Chapter 28

What about today?

Chi Ning was even comforting him and didn't mind appearing in the papers with him. Did that mean he liked him a little too?

Qin Heng's brain, sharp for eighteen years, spun wildly. "I don't care how these people write about it, but I can ask my godfather to handle it. His methods—"

"Don't!" Chi Ning shot upright. "Absolutely not!"

At this rate, the wider it spread, the better. Besides, it wasn't real anyway.

Qin Heng raised a brow and leaned against the window, looking at the osmanthus trees blooming beautifully in the villa courtyard. His nose was filled with the scent Chi Ning had left behind in the room. "Why not deal with it?"

Was it because Chi Ning wanted to have rumors spread about them?

Qin Heng drawled, "It's very simple. My godfather likes you a lot. It'd only take one phone call from him. How about it?"

How about what?

Not a chance!

For a moment, Chi Ning couldn't think of a reason to stop Qin Heng from getting involved. After all, the photo had captured Qin Heng perfectly clearly. Qin Heng was one of the victims too...

He lowered his eyes. The book in his hand was a reference for playing the role of his older brother, a spoiled rich second-generation heir. It was full of exaggerated stories, and even reading it to pass the time usually felt like a waste of emotion.

But with one casual glance, he spotted a conversation between the spoiled second male lead and the PaoPao female lead, who had fallen in love with a poor scholar she had once disdained.

[The second male lead looked grief-stricken. "Just because I have a little filthy money, you don't want to have anything to do with me?"]

Chi Ning:?

What kind of scripts did his brother even act in?

Chi Ning looked at the line and felt that, with a few changes, it wasn't impossible to say.

But it was still a little embarrassing after changing it. He stammered as he said to Qin Heng, "Y-you... don't you want to have anything to do with me?"

The moment the words fell, everything went suddenly quiet.

Qin Heng felt the scent belonging to Chi Ning in the room grow stronger, almost wrapping around him so tightly that it was impossible to breathe. He fell silent, then slowly shook his head. "That's not what I meant."

Chi Ning:...

He looked at the female lead's line in the "reference book."

[Exhaustion filled the female lead's eyes as she said to the spoiled heir, "It's not about the money. That's not what I meant."]

Chi Ning leaned back.

Well, damn. This book actually had something to it!

He flipped further back and saw the spoiled second male lead refusing to let it go, saying—

"Then what do you mean?"

Qin Heng hadn't expected Chi Ning to continue asking. He even felt that as long as he pierced through that final layer between them, they could be together.

Did Chi Ning like him that much?

Enough to want rumors spread about them?

Qin Heng couldn't help laughing, then pressed his lips into a straight line.

He felt like he had split in two, utterly confused.

He was an adult. Chi Ning wasn't yet. He was only sixteen.

Did Chi Ning really understand what it meant for two men to be together? It meant no guarantees, no children, being criticized behind their backs by some people, called freaks, gossiped about. No one knew what the future would hold, or whether the public would accept love between people of the same sex.

If they really got together, this relationship might even become a stain on Chi Ning's life.

Could Chi Ning endure that kind of grievance with him?

Qin Heng looked at the osmanthus tree swaying in the late-summer, early-autumn breeze and answered softly, "It doesn't mean anything."

Beep—

His phone had died. Chi Ning reflexively pressed the power button twice before remembering that the flip phone hadn't been charged since yesterday.

He looked at the empty glass bottle on the windowsill and blinked blankly twice.

Strange. Why did his throat feel a little tight?

Was it because there were no flowers in the bottle?

Chi Ning put down the book, grabbed a pair of scissors, rushed into the garden, and snip-snip cut two little roses. He put them back in the vase and nodded in satisfaction.

Sure enough, his mood instantly improved quite a bit.

Chi Ning plugged in his phone but didn't turn it on for the time being.

Meanwhile, Qin Heng stared blankly at the disconnected call screen. He had been quite tactful and hadn't even said anything outright. Why had Chi Ning hung up on him so suddenly?

He called back, only for the PHS to inform him, "The number you have dialed is powered off."

Annoyed, Qin Heng threw down his phone and smacked the bedroom window frame twice.

Bzz, bzz.

His phone vibrated twice. Without even looking, Qin Heng immediately answered. "Chi Ning?"

Xu Jiahao was silent for a long while before clearing his throat. "Did I... call at a bad time?"

Qin Heng was quiet for a moment. "No. Chi Ning got angry and hung up on me."

Xu Jiahao clicked his tongue. "His temper is so good. You must have done something wrong."

Qin Heng said, "I did."

Xu Jiahao flipped through the newspapers his subordinates had sent over. "Was it because of the papers? Want me to help deal with it?"

Qin Heng thought of Chi Ning's trembling question after he had made that suggestion: Don't you want to have anything to do with me?

He could picture Chi Ning's expression when he had asked it. His eyes must have been red, tears threatening to fall, looking pitiful and helpless.

How hard-hearted would Qin Heng have to be not to go along with him?

Qin Heng sighed. "Forget it. Chi Ning said not to remove them. Let him have his way."

