Chapter 2: Pure White Part 1

Tao Zhi swore that he absolutely had not done such a thing.

If he knew how to humiliate people, he wouldn’t have been scolded all the way by Fu Zheng… Fu Zheng’s temper was truly explosive, full of cold sarcasm and passive-aggressive barbs that often left him unable to hold his head up. That feeling wasn’t pleasant at all.

The real situation back then was that because he had tried to break up the fight and hesitated, Fu Zheng had impatiently pulled him out from behind and shoved him forward, nearly causing him to fall.

But he didn’t fall.

After steadying himself with gritted teeth, he followed Fu Zheng’s instructions, puffed out his chest to back him up, and dutifully played the role of lackey, successfully delivering the line, “This is what happens when you mess with Young Master Fu!”

…Then that guy got even more agitated and accused Fu Zheng of what he meant by sending a clown to humiliate him!

Tao Zhi at the time: “?”

Tao Zhi now: “…”

If that counted as humiliation… Tao Zhi felt truly wronged.

He pursed his lips, clutched Fu Zheng’s phone, and wore an utterly innocent expression. He really wanted to explain himself.

But he didn’t know Fu Zheng’s phone password.

—Actually, even if he knew, he wouldn’t have done it. Going through someone else’s things without permission was very rude.

There was no way around it, then. Tao Zhi pouted, then put the phone back into Fu Zheng’s backpack.

After all, he didn’t know which boxing gym Fu Zheng was at, so he had no way to deliver it to him.

This would have to do for now.

He hoped that if Fu Zheng had any conscience, he would explain on his behalf.

After putting the things away, Tao Zhi left the dorm.

–

The rest of the day would probably be spent in the library.

Tao Zhi’s life for the first eighteen years had been simple. Aside from studying, he took care of his family. He was honest and dutiful, and he had never done anything like being someone’s lackey.

But there was no choice; Fu Zheng had demanded it, so he had to do it.

He could only learn from web novels.

In one afternoon, Tao Zhi skimmed through nearly thirty face-slapping power fantasy novels, so absorbed that he forgot to eat lunch.

Of course, he didn’t finish all thirty; he cherry-picked scenes where villains acted arrogantly, bringing their minions to bully the protagonist.

After reading a lot, Tao Zhi felt like he had learned something.

It might not be masterful, but at least he wouldn’t embarrass Fu Zheng anymore.

Once he had absorbed all the knowledge, just before six in the afternoon, Tao Zhi closed the books and left the library.

On his way back, he unexpectedly received a call from his little sister.

“Bro! Bro!” As soon as the call connected, his sister’s excited voice burst through: “Why did you send me so much money?!”

“Have you struck it rich, bro?!”

Tao Zhi blinked.

Rich? Not quite, but after becoming Fu Zheng’s lackey, he definitely had more cash on hand.

Fu Zheng had a bad temper, but he was really generous. The money Tao Zhi earned from him allowed him to send over three thousand to his sister, another three thousand home, and keep the rest for his own living expenses.

“These three thousand are for your intensive class fees, the one your homeroom teacher mentioned in the group chat last time.” With his sister’s issue sorted, Tao Zhi was pretty happy, and his smile was evident in his voice: “I’ll send your living expenses later. Do you still have money on hand right now?”

“Yeah, bro…” On the other end, his sister paused for a moment.

Though she found it a bit strange, she first went along with what Tao Zhi said, then spoke up as if remembering something, her voice pitching higher: “But Teacher Zhang said it’s voluntary! We don’t have to join! Bro, you suddenly sent so much money—don’t tell me you’re working yourself to death at some job! I’m not doing the intensive class!”

“Don’t wear yourself out; you’re still a student!”

“…” Her voice was so loud that Tao Zhi held the phone a bit farther away.

“I didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t go work a job.”

“Then where’d you get all this money!” His sister didn’t believe him and demanded loudly.

“It’s from my roommate.” Knowing he couldn’t hide it, Tao Zhi confessed everything: “A new roommate moved into our dorm. He’s loaded… but he wasn’t used to dorm life, so he asked me to take care of him—stuff like laundry and picking up deliveries.”

“He pays me for it.”

“Ah?” Hearing the first part, his sister—who thought her brother was being bullied—had already started rolling up her sleeves. But the second part left her stunned.

Stunned and confused, it took her a while to speak: “P-Pays you?”

There were actually people like that?

“Yeah.” Tao Zhi found it unbelievable too, but mostly he felt lucky: “He’s super generous.”

“I was doing part-time gigs before, but now I don’t need to.”

Now he just had to obey Fu Zheng.

Even if Fu Zheng’s words weren’t pleasant.

Tao Zhi silently grumbled to himself.

His sister: “…”

His sister scratched her head.

For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. After a while, she stammered, “D-Does he bully you at all?”

“Nah, he’s actually a good guy.” Tao Zhi thought for a moment, recalling how generously Fu Zheng paid him, and gave an honest assessment.

The dissatisfaction from being nagged that morning vanished.

Now he thought Fu Zheng was pretty decent.

A good guy who was generous with money.

Even if his temper sucked.

“Oh, okay…” His sister recovered from her shock.

Honestly, if anyone else told her this, she wouldn’t believe it.