A Challenge?

The first-year Class One at Tiantou Technology Academy welcomed a new semester, and the students chatted among themselves.

Soon, the bell rang, and their new homeroom teacher walked into the classroom. The students immediately quieted down.

"I'll be your homeroom teacher this semester. Let me introduce myself: my surname is Jie, but you can all call me Brother Jie."

There was nothing special about the first class. They simply needed to appoint a class monitor and a vice monitor.

"Let's choose a class monitor and a vice monitor first, one boy and one girl. Does anyone want to nominate themselves?"

The homeroom teacher asked whether anyone wanted to volunteer. Chen Ming whispered:

"I remember class officers get extra points, right? Qianqiu, why don't you become class monitor?"

"Me, class monitor? What about you?"

"No thanks. I'm lazy."

Chen Ming and Dong Qianqiu whispered to each other across Lan Mengqin. Watching them chat as if she were a bridge between them, a symbol for anger appeared above Lan Mengqin's head.

"Lazybones, want to switch seats with me? Then you can flirt with Qianqiu more easily."

Lan Mengqin was still in a foul mood. After one vacation, Dong Qianqiu, who had once been so close to her, had been stolen away by Chen Ming.

Dong Qianqiu was clearly interacting with Chen Ming more often now, which made Lan Mengqin feel as if she were being cuckolded right in front of her face.

"What? Did that hurt your little heart?"

Chen Ming propped his head up with one hand and grinned. Lan Mengqin clenched her fists, her cheeks instantly flushing red. It felt like a mistress was brazenly showing off right in front of her.

"Qianqiu, look. I don't mind that you have a friend like Mengqin, but your sister Mengqin seems to mind that you have a friend like me. Isn't it obvious who's more accepting of you?"

Chen Ming gleefully fanned the flames. Caught off guard by being dragged into it, Dong Qianqiu hesitated, unsure what to say.

Lan Mengqin gritted her teeth, then slammed her forehead into Chen Ming like a rocket, knocking him to the floor.

The homeroom teacher could do nothing about the three troublemakers sitting in the front row, flagrantly breaking the rules. He really couldn't.

Chen Ming was ranked first in the year, Lan Mengqin second, and Dong Qianqiu third. These three little tyrants were crucial to his performance record.

"Ahem. Chen Ming, are you volunteering to be class monitor?"

There had been too much commotion. To cover up his awkwardness, the homeroom teacher asked Chen Ming, who had just gotten back to his feet.

At that, Chen Ming stood up and glanced at Lan Mengqin, who was watching with a delighted, entertained expression. Then he looked away and said:

"Teach, I'm not volunteering to be class monitor. But I nominate Dong Qianqiu."

"I agree!"

Lan Mengqin agreed too. Dong Qianqiu paused, then chose not to refuse. It would indeed be helpful to her.

"What do you think, Dong Qianqiu?"

"I'm willing to be class monitor."

That settled the class monitor position. Another boy became vice monitor. After class, the three of them got up one after another, and Dong Qianqiu began taking care of class business.

That included organizing the student list and assigning classroom cleaning duties. But the vice monitor, Mei Qian, looked eager to please as he said:

"Class monitor, leave the cleaning schedule to me."

"Hmm? Okay."

Dong Qianqiu instinctively took a step away from Mei Qian as he drew closer. Seeing that, a flash of envy appeared in his eyes.

After all, Chen Ming and Dong Qianqiu had been together when they arrived at the classroom door, even holding hands...

Damn it! That jerk was flirting with two beautiful girls at once. And after Chen Ming had been in the spotlight earlier and become the dream guy of so many female students, even the girls in their class admired him.

Mei Qian was so jealous he was turning purple. Seeing Chen Ming clearly waiting for Dong Qianqiu at the classroom door, with Lan Mengqin beside him, he spoke up at once:

"Chen Ming, you're number one, so you're in charge of cleaning the classroom today."

"Me?"

Chen Ming froze. He hadn't expected to be stuck cleaning right away. Mei Qian immediately nodded and said righteously:

"That's right. We're going in order. What, do you want to slack off and avoid contributing to the class?"

"Enough talk. Got it."

Chen Ming stretched, then sat back down. Neither Lan Mengqin nor Dong Qianqiu thought anything of it.

Taking turns cleaning was perfectly reasonable. After Dong Qianqiu organized the class schedule and sent it to the class group chat, she went to the doorway.

"Sister Mengqin."

"Qianqiu, let's go. We're not waiting for that guy."

