Chapter 178
The mock exam scores were posted on the bulletin board on Monday morning, the first day of school.
Xing Nuo’s deskmate, usually quiet and reserved, kept glancing nervously at the door, his anxiety palpable, and even initiated a conversation with Xing Nuo.
“Xing Nuo, do you think you did well on the exam?”
Xing Nuo shook his head, twirling his pen, his chin resting on his hand.
“I don’t like predicting scores.”
His deskmate, having nothing else to say, continued to fidget, his gaze fixed on the door.
The moment the bell rang, the students rushed out, crowding around the bulletin board, searching for their names.
Xing Nuo, unable to get through the crowd, decided to check later.
But before he could leave, An Zimuo, who had somehow managed to squeeze to the front, yelled:
“Xing Nuo! You’re first again!”
Xing Nuo had always been a top student, rarely falling below the top few spots.
He was diligent and focused, rarely making careless mistakes.
Xing Nuo, hearing An Zimuo’s voice, smiled, his dimple appearing.
“I know. An Zimuo, come out now.”
An Zimuo, having found his own name, his face sweaty from the exertion of squeezing through the crowd, emerged and, his hand on Xing Nuo’s shoulder, said, panting:
“It’s crazy! The scores at No. 1 High School are so high! You used to be way ahead of everyone in middle school, but this time, you’re only a few points ahead of second place.”
Xing Nuo handed him a bottle of water.
“It’s okay. No. 1 High School is competitive. Study hard, and you’ll get into a good university.”
An Zimuo sighed. He wasn’t stupid, just easily distracted and restless.
“My mom said the same thing. But Xing Nuo, I keep thinking about what my cousin said. I can’t shake this feeling…do you think our world is really going to end?”
Xing Nuo lightly smacked An Zimuo’s head, telling him to focus.
“Even if the world ends, we still have to take the college entrance exam! Three years of hard work, and even monsters can’t stop me!”
He then grinned, his curls bouncing, his expression surprisingly fierce.
“If any monster dares to show up, I’ll just chop it down with my sword!”
An Zimuo chuckled, and before Xing Nuo could get angry, he pinched his cheek and ran away.
“No wonder my mom says your cheeks are so pinchable! So squishy! Hahaha!”
Xing Nuo, having never had his cheeks pinched by a friend before, froze, then yelled after him:
“An Zimuo, get back here!”
They chased each other, laughing, towards the classroom.
A girl, hiding behind a pillar, her phone in hand, having secretly taken a picture, grinned and posted it on the school forum.
[Title: What does it feel like to pinch the top student’s cheek? [picture.jpg]]
[3rd floor: Awww! So cute!]
[8th floor: That pretty boy beat me and became first in the grade?!]
[9th floor: Looks like we have our second-place student here! But honestly, Xing Nuo has always been the top student, and he’s so handsome! What’s wrong with him being first?]
[15th floor: Not fair! If I can’t have him, no one can!]
[21st floor: His brother is also very handsome! But I heard he’s dating a girl!]
That afternoon, the school had a power outage, and there was no evening self-study.
Xing Nuo rode his scooter to Shen Baizhou’s high school to pick him up for dinner.
The security guard, seeing him in his school uniform, didn’t stop him, and Xing Nuo easily reached the small, separate building behind the main teaching buildings.
Shen Baizhou’s counseling office was on the first floor.
Xing Nuo was about to knock when he heard a girl crying inside.
“I’m so sad! Why?!”
He paused, then heard the girl’s tearful voice again:
“I really like you! Why can’t we be together?!”
Then, Shen Baizhou’s lazy, indifferent voice:
“Your feelings are irrelevant. I don’t like you.”
His words were harsh, but the girl, unfazed, cried even louder, seemingly not caring who heard her.
“I know you’re afraid of losing your job. My family is rich. Jiansen Enterprise belongs to my dad. Be with me, and I’ll give you half my shares.”
Xing Nuo had heard of that company. He had even seen their representative at his brother’s company.
He hesitated, unsure whether to enter.
This was his brother’s personal matter, and he didn’t want to embarrass him or the girl.
Before he could decide, the door suddenly opened, and Shen Baizhou, his usual aloof expression, looked at him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“You’re here. Why didn’t you come in?”
Xing Nuo scratched his cheek and smiled, lowering his voice.
“I didn’t want to…disturb you.”
Shen Baizhou ruffled his hair, the simple act of ruffling his little brother’s hair filling him with a sense of warmth and contentment, his eyelids lifting slightly, a smile appearing in his eyes.
“Come in and sit. I’ll be off work soon.”
