Cai Ji’s case was even featured on local news. A TV station used it as an opportunity to explain the law, encouraging women and children who suffer from domestic violence and bullying to bravely defend their rights.

The entire school was buzzing about the incident. When Cai Ji walked into the classroom with his backpack, everyone looked at him differently.

Once almost invisible, he was now surrounded by classmates asking after him. He wasn’t used to the attention at all. He just kept nodding, not knowing how to respond.

Fortunately, Jian Sha came over holding her phone, excitedly saying, “Cai Cai, look! Your story made it to Big Eye’s social headlines!”

“Huh? Really?” Cai Ji paused.

“Big Eye” was a social media platform launched just last year. Initially, it didn’t have many users, but this year, especially with the release of the M5 smartphone that sparked a new wave of smart devices, its userbase exploded. It was quickly becoming one of the top platforms on the internet.

Making it to Big Eye’s “Social Headlines” meant that the story wasn’t just provincial news anymore—it was drawing national attention.

Even well-known lawyers were analyzing the case.

They pointed out that domestic violence only constitutes the crime of abuse if it leads to serious injury or death, which carries a penalty of 2–7 years in prison. In most cases, even if the police are called, the abuser gets at most a brief administrative detention. This means victims often face retaliation and continued abuse after reporting.

Cai Ji was lucky: his father and stepbrother’s abuse had a financial motive—extorting 200,000 yuan. That amount was large enough to take the situation out of the realm of simple domestic abuse and into violent extortion, a much more serious crime. Even though the extortion didn’t succeed, the severity and social impact meant a sentence of 3–10 years was possible.

Netizens cried out: “Maximum sentence!”, “Make them sew socks for life!”, and “People like this can’t be reformed—if they get out, they’ll just hurt others again!”

But Jiang Ruotang knew just how much courage and resolve it had taken for Cai Ji to finally earn his freedom.

That 200,000 yuan—Cai Ji’s mother had transferred it without hesitation—was to give her son one final chance to break free from Cai Chuan.

And Cai Ji had withstood the pressure and exposed the abuse and extortion to the public.

Zhao Yunshu’s lawyer friend reassured Cai Ji and his mother that the case was rock-solid: there were audio recordings, surveillance footage from the bank, statements from the teller and security guard, video evidence from the internet café… Even neighbors who had remained silent before now stepped forward to testify that they had seen Cai Ji being beaten since childhood.

The officer in charge of the case even called to encourage Cai Ji to focus on his studies and prepare for the college entrance exam. The evidence was clear, and Cai Chuan and Li Chun wouldn’t be getting out. Even Li Chun’s mother was now considered an accomplice.

Though the classroom, the desk, and the school looked the same, when the sunlight fell on Cai Ji’s face that day, the air felt fresher, the sky bluer, and the sound of the teacher writing on the chalkboard more pleasant than ever.

Cai Ji turned to look at Jiang Ruotang, who was attentively watching the board.

Thank you, Jiang Ruotang.

When I was lost at the crossroads, you were the one who grabbed my hand.

You stayed with me at the corner convenience store. You listened. You gave me courage. And you brought so many friends into my life.

Jiang Ruotang seemed to sense something and turned to look at Cai Ji. Cai Ji gave him a bright smile in return.

This time, he would truly live.

Just then, the physics teacher called from the front of the class, “Cai Ji, come up and explain this question for everyone.”

Cai Ji hesitated for a moment. The teacher’s eyes were filled with encouragement, and all the gazes around him were warm and full of expectation.

Jiang Ruotang clapped for him. “Cai Cai, explain it in a way that even I can understand!”

Zhao Changfeng added, “Hey, Jiang Ruotang doesn’t count! Make it simple enough for me to understand!”

On the other side of the aisle, Jian Sha sighed, “If you want Zhao Changfeng to understand, you’ll have to start from junior high…”

Laughter echoed through the classroom. Even with a bit of social anxiety, Cai Ji felt surprisingly calm and composed.

He walked up to the front, took the chalk from the teacher, and said in a clear, confident voice, “First, calculate the object’s acceleration… then apply Newton’s Second Law… finally, the answer is 4N.”

When he put down the chalk, the physics teacher sighed, “What a pity that Cai Ji couldn’t participate in last semester’s science competition. He might’ve won something!”

Cai Ji lowered his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to compete—but back then, he’d been beaten so badly by Cai Chuan and Li Chun that he couldn’t even hold a pen.

Thinking about it now, there were so many regrets.

“No need to dwell on the past when the road ahead is clear!” Jiang Ruotang said loudly.

The teacher realized he’d brought up a painful topic and patted Cai Ji on the shoulder. “That was shallow of me. There are far more important competitions ahead in life. I believe you’re already ready to ride the wind and break the waves. We can’t go back in time, but the future still holds glory and success for you.”

