Chapter 1

"Xiao Si, it's been a whole summer since we last met. Have you finished your homework?" Li Dongfang playfully patted Su Shichen's shoulder.

"Oh, right, I have a question for you."

"What question?"

"Class President, is it true that your father's surname is Li and your mother's surname is Dongfang?" Su Shichen asked.

"Why do you ask? Of course not. Is there even a surname like Dongfang?" Li Dongfang shook her head and asked.

"Of course there is, like Dongfang Bubai." Su Shichen blurted out.

"Who is Dongfang Bubai?"

"Well, you'll find out soon enough," Su Shichen said with a smile.

A cool breeze blew along the small road, and the green trees were lush.

"Xiao Si, the school is this way. You must have taken a wrong turn." Li Dongfang pointed to the left. "The school should be this way. Xiao Si, you can't have forgotten where the school is after just one summer, right?" She covered her mouth, feigning surprise.

Su Shichen stopped and stared intently at Li Dongfang, his gaze piercing.

Li Dongfang, just a fourteen-year-old girl, felt herself backing away under Su Shichen's intense gaze.

"Are you looking at me like this? Is there something on my face...?"

"By the way, Class President, what's the craziest thing you've ever done in school?" Su Shichen suddenly asked.

"Crazy? Being late to class, does that count?" Li Dongfang pouted.

"That's not crazy at all. I'm often late," Su Shichen said with a dismissive sneer.

Su Shichen and Li Dongfang were in the same class, Class 20 of the Experimental Junior High School. Class 20 was the top class, and the school's high admission rate relied heavily on this class. Li Dongfang was the top student in the class and had never ranked lower than third in the entire grade. For such a model student, being late was indeed the craziest thing she had ever done.

"Have you ever heard a saying, Class President?"

"What saying?"

"We'll be old before we know it. Without memories, how can we honor the past? What about eternal glory? What we miss will never be ours again." Su Shichen paused. "Class President, we're in the second year of junior high now, and we'll graduate in just one more year. Have you ever thought about it? When we graduate from junior high, we might realize that all we did in school was study, and nothing else."

"Even though your grades are top-notch, when you grow up, when you reach the age of blooming, and you look back on your youth, you might find that you spent all your time on books. You might even be worse off than those bad students in Class 1 who just messed around in school. At least they were crazy, they talked back to teachers, and didn't do their homework. Although the consequences were severe, when they look back, they remember their youthful recklessness and find it very amusing. What do you think, Class President?"

Su Shichen's words left Li Dongfang speechless.

"What, what should I do?" Li Dongfang, who was usually a bit proud, was now anxious. "What should I do? Is there any way to make my junior high school life more memorable?"

"Are you willing to skip class?" Su Shichen asked provocatively.

"Ah! Skip class?" Li Dongfang was startled. Skipping class might not be a big deal for college or vocational high school students, but for junior high school students, it was almost as serious as murder or arson.

Even the bad students in Class 1 never skipped school.

"If we skip class, and the teacher finds out, we'll... we'll be called in by our parents. And if my father finds out..."

"Hey, our respected Class President is afraid, isn't she?"

Li Dongfang was indeed afraid. For a fourteen-year-old girl who was both academically and morally excellent, being late was already a very, very evil thing. But Li Dongfang was irritated by Su Shichen's teasing tone and said defiantly, "Hmph, who said I'm afraid? I'm not afraid. It's just skipping class with you, who's afraid of who?"

As soon as she said this, Li Dongfang regretted it, but Su Shichen didn't give her a chance to speak again.

"Then it's settled. Since we're skipping class, Class President, I'll take you somewhere fun." Although Li Dongfang was smart, she was no match for Su Shichen, who was fourteen years old but had the mind of a thirty-two-year-old man.

The journey was somewhat quiet, and Li Dongfang's heart was filled with trepidation and regret. "Um..."

"Class President, you're not scared and want to go back to school, are you?"

"Of course... not," Li Dongfang's face turned red.

"Let's do this. The journey is a bit boring. Class President, I'll ask you a simple question. If 1 equals 5, 2 equals 9, 3 equals 13, and 4 equals 17, what does 5 equal?"

"Hmph, this is easy. Five equals 21. The pattern is to multiply by four and add one," Li Dongfang said.

"No, no, no, that's wrong. I'll give you one more chance."

"How can it be wrong? Two times four plus one equals nine, three times four plus one equals thirteen, four times four plus one equals seventeen, and five times four plus one equals twenty-one."

