As Meng Ting stood on the other side of the door, she softly replied, “Happy New Year.” Her voice was gentle, carrying her unique crisp sweetness.

He paused for a moment, then chuckled.

It was a long while after Jiang Ren left that Meng Ting dared to open the door.

By the door were the things she had left behind in her fright.

Of the seven large apples, one had been bruised. The fish was barely breathing but somehow still alive. Meng Ting quickly picked it up and put it in water.

She made herself a meal and then watched some New Year’s programs afterward.

The house was quiet, and she went to bed early. As she lay in bed, she thought of Jiang Ren. What exactly was he trying to do today? Whatever it was, starting tomorrow, she would need to be more cautious when going out.

Jiang Ren looked too frightening.

When Shu Zhitong returned with Shu Yang and Shu Lan, the school soon started again. She had safely made it through the summer vacation, and Jiang Ren hadn’t come looking for her again. The incident from that day seemed like a mere accident.

The winter break wasn’t long, to begin with, and by the time they returned to school, the willow branches had already begun to sprout, full of vibrant life.

H City gradually became warmer as spring arrived. Meng Ting wore her school uniform to Qi Zhong, and the campus was particularly lively.

Zhao Nuancheng brought Meng Ting some local specialties from her hometown. Meng Ting said, “Wait a moment.”

She rummaged through her backpack and finally handed Zhao Nuancheng a light blue coin purse.

The coin purse had an adorable little hamster embroidered on it. Zhao Nuancheng was delighted: “Is this for me?”

Meng Ting nodded.

“Oh my gosh, it’s so cute!”

Seeing her cherish it so much, Meng Ting smiled too.

Fan Huiyin announced in class, “You second-year students should avoid wandering around the third-year areas during breaks. They’ll be taking the college entrance exam in just over three months, and the whole school needs to create a good environment for them, understand?”

The students answered in unison that they understood.

Fan Huiyin then spoke about how the college entrance exam was approaching and everyone needed to work hard.

She then pulled aside a few students who weren’t wearing their school uniforms to talk to them separately.

The classroom was filled with the sound of students reciting, and sparrows hopped on the branches. Qi Zhong was brimming with youthful energy.

The old desks creaked at the slightest movement. Even after school, Meng Ting still had to practice piano. With the new semester starting, her life had become much busier. She had to go to school during the day, practice piano after school, and dance in the evenings when she got home.

She needed money, lots and lots of money.

Enough to give Shu Zhitong some breathing room.

Song Lijuan had lent her key to Meng Ting again. After school, instead of going home with Zhao Nuancheng, she planned to practice piano at the neighboring vocational school.

Meng Ting usually studied in the classroom for a while, waiting until most of the students from next door had left before going to their school.

The people in the music room had just left, but the air conditioning still retained some warmth.

Meng Ting practiced for a while and started to feel hot, so she rolled up her sleeves and continued. Jiang Ren was on the other side of the wall, leaning against it, silently finishing a cigarette.

The piano music reached his ears, but his expression was unclear through the smoke.

He should have guessed this long ago.

He listened to her entire practice session.

She played smoothly, without any hesitation. It was very pleasing to the ear.

Meng Ting got up, carefully checked if she had forgotten anything, and then locked the door. Only after she left did Jiang Ren come out from around the corner, slowly following in her footsteps.

As Meng Ting walked out of the Li Cai Vocational School gate, she encountered several people wearing the school’s uniform.

Seeing her come out, they all pushed a male student forward.

The boy, red-faced, cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“He-hello, Meng Ting. I’m Huo Yifeng from Class 1, Third Year.”

The young men behind Huo Yifeng looked excited and mischievous. Meng Ting guessed what he was about to do—confess.

Sure enough, the boy cleared his throat again, his eyes bright, and finished his confession.

The commotion made Meng Ting feel a bit embarrassed.

Meng Ting shook her head: “Thank you, senior, but I need to focus on my studies for college.”

Unexpectedly, the boy became even more excited: “I’ve already been admitted to Q University through early admission. It’s okay, I can wait for you. We can be together after you graduate.”

The young man’s eyes burned with passion, full of aspirations for the future and the impulse to face his crush.

Jiang Ren was under the basketball hoop, watching her being stopped for a confession.

He put his hands in his pockets, which held a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and a phone. Looking at her back, he wanted to reach for a cigarette but found he had none left.

She wore a blue and white school uniform, her hair tied in a ponytail.

Her see-through bangs made her look pure, and when her tea-colored eyes looked over, Huo Yifeng couldn’t help but feel his heart race.

He was also a top student, from a good family, with excellent grades, always ranking first or second in Class 1 of the third year, and good-looking too.

He was among those selected for early admission, essentially set for a smooth life.

Huo Yifeng was well aware of how outstanding this junior was.

She was beautiful, top of her class in the second year, with a gentle temperament, and a sweet smile.

He liked her very much, and because of his early admission, he didn’t have to worry about the college entrance exam like others. So, encouraged by his informed classmates, he came to confess.

Meng Ting said, “Congratulations, senior, but I don’t want to date. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t want to linger and tried to walk past him.

