Chapter 33: Yaoxing Academy 33 Part 1

On a stretch of fine, soft white sand beach connected to the coastline, the sounds of music intertwined with the aroma of food, drifting through the air. Young men and women dressed in light, summery clothes laughed and played.

The beach was mostly filled with the younger generation from various families, there to eat, drink, and have fun. The elders stayed with Xun Qian in the upscale hotel on the island, taking the opportunity to build relationships and exchange benefits.

“You from the Xue Family, why don’t you go change into something more fitting?” He Ming had already changed into a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt. He looked at the out-of-place suit in front of him and shook his head with a tsk. “If you don’t have one, I can lend you a set.”

“No need.”

The young man from the Xue Family—or rather, Lu Zhou—dodged He Ming’s hand that was about to pat his shoulder and turned toward a massive boulder in the corner.

Ever since he had decided to sneak a glance at Xun Ji, his body seemed to betray his consciousness once more. It refused to stay calm, the agitation in his veins making him restless against his will.

He pulled a few pills from his pocket, chewed them up, then took a glass of white wine from a passing waiter and downed it. Only then did he feel a bit calmer.

He Ming watched with his mouth agape. “You from the Xue Family, are you sick or something?”

Lu Zhou didn’t respond. He simply stared at the elaborately decorated open space in the center of the beach and asked, “When… when is Young Master Xun arriving?”

He Ming looked around. “Should be any minute now. I heard… hey, he’s here!”

Lu Zhou’s heart jolted. He quickly hid behind the boulder, but his eyes followed the direction He Ming pointed.

Clink clink clink!

Someone tapped a wine glass, drawing everyone’s attention. The crowd on the beach surged toward the center like a tide.

“Let’s give a warm welcome to today’s birthday star, the most handsome, gentlest, and absolute best Xun Ji, Young Master Xun!”

“Is your vocabulary at an elementary school level? You couldn’t even prepare a proper opening speech?” Yu Fangbai rolled his eyes.

Yan Qian was in a good mood that day and didn’t argue with him. He bent down and handed his wine glass to Xun Ji.

Fortunately, the crowd didn’t care if the opening speech was cultured. They gave face with cheers and applause, mixed with chaotic blessings.

“Oh yeah!!”

“Happy birthday, Young Master Xun!”

“May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea! May you live as long as the Southern Mountains!”

The blond young man wore a simple white shirt. His features were handsome and striking, his brows bold, yet his demeanor was warm and approachable. He smiled, waved to the crowd, raised his glass, and drank with them.

He Ming excitedly shouted along, “A century of harmony! May you have a noble son soon!”

After shouting, he realized he was too far away for the blessing to carry. So he tugged at Lu Zhou. “Let’s get closer. From this far, I can’t even see how many eyes Young Master Xun has.”

But the person being tugged didn’t budge. He Ming turned to look and jumped in fright at Lu Zhou’s complexion.

“Why are you so pale, sweating cold bullets? You okay?” he asked hurriedly. “Don’t tell me those pills messed you up earlier? I told you not to mix meds with booze!”

Lu Zhou’s fingers dug tightly into the rough boulder. He opened his mouth, but it took a long while before he squeezed out a sound.

“He… why is he… in a wheelchair?”

Xun Ji’s face was just as he remembered it. Time seemed reluctant to leave any marks on him, gently preserving every detail.

But the wheelchair under his lower body was glaringly out of place.

That thing had no business being here, no business under the body of Heaven’s Proud Child. Yet no one present found it amiss.

“Huh?” He Ming blinked. “What’s wrong with a wheelchair? You think he’s Superman? He lay in bed for three years—did you expect him to hop around full of energy the second he got up?”

Lu Zhou’s pupils shrank sharply, red threads blooming in his eyes.

“What do you mean… what do you mean he lay in bed for three years?”

He Ming made an exaggerated shocked face. “You seriously don’t know? Three years ago, Young Master Xun had an accident at the airport. A falling billboard smashed him right in the head. He was in a coma for a full three years and only woke up recently. Otherwise, how could he throw this birthday bash?”

Three years ago… airport… billboard…

“I heard back then that Young Master Xun was dating some poor student named Lu Zhou. But that Lu Zhou was ungrateful and dumped him. Young Master Xun was all lovesick and ran to the airport to chase him back, only for disaster to strike from the sky…”

He Ming shook his head dramatically, spilling all the gossip he’d heard with embellishments.

Three years had passed; such a minor detail should have faded from memory long ago. Yet at that moment, the scene before boarding flashed clearly in Lu Zhou’s mind.

It was a group of ground crew rushing past him from behind.

“…covered in blood, so scary…”

“…how did that billboard just drop like that?”

“…some rich kid… looking for someone…”

“…probably didn’t make it…”

Thud!

Lu Zhou’s knees sank heavily into the white sand. His falling palm scraped over the rough, uneven boulder, leaving a long bloody streak.

He Ming seemed to be calling him, but he couldn’t hear the voice.