Chapter 10: Arrogant, Unstoppable…

In September, the sound of cicadas gradually faded, and the phoenix trees swayed gently in the breeze. The weather was no longer as hot and oppressive as before, and the wind felt comfortable and light against the skin.

Fang Fuyi sat on the bus, leaning against the window, watching the scenery pass by outside. She felt an inexplicable sense of starting a new chapter in her life.

The apartment she and Sheng Sui were renting was indeed in a good location, only a few bus stops away from Fang Fuyi’s school. She had taken note of the distance and realized that if she didn’t mind the time, she could even walk back.

University was different from high school, where there were fixed seats and classrooms. Now, they simply went to the classrooms marked on their schedules for each class, fighting for seats if necessary.

If there was class, they attended, if there wasn’t, they could go back to the dorm, visit the library, find an empty classroom to hang out, or do whatever they wanted. The schedule was much more flexible compared to high school.

Except for the mandatory on-campus stay during her freshman year, Fang Fuyi had moved out of the dorm by her sophomore year. After class, she would separate from her classmates, and since they didn’t spend much time together, she didn’t have many friends.

The dorms at S University were four-person rooms with a bunk bed and a desk under it.

When she still lived in the dorm, there was a girl named Lou Xinyao who always made the bed a mess. Clothes that were taken off weren’t washed and were all piled on a chair. The drawers were always filled with used tissues, and takeout boxes were left on the desk all day without being thrown away, even when they started to smell.

The other two girls in the dorm were somewhat introverted, and Fang Fuyi ended up being the one to voice her objections.

At first, it was just polite reminders, but then it escalated into a conflict between the roommates. Eventually, it turned into simple verbal attacks from Lou Xinyao: “Just because your family has money, you think you can criticize me?”

“Yes, I don’t have your good luck of having a mother who rose to power through a mistress.”

Lou Xinyao looked at Fang Fuyi with a sneer, as if slandering her background somehow made her seem superior. “But I also paid for this spot. Are you going to kick me out?”

The argument was about to erupt.

Fang Fuyi was a beautiful girl, one who found it hard to connect with others on a deep level but could sense other people’s emotions.

However, under the spread of rumors, she became known as an arrogant, ill-tempered, and invincible girl who used her family’s wealth to bully others at will.

Rumors spread like wildfire, and some things became more and more exaggerated, eventually revealing the details of her family situation.

The social circle was small, and news traveled quickly. Everyone in the circle would know about any change or rumor in no time.

This class was a general course, with several classes attending together.

On the first class of the semester, Fang Fuyi’s family situation had already spread among many classmates.

Some people whispered and exchanged looks: “Have you heard? Fang Fuyi, the one and only Fang Fuyi! Her family went bankrupt, everything was either mortgaged or frozen. They say her whole family ran overseas, and they just left her here.”

“What’s she eating and living on now? She has nothing left, and she still managed to come to school like this?”

A group of people whispered among themselves.

Fang Fuyi wore a pale yellow, unbranded sunshade hoodie, with a small patch of skin on her neck exposed. Her collarbones, smooth and white, shone brightly, and her pink lips and almond-shaped eyes gave off no sign of distress. Despite not wearing any makeup, she still looked too beautiful to seem like someone down on her luck.

She carried the cheap second-hand books she bought from last year’s seniors, sitting in the front row of the classroom, focusing on the lecture and marking key points.

The two hours of class passed quickly.

The bell signaling the end of class drowned out the gossip, and Fang Fuyi chose to ignore it.

When a few girls were talking about her, she didn’t respond, but when Zhou Chong’s voice sounded behind her, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. He said, “Why are you sneezing as soon as you walked in? Just as expected, the bad luck is here.”

Zhou Chong was her former fiancé, the “former” fiancé.

He was dressed head to toe in designer brands, almost trying to wear his wealth on his face. Maybe it was because he was so arrogant or just a personal habit, but he walked like he was stepping on an electric current, swaying with every step. While walking, he even had one hand in his pocket, showing off like he was some kind of model, not even caring if he tripped and fell.

