Chapter 57

Suddenly, Yu He felt incredibly wronged, and his nose began to tingle.

It was strange; he had never felt so aggrieved before.

In this world, as long as you are alive and breathing, everyone has their own sorrows and vexations. Compared to them, his minor problem of insomnia seemed hardly worth mentioning.

But Fu Yunzhe's embrace was so warm that, in an instant, Yu He felt as if he had suffered immensely, and all of these sorrows were worth sharing; he no longer needed to bear them alone.

Because Fu Yunzhe would listen, understand, and feel his pain.

Breathing in the scent of Fu Yunzhe, Yu He felt completely enveloped in his embrace, as if he had fallen into a soft cloud.

"Drinking myself to sleep isn't working," Yu He murmured, "My alcohol tolerance is just too high."

Fu Yunzhen gently wrapped his arms around Yu He's back, whispering, "Xiao He, I came too late."

Yu He blinked, feeling the warmth of Fu Yunzhen's body. "Hmm, you should have taken me away during the Mingdu Charity Gala. You always overthink, afraid that I wouldn't like it or wouldn’t want to, afraid that getting close to me would be bad for me... But the truth is, my life was already miserable without you."

Fu Yunzhen has never been a tender-hearted person, but when it comes to Yu He, his heart of stone would melt into water. He couldn’t bear to think about what kind of life his precious Xiao He, so carefree, heartless, and unresentful, had endured in the Yu family, causing him to lose sleep all night.

Yu He wouldn’t eat carrots and suffered severely from night blindness. How did his Xiao He survive through countless pitch-black nights?

Feeling Yu He nuzzle his forehead into the crook of his neck, Fu Yunzhen responded by planting a kiss on his hair, admitting, "It's my fault. I always overthink things."

If he had taken this step the day he first met Yu He, they would have had a whole year to travel around before his car accident, visiting all the places Yu He wished to see.

They could go to the Northern Frontier, to the Southern Yunnan, to the deserts, to the snowy mountains.

They could run freely in the spring breeze from south to north, and swim carefreely in the rapid currents of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

Beneath the vast and boundless Chole Plains, they could gallop wildly among herds of cattle and sheep, watching as the cloud-like flocks of sheep slowly dispersed into the green fields, laughing heartily amidst the scent of the grass under the eternal sky.

By the Lushan Waterfall, which falls like the Milky Way, they could leap from a paraglider, embracing each other, listening to the howling winds rushing past their ears, confessing their innermost feelings in the thrill of life and death.

If Fu Yunzhen had realized and understood sooner, he could have healed Yu He amidst the myriad of landscapes in China. Instead, like now, all he could do was hold Yu He in his arms, unable to do anything but hold him tightly.

A sense of panic suddenly surged in Fu Yunzhen's heart.

When one has someone they wish to protect in their heart, fear will inevitably arise in everyone.

It is both a dragon's scale and an Achilles' heel, both invincible and tender.

In the game that Yu He particularly enjoys playing, there are numerous heroes: burst assassins, sustained damage marksmen, and protective supports.

Yu He always says that playing the assassin who takes out the enemy's damage dealer is the most difficult, but Fu Yunzhen believes that playing the support role is actually the hardest.

Charging into a crowd to kill one person is challenging, but protecting someone in the midst of chaos is even more difficult.

Over the years, Fu Yunzhen has been resolute and decisive, known for his ruthless methods in the world of finance.

Whether in life or work, he has never considered the concept of a 'retreat'.

Before meeting Yu He, reading "The Annals of Xiang Yu" left Fu Yunzhen deeply moved and inspired.

Xiang Yu's tactic of breaking his pots and sinking his boats exemplified his determination to succeed or die trying.

Fu Yunzhen was able to become a prominent figure in the finance world at a young age, tightly gripping the economic lifeline, all thanks to this ruthless determination.

However, after meeting Yu He, his feelings towards Xiang Yu have completely changed.

Xiang Yu’s suicide at Wujiang River signifies that his decisiveness led to his downfall.

Fu Yunzhen can no longer follow in Xiang Yu’s footsteps; now, he only wishes to be like Emperor Tang Minghuang, indulging in life’s pleasures with Yu He and embracing the mortal world together.

No, even Emperor Tang Minghuang isn't a good example. At the Ma Wei Slope, he couldn’t protect his concubine, just as Xiang Yu couldn’t protect Consort Yu at Wujiang River.

They are all failures.

Thinking about it, it seems like the famous historical stories of devotion and deep affection often don’t have happy endings.

Hence the saying: Deep love is short-lived; fate is unpredictable.

