NASAY CH 43
by SuxxiLuo Xing moved his lips slightly, holding his breath, not even daring to blink. He was afraid that any sudden movement would shatter the illusion in front of him, revealing that the person standing there was just a figment of his imagination.
Huo Xingzhou crouched down, holding Luo Xing’s face with one hand. His soft fingertips gently wiped away the tear stains as he asked with a gentle expression,
“Why are you crying?”
The moment he finished speaking, Luo Xing couldn’t hold back anymore, and tears streamed down his face again.
There were many people in the hospital. Some curious onlookers turned their heads to look at Luo Xing. Huo Xingzhou pulled him up and led him to a corner by the stairs. He wiped away Luo Xing’s tears and smiled.
“What’s going on? Crying so much you’ve gotten addicted to it?”
Luo Xing quickly bit his lip to stop himself from crying, wiping his eyes as he stubbornly said,
“It’s just my eyes acting up. I wasn’t crying.”
“I thought you were so happy to see me after a few days that you burst into tears.”
Huo Xingzhou laughed, wiping Luo Xing’s face. He took the health check-up form from Luo Xing’s hand and glanced at it.
“Let me see if our little sweetheart has grown taller… Ah, you’ve grown a bit more again.”
Luo Xing was amused by him. His eyes were still red, and he laughed through his tears. The sight made Huo Xingzhou’s heart ache. He hugged Luo Xing, gently resting his head near his ear and asked,
“Did you miss me?”
“…Hmm.”
Luo Xing was silent for a moment but eventually told the truth.
Huo Xingzhou pinched his ear and fought the urge to kiss him, softening his voice.
“Why have you gotten so thin? The moment you leave my sight, you stop eating properly?”
Luo Xing lowered his eyes.
Hearing Huo Xingzhou speak to him so gently, without a hint of anger for rejecting him before, only made him feel worse. He’s so good to me…
“I haven’t.”
“Let me check.”
Huo Xingzhou pulled him into his arms, slipping his left hand under Luo Xing’s shirt and pinching his waist gently before rubbing it a few times.
“Who said you didn’t lose weight? You’ve definitely gotten slimmer.”
This time, Luo Xing didn’t avoid him. Even though he was ticklish, he endured it and let Huo Xingzhou touch him for a while. He leaned into his embrace, his body trembling slightly as his eyes grew hot with the urge to cry again.
“Where did you go?”
Luo Xing asked softly, clutching Huo Xingzhou’s sleeve with his fingers.
Huo Xingzhou naturally grasped his hand, warming Luo Xing’s cold fingers in his palm before tucking them into his chest. He glanced at Luo Xing’s pale face, his heart aching at how cold his hands were.
After leaving No 1 High School, Huo Xingzhou had gone to investigate Zhao Jiulan’s past, following a lead provided by Shang Qingming that Zhao Jiulan was originally from Beishi and had later moved to Jiangcheng.
In the past, Zhao Jiulan had been madly in love with her teacher, Luo Zhiyuan. He was gentle, elegant, and knowledgeable, making him popular among students. Having just returned from overseas, his demeanor was naturally more open, which made him even more attractive in the eyes of the girls at that time—a classic “mature and charming” male lead in their eyes.
Zhao Jiulan, always obedient and well-behaved, was the model student in the eyes of teachers and parents and the goddess in the eyes of her peers. But she had fallen hopelessly in love with her teacher, Luo Zhiyuan—a love that spiraled out of control.
One night, she took advantage of Luo Zhiyuan’s drunken state to be with him. If this incident had been exposed, both of them would have been expelled from school.
Zhao Jiulan didn’t care about the consequences, but Luo Zhiyuan did.
He always had someone in his heart—a man. Even the reason for his drunkenness was related to that man. After the incident, Luo Zhiyuan had an honest conversation with Zhao Jiulan, expressing his willingness to compensate her, but not to be with her.
Zhao Jiulan couldn’t accept such an outcome. She was confident that she could “turn him straight” and continued to take care of him with selfless devotion, loving him humbly to the point of self-destruction.
Luo Zhiyuan didn’t want to see her degrade herself like that, but he also didn’t want to ruin her life. He tried, but there was nothing he could do—he simply didn’t love her and couldn’t give her happiness.
Later, Zhao Jiulan became pregnant. Her family wanted her to have an abortion, but she refused, determined to give birth to the child, even if it meant severing ties with her family.
