t play dumb. I’m not saying another word.”

He gave me a playful shove and gestured towards the podium. “Teacher’s coming.”

“Everyone, put away your textbooks. Time for the test.”

Our English teacher was a young woman in her early twenties, fresh out of university. She lacked experience and was often bullied by the students.

Her surname was Pang, and some students had nicknamed her “Crab” behind her back. Sometimes, they even called her that to her face.

“Seriously, Crab Jie? It’s still morning reading time!”

“Less talking, more working. You have two hours to finish over a hundred multiple-choice questions. Put away your books.”

It seemed Ms. Pang wasn’t in a good mood today. She glared at the student who had spoken out of turn and handed out the test papers to the first desk of each group. “Four test papers, one answer sheet. No listening, no essay. Whoever finishes first gets graded first.”

“Hey, Yi Yao, need any help?”

Two boys sitting in front of me turned around as they passed me the test papers.

“Yeah, I can’t stand that Tan Lijiang. What you said earlier was awesome. Don’t lose.”

They were members of the “Li” faction and naturally wanted to see Tan Lijiang humiliated.

I simply shook my head. “I’m good.”

My indifference made them turn back awkwardly.

“I feel like Yi Yao’s aura is different today.”

“Me too. She seems to have changed a lot in just two days. She used to be so timid.”

Well, think what you want.

“So, what’s your plan? Google the answers?”

Lan Zhuoyue finished writing his name and student ID on the test paper and looked at me curiously.

For us ninth graders, exams were a regular occurrence: monthly exams, weekly exams, class mock exams, grade-level mock exams. We were all numb to them, let alone a small unit test like this.

I picked up my pen and replied without hesitation, “I’m going to solve them. What else?”

He pointed towards Tan Lijiang. “They’re provoking you.”

I followed his gaze. Sure enough, Tan Lijiang and a few other boys from the “Tan” faction were smirking and making faces at us.

“You can play on your phone or take a nap. I’ll wake you up when I’m done.”

I turned my attention back to the test paper.

“Damn, you’re so cool, “bro”. This is the first time I’ve seen you this confident.”

And I intend to stay this way.

I didn’t reply and started working on the test.

I remembered scoring 146 out of 150 on this test in my past life. Since it was all multiple-choice, there was no essay to drag down the average score. Tan Lijiang had come in second with 142.

Which meant…

I flipped through the pages, quickly locating the two questions I had gotten wrong and writing down the correct answers.

A perfect score shouldn’t be a problem.

Time ticked by.

Trusting me completely, Lan Zhuoyue pulled out his phone and started reading a novel, hidden behind a stack of books.

Ms. Pang noticed him several times but didn’t bother to reprimand him. Perhaps, in her mind, Lan Zhuoyue was a lost cause.

Even if he cheated, he probably wouldn’t pass anyway.

I finished the test in thirty minutes. To be safe, I double-checked my answers. Once I was certain it was a perfect paper, I transferred the answers to the answer sheet.

Just as I put down my pen, the bell rang, signaling the end of the first period.

“Those who need to use the restroom may do so. The rest of you, continue working on your test.”

Ms. Pang didn’t even look up.

“Here.” I handed my answer sheet to Lan Zhuoyue. “Change a few answers when you copy. Don’t make it too obvious.”

“I know, I know. You’ve said it like three times already.”

He glanced at Ms. Pang, who was busy grading papers, and snatched the answer sheet.

“No, what I mean is,” I took a sip of my salted water, “this is a perfect paper. You need to change more answers. Otherwise, the teacher will notice.”

“Holy shit, are you serious?”

Lan Zhuoyue looked at me as if I had grown a second head. “I’ve never seen a perfect paper in this class.”

I rolled my eyes. “Are we bros or not?”

“We are.”

“Then why don’t you believe me?”

“No, no, I believe you, I believe you.”

He gave me a sheepish smile and grabbed his pen. “I’ll change a third of the answers. I’ll hand it in first and test the waters.”

Just then, Ms. Pang’s voice rang out. “To the student in the corner, don’t test my patience. I know your capabilities. You won’t find the answers to this test on Baidu. And to the female student, if you’re done guessing, you can memorize some vocabulary instead of just sitting there.”

She was reprimanding me for finishing too quickly and Lan Zhuoyue for cheating too blatantly.

Lan Zhuoyue lowered his head and silently copied my answers. I took out my notebook and started listing the vulnerabilities and solutions I had discovered while hacking into Heavenly Fire Network Technology.

Soon, the first student finished the test and handed in his paper.

“Luo Xiaoning, 129 points. Good, you’ve improved since last time. But I suggest you spend more time checking your answers.”

Ms. Pang swiped the answer sheet through the grading machine and announced the score.

“Damn, almost 130? This test was that hard?”

“You still have time to chat? Tell me, what’s the answer to question 110?”

