NASAY CH 18

“Come in,”

 the principal said grimly.

Cheng Limin cleared his throat. Before the principal could speak, he said first,

 “Cheating is the most serious accusation for a student. You two have scored identical marks too many times, and both the principal and I find it a bit strange. Of course, it’s not that we don’t trust you, we just want to confirm the situation.”

Ye Qiaoqiao shook her head.

Luo Xing also shook his head.

Cheng Limin spread out several exam papers and Ding Chao’s notebook, pushing them toward them. 

“Take a look at these scores. To claim it’s all a coincidence seems a little far-fetched, don’t you think?”

Ye Qiaoqiao said, 

“Teacher, no matter how unbelievable it may seem, Luo Xing and I did not cheat. Even if someone reported us, we won’t admit to something we didn’t do.”

Cheng Limin sighed. 

“I’m not asking you to admit it. I just want to get to the bottom of this and clear your names. You have to understand, cheating is a serious stain on a student’s record. The rumors are already spreading around the school. I need to take responsibility for you.”

“Teacher, can I know who accused us?” Ye Qiaoqiao asked.

Cheng Limin raised his head, scanning their faces. Ye Qiaoqiao, usually mild-mannered, was visibly upset. Her hands were clenched tightly, turning white, and her eyes were red.

“If scoring the same marks means cheating, does that mean getting full marks is copying the answers?”

The principal, knowing who Ye Qiaoqiao’s father was, didn’t dare push too hard. He quickly tried to calm her down.

 “We’re not saying you copied the answers. But this situation needs an explanation. Calling it a coincidence—well, that’s too coincidental.”

Ye Qiaoqiao’s eyes filled with tears as she bit her lip, wiping them away in frustration.

Cheng Limin looked at Luo Xing, his frown deepening.

Luo Xing had remained silent the whole time—neither defending himself nor getting angry. Compared to Ye Qiaoqiao’s visible grievance, his indifference was striking.

Why does this kid seem like he doesn’t care at all? Could it really be, as some said, that he copied Ye Qiaoqiao’s answers and had nothing to say in his defense?

“Luo Xing, don’t you have anything to say?” Cheng Limin asked.

Luo Xing shook his head.

“Someone accused you of mutual cheating, and you won’t explain yourself at all?”

 Cheng Limin frowned at him, feeling something wasn’t quite right. The kid didn’t even seem affected.

“Teacher Cheng, have the subject teachers prepare a new set of exam papers, about the same difficulty as the midterms. They’ll take the exam in my office under my supervision,” the principal said.

Cheng Limin sighed. He didn’t think it was the best solution, but there was no better alternative. 

“What do you think of this arrangement?” he asked the two students.

Both nodded in agreement.

“Alright, then. You can go back for now. Don’t overthink it. Focus on your studies and leave the rest to the teachers,” Cheng Limin said.

Outside the office, Ye Qiaoqiao walked quickly without saying a word, heading straight for the classroom. Although she was usually easy-going, this time she was truly upset.

Luo Xing followed behind, watching her back, feeling a pang of guilt.

He should have lowered his scores a bit more. He hadn’t expected to end up with the exact same score as her several times, causing such a huge misunderstanding. She was innocent, yet she got dragged into this mess because of him.

He stood there in a daze until someone suddenly grabbed him and pushed him against the wall.

He looked up. 

“Huo Xingzhou?”

Huo Xingzhou had been standing outside the office, eavesdropping. When he saw the lack of emotion in Luo Xing’s eyes, as if the whole accusation had nothing to do with him, something in him snapped. His gaze darkened.

Ye Qiaoqiao had grown up with him, and Huo Xingzhou knew her personality like the back of his hand. Even she was a bit angry, yet Luo Xing remained indifferent, as if emotions never registered with him. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t get angry.

That restraint in him was so glaring and annoying.

Huo Xingzhou had always been a bit of a troublemaker. The more he saw someone like this, the more he wanted to break their calm. He wanted Luo Xing to panic, to helplessly grab his hand and beg for mercy—maybe even call him gege—then he might be merciful and let him go.

“Kid.”

Huo Xingzhou bent his knee and pressed it against the wall, pinning Luo Xing in his arms with one hand. He lowered his head and asked, 

“Why did you score the exact same marks as Ye Qiaoqiao?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Luo Xing had initially planned to apologize to Ye Qiaoqiao, but the sudden question caught him off guard. He avoided Huo Xingzhou’s eyes, clearly flustered.

Maybe he really was selfish. He didn’t want Huo Xingzhou to know how bad he truly was.

“You really don’t know what I’m talking about?”

“I don’t,”

 Luo Xing said, shifting uncomfortably to dodge Huo Xingzhou’s scrutinizing gaze.

“You do.”

 Huo Xingzhou grabbed his chin and forced him to look up. 