Fu Yunzhen’s gaze is dark and profound.

Perhaps it’s truly impossible to resist fate; therefore, before fate takes its course, he plans to cherish his little immortal crane even more.

All those who cause trouble for their relationship...

Will personally experience what real trouble is.

*

The Rhine Other Shore is a five-star chain hotel, renowned for its high-quality service and excellent privacy.

It is the preferred accommodation choice for many wealthy celebrities when they are away from home.

Yet, such a prestigious hotel has made the headlines due to a brawl.

In the news, a woman tearfully recounts, “My husband is a manager at a live-streaming company, and he has an improper relationship with a female streamer surnamed Lang from the same company. Today is Sunday; we had planned to take our son to the planetarium together. However, he left in a hurry after receiving a phone call. I sensed something was off, so I drove after him and found out that he came to the Rhine Other Shore to meet that woman!”

The camera then shifts, showing footage of the exterior of the Rhine Hotel. Amid finely trimmed greenery and artistic architectural structures, the voiceover explains:

“The Rhine Other Shore Hotel is a well-known five-star hotel in S City. When Mrs. Wu arrived at the hotel and inquired at the front desk about her husband’s room, she was refused on the grounds of customer privacy. Even after Mrs. Wu presented her marriage certificate with Mr. Feng, the front desk still denied her request. An angry Mrs. Wu, feeling helpless, called the police.”

A police officer from the XX Police Station explained to the reporters, “Mrs. Wu was extremely agitated when she called the police. To prevent any rash actions on her part, we immediately dispatched a team. My two colleagues and I were en route to the Rhine Other Shore when the command center informed us of a brawl at the hotel. One of the parties involved in the altercation was Mrs. Wu’s husband, Mr. Feng.”

The screen switches back to the host, a man in a suit, who says, “As it turns out, Mr. Feng had long-term rented a room at the Rhine Other Shore Hotel. Upon investigation, he was found to have frequent private meetings in the hotel with Ms. Lang, a female streamer from his company. Ms. Lang had been living in this room for an extended period, with all her living expenses charged to the room, which Mr. Feng would settle every month. At this point, it seemed like just another ordinary extramarital affair. So how did it escalate to a physical altercation in the hotel? Let’s continue and find out.”

The next shot shows a chaotic hotel room, looking as if a tornado has swept through, with items strewn everywhere.

The voiceover adds, “After communicating with Mr. Feng, he finally explained to the police the reason behind the fight.”

A modified voice then speaks up.

Mr. Feng: “I was deceived by that woman, Lang (beep sound to censor the name). When I first met her, she said she was single, and that her parents had been injured at a construction site. She came to S City alone to work as a streamer to earn money for their medical bills. I found her quite pitiable and took good care of her at the company. Once, when I was on a business trip to S City and staying at this hotel, she said she wanted to bring me some local products, and then... one thing led to another, and we developed feelings for each other.”

Reporter: "So what brought you to the hotel today, and how did it escalate to a fight?"

Mr. Feng: "Primarily, I wanted to discuss work matters. Her live-streaming channel was banned due to spreading false accusations and slander, which is illegal. I mainly wanted to talk to her about this issue. Little did I expect that upon swiping my key card and opening the door, I would find her naked in bed with another man. In the heat of the moment, I ended up fighting with the man."

Reporter: "Who was that man?"

Mr. Feng: "I don’t know him; he might be the top patron in her live-streaming room."

Reporter: "What does ‘top patron’ mean?"

Mr. Feng: "It refers to the person who has sent the most gifts in her live-streaming room, ranking first on the leaderboard of donations. It’s commonly referred to as the 'number one'. Some streamers imply that sending a certain amount of gifts could earn you their WeChat contact, a dinner date, and so on. But I never expected her to be that kind of person."

Reporter: "What kind of person?"

Mr. Feng: "Someone who would sell their body for money."

At this point, the footage stops, cutting back to the studio.

The host, with a furrowed brow and thoughtful expression, says: "No one expected that behind this brawl lay so many complex grievances and grudges. Spending money on gifts in exchange for a streamer’s WeChat contact, inviting them to dinner, or even engaging in inappropriate relationships with the so-called 'number one patron.'"

The other host nods in agreement, adding: "Indeed, behind this minor conflict lies a vast social disparity. We can’t help but question: where is the bottom line for live streaming? Beyond rewarding streamers with money, where is the line drawn when engaging in sexual relationships mediated by money? To delve deeper into this issue, we've invited Professor Zhang from the Law Department of XX University of Political Science and Law. Professor Zhang, what’s your take on this matter?"

