Before you read this chapter, let me remind you: the original owner's family was only ordinarily wealthy. They couldn't compare to those four in money or influence. You can't pick a fight just for a moment's satisfaction; you have to think about the consequences, too. He's not a child anymore. I'm saying this so some of you won't call the protagonist cowardly.
"All right-take care, senior! Come back again!" Another round of enthusiastic applause rose from below the stage.
The girls were very reluctant to see him go.
As soon as he left, the principal hurried onto the stage to announce the start of the ball.
As jazz music rose and fell, shifting between quick and slow rhythms, the male students began inviting the girls they liked to dance beneath the soft, dim lights.
Bai Chen spotted Lin Sen a short distance away, holding out a slightly trembling hand to a girl in a pale blue dress.
Bai Chen felt nervous for him, too.
A moment later, the girl gently laid her smooth, creamy hand in Lin Sen's.
Hand in hand, they headed onto the dance floor and joined the other dancers.
"It worked?!" Bai Chen was genuinely happy for him.
Barring any surprises, Lin Sen would probably be the first in their dorm to get a girlfriend.
Just as he was about to carry on watching the others dance,
his phone suddenly vibrated.
Bai Chen took it out of his pocket and checked it.
The screen showed an unfamiliar number Bai Chen had never seen before, with no saved contact name.
But the location showed it was local.
Bai Chen usually ignored calls like these, worried they might be scams.
Without a second thought, he hung up and put his phone back in his pocket.
Immediately, it vibrated again.
Bai Chen quickly pulled it back out, realizing it might not actually be a scam call.
If someone called twice or more, that meant it was someone he knew.
But this time, it wasn't a call. It was a message.
It read: [Little boss, it's Lin Jingchen. I'm waiting outside the hall. I've already arranged permission for you to leave.]
Bai Chen: ???!!
This number belongs to Mr. Lin?
Wait, how did he get my contact details? Bai Chen was puzzled.
He remembered never giving the other man his contact details.
But he didn't want to dwell on it now. The man wasn't a bad person, so what was there to fear?
He quickly typed a reply: [Okay, I'll come out now.]
After sending the message, he quickly slipped out through the back.
But before he could get through the doors, someone came straight at him and slammed into him.
Caught off guard, Bai Chen staggered back several steps before regaining his footing.
"Holy shit!! Who was that?" Bai Chen exclaimed, looking up.
Four young men stood before him.
Every one of them was tall and broad, with Gu Cheng at the front.
He had seen the three beside him before, too.
Weren't they the ones who had driven sports cars to the school gates last time?
The Campus F4.
Speak of the devil. Bai Chen felt that today really wasn't a good day to go out.
But why is this happening in my storyline? Why did they bump into me? Bai Chen had a bad feeling.
He looked down at the shirt he wore underneath.
6
His suit was stained red with wine, and the stain wasn't faint, either.
Blood rushed to his head, and his mind suddenly exploded.
This suit belonged to the original owner! I'm screwed.
Gu Cheng spotted him, too, and let out a mocking laugh. Two of the others laughed loudly along with him.
The people around them also stopped to look their way.
"Bai Chen, look at you. Always so slow and clueless. You can't even walk properly. Look, you knocked my buddy flying," Gu Cheng said nastily.
He couldn't stand that everyone could talk to Gu Yun and become his friend-even this idiot. Why couldn't he?
Bai Chen: ...
I really want to punch someone. His buddy's built bigger than a gorilla, and I knocked him flying?! Does he have kidney trouble or something?
But Bai Chen certainly couldn't say that aloud and talk back to them. The smartest thing to do was go along with them.
He stared blankly at them, looking like a frightened young boy.
"Exactly. Look at what you've done. This suit was pretty expensive. Can you afford to pay for damaging it? And those clothes you're wearing are borrowed, aren't they?"
"But I'm a generous man. Your clothes got dirty, too, so I suppose I'll give you a little money."
As he spoke, he took a black wallet from his suit pocket and opened it. It was stuffed with red banknotes.
He casually pulled out a wad and threw it onto the floor, scattering notes everywhere.
This man was named Shi Long. His family ran a tobacco and liquor business and was quite wealthy.
He had heard from Gu Cheng that their dorm had one pretty boy and another reasonably good-looking little idiot who was timid and afraid of trouble.
So this was the one.
He's actually pretty cute. Fair-skinned, and he really does seem a little stupid. I can have some fun with him later. Gu Cheng said his family has no money, anyway.
Bai Chen: ...
Any normal person would have found such humiliation unbearable and walked away.
Yet a moment later, Bai Chen crouched down and slowly picked up the money, one note at a time, with the four men's leather shoes still in view.
"Hahaha, he really picked it up! What a cowardly little money-grubber," laughed the young man beside them with granny-gray hair.
But in fact, those three were the only ones laughing. The students in the hall watched in silence, feeling a little sorry for the boy picking up the money.
Bai Chen didn't really feel much. This was money the man owed him for the damage anyway. A moment ago, he had even worried the man wouldn't pay.
Now he had been compensated. Although the way they gave him the money made him very uncomfortable, that wasn't a big deal.
He slowly stood up, and the words slipped out naturally. "Thank you."
All four members of the F4 froze.
"Is he thanking me?" Shi Long was bewildered.
Doesn't he know I'm humiliating him?
Gu Yun happened to come in just then and saw the scene. He stood watching for a moment to assess the situation.
He was about to go over and help Bai Chen. He felt that Bai Chen was being bullied.
But a moment later, someone strode straight through the back doors and up to Bai Chen.
His expression was dark as he surveyed the four men before him.
"Is that Senior Lin, the one who gave the speech?!" Gu Yun stopped in his tracks.
Lin Jingchen took off his suit jacket once more and draped it over Bai Chen, drawing it slightly closed around him.
He looked gently at the stunned Bai Chen beside him and reassured him softly, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Bai Chen looked up at Lin Jingchen, feeling a little touched.
Then Lin Jingchen turned to the four men, his expression grim and his voice unusually cold.
He was completely unlike his usual self. Now, even a single glance at him was frightening.
"You're certainly enjoying yourself, Young Master Gu. You run into someone, then turn around and blame him. What an impressive trick."
Before you continue