Chapter 52

At first, Huang Chao used stolen IDs—mostly elderly people’s—to register dozens of phone numbers. He started by using them to message people who owed debts, sending dozens of messages a day. If he got blocked, he’d just switch numbers and keep going. The money he made off it was pathetic, and it didn’t satisfy him.

Then he found a gig online: paid spamming. As long as you paid, he’d send any kind of message.

A guy got dumped and couldn’t move on? Huang Chao spammed the girl every day with harassment until she gave up and changed her number.

An employee had beef with their boss? Huang Chao sent the boss daily curses and threats.

There were plenty of other shady jobs too—like posting anonymous comments online to stir up controversy and manipulate public opinion. Those dozens of phone numbers were used for all kinds of disgusting stuff.

A number of victims went to the police. But since the registered IDs were from elderly people who clearly had their identities stolen, it complicated things.

These cyber harassment cases were time-consuming and exhausting to investigate. The only times they made progress were when the messages clearly showed a relationship—like exes or former spouses—and authorities could track someone down to mediate.

Huang Chao was sneaky. All his contact info used fake IDs—multiple ones, at that—making it extremely hard to track him down and pin charges.

Qi Xu had no idea how Xie Huai had managed to find Huang Chao, but today he spotted Lao Gao waiting downstairs outside their dorm again.

They were just about to head to the cafeteria for lunch when some guys from the neighboring dorm came over, planning to go together.

Seeing Xie Huai looking like he was about to head out, one of them asked with concern, “Huai-ge, where are you going? Not eating with us?”

Xie Huai had just stepped out of the dorm room when he casually replied, “Police station.”

That was all he said before walking off, leaving behind a bunch of college guys stunned into silence.

With no context or explanation, it was easy to jump to conclusions. Naturally, they started worrying—did something serious happen to Xie Huai? Was it bad enough to involve the police?

Qi Xu was still wondering why Xie Huai had suddenly decided to make that public when it hit him—they were on the same wavelength again.

Xie Huai clearly meant to let the dorm loudmouths spread the word: the guy who’d been sending harassment messages had been caught and reported. Not only was it a warning to others, but it also served as a deterrent.

He didn’t spell out the whole situation, leaving that up to Qi Xu. After all, Qi Xu was the one who’d been targeted—it was his choice to share or not.

And sure enough, the group immediately turned to the person closest to Xie Huai.

“Xu-ge, is Huai-ge in trouble? Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Why’d he have to go to the police? Is it serious? Will it mess with his classes?”

“Is he coming back this afternoon? Should we tell the professor he might miss class?”

The questions came rapid-fire, most of them full of genuine concern. These guys were regulars in room 314—constantly coming over to ask for help with projects or just to bum snacks. Every time Qi Xu went home, he’d bring back food to share, so they were all pretty close.

Qi Xu thought for a second and said, “I got a bunch of harassment messages a few days ago. Huai-ge helped me track the guy down and reported him. He’s just handling the follow-up now.”

It was the first time Li Yan and Feng Zhenjie had heard anything about it, and they immediately slammed the table in outrage.

“That’s huge! Why didn’t you tell us?” Li Yan jumped up, practically bouncing in place. “We should’ve gone with you to catch the guy! I’d have knocked him out on the spot!”

Qi Xu gave a faint smile. “It happened the day I said I might need to change my number. We filed the report the next day and found the guy.”

He left out the details of how they tracked the person down, so everyone just assumed the police handled it.

Li Yan asked, “Was it someone from our school?”

Qi Xu shook his head. “The one who sent the messages wasn’t.”

They caught the implication right away—the real mastermind was still out there. They’d only nailed the one who actually sent the texts.

This was no small thing. On the way to the cafeteria, the whole group kept talking about it. Since they didn’t know the actual content of the messages, they treated it like someone was just jealous of Qi Xu’s popularity or status.

Getting arrested over harassment wasn’t a massive scandal, but it wasn’t minor either—especially since the target was Qi Xu.

Sure enough, once those loudmouths got going, the news spread through the entire class dorm by dorm.

After lunch, Gao Wenjun was back in the dorm handling class paperwork while the other three returned and brought him lunch.

“Class rep, here’s your food.”

Gao Wenjun smiled and thanked them. “Thanks, I’ll transfer you the money later.”

The guy waved him off. “No need. You’ve gotten me lunch before without charging.”

