Chapter 145: Extra 3 - Modern Campus: Scholar x School Bully

Without realizing it, Yin Chengyu had wandered to the school gates. From a distance, his sharp eyes caught sight of Xue Shu, and for a fleeting second, even he was taken aback. Just as he was about to approach, the other man abruptly turned on his heel and darted into a nearby alley, as if fleeing something-or someone.

Watching the hasty retreat of Xue Shu's silhouette, Yin Chengyu frowned. The name perched on the tip of his tongue swirled in his throat before he forcefully swallowed it back. Instead of chasing after him, he stood rooted in place, his brows furrowed in contemplation. A brief pause, and then he turned and retraced his steps, leaving the encounter unresolved.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows of the alley, Xue Shu's sharp eyes tracked the long, stretched shadow cast by the streetlights as it gradually moved farther away. His hesitation didn't last long. Unable to suppress the restless urge bubbling inside him, he finally stepped out into the light.

Yin Chengyu had already walked a considerable distance. The warm glow of the amber streetlights softened the sharp edges of his figure, giving his retreating silhouette a deceptively gentle allure. Xue Shu stood frozen, his gaze locked on that image for a long moment, before giving in to his instincts and following from a safe, measured distance.

Yin Chengyu, ever alert, sensed the faint presence of someone tailing him. He didn't bother looking back, maintaining his steady pace, but when he reached a corner, his keen peripheral vision caught a glimpse.

The person following him was tall and lean, dressed in an oversized black T-shirt and matching casual pants. The dim light barely revealed the taut muscle lines on his exposed arms, skin kissed with a golden hue under the streetlights' glow.

Though the shadows blurred the face, Yin Chengyu didn't need to see it clearly-he already knew that face too well. He could imagine it now: furrowed brows, tightly pressed lips, an expression weighed down by tension.

Yin Chengyu smirked ever so slightly, his plump lips curling up unconsciously. But he didn't stop or give any indication that he'd noticed the silent pursuit.

The two of them continued this unspoken dance, one leading, the other trailing, each maintaining a deliberate distance.

From Yanhai International High School to the luxurious Yanyuan Villa District where Yin Chengyu lived, a car ride took no more than ten to fifteen minutes. On foot, however, it stretched into a leisurely half-hour journey. With no early obligations on Saturday, Yin Chengyu treated the walk like a late-night stroll, his pace unhurried and deliberate.

But even the longest path has an end.

When Yin Chengyu swiped his access card and entered the gated community, he caught a glimpse of Xue Shu's figure reflected in the polished surface of a metallic sign. Xue Shu had stopped across the street, rooted to the spot, watching. He made no move to follow further, as if his purpose had been fulfilled simply by escorting Yin Chengyu back.

The gate beeped softly as it unlocked, and Yin Chengyu stepped inside. He walked a good distance before turning back, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Through the dense greenery that lined the neighborhood, he could barely make out the tall, slender figure still standing in place, motionless. Even from that distance, Yin Chengyu felt the intensity of Xue Shu's gaze, unwavering, fixed on the direction where he now stood.

Something shifted deep within his chest, like an invisible string being plucked-not too hard, not too soft. The sensation was strange, almost unnerving, yet Yin Chengyu didn't reject it.

As he strolled forward, his phone was already in his hand, fingers dancing over the screen to draft a WeChat message. His tone was curt, his instructions sharp: [Find someone for me. His name should be Xue Shu, male, likely between 16 and 20 years old. He frequents the Yanhai Road area-probably a student from one of the high schools there.]

*

Recently, Xue Shu couldn't help but notice the sudden spike in his encounters with Yin Chengyu, the eldest young master of the prestigious Yin family.

Yin Chengyu was everything a person like Xue Shu shouldn't dare to covet-born into wealth, top-tier grades, and a face that made people turn twice. He wasn't just a student at Yanhai International High; he was the student, a star whose name swept through campus like an uncontrollable wildfire.

