The fierce-looking man lowered his gaze at her and said, “Get off me first.”

Meng Ting’s face turned red. “You were the one who hugged me, not the other way around.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Mm, you’re right. It was me.”

Meng Ting quickly got off him, her cheeks burning hot. She didn’t dare look at him. She felt a bit regretful but was relieved that there were no evening classes in this classroom.

After a while, Jiang Ren lazily stood up and said, “I’ll go first.”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To talk to your teacher. When students have issues at school, don’t teachers usually call the parents?”

Meng Ting doubted her ears. “Parents?”

How was he any kind of parent to her?

Meng Ting frowned and followed him with small steps. Jiang Ren turned back and asked, “Why are you following me? Can’t bear to part with me?”

She replied, “If you don’t want me to follow, are you feeling guilty? Are you going to do something bad?”

Jiang Ren laughed, “Have I ever felt guilty?”

“…” She held onto the hem of his clothes, her big eyes filled with unease. “But I heard before that when you went to Li Cai High School, you beat up your homeroom teacher.”

Jiang Ren was silent for a moment, then gently explained to her, “That teacher was not a good person. I saw it myself.”

Mentioning the old rumors, Jiang Ren asked her, “What other rumors have you heard about me?”

Womanizer, early romance, disrespecting teachers, violent, bad-tempered… There were too many to count.

Jiang Ren looked into her eyes and said, “Most of those are false. Only one rumor is the truest.”

She blinked, her cheeks turning pink.

Meng Ting knew which rumor he meant. It was from that evening before her dance competition when she went to tutor Jiang Ren. A boy from Li Cai wanted to talk to her, but Jiang Ren fiercely chased him away.

After that, a rumor spread in Li Cai that Jiang Ren liked Meng Ting.

As a result, throughout their senior year, no boy from the vocational high school dared to talk to her.

He smiled and said, “Only that one is true.”

Jiang Ren’s fingertip lightly touched the slightly reddened corner of her eye. “Alright, don’t follow me. Someone will come with me. You go back to your dorm and wait for me. I’ll be back soon.”

As he walked out, there was a well-dressed young man named Qin Yang pacing back and forth downstairs.

Jiang Ren went down and called out, “Qin Yang.”

Qin Yang turned to look at the calm-faced Jiang Ren and was startled. Holy shit! It was Jiang Ren. He wasn’t dreaming. He had been hesitating here for a while, doubting his own eyes.

But now, looking at Jiang Ren, who was half a head taller than him, he was almost scared to tears.

Damn, this was intense.

“Ren-ge, no, listen to me explain, I didn’t…”

Jiang Ren gave a cold laugh. “Looks like you still remember me?”

Qin Yang stammered, “How could I forget you?” The madman who knocked out one of his front teeth. Just thinking about it made his teeth ache.

Qin Yang was also clever. Seeing that Jiang Ren didn’t seem to intend to beat him up at this university, he quickly took out a cigarette from his pocket. “Ren-ge, have one.”

Jiang Ren looked down but didn’t refuse.

He held the cigarette between his fingers. When Qin Yang was about to light it for him, he said calmly, “I quit. Don’t bother.”

“Quitting is good, quitting is good. Smoking is bad for your health.”

Qin Yang hurriedly put out his cigarette as well.

He had many questions he wanted to ask but didn’t dare to open his mouth. For instance, Jiang Ren’s ordinary clothes probably didn’t cost more than 200 yuan in total. Jiang Ren’s family was even richer than his, and although Jiang Ren’s father seemed to treat Wen Rui well, he also cared for his son. How did Ren-ge end up like this?

Thinking about the photo he saw today, Jiang Ren looked just like a construction worker.

It seemed like he had dropped out of school to work, which was why he hadn’t recognized him earlier.

And… Jiang Ren’s leg…

Qin Yang didn’t dare to look down at all. Jiang Ren didn’t mind and said as they walked, “Get that girl’s phone for me.”

Qin Yang said, “But, how can I just get someone’s phone…”

Jiang Ren said, “I’ll wait for you outside the Law School office. If you don’t go, I’ll go myself.”

Qin Yang forced an awkward smile. “No need, Ren-ge. Wait a moment, I’ll get it done quickly.” At least he wasn’t asked to bring the person herself, which wasn’t too unreasonable.

When Jiang Ren arrived at the Law School office, Meng Ting’s counselor, Teacher Wu, was entertaining Professor Sun Yi.

Sun Yi was highly respected and also the deputy secretary of the school’s party branch, a position just below the principal. Moreover, Sun Yi came from a red family background, with ancestors who had made great contributions as military officers. There were still people in the military from his family. Teacher Wu poured him some water and enthusiastically chatted with him for a while.

Secretary Sun was in his forties today, always smiling and very amiable to everyone.

When Jiang Ren walked in with his hands in his pockets, Teacher Wu frowned slightly. “Which class are you from? Can’t you see the teachers are busy?”

Jiang Ren looked at Sun Yi expressionlessly.

