---

He pushed me on the forehead and said, “Go check on Fang Nian for me.”

He then grabbed the iron rod and charged forward, striking swiftly and decisively. Even though he was up against multiple people, he showed no fear, hitting each one fairly with the rod. It was clear he didn’t need my help.

This fight was definitely going to ruin things between Liu She and me. I suspected Fang Heng dragged me into this mess on purpose, just to drive a wedge between Liu She and me. Damn it! Such a schemer!

I picked up the black-framed glasses from the ground, walked over to Fang Nian, squatted down, and put them back on his face. Fang Nian stared at me blankly for a moment, then suddenly threw himself onto me, wrapping his arms tightly around my neck with a lot of force.

“A Ze, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me.”

“I was so scared. Thank goodness you came…thank goodness.”

His tears dripped onto my neck, the warmth sending shivers through me.

What’s there to be so moved about? I hadn’t even intended to save him. The one who genuinely cared was Fang Heng. I was just dragged along.

Fang Nian was genuinely terrified, trembling in my arms. After hesitating for a moment, I wrapped my arms around him and lightly patted his back.

On the other side, Fang Heng had knocked all of Liu She’s men to the ground. He walked over with the iron rod in hand, standing behind Fang Nian, giving me an inscrutable look.

I squatted there, looking up, trying to read his expression.

After a long pause, Fang Heng bent down, took off the glasses he had just placed on my nose, and made a shushing gesture at me.

Then, he leaned down and kissed me over Fang Nian’s shoulder.

I was completely stunned.

He pried my lips open with his tongue.

Fang Nian still had his arms wrapped around my neck, suddenly tightening his grip as if trying to fuse into me.

With his face buried in my neck, he muttered, “A Ze, please, just be good. I’m begging you, don’t leave me.”

While Fang Nian was saying this, Fang Heng bit my lip.

Damn it! Both of these brothers are insane.

---

After being tormented by these two brothers for a whole day, I was physically and mentally exhausted.

When I got home, He Li was still lying on the couch, mindlessly flipping through TV channels.

I took out half of what I earned today and placed it on the coffee table.

Just as I was about to leave, He Li said, “Yan Ze, your dad came home today.”

I froze for a moment and rushed into the bedroom.

The room was a mess, as if a burglar had ransacked it. The money I had hidden under the mattress was gone too.

If I hadn’t gone to work today, I wouldn’t have any food tomorrow.

That bastard!

I punched the door in frustration and stormed into the living room, questioning He Li, “Did you let him in?”

She said, “If he wasn’t in such desperate need of money, he wouldn’t have come home. After all, he’s still your dad.”

I threw my backpack at her, eyes burning with anger. “And I’m still your son! Do you care if I live or die?!”

---

The next day, I went to school with an attitude and dark circles under my eyes.

I threw my backpack down and lay on the desk to sleep.

When Fang Heng reached out, I grumbled, “You better not mess with me today.”

Fang Heng paused, but still grabbed the back of my hair and yanked me up.

He leaned in close, our noses almost touching.

I considered punching him to death.

Just as I was about to throw a punch, Fang Heng suddenly asked, “How many jobs are you working?”

I frowned. “None of your business.”

“Do you need money that badly?”

“None of your business.”

“Tsk.”

Fang Heng tightened his grip on my hair, forcing me to tilt my head slightly upward.

“Speak properly.”

He repeated, “Do you need money?”

I scoffed, “Of course I do.”

Fang Heng said, “Let’s make a deal.”

“I’m not interested.”

“For every fifty places you move up in the rankings, I’ll give you 1,000 yuan. If you stay awake for an entire class, I’ll give you 5 yuan.”

Huh?

I was stunned. “Are you out of your mind?”

Fang Heng rested his head on his hand, spewing nonsense with a straight face.

“No, I’m just doing charity work. Precision poverty alleviation.”

I wasn’t in the mood to figure out Fang Heng’s motives. If there was money involved, I’d do it.

I slapped my face to wake up, sat up, and tried to focus on class.

Ever since Yan He got into gambling and forced He Li to work the streets, no one had taken care of me. If I wasn’t fighting, I was working. I was always exhausted and hadn’t paid attention in class for a long time.

Catching up on schoolwork wasn’t easy, but with enough focus, I could still understand a bit.

I frowned as I worked through a half-solved math problem. I got stuck.

A pen appeared from behind me, drawing an auxiliary line on my paper.

“Here.”

Fang Heng was leaning over, one hand propping himself up on the desk and the other holding a pen, practically enclosing me in his arms.

I was stunned for a moment, sensing that something was off.

Fang Heng tilted his head. “What are you thinking about? Keep working.”

His warm breath brushed against my ear, heating it up.

Too close.

I rubbed my ear, annoyed.

“I get it. Can you back off a bit?”

Fang Heng squinted. “What? Are you feeling hot?”

He lightly blew on my ear and smirked, “There, that better? You’re all red.”

Damn it.

This guy’s a tease.

If he weren’t my benefactor, I’d have punched him!

---

Fang Heng’s money was enough for me to eat, so I stopped working and didn’t hang out with troublemakers anymore.

I quit my job because I didn’t have time. Fang Heng was like a monitor, constantly hovering over me, draining all my time and energy.

I stopped messing around because Fang Heng wouldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t even let me play basketball.

I tried to resist, but Fang Heng pressed me down on the desk.

“Since you took my money, you’re mine. Behave like a good man. You’re not allowed to hang out with those losers.” Fang Heng smacked my butt. “Now be good and work on your problems.”

“If you do well, I’ll treat you to a lollipop.”

A vein in my forehead throbbed. “I’m not a kid!”

“Mm.” Fang Heng chuckled, releasing me, and shoved a strawberry candy in my mouth, pointing at the test paper. “Yan Ze, how do you solve this question?”

“…”

Damn!

This candy’s actually pretty good!

---

On the day the exam results came out, I was so nervous I was biting my nails.

That’s 1,000 yuan on the line!

When the teacher finished announcing the results, I was so excited I almost cried. Grabbing Fang Heng’s shoulder, I shouted, “Did you hear that?”

“I moved up 170 places, Fang Heng! I jumped 170 places!”

Fang Heng’s expression softened. “Yeah.”

He grabbed my collar, yanked me into a hug, and ruffled my hair, chuckling, “Our little Ze is amazing.”

With my forehead resting on his shoulder, my eyes stung with emotion.

I thought I was a lost cause.

Muttering, I said, “Fang Heng, you owe me 3,000 yuan.”

Fang Heng responded, “I’ll throw in an extra 500.”

“Stop messing with my hair!”

“No can do.” Fang Heng hugged my head and took a deep breath, grinning. “Your hair is this soft just so I can mess with it.”