Chapter 8

"Ring, ring, ring～～"

At this moment, the school bell rang, and a group of senior high school students, who seemed to be nothing special, scattered and ran into the classroom.

Tang Mingxiang, who remained at the corner of the stairs, looked increasingly puzzled. Recalling Chen Xiaolu's words, she became more and more confused. Finally, she gritted her teeth and, after the bell finished ringing, ran downstairs.

On the third floor, a few offices that protruded from the main building were the offices for the senior high school teachers. Xiao Qi and Tang Mingxiang's homeroom teacher, who had no classes, were in one of these offices. Xiao Qi and the others must have gone there.

Taking advantage of the class time, the small corridor was empty. Tang Mingxiang pressed her eyes to the door of the open office and heard Chen Xiaolu's voice.

"In short, Xiao Qi's capture of that rapist last night was a great contribution! If it weren't for his clever assistance, who knows how many people would have been harmed by that perverted demon!"

"But Xiao Qi, why were you in the Yellow Forest last night?" This was the homeroom teacher's voice.

"Uh... I was just bored and went there to play," Xiao Qi replied.

"That place is so dangerous. Don't go there again in the future," the homeroom teacher quickly said. "A criminal with a homemade gun is too scary! If anything unexpected happens, it won't just be a hand injury; your life could be in danger!"

"Okay."

Then some more words were exchanged, but Tang Mingxiang had already quietly left.

A bright and charming girl's heart was now in turmoil.

So, Xiao Qi wasn't just causing trouble; he was catching a perverted demon?

And his arm was injured in the struggle with the demon?

If Xiao Qi hadn't gone to catch the demon last night, then Yang Xue and Su Zi in the Yellow Forest...

The bright and charming girl's face turned pale, and she felt a layer of sweat soak through her.

Back in the classroom, fortunately, it was a self-study period. The teacher standing at the door just glanced at Tang Mingxiang as she returned to her seat and didn't pay her any more attention.

Tang Mingxiang sat dazed at her desk, not even responding to the note Su Zi passed from the row in front.

The girl's mind was in chaos until she saw Xiao Qi run in with his backpack, which made her feel a bit more at ease.

However, many people didn't look kindly at Xiao Qi.

To varying degrees, everyone knew a bit of the inside story.

Only the other girl sitting next to Xiao Qi, with her delicate brows slightly furrowed, looked at her desk partner and softly asked, "What's wrong?"

The girl not only had a beautiful voice but was also extremely beautiful. Her long, arched brows and long, crescent-shaped lashes framed a pair of large, clear, and bright eyes. Her straight, delicate nose was followed by lips of just the right thickness, and her chin was round and smooth, like a piece of jade.

Like a white lotus, the girl was so graceful and elegant that Xiao Qi couldn't take his eyes off her, thinking it was no wonder he couldn't forget her for seven or eight years.

If she was this charming even as a teenager, how could she be any less as an adult!?

"Bad boy~ If you keep staring like that, I won't talk to you anymore~" The girl, blushing, pretended to glare at him.

Unbeknownst to her, her pout made her even more charming, almost making one want to commit a crime.

But Xiao Qi, having been reborn, quickly regained his composure when reminded. As he put his backpack into his desk, he asked softly, "What did you say, Cai'er?"

The girl was Huangfu Cai, another school beauty in Xiao Qi's class. There were only three school beauties in the entire school, two of whom were in the senior year, and the most beautiful one was sitting next to Xiao Qi, known as the "Fairy."

Tang Mingxiang was still better off, as her desk partner was a girl. Huangfu Cai had sat next to Xiao Qi for all three years of high school, which made countless boys curse Xiao Qi for life.

Sometimes, when Xiao Qi looked back, he wondered if his fear of dating was also due to the deep resentment of so many people over the past two and a half years, which had formed a force that silently harmed him.

But Xiao Qi felt wronged.

Over the two and a half years of high school, apart from a vague affection, he and Huangfu Cai had never had any intimate moments—constantly under the watchful eyes of a pack of wolves, no one would dare to do anything to the "Fairy," or they would need an ambulance before they even left the school.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Huangfu Cai closed her textbook and asked softly.

"Nothing, just a minor scrape," Xiao Qi replied, feeling very happy to talk to the beautiful girl. "Cai'er, I haven't heard your voice in a long time. I really miss you."

"Smooth talker~" Huangfu Cai's face turned red, and her small, white hand trembled slightly.

Xiao Qi wasn't being smooth, though. He hadn't seen Huangfu Cai for nearly eight years, as she had gone to Europe after graduating from university and lost contact with her classmates.

He had only seen a post in a QQ group where a classmate mentioned running into Huangfu Cai in France. She was unmarried and reportedly running an orphanage, dedicating herself to caring for children, still as graceful and elegant as ever.

Xiao Qi didn't know if Huangfu Cai was heartbroken by his abrupt departure or if she had any feelings for him.

But the young man knew that this time, he couldn't miss her again!

According to the tech-savvy man's reflections over the next five to six years, about 99% of girls remember their first love, but only 1% are deeply affected by it for life. Huangfu Cai, the "Fairy," was one of those 1%—to put it bluntly, she was "stubborn."

Knowing Huangfu Cai's feelings, Xiao Qi, in this life, wouldn't be shy about speaking. He cleared his throat and tried to stand up straight, saying, "Cai'er, look at me. Have I changed a lot compared to a few days ago?"

Huangfu Cai was surprised again, doubting her eyes for the first time. She couldn't help but look the young man up and down.

Although Xiao Qi's face was still pale from his injury, he seemed more confident and his overall demeanor was brighter compared to his previous shyness and somberness.

Having been close for two to three years, and being an observant girl, Huangfu Cai knew the boy she liked very well, even sensing this subtle change.

After a moment, the "Fairy" classmate gently nodded, "Did something good happen to you?"

"Past events are like yesterday's death; future events are like today's birth." Xiao Qi didn't answer directly but quoted a famous saying from "The Four Instructions of Liao Fan."

Huangfu Cai, being an intelligent girl, understood the Zen meaning of this phrase, which suggested letting go of the past and embracing a new life. It brightened her eyes.

She was naturally indifferent and didn't wish for the boy she admired to become a famous and powerful person.

But Xiao Qi's previous character was a bit weak. If he could truly have a positive and upward mindset, as he claimed, it would be a blessing.

For a moment, she was genuinely curious about what had happened to her desk partner over the weekend.

The "Fairy" classmate, no matter how she looked, had a unique and beautiful charm.

So, while Huangfu Cai was deep in thought, Xiao Qi couldn't take his eyes off her, not even blinking, for fear of missing the beautiful scene.