Soon enough, the three of them launched into the gossip they’d just picked up from the cafeteria.

“Qi Xu actually went to the police? Sent the guy who harassed him straight to the station? Serves him right.”

“Seriously, if you’re gonna mess with someone, why would you pick Qi Xu? Doesn’t the guy know his background? One finger and he could crush whoever crosses him.”

“By the way, did anyone find out what kind of messages the guy sent? Was it a guy or a girl? Was it unrequited love or just straight-up envy?”

Let’s face it—everyone loves a little drama.

Just as the words were out of their mouths, there was a loud splash—for no apparent reason, the bowl of noodle soup on Gao Wenjun’s desk spilled, soaking not only the desk but also his laptop and himself.

The sudden mishap left Gao Wenjun frozen in shock. He just sat there, unmoving, as the broth trickled into his computer.

His dormmates gasped and rushed over to grab the laptop and start wiping it off. “Class rep! What happened? That was careless.”

The soup had just been packed after lunch—it was still steaming hot.

Only then did the pain register. Gao Wenjun’s thigh stung with a deep, searing burn.

He forced a smile, trying to play it off as he stood to clean up the mess. “My hand slipped.”

One roommate checked his laptop over and said it didn’t look too bad, then asked, “Did you get burned? Want us to take you to the campus clinic?”

Gao Wenjun just changed clothes and left the dorm. On the way out, he messaged Shen Zeyu to meet up.

His heart was pounding. He was scared the police might track him through the internet—even though he’d already deleted the account, and it wasn’t registered under his name. But they were right: this was Qi Xu they were talking about. A kid from a top-tier family.

He should’ve backed off when he got the lawyer’s letter. But he hadn’t been able to let it go. Shen Zeyu had told him to act like he’d lost interest in Qi Xu and return to being just classmates, to get Qi Xu to lower his guard.

He’d done exactly that.

But every time he saw Qi Xu and Xie Huai glued to each other, the jealousy twisted in his chest. Why couldn’t that person beside Qi Xu be him? The jealousy and possessiveness inside him felt like a ticking time bomb.

He’d vented his feelings by sending those anonymous messages to Qi Xu. That was the only way he could keep pretending during the day.

But now? Now he was scared. Scared enough to run to Shen Zeyu for help. They were in this mess together, after all.

The news that Qi Xu’s harasser had been arrested was now widely known. Everyone in the department saw Qi Xu as someone not to be messed with.

His name was on everyone’s lips again. The kind of fame where even walking out of the dorm drew stares.

So much for keeping a low profile—it had all gone out the window.

Right around this time, the two finance classes started organizing a group event. Other than seeing each other during general courses, most hadn’t officially met, so the event was meant to build connections.

The class reps from both sections came up with a plan and submitted it to the advisors, who approved it.

Since the event was scheduled for the weekend, attendance was optional. Many students preferred to stay in the dorm and study instead of going out.

The idea had been floated two weeks ago, but it wasn’t finalized until this week. Since it was just a social outing, both classes’ social committee reps were working hard to boost attendance numbers.

As the saying goes, “If you want to catch the bandits, grab the leader first.” Chen Xiaohua made it his mission to convince Qi Xu and Xie Huai to attend.

After school on Friday, he followed them from the classroom to the cafeteria, and then all the way back to the boys’ dorm building.

“Huai-ge, Xu-ge, please! It’s just dinner with the class. I promise, with me there, no randos will get anywhere near you.”

Chen Xiaohua had gotten familiar with them through group projects. His loud, easygoing personality was paired with genuine diligence, making him pretty likable.

“Come on, look—these are on me. I bought them myself, just take ’em. Let me cut in line this once!”

Qi Xu looked down to find he and Xie Huai had both been handed bottled fruit juice—Xie Huai’s was mango. He couldn’t help but laugh. “You really need us to go that badly? Isn’t it enough that Li Yan and Feng Zhenjie are going from 314?”

Chen Xiaohua shook his head. “Nope. We can’t even fill one table without you guys. The advisor said we have to take a group photo after the meal—it’s all part of meeting the quota.”

Qi Xu swapped the apple juice he got with Xie Huai’s mango one. “Saturday night?”

Chen Xiaohua lit up like Christmas. “Yeah, yeah! The restaurant across the street—super affordable. Private room number 888. Lucky vibes, you know?”

Seeing Qi Xu ask about the time, Xie Huai figured he was planning to go, so he confirmed it for both of them. “We’ll be there.”