Xing Nuo nodded and entered the counseling office.
The office was small and sparsely furnished, the school seemingly not valuing this position, with only a desk, a few chairs, a water dispenser, and a simple folding bed Shen Baizhou had brought himself.
A girl with long, wavy brown hair, her makeup impeccable, her eyes red and swollen from crying, sat on one of the chairs, a new, limited-edition phone in her hand.
Seeing Xing Nuo, she wiped her tears and glared at him, her voice sharp and accusatory.
“Who is he?! Why are you so nice to him?!”
Shen Baizhou, the moment Xing Nuo entered, had gone to get him some water and even found a cushion for his chair.
She had never received such treatment!
Xing Nuo, seeing her about to explode, quickly waved his hands.
“I’m his brother.”
The girl’s anger subsided instantly, and she wiped her tears, her demeanor suddenly sweet and docile.
“Brother? You do look alike.”
She studied their faces, then, seemingly satisfied, smiled.
Xing Nuo, thinking this girl had some serious mood swings, her emotions changing so rapidly, her anger and irritability so easily triggered,
looked at his brother, his lips pursed, his eyes filled with concern.
The girl’s phone rang, and she had to leave. She waved at Shen Baizhou, a sweet smile on her face.
“I’ll go now! See you tomorrow!”
After she left, Xing Nuo pulled a chair over to Shen Baizhou’s desk, his chin resting on his hand, his eyes filled with curiosity.
“What was that about?”
Shen Baizhou yawned, glancing at the clock, which hadn’t reached quitting time yet.
“She’s crazy.”
He wasn’t being mean. The girl genuinely had some mental health issues.
She was rich, beautiful, and popular, seemingly having it all.
But she had a hereditary mental illness, making her prone to anger and violent outbursts. She had gotten into a fight with her roommate on her first day of school.
The school administration, alarmed, had called Shen Baizhou, asking him to counsel her.
Shen Baizhou’s qualifications were questionable, his main reason for being hired his willingness to take the job no one else wanted.
But the girl, seeing Shen Baizhou, had calmed down instantly, her gaze fixed on him.
“I later found out that with my white hair, I look like her dead ex-boyfriend.”
Xing Nuo, hearing this bizarre story, struggled to suppress his laughter, pretending to sip his water.
Shen Baizhou, his eyes dull with exhaustion, having been harassed by this girl for almost a week, his own mental health deteriorating, said:
“Her family is rich. The girl she fought with had to write a self-criticism essay.”
Xing Nuo gasped, then sighed.
“But she started the fight.”
Shen Baizhou chuckled, his eyes cold and indifferent.
“Yes, but the school needs her family’s donations. That’s why she doesn’t even have to attend classes, just comes here to bother me every day.”
The school administration had tacitly approved it.
Xing Nuo, silent for a moment, then patted his brother’s shoulder.
“Let’s go home.”
Shen Baizhou hummed in agreement, gathered his things, and they rode home on his scooter.
The night was quiet, the moonlight casting a cool, silvery glow.
The girl, having a beauty treatment at home, unable to control her temper, kicked the beautician, sending the tray of products flying, and stormed out, her frustration mounting.
She lived in a gated community, and the night was quiet and peaceful.
Standing in her garden, she saw a figure approaching, backlit by the moonlight.
“Shen Baizhou!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise and delight.
Shen Baizhou walked towards her, his eyes half-closed, the moonlight illuminating his sharp features, his silver hair shimmering like a cool wave.
His eyes, a deep, almost black, blue, like the deepest depths of the ocean, met hers.
The girl, captivated by his beauty, her expression softening, was reminded of her deceased boyfriend, who had been equally stunning.
She waved and playfully punched his arm.
“What are you doing here? Changed your mind? What’s so bad about being with me?”
Shen Baizhou grinned, tilting his head.
“You like me? You’ll accept me…no matter what?”
The girl nodded confidently. “Of course!”
And as she spoke, Shen Baizhou’s smile widened.
His form shifted and distorted, his silver hair shimmering in the moonlight, as countless tentacles, writhing and menacing, emerged from behind him, their power palpable, threatening to tear her apart.
Shen Baizhou, his monstrous form fully revealed, the suckers on his tentacles like countless eyes, grotesque and terrifying,
watched as the girl, frozen in terror, her eyes wide, stammered:
“Y-you…”
“You said you liked me. What, can’t handle this?”
He reached out a tentacle towards her, and she screamed, her eyes rolling back, and fainted.
Shen Baizhou, retracting his tentacle, seeing the nanny emerge from the house, glanced at the unconscious girl and vanished.
