Chapter 54 of 100

Chapter 54

13 min read3,146 words

Chapters 45-46: You're Afraid, I'm Not

Under the guise of a seemingly noble cause, three people with different personalities gathered together, repeatedly deliberating on all possibilities. Once the plan was set, Wen Liang invited Liu Tianlai in. At this stage, many things could not yet be revealed to Liu Tianlai. Of course, this was not because he was untrustworthy; rather, Ji Zheng was the one truly difficult to control. However, Wen Liang's plan was too significant, and it was better for each piece to remain ignorant until it was time to act.

Liu Tianlai, rough on the outside but shrewd on the inside, naturally had this awareness. He would do whatever he was asked without asking any extra questions. Wen Liang only emphasized one key point: Ji Zheng's conflict with Yuan Dazhu was solely due to the three months of unpaid wages, and nothing else. It was crucial that everyone believed this was just a minor internal dispute. The rest of the procedures would follow the previous agreement, with Liu Tianlai handling the operations.

After giving all the necessary instructions, Wen Liang stretched and said, "Uncle Ji, you'll have to stay here for a couple more days. When you were transferred here yesterday, Mu Zechen must have gotten the news, but I estimate he still doesn't know who's behind it. We'll rest for two days and wait for his move. If Mu Zechen acts quickly, we might as well hitch a ride on his boat for a while, then get off halfway and let him suffer a silent loss without owing him any favors. If he doesn't move, we'll have nothing to say and can leave immediately."

Ji Zheng nodded in understanding. If Mu Zechen made a move, the pressure on this side would suddenly decrease, and then the Discipline Inspection Commission could suddenly intervene, leaving no one to say "no." Mu Zechen might start something but not finish it, and this favor would naturally not count. However, this would undoubtedly infuriate Mu Zechen.

But Ji Zheng also understood that this was precisely Wen Liang's intention. In this way, he had no other choice but to bind himself tightly to Wen Liang's chariot. He did not blame Wen Liang for using these small tactics; to achieve great things, one must be thorough, meticulous, ruthless, and decisive, or there would be no chance of success.

The more cautious Wen Liang was, the more confident Ji Zheng became. After all, no one wanted a team of pigs.

"However, there's something more important for you to do right now..."

Ji Zheng, already stimulated by Wen Liang tonight, felt a bit disoriented. Hearing this, he became slightly nervous, "Hmm, what is it?"

Wen Liang pointed to the two-story detached house on the left and smiled, "Uncle Ji, you're older and more experienced than me. You don't need me to teach you how to charm a girl, right?"

Ji Zheng smiled bitterly and nodded, then followed Liu Tianlai upstairs.

Wen Liang took a long breath. Although he seemed confident and in control tonight, he was actually extremely nervous. But after a series of tricks and deceptions, he finally won over Ji Zheng. This way, he could give the little girl who was heartbroken a satisfactory answer and completely revitalize the entire Qingzhou chessboard. To put it bluntly, the success or failure of the future hinged on this night.

Stepping out the door, the cold night wind blew, seeping through his sleeves and collar. The sudden change from the warm room to the cold outside made Wen Liang sneeze. Zuo Yuxi tightened her coat, feeling the cold, and subconsciously moved closer to Wen Liang, her shoulder brushing his before quickly pulling away. Wen Liang turned to see her huddled up and smiled, grabbing her hand and forcing it into his pocket despite her struggle. He leaned close to her ear and whispered teasingly, "This is warmer... Director Zuo, it's late. Would you be kind enough to let me stay the night?"

Zuo Yuxi felt the warm, moist breath on her ear and her heart raced. She turned her head away, avoiding Wen Liang's gaze, and said softly, "You have a home to go to, why come to mine?"

Wen Liang, moved by her alluring demeanor, grew bolder. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, the scent of her neck making him want to lick her smooth skin. He said, "I'm just a kid, and I'll get a beating if I come home late..."

Zuo Yuxi chuckled, "Do kids talk to people like that? Let me tell you, you'll still get a beating at my place!"

"I'm not afraid..."

Zuo Yuxi spun out of Wen Liang's arms like a butterfly, standing in the night, her cold, beautiful face illuminated by the stars. Her black, bright eyes were dreamlike, her clothes fluttering, and her black hair swirling, making her look like a celestial being. She looked at Wen Liang's foolish expression and smiled, "You're not afraid, but I am!"