Chen Xiaohua nearly collapsed with relief, looking at the two of them like they were literal lifesavers.

By the time Qi Xu and Xie Huai got back to the dorm, Chen Xiaohua had already blasted the news in the class group chat: the two big names were coming to the event.

Qi Xu and Xie Huai were basically celebrities in their class at this point. A bunch of students who had been planning to bail immediately changed their minds and signed up.

On the day of the outing, Saturday, Qi Xu had been out for most of the day helping with work at the company. He arrived at Private Room 888 in the evening, a little later than expected.

He was actually one of the earlier arrivals—both tables in the room were still mostly empty. Li Yan waved him over, and he went to sit with him. Feng Zhenjie couldn’t make it because of a soccer game that night.

As soon as Qi Xu walked in, all eyes naturally gravitated to him. Usually, they only saw him in large lecture halls. This was their first chance to really get a close look—and the guy was good-looking.

Not long after he sat down, Xie Huai showed up too. The two had left the dorm at the same time that morning, and now returned practically in sync—it almost felt intentional.

Xie Huai took the seat next to him, and Qi Xu asked, “Didn’t you head back to your family’s place? That was fast.”

Xie Huai, like he was reporting an itinerary, said, “I went back this morning. Spent the afternoon at the office.”

Hearing the word office, Qi Xu instantly felt a shared sense of suffering—classes on weekdays, work on weekends. There just wasn’t enough time for everything.

Grinning like a seasoned pro at a drinking party, Qi Xu poured tea into Xie Huai’s cup. “Huai-ge, you’re really grinding out here. At this rate, I might have to cling to your leg and never let go.”

Xie Huai didn’t miss a beat—he stretched his leg toward Qi Xu. “Go ahead. You can have both.”

Under the table, Xie Huai’s knee nudged the outside of Qi Xu’s thigh, again and again. It was subtle—part teasing, part possessive. Like he was silently declaring: I’m not letting go.

It threw Qi Xu off-balance—he nearly slipped off his chair.

But Qi Xu was no pushover. A mischievous spark lit in his eyes, and he bumped back with his own leg, refusing to back down.

That only earned him a gentle pinch on the thigh from Xie Huai. Qi Xu had always known Xie Huai’s hands were big, but this was the first time he’d really felt it.

His large hand easily covered almost the entire front of Qi Xu’s thigh, and Qi Xu could feel the flesh of his leg squeezing out between Xie Huai’s fingers.

“What size shoe do you even wear?” Qi Xu blurted out in disbelief, rambling a bit. “With hands like that, you’re making me look like I’m not even six-foot-one.”

Xie Huai didn’t let go. Instead, he pinched the muscle on Qi Xu’s thigh with his fingers and said, “Too skinny. Eat more.”

That single gesture sent a jolt from the base of Qi Xu’s spine all the way up, like he’d been electrocuted—numbness buzzing straight into his brain.

Instinctively, he pulled his leg back—and thankfully, he got it out. He scratched at the spot where Xie Huai had grabbed him, trying to shake off the strange sensation lingering under his skin.

Li Yan, noticing their subtle movements under the table, called them out: “Xu-ge, Huai-ge, keep the flirting off the table—or you’re gonna flip it over at this rate.”

Qi Xu: “……”

What the hell? It really did feel like he’d been zapped.

Not long after, Shen Zeyu appeared at their side, holding a plastic box and handing out slips. “These are your numbers for the gift drawing later.”

Since the incident at the hospital, Shen Zeyu had stopped reaching out to Xie Huai altogether. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Xie Huai’s warning wasn’t just a bluff—that everything he’d done, Xie Huai had already seen through.

He’d caught a glimpse of photos from Jiang Zimu’s birthday party: Xie Huai and Qi Xu, close as could be. Why couldn’t he be the one by Xie Huai’s side? Those were the events he used to be a part of.

He refused to admit he was jealous of Qi Xu—he was Shen Zeyu, after all, the product of 18 years of elite education. If anything, it should be Qi Xu who’s jealous of him.

Gao Wenjun had ruined things with his idiocy, tipping them off too early. Now they had no choice but to shift the plan. Once Xie Huai got involved, the Xie family’s power would quickly track Gao down. Shen Zeyu planned to use him and toss him aside before it all blew back on him.

Now he handed out numbers quietly, keeping his words minimal, projecting a well-behaved front.

