Chapter 10: Can’t You Keep Your Thoughts a Bit More Pure…

As the school tyrant of Yinghua, Pei Zhou naturally had a group of brothers around him.

Two of them were in Class Three: Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi.

During the break, Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi hid in the boys’ bathroom to smoke.

Pei Zhou didn’t smoke, but he was there.

The day Lin Chuge got hurt for Pei Zhou, Xiong Tao had been present. Now he teased Pei Zhou:

“Zhou-ge, I really didn’t expect you to transfer into our class. Was it because of Lin Chuge? That day she really shocked me. Who would have thought she’d throw herself in front to save you? She must really like you.”

Pei Zhou thought to himself: bullshit.

Just an hour ago she was complaining that his grades were bad—like she’d like him, my ass.

Qiu Tianqi slung an arm around Xiong Tao’s shoulders and smirked:

“For Zhou-ge, what’s the big deal? Haven’t plenty of girls in this school liked him?”

“Remember that one, Fang Ningyun?”

“Didn’t she gift you a Rolex for your birthday? That really blew my mind.”

Pei Zhou raised an eyebrow. “What’s that got to do with me? I didn’t accept it.”

“And, Big Bear, don’t just spout nonsense. I transferred because my grandparents insisted Class Six was holding back my studies. How could it be because of that? If I ever hear you say something like that outside, don’t blame me for not treating you like a brother anymore.”

Although nicknamed “Big Bear,” Xiong Tao was neither tall nor burly. Hearing this, he quickly promised:

“Zhou-ge, don’t worry. I won’t say anything.”

Pei Zhou added, “Those guys are coming out today.”

Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi froze for a second before realizing. They exchanged a look.

“The ones who were giving you trouble before?”

Pei Zhou nodded.

Xiong Tao slammed a fist against the wall. “Damn it, this time we have to make sure they know we’re not easy to mess with.”

Pei Zhou said thoughtfully, “They’ll definitely come for me. This time not near school—pick a park, somewhere without cameras.”

Xiong Tao answered, “Got it.”

The three of them began discussing which park would be most suitable.

---

Lin Chuge focused on class all morning.

She could see Pei Zhou slept the whole time, but at least sleeping didn’t hurt anyone.

If he liked sleeping, let him sleep.

Lin Chuge thought, as long as she managed herself well, that was already good enough…

At least now that Pei Zhou had transferred into her class, he was right under her nose.

If something happened, it would be easier to find out compared to when they were in different classes.

Since she had decided not to fuss over whether Pei Zhou studied or not, the thought only flitted briefly through her mind before being tossed aside.

Her stomach was growling, so she pulled Xu Luoluo along to the cafeteria for lunch.

Song Boyan, unable to stop worrying about Pei Zhou transferring, came to find her again.

When he sat down with them at the same table, he asked:

“Pei Zhou transferred into your class?”

Xu Luoluo was the first to answer: “Yeah, so weird.”

“He was fine in his class… why transfer to ours?”

Song Boyan’s gaze lingered on Lin Chuge’s face for a moment before shifting away.

“He doesn’t really study, but usually he just sleeps during class. He doesn’t disturb anyone else.”

Lin Chuge kept eating, cheeks puffed like a hamster.

Only after swallowing did she reply, “Let him do what he wants.”

To Song Boyan, those words sounded like she was sulking.

“Let him do what he wants?” What did she mean by that? Had she and Pei Zhou quarreled?

After lunch, avoiding Xu Luoluo, Song Boyan pulled Lin Chuge aside to ask.

She sighed. “It’s nothing, really. Just… I feel like there’s nothing I can do about him.”

Glancing around to make sure no one was near, she lowered her voice. “Remember how I got hurt because of him? I thought he owed me a favor, so I wanted to use that to make him study hard. But he doesn’t pay me any attention.”

Song Boyan froze. “You got hurt because of him?”

Lin Chuge looked even more surprised. “Didn’t you know that? You even asked me about it before. That night, didn’t you message me to ask if I was okay? Song Boyan, are you dumb?”

Song Boyan really did feel dumbfounded.

Thinking back to that night—yes, he did message her to ask if she was okay. But it hadn’t been about an injury at all!

So… they hadn’t even been talking about the same thing?

“…How’s your injury then? Was it serious?” Song Boyan asked with concern.

“Nothing big. It’ll be fine once the bruise fades,” Lin Chuge said, puzzled. “Why are you asking again?”

Song Boyan nodded, falling silent, mentally retracing their previous conversation.

So that day, her elders had found out she was hurt because of Pei Zhou?

Her mom asking for Pei Zhou’s number hadn’t been because of suspected puppy love, but because of the injury?

He remembered Chi Haiyin telling him not to let Chu Chu know.

After thinking it through, he carefully asked, “So what’s Pei Zhou’s deal now?”

“I don’t know.” Lin Chuge frowned in frustration. “I thought he transferred to study with me, but he said no. If he doesn’t want to study, what can I do? I’m afraid of meddling too much.”

