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Upon hearing the other person’s words, Xiao Bao couldn’t help but laugh. “Hou Shijie, you really think highly of yourself.”
He had never regarded Hou Shijie as a rival. In Xiao Bao’s mind, the only person he considered a rival was Su Yu. He wouldn’t see anyone else as a competitor.
“If you’re not afraid of me, why haven’t you dared to come to the academy?”
Ming Feiyang looked at Hou Shijie with a strange expression. “Are you out of your mind? Not coming to the academy means being afraid of you? We’ve just returned from the capital not long ago, and besides, we have a better master. Why would we come to the academy?”
“In the end, compared to Xiao Bao, your courage is truly commendable,” Ming Feiyang said sarcastically.
Zheng Jun nodded in agreement. “Xiao Bao has such great talent, yet you still go looking for trouble with him. I really don’t know whether to praise your bravery or call you foolish.”
What’s most striking is that this person seems extremely confident, as if he has already defeated Xiao Bao.
“Hou Shijie, if I were you, I definitely wouldn’t provoke Xiao Bao. What talents do you have compared to him?” Someone nearby couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
“You all shut up. There’s no place for you to talk here,” Hou Shijie glared fiercely at the person who spoke, his eyes filled with disdain for them.
Upon hearing this, the person nearby immediately fell silent. Since Hou Shijie is bent on self-destruction, what else is there to say?
The others glanced sympathetically at Hou Shijie. It’s not uncommon to see people take kindness for granted like this.
“Let’s go.”
“Zhiqin, stop right there. I want to challenge you,” Hou Shijie stood behind Xiao Bao, his voice filled with anger.
He had been studying hard these days, just to defeat Xiao Bao thoroughly when the time came for him to act recklessly.
“I don’t want to compete with you. If you really want to, how about this? Even if you don’t win, you can claim victory in whatever way you like. Is that okay?” Xiao Bao looked at Hou Shijie earnestly.
The people nearby twitched their mouths, watching Xiao Bao’s actions with disdain.
Xiao Zhi cleared his throat, looking at Xiao Bao helplessly. With a serious face, he said, “Xiao Bao, don’t bully others like this. If Dad finds out, he won’t be pleased.”
Xiao Bao looked displeased at Xiao Zhi. “It’s not that I want to bully others. I just don’t want to compete with him.”
Hou Shijie’s face turned purple with anger. Zhiqin actually looked down on him like this. His hands clenched into fists subconsciously as he stared at Su Zhiqin, his expression very unpleasant.
“Su Zhiqin, don’t think you can be so arrogant just because your mother built this academy.”
Xiao Bao pointed to himself. Was he the one being arrogant? When did this happen? Why wasn’t he aware of it himself?
“Xiao Bao won’t waste time with someone like him. Let’s go play cuju.”
“Okay.”
All the others left Hou Shijie behind and went to play cuju.
Hou Shijie turned to look at where Xiao Bao had left, simmering with resentment. Su Zhiqin…
He was determined to reclaim his dignity today. When the time came, he would make sure everyone knew that he was the best and that Su Zhiqin was nothing.
Hou Shijie went to find the teacher. “Teacher, I want to have a match with Su Zhiqin.”
The teacher looked at Hou Shijie in surprise. Hou Shijie had caused such a scene last year that he didn’t even come to the academy anymore. Now Hou Shijie wanted to provoke him again?
“Don’t go picking fights with Su Zhiqin. You’re no match for him.”
Hou Shijie immediately felt aggrieved. “How can you say I’m not his match when we haven’t even fought yet?”
They hadn’t even started, and the teacher was already doubting him.
This was not a good situation.
For him, Su Zhiqin was the enemy.
As long as Su Zhiqin was around, he wouldn’t have any chance.
Why would he give Su Zhiqin a chance without putting up a fight?
Seeing Hou Shijie’s fearless demeanor, the teacher remained silent without speaking.
Hou Shijie thought he had stumped the teacher, looking somewhat smug.
Before he could fully revel in his victory, he heard the teacher speak up again. “Hou Shijie, even if there were two of you, it’s still uncertain if you could match Xiao Bao. Do you know why?”
Hou Shijie didn’t answer. His silence didn’t mean the teacher would let him off.
“Besides the fact that his father is the most formidable figure in Xuan Empire, it’s also because of his own innate talent. Just how exceptional is Xiao Bao’s talent? His aptitude is such that he doesn’t need to study too seriously; he can simply absorb knowledge effortlessly. While it takes you all an hour to memorize and understand a lesson, he can grasp it in the time it takes to burn an incense stick,” the teacher’s voice was somewhat dispassionate.
Hearing the teacher’s words, Hou Shijie’s face flushed red, glaring at him stubbornly. “I don’t believe that’s true.”
How could there be such a person?
The teacher looked at Hou Shijie’s hysterical refusal to accept it and smirked sarcastically. “Believe it or not, such people do exist.”
The sons of the wealthy and influential are just like that, but unfortunately, they are unaware of it.
“Hou Shijie, Xiao Bao doesn’t compete with you not because he fears you, but because he’s giving you a chance.”
“Do you think what you’re proposing to compete with Xiao Bao is challenging for him? Let me tell you the truth: you can’t even match Xiao Zhi, so what do you have to compare with Xiao Bao?” This time, the teacher didn’t give Hou Shijie any face at all.
Xiao Bao looked at the teacher helplessly, feeling a headache coming on. “Teacher, is it really necessary to do this?”
How could he be so harsh on others?
However, the teacher didn’t see anything wrong with his actions.
“Xiao Bao, some people need to learn the harsh reality. Only when they understand the vast difference between you and them will they obediently listen and stop causing trouble for you. Or do you want to continue experiencing the current situation?” The teacher raised an eyebrow and questioned Xiao Bao.
Xiao Bao twitched his mouth as he looked at the teacher. Sure enough, the old man was still sharp, able to guess his thoughts.
“But are you sure this won’t make someone cry?”
Hou Shijie, with such a strong sense of pride, might end up in tears if it goes this way, right?
“That’s not important. He brought it upon himself,” the teacher said coldly.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhi looked at Xiao Bao beside him, feeling speechless. “Xiao Bao, when you say things like this, don’t you check the other person’s expression first?”
Xiao Bao turned to look at the displeased Hou Shijie, innocently spreading his hands. He hadn’t done anything, so why was this person getting angry?
“Are you all looking down on me, Su Zhiqin?” Hou Shijie asked resentfully, clenching his fists.
Xiao Bao sighed lightly. How could this person always twist everything to make it about himself?
“Hou Shijie, are you so insecure that you have to prove yourself by comparing with me?” Xiao Bao, feeling annoyed by Hou Shijie’s persistence, spoke with a colder tone.
Those who knew Xiao Bao could tell that he was genuinely angry this time.
Xiao Zhi looked at Hou Shijie sympathetically, surprised that he managed to provoke Xiao Bao, who usually didn’t care about anything.
Now, they were in for some drama.