LMBYE 6
He’s really something.
"If I don't agree..." Lou Zhengdu felt like his own voice was wavering. Was this something a well-behaved underage kid like him should be hearing?
The shorter boy's eyes were moist, carrying a bit of guilt but showing no remorse as he said, "Then I’ll have to sneak a little. Sorry."
After saying that, Ning Ci looked slightly aggrieved. He had already said this much, yet Lou Zhengdu still wouldn't agree. Extremes breed their opposites; being too rigid leads to breakage. Clearly, excessive yang energy wasn’t good for Lou Zhengdu's body either—it made people irritable and prone to temper tantrums, increasing the chances of accidents or misfortune.
"Moderate release is good for your health. Don’t worry."
Lou Zhengdu: "..."
Do you even hear yourself?
Are you walking around all day with raging hormones or something???
After an entire day of mental shocks, Lou Zhengdu was already feeling numb.
He took a deep breath, the veins on his forehead bulging, as he gritted his teeth and forced a smile. "Do you need anything else?"
Ning Ci thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes."
Then, he pulled a bottle of coconut milk from his other pocket. "You won’t accept a bank transfer, so this is my way of returning the favor."
Lou Zhengdu thought the boy looked like a little hamster hoarding food, especially with his fluffy hair. He glanced at the childishly packaged drink—it looked sweet, and he didn’t like sweet things. It was better for this little mystic to keep it for himself.
He peeked at the boy’s exposed neck. It was indeed as fair as if he had grown up drinking milk.
"If you really want to transfer money, it’s not impossible," Lou Zhengdu reluctantly conceded. "But in that case, you’ll have to wait until after school on Friday, because I had to turn in my phone."
Lou Zhengdu raised an eyebrow, surprised that the boy was actually quite obedient. Most students either claimed they hadn’t brought their phones or handed in a fake one. Hardly anyone actually followed the rule.
Then, his expression darkened as he remembered the rumors Chen Jue had mentioned. Did that mean Ning Ci still had no idea what was being said about him on the school forum?
Just as Ning Ci was about to leave, Lou Zhengdu hesitated for a moment but then, with a scowl, called him back. He quickly pulled up a page and tossed his phone to Ning Ci. "See for yourself."
Ning Ci didn’t understand but obediently took it.
The page was pink and looked like a school forum. A post title caught his eye:
"Breaking News! The transfer student from Class 8 has already made an enemy of the school bully on his first day! His identity seems to be that of an escaped convict!!"
Ning Ci: "..."
[3rd comment]: Holy crap, school bully? The one from Class 8? Respect to the transfer student, then… A bunch of troublemakers from senior year tried to mess with him and got beaten so bad they developed PTSD. They’ve been behaving ever since.
[6th comment]: Huh? But didn’t they come back saying that pale pretty-boy transfer student beat them up?
[7th comment]: And you believe that? I think LZD is framing him to avoid getting chewed out by that annoying homeroom teacher of theirs, so he let the transfer student take the fall.
[9th comment]: Were you there to see it? You’re talking like it’s fact.
[15th comment]: Fan girls of the school bully, please keep quiet! Fan boys of his fighting skills and rich parents, also stay silent! If you’ve seen the transfer student, you’d understand. I, a 6-foot-tall straight guy, almost got turned gay. He looks like he could be an idol, the kind that drives fangirls crazy and makes them bang their heads against walls in devotion. You think someone like that could beat up a gang of thugs?
[18th comment]: Pfft. Stop hiding the fact that you’re in the closet. I saw him at the school card recharge station. As a girl, I didn’t feel crazy over him or anything, but he does give off this protective vibe… He really looks like a good kid who wouldn’t fight.
[20th comment]: Right! He looks like a good student! You described it perfectly, sis. He totally has that "top 10 in the grade" aura.
Lou Zhengdu, sneaking a glance at Ning Ci, was speechless: "Keep scrolling."
Seeing that Ning Ci was still standing, Lou Zhengdu felt awkward and added, "You’ve showered, so sit down."
If Tang Yuan and Zhang Yang were here, they’d be stunned: What? The same Lou Zhengdu, who loses his temper if someone sits in his chair, just invited someone to sit on his bed?!
You couldn’t blame him for the double standard, though. Ning Ci just… looked really clean.
[56th comment]: Stop joking. The version of the story we heard is that the old bald bastard (teacher) threw a fit in the office because the school assigned him another "bad student." Where’s the "good student" part?
[59th comment]: So why is the school placing a rich kid in Class 8? Are they trying to make us experience social disparity firsthand so we get motivated to study harder and surpass them someday?
[67th comment]: LOL. If you have the guts to say this, then have the guts to stop enjoying the resources at our school. Class 8 students might have bad grades, but they haven’t done anything to you. Every year, the school builds a new facility, and all the latest teaching equipment gets used. Don’t pretend you don’t see that. I bet you’re from the experimental class, huh? Your class has a bad reputation. Wasn’t it your class that bullied that one guy into transferring to Class 8?
Ning Ci, seemingly unfazed by the veiled insults in the thread, pointed at comment 67. "Who are they talking about?"
Lou Zhengdu glanced at it, clicked his tongue in annoyance, and said unhappily, "That glasses guy you stared at for ages in the cafeteria today."
Ning Ci pressed on: "What’s his name?"
Lou Zhengdu’s face darkened. "Don’t know. Don’t care."
For some reason, Lou Zhengdu could see suspicion in Ning Ci’s seemingly calm expression. Instantly furious, he snapped, "Why the hell would I lie? He only transferred a little before you did. He wasn’t from our class before, so we’re not that close."
Then, feeling irritated, he added, "Why are you so interested in other people? Why don’t you check your own reputation?"
The discussion turned into a messy online fight, and somehow, Ning Ci became a wager in the argument.
One side insisted Class 8 was full of failures, so Ning Ci had to be one too. The other side, refusing to acknowledge Class 8’s bad grades, argued that Ning Ci looked so adorable that he had to be a genius.
Eventually, a poll was created.
Option 1: Ning Ci is definitely bad at studying. Class 8 can't possibly have a smart student.
Option 2: Ning Ci might actually be good at studying—no spreading rumors.
The results? Overwhelmingly in favor of Option 1.
Lou Zhengdu nudged Ning Ci, watching him scroll seriously. "So, little mystic, are you actually smart or not? Whether our class is shamed or honored depends on you."
Ning Ci, with a face that screamed "good student," replied, "Not great, but I shouldn’t embarrass you guys."
For some reason, this made Lou Zhengdu laugh. He reached out, squeezed the back of Ning Ci’s pale neck like a baby chick, and ruffled his hair. "Didn’t expect you to be a little academic slacker."
Lou Zhengdu smirked. "If you don’t flatter me properly, your school life won’t be easy."
Ning Ci blinked. "How do I flatter you?"
Lou Zhengdu choked. Damn, this guy was too smooth.
