The Truth Behind the Bruises and the Great Labeling Disaster

Chu Ci turned his head at the sound, only to see Ji Yanli rushing toward him from a distance. Simultaneously, the man’s clenched fist descended—

Thud. A dull impact followed as hard knuckles struck Chu Ci’s temple. His vision went black, and his head spun instantly. Stumbling back uncontrollably, the back of his head slammed once more against the cold, unyielding wall.

His body went limp. Unable to keep his balance, he slid down the wall until he collapsed onto the pavement.

Chu Ci’s eyes were wide, staring blankly ahead without focus. A persistent ringing filled his ears. At some point, his teeth had cut his fragile lip; dark red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, staining his pale skin a shocking crimson.

The man, noticing the uninvited guest, stuffed the crumpled bills into his pocket. He scowled, spitting on the ground near Chu Ci. “…Useless piece of sh*t!”

“I’ll finish you off next time.”

With a quick glance at the approaching Ji Yanli, the man turned and vanished into the shadows without looking back.

“Chu Ci!”

Ji Yanli skidded to a halt. He first glared at the retreating back of the man, then looked down at the battered Chu Ci and knelt beside him.

“Who was that man?” Ji Yanli’s brows were knitted so tightly it looked painful. Seeing Chu Ci bullied like that made his heart skip a beat.

His gaze fell on the cut on Chu Ci’s lip. The pale cheek was already marred by a vivid red mark that was beginning to swell and turn a sickly purple.

“I’m taking you to the school infirmary.” When Chu Ci didn’t respond, fearing a concussion, Ji Yanli reached out to wipe away the blood. Suddenly, his wrist was caught by two ice-cold hands.

Chu Ci finally came to. His wandering eyes focused on Ji Yanli’s face. As recognition set in, his expression shifted, and as if he couldn’t feel the pain, he asked frantically, “How is Lin Yu?”

Ji Yanli frowned instinctively, then pieced everything together.

So that was why he hadn’t found Chu Ci at the coordinates given.

…Of course. The little liar.

“Speak!” Seeing Ji Yanli remain silent, Chu Ci tugged his hand, nearly falling into the other’s arms. His knuckles were bone-white, and his dark eyes searched the youth’s face for an answer.

Ji Yanli sighed, placing his other hand over Chu Ci’s and patting it gently to soothe him. “He’s fine.”

“I didn’t see you when I went in, but I happened to see him being dragged into a private room. I stepped in and got him out. He hasn’t woken up yet, so I had the driver take him to the hospital first.”

Chu Ci listened intently. Knowing Lin Yu had escaped his fate, the stone in his heart finally dropped.

‘He made it.’

‘Thank god… he made it… that’s great…’

His lowered eyelashes trembled violently. Ji Yanli watched him, using the moment to pull his hand free. He used a thumb to gently wipe the blood from the boy’s lip, asking cautiously, “But how did you know where Lin Yu was?”

Chu Ci stiffened.

“Um…” He guiltily averted his gaze. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his jaw. Ji Yanli had gripped his chin, forcing him to look up.

The youth’s expression was dark. His pitch-black pupils locked onto Chu Ci, and despite the slight upward curve of his eyes, there wasn’t a hint of a smile.

—Ji Yanli was angry.

“Tell the truth.”

His voice was low and husky, vibrating against Chu Ci’s eardrums with a seductive yet dangerous edge.

Soft fingertips pressed against thin skin. The drying wound on his lip split open again under the pressure, sending a jolt of pain to the top of his head. Chu Ci hissed, sucking in a breath.

He didn’t dare look into Ji Yanli’s eyes; they were like a bottomless abyss ready to drown him. But with Ji Yanli’s grip so tight, he couldn’t turn away.

‘What’s wrong with this brat now?!’

‘…Is he actually angry because I lied to him?’

‘Wait…’

‘What does he have to be angry about!’

The person before him clearly wasn’t backing down. Chu Ci’s limp hands now gripped Ji Yanli’s clothes. The two of them stared at each other, locked in a silent standoff on the roadside until the last bit of sunset vanished and the streetlights flickered to life.

“I didn’t lie to you.”