"Huh?"

"Come on. Forget him."

Lan Mengqin pulled Dong Qianqiu away. Chen Ming stayed where he was, scrolling on his phone. Once most people had left, he went to the supply room to get a broom and a mop.

But when he got there, he found only one broom and one mop. Chen Ming was puzzled.

"Strange. Am I late? Have the broom and mop both been taken?"

He reached for the broom, only to find it was broken. Chen Ming frowned. No wonder nobody had taken it—it was broken.

But it didn't matter. He knew how to control several elements, so he could clean the classroom without a broom or mop.

Thinking that, Chen Ming turned back toward the classroom. But there was trash all over the floor, as if someone had deliberately thrown it there. He frowned and cursed loudly.

"Which son of a bitch with no shame threw trash around? Acting like somebody died. Fuck!"

Chen Ming cursed and hurled the vilest insults at whoever had littered in the classroom. He was already annoyed about having to clean, and someone picking a fight with him only made it worse.

The person who had done it on purpose immediately saw red. He put on a hat, closed the door, and opened the windows.

After making sure no one nearby could see him, Chen Ming's figure suddenly grew slender. He raised a delicate hand, and gusts of wind and streams of water swept in, forming a waterspout that washed through the entire classroom.

Then Chen Ming sent the dust and water out through the window, spilling them onto the landscaping below the teaching building.

Next, he used fire and wind elements to create hot air, drying the entire classroom in an instant.

The classroom was instantly spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. Chen Ming clapped his hands, feeling that something like this was a piece of cake for him.

After finishing, Chen Ming's appearance changed again, returning to a black-haired, black-eyed state.

Then he left the classroom and headed for the cafeteria. After lunch, Chen Ming returned to his dormitory and called out:

"My obedient sons! Did you miss me?"

"Holy crap! Son, quit messing around!"

"The son's back!"

His roommates immediately fired back one after another. Chen Ming smiled, not bothered at all. Their joking around was child's play to him.

"Heh, so how was everyone's vacation?"

Chen Ming sat down in his chair with a carefree grin. His roommates immediately began bragging.

"Same as always. We're not the people we used to be."

"Exactly. Old Chen, I feel like even you wouldn't be a match for me now."

"Is that so? Want to spar?"

"Maybe not. I'd hate to hurt you and damage our friendship."

The dormitory was quite lively. That afternoon, everyone sat in the classroom. As soon as Chen Ming sat down, he noticed something in his desk.

Curious, Chen Ming reached in and pulled out something that looked like a letter. Lan Mengqin's eyes immediately turned cold as she stared at the letter in his hand.

"Chen Ming, what's that...?"

Dong Qianqiu looked at the letter in Chen Ming's hand in confusion. It was white, with a little pink heart sealing the envelope.

"No idea. Let's see."

Curious, Chen Ming opened it. Lan Mengqin watched him coldly without saying a word.

"Chen Ming, don't leave after class this afternoon. Could you meet me on the west side of the woods? There's something I want to tell you."

He read the letter aloud without thinking. Lan Mengqin clenched her fists, unsure why she didn't want him to go.

Chen Ming was completely baffled. Who the hell was this? But before long, the bell rang again.

Soon class was over. Chen Ming stood up and straightened his clothes, then turned to them.

"Mengqin, Qianqiu, I have something to do. I'll head over first."

"What are you going to do? Go on your date? You sure are a busy man."

Lan Mengqin spoke with a sour edge to her voice. Chen Ming gave a small nod and replied:

"A hero can't run away at the last minute."

Just as Chen Ming was about to leave, Mei Qian stopped him and pointed at the classroom.

"You're responsible for cleaning all day today."

"Whatever. Move along and stop getting in the way of my cleaning."

Chen Ming sat back down. Lan Mengqin and Dong Qianqiu left. After going downstairs, the two of them headed for the woods instead of the cafeteria.

"Sister Mengqin, this doesn't look like the way to the cafeteria."

"The cafeteria can wait! Someone's about to steal your man, and you're thinking about food? Men really are all pigs! I'm going to show you what he's really like today."

Lan Mengqin spoke indignantly, then dragged Dong Qianqiu into the woods to hide.

A short while later, a girl came over. She had yellow hair and was quite pretty. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked a little nervous as she glanced around, as if waiting for someone.

"So she's the one who wants to confess to that womanizer? What terrible taste, falling for a scumbag like him."

Lan Mengqin's jealousy showed in every word. Hearing her, Dong Qianqiu's eyes widened.