Professor Zhang: "Hello to the hosts and our viewers at home..."

Lowering the volume of the television, the audience in the living room, Yu He, is completely stunned.

The TV program is excellently edited with a gripping pace, pulling Yu He deep into the storyline. Only after watching the entire story does he react, "Is the streamer Ms. Lang mentioned here Lang Tong?"

Fu Yunzhe appears disinterested, seemingly indifferent to such societal gossip: "I'm not quite sure."

"This is truly justice from above." Yu He leaned on the sofa, sighing with emotion: "Just a couple of days ago, this woman was crying in her live stream, accusing me of being a mistress. Today, her true face has been revealed by the TV station. This is so satisfying."

Fu Yunzheng remained expressionless: "As long as you feel relieved."

On the Douya platform, Ang Tong's live streaming account has been bombarded by netizens. Those who were once used by her realized they were fooled, and the backlash was exceptionally strong.

[Hot Comment: Who's really being a mistress here? Who is unclear about their relationship with the top streamer? Turns out it’s all your own doing. No wonder you told the story so convincingly, as if it were true.]

[Hot Comment: I can only say that the wicked will get their retribution. The internet is not a lawless land. Using the internet to spread rumors and defame, inciting personal attacks on @Yu He, now it's your turn. How does it feel?]

[Hot Comment: I watched the live stream between Ang Tong and Yu He. To be honest, Yu He was very polite. Ang Tong made him hold a Red Bull can upside down until his palms bled, and he didn't complain. Later, even though he had more votes, he didn’t make it difficult for Ang Tong. Yet, she still relentlessly went after Yu He. Who is the sore loser here? I spoke up for Yu He when he was being slandered across the internet, and Ang Tong's fans chased me down and cursed at me dozens of times. It just goes to show, the kind of host will have the kind of fans.]

The accusations Ang Tong once made against Yu He were not substantiated at all, while her actions have been reported on by the TV station!

This is irrefutable proof!

Now, even Ang Tong’s fans have quieted down. On one hand, they act as if nothing has happened, pretending all is well; on the other hand, they are frantically deleting previous comments where they cursed Yu He, fearing that these comments will be dug out and traced back to their accounts.

Although the TV station blurred out the images, netizens familiar with Ang Tong's live streaming account were able to identify her through the color blocks. Besides, Ang Tong's surname is quite rare, and with a staggering 20 million followers, she is indeed a top streamer.

Unlike Yu He's fans, who are primarily attracted by his looks, Ang Tong's live stream donations come from people of all ages. Her fanbase spans a wide age range. If Yu He appeared on TV, it's uncertain whether he would attract as many viewers.

Many older women and aunts who followed Ang Tong's fitness dance classes are loyal viewers of the social news segment!

Now Ang Tong has provoked public anger. The Douya platform immediately issued a notice, permanently banning Ang Tong's live streaming room, announcing the termination of the contract with her, and reserving the right to take legal action for breach of contract.

Feng Bin, as the manager of Douya Live Streaming, brought significant negative impact to the Douya platform due to personal reasons. The Douya Live Streaming platform has also announced his dismissal.

Feng Bin's wife has also taken Feng Bin and Ang Tong to court, citing the ‘confirmation of the invalidity of the contract dispute.’ As Feng Bin disposed of the couple’s joint property without his spouse’s permission, his wife is requesting the court to legally confirm the invalidity of Feng Bin’s gift to Ang Tong and is demanding that Ang Tong return all the property.

Below Feng Bin’s apartment, in a coffee shop.

The lawyer, dressed in a sharp suit, exuded reliability. He took the power of attorney from Mrs. Feng's hands, "Mrs. Wu, please rest assured. After filing the lawsuit, I will apply to the presiding judge for a lawyer's investigation order to scrutinize all the transaction records of Mr. Feng, Ms. An Tong, and your joint bank accounts, as well as your WeChat and Alipay accounts. Every penny Mr. Feng has spent on Ms. An Tong, I will help you recover in full."

Mrs. Feng nodded, her hands cradling a warm cup of coffee, she hesitated before speaking, "Thank you, Attorney Zhao. I haven't worked since getting married. The remaining legal fees will have to wait until we've recovered these funds..."

Attorney Zhao smiled reassuringly, "Mrs. Wu, please do not worry. The legal fees have already been covered by someone else. My presence here is solely to assist you in resolving these troubles and to fight for your rights. Please leave all other concerns to me."

