A United Front

“Cheng Li, what are you yammering about here? It’s none of your business!”

After the red-haired boy kicked over the table and chairs, he glared furiously towards Jiang Zhe. Ruan Ling immediately spoke up, her plump face etched with undisguised disdain.

Her deskmate, Zhou Liu, merely tutted twice, her gaze fixed on Cheng Li with a hint of pity.

If Jiang Zhe was the ‘white moonlight’ in the hearts of the girls, then Ning Ran was undeniably the goddess in the eyes of the boys. Countless students at Fenghua High School harbored secret affections for her, and Cheng Li was certainly one of them.

However, given Ning Ran’s formidable family background and her notoriously difficult temper, even Lin Moshu, her nominal fiancé, spent pitifully little time with her—far less than her usual entourage.

Consequently, the boys who secretly admired Ning Ran could only bury their feelings deep, never daring to voice them.

Now, as the rumors between Ning Ran and Jiang Zhe intensified, their hearts couldn’t help but sour, growing more bitter with each passing thought.

Their untouchable high-peak flower had been plucked, and by none other than the ‘pretty boy’ they had always looked down upon.

The sheer disparity and raging jealousy distorted their very perception.

It was an utterly stifling feeling!

If Jiang Zhe had possessed outstanding abilities, rather than just a handsome face, the boys might not have become so utterly resentful.

If she was going to choose, why not choose someone worthy? Selecting a mere ‘embroidered pillow’ was simply infuriating to all her secret admirers!

In fact, before Ning Ran’s live stream, upon hearing the rumors, some had already secretly planned to ambush Jiang Zhe, intending to teach him a harsh lesson.

Alas, after witnessing Ning Ran publicly defend Jiang Zhe, anyone contemplating harming him now had to seriously reconsider whether they could withstand Ning Ran’s wrath.

Damn it, the more they thought about it, the more frustrated they became. Why weren’t they as good-looking as Jiang Zhe?

“You dare to do it, but I can’t talk about it? Jiang Zhe is utterly unworthy of standing beside Ning Ran! What is he? A penniless dog who can’t even compare to a single one of Lin Moshu’s fingers, a good-for-nothing with only his face to boast about!”

Incensed by Zhou Liu’s sympathetic gaze, Cheng Li was utterly furious. He retorted with mocking disdain, completely disregarding their public setting, relentlessly disparaging Jiang Zhe as if it brought him immense joy.

As a specially recruited student, Jiang Zhe was like rootless wild grass at Fenghua, easily trampled by anyone. Had it been another student, Cheng Li might have hesitated before speaking. But now, he had no such reservations.

Even with Ning Ran protecting Jiang Zhe, Cheng Li refused to back down.

He had his own protectors.

Thanks to Su Lianlian’s introduction, Cheng Li had recently grown quite close to Lin Moshu. Compared to Jiang Zhe, this sudden dark horse, Cheng Li’s feelings towards Lin Moshu, Ning Ran’s fiancé, were complex.

Envy, jealousy, and hatred were certainly present. However, witnessing Lin Moshu’s intimate interactions with Su Lianlian had allowed Cheng Li to relax, convincing him that Lin Moshu’s relationship with Ning Ran was cold and unlikely to progress further.

This led Cheng Li to believe he still had an opportunity, a chance to make Ning Ran see him before graduation.

Yet, with the emergence of the Ning Ran-Jiang Zhe rumors, Cheng Li felt as if a basin of cold water had been dumped from above, precisely drenching his heart and chilling him to the core.

To be publicly protected by Ning Ran—Jiang Zhe’s capabilities were truly formidable!

Thinking this, Cheng Li’s anger intensified. He longed to physically assault Jiang Zhe to quell the rage in his heart.

However, recalling Lin Moshu’s private instructions, Cheng Li knew he couldn’t act impulsively.

“At least I have a face worth looking at, which is more than you can say!”

Jiang Zhe smiled, his expression unfazed by the mocking words. Then, as he looked at Cheng Li, his scrutinizing gaze was utterly blatant. Coupled with a shake of his head and a sigh, his actions were devastatingly effective.

