Chapter 16

Zhou Xiang hung up. “My sister’s coming. Next time a teacher gives you trouble, you return the favor.”

Ji Anyang pressed his lips together and nodded.

Zhou Xiang grumbled on. “Knowing my luck, I’ll get yelled at again in a minute… And what about you? You’ve got the guts to throw punches but not to call your parents?”

The boy stayed silent.

“Cat got your tongue?”

“Zhou Xiang!”

The homeroom teacher, Ms. Qin, slammed her desk. “Settle down!”

Zhou Xiang slouched lazily. “Oh.”

The teacher’s brow furrowed. “You can’t even stand up straight!”

One of the students’ mothers sneered, “Parents take this long to show up, and he brawls on top of it. Clearly no proper upbringing at home.”

Zhou Xiang’s face darkened. “Who are you calling badly raised?!”

“You dare snap at me? You ill-bred little brat!”

“Shut your mouth!”

Ms. Qin couldn’t hold them apart. “Zhou Xiang, calm down! You’re the ones who hit someone!”

Zhou Xiang rolled up his sleeves, looking ready to take on the parents too, when a hand pressed him back from behind. “Stop.”

The voice was cool and clear. Its owner wore a blue plaid shirt and gray suit trousers—plain colors that couldn’t dim the brightness in her eyes. “Madam, what did you just say?”

The parent sensed she was not to be trifled with and shifted from cursing to sneering. “What did I say? I said my son got beaten!”

Zhou Lang asked, “What happened?”

“They ganged up on my son!”

As she spoke, the fierce woman pointed at the bruises on her boy’s face. “The medical bills and—”

“Did I ask you?” Zhou Lang cut her off coldly. “Zhou Xiang. You talk.”

Zhou Xiang snorted. “They were harassing a girl. We couldn’t just watch.”

That pack of bastards had been yanking at a girl’s shoulder strap. Before he could even react, Ji Anyang—quiet, handsome Ji Anyang, who never said two words—had grabbed the boy by the collar and decked him.

What was he supposed to do? Pitch in, obviously.

“Lies! My son has always been well-behaved. He’d never bully a classmate!”

“Then bring that girl here and let her say it to our faces!”

Zhou Xiang muttered, “I don’t remember which class she’s in.”

Even if he remembered, he couldn’t drag her here. These boys were notorious little punks. If she came, never mind whether she’d dare point fingers—what if they made trouble for her afterward?

“Don’t remember? You’re obviously lying!”

Zhou Lang turned to Ms. Qin. “Is there surveillance footage?”

“There is, but it can only be pulled with the principal’s approval. And he’s already off work today…”

“No problem.” Zhou Lang smiled. “What a coincidence—your principal is an old classmate of mine.”

One who’d secretly had a crush on her, at that.

She always kept her boundaries crisp and never reached out to old classmates, but today she had no choice but to ask the favor.

A few minutes later the scholarly-looking principal hurried over, wiping sweat. “Zhou Lang! When did you get back to the country?”

The parents and Ms. Qin could only stare, dumbfounded. “…”

One phone call, and she’d summoned the principal…

Zhou Lang shook her head. “Principal Li, let’s skip the reunions. I’d like to ask a favor—we’d like to see the surveillance footage.”

Li Siqi quickly realized how he’d come across, composed himself, and made two calls to arrange it. “I have a meeting to run, so if you’ll excuse—”

“Thanks. Go ahead.”

She summoned him as casually as she dismissed him, releasing not a single ambiguous signal—her indifference laid out plain and merciless.

The footage arrived quickly.

Zhou Lang stood back with folded arms, expression certain. “Go on. Watch it.”

The boys began to stammer. “Maybe… let’s just, let’s drop it.”

Zhou Lang’s smile turned cold. “You say drop it, so we drop it?”

Zhou Xiang snatched the controls and played the video. The boys’ faces—and their parents’—instantly turned ugly. “It was all a misunderstanding this time… let’s just let it go.”

Zhou Xiang fumed. “And no apology?”

The boys drawled with mock sweetness, “Oh~ we’re~ so~ sorry~!”

Zhou Lang didn’t even get angry. “Ms. Qin, per school regulations, this goes on their records, doesn’t it?”

“No!”

“A disciplinary record goes in their permanent files!”

“Absolutely not! My son’s future will not be stained!”

Ms. Qin was flabbergasted. “Well… parents of Zhou Xiang, perhaps we can discuss this matter further?”

“Fine by me. The footage is perfectly clear—they harassed a girl first, then beat my brother. Tonight I’ll post the video online and buy myself a trending headline about school bullying. Let’s make you all famous.”

“No, please, let’s all calm down…”

Zhou Lang’s voice went cold. “Apologize.”

The boys were nearly crying with fright, bowing over and over. “We’re sorry, we’re sorry, we’re so sorry!”

