Chapter 56: A Deskmate's Plea

After parting ways with Wang Gang, Zhang Pu returned to his rented apartment. Though it was already late, he suddenly remembered something and sent a WeChat message to Gao Lixia.

On one hand, he wanted to check on his subordinates—since Gao Lixia and her group were now, in a sense, under his wing. On the other, he meant to instruct her not to spread word at school about how he had impressed Lin Kai and the others at Starlight Entertainment City that night.

He wished to spend a period of low-key, peaceful days at Modern High. If he became too famous, it would all lose its meaning.

Gao Lixia was a clever woman. Though she was increasingly astonished by everything about Zhang Pu and failed to understand his deliberate modesty, she knew well enough to obey his wishes. If no one at school had provoked him, she herself would never have discovered just how formidable he truly was behind the scenes.

So, of course, she dared not disregard his instructions. Despite the late hour, she sent messages one by one to her own followers, warning them to strictly follow orders from above. Anyone caught gossiping would be in for a beating at school.

It was late in the night, but Zhang Pu still wasn’t sleepy.

Later that evening, Wang Gang transferred another sum of money to him. He had already sent money to Zhang Pu at Starlight Entertainment City earlier, but this time he said it was Lin Kai’s way of making amends.

Zhang Pu didn’t decline. He thought to himself: advancing in cultivation requires burning through cash anyway. Lin Kai was a man from the underworld—his money must have come by force and cunning. Such money, one should never turn away.

Now he had both the medicine and, seemingly, plenty of money. Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was all but assured.

In the end, Zhang Pu slept soundly and peacefully.

The next day at school, Zhang Pu didn’t expect his desk mate to suddenly ask him for a favor.

From early morning, he could tell Zheng Xiaoming seemed troubled.

It took Zheng Xiaoming a moment of hesitation before he finally stammered out, “Um… Zhang Pu, I… I’d like to ask you for a favor.”

“Go ahead,” Zhang Pu replied straightforwardly. “Need to borrow money?”

That last bit was a jest. He knew Zheng Xiaoming was unlikely to come to him for a loan.

“No,” Zheng Xiaoming answered, as expected. “I have a cousin who just transferred to this school…”

Hmm? Zhang Pu wondered to himself what this could possibly have to do with him.

Seeing Zheng Xiaoming hesitate, Zhang Pu kept silent, knowing his desk mate would explain further on his own.

“Um, Zhang Pu,” Zheng Xiaoming began again, faltering, “I know you’re actually very capable…”

“I’m very capable?” At this, Zhang Pu couldn’t help but interject, “How would you know that? Who told you?”

Zheng Xiaoming rolled his eyes at him. “I’m your desk mate—are you really going to shut me out like that? In this school, there are plenty of things people find out about in private.”

Zhang Pu laughed.

“All right, just tell me—what’s the matter exactly?”

He didn’t bother asking Zheng Xiaoming how he learned of his abilities. How much could the other boy really know? Besides, it seemed Zheng Xiaoming was also aware that Zhang Pu didn’t like being in the spotlight at school. Maybe Gao Lixia’s orders had circulated more widely than intended; perhaps everyone who knew of Zhang Pu’s prowess also knew to keep their mouths shut—because Zhang Pu didn’t like it otherwise.

“My cousin Ke Zhiyuan—someone’s looking to cause him trouble,” Zheng Xiaoming finally revealed.

He hadn’t explained the reason yet, but Zhang Pu thought: so it’s just this kind of petty matter.

He knew well that, at school, reporting such things to teachers was useless and would only make things worse. The scourge of school bullying! Nowadays, many schools were much like the outside world; people rarely went to the police, preferring to settle matters with help from those with connections to the underworld.

Zheng Xiaoming was no school bully and had no power to protect his cousin.

But he did have the ability to learn a few of his desk mate’s secrets.

“They said they’d make sure my cousin pays for it by tonight at the latest,” Zheng Xiaoming added in more detail.

“So tell me—which school bully is it?” Zhang Pu asked.

“Ye Xiaoting,” Zheng Xiaoming replied.

Ye Xiaoting? Not Zheng Furen or Gao Lixia. This Ye Xiaoting was said to be even more formidable than either of them, but Zhang Pu had never had any dealings with her. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he’d ever seen her. Perhaps they’d crossed paths on campus, but Zhang Pu’s deliberate low profile at Modern High meant he’d never learned her name.

“All right,” Zhang Pu said, agreeing at once.

That afternoon, after school, by the shade of the trees at a corner near the school gate, a few boys and girls waited, crouched like undercover police officers on a stakeout.

They really were waiting to grab someone.

There were four of them—two boys and two girls—with a small car parked nearby.

Before long, a student with delicate features and fair skin walked out of the school gate. Oblivious to the ambush, he headed down a tree-lined path toward the waiting group.

“Ke Zhiyuan, your desk mate wants to hang out. Why are you heading home alone?” As the fair-skinned student approached, the two boys leapt out, grabbing him and pulling him along, all the while loudly pretending familiarity.

“My desk mate? Who are you…?” The boy, none other than Ke Zhiyuan—Zheng Xiaoming’s cousin—began to protest, but his words were stifled as someone clapped a hand over his mouth.

“I’m your desk mate’s older brother!” one of the boys shouted for the benefit of passersby.

The two girls helped bundle Ke Zhiyuan into the car. One of them even called out, “We’re all schoolmates—too good to even join us for a get-together?”

Passersby heard and, seeing that all four were in school uniforms, assumed it was just students fooling around—nothing unusual at all. No one came over to intervene.

Ke Zhiyuan was quickly shoved into the car, which sped away.

Inside, the students who had grabbed him finally let go, but the two boys now flanked him tightly, while the two girls sat in front, one driving.

“What do you want? This is kidnapping!” Ke Zhiyuan protested, struggling in vain.

“Kidnapping?” one of the boys scoffed. “We’re all classmates from the same school—just inviting you to discuss something. How is that kidnapping?”