Despite having changed identities, Jiang Zhe didn’t want to cause trouble. But when trouble actively sought him out, there was no escaping it.

He wasn’t made of mud, and his own temper wasn’t exactly angelic. Especially when the other party was so aggressive and full of malice, Jiang Zhe naturally responded in kind.

Enduring for a moment only led to more frustration, and backing down only brought greater regret.

A small fry like Cheng Li was hardly difficult to deal with.

Cheng Li, however, hadn’t anticipated Jiang Zhe’s direct retaliation, a public counterattack that completely shattered his previous gloomy, silent demeanor. His face flushed red, then darkened, and the restrained snickers from around them made Cheng Li clench his fists tighter.

That damned pretty boy was arrogant now that he had a backer!

Cheng Li’s appearance wasn’t ugly, but it was only slightly better than average, a barely passable handsomeness. With some effort, he could attract female attention.

But that was only in the absence of comparison…

Among Fenghua’s five campus heartthrobs, Jiang Zhe’s looks held the top spot, a fact recognized by public vote. In front of Jiang Zhe, Cheng Li’s unremarkable ‘flower’ was utterly insignificant.

Therefore, when Jiang Zhe commented on Cheng Li’s ugliness, there was truly nothing to refute.

Among the onlookers, some couldn’t help but pity Cheng Li. Why compare anything but looks? Wasn’t he just actively offering his face to be trampled on the ground?

“Jiang Zhe, you’re something else. You’re dead.”

Cheng Li’s face finally settled into a dark scowl. Anyone would be angered by being called ugly. He had originally intended to follow Lin Moshu’s instructions to trouble Jiang Zhe without resorting to violence, but now, he couldn’t care less.

At this moment, he only wanted to thoroughly beat Jiang Zhe.

“Cheng Li, what do you think you’re doing? If you dare lay a hand on Jiang Zhe today, I’ll make sure you regret it dearly!”

Seeing Cheng Li’s breaths grow heavy with rage and his eyes turn ominous, Liu Jinglin, who had been sitting in the front row, no longer remained silent. Her voice pierced the air sharply.

Previously, Liu Jinglin’s jealous remarks about Ning Ran had left a bad impression on Jiang Zhe, making her wary of speaking out. But now, seeing Cheng Li about to strike Jiang Zhe, she could no longer hold back.

Jiang Zhe and Ning Ran were clearly just friends. What was Cheng Li’s problem, constantly bothering Jiang Zhe? Did he think Jiang Zhe was easy to bully?

They all moved in the same social circles. While Liu Jinglin’s family background wasn’t top-tier, it was solidly mid-range, far stronger than Cheng Li, the nouveau riche.

At this moment, she naturally had the confidence to directly confront him, even wanting Cheng Li to apologize to Jiang Zhe.

She, too, wanted to do what Ning Ran did—to earn Jiang Zhe’s favor…

As this crucial thought crossed her mind, Liu Jinglin almost burst out laughing. Her deskmate, Ye Qian, quickly reached out and shook her arm, pulling Liu Jinglin’s thoughts back to reality.

Ye Qian believed Jiang Zhe was a ‘blue-faced calamity,’ a man who brought misfortune to any woman who encountered him. Though she didn’t particularly want to interfere with Liu Jinglin, spending time together as deskmates had fostered some affection, and she didn’t want to see her ‘stray down the wrong path.’

Sacrificing herself for a man? No, thanks!

“Exactly! You can’t touch Jiang Zhe!”

“Dare to touch Jiang Zhe, and you’re dead!”

However, as Ye Qian tried to counsel her deskmate, Liu Jinglin, Ruan Ling and Zhou Liu spoke up first, quickly aligning themselves with Liu Jinglin, forming a protective squad around Jiang Zhe.

They could no longer remain seated. They stood up directly, glaring furiously at Cheng Li. Ruan Ling even placed her hands on her hips in a scolding posture, her presence alone making others feel intimidated before she even uttered a word.

This left Ye Qian dumbfounded. She had never imagined Jiang Zhe’s charm could be so immense!