Zhao Liwen's Pestering

The next morning.

Qin Siyang strolled leisurely down the road to school.

Qin Siyang usually arrived in class early. After going home and eating dinner, he would pretty much shower and go straight to bed. He had no nightlife and was used to going to bed early and getting up early.

Li Jingwen, by contrast, usually reached the classroom just before the bell.

But when he entered the classroom today, Li Jingwen was already there. The moment she saw Qin Siyang, she looked noticeably flustered.

Qin Siyang smiled faintly. Clearly, she had a guilty conscience.

Li Jingwen stood up, wanting to ask Qin Siyang something, but she seemed unsure how to put it. After hesitating for a moment, she sat back down.

Qin Siyang walked past her as though nothing had happened, maintaining his cold attitude of the past few days without exchanging a word with her.

Her uncle, Kun Chenglong, had not come home last night, leaving the family somewhat worried.

But considering that Qin Siyang and Wen Shu were just two ordinary students who posed no threat, they figured Kun Chenglong might simply have been dealing with the aftermath, which was why he had not returned.

Yet today, Li Jingwen had seen Qin Siyang at school.

That meant her uncle had failed. Or perhaps he had never gone to kill Qin Siyang at all and had gotten caught up in some other trouble.

Seeing Qin Siyang's still-calm face, which seemed to show no hatred toward her, Li Jingwen leaned toward the latter explanation.

Who knew what her uncle had been busy with since last night? He had actually failed to kill Qin Siyang and Wen Shu as agreed.

Li Jingwen clenched her fists. Kun Chenglong, you idiot! You're always bragging about how capable and reliable you are, but you can't even get your priorities straight! Who knows where you've run off to!

Sitting in his seat, Qin Siyang happened to glance at Li Jingwen. Seeing that she seemed angry, he looked away.

Until he publicly revealed that he was a Sequence Ability User, he would not tell anyone he had seen Kun Chenglong.

He would leave Li Jingwen's family completely in the dark.

Right now, they might be irritated and anxious, desperate to know the outcome.

Once they actually learned the outcome, they would miss these days when they were irritated and anxious but felt no fear at all.

The corners of Qin Siyang's mouth turned down. He felt he was still being too merciful to Li Jingwen and ought to give her a little more psychological torment.

But his mind was filled with thoughts of what information he needed to look up before revealing his sequence awakening. He could not be bothered to waste even a second on Li Jingwen.

At noon and in the afternoon, he continued going to the Library to organize books.

Wen Shu was also at the Library early, working through difficult problems in her workbook.

Qin Siyang passed beside Wen Shu with a stack of books in his arms. "Keep your eyes farther from the page. If you keep bending over like that and become nearsighted, you won't have the money for glasses."

"Oh, thank you."

Wen Shu raised her head slightly, keeping her eyes a reasonably healthy distance from the book.

In their everyday school life, Wen Shu had always been a gentle, refined classmate, and Qin Siyang could sense her courtesy and politeness in the way she behaved.

Qin Siyang continued organizing the books. Everything was quiet.

Watching their interaction, Teacher Zhu smiled like a loving mother.

"Looks like young Qin does listen to advice after all. Such good children. It would be a shame if they didn't get together."

Teacher Zhu sat smugly at the work station, sipping hot water from a cup and feeling as though something worth bragging about had been accomplished.

After school, Wen Shu once again stayed until the Library closed. The two of them left together, then parted once more at that intersection.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

[January 20, 2010, Earth Era]

[Western Calendar, Wednesday.]

[Xia Calendar, Jichou year, sixth day of the twelfth month. Auspicious for visiting friends and family.]

"Visiting friends and family?"

"What friends or family do I have?"

Having gotten out of bed, Qin Siyang shook his head at the calendar, then picked up the bag containing his lunch box and headed out.

In the classroom, he had planned to sit and zone out as usual, then go to the Library to work after a while.

Just then, a boy walked up to him.

"Are you Qin Siyang?"

Qin Siyang turned and saw a refined-looking male student. Although his clothes were not luxurious, they were very presentable. One glance was enough to tell that his family background was far better than Qin Siyang's.

But he had no recollection of this person.

