Chapter 63: Cousins—Ferrari!

"Hey, hey, have you heard about the challenge that the infamous Wolf Cub from Class One sent to Yu Hang from Class Three?"

Sui Yi and her companion looked at him but remained silent.

Seeing their interest piqued, Zhou Xiaopang eagerly continued, "Things aren’t looking good for Yu Hang and his group right now... Word is that no one in their class dares to step up, and even students from other classes are staying away... It’s really not what we expected. We all thought Yu Hang and Xiao Nan had plenty of supporters, so there’d surely be someone willing to take the field..."

"The reason?" Sui Yi asked, though she had anticipated as much; she hadn’t expected things to escalate so swiftly and decisively. Where did Han Yuanzhong get such intimidating influence? Zhang Yang? He didn’t seem the type...

"They say it’s because Zhang Yang found some people outside of school—real underworld types, ruthless with their blades. Some have even been in prison, maybe even killed before. Forget about holding their own in a basketball game—just making it out in one piece is in question. Who’d dare to go up against them?" Zhou Xiaopang whispered, glancing around nervously, as if genuinely afraid.

Wang Xian, unimpressed by Zhou Xiaopang’s theatrics, frowned and said, "Yu Hang’s family isn’t exactly powerless. Here in Nanxun, who would be foolish enough to cross them... Sounds like you’re just making things up!"

So what if they’re underworld types? They still have to eat. This isn’t old Hong Kong gangster territory anymore—it’s a peaceful society now!

Zhou Xiaopang’s expression twisted, unable to retort for a moment, but finally he managed, "How do you know the Han family doesn’t have connections? Remember, they have an uncle who’s the chief of police... Who knows what influence their family still holds!"

Wang Xian remained unconvinced, but Sui Yi’s gaze flickered. The Han family’s background, then?

———

After school, Sui Yi walked with Yan Qingwu. This gentle, insightful girl could tell Sui Yi was preoccupied. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and quietly asked, "Are you thinking of getting involved?"

"Getting involved?" Sui Yi laughed. "I’m a girl."

Yu Hang’s group played basketball—a boys’ game. How could she possibly meddle?

Yan Qingwu tilted her head, a delicate smile curving her lips. "The highest strategy is to win without fighting, but Yu Hang’s side has already lost the initiative. Now... it will take someone extraordinary to turn the tide."

"You want to intervene?" Sui Yi countered.

"If it concerns you, then yes."

Her slender fingers caught a mulberry leaf drifting from above—her movements graceful as jade.

Sui Yi shook her head. "It’s a trivial matter. No need to trouble you... Though, I think I know who’s backing Han Yuanzhong."

Yan Qingwu followed Sui Yi’s gaze.

At the school gate, in front of a flashy red Ferrari, a tall, lean youth leaned casually against the car door. He was about eighteen, features already chiseled and striking, chatting leisurely with Han Yuanzhong. The two shared similar looks, though the latter appeared more restless and less poised, while the former exuded a more extravagant air. Both wore confidence like armor—perhaps bolstered by the audacity to park a Ferrari at the school gate.

Han Yuanzhong, meanwhile, could only ride his bicycle, attracting attention from the schoolgirls along the way.

"Look, cousin, that’s Yan Qingwu. She’s beautiful, isn’t she? With your skills, I’m sure you can win her over..."

As Han Yuanzhong’s cousin, Li Run hardly thought much of his younger relative’s timidity. Beautiful women? Li Run had seen them all. The girls here were just children, green as spring onions, lacking any real charm.

He had long since moved on to sophisticated, elegant women—seeing them, usually so composed, become breathless and pleading beneath him—that was true allure.

Thinking this, Li Run cast Han Yuanzhong a disdainful glance and turned his head toward the path leading from the school gate.

Among the crowd of students, his gaze instantly found two girls who, to others, would blend into the masses.

Han Yuanzhong, watching his proud cousin’s expression, noticed the flicker of astonishment in his eyes. He sneered inwardly; just because he hadn’t been to the big city didn’t mean he didn’t know that few city girls could compare to Yan Qingwu.

"Cousin, seems like you’re getting two for the price of one," Li Run remarked, eyes fixed ahead. Before Han Yuanzhong could reply, Li Run was already striding forward.

Han Yuanzhong signaled with his eyes, and Zhang Yang and the others followed, their presence formidable as they moved to block the narrow path.

Zhou Xiaopang and his group, walking behind Sui Yi and Yan Qingwu, were startled by this scene.

Damn! So this is the Wolf Cub’s backer? He looks dangerous—definitely not someone to mess with!

"Hello, I’m Li Run," he announced simply, his entrance bold and dazzling, the Ferrari behind him lending an extra flourish.

