CHAPTER 194: 088 NEGOTIATING WITH A TIGER FOR ITS SKIN_3

"Hello everyone, my name is Liu Runxi."

"Liu Runxi? Is he actually Liu Runxi?"

The initially stunned crowd soon fell into an eerie silence.

The parents had just given strict instructions: a transfer student with the surname Liu would be arriving at school, and he absolutely must be treated with reverence. This person must never, under any circumstances, be offended.

These children, generally precocious, vaguely understood that this transfer student named Liu Runxi must have a significant background—someone even their lofty parents sought to curry favor with.

The boy who had just mocked Liu Runxi as deaf turned red instantly and dared not utter another word.

"Liu, there’s an empty seat over there; you can sit there," the female teacher said gently.

Under the scrutiny of countless curious gazes, Liu Runxi stepped down from the podium.

As he was about to walk toward the girl, he feigned a casual glance her way.

The girl lay slumped over her desk, idly twirling a pen in her hand.

A ray of sunlight fell upon the girl’s face. Her glasses had slipped down her nose, and her long, thick eyelashes resembled a small fan, casting fragmented shadows under her lids.

That tiny fan—they stirred an itch deep within his heart.

~

A knock on the door interrupted the boy’s reverie.

"Come in."

The bedroom door swung open, and Helian Yu entered with a tray holding an exquisite jade lotus bowl.

"Xixi, you’ve been staying up late nearly every night to prepare for the monthly exams. Your mother feels for you and personally brewed this dragon eye and jujube tea to replenish your blood, nourish your energy, and enhance brain function. Drink it while it’s still warm."

Helian Yu handed the bowl over to Liu Runxi herself.

Liu Runxi touched the searing cup, set it aside, and said indifferently, "I’ll drink it later."

Helian Yu stared at Liu Runxi and abruptly asked, "The monthly exam results are out, aren’t they?"

A trace of mockery swept across Liu Runxi’s eyes. "Yes."

"I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked recently. You never needed a tutor before, yet this time you even hired a top-tier one. My son is so clever; the top spot must surely be yours this time, right?"

Helian Yu’s expression carried a subtle pride, eager to hear confirmation from Liu Runxi.

Liu Runxi tugged at the corner of his mouth, his gaze icily detached.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"It’s that Shen You’an again, isn’t it?" Helian Yu’s voice suddenly turned sharp, her expression darkening.

"All these years, you’ve always been outshone by that girl. What’s going on? Where exactly is the problem?"

Helian Yu’s tone grew cutting, pressing for an answer.

Liu Runxi replied flatly, "There’s always someone better out there. I lost because I wasn’t as capable."

"Impossible. My son could never lose to a wild girl from the slums!"

Helian Yu’s eyes narrowed abruptly. "Looks like I need to have a talk with Lan Man."

"Crash." The tea bowl suddenly fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Scalding tea splashed onto the wooden floorboards.

Helian Yu took a startled step back, exclaiming, "What are you doing?"

Liu Runxi slowly stood up. The sixteen-year-old boy had grown tall without notice, his imposing presence bearing down like a storm.

"Your hand reaches too far."

The boy stared at her expressionlessly, Helian Yu’s heart momentarily clenched as she realized how foreign her son had become.

"Do you think Father’s influence in Qingzhou is truly omnipotent?" Liu Runxi said coldly. "If you still want a smooth return to Jingzhou, you’d better start behaving yourself."

Helian Yu’s voice trembled with disbelief, "Do you... do you even know what you’re saying?"

"Over these years, you’ve abused your privilege to suppress dissent, favoring your allies. You think Father doesn’t know? He’s merely refrained from exposing you out of courtesy, but you’ve grown increasingly brazen. Honestly, I pity him."

The boy’s gaze was wintery, cold as frost.

Helian Yu staggered back, unable to stand firm. "You... ungrateful son."

Fuming with anger, she raised her hand and landed a slap across Liu Runxi’s face.

"I’ve done all of this for you! And this is how you repay me? I’ve raised a thankless wolf!"

