Chapter 146
Chapter 146
Xi Qiu frowned. “What was I supposed to do? Drop out and marry her?”
Kong Xianya was speechless. She knew it was sophistry but could not formulate a response.
Qiao Yu seemed particularly protective of “idiots.” He scoffed. “We’re discussing your morals, not asking for a solution. Besides, what the fuck would marrying her accomplish? She’s already dead.”
“I didn’t kill her!”
“But you broke her heart.”
“Does the law forbid me from hurting someone’s feelings?”
“Exactly. We’re discussing your character, not the process of committing a crime.”
Xi Qiu: “…”
“Enough. Next question.” Shang Yan pulled the wandering conversation back. “How did you start dating An Yaoqing?”
Xi Qiu had learned obedience-or perhaps stopped caring. “An Yaoqing liked me and confessed once. I thought Bai Panpan was prettier, so I rejected her.
“After Bai Panpan died, I was upset for a while. An Yaoqing stayed with me and comforted me. When she confessed a second time, I agreed.”
“We heard the latest victim, Ding Ying, liked you too?”
Disgust appeared on Xi Qiu’s face. “Yes.”
“You rejected her?”
“Correct.”
Shang Yan nodded. “That’s all. You can go.”
Relief spread over Xi Qiu’s face, and he turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Shang Yan’s voice made him flinch. He slowly looked back, his voice sharpening with nerves. “What?”
“Your phone.” Shang Yan placed it on the desk and stopped looking at him.
Xi Qiu breathed out, hurried over, snatched up the phone, and left.
Shang Yan glanced at the dazed person beside him and laughed softly. “Xiao Qiao, what are you thinking?”
Qiao Yu looked at him, slowly curving his lips. “I was thinking… beautiful men are disasters.”
The remark clearly meant something more.
Shang Yan laughed, stood, and stretched. “Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“To meet the Taoist priest from Mount Mao.”
The two left immediately. Kong Xianya scrambled to organize the completed transcript and hurried after them.
She had been excited when Sister Zhang assigned her fieldwork, thinking it was a rare training opportunity. Who knew… even on the front line, she remained support staff.
The corridor had quieted again. Students listened attentively in class. Qiao Yu’s group descended the rear staircase without making noise, only to encounter Xi Qiu again.
Instead of returning to class, he stood in the stairwell talking to a girl.
The three remained silent and listened.
“Xi Qiu, are you all right?” the girl asked.
Whether posing or not, Xi Qiu remained silent for a long time before giving a cool hum. He certainly knew how to act aloof.
After a pause, the girl advised, “Xi Qiu, none of this is your fault. I… Shi Xingguang and I don’t believe what those people say. Don’t blame yourself too much.”
“I don’t blame myself. I’m annoyed!”
“I know. If it hurts, you can tell me…” She paused and forced a smile. “What I mean is, aren’t we friends?”
Xi Qiu sneered. “Friends? Do you really think I don’t know what you’re thinking?”
The girl seemed stunned.
Shang Yan leaned bonelessly against the wall, entirely uninterested in what happened on the landing below.
Qiao Yu and Kong Xianya were different. One was a curious baby; the other, a master gossip. Both poked their heads through the railing, staring desperately in case they missed a second.
They saw the girl’s complicated, sorrowful expression.
People said love could not be hidden-especially from the person being loved.
How could someone sitting beside a bonfire feel no heat?
Except that idiot Qiao Yu, of course.
After a long time, the girl looked at Xi Qiu and asked with difficulty, “You… know what I’m thinking?”
Xi Qiu looked sidelong at her with mockery. “Shen Shi, I don’t care what you’re thinking. Don’t hurt Shi Xingguang.”
Sunset poured through the narrow window, laying a gentle filter over the boy.
Qiao Yu shook his head.
Xi Qiu deserved his title of school heartthrob. He truly was handsome.
Before Qiao Yu finished admiring him, a hand appeared over his eyes…
He rolled them inwardly. Despite complaining about Shang Yan’s jealousy, he obediently looked away.
Her feelings exposed, Shen Shi still refused to surrender. She clenched her fists and confessed recklessly. “Yes, I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time…”
Xi Qiu’s lips moved unreadably. “You’re brave, liking me now. Bai Panpan, An Yaoqing, and Ding Ying all liked me. Look what happened. Liking me… can get you killed.”
“I’m not afraid. Xi Qiu, I don’t fear death if I can be with you.”
“But I don’t want to be with you.”
Footsteps receded down the corridor.
With the show over, Qiao Yu’s group descended.
Shen Shi typed on her phone while tears streamed down her face. She did not notice them approaching.
Only when Qiao Yu reached her side did she shudder and drop the phone with a sharp clatter.
Frightened, Shen Shi crouched to retrieve it, darkened the screen, then looked at them with rejection and wariness.
Qiao Yu glanced at her and walked past without a word.
Only after the trio vanished did Shen Shi belatedly turn and leave…
“Did you see it?” Qiao Yu asked outside the building.
Shang Yan hummed.
Qiao Yu looked troubled. “I only saw the words ‘Chopstick Spirit.’ I didn’t remember the website.”
“I did,” Shang Yan said thoughtfully.
Qiao Yu was unsurprised. With that brain, forgetting would be stranger.
They searched as they walked toward the equipment room.
Shang Yan quickly typed the domain. A simple white page appeared with one line of black text.
[The Jiangnan Leather Factory has closed! Everything is only 9.9 yuan! Shipping not included.]
Qiao Yu: “…”
A QR code sat below.
Random codes should never be scanned. His private savings might disappear.
Shang Yan had no such concern. He had money and scanned it directly.
The page redirected to a login requiring real-name registration!
Afraid of alerting anyone, Shang Yan entered his late grandfather’s identity information.
Qiao Yu gave him a thumbs-up.
Inside, he thought: The Shang family was truly unfortunate to produce something like him.