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Lu Chi sighed again at that, unable to stop himself from recalling what Teacher Sun had said when she called him into her office that afternoon.

"...The results of this monthly exam are out. It's clear that your range of knowledge isn't broad enough. You haven't mastered the key material from the second semester of Year Two and Year Three, and you're not very familiar with advanced competition problems either. But that's understandable. After all, your previous high school's pace was different from Yanda Affiliated High School's. Our school requires students to have mastered all three years of high school material by the end of Year One, then begin comprehensive review and final preparation in Year Two. And you happened to run into the monthly exam on your very first day after transferring... Still, that's fine. Consider it an assessment of your current level. From what I can see now, your grasp of the foundational knowledge from Year One and the first semester of Year Two is still solid. You're just behind in terms of progress... I don't have any particularly good advice for that. You can only read more books and do more exercises in your spare time. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask the teachers. You know where all the subject teachers' offices are, so drop by often. I'll make you a reading list first. You can buy these books yourself or borrow them from the library..."

Feeling the backpack that was several pounds heavier than usual, Lu Chi sighed once more and forced out a smile. "Not very good..."

There were only so many subjects, yet he hadn't passed a single one. For a little academic star accustomed to taking first place, this was simply unbearable!

Seeing Lu Chi's forced smile, the old lady immediately understood. She comforted him with a smile, "It's all right, it was only one exam. If you didn't do well this time, do better next time. Anyway, as long as you students at Yanda Affiliated High School pass every subject, getting into a top university definitely won't be a problem..."

Before the old lady could finish, Lu Chi felt a stab of pain in his chest, as though he had been shot again.

Not wanting to discuss the subject any further, Lu Chi lowered his eyes. His gaze suddenly swept over a small, delicate, pink bottle in the display case, one that looked much like insecticide. The words "Anti-Assault Self-Defense Sprayer" were printed on it.

"What is that?" Lu Chi lowered his head and tapped the glass display case with his long index finger.

The old lady followed his gesture and immediately smiled. "That's pepper spray. It's for dealing with perverts. The streetlights in these alleys are broken, aren't they? It gets so dark at night, and there are always those shady hooligans wandering around. Some young girls get off work late and feel scared, so they buy one to carry with them. But a big young man like you doesn't need it, right?"

Lu Chi knew a grown young man like himself had no use for it. He had merely thought of his younger sister, Lu Miaomiao, who was only in second grade. His little sister was so adorable—what if someone set their sights on her? Better to have one just in case.

"Grandma, please get me one."

"You really want one? This bottle costs thirty yuan!" The old lady looked at Lu Chi in surprise. Though she wasn't familiar with the young man, she could tell that his family circumstances probably weren't great. Could someone who was willing to walk an extra bus stop just to save ten cents really bear to spend thirty yuan on pepper spray?

Thinking this, the old lady couldn't help trying to persuade him. "Actually, this thing isn't much use. It's just for peace of mind. Think about it—if you really run into a robber, he'll be taller and stronger than you, and he might even be carrying a weapon. Not only would you be unable to beat him, but if he takes the pepper spray and uses it on you... well, then you'd just be helping him out."

The old lady's words made sense. Lu Chi tilted his head and said, "It's fine. I'll take one."

Seeing how stubborn Lu Chi was, the old lady was instantly speechless. Still, they had only met three times. She had said and advised everything she needed to; since he insisted on buying it, there was no reason for her to turn down money.

The old lady got Lu Chi a bottle of pepper spray and showed him how to use it. Lu Chi dug out two ten-yuan bills, one five-yuan bill, one two-yuan bill, two one-yuan bills, and two fifty-cent coins from his pocket and handed them all to her. Only twenty cents remained in his pocket!

The old lady shook her head at the sight. Lu Chi, meanwhile, walked leisurely out of the convenience store with his newly bought instant noodles, sausage, and pepper spray.

There were no streetlights in the pitch-black alley. Only the cold moonlight and the lights from the surrounding homes barely cast enough illumination to make out shadows. Lu Chi took shortcuts through the web-like alleys on his way home, silently reciting math formulas when a faint cry for help suddenly came from somewhere in the distance.

Lu Chi's steps paused slightly. He stood still and listened for a while, but heard no further movement. Frowning, he continued forward. Before he could turn out of the alley, an extremely shrill, piercing cry suddenly rang out: "Get lost! Don't come any closer!"

The voice was sharp and hoarse, cracking with tears and hysteria.

Lu Chi's heart abruptly skipped a beat. He instinctively looked around, but the doors of the homes on both sides of the alley were tightly shut, with no sign of reaction. Some households had even turned off their lights.

Lu Chi's heart sank. Remembering what the old lady at the convenience store had said, a string in his mind suddenly tightened. He took out the pepper spray from the plastic bag, tore open the packaging, and ran toward the source of the sound.

By now, the sky had completely darkened. There were no lights in the alley, only utter blackness. Lu Chi quickly lost track of where the sound had come from. Worse still, his frantic running had gotten him lost.

Lu Chi stood where he was and listened for a moment, breathing heavily. His gaze accidentally fell upon an iron shovel propped beside a nearby house's door. His heart stirred, and he casually grabbed it, weighing it in his hand. He might not have Lu Heng's combat power to take down a dozen people alone, but what young man raised in the Northeast didn't know how to fight?

With pepper spray in one hand and the shovel in the other, Lu Chi immediately felt much safer. He cleared his throat, deliberately cursed, and shouted gruffly in a Northeast accent, "Fuck, who is it? Why are you howling like someone died in the middle of the night? I'm calling the police!"

As if she had heard Lu Chi's shout, another cry of "Help—" came from the alley. It was cut off halfway when someone covered her mouth, but it gave Lu Chi an exact direction. He ran toward the sound. When he passed several homes with bicycles or motorcycles parked in their courtyards, clear signs that people were home, Lu Chi stopped. He stuffed the pepper spray into his pocket, crouched down, picked up several stones, and hurled them at the windows. With several loud crashes, the glass in those homes shattered. Curses immediately erupted from inside. Someone opened a door and rushed out, only to freeze upon seeing Lu Chi's appearance. After hesitating for a few seconds, they said nothing, grabbed clubs and shovels from their courtyards, and rushed out as well.