Chapter 2

Shen Yu reacted.

It was Zhou Jinsheng who had kicked the desk.

Shen Yu thought that if 007 had a favorability reminder function, what now echoed in his ears would not be his deskmate’s trembling body followed by the breathing sounds desperately suppressed to minimize his presence, but rather an emergency alert tone from the favorability value plummeting off a cliff.

System 007: 【But the Host didn’t farm much favorability to begin with.】

Shen Yu: 【…You’re right.】

For one person and one system, there were currently only two ways to judge favorability farming. One was to infer it from the villain’s words and actions. Compared to that, the other was more direct: detecting shifts in his own fortune value.

When a large amount of fortune descended upon an outsider, this world was no longer worth staying in.

Jingyang’s plain and simple bell rang above the campus. By the third period, his deskmate didn’t dare say a single word to Shen Yu.

He shrank into a ball like a quail, his shoulders, neck, and back forming a perfect bowline. The white shirt draped over it like silk fabric, trembling faintly along with its owner.

It was clear that he was very afraid of Zhou Jinsheng.

Shen Yu rubbed his forehead.

He had just arrived at Jingyang and hadn’t received the matching textbooks yet, so Cheng Yitan carefully pushed his own textbook to the middle of the two desks for them to view together.

He was indeed very suitable as a study buddy.

But it also completely dashed Shen Yu’s hopes of openly slacking off during class.

Shen Yu: “……”

With a flowing ring of the bell, English teacher Vivian, swinging her big wavy hair and stepping in high heels with a “clack-clack-clack,” twisted out of the classroom.

A trail of fragrance lingered, her figure swaying gracefully.

Shen Yu pulled out the class schedule to check. The next period was PE.

Everyone paired up in twos and threes, heading to the changing room on the first floor to change into gym clothes.

Cheng Yitan had just picked up his water cup and walked out of the classroom when he stopped halfway, hurriedly turned back, stood beside Shen Yu with his head lowered, and mustered his courage to ask, “Shen Yu, want to, go together?”

“Huh?” Shen Yu was stunned for a moment. He reacted and looked up with a smile. “No need, no need. I’ll head down later.”

Sunlight floated on Shen Yu’s naturally smiling lips, making people inexplicably want to get close.

Cheng Yitan twisted his fingers into the hem of his clothes, head still lowered.

He was born lacking the conditions to be an ordinary person, so his needs were few and he had never had certain desires. Thus, once he encountered something he wanted to possess, he would obtain it by any means necessary.

A moment later, Cheng Yitan hurriedly shifted his gaze away. “Okay, then I’ll go first. Remember to come.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

With Cheng Yitan’s departure, the vast classroom was suddenly left with only two people.

One leaned back in his chair, the other sprawled on his desk sleeping.

Gentle sunlight filtered through the large glass windows on all four sides into the classroom. The light and shadows flowed quietly like water, everything floating in the shimmering, flickering pale waves. In the corner of his vision, something broke through the silent water flow. Someone lazily sat up from his seat.

Zhou Jinsheng woke up.

It was unclear if it was a natural awakening or if the English teacher’s high heels had long since grated on his nerves, but since he didn’t make a sound and turn into an irritable big brother, the probability of a natural wake-up was higher.

Shen Yu heard a very soft sound of confusion. The desk and chair were pushed open, wood scraping against fabric. Shen Yu turned his head. Outside the window, holly trees rustled, rows of holly greenery like jade.

With a “swish,” the window was suddenly pulled open from behind. Wind and tree sounds flooded in instantly, dancing like sunlight above the classroom, bringing vibrant natural vitality.

007: 【Perfect opportunity!】

Shen Yu turned back to look.

Without a doubt, Zhou Jinsheng was extremely handsome.

The young man’s forehead was full, his brows and eyes deep-set, high nose and thin lips. The lines from his brow bone to his jaw were flawlessly smooth. His physique trended toward adulthood, broad shoulders and narrow waist. The black long collar ended at his Adam’s apple, the tie dangling to his waist and abdomen. His two pectoral muscles were solid and full, faintly visible with each breath. The school uniform shirt clung to his smooth, sturdy muscle lines, the hem tucked into black trousers.

