The Responsible Party

That person seemed to know Shi Sui had discovered him, yet he did not dodge. Instead, he walked forward, attempting to draw closer.

Shi Sui was facing someone this fearless for the first time. After witnessing him beat Brother Niu’s gang so badly, this person still approached. Did he see the injuries on Shi Sui’s body and think he couldn’t fight anymore?

He lowered his eyes, calculating the distance in his mind. When the other party took the next step, Shi Sui raised his leg and delivered a forceful side kick.

The wind of the kick whistled past, but the other party seemed to have anticipated it. He grabbed Shi Sui’s calf and pressed it down. In the instant Shi Sui lost his balance, the stranger grabbed his arm and jerked him back.

Shi Sui’s back slammed into the man’s chest.

The scent on this person was very fresh, carrying the faint lingering fragrance of laundry detergent. Compared to the greasy, mixed smell of smoke and alcohol in the alley, it was startlingly clean.

“Behave.”

The voice was steady and calm, as if he didn’t view Shi Sui as a threat at all.

Shi Sui whet his teeth. “In your dreams!”

He swung his backpack backward to strike, but someone’s arm wrapped around his neck. The pressure on his throat caused his strength to fade, and the backpack hit the person behind him with about as much force as a joke.

The gap between them was clear at a glance.

This was the first time Shi Sui had been suppressed like this. It was mainly because the previous fight had consumed too much of his physical strength, and this person was a tough nut to crack. His movements were neat and crisp, and the arm pressing against him felt like iron. No wonder he was so fearless and dared to provoke him alone.

While the two were silently struggling, the sound of messy footsteps suddenly came from nearby.

The commotion Shi Sui and Brother Niu’s group had caused was too loud. Someone likely noticed and might have even called the police.

Shi Sui’s face changed instantly. He could not afford another disciplinary mark.

Shi Sui bit his lip, wanting to leave quickly, but the person behind him had no intention of letting go. Seeing the footsteps getting closer, Shi Sui grew anxious. Looking at the arm held across his chest, he lowered his head and bit down hard.

It was hot in summer, and this person was wearing short sleeves. With no fabric to block him, Shi Sui showed no mercy. Soon, the taste of blood filled his mouth. However, the other party’s reaction was also extremely fast. Before Shi Sui could apply more force, the arm was withdrawn.

Having gained his freedom, Shi Sui didn’t have time to settle scores. He quickly grabbed his backpack, turned into a side street, and disappeared.

A night passed. A light rain had fallen yesterday, and there was a noticeable chill in the morning wind.

Shi Sui didn’t take yesterday’s events to heart. After his part-time shift ended, he walked out of the internet cafe with a piece of bread in his mouth and climbed the wall to sneak into school, a route he knew well.

At this time, morning self-study was almost over. Wang Cheng said Old Tian had gone somewhere and the classroom was empty, telling him to sneak in through the back door.

Just as Shi Sui’s hand touched the ajar back door, a chill ran down his spine. He turned around to find Old Tian looking at him gloomily. Clearly, he had been waiting to catch the rabbit.

“The weather is cold and the wind is strong, yet Wang Cheng insisted on leaving the back door cracked. I knew something was wrong. I didn’t expect to actually catch you.” Tian Hongjun used his Chinese textbook to tap Shi Sui’s shoulder heavily. “Stand straight against the wall!”

“Also, did you memorize the text I told you to yesterday? I’m checking!”

Shi Sui had no idea which text it was, so he could only lower his head and take the scolding.

The temperature had dropped sharply today. Everyone was wearing their school uniform jackets except for Shi Sui, who was still in a thin short-sleeved shirt. Standing in the hallway outside the classroom, a gust of wind blew by, making him instinctively rub his arms from the cold.

Tian Hongjun looked at his ripped jeans and felt a surge of anger. “How many times have I said it? Wear your uniform, wear your uniform. Can’t you listen just once?”

“The Dean has already set his sights on you. You have a pile of disciplinary marks. If you get caught again, the lightest punishment will be calling your parents, and the most serious could be a suspension.”

At those words, the originally indifferent Shi Sui suddenly looked up. “I haven’t caused trouble lately.”

Tian Hongjun saw he was finally paying attention and snorted. “Is the uniform not trouble?”