Few girls could resist such a direct approach. It wasn’t just about vanity; most girls, caught off guard, would respond politely, their hearts fluttering with excitement, and soon find themselves following Li Run’s lead.

Blushing, bashfulness—he’d seen it all, and it never failed.

Sure enough, the surrounding girls gasped in unison, their excitement making Li Run’s smile deepen. Such innocence.

But after a moment, there was no response. The girl on the left stared off into the distance, her expression serene; the one on the right regarded him with a calm, penetrating gaze.

An awkward silence fell. Still, as he inhaled the faint, lingering fragrance from Yan Qingwu’s hair, Li Run smiled, "You must be Yan Qingwu, right? My cousin told me about you—said you’re the top student here. I just transferred from Provincial No.1 High School to Nanxun, and I wanted to see the school. Would you show me around?"

Provincial No.1 High School!

The very pinnacle of academic excellence in Jiangdu Province! A hundred Second Highs couldn’t measure up to that one school.

The students nearby gasped. In an instant, Li Run was elevated from wealthy and handsome to talented, wealthy, and handsome!

"Damn, he’s untouchable. Even if we all banded together, we couldn’t save the goddess Yan," Zhou Xiaopang and his friends grumbled, feeling powerless in the face of such an opponent.

With someone this formidable, could even Yan Qingwu resist?

Sui Yi’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, excused herself, and stepped aside to answer.

Yan Qingwu watched her for a moment, then turned back to Li Run, her face composed as she said coolly, "Since your cousin is a student here, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to show you around. Sorry."

With that, she moved to leave.

But Han Yuanzhong and his group quickly blocked her path.

Li Run shook his head slightly, his smile gentle and apologetic. "Forgive my boldness, but in this misty, ethereal town of Nanxun, meeting a lady as lovely as Miss Yan feels like a destined encounter—a chance crossing on some ancient bridge after a hundred or a thousand years, as the Buddhists say."

"Forgive me, but I don’t wish to miss this chance with you."

My God! This was beyond formidable—it was an all-encompassing onslaught. Zhou Xiaopang and the others were speechless. Not far away, Yu Hang and Xiao Nan saw what was happening. Xiao Nan frowned. "That guy..."

Yu Hang sneered, "He and his cousin are two of a kind."

"He does seem to have powerful backing."

"Even so, he doesn’t stand much of a chance against Yan Qingwu..." Yu Hang recalled his father’s repeated warnings not to provoke Yan Qingwu—her family background must be truly formidable to make his usually domineering father so wary.

At that moment, Yu Hang glanced subconsciously toward Zuo Wei, who was on her phone by the shrubbery.

She seemed troubled, her brows furrowed.

But the call ended quickly. As soon as she hung up, Zhou Xiaopang and a group of boys rushed up, undeterred. Zhou Xiaopang was the first, pleading, "Sui Yi, please, save the goddess Yan! Don’t let her get taken in by that playboy!"

Most girls couldn’t resist the charm of such a refined, elegant, and handsome man—especially one who drove a Ferrari. But a few sharp-witted girls could see through Li Run’s frivolity, like the top students or the formidable Lin Chuxiao.

As for the boys—united in their opinion, Li Run was a public enemy and an absolute playboy.

Sui Yi raised an eyebrow at this. Were they really worried about Yan Qingwu?

Did she really need their concern?

In terms of intellect, ten Li Runs together couldn’t best Miss Yan.

From the very first word he spoke, his eyes had already betrayed his character.

So easily exposed—clearly, his mind was not particularly keen.

At the very least, he should have kept his feelings hidden.

"Xiaopang, what are you saying? Sui Yi going to rescue Yan Qingwu... isn’t that like sending a lamb to the wolves?" Wang Xian frowned.

Yan Qingwu, at least, seemed to have some depth; Sui Yi, on the other hand—wouldn’t she be devoured instantly?

As the group began to bicker among themselves, Sui Yi glanced at Wang Xian and smiled, "It’s all right, I’ll go."

Wang Xian didn’t have time to stop her before Sui Yi was already walking over.

Yan Qingwu saw Sui Yi approach, relaxed and at ease, and asked softly, "Ready to go?"

She paused, then nodded with a smile. "Yes."

"Then let’s be on our way."

Sui Yi led the way without so much as looking at Li Run. Li Run frowned, signaling to Zhang Yang and his burly companions, who immediately stepped forward to block their path.

Zhang Yang reached out, intending to grab Sui Yi by the collar. He had long wanted to teach her a lesson—not for any real reason, just because he couldn’t stand the way she defied the role she was supposed to play.

If she belonged at the bottom, she should stay there with them!

In an instant, his hand was seized, his body lifted off the ground—

Boom!

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please support it with votes on Qidian; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.reading.com.)