When Huo Xingzhou uncovered this part of her past, he couldn’t figure out Zhao Jiulan’s true intentions. Perhaps she thought the child would bind Luo Zhiyuan to her, forcing him into marriage. Or maybe it was an act of rebellion against her family.
Perhaps, unable to take revenge on Luo Zhiyuan, she channeled all her hatred onto Luo Xing, using him as a vessel to vent her grievances and frustrations.
One thing was certain—she didn’t give birth to that child out of love.
Throughout her life, Zhao Jiulan had likely never taken a proper look at Luo Xing, the son she brought into this world.
Huo Xingzhou gently caressed Luo Xing’s face, watching his nervous expression, the way he swallowed unconsciously, blinking and breathing in small, shallow breaths.
If Zhao Jiulan had ever looked at Luo Xing, even for a second, Huo Xingzhou was sure she would have loved him.
Huo Xingzhou thought for a moment but ultimately decided not to tell him about this unpleasant past. There was no need. Zhao Jiulan would never dare show up and cause trouble again. The matter had been settled—that was enough.
Huo Xingzhou chuckled softly.
“What’s wrong? Are you trying to check my schedule?”
Luo Xing exhaled quietly, shaking his head gently.
“I was just… really worried about you.”
Huo Xingzhou was stunned, not expecting that answer. Holding Luo Xing’s fingers, he thought to himself, What’s gotten into him? He’s suddenly so well-behaved. He’s telling me everything honestly without me even pushing him.
“It’s nothing. I just went out to take care of some things.”
Huo Xingzhou tilted his head back, feeling a bit troubled. Luo Xing was always reluctant to rely on him, preferring not to burden anyone.
The distorted lessons Zhao Jiulan had instilled in him over the years couldn’t be undone overnight. What should I do with him?
Based on Zhao Jiulan’s behavior, it was clear that Luo Xing feared his connection with Huo Xingzhou would bring criticism and disgrace to him and his family. On top of that, he had internalized the belief that he was unworthy of love.
Because Huo Xingzhou adored him, he couldn’t help but tread carefully, constantly afraid of scaring him away.
“Was the health check tiring?”
Luo Xing shook his head.
“Not really.”
Huo Xingzhou smiled, ruffling his hair. He took the health check-up form into his own hands.
“Did they prick your finger earlier?”
Luo Xing nodded.
“Which hand?”
Huo Xingzhou glanced at his hands. Luo Xing wiped his hand and raised it, revealing a tiny puncture mark on the pad of his ring finger, barely visible on his pale skin.
“Does it hurt?”
Luo Xing nodded, then shook his head. Just as he was about to say something, Huo Xingzhou leaned down slightly and kissed the pad of his finger.
Luo Xing’s hand twitched, instinctively pulling back, but Huo Xingzhou followed his movement, capturing his wrist and slipping their joined hands into his coat pocket as they walked out of the hospital.
“The class leader said you were waiting for me so we could do the health check together. Aren’t you going to do it?”
Luo Xing asked anxiously.
“I’ll take you to eat first. The check-up can wait. I’ll come back later.”
Huo Xingzhou glanced at Luo Xing’s pale face and how much thinner he had become. I worked so hard to fatten him up, and now he’s back to being skinny.
Luo Xing hesitated for a moment, holding onto Huo Xingzhou’s fingertips before finally speaking with difficulty.
“Huo Xingzhou, I… I want to tell you something.”
“Hmm?”
Huo Xingzhou smiled, teasing,
“If it’s about how much you like me, don’t say it—I don’t want to hear it.”
Luo Xing pressed his lips together and, true to his words, said nothing.
Huo Xingzhou laughed and playfully tapped his forehead.
“How can you take everything so seriously? Go ahead. Whatever you say, I’ll love to hear it.”
“I…”
Luo Xing tilted his head back to look at Huo Xingzhou, closing his eyes as if making a life-altering decision. Then he said,
“I can’t hear anymore… I’m nearly deaf.”
Huo Xingzhou’s body stiffened for a moment, recalling the health check report. He quickly understood that Luo Xing must have learned about his condition and decided to come clean with him.
With a calm smile, he said,
“Being unable to hear isn’t a big deal. No one in this world is perfect, right?”
Luo Xing opened his mouth, hesitating before asking,
“You… don’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
Huo Xingzhou tilted his head with a small smile, pulling Luo Xing into his arms as they crossed the street. Looking into his eyes, he added,
“It doesn’t change the fact that I like you.”