Although Qin Siyang did not recognize him, the girls in the class looked at the newcomer with interest. Even Li Jingwen, who had been in a bad mood these past few days because of her uncle's disappearance, cast a bright-eyed glance his way.

Needless to say, he was probably another big name at school.

But no matter how big a name he was, Qin Siyang did not know him.

Before this, he had not even remembered what Wen Shu, the school's prettiest girl, looked like. Why would he care who some popular boy was?

Qin Siyang frowned and asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Zhao Liwen from Class Two."

"Zhao Liwen?"

Qin Siyang frowned. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but only vaguely.

"Sorry, I don't think I know you."

A girl immediately muttered, "He doesn't even know Zhao Liwen, who ranks second in our year. What does Qin Siyang even do all day?"

"That's normal. All he does in class is zone out and waste time. How would he know any of the good students?"

"Zhao Liwen, his brain doesn't work very well. What do you need him for? We can pass the message along!"

Qin Siyang glanced at the girls mocking him. They were preening in front of Zhao Liwen, each trying to outshine the others. He found it hilarious.

He said to them, "I zone out and waste time every day, but my grades are still better than yours, aren't they? If my brain doesn't work, what does that make you?"

"Qin Siyang! How can you talk like that?"

"I like telling the truth."

So this was the perpetual runner-up behind Wen Shu. No wonder he seemed a little familiar.

"Did you need something?"

Looking at Zhao Liwen's delicate, scholarly appearance, Qin Siyang felt they were completely different sorts of people. He had no idea how he could have offended him.

Zhao Liwen said solemnly, "Qin Siyang, this is a crucial time for preparing for the Gaokao. I hope you'll focus your attention on studying."

That left Qin Siyang even more baffled. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. I hope you'll study hard so you don't regret it later."

Qin Siyang burst out laughing. "You're really funny. What does whether I study have to do with you?"

Then he turned away again, no longer looking at Zhao Liwen, and gazed at the starry sky and gods outside the window instead.

Seeing Qin Siyang ignore Zhao Liwen, several girls began speaking up indignantly on his behalf.

"Qin Siyang, even if your grades are better than mine, Zhao Liwen is only looking out for you. What's with that attitude?"

"Exactly! You're beyond saving! Zhao Liwen, I want to study hard, but I don't have anyone to help me. Could you study with me?"

"I want to study too!"

Qin Siyang turned back toward them. "You're all trying so hard to suck up to him, but has he looked at you even once since he came in? If you ask me, Zhao Liwen doesn't think any of you are worth his time. Save yourselves the trouble."

"You!"

"What did you say?"

"Anyone hoping to latch onto him and shoot straight to the top once he gets into a college can give it a rest. Zhao Liwen has high standards. He isn't interested in a bunch of plain Janes like you. Unlike certain boys, he isn't willing to take anything that comes along."

With that, Qin Siyang gave Li Jingwen a meaningful look.

Li Jingwen knew Qin Siyang was insulting Zhou Yang for having no standards, which was practically the same as pointing in her face and calling her trashy. She gritted her teeth in anger, snorted, and turned away.

Zhao Liwen also found the noise irritating. Seemingly unwilling to stay another moment, he explained why he had come.

"Qin Siyang, if you don't want to study, please don't interfere with other people's preparations for the Gaokao. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you ruin someone else's future, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Qin Siyang narrowed his eyes. "Zhao Liwen, is there something wrong with you?"

"Huh?"

"I sit in this corner of the classroom every day, either sleeping or zoning out during lessons. Who am I bothering? What, does the thought of me zoning out put you off your food and keep you from solving problems?"

"If I really have bothered you, I apologize. But the thing is, I don't even know you!"

Zhao Liwen clenched his teeth, then said, "I'm not talking about my studies."

"Not yours?" Qin Siyang raised an eyebrow. "If it's not you, why are you coming to me?"

"I'm here on Wen Shu's behalf. You've been disturbing her studies in the Library lately. I hope you'll keep your distance from her."

At the mention of Wen Shu, the girls trying to charm Zhao Liwen instantly fell silent.

Inwardly, they all cursed Wen Shu, who had good grades, good looks, and a good personality. Perhaps because she was so perfect that they could find nothing to criticize, they could only call her calculating and claim it was all an act.