After a long while, Chu Ci yielded. He sighed in defeat and explained softly, “I saw Lin Yu being taken away by Zhang Zhuo at school. You know what that brat Zhang Zhuo is like; nothing good happens when he takes someone. I was worried, so I followed them…”

“You,” Ji Yanli interrupted, his gaze turning even colder, “you actually dared not to tell me? You went after them alone?”

“Do you realize what would have happened if you were caught? They would have snatched you up too.”

His voice was cold, unlike anything Chu Ci had heard. Unknowingly, Chu Ci’s eyes welled up. A surge of inexplicable grievance flooded his heart. His lip trembled, and tears began to fall.

“I know!” Chu Ci’s voice rose. “But it happened so fast, how could I think that much? You know how dangerous it was if I got caught, so why were you so slow!!”

“I didn’t even do anything wrong… and you’re shouting at me! Not only are you shouting, you’re pinching my face!! I got beaten up and it hurts like h*ll! And you’re still pinching me!!”

As he spoke, Chu Ci lost control of his emotions. Maybe it was the pain, or maybe he just finally broke. Tears flowed like broken pearls, wetting his small face. His voice turned soft and shaky, like a bullied kitten acting spoiled.

Ji Yanli stared at the crying, pitiful Chu Ci. He instinctively moved to release the chin he was holding, but just as his fingers loosened, he caught a glimpse of the corner of Chu Ci’s mouth twitching upward.

Ji Yanli felt his pulse throb at his temple.

He had truly underestimated this brat’s ability to play the victim.

Instead of letting go, he gripped the chin again, even adding a bit of pressure as a punishment.

Chu Ci struggled, swatting at Ji Yanli’s chest.

“Dishonest,” Ji Yanli said darkly, his fingers squeezing Chu Ci’s cheeks and forcing his red lips into a slight pout.

The youth’s thick lashes fluttered.

“Not listening at all.”

“You knew to call me for help once you got there, but you lied and said you were in trouble.” Ji Yanli narrowed his eyes, letting out an ambiguous chuckle. “How were you so sure I would definitely come to save you? What if I hadn’t?”

“What would you have done then?”

Chu Ci raised his eyes, meeting Ji Yanli’s gaze through a watery blur.

‘Because of your character setting, obviously!’

‘If you saw someone dying and didn’t help, the character would break, brother!’

Chu Ci’s inner thoughts skipped around Ji Yanli’s ears. With his lips still pouted, he mumbled, “Are you saying… you wouldn’t have come?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then there you go.”

Chu Ci perfectly evaded the question, his red eyes crinkling as he gave Ji Yanli a smug, triumphant smile.

Ji Yanli stared at the curved lips and finally shook his head helplessly. “Fine. I lose to you.”

He stood up.

“Let’s go. It’s dark. How much longer are you going to stay here?”

Chu Ci, however, remained sitting on the ground.

Ji Yanli looked down and met Chu Ci’s gaze. He could swear this was the brightest he had ever seen Chu Ci’s eyes. The round almond eyes blinked, and his face clearly screamed: ‘Ji Yanli, help me.’ Yet he refused to say it, waiting for Ji Yanli to ask.

Ji Yanli played along. “Why aren’t you moving?”

“Legs are numb.”

Chu Ci reached out a hand. “Can you give me a pull?”

As the last syllable fell, Ji Yanli grabbed his arm and pulled him up from the ground with a firm tug.

The pale white streetlights cast a hazy glow over the boy’s thin shoulders. Despite the bruises on his face, his eyes were brilliantly bright as he looked at Ji Yanli.

“Thanks.”

The boy’s thin lips moved softly.

“I didn’t lie to you this time.”

The driver arrived quickly. The two boys grabbed a quick dinner and rushed into the school infirmary just as it was closing. The school nurse, who was just taking off her white coat, stared in shock for a few seconds before her gaze fixed on Chu Ci.

“Did you two get into a fight?” she asked, frowning.

Chu Ci waved his hands frantically. “No, no! I just tripped!”

The nurse walked over and inspected the injuries. “How could you be so careless? And on the face too—what if it leaves a scar?”

She turned on the lights and grabbed a bottle of disinfectant. Just as she was about to use a cotton swab on him, Ji Yanli, who had been silent, took it from her.