Gratitude filled Mrs. Feng’s face, "Yes, after the exposé by the television station, many kind-hearted netizens have left messages encouraging me. I’ve made up my mind now; I want to distance myself from the scum and the vile woman. Enduring it is futile; they will only become more brazen... Oh, right, may I ask if you could tell me who was so kind to cover the legal fees for me?"

Attorney Zhao adjusted his glasses, “It was a benevolent netizen, last name Fu.”

Mrs. Feng brought her hands together in a gesture of thanks, “I am so grateful. Please be sure to convey my thanks to Mr. Fu...”

Attorney Zhao replied, “Mr. Fu.”

Mrs. Feng, “Right, please send my thanks to Mr. Fu.”

Meanwhile, An Tong was also consulting with a lawyer.

An Tong had been embroiled in lawsuits recently. Mrs. Feng had sued her, the Douya live-streaming platform had sued her for breach of contract, and her talent agency had done the same. Feng Bin was nowhere to be found and refused to meet her. The top patron from her live-streaming days, who had made an appearance in the news because of her, had even been beaten up. The fact that he hadn’t taken revenge on her was already showing extreme restraint.

An Tong had indeed earned a considerable sum from live streaming, but facing the hefty penalties for breaching contracts with both companies, she was utterly incapable of paying.

After reviewing An Tong’s contracts, the lawyer said bluntly, “I must speak frankly; I recommend that you seek an out-of-court settlement with both companies. I seldom give this advice, but honestly, given the terms of these contracts, you would have a hard time winning either case in court.”

An Tong felt a pang in her heart, “But these are unfair terms! The money I've earned isn't even enough to pay them off.”

The lawyer nodded, “That’s why I’m suggesting a settlement. You agreed to these terms when you signed the contracts with the live-streaming companies, asserting your full civil capacity. Every word you signed bears legal weight. You can't just refuse to acknowledge it now. To put it bluntly, if you think these terms are unfair, why did you sign the contract in the first place?”

An Tong’s voice quivered as she spoke, “I... I never thought I would breach the contract.”

The lawyer stated, "Everyone who signs a contract never expects to breach it. But if truly believing that one won't breach a contract could prevent it from happening, then half of the law firms in the world would probably go out of business. Speaking of the penalty fees for breaching Douya Live-Streaming’s contract, one hundred thousand is indeed a large sum. However, considering the income you've provided, these penalties fall within a reasonable range. After all, had you not breached the contract, Douya platform could have earned much more than that from their share of your gifts. This is an unavoidable expense."

An Tong couldn’t help but bury her face in her hands, breaking into tears. She had used the money earned from live-streaming to make a down payment on a house, and she still had monthly mortgage payments to make. Hearing the lawyer’s words, the possibility that her newly purchased house might be seized and auctioned off if she couldn't pay the penalty became all too real.

All her efforts would be in vain.

Regret couldn't begin to describe what An Tong felt inside. If only she hadn’t targeted Yu He during her live-stream, her channel wouldn't have been banned, Feng Bin wouldn’t have come to the hotel that day, and Feng Bin's wife wouldn't have found out.

If only she had stopped sooner, even just a little sooner, none of this would have happened.

The lawyer’s next words sent chills down her spine.

He continued, “However, in my opinion, the penalty fee is the least of your concerns. The immeasurable damage your scandal has caused to the live-streaming platform is the real issue. As for how much they will sue you for this loss, it’s really hard to say.”

*

In mid-April, the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine conducted its routine mid-term exams.

Yu He scored the highest in both theory and practice in massage studies. He abided by the rules in traditional Chinese medicine studies, but he gave up on acupuncture.

Director Zheng of the acupuncture department made a call to Shen Han.

Director Zheng said, “Uncle Shen, I can’t teach the student you recommended.”

Shen Han was not surprised, “Is it the Fu family’s kid? It’s not surprising that you can’t teach him.”

Director Zheng clarified, “The Fu family? I'm talking about Yu He, the good-looking kid who transferred here this semester.”

Shen Han responded, “Yes, that’s him. He faints at the sight of needles. Don’t worry about him for now. I happen to be going to Fengcheng to give a lecture next week; I’ll meet him then. The Fu family's kid has been praising him like he's a flower. Hey, Zheng, you just mentioned he's good-looking; how good-looking are we talking here?”

Director Zheng was left speechless...

People often say "elderly children," but this elder uncle of mine seems to be getting younger by the day. In the field of acupuncture and massage, he's encountered a student who can't learn acupuncture, yet all he cares about is what the kid looks like.

At his age, he's surprisingly curious, even wondering what Fu Yunzheng's spouse looks like.