Cai Ji nodded firmly. Before returning to his seat, he said, “For a physics teacher, your essay skills are impressive.”

The classroom burst into laughter again.

Jiang Ruotang sent a message to Cai Ji inviting him to a nearby restaurant to celebrate his newfound freedom.

Cai Ji felt he should be the one treating, and he wanted to invite Zhao Changfeng, Jian Sha, and the class monitor too.

During the break after second period, the milk tea Jiang Ruotang ordered was delivered. He asked Cai Ji to join him in picking it up at the school gate.

Walking side by side under the sunlight, Jiang Ruotang suddenly asked, “So… whose idea was it to call the police at the bank? We all focused on the abuse angle, but that was hard to prove and carried a light sentence. We never thought of going the extortion route. Was it my mom’s lawyer friend? She looked surprised when you said it.”

Cai Ji lowered his head, sipping from the straw. “It wasn’t me, and it wasn’t the lawyer… It was actually the class monitor.”

Jiang Ruotang nearly choked on a tapioca pearl.

“Who? What did you say?”

“The class monitor…” Cai Ji looked at Jiang Ruotang’s stunned expression and suddenly worried he’d said the wrong thing. “You’re close with him, so I thought you already knew…”

Jiang Ruotang was so shocked he almost dropped his milk tea.

In his mind, Lu Guifan was the type to follow the rules and stay on the safe path. He never imagined that he would be the one to come up with such a bold “trap-the-enemy” move!

Was this really the class monitor he knew?

It turned out that back in their first year, a university graduate living below the Cai family had once heard Cai Ji being beaten and called the police.

When the police arrived, they found Cai Ji curled in a corner, arms over his head, his whole body covered in boot prints.

But at the station, under Cai Chuan and the stepmother’s statements, the incident was dismissed as a parent getting carried away while disciplining his child. As soon as the police left, Cai Ji got beaten again.

Cai Chuan said while hitting him, “See? No one can stop me from beating my son!”

His voice was so loud the whole building could hear.

That university student was harassed and cursed by Cai Chuan and Li Chun every day until she moved out. Seeing this, the other neighbors became even more afraid to speak up.

It was then that Cai Ji realized: just calling the police wasn’t enough.

Lu Guifan had gone on a walk with Jiang Ruotang and heard about Cai Ji’s situation. When he got home, he looked up the legal clauses and carefully devised a plan for Cai Ji—reporting the extortion through the bank.

Since domestic violence wasn’t enough to get Cai Chuan and Li Chun out of Cai Ji’s life forever, then let them pay the price for their greed.

Not 3,000 yuan. Not 5,000. But 200,000—a “large sum.”

They thought Cai Ji would use the money to escape and become independent. They also worried it was his mother’s last bit of support. Their fear and greed made them resort to violence—and it cost them dearly.

Back in the classroom, Jiang Ruotang immediately looked over at Lu Guifan’s seat. The class monitor looked calm, as if it had nothing to do with him.

He had hidden his merit, finished his mission, and vanished like the wind.

Jiang Ruotang could only sigh—this is how clever people work: endure silently, wait patiently, then strike precisely.

As he passed Lu Guifan’s desk, he placed a cup of Jin Xuan tea on it and leaned down to whisper, “Advisor, your tea.”

Lu Guifan replied with a soft “Mm.”

That nonchalant tone made Jiang Ruotang grind his teeth, but all he could do was make a “choking” gesture behind his back.

Somehow, Lu Guifan sensed it—he casually raised a hand and covered the side of his neck.

Jiang Ruotang snorted and returned to his seat.

When the lunch bell rang, Jiang Ruotang and the others escorted Cai Ji out of the classroom to a small restaurant near the school.

It was the most relaxed and happiest day Cai Ji had had in years. Even when ordering food, he had a smile on his face.

Jiang Ruotang couldn’t help teasing, “Wow, Cai Cai, I didn’t know you had dimples when you smile. So sweet and cute!”

Zhao Changfeng knocked on the table. “Hey hey hey, Jiang Ruotang! Don’t you dare lay a finger on Cai Cai!”

“My taste is way more mature now, okay?”

“I don’t buy that for a second!”

The two of them looked like they were about to bicker again, and Cai Ji had to separate them with a helpless smile.

Lu Guifan quietly sipped his cola like nothing was happening.

Thankfully, the waiter came over and asked, “Are you guys ready to order?”

Jian Sha went first: “I want stir-fried pork with chili.”

“I want sweet and sour ribs!” Jiang Ruotang chimed in.

Zhao Changfeng frowned, “That’s so sugary! How can you eat that? Get me spicy blood stew!”

Cai Ji handed the menu to Lu Guifan. “Class monitor, what about you?”