Xue Shu hadn't needed much effort to gather the basic intel on him two years ago. Back then, when classes or part-time shifts allowed, he'd linger near Yanhai International's front gate, hoping to steal just a glance. Out of every ten attempts, he'd succeed two, maybe three times.

Yin Chengyu's life moved like clockwork: weekdays were a predictable cycle between school and home, with a private driver ferrying him in a sleek black Bentley. Rarely, he'd ditch the chauffeured routine to venture out with two or three friends for casual outings. Xue Shu had memorized the model and license plate of that car to the point where every similar vehicle on the street would force his eyes to linger, his heartbeat kicking up.

He knew his obsession was veering into dangerous, unhealthy territory, but he couldn't stop himself. The first time he'd seen Yin Chengyu, something inside him had latched on like a moth drawn to a flame, his gaze tethered to the boy he could never touch.

But now, things were different. He no longer had to haunt the school gates to catch fleeting glimpses. Yin Chengyu seemed to have stepped into his world-closer, more frequent, as if by some twist of fate.

In the last few days, Yin Chengyu had appeared near Xue Shu's part-time job at a local bar, the shadows of his presence stretching far beyond coincidence. He'd be there, seated in the backseat of that Bentley, one arm draped lazily out the window. His stunning eyes, cool and unreadable, occasionally glanced in Xue Shu's direction as though they saw right through him.

Those fleeting looks pulled at something primal inside Xue Shu, igniting his nerves and planting dangerous ideas in his head.

Was Yin Chengyu noticing him?

Was there a flicker of curiosity, of acknowledgment in those glances?

But the rational part of Xue Shu knew better. Shaking his head, he scolded himself for such foolish, delusional thoughts. Yin Chengyu didn't know him, had no reason to notice him, let alone care.

And yet, the more he denied it, the harder it became to resist the gravity pulling him into the orbit of the unattainable Yin Chengyu.

The question buried deep in his heart found its answer soon enough.

It was Sunday night, the team-building event at the bar.

The bar's owner, Qin Sheng, was a trust fund kid with more money than sense and an unrestrained generosity toward his employees. That Sunday, he shut down operations early at eight and booked a private room at one of the city's most infamous entertainment clubs for a banquet. Despite being just a part-timer, Xue Shu had been working at the bar for quite a while, and Qin Sheng had always shown him special favor, so he was naturally included in the outing.

The private room was a chaotic mix of a dozen men and women, the staff sprawled around a large table. The night quickly dissolved into endless rounds of drinking and bawdy chatter.

Xue Shu, the youngest of the group, was paradoxically the hardest drinker. Having been with them for so long, no one treated him like some fragile high schooler. Instead, they dragged him into the thick of the chaos, keeping him drinking past eleven.

Beer, wine, baijiu-everything was poured and downed with reckless abandon. Even Xue Shu, with his infamous tolerance, was starting to falter. Finally fed up, he shoved aside a drunken colleague who was still trying to pour him another round and decided to retreat to the restroom for a breather.

But on his way there, he ran into Yin Chengyu.

The abrupt encounter stopped them both in their tracks. They froze, separated by just a few meters, each silently staring at the other.

Yin Chengyu's gaze hardened, his brow furrowing as he took in the sight of the clearly inebriated young man.

He'd done his homework on Xue Shu.

He knew the kid came from a single-parent household, his father having committed suicide after a failed business venture left the family drowning in debt.

His mother, Xue Yao, had spent years scrabbling to make ends meet-juggling a cleaning job during the day and selling sweet desserts at the night market.

His sister, Xue Hongying, was a high-achiever, now attending university in the capital.

And Xue Shu himself? Seventeen, a second-year at Yan Hai No. 5 High School. But academics weren't his focus-his grades were abysmal, and he was infamous for running with the school's troublemakers.

Yin Chengyu had even seen his report card, a disaster so catastrophic that he couldn't have scored that low even if he tried.

