“Exactly. But tell me, why should these tough, battle-hardened guys be willing to follow us?”

I found myself momentarily speechless.

“After today’s fight, the entire freshman class saw what we’re capable of. Our reputation is at its peak.” (Me: More like we're infamous, no?) “Think about it—first, I held a knife to Da Mao’s throat, then we took on the whole Nine Princes gang.” (Me: You mean we got jumped?) “This already proves our strength. When the time comes, recruiting them will be effortless. They’ve seen us fight, seen us hold our ground—they’ll naturally want to join us.

“I’ve always wanted a fight like this—one that makes a statement, one that spreads our name far and wide. Winning or losing didn’t matter. Facing off against forty or fifty guys? Even if we lost, no one could call it shameful. But there was never the right opportunity—until today. What happened with you couldn’t have come at a better time. Not too early, not too late. Military training ends in three days, which means our reputation will still be fresh. Do you have any idea how thrilled I am? I was so excited, I spent an hour trash-talking with a Henan guy. Actually, I love Henan folks. People saying they steal manhole covers? That’s bullshit! They’re some of the kindest, most genuine people out there…”

I stared at HOUZI, dumbfounded by his rambling, then instinctively turned to Huang Jie—who was usually the first to poke holes in his nonsense.

Huang Jie merely shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I have no idea if he’s bullshitting or not. Just assume he is.”

“Get lost.” HOUZI shoved Huang Jie, sending him rolling down the steps. Lying at the bottom, Huang Jie groaned in exaggerated agony while we burst into laughter. I had never seen someone so delighted after getting beaten up.

But when I was with these two, there was never a dull moment.

We sat there until the end of training, then headed straight to the cafeteria in our disheveled state. While we were getting our food, HOUZI, in a rare moment of generosity, offered, “Use my card.”

Yet the second I saw his balance—three cents—I nearly lost it.

“What the hell?!”

“What’s the problem? Three cents is still enough for a steamed bun!” HOUZI shot back, completely unbothered.

Lin Ke’er came by later, carrying a bunch of medicine. She said Wang Yao had bought them but was too embarrassed to come herself since she hadn’t been much help earlier.

HOUZI chuckled. “Not much help? She took down ten guys with a brick! That was a huge help! Send my thanks to your boss.”

Back at the dorm, Ma Jie was already waiting for us. He promptly took our dirty clothes and started washing them. Huang Jie, clearly touched, slung an arm around Ma Jie’s shoulder.

“In all my three years here, I’ve never met someone this kind. I’m actually moved. Hey… lend me five bucks? I have no clue how I’m getting breakfast tomorrow.”

After washing up, I sat on my bed, applying Red Flower Oil to my bruises. Ever since coming to this school, I’d been using this stuff almost daily—probably wouldn’t be shaking it for the next three years. As I was rubbing it in, my phone rang.

Lin Ke’er.

“What are you up to?” she asked.

“Applying medicine,” I replied.

“Can you reach everywhere?”

“Obviously not. My back’s impossible.”

“Then come downstairs. I’ll help you.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but grin. Snatching the bottle of Red Flower Oil straight from Ma Jie—who was just about to apply it for me—I bolted for the door.

“Uh… Fei-ge, your pants—”

I yanked on my pants properly before heading downstairs. Sure enough, Lin Ke’er was waiting for me. I handed her the medicine and lifted my shirt. She began applying it gently—too gently, actually. This stuff needed to be rubbed in hard, but I didn’t mind. Her hands were so soft that even the faintest touch made my heart melt.

“Ke’er, what are you doing?”

A voice interrupted us.

I turned to see Wang Yao approaching, carrying two thermos bottles.

“I’m helping Zuo Fei apply medicine,” Lin Ke’er replied, still focused on her task.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“You call that applying medicine? That’s useless. Let me do it.” Wang Yao set down the bottles and snatched the Red Flower Oil from Lin Ke’er’s hands.

“Wait—”

My scream echoed through the campus.

“Gentler, please!”

“Gentle? What nonsense! It only works if you rub it in hard!” Wang Yao continued her ruthless assault.

…

Two days passed. Only one day remained until military training ended. As expected, tomorrow night, the Nine Princes would begin their “dorm cleansing,” roughing up students who refused to pay protection fees. That would be our moment to strike.

The students, meanwhile, had grown sentimental about the departing instructors. During a group singing session, several even burst into tears. Personally, I couldn’t relate. Maybe it was because I hadn’t really participated in training or bonded with any of them.

I wasn’t interested in any of that. The only thing I cared about was taking down the Nine Princes.

And yet, tonight, instead of resting, HOUZI and Huang Jie were heading to an internet café for an all-nighter.

“Tomorrow night’s the big fight. Can’t you two at least get some sleep?”

I stood at the school gate, gripping their arms like a desperate wife pleading with her husband not to gamble away their savings.

“Relax, Zuo Fei. You’ve gotta trust us. Pulling an all-nighter won’t affect us at all.”

“Yeah. A few rounds of gaming will put us in the perfect mindset for tomorrow.”

“Bullshit. No way I’m letting you two go tonight.”

“Hey, look! Lin Ke’er’s here!”