Luo Xing’s eyes grew warm. If they weren’t standing in the middle of the street, he might have thrown himself into Huo Xingzhou’s arms.
He had thought Huo Xingzhou would be shocked or disgusted—at least pause for a moment in hesitation. He had even prepared an explanation for his hearing loss.
But all he got was one sentence:
—It doesn’t change the fact that I like you.
“By the way, I won’t be going to school tomorrow. Go have lunch with Feng Jia and Li Lefan; don’t eat alone in the cafeteria,”
Huo Xingzhou said.
“Why… Do you have something to do?”
Luo Xing asked nervously.
He had just come back—why was he leaving again? He bit his tongue in frustration.
Seeing his disappointed expression, Huo Xingzhou chuckled and ruffled his hair.
“A relative passed away. I’ll accompany my mom for the funeral and be back by evening.”
Luo Xing blinked in surprise, then lowered his voice, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“Tell Auntie not to be too sad…”
“Alright.”
Looking at the little rabbit nodding on his phone screen, Huo Xingzhou couldn’t help but smile. Wu Suyan gave him a light kick and said,
“Be serious.”
“Ahem.”
Huo Xingzhou glanced at his phone, then suddenly said,
“Mom, I need to tell you something.”
Wu Suyan turned her head and shot him a cool glance.
“If it’s something I won’t like, don’t say it. We’re staying here until evening and leaving for Jiangcheng together—no arguments.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Huo Xingzhou carefully chose his words, thinking for a moment before saying,
“I found you a daughter-in-law.”
Wu Suyan’s fingers paused on her bag, leaving faint crescent marks on the surface. She sat up straight, eyes fixed on the white flowers in the mourning hall, rapidly processing his words while trying to hide her shock.
“Oh? What’s their name?”
“Luo Xing.”
Watching her still-calm expression, Huo Xingzhou cautiously added,
“Gender: male.”
“Male?!”
Wu Suyan’s sudden outburst drew everyone’s attention in the mourning hall. She quickly cleared her throat and nodded apologetically.
“Sorry, my son lacks manners. I’ll take him outside.”
Maintaining her composure, Wu Suyan walked out of the hall with steady steps. As soon as they were outside, she asked,
“Is he good-looking? How old is he? Do you have a photo? Let me see.”
“…”
Huo Xingzhou was silent for a few seconds. He had worried about whether his parents could accept his relationship.
But judging by her reaction, it seemed like Wu Suyan had been waiting for this moment.
He pulled out his phone and found a photo he had secretly taken of Luo Xing dozing off in his arms during New Year’s.
Wu Suyan took the phone, and as soon as she saw the photo, her eyes lit up, a warm smile spreading across her face.
“Oh my, what a little cutie! His face is so fair and tender. Just look at him… Wait a minute.”
She shoved the phone back at his chest, and Huo Xingzhou barely caught it in time. Her smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression.
“Where did you trick him from?”
“What?”
Huo Xingzhou looked at his mom in disbelief.
“I didn’t trick him. I’m still pursuing him. I just thought I should inform you first… and maybe ask for your help.”
“What kind of help?”
Huo Xingzhou pocketed his phone and began explaining the situation from the beginning in a simplified manner.
Meanwhile, Luo Xing had finished lunch and, remembering the misunderstanding with Ye Qiaoqiao from earlier, felt guilty. Since her birthday was coming up, he decided to buy her a gift as an apology. He told Feng Jia and the others to head back first while he went to pick out something on his own.
As Luo Xing rounded the corner, he suddenly bumped into someone. He quickly apologized,
“Sorry, are you okay?”
The man at the front had messy, dark yellow hair like dried grass, wore disheveled clothes, and had a roguish air that screamed trouble. Behind him were a few other guys, clearly with the same bad intentions.
It seemed like they had been waiting for him. When they saw him, they sneered.
“Oh, isn’t this Huo Xingzhou’s little follower? Sorry, sorry.”
Luo Xing frowned.
“Hey, where are you going? Let’s have a chat.”
The man reached out to stop him, raising his brow at the guys behind him. They immediately surrounded Luo Xing.
“Don’t leave.”
“Hey, Zheng-ge, you’re in luck today. Didn’t catch Huo Xingzhou, but you got his little follower. Want to beat him up to vent your anger?”
The leader, Zheng-ge, gave a cold laugh. Grabbing Luo Xing’s collar, he smirked,
“I heard you’re deaf, right? Usually, deaf people are mute too, because they can’t learn to speak. So, are you a mute?”