“Teacher…” Ji Yanli suggested softly. “You’re off duty now, please head home. I can handle disinfecting this for him.”

The nurse looked between the two, hesitating. “Is that okay? The wounds aren’t severe, but…”

“It’s no problem!” Ji Yanli smiled politely. “He gets hurt often; I used to do this for him all the time. Don’t worry, we’ll head back to the dorms as soon as we’re done.”

Ji Yanli was famous at school, so the nurse trusted him. Hearing a top student say this, she nodded and pointed to a cabinet. “There’s gauze in there. Just a simple dressing after disinfecting. Remember to turn off the lights before you leave.”

Ji Yanli nodded obediently.

Once the nurse left, Ji Yanli quietly shut the door and pushed Chu Ci down onto a chair. He pulled out a cotton swab, dipped it in the solution, and lifted Chu Ci’s chin with one hand, his movements surprisingly gentle.

“Hiss—”

The sharp sting made Chu Ci’s spine go numb. His features scrunched up, and he ground his teeth together. It hadn’t felt like much earlier, so why did it hurt so much now?

Hearing the sharp intake of breath, Ji Yanli softened his touch further.

“Idiot,” he said suddenly.

“Getting hit and not knowing how to fight back.”

Chu Ci frowned, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “That was my father.”

The four words made Ji Yanli choke on his next sentence. After a few seconds, he added quietly, “Then you should have run.”

“I didn’t know how,” Chu Ci huffed. “I was scared.”

“Ji Yanli.”

“I was really scared to death.”

He wasn’t lying. The original body’s reflex had been so overwhelming that he couldn’t move; he could only take the punch. His subconscious told him he was no match for the man, and running would only lead to a worse beating later.

Ji Yanli fell silent.

The campus at night was quiet, save for the cicadas in the trees. The sharp smell of disinfectant filled the air, quickly masked by the fragrance clinging to Ji Yanli. Chu Ci felt a burning sensation in his wounds, a restlessness flowing through his veins.

“Wait a moment, I’ll get the gauze.”

Finished with the cleaning, Ji Yanli tossed the swab and walked toward the medical cabinet. Chu Ci sat obediently. A few seconds later, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

He pulled it out to see a new message.

Little Brat Who Acts Good Early But Isn’t Later (Lin Yu): “You saved me today, didn’t you?”

Don’t Mess With Me My Butt Is On Fire (Chu Ci): “?” Don’t Mess With Me My Butt Is On Fire (Chu Ci): “It wasn’t me.”

Little Brat Who Acts Good Early But Isn’t Later: “It was you. I know everything. You called Ji Yanli to save me.”

Don’t Mess With Me My Butt Is On Fire: “…”

Little Brat Who Acts Good Early But Isn’t Later: “Thank you. I can’t thank you in person today, but once I’m out of the hospital, I’m definitely treating you to a meal!”

Chu Ci looked at the screen, about to type a refusal, but the avatar went dark. Lin Yu had logged off.

He bit his lip. How did Lin Yu know…? Did Ji Yanli tell him?!

“What are you looking at?”

Ji Yanli’s voice came from above. Chu Ci jumped, instinctively turning off the screen. Ji Yanli ignored the panicked look, pulled out the gauze, and applied it to the wound.

“By the way, I have a question for you.”

Chu Ci looked up. “Wh—”

“In your phone, you have [Little Brat Who Acts Good Early But Isn’t Later], [Universe’s No. 1 Big Simp Don’t Mess With Him], and [Fake White Lotus Real Scheming Tea Who Loves To Play Dead]. Are they all your friends?”

Chu Ci: “…”

Chu Ci: “!!!”

Little Brat Who Acts Good Early But Isn’t Later was Lin Yu. Fake White Lotus Real Scheming Tea Who Loves To Play Dead was Ji Yanli.

But who on earth was the Universe’s No. 1 Big Simp?!

Chu Ci’s eyes went wide as he opened his phone. At the very top of his chat list, a new notification appeared:

Universe’s No. 1 Big Simp Don’t Mess With Him (Bo Yu): [You are now friends! Start chatting now!]

Chu Ci: “…”

When on earth did he add Bo Yu as a friend?!!