Seeing her brows furrowed tight, Song Boyan patted her head gently.

“Then just let it go. Wait until he figures out what he wants for himself.”

---

Meanwhile, Pei Zhou was leaving the cafeteria.

Xiong Tao, walking beside him, suddenly spotted a scene under a tree.

“Whoa! Isn’t that Lin Chuge? Who’s that guy in front of her? Why’s he touching her like that?”

Pei Zhou glanced over and recognized Song Boyan.

Qiu Tianqi recognized him too. “Who else? That’s Song Boyan from Class Six. I remember back in freshman year there were rumors those two were dating.”

“Yeah, their relationship’s way too close.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Pei Zhou suddenly felt annoyed. “Looks normal to me. Can’t you guys keep your thoughts a bit more pure?”

Lying cheat.

He remembered Lin Chuge explaining before that she and Song Boyan were just friends. And yet—if they were just friends, why the hell was he touching her head?

He looked again at Lin Chuge smiling at Song Boyan, then scowled and strode off coldly.

Taken aback by the sudden scolding, Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi froze a moment before scrambling to catch up.

---

After parting from Song Boyan, Lin Chuge headed back to class on her own.

In the corridor, she happened to bump into Pei Zhou making a phone call. She accidentally overheard a bit of his conversation.

Pei Zhou leaned lazily against the wall, lifted his eyes to glance at her, then coldly looked away.

Lin Chuge gave him a look, said nothing, and walked past back to her classroom. She pulled out her study materials.

She had tutoring later that evening.

After school, she didn’t linger, but packed up quickly to head home.

Her gaze swept past Pei Zhou’s empty seat, and she remembered the words she’d overheard at noon.

If she interfered… would that be seen as meddling?

But… but.

Song Boyan had warned her, “If you win, you go to jail; if you lose, you go to the hospital.” Either way, it was bad.

On one hand, she felt she couldn’t control Pei Zhou’s choices. On the other, pretending she knew nothing made her uneasy.

Still conflicted, she reached the school gate and got into the car. Before Uncle Wu started the engine, she leaned forward.

“Uncle Wu, that classmate is going to fight again.”

“Are you worried about him?” he asked.

Lin Chuge nodded. “But I can’t do the same thing as last time, and even if I followed, I couldn’t do anything.”

She recalled what Chi Haiyin had told her before: leave these things to the adults.

“Uncle Wu, last time… did you call the police?”

“Yes. Fighting is for the police to handle.”

His reply made Lin Chuge’s eyes light up. “I understand now!”

On the way home, she felt she had found the solution.

As for whether Pei Zhou would discover it was her, whether he would blame her—that was a problem for later.

---

So while Lin Chuge rested at home for half an hour before heading to her tutoring, Pei Zhou and a group of boys his age arrived at Jiuqiao Park.

Jiuqiao Park was remote and old. With outdated facilities, it was usually empty, and there were no security cameras yet.

They gathered in a pavilion, waiting.

Less than twenty minutes later, the group who had been looking for trouble showed up carrying “weapons.”

A quick glance—this time they even brought machetes.

Pei Zhou turned and whispered to Xiong Tao and Qiu Tianqi: “Be careful later.”

The words had barely left his mouth when the other side cursed, raised their weapons, and rushed in.

Pei Zhou’s side cursed back and surged forward.

Just as the fight was about to start, a swarm of uniformed police appeared.

The brawl ended instantly.

Everyone realized something was wrong. But it was too late—the pavilion was already surrounded.

The other group thought Pei Zhou had called the cops, and immediately cursed him to high heaven.

Of course, Pei Zhou hadn’t done it.

His face shifted darkly, then suddenly he remembered—when he had been on the phone at noon, Lin Chuge had walked past.

Was it her?

Thinking back on her past behavior, it was hard not to suspect.

Once he dealt with this mess…

Face stormy, Pei Zhou thought grimly: tonight, he’d definitely make her explain.

---

Lin Chuge received Pei Zhou’s call just as her first tutoring class ended.

She hadn’t expected him to come for her so quickly. Her gut told her it was about her interfering and getting the fight disrupted.

She slipped out to the small garden to answer.

The moment she picked up, his voice came through, laced with anger.

“Where are you?”

“At home, tutoring,” Lin Chuge said.

“Come out,” Pei Zhou’s tone was sharp and commanding.

“Come out where?”

“You tell me. Pick a place to meet. Lin Chuge, today you have to come out. Otherwise, I won’t guarantee what I’ll do at school tomorrow.”

A naked threat.

Even through the phone, she could feel his displeasure.

Though afraid, Lin Chuge decided she would face him.

She had to take responsibility for what she had done.

Even if Pei Zhou suspected her this quickly, there was nothing she couldn’t admit.

“Alright.”

She agreed and gave him a landmark. “Let’s meet there.”