Elegant, aloof, solemn, and—

A sudden burst of ferocity and malice.

These two diametrically opposed temperaments had shown early signs in Zhou Jinsheng during his youth.

After opening the window, Zhou Jinsheng sat back down in his seat and lifted his eyelids to look coldly at Shen Yu.

Their gazes met.

His eyes were quite pretty.

Zhou Jinsheng sized up Shen Yu and made an assessment in his mind.

Zhou Jinsheng rarely showed expressions, naturally carrying a deep chill. Fortunately, he was still a youth and hadn’t yet reached the chilling degree from eight years later.

Shen Yu shifted his gaze away, subtly scanning Zhou Jinsheng’s desk. The German book that had served as his sleep pillow was flipped open— a finance book, with obvious annotation marks, revealing his ambitious drive.

Shen Yu spoke up. “Sorry, during morning reading earlier, it seems like I woke you up? My apologies.”

Shen Yu’s eyelashes were very long, like a little brush. Every time they drooped, the brush fluttered like a butterfly, brushing a roguish yet beautiful crescent shadow under his eyelids.

Zhou Jinsheng crossed his arms, not in the mood.

The century-old Zhou Corporation, prominent nobles of Shangjing, its deep foundations went without saying.

As the future heir of the Zhou Corporation, Zhou Jinsheng was naturally the target countless social climbers fought to fawn over. From a young age, he had clawed his way through various chaotic and complex circles—what kind of people hadn’t he seen?

Though Jingyang was called a private club for elites by outsiders, it was still a public school. The proportion of ordinary people who entered via external exams wasn’t low, so interactions were much cleaner, but there were still fools who tried to approach him this way.

Zhou Jinsheng didn’t change his posture. When he looked at people, it was no different from a hunter eyeing prey—especially his habit of narrowing his upper and lower eyelids, making his already three-dimensional brow and eye contours even deeper and more profound.

It was very intimidating.

Zhou Jinsheng slowly repeated Shen Yu’s words. “Sorry? My bad?”

Shen Yu nodded.

As expected, Zhou Jinsheng’s next line was probably—

007: 【If apologies were useful, what would we need police for!】

Shen Yu: 【No, wrong scene.】

Shen Yu didn’t panic.

No matter the situation, he was already prepared.

However, Zhou Jinsheng didn’t play by the rules. Just as he was about to speak, his face suddenly paled, his brow ridge furrowed, his arms around his chest suddenly loosened, and his palms slid down to clutch his abdomen tightly.

His bony fingers had bulging veins, gripping the fabric around his abdomen desperately, wrenching out shocking wrinkles. The White Sail School Badge gleaming on his school uniform chest was like a small boat caught in a storm at sea, instantly twisting and deforming.

Zhou Jinsheng’s entire body convulsed and trembled uncontrollably, as if wanting to curl into a ball.

Even so, he kept his spine straight, head slightly lowered, his free hand gripping the desk desperately, veins bulging, his pinky trembling uncontrollably.

Shen Yu was startled and didn’t react at first.

Shen Yu: 【Could my mental attack actually have taken form?】

No.

Shen Yu’s mind raced, fragments of information from his previous life flashing by. Finally, through an inadvertent clue, he made a match and linked “Zhou Jinsheng” with the keyword “stomach illness.”

Shen Yu immediately stood up and approached Zhou Jinsheng with an urgent expression. “Classmate, are you okay? I’ll take you to the infirmary first!”

As he spoke, Shen Yu deftly wrapped an arm around Zhou Jinsheng’s shoulders. Beneath the thin school uniform fabric were biceps tensed and bulging from the pain—solid, full, and brimming with explosive power.

Shen Yu silently compared sizes and fell silent.

How did this kid train?

Shen Yu didn’t stop his hands and tried to help him up.

He couldn’t budge him.

Shen Yu: “……”

“Relax a bit, I’ll take you to the infirmary.” Not believing it, Shen Yu gripped Zhou Jinsheng’s arm harder, trying to haul him up with force.

…Still couldn’t budge him.

Zhou Jinsheng finally gathered some strength from the pain. He turned his head, and beneath his damp black hair, a pair of sharp eyes burning like fire showed no vulnerability at all—only his lips were slightly pale. He looked at Shen Yu like he was an idiot.