A wave of panic spread through the classroom.

“Beep.”

“Liang Bin, 131 points. Very good.”

“Feng Rongxiao, 125 points. A bit of a shame. You could have gotten a higher score if you had checked your answers.”

More and more students finished the test and handed in their papers.

“Zhao Guoqiang, 89 points… Why didn’t you check your answers? You had so much time! Would checking kill you?”

“Wang Jie, 105 points. Same goes for you. What’s the rush?”

“…”

It was clear from her tone that Ms. Pang was disappointed in those who finished early with low scores.

With about twenty minutes left, our group leader handed in his paper.

“Liang Tong, 135 points. Excellent. The highest score so far. You have a good chance of getting into the top three.”

As he returned to his seat, Liang Tong flipped Lan Zhuoyue off.

“I swear, I’m going to beat him up after class.”

Lan Zhuoyue, having finished copying my answers, saw Liang Tong’s gesture and clenched his fists. He grabbed his paper and walked towards the podium, returning the gesture as he passed Liang Tong’s desk.

A bunch of immature kids.

“Beep.”

“Lan Zhuoyue… one hundred… one hundred points?”

Ms. Pang, who was grading papers, looked up in shock. She grabbed Lan Zhuoyue’s shoulder as he was about to leave. “Who did you copy from?”

“Can’t I do it myself?”

He gave her an annoyed look.

You didn’t stop me from cheating earlier. Now that you have no proof, you can’t do anything about it.

“You…”

Ms. Pang realized she was at a disadvantage and waved him away. “Go back, go back. Don’t let me catch you playing on your phone during class again. I’ll confiscate it.”

“Who was playing on their phone? I was just checking the time.”

Lan Zhuoyue, oblivious to the fact that there was a clock on the wall, hurried back to his seat.

“Deskmate.” He turned to me and grabbed my shoulders, taking a deep breath. “Deskmate, tell me this isn’t real.”

“It’s real. This is not a dream.”

“You really got a perfect score? And you did it all by yourself?” He picked up my answer sheet. “I remember I only changed half the answers, and I still got a hundred.”

I removed his hands from my shoulders. “I’ve told you three times already.”

“I’m done… Ugh, there are a few questions I couldn’t solve. I probably bombed it again.”

As we were talking, Tan Lijiang stood up, his voice loud enough for the entire class to hear. “I’m done. Unlike some people, I don’t need to cheat.” He grabbed his answer sheet and walked towards the podium.

“Aren’t you going to check your answers?” Ms. Pang pointed at the clock. “You still have more than ten minutes.”

“No need.” He looked at Lan Zhuoyue and me. “I think it’s good enough, especially compared to someone.”

“Alright.”

Ms. Pang took his answer sheet.

“Tan Lijiang, 140 points. Heh, not bad, not bad. If you were a bit more careful, you could have gotten a perfect score.”

140? Did I affect him somehow? He made even more mistakes than in my past life.

“Wow! 140 points!”

“That’s probably the highest score in the history of Class 11, right?”

“How is Yi Yao supposed to beat that? She wouldn’t have enough time even if she googled all the answers…”

“Tan Ge(Brother Tan) could have gotten a perfect score if he wasn’t so cocky.”

The classroom erupted in chaos once again.

“It’s fine. This is enough.”

Tan Lijiang waved at me from the podium. “Yi Yao, are you still searching for answers?”

“Hahahahaha…”

A few students laughed.

I closed my notebook, grabbed my answer sheet, and walked towards the podium.

“Yi Yao.”

As I stood beside her, Ms. Pang finally spoke. “I saw you finish the test in less than half an hour. What have you been doing for the past two periods?”

“Reading,” I replied matter-of-factly.

“Do you have any respect for your parents? You rely on guessing for every test. Do you think you can guess your way through the high school entrance exam? Even Lan Zhuoyue got a hundred this time. How many points are you aiming for?”

Tan Lijiang chuckled. “Statistically speaking, with four options for each question, if you guessed randomly for a 150-point test, your expected score would be 60. So, Yi Yao, are you confident you can even get a 60?”

Liang Tong, who was leaning against the wall sipping his drink, chimed in. “Don’t get a 59. That would be embarrassing. Not only would you become Tan Ge’s slave, even the African tribes wouldn’t want you.”

“Hahahahaha…”

Their laughter echoed through the classroom.

The room was filled with hostility.

“My business is none of your concern.”

I said calmly, handing my answer sheet to Ms. Pang. She sighed and swiped it through the grading machine.

Having witnessed the entire drama, most of the students were now watching us intently.

The classroom fell silent.

“Yi Yao…”

“Beep.”

The sound of the machine scanning my answer sheet pierced the silence.

I saw Ms. Pang’s eyes widen in shock.

“Yi Yao… 150 points.”

Her voice trembled as she dropped the bombshell.