Luo Xing shoved his hand away and tried to run, but Zheng-ge grabbed him back, pinning him against the wall by his neck.
Zheng-ge tightened his grip, his tone menacing.
“Huo Xingzhou is such a dumbass. I was just trying to protect my classmates, but that bastard knocked out three of my teeth when he saw me. Since I can’t catch him, I’ll use you instead.”
Luo Xing struggled, trying to pry off Zheng-ge’s hand, but the guys around him pinned him down, holding his arms and legs. His vision darkened from lack of oxygen.
“Call him,”
Zheng-ge said, reaching into Luo Xing’s pocket for his phone. Suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist from behind.
A calm voice spoke,
“Let him go. If it’s money you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Luo Xing forced his eyes open and saw who it was—Xue Jian?
Xue Jian remained composed as always, his grip on Zheng-ge’s wrist unyielding. He slowly pulled out his wallet and handed over all the cash inside.
“Let him go,”
Xue Jian said, glancing at Luo Xing.
“He’s not close to Huo Xingzhou, just a classmate.”
Zheng-ge hesitated for a moment before sneering,
“Get lost, pretty boy, or I’ll take you too.”
“You wanted money, and you’ve got it. Now you should stop,”
Xue Jian said, meeting Zheng-ge’s eyes with a cold gaze.
“Leave.”
“Fine, I’ll let you go this time. Don’t let me catch you again!”
As soon as Zheng-ge let go, Luo Xing collapsed to his knees, coughing violently. His head spun from the lack of oxygen as he gasped for air.
“Are you okay?”
Xue Jian crouched beside him, gently patting his back.
“Those guys had a grudge with Huo Xingzhou. They used to collect protection fees and got beaten up by him when he caught them. I didn’t expect them to target you.”
“I… I’m fine,”
Luo Xing waved weakly, pausing before adding,
“Thank you.”
Xue Jian smiled and helped him up.
“It’s nothing. I just happened to pass by. Those guys are troublemakers. If you see them again, stay far away. Huo Xingzhou can’t always protect you.”
Luo Xing’s brow furrowed slightly at the mention of Huo Xingzhou. He pulled his wrist out of Xue Jian’s grip.
“How much money did you give them? I’ll pay you back.”
“No need.”
Xue Jian chuckled lightly.
“I’m not short on money. Consider it my way of making friends with you. I was wrong the last time we talked. I’m here to apologize. Will you forgive me?”
Luo Xing had never liked Xue Jian. There was always something about him that felt stifling, like an invisible pressure he couldn’t quite explain. It wasn’t until later, when Huo Xingzhou told him that Xue Jian had caused Min Yao’s death, that he finally understood just how dangerous this person was.
“Thank you for saving me, but you didn’t do anything wrong to me. There’s no need to apologize,”
Luo Xing said as he rubbed his sore neck.
“Why are you always so eager to seek forgiveness from others?”
Xue Jian froze. His previously calm and gentle expression seemed to crack. He frowned and asked,
“What do you mean by that?”
Luo Xing didn’t want to say anything more to him. He didn’t know Min Yao, nor had he ever interacted with her, so he had no right to blame Xue Jian. But at the same time, he didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
“Did Huo Xingzhou tell you about Min Yao?”
Xue Jian asked with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly.
Luo Xing walked quietly toward the school gate. Xue Jian caught up to him and let out a bitter laugh.
“I know, you, like Huo Xingzhou, think Min Yao’s death was my fault. Yes, I caused her death, but I didn’t mean to!”
Luo Xing’s steps paused.
Xue Jian looked up at the sky, then lowered his head to stare at the tips of his shoes, speaking with a nostalgic tone,
“Back then, I was the closest friend of Huo Xingzhou, Ye Qiaoqiao, and Lu Qinghe.”
Luo Xing remained silent, which seemed to anger Xue Jian even more. Xue Jian always felt that Luo Xing looked down on him, full of arrogance, simply because Huo Xingzhou favored him.
Finally snapping, Xue Jian rushed in front of Luo Xing, his composed façade completely shattered as he glared at him with red eyes.
“But all these years, they’ve only blamed me and hated me! Who knows the pain I’ve gone through? Every day, I drown in nightmares. I see Min Yao covered in blood, asking me why I abandoned her. She asks if I was among those who raped her…”
“Min Yao just stares at me blankly, saying, ‘You were drunk. You didn’t see them. You didn’t know if it was one person… two… or ten. Why didn’t you save me?’”
