Why Should I Forgive You?

"Have you finished apologizing?" Bai Yunsheng returned his attention to his vocabulary notebook. A few seconds later, the shadow was still there. Bai Yunsheng looked up and found the person still standing before him, his brows slightly furrowed. "What else do you want?"

The person pressed his lips together, seeming hesitant, but he finally spoke. "You still haven't forgiven me."

The corners of Bai Yunsheng's eyes lifted slightly, and he found it amusing. "Forgive you for what?"

The person's expression turned rather colorful. He immediately understood what Bai Yunsheng meant. If his father had not suddenly flown into a rage and forced him to apologize to Bai Yunsheng, how could he possibly have humbled himself so miserably before an illegitimate son? Though that was what he thought, his displeasure showed on his face as he said righteously, "But I apologized to you."

Bai Yunsheng snapped his vocabulary notebook shut and rose to his feet, staring coldly at him.

"The animal carcasses in my drawer."

"The cigarette butts shoved into my mouth."

"Being locked in the restroom for half a day."

"The leftover food poured over my head."

As Bai Yunsheng spoke, he moved closer to the person. "You did all of those things to me. There were plenty more. Do you want me to list them for you one by one?" Then he grabbed the person by the collar, his grip seeming to close around his throat. "Why should I forgive you just because you apologized?"

With that, he shoved him hard. The person staggered back a step, seemingly about to lash out, but when he caught sight of Bai Yunsheng's school badge, he did not dare make a move.

"If you want my forgiveness, fine. Go through everything I went through, and I'll forgive you."

The person coughed as he stumbled several steps back. "What did you say?"

"Didn't you hear me clearly? Go through what you did to me, and I'll forgive you. How about it?"

Whispers rose around them.

These might have been students, but they were exceptionally good at reading the room.

Those people had once turned a blind eye to Bai Yunsheng's suffering, and had even added fuel to the flames. Naturally, they would also...

"That's right." Someone wearing a silver badge suddenly stood up. "We all saw what you did to Bai Yunsheng before."

Bai Yunsheng slowly turned his gaze toward him. He looked familiar, but Bai Yunsheng did not remember him.

Once one person spoke up, many more voices followed.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Is a casual little apology really enough?"

"How much is a sorry even worth?"

"I remember last semester, he and his lackeys even pushed Bai Yunsheng down the stairs."

"Right, right! I remember too. I was there. If Bai Yunsheng hadn't reacted quickly and grabbed the handrail, he would have nearly fallen."

The whispers were no longer quiet.

Before greater authority.

Even gold school badges lost their shine.

The person was at a loss. "All of you, shut up! Are you tired of living?"

Yet no one listened to him. Instead, they spoke even louder.

The corner of Bai Yunsheng's lips curled up slightly, as if he found it amusing.

All it took was for someone wearing a silver badge to take the lead, and they dared to speak without restraint.

Seeing that no one listened to him, the person's expression became even uglier.

Bai Yunsheng had always known that those in high positions could not stand being defied. The Feng Household was like that, and so was everyone wearing a gold school badge.

Sure enough, the person's eyes sharpened as he glared viciously at Bai Yunsheng. "Don't think that just because someone has your back, you can humiliate me like this! Do you need me to publicize your relationship with that person? And..." He looked around at everyone. "What right do you have to say such things to me? A bunch of silver-badged dogs!"

There were not many people in this school with gold badges. At most, there were three in each classroom. Everyone else wore silver badges, while those with bronze badges studied in another school building.

The person continued, pointing at one of them. "You! Isn't your father investing in a real estate project? Then just wait for that project to go under!" Then he pointed at another person. "And you, an entertainment company, right? Just wait."

The faces of the two people he pointed at went pale, and they instinctively looked toward Bai Yunsheng.

Bai Yunsheng met their gazes without a care. "What are you looking at me for? What the hell does it have to do with me?"

Everyone who had spoken up for Bai Yunsheng fell silent.

Some looked incredulous, while others showed fear.

Hadn't they spoken up for Bai Yunsheng?

Weren't they on Bai Yunsheng's side?

Why was Bai Yunsheng not protecting them?

Bai Yunsheng found the varied expressions on their faces interesting.

Fence-sitters were like things that vanished as soon as the fire came. There was no need to build a relationship with them; it would only waste time and energy.

The person had not expected Bai Yunsheng to say that. Rather than feeling even a trace of relief, fear rose within him.

Bai Yunsheng's actions gave people the sense that he had staked everything on this.

There was no sign that this farce would end, but it had no choice but to stop when the teacher entered.

Although they had only finished the exam yesterday, the results had come out quickly.

Everyone dispersed and returned to their original seats.

The teacher's gaze swept around the room before finally landing on Bai Yunsheng, his expression somewhat complicated.

The teacher cleared his throat. "Yesterday's results came out. Our class did fairly well overall, ranking second in average score." His gaze turned to Bai Yunsheng again. "In this exam, one person exceeded my expectations and also raised our class average."

"Bai Yunsheng." The teacher called Bai Yunsheng's name.

Bai Yunsheng stood up properly.

"Your results are very good." The teacher's complicated expression turned inquisitive. "First in the entire school."

The moment those words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze.

The next second, many people turned to look at Bai Yunsheng.

"What?"

"Who got first?"

"Bai Yunsheng? Did I hear that right? First place, not last place?"

"Fuck, what's going on? How could he possibly be first?"

Doubts rose around him. Though they lowered their voices out of fear of Bai Yunsheng, he still caught a few remarks.

The teacher was clearly doubtful as well. "It seems Bai Yunsheng studied very hard during winter break."

Bai Yunsheng answered honestly, "Yes. I studied late every day."

News of Bai Yunsheng placing first in the entire school soon spread.

Feng Yanshan received the news quickly as well and called immediately.

"Yunsheng? You placed first in the entire school?"

Bai Yunsheng stood in the corridor, looking at the lush greenery downstairs. "Yes, Father."

Feng Yanshan asked, "Did you do it all yourself?"

The plants suddenly rustled a few times, and several round little kittens crawled out. One kitten was so fat that it even rolled over once, making Bai Yunsheng laugh.

To him, Feng Yanshan's words were less important than watching the kittens.

Feng Yanshan received no response for a long while and asked again.

Bai Yunsheng watched the kittens run away.

"Of course I did it all myself."