Chapter 25: Yao Xing Academy 25 Part 2

Xun Ji already had a vague guess in his mind and wasn’t in a hurry to confirm it, so he didn’t press further.

“He can’t participate. Who’s going?” he asked.

Yu Fangbai hunched his paper-thin back and turned away, coughing a few times.

Seeing Xun Ji look over, Luo Xunan waved his hands frantically. “Not me—I’m afraid of heights!”

Yan Qian glanced at the towering Bell Tower and its sheer outer wall. His hands trembled slightly as he said with a near-tearful expression: “How about… m-me… I-I-I…”

“Forget it. I’ll go.” Xun Ji shook his head helplessly.

“No, it’s too dangerous.” Lu Zhou frowned at him. “I can do it.”

“You planning to exhaust all your stamina in broad daylight?” Xun Ji said meaningfully.

Lu Zhou paled. “How did you…”

“Enough. We’ll talk later. If we don’t go now, we really won’t catch up.” Xun Ji pointed at the Bell Tower. While they spoke, another student had started climbing.

Xun Ji reached the starting point. With the staff’s help, he secured the Safety Rope, donned the Protective Gear, stepped onto the first gear, and began climbing upward.

This stage resembled rock climbing, but the gears’ grooves made it easier. Xun Ji’s body had good stamina, plus his height and long legs, so he climbed effortlessly at first. He quickly overtook the second-place student and closed the gap on the leader.

“It’s Young Master Xun! Young Master Xun!” The crowd below the Bell Tower swelled as students reacted with surprise to the Little Young Master of Xun Family taking the field personally.

“Looks like Young Master Xun is determined to win this year’s Star-Plucking Championship. They say he performed great in the earlier stages too.”

“I used to think Young Master Xun was handsome but always so fierce and icy. Didn’t expect him to not only play along with us but be accomplished in both arts and athletics!”

“To be honest, that arrogant, domineering side of Young Master Xun before was all an act. As the Xun Family Young Heir, how could he lack real skills?”

The discussions continued endlessly. Many raised their Mobile Phones to capture Xun Ji’s graceful climbing figure.

“Tch.” Yan Qian scoffed disdainfully and muttered under his breath: “You lot sure didn’t say that before.”

He had discovered Young Master Xun’s goodness long ago. These blind followers snapping photos now didn’t deserve it?

Yan Qian rolled up his sleeves and held his Mobile Phone high overhead, turning on the camera.

Lu Zhou focused intently on the figure on the Bell Tower wall when a hand waved a Mobile Phone in front of his eyes impatiently. He reached to swat it away but suddenly noticed something.

“What’s this?!” Lu Zhou grabbed Yan Qian’s wrist, his tone icy.

“Hey, what are you doing?!” Yan Qian yelped in pain and struggled.

On his slender wrist was a deep blue-dialed Watch that looked extremely expensive.

Lu Zhou gripped it firmly and pulled it close for inspection, then peeled off a dark film from the dial.

The deep blue faded, revealing the original fluorescent blue glow—it was unmistakably the Watch Lu Zhou had pawned from Xun Ji!

“How is it with you?” A flash of ferocity crossed Lu Zhou’s eyes. “Tell me!”

“Keep your voice down!” Yan Qian hissed urgently. “Don’t let others know I’m wearing a replica!”

“Replica?” Lu Zhou frowned. He could tell clearly—this was the exact one he pawned, complete with the tiny scratch on the edge he’d accidentally made. It couldn’t be fake.

“From your reaction, you know the original is with Young Master Xun, right?” Yan Qian explained. “This Watch was custom-made for Xun Corporation— a one-of-a-kind globally. But because of its unique style, there are tons of replicas. This is the most realistic one I’ve seen.”

“I got it at an auction. It came from a pawnshop claiming it was authentic, but think about it—would Young Master Xun ever pawn something? And that pawnshop took it for this much.” Yan Qian held up a finger.

“Obviously, the person pawning it didn’t sell it as genuine, pricing it so low. If it weren’t so finely replicated, I wouldn’t have bought a fake.”

Lu Zhou’s lips paled. “How much did you bid?”

Yan Qian held up fingers again. “A bit pricey for a replica, but worth it to match Young Master Xun’s style.” He whispered to Lu Zhou: “I specially added the dark film to disguise it as a different model. Don’t tell anyone!”

The amount Yan Qian gestured was over three times what Lu Zhou had pawned it for.

Lu Zhou’s throat felt gripped by an invisible hand, each breath agonizing.

So, his self-righteous efforts and struggles were worth less than a replica of Xun Ji’s Watch. So, Xun Qian’s actions that day held no hostility or humiliation as he’d imagined.

How could those in power hold enmity toward ants? The immense favors that crushed him were merely crumbs slipping through their fingers.

Lu Zhou roughly removed the Watch from Yan Qian’s wrist and pocketed it.

“I’ll give you the money… after the school festival ends.”

“I didn’t say I was selling!” Yan Qian was shocked and furious. “What gives you the right to take my stuff?”

“This isn’t yours.” Lu Zhou’s face darkened terrifyingly. “Don’t covet him anymore, or I can’t guarantee what I’ll do.”

“You!” Yan Qian never expected this usually silent Junior Student to act so despicably. He racked his brain for insults when a cry rose from the crowd.

“Young Master Xun!!”

On the Bell Tower wall, the golden-haired figure clung to a massive gear and leaped forcefully toward the one diagonally above. His form was perfect, the force precise—he should have landed steadily.

But the moment his hands grasped the gear’s edge, the connected massive mechanical gears suddenly began to turn!

Caught off guard, Xun Ji’s grip slipped, and he plummeted straight down!