Chapter 48: Do You Think You Sound Very Pleasant When You Speak?

Noticing his slightly trembling body, Ling Wu said again, "We are all classmates; I won't make things too difficult for you, don't be afraid."

"Humility and steadiness are the traditional virtues of the Empire, and also the first lesson at Sike Academy."

Ming Tan felt as if there was a fishbone stuck in his throat: "Understood."

Ming Tan was almost certain that the reason he had been able to offend Ling Wu many times before was simply because he hadn't touched Ling Wu's bottom line, or rather, he was insignificant.

Ling Wu was waiting for a suitable opportunity to strike in one go, crush his spirit, and thoroughly force him to recognize reality so he wouldn't dare to offend again.

【I also hate it most when others wrongly accuse me. Can you shut up if you don't have evidence? Everything is 'you think, you think'—does the world revolve around you!】

【Author, come out and get scolded. The protagonist shou's characterization has collapsed. What are you doing? I'm going to mail you razor blades immediately. You basically tricked people into coming in just to kill them.】

【This protagonist shou... I'm speechless.】

【Has he been possessed?】

【The male supporting character is still too kind. If this were someone like me, a resentful husband, I would definitely go up and slap him hard in the face!】

【Never seen such a brain-dead protagonist. Even if you want to highlight his halo and Mary Sue nature, don't do it like this. Dropped.】

【The male supporting character is so handsome... I will keep pestering you.】

【Am I the only one who thinks the male supporting character has too much screen time?】

"Ding-a-ling!"

The class bell rang.

The restless classroom of Class A returned to calm, and the students returned to their seats one after another.

A hand with slender joints reached out in front of Ling Wu, and he heard Qi Yu beside him ask, "Are you thirsty? I poured some water for you."

Ling Wu was thoughtful: "Qi Yu, I just made things difficult for your friend, why are you still pouring water for me to drink?"

"Don't you blame me?"

The young man's eyes were bright, and a smile spilled from his thin lips.

"It wasn't making things difficult; everyone should receive the punishment they deserve for doing something wrong." Qi Yu looked into his eyes and added, "Besides, you are also my friend."

Ling Wu finished the water and asked him, "Qi Yu, do you consider me a friend?"

This tone was clearly somewhat incredulous.

After a long while, Qi Yu, his body tense, felt his heart beat faster for a few seconds when faced with such an open and sincere gaze, and he nodded: "Mm, a friend."

Ling Wu did not speak, just maintained this posture while staring at him, his gaze tracing Qi Yu's handsome outline and fine features, then he lowered his eyes: "Qi Yu, then you really are a good person."

But good people have hard lives.

Ling Wu's final gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally over the other's collarbone.

So open-hearted, Qi Yu.

To be treated like that and still be able to treat him as a friend? Although it wasn't he who burned the cigarette scar, the body used by the Transmigrator was still this one.

Ling Wu's tone was ambiguous; he had clearly pondered something different from before.

Perhaps he should believe the bullet comments—does this person Qi Yu really like him?

Ling Wu's lips curved into an arc, and a flash of self-mockery crossed his eyes.

Qi Yu was busy looking at him and didn't hear the subtext; his temperament was cold and ascetic, yet he spoke with exceptional sincerity: "Ling Wu, if you are always like this, then you are also a good person."

Ling Wu had harmed him.

And had saved him even more.

Ever since Ling Wu left Qi Yu's home that time, he had been unable to face his own feelings. Every night, he would always think of how Ling Wu lay asleep on the bed beneath him, covered by his quilt, sleeping on his pillow.

His whole body was branded with his own scent.

His heart was restless; the emotion called longing grew as long as the night outside the window, and these covetous thoughts only slowly receded and hid away when the daylight grew bright.

But why would he develop such subtle emotions for someone who had bullied him?

Before that bullying incident where he was called to the Darkness private room, Qi Yu and Ling Wu were two parallel lines that never intersected. Ling Wu skipped school and cut classes; he had even rarely seen him in Class A.

He only knew from the surrounding discussions that there was a very good-looking male student in his class.

But that was all.

His status as a Special Student didn't allow him to hear or see much; he could only drown in his own world, finish his studies, and escape the mire and swamp he was currently in.

Later, because of a trumped-up charge, Ling Wu thought he liked Jing Du, and not long after, he was dragged to the Darkness private room, kneeling beside the feet of the usually cold and noble young man.

That was the first time he looked up at Ling Wu.

He was truly beautiful; the students in Class A hadn't lied.

But after spending less than three short minutes together, his collarbone was burned with a cigarette scar that would be difficult to erase for a lifetime.

The other party humiliated him and then took him away, just like teasing a kitten or a puppy. This was unprincipled, something done on a whim, but Qi Yu, relying on the unwillingness and resentment in his heart, stepped on this whim of the other party and took his phone.

And then there were one interaction after another.

As if there were a will of heaven in the dark.

Ling Wu answered after a long time, so long that Qi Yu thought he wouldn't pay him any mind. The cold young man said: "Good people are praised and good people are lauded; who doesn't want to be a good person?"

"I..."

Qi Yu saw Zhang Lijuan walk in with a folder and forcibly stopped the words that were about to come out of his throat, changing them into: "Let's start class first."

Zhang Lijuan stood on the podium, the smile on her lips almost uncontrollable: "In this Academy test, our Class A has produced a first-place winner."

"Let us applaud and encourage student Ling Wu!"

Almost without hesitation, applause rang out one after another in the Class A classroom.

Wei Ranxu looked at the round back of Ling Wu's head in the front row, clapping in a daze, his mood complex. This person sat in front of him during the exam, so cheating was impossible. Then how could he be harassed by him while taking the test, and then hand in his paper early?

And in the end, still get full marks in three subjects?

Only then did he realize that Ling Wu's indifferent attitude in the Class F exam room was because the other party wouldn't be in the same exam room as him next time.

Damn it!

Wei Ranxu slammed a fist onto the table, and all fell silent.

Zhang Lijuan hesitated: "Um... does Student Wei have some opinion to express?"

Wei Ranxu shot her a cold glance, crossed his arms over his chest, and said nothing.

Shen Zhaojue, beside him, asked: "Is it really necessary?"

Wei Ranxu: "What business is it of yours?"

"Didn't that bunch of cowards you sent out fail to do anything to him? I heard they even got sent to the police station; it's truly a disgrace."

Shen Zhaojue shrugged indifferently: "No one knows it was us anyway."

"Heh." Wei Ranxu sneered at this ally of his, laughing coldly: "The police station dared to lock up your people, yet Shen didn't fly into a rage—could it be that you've taken a liking to Ling Wu?"

Shen Zhaojue was noncommittal: "Isn't the word 'like' too precious? I just have a bit of interest, that's all."

Wei Ranxu said, fair and hitting the nail on the head: "He wouldn't look twice at someone like you."

"..." Shen Zhaojue: "I wasn't counting on him looking at me anyway."

Wei Ranxu: "Do you think you're very humorous?"

Shen Zhaojue: "Do you think you sound very pleasant?"

The already fragile alliance of friendship shattered completely.