Secretary Sun said, “Jiang Ren, come and sit down.”

He moved a seat for Jiang Ren, who didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down on his leather sofa.

“Teacher Wu, let me introduce you. This is Jiang Ren, a descendant of Marshal Jiang.”

With this introduction, Teacher Wu was taken aback.

Secretary Sun’s father had served as a deputy to the Marshal when he was young. If that Marshal was Jiang Ren’s deceased grandfather, then this young man’s family background was quite illustrious.

He looked about twenty years old, yet he was on equal footing with Secretary Sun.

Teacher Wu felt a chill in his heart but smiled and reached out to shake hands with Jiang Ren.

Jiang Ren raised his eyes slightly and extended his hand to shake with Teacher Wu. Sun Yi watched with emotion, thinking how different he was now that he had grown up. The wolf cub who used to want to kill anyone he disliked when he was young could now be flexible when needed.

Teacher Wu asked gently, “How should I address you?”

“Teacher, you can just call me Jiang Ren.”

Teacher Wu looked at Sun Yi, who laughed and said, “It’s fine. He’s of high status but young. By rights, he’s still of school age. Teacher Wu can just call him by name.”

“Teacher Wu, today I mainly want to discuss the matter of my student with you.”

Teacher Wu was confused. Jiang Ren’s student?

He remembered there were a few students surnamed Jiang in their grade, about the same age as Jiang Ren. Could they be relatives? Like cousins or something.

“Oh, alright. May I ask who it is?”

Jiang Ren looked up. “Meng Ting.”

Sun Yi felt it was a bit hard to watch and coughed lightly twice.

Teacher Wu remembered the most beautiful and lively girl in their grade and understood something. He didn’t ask further. Jiang Ren said, “Sorry to trouble you to wait a moment, teacher.”

“It’s no trouble at all. It’s about a student, it’s my duty.”

Sun Yi found it amusing to see how this rascal was now polite to the teacher.

When Qin Yang ran in panting, he bent over his knees and said, “Oh my god, I’m exhausted. Ren-ge, here you go.”

He took out a phone from his pocket and said, “This Jiang Rong girl is sick in the head. Her phone has so many private photos of other people.”

Although Qin Yang was arrogant and lived it up as a rich second generation, he would never invade others’ privacy.

Jiang Ren took the phone without looking at it and handed it directly to Teacher Wu. “Teacher Wu, you’re the homeroom teacher. Please handle this according to the proper procedures.” He smiled carelessly. “I trust the teacher will be fair.”

Teacher Wu quickly said, “Of course.”

“Sun Yi, let’s go.” He took a few steps and then turned back. “Teacher Wu, my student doesn’t need to write a self-criticism report, right?”

“No need. Since there’s evidence, she was just defending her legitimate rights.”

“The teacher is truly reasonable.” He gave a bland compliment.

Teacher Wu waited until they left before looking at the photos on the phone. When he saw them, he was shocked. Besides photos of Meng Ting during military training, there were also photos of Song Huanhuan in her pajamas and even more revealing photos of her new dormitory roommates.

These things might be her fetish, or they might have been collected to blackmail her classmates. But regardless of which it was, it could be called psychological perversion. From a legal perspective, it was an invasion of privacy.

Since Secretary Sun already knew about this matter, it would be reported to the school.

Disciplinary action was inevitable. What she did might have already caused harm to others.

Jiang Ren walked out to the small path and said to Sun Yi and Qin Yang, “Thanks, I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

Secretary Sun said, “It’s nothing. I have something to attend to, so I’ll go now. When you have time, come back to the military compound for a visit. If anything happens here, I’ll give you a call.”

Jiang Ren gave a sound of acknowledgment.

Qin Yang’s eyes were shining. In the past, Jiang Ren and He Junming’s group never let him play with them. Now he had helped Jiang Ren, right?

“Ren-ge, it was really hard for me to get that phone.”

Jiang Ren said lazily, “Do you want me to thank you profusely?”

“No, no need.” He understood Jiang Ren’s look. Jiang Ren not beating him up was already considering their acquaintance.

Qin Yang quickly slipped away.

When Jiang Ren returned, Meng Ting had already gone back to her dormitory.

He called her, and the girl ran down with bright eyes.

“Jiang Ren, what did you say?”

He curved his lips. “I told your teacher that if you did anything wrong, it’s because I, as your guardian, didn’t teach you well.”

Meng Ting said angrily, “You said you’re my guardian?”

Did he have no shame? Was he crazy? What would Teacher Wu think? Such a young guardian?

He held back his laughter and touched her flushed cheek with his fingertip. “Yes, I said I’m your brother. Your teacher believed it.”

She didn’t have such a lying “brother.”

She looked at him with disbelief in her tea-colored eyes, almost unable to control herself from guessing what Jiang Ren had said to her teacher.

Jiang Ren couldn’t help but laugh. “Call me ‘brother’ and let me hear it.”

“Do you have any shame, Jiang Ren?”

He asked, “Otherwise, what should I say I am to you?”