Instead, Lu Guifan turned to Jiang Ruotang and asked slowly, “So you said your taste is more mature now… then tell me, who do you like now?”

Being stared at like that, Jiang Ruotang felt a mushroom cloud explode in his chest.

Lu Guifan’s elegant brows, sharp features, defined jawline, the rise and fall of his Adam’s apple, even the slender fingers holding his cola—every single detail fit right into Jiang Ruotang’s “mature taste.”

True maturity, perhaps, is when someone becomes skilled at hiding the feelings that are nearly bursting out of them.

Cai Ji and Zhao Changfeng both turned to look, and Jian Sha had that gleeful look of someone who loved drama.

Under their stares, Jiang Ruotang proudly said, “Right now, my favorite person is Teacher Wang Sibeng!”

The moment he said it, Zhao Changfeng choked on his own saliva and started coughing violently. “What the hell?! Your taste is deadly, I swear!”

Cai Ji laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair. “Wang… Wang Sibeng? Isn’t he a crosstalk performer? He’s like seventy now, right?”

Jian Sha looked disappointed, muttering to herself, “When will I finally get to see an omega confessing to an alpha, instead of alphas always being the domineering ones…”

Jiang Ruotang turned to her helplessly. “What kind of chaotic ABO stuff have you been watching again?”

Lu Guifan lowered his head and chuckled.

“Hm, your taste really has matured.”

“Alright, alright, enough laughing! What’s wrong with crosstalk performers? What’s wrong with being seventy? Teacher Wang brings joy and laughter to the world—isn’t that cool?” Jiang Ruotang tapped the menu. “Class rep, your turn to order!”

Lu Guifan didn’t even look at the menu. “Garlic water spinach.”

“Why order something vegetarian? Are you trying to save Cai Ji money?” Jiang Ruotang joked.

A faint smile flashed in Lu Guifan’s eyes. He said slowly, “That’s Teacher Wang Sibeng’s favorite dish. Jiang Ruotang, seems like your love for him isn’t deep enough.”

Jiang Ruotang froze, not expecting his own joke to be used against him by Lu Guifan. He was momentarily speechless, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.

Fortunately, no one noticed. Jian Sha and Zhao Changfeng were on their phones, and Cai Ji was busy ordering a beer-braised duck.

As they ate, the conversation turned to Cai Ji’s future.

“I told my mom that quitting her job is out of the question. I’ll work hard, improve my Chinese and English, and try to get into a university in the capital so we can reunite.”

“Capital sounds great! I want to apply to the Capital Academy of Fine Arts too!” Jiang Ruotang raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Pfft, give me a break! Forget your major—just your academic scores have to be above the tier-two university threshold!” Zhao Changfeng reminded him.

Jian Sha immediately came to Jiang Ruotang’s defense. “He’s been working hard this semester! He’s already ranked 250th in the whole school. By the end of this term, he might really break the cutoff!”

Jiang Ruotang clinked his soda against hers. “Sha-jie, what about you? Where do you want to go?”

“Hmm… Chinese Literature at Huawen University. I love novels. Maybe one day I’ll write a tear-jerking masterpiece, and Director Jiang will make it into a film!” Jian Sha said half-jokingly.

“Isn’t Huawen University also in the capital? That school has really high cutoffs!”

“What about you, Class Rep? Planning to go to the capital too?” Cai Ji asked.

“He can probably get a guaranteed admission. With all those national competition first prizes, every top university would fight over him,” Zhao Changfeng sighed. “Worry about me instead…”

Jiang Ruotang smiled. “You’re the last person to worry about. You’re super talented but don’t even realize it. Your coach told your parents you’re a genius. Don’t limit yourself to just Sheng City.”

“So you’re saying I should aim for the capital too? Does that make us the ‘Capital Squad’?” Zhao Changfeng laughed.

“Hahaha, the Capital Squad! Let’s all go to the capital together—nobody gets left behind!” Cai Ji cheered.

“What about now though? Are you going back to that house? It’s too toxic. Your stepmom’s involvement may not be too serious, so what if she returns in a few months and starts messing with you again?” Jiang Ruotang asked.

“Don’t bother with that,” Zhao Changfeng said. “If you’re taking the college entrance exam in Sheng City, just live with us! The three of us can go to and from school together—how great is that?”

“Yeah, and if you want your own room, we’ve got a guest room on the first floor,” Jiang Ruotang offered.

Cai Ji was deeply moved. “Don’t worry, my mom hasn’t gone back to the capital. She’s staying to help me rent a place. My grandparents will come stay with me, so I won’t be alone.”

His grandparents were good to him too. They were both under seventy and in good health. Apparently, they didn’t enjoy living in the capital anyway, so it worked out perfectly.