Is that really important?

The Fu family and the Shen family have been family friends for generations, their friendship dating back to the time of the Republic of China.

Strictly speaking, in terms of seniority, Fu Yunzheng should address Shen Han as his grandfather, and he has indeed watched him grow up since he was a child.

Fu Yunzheng's grandfather passed away early, and so did his father. Shen Han, therefore, couldn't help but pay extra attention to this child. Two years ago, when Fu Yunzheng had a car accident and suffered damage to his lumbar spinal cord, resulting in paraplegia, Shen Han flew overnight to personally diagnose and treat Fu Yunzheng, applying acupuncture in the hospital.

However, the young man was too impatient. He always rushed into surgery before his body had fully recovered. After the third surgery, his condition was even worse than before the operations, which frustrated Shen Han so much that he left in a huff.

People who are too impatient cannot appreciate the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In Shen Han’s opinion, there was still hope for Fu Yunzheng’s legs. The recovery of the spinal nerves takes time, and so does settling into the right mindset.

Haste makes waste.

Calculating the time, if his judgment was correct, the young man from the Fu family should show signs of improvement this spring. He postponed his public class from March to April, intending to see the situation for himself.

At his age, would he really hold a grudge against a young kid?

As a descendant of an old friend, he felt an obligation to look after him.

Shen Han asked his nephew, “What does this kid actually look like, and what’s his personality like?”

Director Zheng sighed, “Uncle, he has never attended my class, so I don’t know about his personality. I’ve only seen him once in passing in the hallway. But I can tell you, he is really handsome, like a clear breeze under the bright moon, dazzling and overwhelming. If you come to the school, you would definitely recognize him in a crowd, no matter how many people are there.”

The discussion can go both ways.

Under the clear, breezy sky and bright moon, the dazzling Yu He, currently blindfolded, gently sniffed a medicinal herb held close to his nose.

Liang Ran asked him, “Can you identify it by smell?”

Yu He, wearing an eye mask with a frog design, slightly tilted his head and said, “It smells like a herb, dry, with a bitter and pungent taste, and it feels cold. Is it Viola yedoensis?”

Liang Ran smiled triumphantly, turned around to address the other classmates, and said, “I told you Yu He is a genius.”

Yu He took off his eye mask and saw that the herb in Liang Ran’s hand was indeed Viola yedoensis.

Wang Guangbin also closed his eyes and sniffed the Viola yedoensis, but he couldn’t identify it. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Yu He, your nose is even more sensitive than a dog’s.”

Yu He smiled and said, “Well, that's one way to put it. Dogs don’t need to distinguish between different medicinal herbs. I remember their shapes, but I can’t remember them all; they are either grass or roots and look almost the same. There are hundreds of herbs; how can I possibly distinguish them all?”

After several tests, the other classmates were already seventy to eighty percent convinced of Yu He’s ability to ‘identify herbs by smell,’ a skill they had only seen on TV before. They were excited and thrilled to witness it in real life, and gathered around Yu He for more tests of his olfactory skills.

Yu He put the eye mask back on, and good-naturedly allowed them to continue their tests.

Another classmate leaned on the desk, sighed, and said, “In the major of Chinese medicine, it’s the dogs who refuse to study. And yet, here I am, surrounded by these genius classmates.”

Liang Ran leaned back in his chair, saying, “Last time we went to Beijing to participate in the Simiao Cup Chinese Medicine Knowledge Contest, we lost a lot of points in the ‘herb debate’ section. This time, even if we don’t win an award with Yu He, at least we won’t be embarrassed.”

"Damn," a male classmate stood up excitedly, "Identifying herbs blindfolded during a competition? That's just too cool."

Yu He, slightly embarrassed by all the praise, coughed lightly and said, “I'm not great at memorizing other knowledge; this is just something I'm good at.”

Yang Yuqing glanced at Yu He, bowed her head, and started filling out the registration form, “Yu He, I’ll sign you up for the team competition. Are you interested in participating in the individual competition? You can just take part in the herb identification section. The prize money isn’t much, but even the third prize is 2000 yuan.”

Suddenly, Liu Ruitong sneered, “I suppose 2000 yuan is nothing to Young Master Yu. Class leader, each team in the group competition can only have four members, and our class has ten students. Even if we split into two groups, two students won’t be able to participate. Yu He just transferred to our school this semester and has never attended a single acupuncture class. Even if he is strong in herb identification, isn’t it a bit subjective to just put him on the team like that?”

Yang Yuqing's hand paused slightly as she was writing, and she looked up, disoriented, toward Liu Ruitong.