However, Shi Sui’s performance lately had indeed been decent. On the other hand, Qian Hao from Class 8 was always smoking and fighting, refusing to change despite repeated warnings.

Tian Hongjun breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly remembered something. “There was a brawl in South Alley yesterday, and someone was going to call the police. I remember the place you live isn’t far from there. That matter…”

“It has nothing to do with me,” Shi Sui interrupted him quickly. “Don’t just pin it on my head whenever someone causes trouble.”

“Fine.” Tian Hongjun dismissed his doubts. Seeing that the boy was so cold his face had turned pale, he didn’t want to make things difficult anymore. “Go to the office and move the new uniforms for this quarter. Oh, right, the new transfer student is there too. Lead him to the classroom while you’re at it.”

When Shi Sui arrived, a new face was standing in front of the Dean’s desk.

He was tall with broad shoulders and stood very straight. Despite his intimidating physical presence, he didn’t show it at all. He was currently looking down, listening to the Dean.

Yesterday the distance had been too far for Shi Sui to see what the transfer student looked like. Now, he could see clearly.

His features were handsome and well-defined, possessing the clean aura unique to youths.

Shi Sui suddenly thought of the person who ambushed him in the alley last night. That person’s aura was clean and cold, very consistent with this guy’s temperament.

His gaze moved down to the other’s forearm, but the person was dressed very strictly. His jacket was loose, and even the zipper was pulled up properly; nothing could be seen.

Shi Sui curled his lip, looked away, and walked straight to Tian Hongjun’s desk. He bent down to pick up a bundle of new uniforms.

He was too lazy to wait for this transfer student.

But just as Shi Sui picked up one bundle, the person suddenly spoke: “Dean, it’s getting late. I’ll go to the classroom first.”

After saying that, he walked over and bent down to pick up the other half of the uniforms.

Shi Sui’s movements paused, but he didn’t stop him. However, why did this person’s voice sound a bit familiar?

His pace was fast as he walked in front. The transfer student followed behind him at a leisurely pace, as if using Shi Sui as a guide.

Shi Sui felt inexplicably annoyed. He stopped walking, tilted his head, and suddenly asked, “Have I seen you before?”

He knew why the transfer student’s voice felt familiar now. That person last night had spoken almost right against his ear. Even if it was just one sentence, it was enough for him to remember clearly.

But with such fast reactions and skills, he thought that person was a delinquent like himself. But now…

The other party held a stack of uniforms, switching hands to rest every few steps as if it were very taxing. There was no similarity to the powerful person from last night.

Shi Sui wondered if he had gotten something wrong.

Seeing that the other party didn’t answer, he frowned. “Speak!”

“We have met—” The person paused. “Yesterday in front of the commissary. You glared at me for a minute.”

Shi Sui: “…” He never thought someone would interpret his provocation as just glaring.

Moreover, the other party’s tone was calm. It was clearly a statement of fact, yet it sounded inexplicably mocking.

Shi Sui set the uniforms down and looked up at the top student in front of him. “Say that again?”

He had single eyelids. When he stared at someone expressionlessly, he looked exceptionally fierce.

The smell of gunpowder filled the air.

“Shi Sui, get your a*s over here!” Tian Hongjun’s sudden loud voice broke the subtle atmosphere between the two.

The momentum Shi Sui had built up instantly dissipated. Before Old Tian could explode, he bent down to grab the uniforms and turned toward the classroom.

At the door, Tian Hongjun gave Shi Sui a warning glare. When he turned to the person beside him, his expression seamlessly switched to a smile. “Lu Huaizhi, welcome to Class 3. I am your homeroom and Chinese teacher, Tian Hongjun.”

After speaking, he looked around the classroom and pointed to a seat in the middle of the second row. “This student is on medical leave. You’ll sit there for now. We’re switching seats this afternoon anyway, and we can adjust then.”

Under Tian Hongjun’s pressure, Shi Sui changed into the newly issued uniform. Once the teacher left, he collapsed onto his desk and fell asleep.

Wang Cheng looked at his messy, crookedly worn uniform and wondered, “What did Old Tian catch you doing this time?”

Shi Sui was sleepy and ignored him.

“Don’t be like that! Brother, sleep later. Tell me first, what’s the deal with you and that Lu Huaizhi?”