Anyone could tell that he was just here to watch the drama, and Fang Fuyi certainly wasn’t naive enough to think he came over to check on her.

She never understood the saying “even if you’re poor, you can’t be poor in education.” Wasn’t Zhou’s family well-off? They weren’t nouveau riche. How did they raise someone as annoying as Zhou Chong?

Fang Fuyi packed up her bag and stood up to leave, but Zhou Chong crossed his arms and blocked her way. After sizing her up from head to toe, he looked at her with a playful gaze. “Oh, isn’t this Fang Fuyi? I heard from a friend that you were looking for a part-time job near the school a few days ago. And you’re still taking the bus to school today?”

“Been a while, and now you’re living like this?”

He shook his legs, his body following the motion. His already small eyes squinted even further.

Fang Fuyi’s eyes were about to roll all the way to the sky.

She thought Zhou Chong was really an idiot with no sense. She had made it clear that she didn’t want to talk, but he still went on and on. “In the end, you’d be better off choosing to stick with me. Considering you have some looks, if you flatter me a little more, I might give you a little more money.”

“Then I could support you, let you study, and give you a better life. It’s not impossible.”

When it came time to choose a major in high school, the funeral services major had just emerged and was heavily promoted. Fang Fuyi really regretted not learning more about it at the time. This job would have been perfect for her—when in a good mood, she could properly burn customers, and when in a bad mood, she could just throw people like Zhou Chong into the flames.

“Are you out of your mind?” Fang Fuyi grimaced, clearly showing her disgust, and a thousand curse words ran through her mind.

She didn’t even want to look at him properly. “You, who probably needs to add ginger, garlic, and scallions just to take a bath, don’t tell me you’ve ever fought with pigs over feed in secret?”

Just listening to the nonsense coming from this idiot’s mouth, and he had the audacity to say, “I could give you a better life.” She had hands and feet—why couldn’t she use her own to earn whatever she wanted?

S University was an art school, so there were plenty of pretty girls, but someone like Fang Fuyi, with a flawless face, delicate features, and yet with such a memorable, distinctive look, was rare.

Most people at the school had heard of Fang Fuyi, so when a quarrel broke out between the two, it naturally attracted the attention of many.

“You think you can control me? Why would I need you to worry about me? I think you could donate your brain to someone else—it’s wasted on you,” she snapped.

With her backpack slung over her shoulder, Fang Fuyi spread her hands, showing an indifferent attitude, completely unafraid of him. “Zhou Chong, I’m really curious about what you’re so confident about. Why do you think, with that kind of attitude, I should be grateful to you?”

She didn’t expect to be publicly humiliated like this again. Zhou Chong, embarrassed and furious, snapped, “Fang Fuyi, I advise you not to refuse a toast only to end up drinking a punishment drink!”

“What’s wrong with that? What toast and punishment drink? I don’t even like alcohol,” she replied nonchalantly.

“I only know that the pig head in the British Museum is fake.” Fang Fuyi slowly pointed at Zhou Chong, her meaning clear, “The real pig head is right here.”

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd watching.

When Zhou Chong finally realized why everyone was laughing, he understood that Fang Fuyi had just called him an idiot.

“You… You, what nonsense are you talking!” He was so angry that he could barely speak.

Having been pampered both at home and at school, Zhou Chong rarely faced such treatment. Unable to contain his anger, he reached out as if to strike Fang Fuyi, making a move to push her.

“Nice try, you think you can bully me just because you can’t win an argument? Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose your balance and spill the water in your brain?” Fang Fuyi staggered slightly, but before he could touch her, she shouted loudly, “He hit me! He hit me! Zhou Chong from the Art Management Class 3 is bullying a pure and kind female student!”

She took a step back, casting a shadow.

Zhou Chong, seeing the perfect moment, almost brought his hand down.

Fortunately, just in time, another hand appeared, stopping Zhou Chong’s hand in midair.

A group of people pushed and shoved to get in, the scene became chaotic, and in an instant, everything was a mess.