“You did it on purpose. I saw your notes. You wrote down Ye Qiaoqiao’s weak areas and the question types she’s most likely to get wrong. You’ve been studying her mistakes on purpose.”

Unable to escape his grip, Luo Xing bit his lip and said,

 “Don’t ask anymore. I really didn’t cheat, and I didn’t copy from the class leader.”

Seeing the mist in his eyes, Huo Xingzhou’s heart softened for a moment, but he still said coldly, 

“No crying.”

Startled by his tone, Luo Xing immediately held back his tears, biting his lip and tilting his head slightly to meet his gaze. After a moment, he turned his head away again.

“There’s… nothing wrong.”

Huo Xingzhou raised a hand and lightly tapped his forehead. He looked down at the boy, who wasn’t as tall as him, with his chin still held up, eyes rimmed with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

His heart softened even more. His voice unconsciously gentled, coaxing, 

“Tell me the reason. Why did you deliberately match her scores?”

Afraid of making him angry, and feeling guilty toward Ye Qiaoqiao, Luo Xing hesitated. The words rolled around on his tongue several times before he finally spoke.

“On my first day at this school… Feng Jia said you wouldn’t let anyone take first place from the class leader, and if I did, you’d threaten me.”

“Bullshit.” 

Huo Xingzhou chuckled helplessly and pinched his nose. He had dealt with countless people and fought in more street brawls than he could count. It was the first time he’d felt like someone had mistaken him for a scary monster.

What did Ye Qiaoqiao’s rank have to do with him?

He wasn’t like Lu Qinghe, that lunatic who liked Ye Qiaoqiao so much he deliberately stayed in second place, never once surpassing her.

“Were you afraid I’d replace you?” 

Huo Xingzhou asked, amused.

“No,”

 Luo Xing shook his head.

“Then why?”

 Huo Xingzhou gently rubbed the red spot on Luo Xing’s forehead where he’d tapped him earlier. Lowering his voice, he asked,

 “If you’re not scared, then why go to such great lengths to match her score every time?”

Luo Xing stared down at his toes, voice barely audible. 

“I didn’t want to make you unhappy.”

“That’s it?”

Huo Xingzhou was stunned. Just for that silly reason, he had gone through so much trouble to study Ye Qiaoqiao’s strengths and weaknesses, trying not to surpass her?

“Because on my first day, you came to pick me up, helped me pick up my books, and bought me milk tea,” 

Luo Xing said, looking up at him. 

“You gave me a signed book, treated me to barbecue, made me sweet soup… You’ve been so kind to me. I didn’t want to make you upset.”

“You always remember the kind things people do for you this clearly?” 

Huo Xingzhou felt his heart melt. He reached out and gently brushed his trembling eyelashes.

All these little favors—buying a meal—what did that even count as?

 He treated Feng Jia and the others to meals all the time. Signed books? He had plenty at home. Helping pick up books was just a casual gesture. 

Picking him up was arranged by Cheng Limin. The milk tea was an apology, and the barbecue was just convenient.

The only thing that could be called special was that silly sweet soup.

Such an insignificant kindness, yet Luo Xing remembered it so deeply and went to great lengths to repay him?

Looking at his tender face, eyes glistening with moisture but filled with determination, Huo Xingzhou’s heart clenched. Pressing down his frustration, he grabbed Luo Xing’s hand and walked forward.

Startled by his sudden anger, Luo Xing couldn’t keep up with his pace and had to jog to avoid falling behind.

 “Where… where are we going?”

“To switch people.” 

Huo Xingzhou didn’t even look back as he let out a cold laugh.

 “Fool. Even dared to bully someone under my protection? He’s asking for it.”

They returned to the school playground, and Huo Xingzhou walked straight up to Ding Chao, coldly calling out to him. Ding Chao turned his head, annoyed. 

“What do you want?”

Huo Xingzhou released Luo Xing’s wrist, stepped in front of Ding Chao, grabbed his arm, and twisted it behind his back.

 “What do you think?”

Ding Chao yelped in pain, breaking out in a cold sweat as he struggled.

 “Are you insane? Let me go!”

Huo Xingzhou sneered and kicked the back of Ding Chao’s knee, forcing him to the ground, rubbing his face in the dirt. Towering over him, Huo Xingzhou said, 

“Judging someone as a cheater just because they scored the same marks? Even this dirt on the ground is cleaner than your brain.”

Ding Chao finally understood that this was all for Ye Qiaoqiao. He sneered, trying to keep his composure.

 “What proof do you have that they didn’t cheat? Did Ye Qiaoqiao complain to you?”

“I don’t have proof,” 

Huo Xingzhou said, pressing harder on Ding Chao’s arm until he cried out in pain. Lowering his voice, he said, 

“But I’ve got a bad temper. If I hear you accusing him again, I’ll beat you so badly your mom won’t recognize you. Don’t believe me? Try it.”

Ding Chao gritted his teeth, cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he gasped from the pain. 

