Shi Niannian’s hand stopped cleaning her clothes. Her gaze looked directly at him, meeting a face with a frivolous smile.

She put her school uniform back on, stood up, dusted off the grass-stained uniform pants, and without saying a word, turned and left.

Shi Niannian went to the bathroom to wash her face. Water droplets dampened her hair into several strands that stuck to her face. She raised her hand and wiped them away with the back of her hand.

“Have you heard? Jiang Wang is back, now in Class 3, Grade 2, Teacher Cai Yucai’s class.”

“What? He can still return to Yizhong after coming out of prison?”

“His father is a school director, and his family has plenty of money. Besides, I heard he’s their only son, so he can go wherever he wants.”

“If only he didn’t have violent tendencies, I’d be the first to write him a love letter. I just glanced at Class 3 as I passed by, he’s so handsome!”

…

Shi Niannian threw the tissue into the trash bin and walked out of the bathroom.

“Niannian,” Jiang Ling called to her. “I brought you lunch.”

“Thank you,” Shi Niannian smiled at her.

Jiang Ling sat facing backward, cupping her cheeks with both hands as she watched her eat, glancing at her body. “Cheng Qi and her group didn’t do anything to you, did they?”

Shi Niannian chewed a piece of vegetable, her cheeks slightly puffed, eyes downcast as she continued eating, shaking her head. “Ran away.”

Due to her stutter, Shi Niannian generally kept her speech brief. The sentences she commonly used flowed a bit more smoothly.

Jiang Ling smiled and pinched her face, then shifted her gaze to the desk of the person beside them, whispering mysteriously: “Hey, Niannian, do you know about Jiang Wang?”

“Hmm?” She looked up, and Jiang Ling spoke in a hushed, gossipy tone.

“He used to be Yizhong’s school tyrant. He should be a freshman in college now, but in the summer after his second year of high school, he stabbed someone with a knife. There were even photos on the school forum before, all bloody, super scary.”

At this point, Jiang Ling frowned.

Jiang Ling had been promoted from the junior high section. She was in her third year of junior high when Jiang Wang was in his second year of senior high.

“Jiang Wang’s ear also had some problem during that incident. He was hospitalized for quite a while, then there were lawsuits and such, and later he went to prison.”

Shi Niannian recalled Jiang Wang at the prison gate that night.

“His, his ear?”

Couldn’t he hear?

“Maybe it’s healed by now. It’s been over a year,” Jiang Ling shrugged.

As they spoke, Jiang Wang entered through the door. The previously noisy classroom instantly quieted down.

He was tall with long legs, his lips pressed together, holding his school uniform in his hand, revealing the black T-shirt underneath. Two deep rows of collarbones were exposed, unconsciously making one feel thirsty.

He walked to his seat in a few strides, lay down on the desk, and tossed his uniform on the floor.

From Shi Niannian’s angle, she could see half of his narrowed eye corners and the blue veins behind his ear.

He also had beautiful hands, with distinct knuckles, bony and long, neat and clean.

Were these the same hands that had stabbed someone, dripping with blood?

She quickly withdrew her gaze.

After Jiang Wang returned, Jiang Ling changed the topic, leaning on her desk and softly complaining: “Cheng Qi is so annoying. She’s just jealous of you because you have good grades, you’re pretty, and Fang Cheng is interested in you.”

Fang Cheng was considered Cheng Qi’s ex-boyfriend, a senior in his third year, who asked for Shi Niannian’s number while still with Cheng Qi.

Cheng Qi used to bother Shi Niannian before, but it was more like pranks then, mocking her stutter. It was only afterward that she started to ambush her with a group.

While listening to her, Shi Niannian wrote the last question of today’s chemistry homework and handed the test paper to Jiang Ling.

Jiang Ling blew her a kiss.

At the door, Cheng Qi’s group entered the classroom. Cheng Qi walked in front, followed by several others, with the red hoodie girl at the back, looking fierce.

Jiang Ling turned to look, then quickly turned back to Shi Niannian, whispering: “Are you crazy!”

Jiang Wang had been awakened by the noise when Cheng Qi’s group entered the classroom. He frowned with irritation, and then heard that clear, sweet voice.

“She hit me first.”

“Shi Niannian!” The red hoodie girl kicked the desk, making a harsh scraping sound. “Get the fuck out here.”

Shi Niannian didn’t move, and the gazes of everyone around turned toward them.

Jiang Ling gathered her courage to say: “Lu Ming, don’t go too far.”

“Did I ask for your lecture?” Lu Ming sneered, one arm around Cheng Qi’s shoulders, and kicked the desk again. “Stuttering freak, don’t make me drag you out!”

Her raised female voice was as piercing as a scream.

After that sharp sound, the person who had been lying on the desk sat up.

Jiang Wang frowned with narrowed eyes, his slender chin raised, staring at her.