Huo Yifeng hadn’t expected such a straightforward rejection. Although he was nervous, he had some confidence. Now, his face pale, seeing Meng Ting about to leave, he instinctively grabbed her arm: “Wait, junior, you have excellent grades, you’ll surely get early admission too in the future. We’re the same kind of people, I…”

Meng Ting hadn’t expected him to grab her, and she found she couldn’t break free when she tried.

People around were shouting “Say yes to him.”

A figure gripped Huo Yifeng’s wrist.

She was pulled behind Jiang Ren.

Huo Yifeng felt the hand gripping his was like an iron clamp. He finally stopped being swayed by emotions and became aware of the pain.

Huo Yifeng looked up and saw Jiang Ren.

Jiang Ren smiled at him: “Getting bold, aren’t you? Playing the hooligan on my turf?”

Huo Yifeng only then realized they were all gathered at the vocational school gate.

He was stunned for a good while, smelling a faint scent of cigarettes, before realizing who this was. Jiang Ren from the neighboring school, the untouchable big shot. The one who had beaten someone into the hospital. Even at the vocational school, no one dared to mess with him, let alone the good students from Qi Zhong.

Because Jiang Ren had dyed his hair back to black and was dressed more normally, they hadn’t noticed him.

However, at this moment, with a faint scar on his forehead and his tall stature, even though he was smiling, he looked very fierce.

Huo Yifeng’s face didn’t look good, but considering Meng Ting was still there and he was losing face, he tried to compose himself: “I was talking to my junior.”

Jiang Ren sneered.

He patted Huo Yifeng’s face, his tone lazy: “Do I care what you were doing? Right now, I just don’t like the look of you.”

Huo Yifeng’s face turned red when he was patted. His friend quickly pulled him back: “We’re sorry, Jiang. We’ll leave now.”

Although Huo Yifeng was unwilling and felt humiliated, he still left with pale lips.

After they had gone far enough, Jiang Ren turned back to look at Meng Ting.

As spring had arrived, he was only wearing a black shirt. The top button of his collar was undone, and the stitches on his forehead still showed the severity of his past injury.

Meng Ting was afraid of him too. Fundamentally, she was like Huo Yifeng and the others, having grown up well-behaved and barely having encountered someone like Jiang Ren. She inherently carried a sense of fear.

She felt Jiang Ren’s gesture of patting someone’s cheek was familiar, yet when he did it to her, it was with affection and teasing, not painful at all. Instead, it was as if he was playfully teasing her.

Meng Ting wanted to leave too, but Jiang Ren stretched out his arm, lightly trapping her at the school gate.

He looked down at her with a hint of mockery in his smile: “Where’s that little boyfriend of yours, hm? Letting you get bullied at school, you like that kind of coward?”

Meng Ting realized he was referring to Xu Jia.

She mustered up her courage and said dryly: “It’s none of your business.”

His eyes were dark and deep, looking at her for a while, long enough to make Meng Ting’s legs feel weak.

Suddenly, he tilted his head, and his cool lips fell on her rosy cheek.

Meng Ting froze, pushed his head away, and stared at him with wide eyes.

She covered the spot where he had kissed her, her face flushed with anger: “Are you crazy?!”

He coldly replied: “Yes, I am.” Then he lowered his head again. Meng Ting panicked, her pupils constricting, and her other hand tightly covered her lips.

His lips landed on her fingers.

Seemingly unsatisfied, he kissed once, then again.

It was a March day, with a hint of spring in the air.

It was twilight, with the setting sun casting slanted rays. The spring in H City carried a touch of clear warmth. The school gate was quiet, as students had all gone home.

Meng Ting was so angry her eyes turned red, and she slapped him across the face.

There was a crisp sound, but his head didn’t even turn. His eyes were cold as he enunciated: “You think I won’t hit back? Want me to hit you?”

Meng Ting cried in anger, but she didn’t back down: “This is harassment. Just kill me then, I’ll fight you to the death.”

Jiang Ren gripped her chin, making her look up at him: “Yes, it is harassment. So go tell that little boyfriend of yours to come and kill me.”

Meng Ting was speechless.

She was still angry; Jiang Ren had just kissed her so many times!

She was truly upset, unable to hold back her tears, which fell in drops. Unfortunately, even the school security guard had gone to eat at this hour, so there was no one to help her.

She really would fight him to the death!

Jiang Ren wouldn’t let her leave, so she clenched her fists and hit him repeatedly without any technique.

She pounded on his shoulders and chest. She used both hands and feet, even kicking him in the shin a few times. She had lost her reason in anger. There were several dusty little footprints on his black trousers, but he didn’t seem to mind, just looking down at her.

He let her hit him for a while: “Have you vented enough?”

She let out a sob, that unique girlish charm and cuteness almost made him laugh.

However, he still kept a cold expression, grasping her wrists and easily pinning her against the school gate.

“Look at me.”

Meng Ting was forced to look at him, her eyelashes trembling, her eyes filled with shame, anger, and hatred.

He spoke flatly: “Yes, I bullied you.” Because of the wound on his forehead, even with his black hair and ordinary clothes, the young man looked wild and cold.

He continued: “Go home and cry about it, see if he can protect you.”

This time, Meng Ting was truly about to be angered to death by this bastard!

He brushed the hair away from her cheek, his final tone carrying a hint of gentleness: “Alright, go home now. I’ll be waiting for him to come settle the score with me.”