Qin Siyang sized Zhao Liwen up. "I was wondering why you weren't interested in this lot. So you like Wen Shu. You've got great taste!"

Then he smiled again. "So you're her boyfriend! You really can't blame me. She never mentioned having a boyfriend. Well, Zhao, let me apologize. I wasn't trying to steal your girl, so don't get the wrong idea. Wen Shu and I really are just ordinary friends. There's nothing going on between us!"

Zhao Liwen froze for a moment. "I'm not her boyfriend, and we aren't dating. But after the Gaokao, we'll go to the same college. We'll be together then."

"Huh?" Qin Siyang froze too. "What does that mean? You're a simp too?"

"Why did you say 'too'?"

"That's not important... You're going to the same college as her?" Qin Siyang pursed his lips. "Buddy, it's not that I don't believe you, but you score dozens of points below Wen Shu on every exam. What makes you think you can go to the same college?"

"I know my grades aren't as good as hers, but getting into one of the two lowest-ranked colleges is practically guaranteed. As it happens, Tiantong College and Renxing College, the ones Wen Shu is interested in, are the lowest-ranked of the eight colleges."

Qin Siyang faltered inwardly for a moment.

The colleges Wen Shu had mentioned that day, the ones offering private accommodations, were not the best colleges but the worst?

Wouldn't that be a waste of Wen Shu's excellent grades?

As her only friend at [Ju'an School], Qin Siyang immediately felt sorry for her.

He also immediately understood that Wen Shu was compromising because of money. Without money, even with her excellent grades, she could hardly get anywhere in the Safe Zone. And she had a blind grandmother to take care of as well.

"So I hope you won't disturb Wen Shu's exam preparations. Qin Siyang, some things are simply never meant to be part of your life. I hope you can recognize that reality."

Once again, Qin Siyang looked at Zhao Liwen as though he were an idiot. "Then how about we go ask Wen Shu later whether she wants to be with you after graduation?"

Zhao Liwen seemed not to have expected Qin Siyang to say that. After a brief hesitation, he said, "Even if she doesn't want to now, I'll win her over eventually. She'll definitely accept me."

"Win her over? Accept you?" Qin Siyang pointed at Li Jingwen, who was sitting up front. "Ask that girl how I treated her before. Did I win her over?"

Zhao Liwen did not turn around. "That's your problem. I'm confident I can do it."

"You were right about one thing."

"What?"

"Some things are simply never meant to be part of your life. I hope you can recognize that reality."

"You! You're completely unreasonable!"

Finding himself utterly helpless against the shameless Qin Siyang, Zhao Liwen turned and stormed out of the classroom.

Qin Siyang gave Zhao Liwen's retreating figure a disdainful glance, then looked out the window again and sank into thought.

Although Qin Siyang did not know what sort of man Wen Shu liked, their conversations had made it clear that she had the whole package, inside and out. Finding an outstanding man should not be difficult for her.

Besides, they had killed a man and buried his body together, and Wen Shu's performance had far exceeded Qin Siyang's expectations. She clearly knew her way around both sides of the law.

This sheltered young master Zhao was the sort who would not even qualify for a tag as her lapdog.

Qin Siyang did not need a brain to know that Zhao Liwen would end up just as he had when pursuing Li Jingwen.

But Wen Shu was not as vicious as Li Jingwen, so his ending should be a little better.

At worst, he would become a stray dog. He would not be sent to a dog-meat restaurant.

Qin Siyang gave Zhao Liwen's words some serious thought. He actually has a point. With the way he's simping, he really might interfere with Wen Shu's studies.

Zhao Liwen is right. Wen Shu is at the most crucial stage of her exam preparations. She can't afford to get distracted.

I'm taking the Sequence Ability assessment after the Gaokao anyway, so I need to reveal my awakened sequence as soon as possible and get ready. I might as well do Wen Shu a favor along the way.

Once I announce my sequence awakening... I'll finally escape this life as a penniless orphan!

The thought of what would happen once he announced his awakened sequence made him impatient.

Time to take off!

I'd planned to rest properly during the five school days and look up information about sequences over the weekend. Forget it. I'll sleep a little less today and go to Wang Defa's place after school tonight to check the forum.

Qin Siyang sighed. "I really am such a kind person."