Chapter 12: Yaoxing Academy 12 Part 2

Once he understood the situation, Xun Ji immediately pulled out his mobile phone and dialed Lu Zhou’s number.

“Young Master Xun.” Lu Zhou answered after a while, his voice low.

“Why are you whispering now when there’s no class?” Xun Ji asked curiously.

“…I had something just now.” Lu Zhou asked, “Are you looking for me?”

Xun Ji got straight to the point: “For the Winter Sports Meet, you are not allowed to team up with anyone else.”

Lu Zhou was stunned. “Winter Sports Meet?”

Xun Ji grew suspicious. “You haven’t already promised someone else, have you?”

“No.” Lu Zhou replied. “Some people invited me, but I haven’t responded yet.”

“Reject them.” Xun Ji said. “Whatever I sign up for, you sign up for the same.”

Lu Zhou was silent for a moment, then softly answered, “Okay.”

“Especially not Luo Xunan!” Xun Ji warned uneasily.

“…Are you that concerned about Luo Xunan?”

“Don’t worry about it. You must agree to this.” Xun Ji adopted his School Bully posture, barking fiercely into the phone, “Or you’ll regret it!”

Then, fearing Lu Zhou responded better to soft approaches than hard ones, he decided to use both.

“I really need you to sign up for the same event as me.” Xun Ji mimicked Xiao Ting’s tone when she begged Lu Zhou. “Just agree, okay?”

“…”

Lu Zhou slightly moved the mobile phone away from his burning ear, took a deep breath, and pressed it back.

“Okay, I promise you.”

After hanging up, Lu Zhou nodded slightly to the principal in front of him. “Sorry, I took a call.”

The principal gave him a subtle look, then cleared his throat and handed him the box in his hand.

“Anyway, I’ve told you everything. The scholarship is returned intact, so don’t fuss about the reporting anymore.”

Lu Zhou’s fingers rubbed over the familiar box. “Okay. Thank you, Principal.”

Watching the young man turn and leave, the principal fell into thought.

He had overheard most of that phone call. Xun Ji and Lu Zhou… these two…

A horrifying idea suddenly flashed in the principal’s mind. The “sun” Lu Zhou mentioned couldn’t be…

No, no, impossible. That was Xun Ji, the Little Young Master School Bully who handed in blank exam papers, the untouchable thorn no one dared to manage. For him to study well enough to tutor competitions and warmly help the Poor Kid Lu Zhou?

Absolutely impossible.

*

When Xun Ji returned home after school, Lu Zhou was waiting for him in the living room.

“This is a local specialty snack.” Lu Zhou pulled several bags of food from his backpack. “I’ve already given Uncle Li, Brother Wang, and Xiao Ting theirs. This one is for you.”

He even brought souvenirs back. Xun Ji felt quite gratified and pointed to a bag of Apricot Candy. “Is it sour?”

“Not sour, it’s sweet. I tried all the ones I bought for you; none are sour.”

Xun Ji immediately tore open the packaging and popped one into his mouth.

“More stuff?” Xun Ji pointed at the backpack.

Lu Zhou’s hand had been inside the backpack the whole time without pulling anything out.

“…Nothing for now.” Lu Zhou hurriedly zipped up the backpack and said very softly, “That one next time…”

“What?” Xun Ji didn’t catch it.

“Nothing.” Lu Zhou said. “Young Master Xun, I have something to ask you.”

He pulled a box emblazoned with the school crest from his uniform pocket.

“Does Young Master Xun still remember this?”

Xun Ji took the box and opened it. Inside was a Yaoxing Bank card with a design made specifically for scholarships.

Xun Ji understood. “This is your scholarship. The school returned it to you?”

Lu Zhou’s dark eyes stared at him unblinkingly. “Can Young Master Xun explain why the scholarship that my father took ended up back in my hands intact?”

“Didn’t the principal tell you?” Xun Ji explained. “After your dad took your card that day, I had Yaoxing Bank freeze it. I originally planned to have the school issue you a new one, but the principal insisted it violated regulations, saying it was your own responsibility for losing it. Later, I gave him a scolding, and he finally agreed to reissue it once you won the Physics Competition.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Xun Ji thought for a moment. “I forgot.” He really had forgotten. At the time, he thought that after screwing Lu Zhou over for the task, returning the money would count as a good deed. But after giving the order, he flew off to the Sea Island for vacation and completely forgot about it afterward.

Lu Zhou gave him a deep look, then reached out and took back the box.

“Originally, this scholarship plus the money I saved from working would be enough to pay back what I owe you. But… I bought something, so it’s a bit short now. So…”

Lu Zhou looked at him, knowing he wouldn’t refuse, knowing this person always gave him opportunities to push further.

“So, can I pay you back next month… on your birthday.”

He wanted to personally redeem that beautiful watch. He wanted to personally give him the gift. He wanted… to push even further.

“Sure.” Xun Ji didn’t mind and went upstairs hugging Lu Zhou’s souvenirs.

In his bedroom, Xun Ji leaned back against the door, tossing the souvenirs aside casually. In the darkness, something seemed to get knocked over when he threw them; the bag apparently opened, and Apricot Candies scattered across the floor.

Xun Ji did not pick them up. He stayed quietly in the darkness for a while. Then he spoke: “System?”

【Host, buck up!】 The System encouraged. 【We can do this!】

Xun Ji sighed and finally turned on the light. He staggered crookedly to the bed and threw himself into the soft covers.

“Alright, time to think about the battle plan.”

A few hours earlier, at school, the moment Yan Qian mentioned the Winter Sports Meet, a familiar voice appeared in Xun Ji’s mind.

【Ding—Key Plot Point detected.】

【System Task Issued: During the Winter Sports Meet, prevent the Protagonist Lu Zhou from winning the championship and use despicable means to injure him, causing deafness in his right ear. Time Limit: Before the end of the Winter Sports Meet.】

【This is a Key Plot Point Task. Completion Reward: 1000 Points. Failure Penalty: Deduct 10000 Points.】

【Warm Reminder: Host’s current Points: 1730. If Points go negative, Host will be erased.】