I instinctively turned around.

Empty. No one there.

I whirled back—only to find that both of them had vanished.

“Damn it!” I cursed, just about to chase after them when my phone rang.

It was Ma Jie.

“Fei-ge, Yi Zhen is waiting for you at the dorm.”

I frowned. “Who’s Yi Zhen?”

“What?! You don’t know Yi Zhen?”

Out of nowhere, HOUZI popped back up.

“Yi Zhen?!”

Huang Jie appeared just as quickly.

“East City First High’s richest kid?! If he’s looking for you, it must be something big!”

Their eyes burned with excitement.

“You two weren’t leaving?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, now that I think about it, we do have an important mission tomorrow. Staying up all night might not be the best idea,” HOUZI said.

“Yeah, I never even wanted to go in the first place. HOUZI dragged me into it,” Huang Jie added.

Like glue, the two of them stuck to my side as we headed back to meet the legendary heir of East City First High.

“He’s definitely treating us to a feast,” HOUZI drooled.

“For sure! He must’ve heard about our fight with the Nine Princes and wants to join us. That means an extra drumstick with every meal from now on,” Huang Jie beamed.

As we stepped into the dorm, a tall, handsome young man sat casually on my bed. His attire and demeanor set him apart from the rest of us—he exuded wealth.

The moment he stood up, a polite yet confident smile spread across his face.

“Zuo Fei, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m HOUZI.”

“I’m Huang Jie.”

The two shameless idiots had already shoved past me, eagerly extending their hands.

“If you want to be our little brother, it’s simple—just treat us to meals every day,” HOUZI grinned.

“And cover our gaming expenses,” Huang Jie added.

“Exactly.” HOUZI nodded earnestly.

Yi Zhen looked utterly baffled. “What? I came to see Zuo Fei… Who the hell are you two?”

HOUZI and Huang Jie were utterly dumbfounded.

I couldn't help but chuckle. Stepping forward, I pushed them aside and said, “Ignore these two—they're lunatics. What do you need from me?”

“Well, I heard that the Ninth Prince has been giving you trouble lately, so I wanted to check if you need any help. They would still be willing to show me some respect.” Yi Zhen’s gaze was sincere, yet there was an undeniable undertone of pretense.

“And what, exactly, would you like in return?”

I eyed him warily, for no one in this world offers kindness without an ulterior motive.

“Nothing at all. I simply wish to be friends.” Yi Zhen’s smile remained unshaken.

“Oh, I love making friends! Especially rich ones like you. Nice to meet you, I’m HOUZI!” HOUZI launched himself forward enthusiastically.

“Can you have some dignity? You hear someone has money, and you immediately want to befriend them? At least try to be reserved like me.” Huang Jie scolded, then turned to Yi Zhen, placing his hands on his shoulders. “How does that feel? I know a thing or two about massages. My name is Huang Jie, and we should definitely be friends. Not because you’re rich, of course. I just feel an instant connection with you.”

“Connection?” Yi Zhen touched his head. “Is that so?”

“Yes, yes! I’ve never seen a head as perfectly round as yours!” HOUZI eagerly grasped Yi Zhen’s hand.

“Enough nonsense. Just say what you came for; otherwise, I’m going to bed.” I turned toward my bunk.

“Well, then, get some rest. I’ll have a word with the Ninth Prince,” Yi Zhen said, preparing to leave.

“Wait, wait! You can’t just leave like that! We just became friends—we should at least have a proper conversation!” HOUZI clung to him shamelessly.

“Zuo Fei, how can you talk like that? Is this any way to treat our dear friend, Yi Zhen?” Huang Jie stepped up to me, gave me a firm shove, then leaned in and whispered, “Haven’t you figured it out? He’s here for Lin Ke’er.”

A flicker of realization struck me. I looked at Yi Zhen, who was just about to leave, and blurted out, “You’re doing this for Lin Ke’er, aren’t you?”

Yi Zhen turned back, his smile unwavering. “Not exactly. I genuinely want to be your friend.”

At that moment, HOUZI suddenly patted Yi Zhen’s shoulder, his expression serious. “Yi Zhen, I say this as a friend—if you need something, just be direct. Zuo Fei isn’t one for mind games.”

Yi Zhen hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. “Alright, I do have a favor to ask.”

He stepped forward, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small jewelry box. When he opened it, a dazzling necklace lay inside. Even with my lack of expertise, I could tell it was worth a fortune.

“Can you give this to Lin Ke’er?” He paused for a beat before adding, “Do this for me, and I’ll make sure the Ninth Prince doesn’t bother you three ever again.”

“Wow, that’s stunning!” HOUZI once again lunged forward, eyeing the necklace greedily. “Must be worth at least ten yuan, right?”

A muscle in Yi Zhen’s face twitched.

Huang Jie, ever the troublemaker, chimed in, “What are you talking about? This thing is at least fifteen. I see them at street stalls all the time.”

Even if Yi Zhen had been clueless, it was obvious by now that HOUZI and Huang Jie were deliberately playing dumb.

Ignoring them, he fixed his gaze on me. “Well? Will you do it?”

“Why don’t you give it to her yourself?”