“Three years. I’ve lived in nightmares every single day. I hardly dare to sleep or even close my eyes. Every time I do, she comes back to find me.”
Xue Jian clenched his fists, squatting down in agony.
“She never drank. Why didn’t she refuse? How was I supposed to know she couldn’t handle alcohol?”
“I didn’t even know she couldn’t drink. If I had known…”
Xue Jian abruptly stopped, his face turning pale as he closed his eyes, whispering in anguish,
“Does Huo Xingzhou know my pain? He doesn’t know anything!”
Luo Xing frowned, watching him. Xue Jian seemed utterly lost, desperate for someone to reassure him, to say, “You’re innocent. You’re a victim too.”
“Do you think Min Yao’s death is also Huo Xingzhou’s, Ye Qiaoqiao’s, and even Lu Qinghe’s fault?”
Luo Xing asked with a deep frown.
“Did you come to me, hoping for validation?”
Xue Jian said nothing.
Luo Xing looked at him, his eyes tightly shut, his face twisted in pain, as if the very air around him had grown colder. Xue Jian gritted his teeth, forcing out each word like it was being dragged from him: “Isn’t it true? Are they really any cleaner than I am?”
“Xue Jian,”
Luo Xing stared straight into his eyes, his tone firm.
“Have you ever, even for a moment, felt sorry for Min Yao? Have you ever regretted taking her to that place, forcing her to drink, and humiliating her?”
Xue Jian froze. Then suddenly, a mocking smile spread across his face.
“I feel sorry for her? She barged into my life on her own, saying she liked me. Did she ever think about whether I liked her? Ever since she showed up, Huo Xingzhou started to drift away from me, even hanging out with that idiot Feng Jia instead of me. And I’m supposed to feel sorry for her?”
Luo Xing finally understood. Xue Jian never thought he had done anything wrong.
In his heart, he looked down on Min Yao, thinking she wasn’t worthy of him. He also blamed her existence for driving Huo Xingzhou away.
“You thought Huo Xingzhou distanced himself from you because of Min Yao. You couldn’t accept it, so you deliberately humiliated and bullied her to make her give up, right?”
“No, no!”
Xue Jian snapped his head up, standing abruptly. He grabbed Luo Xing’s wrist, his eyes bloodshot as he denied it furiously.
“I didn’t mean it! I didn’t want things to end like this!”
“Maybe you didn’t want that outcome, but the fact is, Min Yao died.”
Luo Xing glanced at his own wrist, then looked back at Xue Jian with a cold smile. For the first time, his words were sharp and unforgiving.
“You couldn’t bear the weight of a life on your conscience, so you never visited Min Yao after she died. Only when it started haunting you did you decide to come back to the school. You want Huo Xingzhou to forgive you so you can live guilt-free. You like Huo Xingzhou, don’t you?”
Xue Jian looked like he had been ignited by an explosion, shouting in a panic, “No!”
“You are.”
Luo Xing took a step forward, unconsciously mimicking Huo Xingzhou’s habit of closing in on others. He asked coldly,
“Why don’t you apologize to Ye Qiaoqiao? She was Min Yao’s best friend. Why haven’t you apologized to Min Yao’s parents? They’re the ones who suffered the most.”
“You don’t care about Min Yao’s death at all. What you care about is that Huo Xingzhou hasn’t forgiven you.”
Luo Xing pulled his hand away, no longer wanting to be entangled with him. He spoke bluntly,
“When you first came to me, you hinted at how close you were with Huo Xingzhou. You saw me as your enemy, so you came to assert your dominance.”
“Those guys just now—did you send them?”
Luo Xing raised his hand to touch his neck, feeling a slight stinging pain. The grip from earlier had been so tight it felt like they really intended to kill him. If Xue Jian hadn’t shown up, he might not have survived.
“I didn’t!”
Xue Jian denied it outright.
“You did. You knew Huo Xingzhou isn’t the type to gossip behind people’s backs. You thought he hadn’t told me about Min Yao, so you sent those people to scare me. First, to frighten me into staying away from Huo Xingzhou. Second, to save me and make me feel indebted to you. Am I right?”
“What would I gain by doing that to you?”
Xue Jian quickly adjusted his expression, smiling faintly with an innocent look. He spread his hands, pretending to be clueless.
“Without evidence, you can’t just accuse me. Don’t forget, I just saved you.”
“One of those guys muttered something, thinking I couldn’t hear. He said, ‘When is that Xue guy coming?’”