Taking advantage of the confusion, no one noticing, Fang Fuyi stood firm, then suddenly kicked Zhou Chong several times, and in the confusion, slapped him twice across the face. She even left several shoe prints on his pant legs. After feeling a sting in her hand, she turned away and secretly gave him the middle finger.

She wasn’t the kind of person to let herself be at a disadvantage when it came to personal grudges.

“Everyone, stop crowding around, there’s nothing going on, disperse,” the person who had stepped in to stop Zhou Chong spoke up, taking responsibility and helping to clear the scene.

When most people had dispersed, Fang Fuyi raised her head, rubbing her sore palms and looking back.

That face wasn’t ordinary. Anyone who had seen it wouldn’t forget it easily. She recognized it, this was Zhou Chong’s cousin, Zhou Jianqing.

The three of them were in the same year, all in their third year of university.

Zhou Jianqing was completely different from Zhou Chong, who had no brain at all. He was a classic smiley tiger—appearing approachable and friendly, able to have a friendly chat with almost anyone, but secretly looking down on everyone and considering himself superior to others.

Fang Fuyi didn’t have a good attitude toward him, and she particularly disliked people like him.

Separated from the crowd, Zhou Chong continued shouting ignorantly, “Cousin! Why are you helping her? Can’t you figure out who’s actually family here?”

“Shut up.” Zhou Jianqing’s tone wasn’t because he was particularly fond of Fang Fuyi or had a deep relationship with her, in fact, he was disgusted by Zhou Chong for embarrassing the Zhou family.

This was a matter of face and interests.

“This isn’t at home. If you act without thinking about the consequences, don’t blame me for telling Grandpa about all your little affairs,” Zhou Jianqing said in a low voice, just loud enough for only the two of them to hear.

Worried that his cousin might do something foolish again, Zhou Jianqing stepped in, and, as family, forced Zhou Chong to apologize to Fang Fuyi.

Zhou Chong wasn’t afraid of his parents, but he was terrified of his grandfather.

Originally, it was Zhou Jianqing who was supposed to be engaged to Fang Fuyi. Something must have gone wrong in the process, and in the end, his grandfather arranged the engagement with Zhou Chong. This kind of almost forced marriage left Zhou Chong with a bitter feeling inside. He was angry but dared not speak up, which was why he often caused trouble for Fang Fuyi.

Since the engagement was annulled, they should each stay in their own place. Fang Fuyi didn’t understand why Zhou Chong insisted on causing trouble. Only a confused person would do such pointless things.

“Sorry,” Zhou Chong muttered, unwilling but forced to apologize.

“What did you say? I can’t hear you with such a small voice,” Fang Fuyi said, looking at his slightly swollen face, feeling a little amused. The more she looked, the more she wondered if she should slap his left cheek as well, to make it more symmetrical.

“Fang Fuyi! You know you heard me, stop pretending you didn’t!” Zhou Chong snapped.

“Tsk, is that how you apologize?” Fang Fuyi frowned, clearly not backing down. She was determined to make him apologize properly or else she wouldn’t accept it.

The atmosphere became tense.

In the midst of the standoff, her phone screen suddenly lit up with a message from Sheng Sui, asking if she was done with class, whether she had eaten yet, and where she was eating.

Without realizing it, Fang Fuyi’s expression immediately softened when she saw the message.

She glanced at Zhou Chong, then at Zhou Jianqing. Following the principle of avoiding trouble, she finally gave in. “Alright, alright, I accept your apology. Now, I’m going to eat.”

The bell for the end of class had already rung for a while.

It was lunchtime, and it was the freshmen’s turn for a break. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to grab a seat if she went to eat now.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder, replied to Sheng Sui with a “little cat holding a rose” emoji, telling him she was going to eat, and stood up to leave her seat.

She took a few steps forward, feeling like she had finally gotten rid of the annoying brothers.

However, just as she was about to step out the classroom door, Zhou Jianqing suddenly called her from behind. She heard his voice, “Classmate Fang, can I talk to you privately?”