Drowsiness and impatience were written in his half-lowered eyes.

“How annoying,” Jiang Wang said coldly.

And he noticed the red mark on the cheekbone of the girl in the red hoodie, already turning into a bruise that looked quite severe.

Interesting.

Cheng Qi, beside her, laughed, her eyes full of charm, patting Lu Ming’s hand: “Enough, it’s the afternoon self-study session. There’ll be plenty of time for you to vent after school.”

Before the afternoon self-study, Cai Yucai came to the classroom to check, and everyone quieted down.

Cheng Qi’s group left the classroom shortly after entering, not knowing where they were going. They often skipped afternoon classes.

Shi Niannian didn’t have the habit of taking naps, and she focused on her homework with her head lowered.

Halfway through, her workbook was suddenly pulled away by someone beside her. She couldn’t react in time, and the black pen dragged a long line across the page.

Turning her head, she saw Jiang Wang propping up his head and looking at her with drooping eye corners.

Shi Niannian was startled. She lowered her head, took out some tape from her pencil case, intending to cover up the black line that had crossed over the space.

Jiang Wang reached out his long arm, hooked his index finger into the tape ring, and with a gentle tug, snatched it from her hand.

“What are you doing?” Shi Niannian said softly, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

But it still sounded sweet.

Her features were very docile. When angry, her eyes opened a bit wider than usual—beautiful doe eyes. Her ponytail hung loosely, probably having come undone during her escape earlier, with several overlooked strands of hair sticking to her fair neck.

She was exquisite, like a painting.

Jiang Wang’s eyelid twitched, and amusement colored his dark eyes.

The afternoon self-study was nearing its end. Everyone was lying on their desks, sleeping. They sat in the last row, with no one paying attention to them.

The young man leaned over, resting on his arm.

He slightly raised his eyebrow: “That sentence just now was quite smooth.”

Shi Niannian didn’t particularly want to engage with him.

He always teased her about her stutter.

Though it wasn’t malicious.

But Shi Niannian didn’t have much of a positive feeling toward him.

Jiang Wang made an “Ai” sound, hooking his lips mischievously: “Was that bruise on her face made by you?”

She nodded.

A straightforward and clean admission.

Jiang Wang, having been in countless fights from a young age, knew which injuries were just for show and which truly hurt. The bruise on that girl’s cheekbone probably hadn’t fully developed yet, but by the afternoon, it would turn blue-purple.

It would hurt for several days afterward, even when speaking.

Ordinary people couldn’t hit that spot accurately.

Earlier, while eating with Xu Ningqing and his group, Xu Ningqing had told him that if he ever saw someone bullying Shi Niannian, he should help if possible, though generally she could handle things herself.

At first, Jiang Wang didn’t quite believe it, assuming Xu Ningqing didn’t care much about this sister.

Now he believed it.

Jiang Wang licked his lips and smiled: “How did you hit her? Teach me.”

With his carelessly casual demeanor, the curve of his mouth rose lazily and lightly.

Shi Niannian was somewhat annoyed. She tore a piece of draft paper and wrote: Learned from my brother, go ask him.

The little girl’s handwriting was beautiful, not strictly regular script, but somewhat like running script, with smooth strokes.

“Xu Ningqing?”

“Mm.” She nodded.

“You call him brother, why can’t you call me that once?” Jiang Wang laughed. “Hitting that spot, didn’t your hand hurt?”

Shi Niannian didn’t want to talk to him anymore. She moved her chair a little to the side.

Continuing with her homework.

Jiang Wang usually didn’t like to bother girls. He found them annoying, always chattering in his ears.

But his little deskmate seemed different. She could stutter over three or four words for half a day and didn’t like to talk.

However, her voice was indeed pleasant to hear.

Jiang Wang leaned slightly forward, his open collar revealing distinct bones.

The girl’s sleeves were rolled up to the middle of her forearms. The new school uniform was particularly tight, and the elastic cuffs had left several red marks on her skin, very noticeable against her fair complexion.

The window was half open, and the incoming wind was warm, blowing across her, carrying a fragrance.

There was sweat on her nape, glistening, making her skin appear even more delicately white.

It slid down her nape.

Fuck.

Jiang Wang suddenly came to his senses and withdrew his gaze.

In the afternoon, Jiang Wang simply didn’t attend class.

That night, “Ye” had a private party, ostensibly to celebrate his release from prison, and for everyone to gather together. Many of Jiang Wang’s former friends who were now in college came, some even bringing their girlfriends.

Laser spotlights crisscrossed from above, and dry ice spray on the stage rose like mist.

The music was deafening, with intense drum beats clutching at one’s heartstrings, making it hard to breathe.

A drinks menu lay in front of Jiang Wang.

His fine features were distinctly and deeply cut by the light and shadow. He had a cigarette between his lips, the flame illuminating his pupils.