He'd thought catching Xue Shu brawling with a gang of delinquents in an alley had been the rock bottom of his perception of the boy. But now, here he was-drunk and stumbling through a club.

Yin Chengyu's frown deepened, his sharp gaze sweeping over the younger man with growing disapproval.

Without hesitation, he strode toward Xue Shu.

Xue Shu, in turn, stared back at him. The alcohol fogging his mind seemed to burn away, replaced by a piercing clarity. Watching Yin Chengyu's steady, deliberate approach, one thought surfaced: "So, he has been keeping an eye on me all along."

He rarely felt nervous, but the tightness in his throat betrayed him as he swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on the person barely half a step away.

Yin Chengyu locked eyes with him, his expression sharp and unyielding. The overpowering stench of alcohol wafting from the other man's body made his eyes narrow with distaste. His voice, calm yet laced with accusatory force, cut through the air, "What are you doing here?"

The question carried a weight of entitlement, as if addressing a familiar delinquent rather than a stranger.

Xue Shu, caught off guard, didn't hesitate to reply with an unusual honesty. "Team-building at the bar," he muttered.

Yin Chengyu's cold demeanor softened for a fleeting moment, only to harden again as his lips curled into a derisive smirk. "No wonder your grades are so bad," he sneered, tilting his chin upward with effortless arrogance.

Heat flared in Xue Shu's cheeks, and his lips pressed into a tight line. He'd always been indifferent to academic performance, confident in his plans to drop out and work if not for his mother's staunch opposition. Yet, under Yin Chengyu's scornful gaze, a rare twinge of shame crept in, unbidden and unwelcome.

Tongue darting across his teeth in frustration, he bit back any retort and turned on his heel, eager to escape.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The icy, snow-laden voice rooted him to the spot. Without even meaning to, he froze mid-step, instincts bending to that commanding tone.

Yin Chengyu watched him with cool detachment, his slender finger curling in a subtle beckon before he brushed past, his shoulder grazing Xue Shu's. "Follow me," he said, leading the way without a backward glance.

Without questioning, Xue Shu trailed behind, his thoughts a tangled, chaotic mess. Yet for some reason, the questions he had seemed inconsequential.

Why should he care?

Yin Chengyu had spoken to him.

The club belonged to Yin Chengyu's family, a luxury establishment with tennis courts, billiards rooms, and more. It was where Yin Chengyu often met friends, and naturally, it housed his private lounge.

Inside, Yin Chengyu's order was brusque and non-negotiable: "Wash off that disgusting stench of alcohol."

Too dazed to protest, Xue Shu shuffled into the bathroom. The cool splash of water against his skin did little to clear his mind, the alcohol coursing through him amplifying a restless heat that gripped his body.

The frosted glass of the shower door glowed faintly under the bathroom light, shadows hinting at movement on the other side. Xue Shu's gaze fixed on it, hunger flickering in his eyes-a hunger he barely recognized in himself.

Fifteen minutes later, he emerged, the sharp chill of the water failing to douse the warmth that lingered in his veins. His damp hair clung to his scalp, the rivulets of water running down his sharp, angular features making his presence all the more striking.

Yin Chengyu's appraising glance raked over him, a faint satisfaction tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You're still a student," he said, voice calm yet cutting, his attention drifting briefly to his phone. "You should focus on your studies and stay out of places like this."

Xue Shu hesitated, trying to decipher Yin Chengyu's intentions. After a moment's pause, he asked, voice laced with a vulnerable edge, "Do you like people with good grades?"

Yin Chengyu's brow arched slightly, his lips quirking into a faint, unreadable smile. His response came slow, deliberate, and piercing: "Let's just say I definitely don't like people with bad ones."

Without waiting for a reply, he tilted his phone screen toward Xue Shu, revealing a QR code. "Add me on WeChat."

---TN: Well, isn't it bold of you to dive straight in like that, especially when we've only just crossed paths?