Luo Xing closed his eyes for a moment, unable to understand how someone like Xue Jian could exist in this world. Min Yao’s death made everyone sad, but he was the only one busy blaming others and avoiding responsibility.
“Huo Xingzhou treats you and Feng Jia the same way. But you think he’s favoring one over the other. That’s why you’re not worthy of Huo Xingzhou,”
Luo Xing said bluntly. He started to walk away but turned back after a few steps, looking at Xue Jian with a faint smile.
“Huo Xingzhou belongs to me.”
Xue Jian watched his back, his fists clenched tightly. He slammed his hand against the wall, pain shooting through his knuckles, but he didn’t care.
No! No!
Huo Xingzhou is mine!
After that day, Luo Xing asked Lu Qinghe to return the money to Xue Jian. Xue Jian accepted it without a word and never approached him again.
Luo Xing didn’t know why Xue Jian had told him all those things and didn’t care to find out. He didn’t even want to look at Xue Jian again, thinking it would be an insult to Min Yao.
He didn’t tell Huo Xingzhou about it. If he did, Huo Xingzhou would definitely confront Xue Jian, and Luo Xing didn’t want any more conflict caused by that man.
Luo Xing sat in the gym, holding Huo Xingzhou’s jacket in his arms. Winter break was approaching, and everyone was counting down the days.
He was counting too, but unlike others who were excited for the break, he dreaded it.
It wasn’t because he was afraid of going back to Zhao Jiulan’s place, but because he feared being separated from him. The time they could spend together would become even shorter.
“Hey, did you hear? That Luo Xing from Class 9—the one sitting there holding a jacket—is deaf,” a boy whispered loudly.
“Really?”
“Yeah! I heard he hasn’t answered a single listening question in English since middle school. My roommate was in the same exam room as him during the midterm, and he said Luo Xing didn’t even try to do the listening section.”
“No way. He talks just fine.”
“Don’t believe me? Watch this!” The boy cleared his throat and shouted loudly,
“Hey, little deaf boy! Luo Xing!”
His loud voice immediately drew everyone’s attention. They weren’t being malicious; they were just curious. After all, Luo Xing was known for his top grades—always tying with Ye Qiaoqiao for first place—and no one would have expected him to be deaf.
Students had a complicated attitude toward deaf-mute people. They wouldn’t openly discriminate, but there was always a hint of something unspoken in their eyes.
A few girls widened their eyes in surprise, whispering as they glanced at Luo Xing, who remained seated quietly without reacting.
“No way… He’s so handsome. I was thinking of confessing to him. What a pity he’s deaf,” one of the girls said softly.
The boy who had mocked earlier sneered.
“Deafness is hereditary. You should wake up! You might have a little deaf kid in the future!”
The gym was noisy, filled with unrestrained laughter and chatter. A few girls frowned and tried to stop them.
“Isn’t it wrong to talk about others like that? Being deaf isn’t something shameful,” one of them said.
Ye Qiaoqiao, sitting nearby, heard everything. She frowned slightly and instinctively looked at Luo Xing.
The shock in Ye Qiaoqiao’s heart lingered for quite a while, leaving her momentarily stunned. No wonder Luo Xing always stared at people’s lips when talking to them.
At first, she thought it was out of respect. She hadn’t expected it to be because of this.
Raising her eyebrows, she glanced at Huo Xingzhou on the court. She wondered if he knew about Luo Xing’s hearing impairment.
Luo Xing probably wouldn’t tell him on his own. How could he bring himself to say such a thing?
Ye Qiaoqiao lowered her gaze and thought that if it were her, she wouldn’t want Lu Qinghe to know either.
She wanted to be perfect in Lu Qinghe’s eyes. Even if she wasn’t, she didn’t want to appear flawed.
Even if he might not care, she didn’t want him to know. Luo Xing was probably the same.
The mocking voices around her grew louder and more excessive. Some people just loved to use others’ weaknesses as gossip. The gymnasium was packed with students from three classes having PE together. Since it was cold outside, they all gathered inside to watch the basketball game.
Both acquaintances and strangers pointed and whispered, gossiping about how the top student in the grade was actually deaf.
Ye Qiaoqiao glanced at Huo Xingzhou on the court. Luo Xing was someone he treasured. Did these people think they could bully him?
She stood up, walked past the girls sitting with her, and approached the boys who were laughing the loudest. With a cold expression, she kicked the leg of the boy who had been laughing most wildly.
“What are you doing?”
The boy winced in pain and shot to his feet, glaring at her angrily.
