CH 35

Chapter 35 Repaying a debt

Just like what Ji Huaisi said, Wei An and the several people who were inciting the flames posted apologies on HS and the forums, and soon, the post about Wei An being expelled was pinned to the top.

Most of the students in Saintston have heard of Wei An’s “glorious deeds”, so when the news leaked, almost no one in the forums felt that the punishment was too severe, and some even jokingly thanked Jian Chi for clearing Saintston’s tumor, there was no trace of the huge team that once followed the thread and ridiculed Jian Chi.

Although it was just a joke, it was like a well-known signal that no one mentioned those speculations about Jian Chi again. Ji Huaisi definitely took half of the credit for such a result.

On the night that the clarification was issued, Ji Huaisi followed up with a post. The content was roughly that he wanted to invite Jian Chi to join the student union at that time, but he refused because of his busy schoolwork. It was not as bad as the post conjectured.

Almost half of the short narrative was expressing favoritism for Jian Chi, and no apology can be more convincing than a movement from Ji Huaisi.

When Jian Chi woke up, there was a bright red 99+ next to the HS notification. He almost thought he hadn’t woken up and looked dazzled. He exited and opened it again, but it was still a dazzling 99+.

The original single-digit attention was approaching more than a thousand overnight, and the friend application column was also mixed with messy news. Jian Chi felt a pain in his temples, removed countless red dots, and set up a message for HS, do not disturb.

Although he had long guessed what might happen after everything was over, Jian Chi never thought that Ji Huaisi would personally walk into this turmoil, making the originally simple nature become complicated. He felt thankful to Ji Huaisi but if he had a choice, Jian Chi would prefer to close the curtains more quietly.

Qin Chuxu’s words were digested for a long time after Jian Chi returned home, and there was a subtle change in his mood. As Qin Chuxu said, he doesn’t need to make any changes. Since what he has done can’t be reversed, he only needs to do what he really wants to do in the future, graduate from Saintston smoothly, and then pass his life as he should.

The goal was clear, and his mood was finally bright.

On the day that Wei An moved out, Jian Chi originally wanted to go to the library to avoid meeting, but Wei An arrived earlier than originally scheduled, as if he had guessed his intention long ago. Jian Chi could only ignore the movement of him packing his luggage as much as possible. In the dormitory, except for the sound of tables and chairs moving and turning over the cabinets, the air was terribly silent.

Jian Chi thought that Wei An would say something to him, but he didn’t. Before leaving, Wei An glanced at him with an indescribable look. It wasn’t just pure anger, resentment, or remorse that wouldn’t appear at all, there were more emotions inside than that. If Jian Chi was forced to describe it, it was a ‘you just wait’ kind of meaning.

In fact, until now, Jian Chi couldn’t understand Wei An’s motive for doing this. It was definitely out of hatred, but if he remembered correctly, Wei An once only attacked those ‘upper pigs’, but this time he changed the target to a special enrollment like himself. Jian Chi couldn’t guess why.

Maybe someone behind the scenes fanned the flames, or maybe Wei An’s last expression was because he knew that this matter would not end here; no matter what the possibility was though, Jian Chi was not as frightened as he imagined.

It is not known where this confidence comes from, but the person hiding behind will definitely reveal his fault at some point, and Jian Chi will have the patience to wait.

W: I know about the matter.

When receiving this message, Jian Chi was stunned for a while. He spent a few seconds thinking about who the other party was, then it was followed by a second message.

W: Don’t be sad.

Jian Chi looked up at the chat record, and finally put the W and Wen Chuan’s faces to overlap each other, feeling a little surprised. He thought about it and replied: Okay.

Before sending it out, a smiley face expression was added at the back, making the tone less cold.

Originally, he always wanted to avoid all the characters involved in the story, but the more he escaped, the tighter the thread wrapped around him. He didn’t have superb acting skills that could deceive everyone. Instead of living in fear every day, it is better to maintain just the right distance, not escaping, not approaching.

No matter what happened in the end, Jian Chi felt an indescribable relief just thinking that he would no longer have to be vigilant in the future.

In order to celebrate Wei An’s departure, Zhang Yang deliberately dragged Jian Chi to go to YC’s cafeteria for dinner. He ran into the president of the tennis club on the way, and their chat delayed them for a few minutes. By the time they arrived, most of the people in the cafeteria had already left. Fortunately, Jian Chi and Zhang Yang didn’t care whether the environment was lively or not. When they pressed up in front of the elevator on the first floor, the sharp-eyed Zhang Yang suddenly made a ‘huh’.