The words “boyfriend” were stuck in her throat. She felt stuffy, not knowing whether it was more embarrassing to have a “brother” come to school because of her first fight or to have a boyfriend talk to the teacher.

She finally understood how troublesome the aftermath of a fight could be. She had seen others fight before, having their parents called and writing self-criticism reports, but only as an insider did she know how embarrassing it was.

Meng Ting lowered her head and said softly, “Brother is fine, I guess.”

Damn! How can someone be so obedient?

He turned his head away, not letting her see his smile.

“Mm, brother’s here for you.”

Meng Ting looked up at him in frustration. “Are you done, Jiang Ren? Stop mentioning the fight.” If Papa Shu found out, she wouldn’t know how to explain it to him.

She also didn’t know if it had spread to the Medical School. Would Shu Yang know too?

Jiang Ren said, “Are you hungry? I’ll take you to eat.”

She looked at him hesitantly.

Did he have money?

Earlier when he rushed over, he only had twelve yuan earned from the arcade machine. She could treat him to a meal, but Jiang Ren’s personality wouldn’t allow it.

Meng Ting knew he seemed to be involved in real estate, but she wasn’t clear about how it was going.

Jiang Ren laughed. “I’m not as poor as you think.”

After all, having grown up in B City, he had his apartment near the military compound. There were a few thousand yuan in the apartment.

Although it wasn’t much, it was enough to avoid having her eat wonton soup.

Jiang Ren smiled and said, “I’ll take you on a date.”

They had never been on a date since getting together. Jiang Ren held her hand as they walked out. The sky was gradually darkening. No stars could be seen in B City, and the sky above the university was inky blue.

Jiang Ren didn’t know how to date either, but he figured taking a girl to watch a movie was standard.

There was a cinema just outside the university, but he wanted to take her further away.

He wanted her pure innocence to be touched by his past aura.

He took her to the street outside the old military compound where he used to live.

The street had an ancient feel, yet was surprisingly bustling.

“I spent several years of my middle school here.”

Middle school? She thought of her middle school days when she often won dance competitions. With Chen Yujie around, her youth was very happy.

Jiang Ren didn’t explain further.

But he clearly remembered how he came to the military compound. Wen Rui deliberately provoked him. As a teenager, he beat up Wen Rui for the first time, and Wen Rui was hospitalized for half a month.

Jiang Ren was punished by being sent to the military compound to cultivate his character.

Later, Chairman Jiang felt sorry for him and wanted to bring Jiang Ren back. Jiang Ren roared like a little wild wolf, “Let that bastard kneel and apologize to me, then I’ll go back!”

Chairman Jiang was so angry that steam came out of his head. “You beat someone up and you still expect them to kneel and apologize to you! If you don’t want to come home, then don’t. You should let the coach grind down that nasty temper of yours.”

As he grew older, he vaguely understood Wen Rui’s intentions. Wen Rui used every means to provoke him.

In his teenage years, Wen Rui was a few years older than him and had already matured mentally.

Jiang Ren already had a psychological disorder, and rumors of him beating people up like a madman gradually spread. Wen Rui hoped he would completely become an irrational lunatic. This way, the Jiang family would only have Wen Rui left. Given Jiang Jixian’s obsession with Wen Man, it was possible that everything would belong to Wen Rui.

In his second year of high school, Jiang Ren had another episode.

Because Wen Rui found a woman to sleep with.

In Jiang Ren’s bed at the Jiang house, the woman looked a bit like Wen Man upon closer inspection.

Jiang Ren went berserk that time. Wen Rui’s manhood was ruined.

But the price was that he left B City. Everyone thought he had been driven out by the Jiang family. To make matters worse, the woman ran away, so he couldn’t even show evidence to Jiang Jixian.

Jiang Ren stopped dwelling on Wen Rui. Once he understood Wen Rui’s intentions, he knew he would find a way to deal with this useless man.

He kept his emotions hidden from Meng Ting. Instead, he took her out for seafood, treating her to the spicy crab he used to enjoy.

With long, elegant fingers, he lowered his gaze to peel the crab for her. His dark pupils focused as he brought a piece to her lips. Meng Ting, biting her chopsticks, said, “I can do it myself.”

Jiang Ren slightly pursed his lips.

Reluctantly, Meng Ting opened her mouth, her cheeks flushed as she accepted the food.

“Aren’t you eating?” she asked.

“I’ll eat after you finish,” he replied.

Once he had fed her, he hastily grabbed some rice and mixed it with the broth, finishing his meal in a few bites. Afterward, he took her to the supermarket to buy daily necessities.

With one hand on the shopping cart, he said, “You choose.”

She looked up, her bright eyes sparkling with laughter. “What should we buy?”

Jiang Ren remained silent for a moment, his dark eyes meeting hers. Finally, he replied, “I only have four hundred yuan on me.”

Unable to hold back, she burst into laughter, her eyes shimmering with delight.

Jiang Ren grasped her chin gently. “Care to try laughing again?”