Chapter 9: Yao Xing Academy 9 Part 2

“Part of it?” Xun Ji keenly caught the implication. “You mean there are other factors?”

Luo Xunan glanced at him cautiously. “I guess… there’s another reason—because of you, Young Master Xun.”

“Me?” Xun Ji was baffled.

“Before, you took them to the Sea Island and tormented… er, trained them…” Luo Xunan swallowed. “Lately, rumors have spread at school that Lu Zhou is living in Young Master Xun’s Villa…”

“So they think Lu Zhou stole A Xun’s favor from them.” Lin Yule grinned and took over.

What the hell? Xun Ji suspected he had misheard.

“A Xun, you know how if a family has multiple pets, they establish hierarchy in their own ways,” Lin Yule explained earnestly. “Usually, the one the owner favors most is the boss. But if the other pets aren’t convinced…”

“Not convinced?” Luo Xunan swallowed again.

“Then they settle it with fists.” Lin Yule viciously tore off the last piece of chicken leg meat with his teeth.

Luo Xunan sucked in a cold breath.

Xun Ji didn’t know and didn’t want to know.

He said to Luo Xunan, “I’ll go find Lu Zhou. You stay here and eat.”

With that, he pushed a untouched plate of Pan-Fried Fish Steak toward Lin Yule. “Eat more fish to nourish your brain. Watch less Animal Planet.”

Luo Xunan clearly wanted to follow. “Will Young Master Xun be in danger going alone?”

“If even I’m in danger, wouldn’t you just be sending yourself to die?” Xun Ji absolutely would not let Luo Xunan go rescue the Protagonist.

Luo Xunan was speechless. After hesitating and fidgeting, he chose to trust Xun Ji and obediently ate with Lin Yule.

The Abandoned Warehouse again—the place where he first met Lu Zhou. Standing at the door, Xun Ji felt a sense of returning to the old haunt.

He had hurried from the cafeteria but still arrived a bit late. The clanging and banging inside were audible through the door; the fight was in full swing.

Xun Ji looked around and picked up a rough Wooden Stick from the corner. He approached the iron warehouse door, took a deep breath—

CLANG—!!

The Wooden Stick struck the iron door, producing a thunderous crash.

The noise inside stopped abruptly, as if the power had been cut off—dead silence. Moments later, an angry roar accompanied the sound of the door opening: “Who the fuck is outside—Young… Young… Young Master Xun！！”

Yan Feng’s voice shot up several pitches, like a goose whose neck was suddenly grabbed mid-honking.

He hastily straightened his hair and uniform in panic. Realizing he still held his weapon, he tossed it aside and directed his battered, disheveled underlings to line up neatly. They greeted Xun Ji loudly: “Greetings, Young Master Xun!”

Xun Ji had no interest in his performance and asked directly, “Where’s Lu Zhou?”

Yan Feng froze, a flash of guilt crossing his face before malice covered it. As if going all out, he shouted at Xun Ji, “I just can’t stand his smug villain face! He wormed into Yao Xing and even dares to stay by Young Master Xun’s side—doesn’t he know what he is after taking a piss!”

His tone suddenly grew urgent. “Young Master Xun, you mustn’t be fooled by his facade! This little bastard is ruthless to us and has ulterior motives toward you too. He…”

“Enough.” Did Xun Ji not know how much the Protagonist despised him? His ending was to be tormented to death by the Protagonist.

Xun Ji pushed through the crowd of underlings and entered the dusty warehouse. Sunlight filtered through the hazy windows. Lu Zhou stood there covered in wounds, just like their first meeting.

The black-haired teenager watched him approach, swayed, and softly collapsed.

Lu Zhou had heard the earlier commotion clearly. He hadn’t fled but stood at the spot where he had first hijacked Xun Ji, waiting quietly for him.

He knew Xun Ji had come to save him.

Xun Ji caught him in his arms, letting him lean against himself, and asked softly, “Can you still walk?”

“Lu Zhou, don’t fucking play dead!” Yan Feng cursed in fury. “Where’s that killer instinct from earlier? Young Master Xun, don’t believe him…”

“Yan Feng.” Xun Ji spoke flatly. “Do you remember that day here, the two choices I gave Lu Zhou?”

Lu Zhou’s body stiffened in his arms; he clearly remembered what Xun Ji had said then.

Drop out, or be Xun Ji’s dog.

Everyone present knew about it and loved using it to humiliate Lu Zhou. Yan Feng hesitated and nodded.

“Yan Feng, if someone took your dog out and beat it while you were away, what would you do?”

Xun Ji’s tone held no anger, but Yan Feng broke out in cold sweat.

“Young Master Xun, I didn’t mean it that way… I…”

“No next time.” Xun Ji looked down at him. “Yao Xing doesn’t need undisciplined stray dogs.”

Yan Feng’s face drained of color, and he stood frozen. Only when Xun Ji was far away did he react, his gaze hurriedly following.

But he met a pair of dark, deep eyes.

Lu Zhou, half-supported and half-hugged by Xun Ji, turned his head over Xun Ji’s shoulder to meet Yan Feng’s eyes. His lips moved a few times, the corners of his mouth curving faintly. Then he buried his head into Xun Ji’s shoulder and departed completely.

Though separated by distance, Yan Feng clearly read Lu Zhou’s lip movements for some reason.

His eyes reddened as he kicked the iron door viciously, again and again, until his toes bled. His underlings pulled him away amid the crowd, but his hatred still burned.

What Lu Zhou had mouthed was—

“Stray Dog.”