Ye Qiaoqiao glanced at him coldly before smiling softly and lowering her voice.
“What were you guys talking about? I’d like to hear it too.”
She was beautiful, with eyes the color of dark blue like a little elf. The boy’s anger faded as soon as he saw her, and he chuckled awkwardly.
“If you call me ‘good brother,’ I’ll tell you.”
As soon as he said that, the other boys laughed.
“Oh, nice move! A ‘good brother’ for a ‘good little sister.’ Hey, pretty girl, don’t listen to him. I’ll tell you everything, no need to call me anything.”
Ye Qiaoqiao remained still, but the girls around her shrank back, unwilling to get involved. One of them reached out to pull Ye Qiaoqiao away, whispering,
“Let’s go. They weren’t talking about you. No need to bother with them.”
Ye Qiaoqiao pulled her wrist free, raised her hand, and gave the boy in front of her a hard slap across the face.
The gymnasium instantly fell silent. Even the players on the basketball court were startled and looked over.
“You idiot,”
Ye Qiaoqiao said coldly, staring into his eyes.
“So what if he can’t hear? Who are you to talk behind his back? You don’t have good grades—does anyone call you brain-dead?”
“You dare insult me!”
The boy raised his hand, but just before it reached Ye Qiaoqiao’s face, it was caught in a firm grip.
He turned his head and saw Huo Xingzhou.
“Hey, buddy,”
Huo Xingzhou said, casually holding a basketball in one hand, a smile on his face.
“Raising a hand against a girl? That’s not cool. Why don’t you tell me what the problem is, and I’ll help you solve it?”
Ye Qiaoqiao hesitated, glancing at Luo Xing, who had turned his head, but she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She leaned slightly toward Huo Xingzhou and whispered,
“He was mocking Luo Xing for being deaf….”
Huo Xingzhou’s eyes darkened.
Lu Qinghe, who had been farther away, finally caught up. He pulled Ye Qiaoqiao into his arms and frowned as he checked her.
“Did he hurt you?”
Ye Qiaoqiao shook her head.
Lu Qinghe gave the boy an icy look. Just as he was about to step forward, Huo Xingzhou furrowed his brow and asked Ye Qiaoqiao again,
“What exactly did he say?”
Ye Qiaoqiao pressed down on Lu Qinghe’s wrist, raised her head, and replied,
“He said deafness is hereditary… and he called Luo Xing a ‘little deaf boy’ on purpose, knowing he couldn’t hear.”
Huo Xingzhou chuckled softly. Gripping the boy’s collar with one hand and still holding the basketball with the other, he smiled and looked him in the eye.
“So, you called Luo Xing a ‘little deaf boy,’ huh?”
The boy, terrified by Huo Xingzhou’s expression, swallowed nervously and stammered,
“W-what are you going to do?”
“Nothing,”
Huo Xingzhou replied with a smile, his expression unchanged.
“I’m just asking—did you really say that about him?”
“Y-yeah, so what? Everyone else was saying it too! It’s true, not something I made up. Why can’t I say it?”
the boy shouted, trying to sound tough.
Huo Xingzhou nodded, releasing his collar and even patting the dust off his shirt.
“Look at him,”
Huo Xingzhou said.
Lu Qinghe didn’t tilt his head or indicate anything, but he just nodded slightly without saying a word, raising his eyes to look at the boy.
Huo Xingzhou took a few steps forward, walked up to Luo Xing, took his clothes from him, and tapped his forehead.
“Snap out of it.”
Luo Xing looked worriedly at the three people confronting each other on the stairs, gently tugging on Huo Xingzhou’s sleeve, and asked,
“What’s going on? Are they bullying the class monitor?”
“Concerned about her?”
Huo Xingzhou asked while putting on his clothes.
Luo Xing nodded. Ye Qiaoqiao was a good person. Back when he mistakenly thought Huo Xingzhou liked her, he already thought she was nice. Now that he knew Huo Xingzhou liked him, he felt even more guilty toward her.
“She’s probably scared too.”
Huo Xingzhou lowered his voice and lied smoothly, coaxing him,
“Let me give you a task. Take Qiaoqiao back to the classroom, can you do that?”
“Okay.”
Huo Xingzhou smiled, turned around, and called out to Ye Qiaoqiao,
“Class monitor, you go back to the classroom with Luo Xing first. I’ll grab something and catch up.”