"Hmm, that makes sense, but it's still wrong," Su Shichen said.

"How can it be wrong? What's the answer?"

"The answer is, five equals one," Su Shichen said with a smile.

"Equals one?" Li Dongfang was taken aback at first, but then she quickly understood. One equals five, so five naturally equals one.

"Hmph, that's a riddle, not a math problem."

"When did I say it was a math problem, Class President?" Su Shichen asked.

"Hmph," Li Dongfang huffed and turned her head, her ponytail facing Su Shichen.

"Class President, don't be discouraged. American Yale University psychologist Paul D. Silas said that in the elements of success, IQ accounts for only 20%, while EQ accounts for about 60%." Li Dongfang rolled her eyes at Su Shichen.

"Class President, the night gave you black eyes, but you use them to roll your eyes. What a waste of talent."

Li Dongfang chuckled, then composed herself. "Xiao Si, I haven't seen you all summer. You've become quite eloquent. You quiz me, and I'll quiz you."

"Do you know what 'HorseFliesEffect' means?" Li Dongfang spelled it out and gave Su Shichen a challenging look. "You don't know, do you?"

Just saying a word and knowing its meaning is not something even high school or college students can do. In fact, Li Dongfang had seen this word in a book her parents were reading and had copied it down to ask her English teacher, but now she was using it to challenge Su Shichen.

Su Shichen smiled.

"What are you smiling about? You definitely don't know," Li Dongfang said.

"What if I do know?"

"If you know, know... what will you do?" Li Dongfang tilted her head, unable to think of a response.

"Let's make a bet. If I tell you the meaning of that English phrase, Class President, you have to agree to one not-too-unreasonable request."

A not-too-unreasonable request, note the wording.

"Okay," Li Dongfang agreed after a moment's thought, confident that Su Shichen wouldn't be able to answer.

"HorseFliesEffect, in Chinese, means the 'horsefly effect.' It's quite straightforward. Even the laziest horse will be energetic if it has a horsefly biting it," Su Shichen said with a half-smile. "The horsefly effect mainly refers to the idea that leaders should understand how to motivate their employees."

"What horse, horsefly? Xiao Si, you must be making it up. I've never heard of it."

"Then, Class President, you can look it up in an English dictionary or ask your teacher."

"There are many effects that use animals as metaphors, like the Crab Syndrome, the Frog Effect, the Catfish Effect, and the most famous Butterfly Effect."

"Class President, don't forget our bet."

"Hmph," Li Dongfang huffed, but inwardly she was wondering when Xiao Si had become so knowledgeable. She had only heard of the Butterfly Effect.

"Xiao Si, where are you taking me?"

"Where? Of course, it's a good place. Follow me quickly." Su Shichen ran forward with his backpack, and Li Dongfang followed. After about three minutes, Su Shichen stopped, but by then Li Dongfang was already out of breath.

"We're here."

"Here?" Li Dongfang was puzzled. "Xiao Si, you brought me here, to Star Tower? Who doesn't know about it?"

"Of course, everyone knows about Star Tower, but have you ever been inside?"

"How can I get in? Don't you need a work permit?"

"We'll sneak in," Su Shichen said, pulling Li Dongfang inside. If they were sneaking in, why were they now walking in boldly?

Li Dongfang's heart was pounding as she followed Su Shichen.

In a society constrained by laws and morals, everyone has a rebellious side.

Some people restrain themselves and live outside the prison like ordinary people, while others don't and end up living inside the prison as criminals.

Li Dongfang, a model student, naturally had some rebelliousness. From the initial unease of skipping school to the final thrill in her heart, she felt a sense of excitement.

At the front desk of the building, Li Dongfang was prepared to be kicked out, but after Su Shichen whispered a few words, the receptionist let him in.

"Class President, what are you waiting for? Hurry up." Li Dongfang followed with her small backpack. "Hey, why did the receptionist let you in?"

"That's simple. I used the 'pretty boy' strategy. With my world-class good looks, I naturally charmed the receptionist, and she let us in," Su Shichen boasted.

"Pfft," Li Dongfang wrinkled her nose. "Good-looking? I think you mean 'cricket.'"

"Where are we going now?"

"Of course, to the 18th floor." Star Tower had 37 floors, and many companies were located there.

Su Shichen and Li Dongfang got into the elevator and pressed the 18th floor. The elevator slowly ascended.

"Ding"

18th floor, they got off the elevator.

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