“And who was it just now who said my brother had no upbringing?”

“…Sorry. Our deepest apologies.”

The parent who had been so high and mighty just before lowered her head too.

Zhou Lang had Zhou Xiang copy the footage, making sure her promise of “see you in the headlines” was no empty threat, then swept the group with a flat gaze. “A-Xiang. Anyang. Let’s go.”

Outside the academic building, Zhou Lang stopped. “You two are hurt. Come here, let me see.”

Zhou Xiang grinned without a care in the world. “I’m fine, sis. That red on my shirt is paint.”

Zhou Lang: “…”

This wicked little brat. All that worry for nothing.

Ji Anyang lowered his head. “I’m sorry… for causing you trouble.”

“You little rascal.” Zhou Lang smacked him without ceremony. “Doesn’t your family keep an eye on you?”

No one had ever called Ji Anyang a little rascal in all his life. He flushed. “I’m— I’m sorry. My family… is very busy. Next time…”

Zhou Lang studied him with interest. “Sorry for what? Forget it. So—next time, want to punch them back?”

Ji Anyang: “…”

Now he finally knew where Zhou Xiang’s shameless streak came from.

Most parents would consider it a mercy just not to scold their kid. But this woman? She was earnestly proposing they bag up some punks next time, beat them, and run.

Zhou Xiang burst out laughing. “Hahahaha, sis, you’ve scared him stupid.”

Zhou Lang smiled. “Hungry? Let’s go get food.”

“I want durian pizza.”

“Order it.”

“Fried chicken and cola!”

“Add it.”

Ji Anyang: “…”

Wasn’t all of that… junk food?

Even when the fried chicken was pushed in front of him, he was still processing the shock. “I…”

“Eat up. Less talking.”

Zhou Lang herself, with great restraint, ordered only a cup of corn juice.

Ji Anyang finally stopped refusing.

“Hey, slow down! Don’t hog!”

“You eat less. You’re fatter than me.”

Zhou Lang chimed in, “Change your name to Little Pig Zhou while you’re at it.”

Zhou Xiang was outraged. “Take that back!”

Ji Anyang watched them quietly.

He was truly envious… of the way family was supposed to feel.

Zhou Lang sipped her corn juice and watched the boys bicker.

Ji Anyang—so young, yet prim as an antique. Poking at him was rather fun.

By the time they left, it was dark.

Zhou Lang drove Ji Anyang home, with the odd feeling that the route was familiar… as if she’d taken it once before.

Before reaching his home, Ji Anyang asked to get out. “I’m going to the bookstore to buy a couple of books.”

Zhou Lang let him off. “We’ll get going then.”

He nodded. “Thank you. Would it be all right to invite you to our home sometime?”

Zhou Lang laughed. “So young, and already talking like a little old man. Who taught you that? No need for formalities with me. Come to my place next time—big sis will take you two out for some fun.”

Ji Anyang went red. “Yes. I will.”

After they parted ways, Zhou Xiang mused, “Sis, you really like my deskmate, huh?”

Zhou Lang watched the red light. “He’s a good kid.”

“You were teasing him the whole time!”

“His reactions are funny.”

And… there was that inexplicable sense of familiarity.

She didn’t dwell on it. She called her assistant. “Le Cheng, look into someone for me. Gao Qirui of Ning University. Dig into her past—start from her university days.”

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Gao Qirui wasn’t just targeting Ji Xiunian… She knew far too much about what had happened between the two of them.

Ji Xiunian had just left campus when her father called, asking her to dinner.

Ji Changhong had spent the past half year traveling on inspection and hadn’t been home in a long while.

The restaurant was a private dining house.

When Ji Xiunian pushed open the door of the private room, Ji Changhong had just finished ordering. His expression was cool; he barely lifted his eyelids. “You’re here.”

“Just got out of class. Do you have a flight to catch later?”

“Red-eye. There’s time. Sit.”

The young man standing nearby stepped forward, hung her bag on the coat rack, and pulled out her chair. “Miss Ji, please.”

“This is my secretary, Little Song.”

“Thank you, Secretary Song.”

Little Song studied her for a few seconds. “You’re too kind.”

Ji Xiunian was sharp. “Have we met?”

“Once, on an arts television program. You’re even more elegant in person.”

“Thank you.”

“Little Song, step outside.”

“Very good, Mr. Ji.”

Ji Xiunian had no interest in small talk with her father and came straight to the point. “What did you want to see me about?”

“I hear the Zhou girl is back.”

“She is.”

“I forbid you from having anything more to do with her.”

Ji Xiunian raised her head and looked at him. The man who was always so refined and handsome wore an indifferent expression now, his eyes holding nothing but mockery. “So. Do you intend to lock me up at home again, like before?”