Jian Chi followed his line of sight and jumped a bit more unexpectedly. In the empty cafeteria, the only silhouette of a back was particularly eye-catching. The suit and uniform framed broad shoulders and a thin waist, while the iconic black long hair was enough for people to recognize his identity without seeing the whole picture.

“Why is he here?” Zhang Yang wondered in his ears, “Isn’t this a special enrollment cafeteria?”

Wen Chuan took a boxed rice container handed out in front of the dining hall window. The elevator came a little late. He turned around and just saw Jian Chi and Zhang Yang, who were standing there in a daze. Jian Chi could see Wen Chuan’s figure pause a little.

The elevator opened with a ding, Zhang Yang hesitated and said, “Are we going to go first…”

The atmosphere was a little complex. Wen Chuan paused for a moment, then walked towards them with his long legs, and the things in his hands became clearer as the distance became closer. If Jian Chi was not mistaken, Wen Chuan held a bottle of mineral water and a packet of cookies.

He stopped in front of Jian Chi.

“What a coincidence.”

It was a coincidence, but Wen Chuan saying it so bluntly, the scene was inexplicably funny and weird. Zhang Yang came out in time to round up the scene, and asked with a smirk, “What a coincidence, are you also here for dinner?”

Jian Chi felt that Zhang Yang almost bit his tongue – why else would he come to the cafeteria if not to eat?

Fortunately, Wen Chuan didn’t show any awkwardness. This face, which never had any superfluous expression, like a beautiful but soulless painting, looked down at the thing in his hand and responded calmly: “I came here to buy food.”

Buying food, there is indeed nothing else to buy here but food.

Jian Chi subconsciously looked at the things in Wen Chuan’s hand. Although he had seen the description in the book, he couldn’t help but doubt it when he saw it with his own eyes: “Do you eat these at noon?”

Wen Chuan said: “I eat these every day.”

Not to mention Zhang Yang, who has already widened his eyes, even Jian Chi, who already knew the answer, couldn’t help but be startled.

“Is that enough…” Zhang Yang touched the back of his head and asked dryly, “Are you losing weight?”

For the first time, Jian Chi noticed that Zhang Yang was terrifyingly straightforward in some aspects. Maybe he hadn’t recovered from the shock of Wen Chuan, who had always been alone, talking to him, and his mind and tongue were knotted together.

“The food is too expensive,” Wen Chuan’s expression didn’t change, and he calmly stated without being offended, “The food on the first floor is cheaper.”

Jian Chi, who was about to go to the YC cafeteria, did not dare to press the elevator button. Obviously, Zhang Yang felt the same as him. Realizing the silence in the air, Jian Chi changed the subject: “Where are you going now?”

“Rooftop.”

“It’s cloudy today, isn’t the wind on the rooftop a bit strong?” Zhang Yang couldn’t help but reply, his mouth faster than his brain, “Do you want to come up with us?”

Jian Chi thought that when most people heard such an indefinite question, they would be aware of the politeness behind the other party’s words, and then refuse equally politely. But Wen Chuan didn’t seem to hear the tone of Zhang Yang’s voice. The more he spoke, the more he was losing confidence, and the more he spoke, the more uncertain he was, and he nodded and spit out: “Okay.”

It was until the three of them got into the elevator together did Jian Chi feel that something was wrong. He and Zhang Yang took Wen Chuan to the cafeteria on the second floor for dinner… Fortunately, there were not many people in the cafeteria now. Zhang Yang obviously thought of this, although he seemed to want to withdraw his impulsive invitation earlier, he didn’t have such a thick skin to ask Wen Chuan to leave, so he could only bite the bullet and press down on the floor.

“I’m going to buy food, you can find a place to sit.”

Zhang Yang left these words and hurriedly ran off, leaving Jian Chi and Wen Chuan standing in place and silent for two seconds. Finally, Jian Chi pointed to a corner and asked, “Can we sit there?”

“Okay.”

Sitting down face to face, Wen Chuan looked up at Jian Chi; although he didn’t say a word, Jian Chi somehow could read the question in his eyes and said, “You eat first.”

As if receiving permission, Wen Chuan took out the lunch he had just gotten on the first floor and chewed it slowly with mineral water. It didn’t seem like he was savoring it, but more like he was just satisfying his hunger and completing a task that must be completed. When the description in the text was truly displayed in front of his eyes, Jian Chi felt it a little bit unbearable.