The front door of the classroom was open. Everyone sitting by the window had seen the friction between Shi Sui and Lu Huaizhi.

It took Shi Sui a while to realize Wang Cheng was talking about the transfer student. Lu Huaizhi? Even the name was a mouthful.

Shi Sui had a feeling that he and this person clashed.

Just like now, as soon as he looked up, he happened to see that straight-backed figure in the front row. Even though they wore the same uniform, Lu Huaizhi was like a spotlight, exceptionally eye-catching.

However, the other party’s posture was a bit awkward. He held his book with his left hand while his right hand hung at his side, as if he were uncomfortable.

Shi Sui suddenly remembered that while carrying the uniforms earlier, Lu Huaizhi also rested his right hand from time to time…

Was that person last night really Lu Huaizhi?

Perhaps Shi Sui’s gaze was too direct, making the students in the front rows tremble with fear.

“Did you hear? There was another fight in South Alley yesterday. Apparently, it was someone from our school.” “It couldn’t be Shi Sui again, right?” “Most likely.” “I heard a passerby looked at him out of curiosity and got dragged into an alley. When people rushed over, they couldn’t find anyone.” “That person probably got beaten pretty badly.”

These whispers all reached Lu Huaizhi’s ears. He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on his right forearm— It was almost scabbed over.

When school was about to dismiss in the afternoon, Tian Hongjun brought out the new seating chart.

Shi Sui glanced at it. He had been moved to the very last row, and Wang Cheng became his front neighbor.

Shi Sui had been growing very fast lately, and Tian Hongjun considered height when arranging seats.

Wang Cheng was blocking his path. Shi Sui was about to tell him to hurry and pack when he heard a tragic wail: “Why am I sitting with the Class Monitor!”

“I’m not going!” Wang Cheng hugged his desk, refusing to move. “The front is right by the window. I’m not going.”

Every time Old Tian patrolled, he liked to move forward from the back window. Before, Wang Cheng was in that back corner where he could hide whatever he was doing in his desk. Now that he was one row forward, wouldn’t he be right under Tian Hongjun’s nose?

Shi Sui lost his patience and kicked his desk. “Stop talking sh*t.”

Wang Cheng had a bitter face. “Not only am I by the window, but I’m also sitting with the Class Monitor. If I eat snacks during class, won’t he just snitch to Old Tian?” Good students and bad students naturally had a wall between them, especially those class officials who were just waiting to catch them doing something wrong to report to the teacher.

Actually, it wasn’t that obvious in their class. With a Great Demon King like Shi Sui around, no matter how much students messed around, they didn’t dare to be too wild in the classroom. Those with good grades didn’t interact with them.

But that didn’t mean their relationship was harmonious.

While Wang Cheng was struggling, the Class Monitor had already moved over, clearly accepting the new arrangement.

Seeing that the person had arrived, Wang Cheng could only move his desk over with a long face.

After Shi Sui finished changing his position and sat down, his mind kept thinking about what Wang Cheng just said.

If someone knew he fought last night, would they tell the teacher?

Tian Hongjun’s attitude this morning showed that if he caused more trouble recently, his parents would definitely be called.

In truth, he was quite careful within the school. Yesterday, Brother Niu and the others had cleared the area beforehand so there were no outsiders. The witnesses were the girl who was bullied and the person who ambushed him.

He had saved her, so that girl shouldn’t snitch on him.

As for the other one… Lu Huaizhi.

Shi Sui recited the name in his heart. Before he could think of a solution, he saw someone standing by his desk.

“Move.”

Shi Sui looked up and found that the person he was just thinking about had actually appeared next to him, carrying a desk.

Belatedly, he looked at the seating chart displayed on the multimedia screen. Next to his name, the three words [Lu Huaizhi] were written clearly.

Shi Sui’s left eyelid twitched. Earlier, he was worried Lu Huaizhi would hold his secret over his head to snitch. Now, if the two became deskmates…

Just thinking about it was a headache.

Thus, Shi Sui gave up on care and stretched his legs out, completely blocking Lu Huaizhi’s path. “I’m not being deskmates with you.”

He pointed to Wang Cheng, who had just finished organizing his desk in front. “You can swap with Wang Cheng.”

Wang Cheng was caught off guard by the mention of his name. He turned around and only then realized Shi Sui’s new deskmate was Lu Huaizhi.

