Chapter 122 — The Good Old School Days [Monthly Tickets — Can I Have Some, Please? A New Chapter Is Up!]

Now that it was within reach, Wei Zhao wanted to throw himself into it with all his might. No more backbreaking labor like back home, no more tension and danger like in the war zones, no more heart-stopping moments on missions. Everything, every last thing, was so peaceful and easy. So Wei Zhao had rather come to like his present life.

Why hasn't that girl from the class next door passed by my window yet? Snacks in my mouth, manga in my hands, first love in my heart, childhood days... "..."

Back when he used to hear that song, Wei Zhao had always felt that such a life was terribly far away from him—that he and the people in the song belonged to two entirely different worlds. Just imagine... the girl from the class next door walking past his window, "..." and then a little something ambiguous blossoming between them... that ought to feel pretty great, right?

That was why Wei Zhao used to read all those rebirth novels, just to wallow in nostalgia. There was one, for instance, called *The Rebirth Chronicles of Chasing Beauty*, written by a fellow named Yunhai Shuku, which featured exactly this sort of pure, innocent campus life—something Wei Zhao could fondly reminisce over.

If his big sister and their employer Gu Pengzhan didn't object... then he really could try starting a pure and innocent romance... with Tang Zhi, say... or with Shen Yushu... Hm? Why on earth had he thought of that wicked girl?

Wei Zhao stole a glance at Shen Yushu. He had to admit it—Shen Yushu was beautiful, and she had a fine figure too... But the crucial problem was that she was his big sister's best friend. On second thought, better forget it... otherwise his big sister really would blow her top...

"Oh... whether you change or not, what business is that of mine? What do you mean, I don't like it? Suit yourself..." Gu Mengyao felt a surge of irritation at Wei Zhao's words. Any other boy, if she bought him a piece of clothing, would be only too delighted to wear it every single day. But Wei Zhao, of all people...

Gu Mengyao had meant to say, Of course I like you better in what you wore yesterday, but the words reached her lips and came out instead as the pride and self-respect of an elder sister. With a deep sigh in her heart, Gu Mengyao felt rather sorry for herself. She simply lacked Shu's boldness—that girl dared to say anything at all.

"Ha, then I'll wear it tomorrow."

Wei Zhao smiled.

"Yes, yes! Yao Yao, you told me last night—you said he looks really handsome in casual clothes too!" Shen Yushu cut in.

"Shu!" Gu Mengyao was about to explode. She had just been thinking how bold Shen Yushu was, and now this blabbermouth had gone and spilled the contents of their chat from the night before...

Wei Zhao glanced at Gu Mengyao in some surprise. He hadn't expected his big sister to have her moments of honesty too... As they were talking, Uncle Qing's car pulled up at the villa gate and honked twice. Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu set down their chopsticks, picked up their schoolbags, and headed for the door.

Wei Zhao looked at the leftovers on the table. No need to clear them away right this moment—he trusted Uncle Qing would come by at noon to deal with it. So Wei Zhao picked up his schoolbag as well and left the villa with them.

This time Gu Pengzhan was absent, and Wei Zhao once again took the front passenger seat. The car started slowly and headed toward the school. Once they neared the campus, Wei Zhao was quite conscientious about it—he had Uncle Qing stop the car and got out.

Watching Wei Zhao's retreating figure, Shen Yushu said, "Yao Yao, the way you're going about this, you're not going to get any shield effect at all!"

"Let me think about it a while longer... suddenly having a boyfriend out of nowhere, I just can't quite accept it." Gu Mengyao shook her head, somewhat embarrassed. "Even if it's fake, other people don't know that." "But if people find out it's fake, then what's the point anymore..." Shen Yushu was speechless.

Wei Zhao had taken barely two steps after getting out of the car when he heard someone call his name. He turned and saw Kang Xiaofeng sprinting toward him... and not far behind him—huh? Tang Zhi?

Looked like the two of them had come on the same bus?

"Boss, that car just now, whose was it?" Kang Xiaofeng had seen Wei Zhao get out of a luxury car. Though he'd been too far away to make out exactly what it was, judging by its shape alone, it had to be worth over a million...

"Oh, a friend's. He happened to be passing by, so he gave me a lift..." Wei Zhao said casually. Gu Mengyao had told him not to run his mouth, and Wei Zhao wasn't about to go around wagging his tongue. This was better anyway—he was still hoping to start a pure and innocent romance. If people found out he was his big sister's lackey, what sort of romance would that be?

"Oh, it looked like a pretty impressive car." Kang Xiaofeng was a little envious. Then he suddenly slapped the back of his head and, lowering his voice mysteriously, said, "Boss, guess who I rode the bus with today?"

"Tang Zhi, I'd bet," Wei Zhao said.

"Uh—" Kang Xiaofeng was stunned. "How did you know?"

"Isn't she right there, not far behind you?" Wei Zhao smiled wryly. "I'm not blind..."

"Man, this was supposed to be something exciting, but after you put it that way, it sounds totally ordinary?" Kang Xiaofeng looked thoroughly dejected.

"It was never really that exciting in the first place," Wei Zhao said. "That girl Tang Zhi is a real handful. Whoever crosses her is asking for trouble. Wait—" "What did you just say, Wei Zhao?" Tang Zhi had spotted Kang Xiaofeng the moment she boarded the bus, and she had noticed Wei Zhao trailing along behind him, though she had paid him no mind. When Kang Xiaofeng got off the bus and ran into Wei Zhao, however, Tang Zhi fixed her attention squarely on Wei Zhao.

Tang Zhi had also caught every detail of Wei Zhao stepping out of that luxury car. As for his explanation to Kang Xiaofeng—some nonsense about the car belonging to a friend—Tang Zhi gave a snort of contempt. Wasn't he just some rich young master slumming it at school in the guise of a poor student? Yesterday he had worn an obviously expensive casual outfit, and today he had shown up in a school uniform... Hmph, Tang Zhi thought, this Wei Zhao was a total hypocrite.

When she suddenly heard Wei Zhao and Kang Xiaofeng talking about her, Tang Zhi pricked up her ears. Then Wei Zhao started badmouthing her, and before she knew it a few words burst out of her: "...!" She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth. She did not want to get entangled with Wei Zhao any more than necessary. Tang Zhi could not deny that Wei Zhao looked very manly—and it was not that handsome meant manly; this was a manliness all its own, a unique sort of charm. She might be young and newly awakening to love, but Tang Zhi was not blind, and he was a hundred times better than Bu Ruoming. Yet Tang Zhi also knew perfectly well that rich young masters like him treated women as little more than playthings... She had seen far too many examples of that... her own childhood playmate, for instance...

Every time she thought of how that playmate had been seduced and then abandoned by her boyfriend, Tang Zhi felt a pang of bitterness and helplessness. Who could help it, when both her family and her friend's family were weak and powerless? It was not as though they could march over to the rich young master's house and make a scene—whether anyone would even open the door was another matter entirely...

Wei Zhao had never expected Tang Zhi to be standing close behind him, hanging on every word he said to Kang Xiaofeng. Startled, he turned around and gave an awkward laugh: "I was saying you're pretty..." "You—!" Tang Zhi flushed red with anger, shot Wei Zhao a murderous glare, strode quickly over, and stomped hard on the instep of his foot. Then she ignored him entirely and walked on without once looking back...