“My little sister even called me. She’s three now, and it was the first time I heard her voice—soft and sweet. She said she’ll wait for me to finish the college entrance exam so I can take her to the amusement park. Honestly, I used to think that after she was born, Mom wouldn’t care about me anymore. But when I heard her call me ‘Gege’ in that baby voice, I suddenly wanted to give her everything.”

Hearing that Cai Ji had a solid plan, everyone was relieved.

During the meal, his phone kept ringing. It was lawyers for Cai Chuan and Li Chun calling to ask for a letter of forgiveness. Cai Ji blocked the number without hesitation.

If he forgave them, he might as well become a saint.

Even if they kneeled and apologized, they could never make up for the years of pain and trauma they caused him.

After the meal, they headed back to school for a nap. Before lying down, Jiang Ruotang glanced at his phone and saw a message from Lu Guifan.

[I can understand why you like Teacher Wang Sibeng now.]

Attached was a photo of Wang Sibeng in his twenties, wearing a Zhongshan suit on stage.

Thick black hair, handsome features, a dashing pose—he was totally a heartthrob back then.

Jiang Ruotang looked over at Lu Guifan, who had already lain down to rest.

Oh my god, what’s this supposed to mean?

Is he saying Jiang Ruotang is just a shallow face-chaser after all?

Jiang Ruotang replied:
[A pretty face is common, but a bald head with three strands of hair floating in the wind is unique.]

Meaning: Even the most handsome guy will eventually lose his hair, like Teacher Wang with just three strands distracting the audience during his performance.

Lu Guifan couldn’t help but laugh when he saw the message. The sound echoed pleasantly through the quiet classroom.

Cai Ji’s case had come to an end. Master Wang, who had wrongly accused him, was too ashamed to face the students. He used the excuse of age and fatigue to step down.

Teacher Song Qinghe officially became the homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 12.

One day in the hallway, Jiang Ruotang unexpectedly bumped into Master Wang. Though a bit awkward, Jiang still greeted him, “Hello, Teacher Wang.”

He didn’t care anymore about Wang’s expression or attitude.

To his surprise, the old teacher stopped and called him back. Other students nearby all turned to look.

“I was wrong to accuse you.”

Jiang Ruotang stood there, unsure of how to respond.

“But even if you find Chinese boring, you still have to memorize what needs memorizing and study the essay formats. If you really want to go to the Capital Academy of Fine Arts, Chinese is actually the easiest subject to score high in.”

Jiang Ruotang was the type to return kindness tenfold.

Wang’s words sounded sincere, and Jiang nodded humbly. “I’ll work hard. Thank you, Teacher Wang.”

The teacher seemed embarrassed and nodded before walking off.

For most people, life is a river that flows forward without turning back.

To turn hostility into harmony—isn’t that also a kind of luck?

Cai Ji’s new home was a two-bedroom apartment in a residential area near the school, on the seventh floor.

The good news: there was an elevator, making it convenient for his grandparents once they arrived.

Lu Guifan and the others went ahead to help. Jiang Ruotang arrived a bit later, carrying a huge bottle of Coke. Just as he was about to ring the doorbell, he heard the TV playing a Wang Sibeng crosstalk routine from inside.

His voice was old, but still humorously sharp.

The door opened—and there stood Lu Guifan.

One hand on the doorknob, the other holding his phone, eyes lowered. His oversized black-rimmed glasses had slid halfway down his nose, revealing those strikingly beautiful eyes.

On the TV, Wang Sibeng deadpanned:
“What is love? You might dodge the first day of the month, but you won’t dodge you.”

Jiang Ruotang’s throat tightened, as if the secret he tried so hard to hide had been exposed by the TV, right in front of Lu Guifan.

But Lu just turned around. From the sofa came the others’ voices.

“Ughhh! How is Class Rep winning again?!” Zhao Changfeng groaned, tugging at his hair.

“You’ve gotta be cheating, Class Rep! I designed this game, and you still win every time!” Cai Ji’s curls practically stood on end.

Jian Sha shouted too, “Lu Guifan, you really are the destroyer of dreams—bursting every fantasy bubble we have!”

Lu Guifan just calmly returned to the sofa, looking like a general surveying the battlefield.

He was only eighteen, but often wore the expression of a retired official. Yet when he pushed his glasses up with a single elegant finger, it was like watching a 4K movie in slow motion—so refined, so beautiful.

Jiang Ruotang stepped forward with the Coke, surrounded by noise and laughter—but all he could see was Lu Guifan.

On the TV, Wang Sibeng in a blue-gray long robe was still delivering his crosstalk.

“What is jealousy? It’s when even the air becomes a love rival because I haven’t kissed you yet!”

Jiang Ruotang felt something in his heart get pierced. The Coke almost slipped from his hands.