Facing Wen Liang, she placed her hands behind her back, her figure swaying gracefully. She stepped back to the car, leaning against it, and stretched her arms above her head, her beauty captivating. Then she suddenly turned and got into the car, waving her white, tender hand out the window, leaving a trail of clear laughter.

Wen Liang stood with his hands in his pockets, smiling as he watched her leave. The night was cool, and the streetlights were dim. Who would know that this charming boy was regretting: Damn, lust clouded my judgment, and I was tricked by this girl. How am I going to go back now?

As he hesitated whether to turn back with a thick face, a voice came from behind. Wen Liang turned to see Ji Su running from the courtyard, her ponytail bouncing, looking extremely playful.

Ji Su stopped in front of Wen Liang, panting heavily from the intense exercise, "Wen... Wen Liang, I..."

Wen Liang smiled and pressed his hands down, "Don't rush, don't rush. I'm not going anywhere. Come, take a deep breath, inhale, exhale..."

Ji Su followed his instructions, her red lips opening and closing, her face puffing up and deflating, her already developed figure rising and falling with her breath. Finally, she calmed down and said, "I thought you had left! Wen Liang, if I don't thank you in person tonight, I won't be able to sleep all night!"

Although she forced a smile, the sadness in her eyes was evident. Wen Liang knew that once a wound was formed, it often took years to heal. But no matter what, this outcome was much better than before.

"Don't be so formal, Ji Su!" Wen Liang, unusually serious, said softly, "There are some things I might not be suitable to say, but I believe you will figure it out and handle everything well. Remember, from junior high to high school, you have always been the most beautiful, smartest, and kindest girl in the eyes of your classmates. I hope that this beauty, intelligence, and kindness will not be damaged by the small hardships and setbacks in life. Promise me, okay?"

Ji Su bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She resisted the urge to throw herself into Wen Liang's arms, gripping the hem of her clothes tightly and nodding forcefully, "Okay!"

In the end, Liu Tianlai had to send Ji Su home first, then Wen Liang. Stopping in front of No. 7 Courtyard, Wen Liang smiled, "Director Liu, I've dealt with Zhihe at Qingyi High School, and he's really impressive!" This was a genuine comment. At this age, someone as capable as Little Godfather Liu was truly remarkable.

Liu Tianlai, after tonight's events, did not dare to take Wen Liang's words lightly. Not knowing the reason, he didn't dare to ask, thinking that Liu Zhihe might have offended Wen Liang at school. He cursed inwardly, "Stupid kid, how dare you offend anyone? I'll break your legs when I get home!" On the surface, he smiled, "I don't deserve such praise!"

Wen Liang didn't realize that his spontaneous comment would cause Little Godfather Liu some trouble. He was speaking the truth but didn't consider how his enchanting performance tonight had already left Liu Tianlai trembling with fear. Suddenly saying this, he would have to be a fool not to overthink it!

Back home, just as he was about to sneak into his room, the living room light suddenly turned on. Wen Haiming sat on the sofa, frowning, "Where have you been? It's so late."

Wen Liang laughed and sat down, countering, "Why are you still up so late? You look worried. Is there something going on in the city?"

Old Wen was easily distracted by the younger Wen, saying, "Yes, the Qinghua Factory... But tell me, where have you been?"

The ball was kicked back. Wen Liang's eyebrows twitched when he heard about the Qinghua Factory. He deliberately avoided answering Wen Haiming's question and asked directly, "What's going on at the Qinghua Factory?"

Wen Haiming had no choice but to explain, "There's an internal conflict at the Qinghua Factory. A deputy factory manager has been implicated, and Xu Fuyan asked me to find out what really happened and see if there's an opportunity to intervene from within..."

What was this? A pillow when you're sleepy? Wen Liang waved his hand grandly, "Dad, your information is outdated. There's no need to investigate; it's already taken care of!"

Wen Haiming stared at his son, speechless.

The next morning, after walking for about ten minutes, Wen Liang boarded the No. 21 bus at the Victory Road intersection. It was the morning rush hour, and the bus was as crowded as usual. Wen Liang stopped in the middle of the door, looking up to see the overhead bar already full of hands of various shapes, sizes, and colors, a spectacular sight. He first extended three fingers to grab the bar, not out of pretension, but because only three fingers could fit in the remaining space. Unexpectedly, within less than three minutes, his hand was touched in various ways by several sweaty hands, and his body was jostled by two burly men, causing him to feel sore and tired.

