A Brief Clash

Bang!

A translucent wall of ice stood between them.

It blocked Sudo Ken's violent attack.

Glancing at the lingering chill on his hand, Sudo Ken's anger, still unsoothed, instantly flared up.

"Good. Now I can beat you up without holding back. Don't think I won't flatten you just because you're Shi Cheng's woman!"

Horikita Suzune furrowed her delicate brows.

She could not pretend she had not heard that.

Even if those words had come from Sudo Ken, a man with well-developed limbs and muscles all over his body.

People had to take responsibility for what they said.

She simply did not have time to question Shi Cheng right now, or she would have exploded already.

Just how had Shi Cheng persuaded them to come here?

If he had been throwing her name around carelessly.

She would be angry.

"Are you ready?" Sudo Ken did not take the chance to launch a sneak attack. Instead, he cracked his knuckles nearby, eager to fight.

They looked ready to start fighting right here.

As the mediator, Shi Cheng hurriedly stood up to stop them.

"Come on, this is the Library. Are you really planning to fight here?"

The tense atmosphere immediately cooled.

Sudo Ken glanced at Shi Cheng and decided to give him some face.

"Fine." Sudo Ken said confidently, "I'll throw one punch. After that, we'll call the matter settled."

"Fine." Horikita Suzune also wanted to see what he was capable of.

Once they had agreed, the auras radiating from their bodies collided, and the situation became taut with tension.

"Hey, how about we bet on who'll win? I'm betting on Ken." Yamauchi Haruki never passed up a chance to improve his life.

Shi Cheng could not be bothered to respond to him.

Yamauchi Haruki found himself snubbed, pursed his lips, and moved a little farther away.

After working himself up, Sudo Ken threw his winning punch.

A fierce gust wrapped around his massive fist as it shot straight for Horikita Suzune's pretty face.

If that punch landed cleanly.

For the next few months.

Horikita Suzune would probably have to surrender her position as the class beauty.

The powerful wind stung Horikita Suzune's eyes so badly that she could not keep them open.

Its speed also gave her no chance to defend or counterattack.

Horikita Suzune could only raise a wall of ice out of thin air before herself.

Now she understood.

Why Sudo Ken had been arrogant enough to say he only needed one punch.

He really had the ability to back it up.

Crash!

The instant they collided, the ice shattered across the floor.

Sudo Ken's fist stopped just short of Horikita Suzune's nose.

It had been dangerously close.

Tsk.

Sudo Ken kept his promise, picked up his backpack in dissatisfaction, and left.

That punch had actually failed to land. It seemed he still needed more practice.

Gulp.

Two soft swallowing sounds rang out in succession.

Ike Kanji stood dumbfounded.

Yamauchi Haruki, meanwhile, secretly rejoiced.

It was a good thing Sudo Ken had not beaten him to death when they had joked around before.

This was a brother worth having.

No, he was claiming this brother for himself.

No one else was allowed to fight him for it.

Glancing at Ike Kanji, who still had not reacted.

Yamauchi Haruki rapidly packed up his things and chased after him. "Ken, wait for me!"

Watching the two departing figures.

Ike Kanji finally came back to his senses.

"Hey, wait for me!"

Either side seemed dangerous.

But one thing was certain.

Staying with Sudo Ken would definitely be safer.

Because he was loyal.

"Whew!" Horikita Suzune, who had not been shaken in a long time, slowly let out a breath.

She had truly been intimidated just now.

Although this was not her first defeat.

Her contests with Shi Cheng had always stopped short.

So she had not felt much about them.

After taking several breaths, Horikita Suzune pulled herself together again.

If she remembered correctly.

One person was missing from those who had left.

"Why are you still here?"

"Wasn't I worried about you?" Shi Cheng looked at her cold little face.

She recovered pretty quickly.

For a moment just now, her face had gone pale with fright.

"Now that you've seen enough, hurry up and leave." Horikita Suzune did not care about him seeing her make a fool of herself.

It was not that big a deal anyway.

"Is that so?" Shi Cheng nodded. "Take a couple of steps for me first."

What kind of request was that?

Horikita Suzune found it rather strange.

Just as she was about to move her feet, her legs suddenly went weak.

Her vision swiftly tilted, and the solid floor filled her sight.

She was about to hit it.

Horikita Suzune instinctively closed her eyes.

"Careful." Shi Cheng cried out as he wrapped an arm around her soft waist.

Breathing in the fragrance drifting from her hair, Shi Cheng smiled and teased, "Other than your mouth, which is hard, you seem soft everywhere else."

Hearing Shi Cheng's words and feeling the warmth at her waist.

Knowing she was safe, Horikita Suzune opened her eyes expressionlessly.

"Let go."

Thud!

Horikita Suzune fell onto the cold floor.

Fortunately, it was not a long fall.

It did not hurt at all.

Wait, you actually let go?

Horikita Suzune looked at him with faint resentment.

Shi Cheng extended his hand from above. "Need help?"

The commotion they had caused was not small. Worried that people might gather to watch, Horikita Suzune could only reach out and take his hand.

The moment he pulled her up.

Horikita Suzune heavily stomped on the top of Shi Cheng's foot.

"My foot slipped."

Shi Cheng said calmly, "I understand."

It was fine. He would have plenty of chances to get his revenge later.

He was confident about that.

"Take me over there." Horikita Suzune pointed at a chair not far away.

She needed to recover for a while.

Shi Cheng helped her over and seated her.

"Do you want something to drink?"

Thinking that she probably would not recover anytime soon, Horikita Suzune took out her phone and unlocked it. "My treat. I want coconut water."

"Wow, you trust me enough to hand this over?" Holding Horikita Suzune's phone, Shi Cheng waved it before her eyes in surprise.

"I wonder if there's any embarrassing information in here."

Horikita Suzune did not respond and merely gave a cold smile.

So far.

Shi Cheng was her only friend.

What embarrassing information could there be?

Why would she be afraid?

After casually making a joke.

Shi Cheng left.

"Shi Cheng!"

Under normal circumstances, no matter how loud the commotion was, Shiina Hiyori would not pay it any attention.

But at this particular time.

Shi Cheng could come over at any moment.

Shiina Hiyori simply could not put her mind at ease.

So she left her little nook to take a look.

Shi Cheng had just bought two bottles of drinks when he turned around and saw Shiina Hiyori standing behind him, seemingly relieved for some reason.

"Mm." Shi Cheng nodded in response, then awkwardly raised the two bottles in his hands. "Sorry, Shiina, but I have something to take care of."

"Ah?" Her hopes dashed, a flicker of disappointment crossed Shiina Hiyori's face.

Fortunately, she was a reasonable person and did not make a fuss.

"It's okay, Shi Cheng. We have plenty of time, don't we?"

Shiina Hiyori was already very satisfied.

She got to spend a great deal of time with Shi Cheng every day.

This was a happiness she had never experienced before.

Besides, she could not take up all of his time.

Without leaving him any for himself.

"Thank you so much for understanding. I knew you were the best."

If both his hands had not been occupied, Shi Cheng truly would have wanted to take Shiina Hiyori's soft hand.

So she could understand just how sincere his gratitude was.

"Then I'll head back first."

"Goodbye."

Only after Shiina Hiyori left did Shi Cheng return to where he had been before.

Hearing footsteps.

Horikita Suzune, who was rubbing her toned thigh, raised her head.