Being the class leader was no easy task, but fortunately, their class was small, and the classmates were mostly easygoing. Any minor difficulties could be resolved through a quick discussion with her roommates and a bit of mutual help.

Yang Yuqing never expected that the first person to disagree with her on participating in the Simiao Cup competition would be Liu Ruitong. They used to be in the same group, and he had even pursued her once. Even if he didn’t offer his help, it shouldn’t have come to this…

Yang Yuqing had a rather gentle personality; every time she had a disagreement with someone, she had a lot to say but couldn’t express it. As soon as she started speaking, her voice would take on a crying tone. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't control it; it was like a reflex.

Over time, she tried her best to avoid arguments with others.

Seeing that Yang Yuqing remained silent, her roommate Li Mengmeng couldn’t bear it any longer and directly retorted, “Last year, our class barely managed to form one team with fifteen people. This year, we only have ten. Where are we supposed to find enough people for two teams? The notice for the Simiao Cup competition was sent to the group last week, and until now, not a single person has signed up. Are you going? If you are, I’ll help you fill out the registration form right now.”

Participating in the competition required a trip to Beijing and was partially self-funded.

Everyone knew that they would likely only make it through one or two rounds of the competition, especially the freshmen and sophomores, whose basic knowledge definitely couldn’t compare to that of the seniors and fifth-year students who were about to or already had started their clinical internships.

But after all, it was a national competition, and forfeiting would be too shameful. Every time, it was extremely difficult to gather people to go and be cannon fodder. It wasted time and money, and it was embarrassing.

Today, Yang Yuqing had gathered the classmates for a class meeting with the aim of motivating everyone to participate in the competition. Yu He had not refused to participate; they just needed to choose three more unlucky ones, and that would be enough. If someone volunteered, everyone would be too happy to care, and no one would feel that Yu He was taking their spot.

Everyone knew this very well. Liang Ran had also talked to Yu He about this and had promised to go with him, bringing along Wang Guangbin to form a brotherhood team.

If no one participated in the Simiao Cup competition this time, Yang Yuqing would ultimately have to pull people in and participate herself. That time when Yu He left the classroom so openly and grandly, it resulted in Yang Yuqing being scolded by the teacher, which made both Yu He and Liang Ran feel quite embarrassed. This competition was a good opportunity for them to help Yang Yuqing make up the numbers and repay the favor.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ruitong suddenly stood up in opposition.

Yang Yuqing steadied her emotions and asked, “Liu Ruitong, are you participating in the Simiao Cup then?”

Liu Ruitong sneered, “Even if I participate, I won’t be in the same team as someone like Yu He.”

Having been targeted repeatedly, Yu He couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. He looked up at Liu Ruitong, “What kind of person do you think I am?”

The atmosphere suddenly tensed up.

Liang Ran wrapped an arm around Yu He’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring pat, “It’s okay, don’t get angry. We’re not even on the same team as him.”

Wang Guangbin furrowed his brows, “Liu Ruitong, your words are unnecessary. Nobody is forcing you to be on our team. If you want to form your own team, go ahead. The competition doesn’t limit the number of teams. Is there really a need for such passive-aggressiveness here?”

Yang Yuqing gripped her pen tightly, picked up another blank registration form, and asked Liu Ruitong, “Are you signing up?”

Liu Ruitong took the registration form from Yang Yuqing’s hand, “Yes, I am.”

A competition team required four people. With Yu He, Liang Ran, Wang Guangbin, and now Liu Ruitong, they had exactly four. Even if Liu Ruitong said he didn’t want to be on the same team as Yu He, when it came time to divide the groups later due to a lack of participants, they would automatically be grouped together.

Liang Ran also didn’t want to be on the same team as Liu Ruitong. Before Yu He transferred to their school, Liu Ruitong had been quite normal. The three of them, including Yang Yuqing, worked well together without sensing any awkwardness from Liu Ruitong.

Ever since Yang Yuqing turned down Liu Ruitong’s romantic advances, he seemed to have become a different person.

Truly, the pains of unrequited love can drive one mad.

Liang Ran stood up and said, “Currently, Yu He, Wang Guangbin, and I make up three people. Is there anyone else who wants to join our group?”

Among the remaining students, besides three girls including Yang Yuqing, there were three boys who were Liu Ruitong’s roommates. They wouldn’t participate in the competition just for Liu Ruitong’s sake, but they also didn’t want to get involved in the conflict between the two men. After all, they lived in the same dormitory, and it’s impossible to avoid seeing each other. They all decided to stay neutral.