Wen Liang sighed. There's a saying in Qingzhou: "There are four worries on the bus: one, the heat and the crowd; two, being jostled and pickpocketed; three, a lack of beautiful women; four, unwanted groping." Today, he had forgotten to check the old almanac. There were no beautiful women around, and instead, two burly men. Just as he regretted getting on this bus, someone next to him got off at the next stop, leaving an empty space. Wen Liang, ahead of a little girl, bent down and squeezed through. This finally freed him from the misery, standing next to a window seat, his hand on the back of the seat, his body tightly pressed against the side. The difference in comfort was like night and day.

A young woman sat on the seat, her head lowered, seemingly asleep. She had a slender figure, her shoulders sculpted, her long hair tied back with a crystal hair clip, the ends cascading like waves on her back. She wore a tight, high-necked yellow sweater and white high-waisted straight pants, her legs long and smooth, tightly pressed together. Her hands were folded under her abdomen, her fingers delicate and white, exuding a strong allure typical of mature women. Wen Liang found her figure familiar and sneaked a peek, but couldn't see her face. Just as he was puzzled, the bus hit a small bump, and everyone leaned to the right. Wen Liang was pushed by someone behind him, and his lower body involuntarily moved forward. The woman was startled awake, looked up, and saw this scene, her face turning pale as she instinctively covered herself with her hands. Thus, three months after his rebirth, Uncle Wen experienced the "delicate hands, where do they move, the green onion peels and pushes the jade pillar" for the first time.

"Teacher Si?"

"Wen Liang?"

Their eyes met, and they both froze. The woman, beautiful from head to toe, was Wen Liang's chemistry teacher, Si Yajing! Si Yajing had star-like eyes, a delicate nose, and red lips. Her face was not the most beautiful, but her skin was as smooth as snow, almost flawless. Among the beautiful women Wen Liang had seen, Zuo Yuxi had a painted beauty with a touch of coldness, Ye Yuting had a charming smile with a hint of liveliness, Xu Yao was youthful with a touch of allure, Ning Xiaoning was tall and outstanding with a hint of loneliness, and Ji Su was gentle with a hint of stubbornness. Each had their own charm, but compared to them, Si Yajing lacked a touch of youth but had more charm, less elegance but more allure.

Perhaps due to recent stress, the provocative position, or Si Yajing's captivating face, his body reacted shamefully the moment he said "Teacher Si." Si Yajing, feeling it with her hands, let out a gasp and quickly pulled back, her face flushing red, her helpless appearance making her seem even more lovable.

But Wen Liang felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, standing there regretting his actions. The last time, also on the No. 21 bus, he had taken Xu Yao and Ning Xiaoning to visit a soy milk shop, and the woman he had been close to was Si Yajing. They had avoided an awkward encounter then, but this time, they met again, and the situation was even more awkward. Even with his two lifetimes of experience, Wen Liang's mind went blank, unsure of what to say.

Si Yajing, skilled in understanding students' psychology, quickly grasped Wen Liang's intentions and secretly sighed with relief. Although it was an accident, if she couldn't quickly clear his mind, it would be extremely awkward for her to teach in class.

Wen Liang's performance made Si Yajing curious. She had heard about him multiple times from Ye Yuting in the office, who spoke highly of him. However, Wen Liang was not very talkative in chemistry class and his grades were average, so she hadn't paid much attention to him. After the bus incident, she had even avoided looking at him in class. But today, she found this boy to be very different from his peers. He was mature and humorous, self-deprecating despite his broad knowledge and polite demeanor. Among the mostly rebellious and energetic teenagers, he was a rare find.

First, Si Yajing had no guard against her students, and second, Wen Liang intentionally flattered her. By the time they got off at the school gate, they were as familiar as old friends, chatting as they walked into the campus. Just a few steps in, Ye Yuting came from another direction and saw them together, smiling, "Teacher Si, what's going on? Did Wen Liang do something wrong?"

Si Yajing playfully winked at Wen Liang and held Ye Yuting's hand, "Teacher Ye, I hope you can educate this Wen Liang well. I saw him being very intimate with a girl on the bus today. If this gets out, it could be very bad."

Ye Yuting's face turned cold, and she glared at Wen Liang, "Come to my office after the second period! Teacher Si, I need to discuss something with you. It's about the diagnostic exam..."

The two beautiful women walked off, leaving Wen Liang alone, rubbing his forehead and sighing, "Women, oh, women!"

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