Jiang Wang straightened up and leaned forward, pulling the menu toward himself with his index finger.

He took out a pen from the pen holder in the center of the coffee table, the cap held between his teeth as he expertly flipped through the menu and selected the drinks everyone usually had.

The seat beside him sank a little as someone sat down next to him, bringing a whiff of perfume.

Jiang Wang turned his head.

He saw a delicate face, denim shorts paired with an off-shoulder blouse, and bright red lips.

“Why did you order so much alcohol?”

Her voice trailed off at the end, dripping with coquettishness.

Beside him, Xu Ningqing nudged him with his elbow.

Jiang Wang threw the pen cap he had been biting onto the table and straightened up.

Xu Ningqing cupped his hand around his ear and said, with a hint of mischief: “The girl who chased you for so long before, she’s been waiting for you for a year.”

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow.

He had no impression of this face.

Just as the young woman was about to say something, Jiang Wang’s phone on the coffee table lit up.

He raised his hand, extracted his arm from her grasp, picked up the phone, and left without a word.

It was Jiang Chen calling. Jiang Wang leaned against the corridor outside, a cigarette between his fingers. He exhaled a breath of smoke and answered.

“I heard you got out of prison a few days ago?”

The man was probably in an elevator. There was a “ding” sound, followed by a series of greetings: “Good day, Mr. Jiang.”

So he did know about his release.

Jiang Wang stood leaning against the wall, tapping his cigarette with his index finger, and let out a laugh.

“Ah,” he replied flatly.

“Why don’t you come home?” Jiang Chen asked.

“Hmm?” Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Where do you mean?”

Jiang Chen had probably left the elevator. After a while, his previous caring father persona collapsed: “Don’t use that tone with me! I’m your father!”

When Jiang Wang returned to the private room, everyone could feel that his mood had changed.

Although they usually had no filter when playing around, among this group, except for Xu Ningqing and Jiang Wang who were truly like brothers, no one else dared to anger him.

This was a madman who could escalate a fight to the point of stabbing someone with a knife.

No one could completely disregard this “criminal record” when interacting with Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang sat down with a cold face, and the surrounding air froze.

After finishing a cigarette and extinguishing it in the ashtray, he stood up and walked out.

“Where are you going?” Xu Ningqing called out to him.

Jiang Wang didn’t respond.

The Jiang family mansion.

A riverside villa.

As soon as Jiang Wang entered, he saw a woman on the sofa, elegant and grand, looking to be in her thirties, with a ten-year-old girl sitting beside her.

He paused in his steps, turned, and went upstairs.

He entered his bedroom and took out a suitcase from the closet. Ever since that woman had arrived, he had never lived in the main house, instead staying in an apartment outside.

Now, after his release from prison, he was moving back, only returning once to pick up some luggage to take with him.

He didn’t bring much, quickly packed everything, and carried it downstairs.

“You’re back.”

Jiang Chen had just come in with his briefcase, handing his suit to the servant.

Jiang Wang glanced at him but said nothing.

“Can’t you hear when I talk to you?!”

Jiang Chen’s voice suddenly rose as he violently kicked the sofa beside him, creating a harsh sound as it scraped against the floor tiles.

Jiang Wang’s gaze was cold and hard, his lips curling in mockery: “I’m deaf, have you forgotten?”

“That was your own doing!” Jiang Chen grabbed Jiang Wang’s arm, throwing his suitcase to the side. “You killed your mother, this is your retribution!”

Jiang Wang suddenly froze at these words.

Without saying another word, Jiang Chen slapped him across the face, his fingertips violently scraping Jiang Wang’s ear.

Buzz—

Jiang Wang suddenly couldn’t hear anything, only a chaotic, tearing sound in his ears.

All sorts of sounds became unclear, as if separated by a wall, with him trapped inside.

Auditory hallucinations, echoes, and various noises alternating between loud and soft.

After two minutes, the sounds gradually gathered back together.

Jiang Chen pointed at the woman. The woman tightly hugged the girl, her voice sharp and piercing: “Why are you scolding your daughter?! Huh? What does it have to do with her? What does your ex-wife’s death have to do with her?! Madman! Both father and son are madmen!”

Jiang Chen fiercely pointed at her: “Shut the fuck up! When I’m disciplining my son, who are you to speak?!”

Jiang Wang wiped his mouth and stood up, pressing the heel of his palm against his temple and shaking his head.

Jiang Chen raised his hand to hit him again, but Jiang Wang directly kicked him.

He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach and coughing violently, cursing between coughs: “You dare hit your father! Do you want your old man to send you back to prison?!”

Jiang Wang’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving.

His cold fingertips wiped his chin, stained with a touch of red.

His temper flared easily, uncontrollably. To others, his mood was unpredictable, and many people feared him.

Jiang Wang picked up his suitcase again, his gaze gloomy, slamming the door with a loud bang.