The Fu family’s financial support for Wen Chuan was limited, but it was not so stingy that he couldn’t even afford to eat. In addition, the money Wen Chuan earned from part-time work was a considerable amount. However, Wen Chuan gave all his money to his sick grandmother and sister. If Jian Chi remembered correctly, they were not related by blood. They only helped Wen Chuan once when he was at his worst. They lived together, a new home formed from two broken families.

After Wen Chuan came to Chuanlin, he was frugal and gave away 90% of the money he earned from the Fu family, leaving very little for himself.

His heart was far warmer than his appearance.

Thinking of this, Jian Chi couldn’t help but say, “When Zhang Yang comes back from buying food, we can eat together.”

Wen Chuan stopped his chopsticks in his hand, “No need.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jian Chi said. “He is happy today. He has already said that he wants to treat. With one more person, there is no need to worry about not being able to finish the meal.”

Wen Chuan didn’t refuse or agree. He seemed to remember something and took out a tube of familiar ointment from his pocket and put it on the table in front of Jian Chi. There was a hint of seriousness in his cold tone: “Thank you for your medicine.”

Although Jian Chi wanted him to continue to use it, he knew that Wen Chuan would never change his mind, so he could only reply with a ‘no need to thank me’ and put away the ointment. At the same time, Zhang Yang came back with two trays, and the first sentence after sitting down was: “I ordered too many dishes just now, Wen Chuan, do you want to eat some?”

Wen Chuan’s eyes had a faint look, and after a while, he pursed his lips and said ‘thank you’.

This time it was Zhang Yang, who was embarrassed, and hurriedly smiled: “It’s nothing, we are all classmates, by the way, do you eat beef?”

Although Wen Chuan’s expression was indifferent from beginning to end, Jian Chi still noticed that his eyes lightened slightly when he ate the meat. He silently moved the dishes on the plate to the front, and then met Wen Chuan’s eyes then remembered to explain, “I don’t like eating pork very much, do you want to eat it?”

It sounds a bit contrived.

Wen Chuan looked at him for a while, then made a low ‘Mm’.

Maybe it was because of eating at the same table, but Zhang Yang gradually lost his nervousness at the beginning, and his familiar character was revealed. He asked, “Wen Chuan, won’t your stomach feel uncomfortable when you eat like this every day?”

“Fortunately, I’m used to it,” Wen Chuan said, “I don’t eat much usually.”

He didn’t know what he thought of, but Zhang Yang’s eyes showed some pity and resentment. The former was to Wen Chuan, and he sighed before saying, “Then…then you eat more today, don’t be shy.”

Wen Chuan didn’t explain himself, he buried his head and ate the food in front of him without saying a word, not a grain of rice was left in the bowl. When they left the cafeteria and separated into two paths, Zhang Yang couldn’t help but say: “Wen Chuan is also Fu Zhenhao’s biological son, how could the Fu family abuse him like this? He is so tall, not even getting enough to eat every day, it’s too miserable.”

Jian Chi didn’t answer, and heard Zhang Yang sigh with emotion: “But Wen Chuan is really different from the rumors. I always thought he was bad-tempered and shouldn’t be provoked, but he is quite polite.”

After going back, Jian Chi found out that he had received a transfer from Wen Chuan in HS, he quickly realized that this was today’s meal money, and his mood was a little complicated. He wished Wen Chuan could be a bit more selfish.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Jian Chi returned the money: Zhang Yang said that this meal was a treat from him.

W: I didn’t thank you for the ointment and fever.

Jian Chi replied: You have already said thank you.

W: It’s not the same.

W: What can I help you with?

This really stumped Jian Chi. After thinking about it for a while, he replied, “You keep the money and eat more lunch in the future. I don’t need any help.”

Wen Chuan did not reply.

Jian Chi didn’t think about it any more, and quickly forgot about it, until he woke up the next morning. He touched his phone in his daze, and suddenly saw the message Wen Chuan sent at ten o’clock last night, and instantly became awake.

W: I can do laundry, cook, mop the floor and fight. I can learn other things.

W: Let’s have dinner together tomorrow?

It took a long time for Jian Chi to reluctantly link these two text messages together, which means, can he exchange his meals for a housekeeper who can fight?

Wen Chuan: After thinking about it for four hours, I finally came up with four strong points