Another boy, Jiang Qi, was Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin’s roommate. He was a severe introvert and a wallflower, even stuttering when talking to strangers. Seeing everyone’s eyes suddenly on him, he visibly tensed up.

Liang Ran withdrew his gaze, choosing not to pressure his pitiable roommate.

At that moment, Yang Yuqing stood up, “Liang Ran, I’ll be on your team. Now, we have a full group.”

Liu Ruitong’s face flushed red suddenly, as if he had just been slapped across the face. He clenched the registration form in his hand tightly, the edges of the paper crinkling from the pressure.

Finally having enough members to form a team, everyone else let out a sigh of relief.

“Is there anything else?” A boy put his phone back in his pocket. “I haven’t done my Ideological and Political Theory homework yet. If there's nothing else, I’ll go back and work on it.”

Yang Yuqing nodded, “All set then. Meeting adjourned.”

In their class, this was the count; Yu He’s group of four had formed a team, Yang Yuqing's other two dorm mates wouldn’t be participating in the Simiao Cup, Jiang Qi was a definite no, and Liu Ruitong could only possibly mobilize his own roommates.

But Liu Ruitong knew that nobody would accompany him to the Simiao Cup. He couldn’t understand why Yu He, who had only transferred to the school a little over a month ago, had better social connections than he did.

The blank registration form in his hand seemed to mock him, fueling his anger. He tore it up and turned to leave.

Yu He lazily stood up from his seat, stepping aside to block his path, “Dude, you just ripped up a perfectly good piece of paper and left it all over the floor. Who do you expect to clean up after you?”

Liang Ran: "......"

Wang Guangbin: "......"

They exchanged glances, finding disbelief in each other’s eyes.

Yu He hadn’t been at the school for long, always heading home right after classes. Other than the classroom and the cafeteria, he was nowhere to be found. They had shared a few meals and played basketball a couple of times, but Yu He never put on airs.

Once, when playing basketball with another department, someone had even asked Yu He about a post on the forum. Yu He didn’t get angry; he simply admitted that he indeed had a boyfriend.

The guy pressed on, asking if his boyfriend's surname was Fu.

Yu He just smiled, nodded, and acknowledged it.

That guy, being quite forward, sat down next to Yu He beneath the basketball hoop, asking, “Is he the one with the health issues?”

At that moment, even Liang Ran felt a bit awkward, as he took the person away with an arm around his shoulder. When he returned, he didn’t notice any signs of unhappiness on Yu He’s face.

Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin were both there at that time. After returning to the dormitory, they even commented that Yu He had a really good temper and didn’t act like a rich kid at all, making him an easy person to get along with.

Liu Ruitong had targeted Yu He covertly several times before, but Yu He didn’t seem to take it to heart. Today’s sudden outburst showed that Yu He wasn’t without temper; he had simply chosen to ignore Liu Ruitong before.

Liu Ruitong crossed his arms and looked at Yu He with an impatient expression: “What? Do you have a problem with that?”

Normally at times like this, Yu He would have already taught the other party a lesson physically.

He clenched his fists, recalling his previous promise to Fu Yunzhe to avoid getting into fights.

Yu He put his hands back into the pockets of his down jacket: “I don’t understand what you have against me. Have I ever offended you?”

Liu Ruitong sized up Yu He from head to toe, a dry smirk playing at the corners of his lips: “Fengcheng University isn't Shangshufang (a place for noble learning). Some people may be willing to flatter you and keep you company like a prince in his study, but do I have to do the same?”

Liu Ruitong’s gaze shifted past Yu He, glaring at Liang Ran: “Liang Ran, you used to boast about your talent and never joined us for group practice. Your major is indeed impressive, I give you that, and I truly respect you for it. But I don’t understand why even you would stoop to amuse and flatter this young master. Is it really that enjoyable for you?”

Liang Ran is indeed proficient in his major, providing unique insights during class discussions and group studies. However, he has always been one to attend classes and leave right after, never going to study rooms or joining study groups, even generously giving up his spot to let Liu Ruitong and Yang Yuqing practice together.

Liu Ruitong originally thought that Liang Ran, as a top student, simply had no common interests with them, the average students.

This was until this semester when Yu He transferred in, and Liang Ran showed incredible patience towards Yu He, who couldn’t even recite the 720 acupoints of the human body.

Why would this be, if not for Yu He’s wealth?

Hearing Liu Ruitong’s accusations, Liang Ran’s face suddenly turned cold: “Yu He might have joined us recently, but his talent is no less than mine. However, I don’t owe you an explanation for why I choose to be friends with him. But if it really bothers you that much, I can tell you why I don’t want to be friends with you. It’s because you blame others for every little thing that doesn’t go your way. Being friends with you is just too exhausting.”