Even in stomach pain that made him want to kill someone, Young Master Zhou Da’s tone was still full of vigor:

“Medicine, in my bag. You, let go.”

Shen Yu complied smoothly, releasing Zhou Jinsheng’s shoulders. His arm reached into the drawer under Zhou Jinsheng’s desk and into the backpack.

Zhou Jinsheng didn’t even glance at him, his brow ridge tight. Feeling a warm arm brush his waist, his face darkened, he cursed inwardly, and subtly shifted his body aside to give Shen Yu space to search.

A few seconds later, Shen Yu pulled a white medicine bottle from the backpack and handed it over, asking Zhou Jinsheng, “Is this it?”

Zhou Jinsheng answered without looking. “Mm.”

Shen Yu: “With water?”

Zhou Jinsheng sneered coldly. “What else? Can’t read?”

Such a venomous attack.

Shen Yu pretended not to catch the mockery in his tone, acting like a good-tempered pushover. With a worried voice, he instructed, “Hang in there. I’ll go get you some hot water first.”

At this, Zhou Jinsheng finally lifted his eyelids, deigning to give Shen Yu a look—only to see the figure hurrying away. Pain blurred his vision; it felt like a flickering wisp of white ghost fire.

His abdomen had turned into a meat grinder battlefield, with intense spasms and pain. Zhou Jinsheng’s whole body tensed, cold sweat beading on his forehead, eyes tightly shut.

Shen Yu rummaged through the cabinets at the back of the classroom and found a disposable cup. He hurried out the classroom door.

Once outside, Shen Yu’s steps slowed from fast to leisurely, from urgent to dawdling. He finally shuffled to the water room three steps at a time as one, got the hot water, then sauntered back to Class 1, even taking the time to admire the scenery.

The sky was a clear blue, summer trees and flowers emitting life’s faint glow in the sunlight, swaying in the breeze.

What a beautiful sky.

Shen Yu withdrew his gaze, which lingered on the flower bed on the first floor. He reached out, yanked off the bracelet on his wrist, and tossed it into the flower bed.

A moment later, Shen Yu stood at the door of Class 1, composed his expression into one of full worry, and hurriedly entered the classroom holding the water cup.

Zhou Jinsheng had completely slumped over his desk.

Shen Yu was really afraid he would die from the pain, forcing him to delete his save and start over. He quickened his steps, went forward, and mixed the stomach medicine into the warm water. “Zhou… classmate, are you okay? Drink the medicine first.”

Zhou Jinsheng didn’t respond, showing no movement. He was very resilient.

A tough guy.

Shen Yu patted his shoulder. Only then did Zhou Jinsheng react, leaning back into the chair along with Shen Yu’s force. His eyes were tightly closed, sideburns damp with sweat, brow bone arched high in suppressed pain.

The opportunity had come.

This was the first step to becoming the villain’s lackey—start as a little follower, gradually get close to Zhou Jinsheng, then become regular friends, good brothers, close friends, and finally max out Zhou Jinsheng’s favorability.

Shen Yu couldn’t hide his excitement. He gently supported the back of Zhou Jinsheng’s head with his hand and leaned in, intending to personally feed him the medicine.

Who would have thought Zhou Jinsheng would suddenly open his eyes. A pair of hawk-like sharp eyes pierced like two clusters of fire tearing through the night.

Shen Yu’s hand nearly shook.

He instinctively glanced at the cup in his hand. The water surface was steady.

Shen Yu relaxed inwardly.

Good, no spill.

No embarrassment.

Zhou Jinsheng glanced at Shen Yu, his eyeballs slowly turning as he quickly understood the situation. He frowned and reached out a hand toward Shen Yu. The veins on the back of his hand were taut like rendered blue paint, revealing traces of spasms.

Shen Yu hurriedly and fawningly handed over the paper cup.

Zhou Jinsheng tilted his head back and neatly swallowed the warm water with the stomach medicine.

After taking the medicine, it took a good while before some color returned to Zhou Jinsheng’s pale, stern face. He fiddled idly with the empty paper cup in his hand, patiently waiting for the spasmodic pain in his abdomen to fade.