"Sister Mengqin, what are you talking about? Confess to him?"

"Are you really clueless, or just pretending? The letter Chen Ming was holding just now was from this girl. It was a love letter."

Lan Mengqin looked at Dong Qianqiu, who was utterly bewildered, and hesitated. How could her friend be so clueless? Someone could steal her man, have two kids with him, and she still wouldn't know.

"A... a love letter!"

Dong Qianqiu felt as if lightning had struck her. Chen Ming had actually meant to accept the invitation! A wave of sourness washed over her, and she felt as though something important was about to leave her.

Memories of the times she had spent with Chen Ming and Di Qiu'er flashed through her mind. She had no family of her own, and during the month-long vacation, she had shared meals and a home with Chen Ming and Di Qiu'er.

Somewhere in her heart, she had already come to regard them as family—people she couldn't bear to be separated from. Dong Qianqiu murmured:

"That can't be... Chen Ming isn't that kind of person..."

"Qianqiu, are you still trying to fool yourself? Just watch. I'll expose him for what he is, then get justice for you."

Lan Mengqin's gaze sharpened. She was determined to bring the scumbag Chen Ming to justice and give that womanizer a good punishment. She'd stomp on his radish with her foot! She'd crush it!

Soon, as the three of them waited nervously, the sound of rustling leaves came from farther away. They immediately looked over and saw Chen Ming.

"I knew it, that womanizer... Qianqiu, let's go beat him up. We'll crush his radish together!"

Lan Mengqin was furious, fire blazing in her eyes as if she wanted to tear him limb from limb. Dong Qianqiu clenched her fist, but when she saw Chen Ming carrying a heavy hammer, she froze.

Why did he look so eager to fight? Maybe there was still hope! A glimmer of hope appeared in Dong Qianqiu's eyes. Perhaps things weren't what she had imagined.

Chen Ming looked at Lan Mengqin and Dong Qianqiu, who were hiding nearby, puzzled. Why were they hiding over there? Were they worried he might lose and had come to back him up?

As expected of my good bros! I've got to give them a like for this one.

At last, when the girl saw Chen Ming approaching, her heart began pounding. She hadn't expected her dream guy to actually show up. Did that mean she had a chance?!

The girl looked excited and was just about to say something when Chen Ming pointed his heavy hammer at her and said:

"So you're the one who told me not to leave after class? Looking for trouble, huh?"

His murderous opening line stunned all three girls. They were too dumbfounded to process it, and Chen Ming continued:

"I've got to hand it to you—you dared to challenge me. I respect your courage. But if you're the one who issued the challenge, I won't go easy on you."

As he spoke, Chen Ming hefted the heavy hammer and smashed it into a tree. The trunk snapped and crashed down with a thunderous boom. The girl's face went white with fear. She hurriedly called out to him to stop.

"Wait! I came to confess to you, not challenge you!"

At that, Chen Ming's hammer struck the ground with a boom. It blasted a crater two meters across and twenty centimeters deep into the ground, and the girl burst into tears.

"Confess?"

A question mark appeared above Chen Ming's head. Looking at her crying, he sneered:

"Ha, I get it. If you can beat me, it's a challenge; if you can't, it's a confession? Clever, but unfortunately, I've already seen through your little trick."

Chen Ming looked at her smugly, as if he were Conan himself. The girl hurriedly tried to explain:

"I didn't! I really do have a crush on you. I wanted to confess!"

"Then why are you crying? You're obviously scared by how strong I am, and you're still pretending? Face your judgment!"

"Nooo!!!"

The girl ran out of the woods in tears. Seeing her flee, Chen Ming sneered:

"You're afraid before the fight even starts? Running away without a battle! Pathetic!"

Hearing that, the girl cried even harder and ran faster.

Lan Mengqin stared blankly at Chen Ming's antics, her mind completely fried. Dong Qianqiu watched this absurd scene and couldn't help wanting to laugh. As expected of Chen Ming—a sigma male.

Chen Ming put away the heavy hammer, then turned to the two girls hiding nearby and called out:

"You two can stop hiding. My opponent already ran off."

"Uh... you really..."

Lan Mengqin came back to her senses, her expression turning strange as she stared at him. What had just happened was truly rare—completely absurd.

P.S. The first update for March 4, a big chapter of four thousand words.

P.S. Brothers, I've thought of a way: I can combine the contents of two chapters, so you'll only have to spend one chapter's worth of reading credits to read the contents of two chapters.