Wang Guangbin stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Yu He and Liang Ran: “You’ve been spreading rumors about Yu He on the forums and making things difficult for him in front of the entire class today. We are going to be classmates for four years; it’s not good to keep this up.”

For all these years, Yu He has always been the one to stand in the front during fights. This was the first time someone else had shielded him.

Wang Guangbin was tall and sturdy, resembling a small hill. Yu He thought that he must have been some kind of school or class tyrant in high school due to his imposing presence. However, when Wang Guangbin finally spoke, he merely said “This isn’t right,” a statement that clearly came from a genuinely honest person pushed to the brink.

But this honest person was stirred up because of him, Yu He.

Wang Guangbin usually had a cheerful demeanor, and his student number happened to be 2, so sometimes his classmates would jokingly call him “Second Senior Brother.” Wang Guangbin never took offense.

Such a genuinely good person had stood up for Yu He.

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.

Yu He told himself in his heart that he couldn’t think about it any longer; otherwise, he would be moved to tears.

If he cried at this moment, they would definitely think he was being bullied by Liu Ruitong and crying about it. Then, he, Yu He, would have to carry his motorcycle and leave for Yunsu overnight, vowing not to return to Fengcheng for fifty years.

But damn, his nose was so sore. Holy shit.

Yu He tilted his head back to look at the ceiling.

Seeing that both Wang Guangbin and Liang Ran were standing by Yu He’s side, Liu Ruitong didn’t say anything more. He snorted coldly, “A person who faints at the sight of needles, attending a few days of classes in acupuncture and massage, isn’t truly here to learn. He’s just messing around. Don’t take him too seriously.”

After saying that, Liu Ruitong gave Yu He one last look and turned to leave.

Yu He didn’t pay him any more attention, squatting down to pick up the torn pieces of paper. Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin also squatted down to help him. There weren’t many pieces on the floor, and with six hands working together, they quickly cleaned it all up.

Liang Ran put an arm around Yu He’s shoulder: “Ah, our Young Master Yu truly has high standards.”

Yu He shook his head: “It’s just a small effort. Besides, it would be quite disheartening for the cleaning lady to come in and see paper all over the floor.”

Standing up together, Liang Ran said to Yu He: “Don’t take it to heart. We all know you're not here to mess around. I’ll send you the question bank for the Simiao Cup competition later. Let's prepare well together and strive to win a prize to throw back in his face.”

Yu He walked out of the classroom and took out his phone to check the time. "I'm not angry. Come on, I'll treat you guys to a meal. What would you like to eat?"

"How about hot pot?" Wang Guangbin suggested. "There's a new all-you-can-eat revolving hot pot place that just opened by the school gate, 39.9 yuan per person."

Yu He chuckled, "Eating hot pot sounds great, but can I, Young Master Yu, treat you to a 39.9 yuan hot pot? It should be at least 59.9 yuan."

Liang Ran also laughed, "Young Master Yu, you're out of touch. A 59.9 yuan hot pot place wouldn’t survive by the school gate. 39.9 yuan is already high-end here; the small hot pot in the school canteen is 19.9 yuan per person."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked out of the teaching building.

The setting sun cast long shadows behind them, and under the warm, orange afterglow, they were the very picture of youth at its finest.

When they reached the school gates and passed by a supermarket, Yu He suddenly had a brainwave: "How about coming to my place to eat?"

Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin had no objections, and the group made their way through the supermarket, pushing a shopping cart before finally leaving with bags big and small.

Yu He's home was very clean. Uncle Zhang had arranged for the property management company to send a cleaning service every two days. Since Yu He didn’t cook, there were only some clothes piled on the sofa that he hadn't gotten around to putting away yet.

Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin, both medical students, immediately realized upon entering Yu He's home that the various facilities and fittings around the walls and beside the dining table were all installed for Yu He's boyfriend.

There was a foldable wheelchair placed at the entrance. Fu Yunzhe's wheelchair was custom-made and a bit wider than regular wheelchairs. The flat layout of this place couldn't compare to the spaciousness of their villa in Yunsu, so moving around in the room was more convenient with this narrower wheelchair. Fu Yunzhe would switch to this regular wheelchair when he occasionally stayed over.

The regular wheelchair was somewhat narrow with a weight capacity of 200kg. While indeed convenient, the only downside was...

Yu He could no longer squeeze into the wheelchair to kiss Fu Yunzhe.