“You didn’t even investigate. How do you know it wasn’t true? And how do you know I did it? Where’s your proof?”

“You like tattling? Well, I can eavesdrop too.”

Ding Chao struggled desperately, screaming, 

“Luo Xing… he never even denied it himself!”

“No, no, no.”

 Huo Xingzhou chuckled darkly. 

“I’m protective, and I’m unreasonable. If I say he didn’t do it, then he didn’t. Whether he denies it or not is his business. But that doesn’t give you the right to slander him, and it has nothing to do with whether I decide to switch you out.”

Terrified, Ding Chao thrashed around, his face pressed into the mud.

“You wouldn’t dare! This is school violence! I’ll report you to the principal. You’ll get expelled!”

Luo Xing finally snapped out of his shock. Worried, he tugged on Huo Xingzhou’s sleeve and whispered, 

“Let’s just leave it.”

“Leave it?” 

Huo Xingzhou glanced at him sideways.

Luo Xing nodded. He’d worked so hard to be in the same class as him and didn’t want Huo Xingzhou to get expelled because of him.

“Fine, I’ll listen to you.”

Ding Chao stood up, emboldened, and sneered. “You—”

Huo Xingzhou walked up to him, straightened the wrinkled collar of his shirt, and spoke in a soft voice. 

“If I hit you, at most I’ll get a demerit. But you slandered your classmate, tried to get them expelled out of jealousy, and even spread false rumors. Who do you think the school will punish more severely?”

Ding Chao gritted his teeth, trying to act tough despite his fear.

 “Why are you defending him so much? What’s in it for you?”

“What’s in it for me?” 

Huo Xingzhou paused for a moment, then smiled without looking at Luo Xing. 

“I just feel like it.”

“You!”

“Remember,” 

Huo Xingzhou whispered in his ear, releasing his collar and giving him a shove. 

“Spread one more rumor about him, and I’ll end you. Now get lost.”

Ding Chao stiffened and walked off, head held high, pretending not to care.

“Wait,” 

Huo Xingzhou called out.

Ding Chao turned back, glaring at him.

Huo Xingzhou ignored his glare and pointed at Luo Xing.

 “Apologize to him.”

Ding Chao glanced at Luo Xing, then back at Huo Xingzhou’s cold expression. Reluctantly, he muttered, 

“Sorry.”

Luo Xing didn’t know how to respond. He stared blankly at Ding Chao’s reluctant apology and watched him leave, his mind replaying Huo Xingzhou’s low, threatening voice and the faint, cold smile in his eyes.

The way he grabbed Ding Chao’s arm earlier was so… so cool.

Just watching him, hearing him speak, made Luo Xing’s legs feel weak. He couldn’t help but wish that when Huo Xingzhou said “my person,” he had been talking about him.

But then he remembered—everything Huo Xingzhou did was for Ye Qiaoqiao. His chest tightened with sourness, and he turned his head away in discomfort.

Huo Xingzhou stood up for Ye Qiaoqiao, refusing to tolerate even the slightest slander against her. But… Ye Qiaoqiao didn’t like him.

If only—if only Huo Xingzhou didn’t like Ye Qiaoqiao.

Ever since Huo Xingzhou threatened Ding Chao, and after Luo Xing and Ye Qiaoqiao retook the test, the rumors in school disappeared. No one pointed at Luo Xing anymore when he walked through the hallways.

However, when the next set of scores was posted, everyone was shocked once again.

Were these two even human? Their scores had jumped even higher!

Apart from Lu Qinghe from Class Eleven, who barely kept up, the fourth-place scorer was a whopping forty points behind them.

The teachers from all classes were dumbfounded. They held an emergency meeting to figure out what was going on. Even Cheng Limin was completely confused. 

“I… I don’t know either.”

“You don’t know? Go find out! How can you not know anything about your own students?”

Poor Cheng Limin, clueless and unfairly scolded: ??

Huo Xingzhou stood in the hallway, lightly tapping the railing with his left hand. A few days ago, during the weekend break, Luo Xing had disappeared for an entire night. When he returned, he was injured again. Though it wasn’t as obvious as last time, the slight swelling on his right cheek was still noticeable.

And that text message… It stuck in Huo Xingzhou’s heart like a thorn.

Feng Jia asked, 

“What’s so important that we can’t talk about it in the classroom?”

Huo Xingzhou glanced into the classroom. Luo Xing was doing his homework, his usual cold and indifferent expression on his face.

Huo Xingzhou wondered if this had anything to do with what happened. After a moment of silence, he asked, 

“Your cousin goes to Fourth High, right?”

Feng Jia nodded, curious. 

“Yeah, why?”

Huo Xingzhou raised his eyes, and Feng Jia immediately took a step back.

 “I’ll sell myself, but my cousin’s off-limits! Don’t you dare mess with him.”

“Have him find out for me—was Luo Xing bullied at his old school?”