Wang Ziqin seemed cowed by Shen Yuan’s sharp tone, looking pitiful like a little dog abandoned by its owner. “I… I’ve been blocked on every way to contact you, haven’t I? So I had no choice but to come to your school.”
Shen Yuan, impatient, snapped, “I blocked you so you wouldn’t come looking for me. Do I have to spell it out for you?”
Wang Ziqin didn’t want to keep arguing pointlessly, so he grabbed Shen Yuan’s hand. “I really need to talk to you. Can we sit somewhere and talk calmly?”
Shen Yuan was dragged a few steps, and a few people nearby glanced at them. He tried to shake him off, annoyed: “If you want to talk calmly, then talk calmly. Why the tugging?”
Wang Ziqin turned back, firm: “If I let go, you’ll run. I can’t let go.”
Shen Yuan winced. “You’re gripping my wrist so tight it hurts. Can you just… release me?” He had thought he’d scolded Wang Ziqin enough before, but now he was pressed up against him. What did Wang Ziqin even want? “Fine, I’ll go with you. I already promised I wouldn’t run.”
Still, Wang Ziqin wouldn’t let go, as if afraid Shen Yuan would escape in front of everyone. Shen Yuan lowered his head, embarrassed, not wanting anyone who knew him to see this.
Wang Ziqin led him to a dessert shop near the school with small private booths and sat them down, ordering just two desserts.
Even after sitting, Wang Ziqin didn’t immediately explain why he needed to see Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan grew impatient. “Spit it out. What’s the matter?”
Wang Ziqin hesitated, then pulled up a photo from his phone album: a report card. “I got first in class on this midterm.”
Shen Yuan examined it carefully. Sure enough, Wang Ziqin’s grades were genuinely first in the class. Shen Yuan looked up and chuckled. “This is what you call something important?”
Wang Ziqin stammered, “N-no, that’s not it… I just wanted to show you first.”
Shen Yuan eyed him skeptically. “Cheating, right?”
Wang Ziqin’s face turned red. “No! I get up before six every day to study, have one-on-one tutoring, study and practice until midnight—I earned it myself!”
Seeing his passion, Shen Yuan finally believed him. Wang Ziqin really was smart. “So… why does your test score matter to me?”
Wang Ziqin seemed to be holding something back. His thick brows furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line. He stared at Shen Yuan, muttering, “I just want you to know I’ve really changed. I don’t hang out with shady people anymore. I even beat up Han Feng for you, and I paid for the lawyers for the girls he hurt.”
Shen Yuan froze, then snorted. “Oh really? So I told you to beat up Han Feng, and you just did it? For me? Damn, I wasn’t even there and still caught the blame.”
Wang Ziqin blushed. “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that…”
He slumped. “You said before it’s my choice whether I change, and yours whether to forgive me. I never expected forgiveness. I just want you to know I’m sincere, not just saying it. I… I don’t want you looking at me like you used to.”
Shen Yuan was momentarily speechless. What difference would his look make? Nonsensical.
He feigned standing. “If you keep rambling nonsense, I’m leaving.”
Wang Ziqin grabbed him again. “Are you really avoiding me like this?”
Shen Yuan: “Yes. I’ve endured you so many times, I really don’t want to be with you. Fine, fine, I believe you’ve changed. Happy now? Can you let me go?”
Cornered, Wang Ziqin blurted out, “I know how you met Qiao Hailou!”
Shen Yuan stopped, startled, suspicious: “What did you say?”
Wang Ziqin lowered his voice: “I know you met him at XX nightclub, right? The night of July 1X.”
Shen Yuan sat back down, face flashing red and white, no longer hiding his irritation. His glare could kill: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
But with Wang Ziqin being so specific about time and place, any further denial was pointless.
Shen Yuan was both embarrassed and furious. That Wang Ziqin knew about his slip-up, and from him of all people… unbearable.
Inwardly, he cursed Qiao Hailou: How could you be so careless! Always pretending, yet you left such a big piece of leverage in Wang Ziqin’s hands! Didn’t you think to destroy it? When did Wang Ziqin even check this? DVRs don’t keep footage this long… Did he check long ago and only now act? Is he trying to blackmail me? Doesn’t matter—if Wang Ziqin can’t be handled, I’ll just yell at that dumbass Qiao Hailou later!
Shen Yuan finally asked directly, venom in his tone: “So? Are you trying to blackmail me? You couldn’t before, now you have proof, so you think you can trap me? I have nothing to give, so no gain for you. Or are you trying to make me your servant again? Or is it Qiao Hailou you’re threatening?”
His tone was so vicious, he could star in a drama as a villain.
Wang Ziqin, looking pitiful under Shen Yuan’s interrogation, trembled. “Do I look that bad to you? You really think I want to blackmail you?”
Shen Yuan: “Back in high school, you found out Zhang Ming had cigarettes and blackmailed him so he’d deliberately fail exams just to amuse you, right?”
Wang Ziqin couldn’t argue. Shen Yuan knew all his past mischief.
He took a deep breath and, in front of Shen Yuan, tore up the printed screenshot of the surveillance footage. Then he smashed the DVR hard with a cup. The noise drew attention, but he finished quickly. “That’s the only recording from that night. It’s gone.”
Shen Yuan: “………………”
He was even more baffled. What was Wang Ziqin trying to do?
Still red-eyed and emotional, Wang Ziqin looked at Shen Yuan seriously. “I’m not trying to threaten you. I said I won’t hurt you again.”
Shen Yuan’s anger, like the destroyed DVR, slowly dissipated, leaving confusion. He still watched Wang Ziqin warily.
Wang Ziqin took a deep breath, summoning all his courage: “Shen Yuan, I’ve changed. I don’t expect you to forgive the past me, but can we be friends now? Just ordinary friends—when we meet, don’t ignore me, don’t glare at me like you used to. Can we?”
His fingers trembled. He looked at Shen Yuan with a pleading, anxious expression, awaiting judgment.
“Then you agreed?” Qiao Hailou asked curiously after hearing Shen Yuan’s recount.
Shen Yuan sighed and waved a hand irritably. “He went that far. And he didn’t ask for my forgiveness—just to meet and say ‘hi.’ What choice did I have? If I didn’t, he’d keep blocking me at school. I couldn’t just let that happen.”
Qiao Hailou laughed mercilessly. “Hahaha.”
Shen Yuan, frustrated, lunged at him. “Why are you laughing?”
Qiao Hailou hugged him. “Acting so fierce, but you’re the softest, kindest little thing.”
Shen Yuan blushed, glaring. “Stop saying gross stuff.”
He pushed Qiao Hailou, puzzled. “What’s up with Wang Ziqin? Why is he so persistent about staying friends? I’m worried he has some scheme. What do you think? You’ve got a mind for bad intentions, you should know.”
Qiao Hailou remained silent, staring meaningfully at him. Shen Yuan, flustered, demanded, “Just say it! Don’t leave me hanging.”
After a pause, Qiao Hailou said, “Hmm… you silly little thing, always thinking you’re clever… still just a dumb kid, aren’t you?”
Shen Yuan, indignant: “What are you talking about? How am I dumb?”
Qiao Hailou quickly kissed him on the lips, sweetly: “How not dumb? Isn’t it obvious? Wang Ziqin likes you.”