Xu Jiahao's eyes rolled around twice before he revealed a meaningful smile.

Good kid. As expected of the godson he had taken a liking to. There was hope!

"Alright, I'm hanging up. Tell me if you need anything."

The final two days of summer vacation passed amid the heated gossip in Yangcheng.

On registration day.

Chi Ning stuffed the books he had received into his drawer, too lazy even to write his name on them.

Wang Quan saw it and tapped the corner of Chi Ning's desk. "Come out with me for a moment."

Li Qiuhe looked a little worried. He pushed up glasses that seemed even thicker after the summer break and asked nervously, "Teacher Wang isn't going to give you trouble, is he? The malicious rumors about you in the newspapers have been spreading for so long. Why haven't you asked a lawyer to help? Do you want me to help? My family runs a law firm."

"No need." Chi Ning patted the assistant class monitor's shoulder. "Just focus on studying."

He walked out of the classroom, stood before Wang Quan, and obediently said, "Teacher Wang."

Wang Quan thought, Look how well-behaved this kid is. Anyone who believes the newspapers is an idiot.

"Chi Ning, tomorrow is the official first day of school. The seniors will have an outstanding student representative give a motivational speech. Do you want to do it? If you do, prepare a draft."

Chi Ning froze. Before coming out, he had thought Wang Quan was going to lecture him. He hadn't expected Teacher Wang to want him to be the student representative.

He appreciated the goodwill, but considering his current situation, it wasn't very appropriate.

Chi Ning said, "I'll pass. The rumors outside are too severe. It wouldn't be good for the class if I went up there. You can ask Ye Xinran instead. He went abroad this summer for a technology competition and won an award. He's also a hardworking student who supports himself. He can show what all-around development means better than I can."

Wang Quan:...

Bald head, balder still.

How had Chi Ning become so articulate after not seeing him for one summer?

He had been so easy to fool before...

Whenever they asked him to give a speech at the flag-raising ceremony, all they had to do was call his name and he would go. Since that was the case, they could only appeal to his emotions.

Wang Quan beckoned behind him. "Ye Xinran, tell him why you don't want to go."

Ye Xinran stepped out from around the stairway corner. His brows and eyes were open and relaxed, and much of the gloom between them had faded. Perhaps there was finally hope of paying off his family's debts, and life itself had become something to look forward to, making him seem refreshed and radiant.

Ye Xinran stopped in front of Chi Ning. "Long time no see."

Chi Ning gave a quiet hum.

"How did you know I won an award?" Ye Xinran smiled as he spoke. "I wanted to bring the medal and give it to you, but it's only crystal, not solid gold. Now I'm a little embarrassed to take it out."

Chi Ning said, "It's fine. Keep it for yourself."

Wang Quan:...

Ye Xinran:...

How could someone so utterly unromantic be twisted by the paparazzi into that kind of person?

Wang Quan cleared his throat. "Get to the point."

Ye Xinran didn't mind. "I've always been second in the grade. My grades aren't as good as yours. You helped solve my family's troubles, and you even lent me scholarship money despite our past issues. You also helped me find someone to sponsor me. When you add it all up... even the awards you've won in competitions far outnumber mine. You just didn't participate this time."

He paused, then delivered the final verdict. "When it comes to qualifications, no one is more suitable than you. You're the one who is truly outstanding in both character and academics."

Chi Ning:...

When had we ever had past issues?

There had never been any past issues at all!

No, why were you making things up?

Wang Quan had thought Chi Ning's eloquence had improved by leaps and bounds over the summer break, but standing beside Ye Xinran, he was still no match.

Maybe that was the difference between improving from zero to sixty and improving from ninety to ninety-one.

Wang Quan patted Chi Ning's shoulder. "I know it hurts to be slandered by paparazzi, but the more that happens, the more I think we should make you the representative. Let the people at school who don't understand you see who you really are! Dispel the rumors."

Chi Ning:... He was numb.

He really didn't want to write a canned speech!

"Ah..." Chi Ning let out a heavy sigh.

Ye Xinran looked at his puffed cheeks and found him adorable. "You really don't want to go up there that badly?"

Chi Ning had already been consumed by giving up. He answered listlessly, "Yeah. I don't care what other people think of me."

Ye Xinran thought, I care quite a lot.

The moment he returned from abroad, he had seen the rumors about Chi Ning. He had hacked several entertainment newspapers' computers in a row, followed the trail to the Shen Family, and only then stopped.

"Did you know the Shen Family was behind the rumors?"

"I did."

Ye Xinran immediately asked, "Then why didn't you fight back?"

Chi Ning lifted his eyes and glanced at him twice. "It's fine. It'll be useful if I keep it."

Ye Xinran thought for a long while, then abruptly stopped walking. His lips trembled slightly as alarm filled his expression. "Stocks? Could your brother be..."

"Shh." Chi Ning raised a hand and covered Ye Xinran's mouth, then immediately let go.

Ye Xinran said in a muffled voice, "I won't say anything."

He quickly walked to Chi Ning's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "So you're not participating in that... because you're afraid that after getting first place..."