Shen Yu asked with concern, “Feeling better?”

Zhou Jinsheng’s fingers, turning the paper cup, paused. The flowing light and shadows refracted by the cup instantly stilled.

It was as if Zhou Jinsheng had only then realized someone was still standing beside him. He lifted his thin eyelids and said flatly, “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Shen Yu smiled and shook his head, sitting back down in his seat. He rummaged in his own backpack and grabbed a handful of colorful candies.

Shen Yu turned around and extended his closed fist toward Zhou Jinsheng.

Zhou Jinsheng lowered his gaze.

The next second, Shen Yu opened his hand, revealing the candies lying in his palm. The colorful wrappers shuttled back and forth in the returning light, harmonizing themselves repeatedly until the colors turned into a coral sea.

The candy wrappers were pretty; the hand was even prettier.

Shen Yu’s finger bones were long, his skin fair and clean, the pads of his fingers tinged with pale pink like tender flower buds on spring branches.

Zhou Jinsheng shifted his gaze away.

“An apology gift for waking you up.”

Seeming embarrassed to deliver the apology so late, Shen Yu added softly, “Vitamin candies. They can ease stomach pain.”

Although plans couldn’t keep up with changes, this candy scrounged from the director of education finally came in handy. It achieved circular use and maximized the candy’s value.

Shen Yu was very satisfied.

Zhou Jinsheng didn’t take the candy right away upon hearing this. No one knew that his stomach, which had just settled down, would suddenly cramp in protest like a muscle spasm. Shen Yu had nailed it—Zhou Jinsheng’s meals were all over the place, and he truly had no habit of eating breakfast on time.

Zhou Jinsheng’s gaze fell back onto Shen Yu’s palm. He didn’t know what he was thinking; his eyes were deep and unfathomable.

The longer the silence dragged on, the heavier the quiet in the air became.

Shen Yu finally sensed that something was off.

No way—this candy wasn’t confiscated from Zhou Jinsheng himself, was it?

Impossible, right?

Had his attempt at flattery backfired spectacularly?

As Shen Yu brainstormed countermeasures at lightning speed, Zhou Jinsheng finally deigned to set down his paper cup and casually picked up a piece of candy.

Zhou Jinsheng’s fingertip rubbed against the coarse candy wrapper as he asked indifferently, “What’s your name?”

Shen Yu relaxed inwardly and withdrew his hand. He answered simply and straightforwardly, seemingly oblivious to the probing arrogance hidden in Zhou Jinsheng’s blunt question. “Shen Yu, the Yu from ‘encounter.’”

Since Zhou Jinsheng had accepted the candy—even if just one piece—it meant the previous matter was water under the bridge, no hard feelings.

Shen Yu smiled at Zhou Jinsheng again and asked, “What about you, classmate?”

Zhou Jinsheng lowered his thick, long eyelashes. His bony fingers slowly and methodically peeled open the colorful candy wrapper.

Shen?

Shen Family?

He seemed to recall something.

Zhou Jinsheng frowned.

From his memory, the Shen Family had risen to prominence by opening restaurants. They did matchmaking for business deals, accumulated wealth, picked the right side, and rode the wave to start a foreign trade company—one of the first nouveau riche families.

In Shangjing, the most expensive thing was information, and the cheapest thing was also information.

This was a time of leadership transition, with undercurrents surging everywhere. Those small branches and leaves backed by big trees but lacking solid roots would perish in the slightest storm. Everyone was on edge, scrambling for their own lifelines.

So, they had come to latch onto his big tree?

Zhou Jinsheng’s heart turned abruptly cold, and he suddenly lost all interest.

What a waste of a pair of beautiful eyes.

He crunched the candy noisily between his teeth, the sound enough to make anyone else’s ache.

Zhou Jinsheng crossed his legs and propped his elbow on the desk, exuding a touch of recklessness and innate nobility.

He eyed Shen Yu with amusement, let out a scoff—sarcastic, arrogant, and utterly condescending.

After the laugh, he apparently felt it wasn’t enough and mocked:

“What, you don’t know my name?”

“Didn’t you just call out my surname?”