Ye Qiaoqiao understood and nodded. She came down the stairs with a frightened and aggrieved expression, saying softly,
“Luo Xing, sorry to trouble you.”
“No, no problem.”
Luo Xing had just seen the boy almost hit her. He bit his lip in worry and glanced at the stairs again, hesitant to leave.
Huo Xingzhou smiled and waved at him.
“Go on.”
Luo Xing nodded and left with Ye Qiaoqiao, heading back to the classroom.
The boy had long wanted to leave, but Lu Qinghe blocked his way, making it impossible for him to go. His face grew uglier, and he yelled,
“They called you too! Why are you only targeting me?”
Huo Xingzhou weighed the basketball in his hand, walked leisurely up to him, and chuckled.
“I’m not targeting you, I’m just…”
He paused, pressing a finger lightly on the boy’s shoulder, and then coldly smiled. Suddenly, he smashed the basketball into the boy’s face with full force.
A scream echoed through the gym.
Huo Xingzhou grabbed his shoulder and finished his sentence coldly,
“…teaching you a lesson.”
The boy bent over in pain, tears streaming down from the impact. He gasped for air.
“What the hell! Why did you hit me? I didn’t say anything about you!”
“You didn’t say anything about me,”
Huo Xingzhou squatted down, grabbed the back of the boy’s neck, and yanked it backward, forcing him to look up.
“But you did talk about someone who matters to me.”
Xue Jian wasn’t supposed to attend gym class today, but when he saw Luo Xing and Ye Qiaoqiao returning to the classroom together, something felt off. He went to the gym and arrived just in time to hear Huo Xingzhou’s last words: “Recently, I’ve been pursuing Luo Xing.”
“You might not know what kind of temper I have. No need to investigate—I’ll tell you myself: I protect my own.”
Huo Xingzhou pressed his fingers against the basketball and chuckled.
“If I ever hear you talk about Luo Xing again, especially those three words, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair, gossiping from there forever.”
The boy was terrified and nodded frantically.
“Got it, got it!”
“Who spread the rumor that he couldn’t hear?”
Huo Xingzhou looked at him, patting his face lightly with a cold smile.
“Tell me, and I’ll go easy on you.”
“I-I don’t know!”
The boy struggled desperately, unable to escape Huo Xingzhou’s grip, cold sweat dripping down his back.
“I just heard it from others! Everyone in the school is saying it. If you don’t believe me, ask them!”
“Oh, ask them, huh?”
Huo Xingzhou stood up, holding the boy’s neck, and asked again,
“How many times did you call him ‘little deaf’ just now?”
The boy remained silent.
Huo Xingzhou turned his head, sweeping his gaze coldly over the onlookers. Suddenly, he smiled gently.
“Dear students, next time anyone spreads rumors about Luo Xing’s hearing, think about this classmate here.”
After saying that, Huo Xingzhou dragged the boy by the back of his neck across the floor for everyone to see his expression, then let him slump into a chair. He bent down to pick up the basketball and smiled warmly at the crowd.
“Did everyone get that?”
No one dared to speak. The entire gym was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Huo Xingzhou tossed the ball, and the sound of it bouncing echoed throughout the gym.
Lu Qinghe glanced at Huo Xingzhou’s back and chuckled softly. People always said he was obsessive about Ye Qiaoqiao.
But in reality, Huo Xingzhou was the one who cherished Luo Xing to his core. He didn’t even let him witness a confrontation like this, instead asking Qiaoqiao to act with him to send Luo Xing away.
He wouldn’t even let Luo Xing hear the gossip.
Lu Qinghe walked down the steps and happened to see Xue Jian standing at the entrance. His brow furrowed slightly, but he retracted his gaze when he noticed the faint smile on Xue Jian’s face.
“Qinghe,”
Xue Jian called out as they passed each other. His voice was dry as he asked,
“Xingzhou hates me, Qiaoqiao hates me… Even you… don’t want to see me?”
Lu Qinghe usually ignored people, but surprisingly, he looked at him and said coldly,
“Qiaoqiao’s name—is that something you’re allowed to call?”
Xue Jian froze, his face turning pale. Then Lu Qinghe continued,
“You’d better make sure Xingzhou doesn’t find out you arranged for someone to hurt Luo Xing. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you’ll end up dead.”
“Who told you that?”
Xue Jian instinctively took a step back, clenching his fists as he stared at him.
“Did Luo Xing tell you?”
“See, even now, you still think…”
Lu Qinghe curled his lips coldly and smiled.
“That everyone is as dark and twisted as you are.”