Since the food hadn’t arrived yet, the entertainment committee reps from both classes—coincidentally both girls—began warming up the atmosphere. The games they’d planned, like “hot potato” and “number bomb,” were high-energy and meant to involve everyone.

It quickly turned into a social nightmare, though—whoever got caught with the music or bomb number had to do an impromptu talent performance.

Some tried to sneak out to the bathroom, but the class monitors Gao Wenjun and Shen Zeyu had the exits blocked.

Xie Huai and Qi Xu had uncanny luck, dodging every round. Li Yan, however, was not so fortunate.

He hit the “bomb” number and was forced to sing a pop song. Thankfully, not one note was on key, so no one could even tell what song it was—everyone just assumed they hadn’t heard it before.

After the games, the food came out. With everyone warmed up, the two classes mixed naturally, chatting loudly across the two large tables.

Qi Xu had only come to make an appearance—he mostly stuck to chatting with people he already knew. Once dinner wrapped up, several classmates from the other class took the chance to add him on social media.

Compared to Xie Huai, people found it easier to approach Qi Xu. Xie Huai gave off an intense, intimidating aura, while Qi Xu’s felt far more easygoing.

The part of the event Qi Xu enjoyed most was the raffle. He won a full set of CET-4 (College English Test) prep books—just in time for next semester’s exam.

After dinner, some people left early to return to the dorms, but others weren’t ready to call it a night.

Gao Wenjun suggested, “How about continuing at a KTV?”

Meanwhile, Shen Zeyu had been silently watching Xie Huai, his expression dark and unreadable.

Chen Xiaohua glanced at the time and added, “It’s only 8:30. We book a big room for two hours and we’ll be back before midnight. What do you all think?”

Qi Xu didn’t really care—he was planning to go back and sleep.

But Shen Zeyu had anticipated that. Quietly, he made sure Qi Xu’s roommate drew a “KTV-related” prize—one that said they could force someone to sing by handing them the mic.

He mixed in a bunch of other silly prizes to throw off suspicion.

Li Yan, determined to claim his prize, clung to Qi Xu. “Xu-ge, come on, just for a bit! I’ll cash in my prize and we’ll head back—you’ll be in bed by midnight, promise!”

Qi Xu raised an eyebrow. “This prize is even worth cashing in?”

Still salty over his earlier off-key performance, Li Yan was dead set on finding someone just as tone-deaf.

“My first time ever winning anything in 18 years—of course it’s worth it!”

Their neighbors in the other dorm had also drawn ridiculous prizes that required the next round of activities. Qi Xu had no choice but to get dragged along.

He turned to give Xie Huai a look of reluctant resignation, but the latter had just started to speak when Qi Xu quickly shook his head to stop him.

So in the end, Qi Xu went along—and of course, where Qi Xu went, Xie Huai followed. Li Yan knew exactly how it worked: control Qi Xu, and Xie Huai would trail along.

Chen Xiaohua booked a big KTV room that could fit twenty people. As soon as they got there, several karaoke fanatics started queuing up songs.

Everyone was a college student—it wasn’t a big deal to drink a little. Dinner was covered by the class budget, but the KTV was split evenly.

Qi Xu didn’t drink or touch any beverages—he just sat quietly in a corner like a piece of furniture.

Li Yan kept a close eye on the crowd and finally spotted someone who was just as tone-deaf as him. Grabbing the mic, he said, “Time to use my prize! I request Fang Peining to sing Itchy!”

Fang Peining, from the dorm next door, had become part of 314’s extended circle of friends. He accepted the mic with full confidence and queued up the song himself.

He even mimicked the original singer’s nasal voice—and it was bad. Goosebumps rippled across the room.

Everyone burst out laughing and pulled out their phones to record.

Qi Xu couldn’t take it. His whole body felt itchy just listening. Completely overwhelmed by the noise pollution, he bolted from the room.

In the restroom, he washed his hands thoroughly, trying to rinse away the lingering discomfort.

When he looked up, he caught a reflection in the mirror—the silhouette at the door.

Qi Xu wasn’t surprised to see Gao Wenjun. He dried his hands with a paper towel.

Gao Wenjun stepped closer. “Can we talk?”

Qi Xu shot back, “What’s left to talk about? Didn’t I already make things clear with you before?”

He tossed the napkin into the trash. “Or do you want to talk about those messages you sent me? Or maybe how Huang Chao’s doing in detention?”