Change

"Despair?"

The fatty didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Xia Mu's foul language, his nose bubbling with snot. "I think we're the ones in despair."

Hearing this, Xia Mu's face twitched, and he couldn't help but slap the fatty on the head. "You're just boosting their morale and crushing your own spirit!"

"But we really have no way to fight Ryuenji!"

Zhu Xincheng couldn't see any hope. "They have so many people; just you and me, we can't possibly fight them!"

At this moment, Xia Mu stood in front of him and reached out a hand. "Just you and me is enough."

That warm face brought waves of emotion and confidence to Zhu Xincheng.

"Snap!"

He grabbed Xia Mu's hand and stood up abruptly. "Damn it, let's screw him!"

Wiping the tears from his face fiercely, he suddenly perked up.

It was just like back in middle school, when Xia Mu had made the same vow to him, saying the two of them were enough.

And later, he had actually succeeded, turning the guy who had sat on top of them for three years into a pathetic dog.

But after saying it, he lost his nerve again and immediately deflated. "The situation this time is different. This school is actually turning a blind eye to these kinds of things. How are we supposed to win?"

Xia Mu patted his shoulder and handed him a tissue. "Trust me. Get some good rest tonight, and tomorrow night I'll teach you what to do."

"Alright."

Zhu Xincheng gritted his teeth, his inner edge stirred up by Xia Mu. "Damn it, at worst, I'll just risk my life against him!"

"That won't be necessary. With me here, no one can touch you." Xia Mu's face twitched. "Don't go around talking about risking your life. He hasn't pushed me to that point yet."

The fatty heard this and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Fine, I believe you."

Back in his dormitory, Xia Mu soaked in the bathtub, the outline of a plan to deal with Ryuenji gradually forming in his mind.

Doesn't he want to rise to Class A? Doesn't he treat this like a game?

Then I will completely shatter his fantasies and make him a pawn in someone else's game.

Xia Mu would slowly play him to death.

"Crack." Without realizing it, Xia Mu crushed the armrest of the bathtub.

The next morning, bright and early.

"You're saying that you woke up from a nap and the bathtub was broken?"

Chabashira Sae puffed on her cigarette, looking at the youth standing obediently before her with a face full of astonishment.

How come everyone else is fine, but you have so many issues?

But the boy looked as honest as her own grandson; he didn't seem to be lying at all.

"Yes, I'm sorry to trouble you again, teacher." Xia Mu nodded gently.

"Sigh..."

"Honestly."

Chabashira rubbed her temples and held out her hand to Xia Mu. "Give me your room key. I'll arrange for someone to come and repair it."

Xia Mu obediently handed the key to Chabashira, looking quite embarrassed.

Watching Xia Mu's departing figure, she suddenly thought of something and called out to stop him. "Wait."

Veins bulged on Xia Mu's forehead. "Chabashira-sensei, is there something else?"

Chabashira Sae was stunned for a moment; why did Xia Mu's tone sound like he was about to hit someone?

She flicked the ash from her cigarette. "I heard that you act as you please in class and even order other students to do things for you. Don't do that kind of thing again in the future."

Upon hearing this, several thoughts flashed through Xia Mu's mind instantly.

Who reported him?

Kushida? Hirata? Or perhaps some other student who didn't like the look of him?

"Ah, teacher, I'm just not good at communicating with my classmates."

"Because Kushida and I are good friends, that's why I asked her to help me!"

Xia Mu argued defensively.

"But..."

Chabashira raised her eyebrows. "You had her feed you and wash your clothes; that's going too far, isn't it?"

"Cough, cough..."

Xia Mu's body stiffened. Wasn't he just trying to make Kushida realize that being in the spotlight wasn't a good thing?

That was why he gave her all sorts of orders, and the results were indeed very good; the correction value had reached forty percent.

It may not look like much, but this is the progress gained after Kushida repeatedly self-corrected and repaired the situation.

Therefore, after deducting the Skill Point spent on the Modified Golden Bell Shield that Xia Mu learned yesterday, Xia Mu still has a full 130 Skill Points remaining.

"Understood."

However, it seems he can't do this in the future. Since someone has already reported him to Chabashira, continuing to act this way would surely leave behind leverage for others to cause him trouble.

After saying this, he deliberately waited for three seconds, and only after confirming that Chabashira would not stop him did he take his leave.

Perhaps he should stick a note on his back from now on.

[Please do not be a procrastinator]

Leaving the school building, Xia Mu headed toward the rockery on campus.

Today is the weekend, and he had promised Sakura that he would accompany her to take photos.

"Click!"

Following the sound of the shutter, Xia Mu successfully captured another perfectly exquisite photo of Sakura.

She was wearing a beautiful long dress today.

Seeing that Xia Mu had captured her looking like a fairy from a painting, she was overjoyed.

However, when Xia Mu asked her to share the photo with others, she was somewhat reluctant, but under the overbearing pressure of Xia Mu, she had no choice.

Regarding Xia Mu, she truly felt a mix of love and hate.

Why must he force her to do things she dislikes...

"Whew..."

After an afternoon of shooting, once Sakura was satisfied, she went to the women's restroom to change back into her baggy school uniform, and the two walked back to the dormitory together.

Throughout the entire process, Xia Mu did not say a single word.

This made Sakura inevitably curious; since Xia Mu clearly had no interest in her at all, why would he help her without asking for anything in return?

"I'm very happy today, thank you, Xia Mu-kun."

As they were about to part ways, Sakura thanked Xia Mu with a blushing face, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

"Mm, I thank you too." Xia Mu looked at his rising Skill Points and responded softly.

He and Sakura were simply providing for each other's needs.

He took photos for Sakura, and Sakura provided him with Skill Points in return.

"Eh? You thank me too? Why?" Sakura's spirited eyes behind her glasses blinked repeatedly.

"Ah, because Sakura-san is very cute. I'm truly overjoyed to be friends with a beauty like you, so thank you."

Xia Mu responded perfunctorily, turned around, pulled open his dormitory door, and walked inside.

He left Sakura standing at the doorway, her face flushed red and her mind in a whirl.

Although she had heard such words many times online, this was the first time she had heard someone say them in reality.

Does Xia Mu-kun lack friends that much?

Hmm...

It seems like not many people in the class are friends with him either, just like me...

For no reason, Sakura felt a little happy.

Back in the dormitory, Xia Mu changed into sportswear, brought along the athletic gear he had prepared for the fatty, and headed out. "This is the largest size available; it should be fine."

After what happened yesterday, Shiina hoped that Xia Mu would not contact her for the time being.

She was afraid that Xia Mu would be attacked by Long Yuan, as she knew just how violent Long Yuan could be.

The two met at the sports field.

Quite a few students were sitting by the soccer field taking photos, singing, or exercising.

When Zhu Xincheng saw Xia Mu, he waved his hand to call him over.

"Little Xia, you said you'd help me deal with Long Yuan today, how are we going to do it!?" The fatty was extremely excited.

Just thinking about the look of despair on Long Yuan's face made him feel inexplicably thrilled.

Xia Mu scanned the layers of fat on Zhu Xincheng's body from top to bottom. "Let's start by changing yourself first."