Liu Runxi took the slap squarely, let out a cold chuckle, his eyes resembling a pool of blood.

Turning his head slightly, he glanced at Helian Yu and sneered, "Lost your temper, haven’t you."

Helian Yu’s vision blurred for a moment, and she clutched her chest, overcome with despair as she broke down in tears. "What a sin..." she lamented.

Liu Runxi crouched down, methodically picking up fragments of porcelain and tossing them into the trash bin.

"Acting all day—aren’t you tired?"

Helian Yu instantly stopped crying, her expression changing as swiftly as the weather.

With an emotionless glance at Liu Runxi, she strode out of the room.

"Madam, you’ve been pushing the young master too hard. Even a clay idol has some temper, let alone the young master..." Housekeeper Liu, having witnessed everything, earnestly tried to persuade her.

Helian Yu let out a cold laugh. "Do you truly believe I’ve been pushing him too hard?"

Housekeeper Liu pressed on, "Isn’t that the case?"

"Xixi has always been stoic. Even if I handed him boiling tea, he’d drink it without hesitation. Such a temperament—do you think he’d lash out merely over a few angry words from me?"

"Then what are you implying, Madam?"

"No matter how outrageous my remarks were in the past, he’s always been indifferent. But the moment I mention one person, he instinctively rebels against me. This subconscious reaction is something even he can’t control."

Housekeeper Liu lowered his head, pondering. "The female student who’s always outperformed the young master."

Helian Yu’s lips curled into a cold smile. "I had my suspicions from the start. This time, I intentionally tested him, and he couldn’t help but reveal his true colors. So young, yet so impulsive."

"Madam, if that’s the case, I urge you not to handle this young lady like the others before. Given the young master’s character, it could backfire terribly for you."

"I birthed him. Naturally, I understand him better than anyone else."

Helian Yu replied bitterly, "My only mistake was underestimating her at the very beginning. The longer this drags on, the harder it becomes."

"If she were a distinguished heiress beneficial to my son’s future, I wouldn’t mind supporting them. But alas, she’s a powerless orphan. I’ve planned so carefully for Xixi—there’s no room for her to drag him down."

Soon after, Helian Yu gracefully chuckled.

"I suppose I’ll personally meet this girl who’s worth defying me for and see what she’s all about."

Housekeeper Liu hesitated to advise further, ultimately sighing in silence.

The Madam was set in her ways, unwilling to heed anyone’s opinions.

"By the way, Jingzhou’s Old Madam Yu is celebrating her birthday soon. Prepare a generous gift to send over."

Though she was angry with Xixi, she would undoubtedly pave his future path without compromise.

~

The van stopped in a secluded alleyway.

Zhou Qin stepped out of the vehicle, frowning as she scanned the surroundings.

Luo Zhong glared at her, "What are you looking at? Just follow me quietly."

Luo Zhong took the lead, Shen You’an trailing behind, while Zhou Qin shuffled awkwardly in the middle.

Winding through twists and turns, they finally arrived at the entrance of a courtyard hidden within the alleys.

It was a two-story house with a small yard, surrounded by pending demolition sites, the area bleak and desolate.

As Zhou Qin entered the yard, Shen You’an lightly stepped on the gate, and with a "clack," it locked behind her.

Zhou Qin spun around abruptly, a hint of fear in her gaze toward Shen You’an. "You...what are you planning?"

In that moment, she realized she might have made a foolish decision.

It dawned on her that she was conspiring with a predator.

Shen You’an picked up a rusty iron rod leaning against the wall and weighed it in his palm.

Luo Zhong, holding a rope, suddenly sprang up behind Zhou Qin and tied her hands together.

Zhou Qin struggled in vain, and Luo Zhong promptly kicked her into the main house.

The long-abandoned house stirred up a storm of dust.

Zhou Qin fell to the ground, crying out in pain, choking as she inhaled the dust clouds.

Amid the swirling debris, Shen You’an gripped the iron rod and slowly advanced.

Killing intent radiated from him, sharp and chilling.