Shi Sui leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. His tone was direct, his provocation arrogant and blunt.

Wang Cheng could tell Shi Sui was doing it on purpose. Anyone with a temper would get angry being treated like this. Once Old Tian saw that he and Lu Huaizhi didn’t get along, he would drop the idea of them being deskmates.

But whether Lu Huaizhi actually had a good temper or had seen through Shi Sui’s thoughts, he just stood quietly by Shi Sui’s side and waited, his eyes slightly lowered— From this angle, was he looking at Shi Sui’s face?

What a f*cking ballsy guy!

As the person involved, Shi Sui immediately noticed the observant gaze. From top to bottom, looking meticulously.

Originally, he was the one provoking Lu Huaizhi, but the other party could make him flare up with just a casual look. New grudges added to old ones, he suddenly stood up and stared into Lu Huaizhi’s eyes. “What the f*ck are you looking at, kid!”

Wang Cheng thought things were going south. Shi Sui was truly annoyed.

He was about to mediate when he heard the seemingly steady and reserved Lu Huaizhi speak: “Looking at you.” He admitted it quite frankly.

After saying that, he didn’t forget to move his desk through the empty aisle next to him, lining it up with Shi Sui’s.

Wang Cheng was the first to lose it, letting out a “pfft” laugh.

Shi Sui looked at the person who had sat down peacefully next to him in disbelief. Without thinking, he was about to grab Lu Huaizhi’s collar and stand up, but as soon as he touched him, he was hit on the back of the head with a knuckle.

“Shi Sui, are you itching for a beating?” Tian Hongjun had seen Shi Sui’s movement as soon as he entered the door and rushed over immediately.

Shi Sui let go of Lu Huaizhi’s collar, his face taut, and said nothing.

Surprisingly, Lu Huaizhi spoke up to resolve the situation. “Teacher, you misunderstood. Student Shi saw that my collar wasn’t fixed properly and helped me straighten it.”

Tian Hongjun looked at Lu Huaizhi’s now wrinkled collar and frowned. “Don’t speak up for this kid. If he dares to bully you again in the future, tell me directly.”

Shi Sui could see that Tian Hongjun viewed Lu Huaizhi as a treasure. For the rest of the time, the teacher’s gaze didn’t leave the back row.

Lu Huaizhi sat next to Shi Sui like that, lowering his head to earnestly solve problems, as if he couldn’t feel the murderous aura radiating from the great deity beside him.

Shi Sui ground his teeth and tilted his head. He saw the other party’s pen moving rapidly, filling the white scratch paper with function formulas he couldn’t understand. But suddenly, the smooth writing faltered.

Lu Huaizhi let out a very soft hiss and pressed his right forearm.

This movement made Shi Sui’s heart skip a beat.

The spot Lu Huaizhi pressed was too coincidental. Last night, in his haste, that was roughly where he had bitten the person who ambushed him.

Could it really be Lu Huaizhi?

Before Shi Sui could confirm it, the school bell interrupted his thoughts.

It was his turn for duty today. By the time he finished cleaning, almost everyone had left the classroom, leaving only Lu Huaizhi still writing at his desk.

Shi Sui curled his lip, took a bottle of water from his desk, and took a swig. He was about to head back when he looked up and found Lu Huaizhi had finished packing and was standing nearby.

And he was death-defyingly staring at him again.

This time it wasn’t his face. From the neck down, the gaze landed on his waist.

Shi Sui slammed the water bottle onto the desk and looked at Lu Huaizhi with cold eyes. “Are you f*cking done?”

He didn’t want to fight in school, but that didn’t mean this person could keep annoyingly getting in his face.

Lu Huaizhi still had that same indifferent expression. “Come to the infirmary with me.”

Shi Sui made his knuckles crackle. “Sure! I’ll send you there in a moment.” “Pick a place. A duel or a gang fight, up to you.”

But Lu Huaizhi just gave him a fleeting look and rolled up his sleeve. “The place you bit is inflamed. Don’t you want to take responsibility?”

On the lean forearm was a clear and obvious ring of teeth marks. Even though they weren’t deep, blood was currently seeping out.

Even without treatment, a small injury like this should have healed after a night, right?

Shi Sui: “…” Is he f*cking sick?