C19 Don't Run Away! Hsu Yahan

Ling Tianxie spun around with a suave motion. He hadn't taken more than a few steps when a soft female voice called out from behind him.

"Excuse me, fellow student, you need to pay for the damages to the basketball hoop."

Turning to see the girl who had approached him, Ling Tianxie noticed her chest heaving as she caught her breath.

The young woman seemed familiar; she was slight in stature, with a fringe across her forehead, a doll-like face, and large eyes behind black glasses, exuding a delicate, bookish charm.

She was dressed in a British-style school uniform, her fair legs peeking out from beneath a plaid skirt, with black knee-high socks and shiny black shoes. A Discipline Committee badge adorned her arm.

Hsu Yahan had been checking the cleanliness of the sports field when she spotted a boy damaging the basketball hoop. As a committee member, she quickly ran to confront him.

She stopped Ling Tianxie, who had already turned to leave.

"Oh! It's you. Even though you're not a student here, you've damaged school property, so you're responsible for the costs."

Recognizing Ling Tianxie's face, Hsu Yahan remembered he was the young man who had come to pick up Ling the day before.

"Yes, I'll cover the damages. But have we met before?"

Ling Tianxie was puzzled.

With his sharp memory, he should have remembered her clearly, but he couldn't recall seeing Hsu Yahan amidst a crowd.

"We met here yesterday. I'm Yue's friend; you picked her up from school in the afternoon."

Hsu Yahan clarified for Ling Tianxie.

Internally, she mused,

"I've always been the kind of girl who goes unnoticed."

"You're quite pretty and carry yourself well. What's your name?"

Ling Tianxie inquired, looking at Hsu Yahan intently.

"Ah! I... I'm Hsu Yahan."

Blushing at the unexpected compliment, Hsu Yahan instinctively shared her name with Ling Tianxie.

"Understood, I'm Ling Tianxie. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ling Tianxie gazed at the bashful girl and reached out his right hand, a gesture of friendship.

"Um, I'm happy to meet you too."

With a shy expression, Hsu Yahan extended her small hand and shook hands with Ling Tianxie.

As she observed Ling Tianxie's slender fingers, she mused,

"Are these really a boy's hands? Aren't boys' hands supposed to be rough? My dad's hands are very rough."

Hsu Yahan inwardly scolded herself,

"Hsu Yahan, what's gotten into you? You've not only told him your name but also unabashedly held hands with a boy."

Ling Tianxie noticed the delicate softness of the small hand in his and couldn't resist squeezing it gently.

Hsu Yahan realized that Ling Tianxie was not letting go of her hand and seemed to be exploring it more closely.

Overwhelmed with embarrassment, her cheeks flushed red. She silently labeled Ling Tianxie a ruffian and quickly wriggled her hand free before turning to flee.

"Hey, hey... don't run away! Hsu Yahan, I haven't even made amends yet!"

Watching the girl's retreating figure, Ling Tianxie touched his nose and internally berated himself for his forwardness.

Unbeknownst to him, from a third-floor classroom window, a charming girl with shoulder-length hair was glaring at him, her teeth clenched in anger and her eyes brimming with resentment.

This girl was none other than Ling Yueer.

"Stupid brother, mean brother, big bully brother..."

Little did Ling Tianxie know that his innocent nose rub would be misconstrued by Ling Yueer as him savoring the scent of Hsu Yahan's hand.

Upon returning to the classroom, Hsu Yahan glanced at Ling Yueer guiltily and hurried to her seat, burying her face in her arms on the desk.

Meanwhile, some of the boys in the classroom began to mock Ling Tianxie.

"Pfft, he's all show and no substance."

"Exactly, he's probably just a troublemaker."

"Right. We're busy with our studies and have loads of work. Not like him, skipping classes to play basketball, just trying to show off."

"They've got a point..."

...

"Nothing but jealousy, a bunch of sour grapes..."

Ling Yueer was known for her strong attachment to her brother. When she overheard some students talking, she retorted with a remark that struck right at their core, silencing the world around them in an instant.

Ling Tianxie was meandering through the campus when he suddenly remembered that Lo Yun still required medical attention. He made his way to Lo Yun's office, only to find the door locked.

With no other option, Ling Tianxie resigned himself to the situation. He found a secluded corner, lit up a cigarette, and waited for his sister to get out of school.

Meanwhile, at Lo Yun's home.

Lo Yun listened as her best friend tearfully railed against some jerk.

Lo Yun couldn't help but feel a sense of irony; both she and her best friend had encountered a hooligan on the very same day. She had planned to confide in her friend about her own experience, but her friend had arrived at her place and immediately began her own tirade against an unnamed scoundrel.

"Yun, you have no idea how vile that hooligan was. In the interrogation room, he pushed me onto the table and kissed me. That was my first kiss, one I've kept for twenty-three years.

That jerk didn't just kiss me; he stuck his tongue out and licked me. And as if that wasn't enough, he had the audacity to grope my butt, kneading it as if he were working dough. It was just awful..." she sobbed, recounting Ling Tianxie's reprehensible behavior to Lo Yun.

With a peculiar look and a hand to her forehead, she inwardly questioned, "Are you actually crying?"

Her best friend's words left her speechless. What was she even saying? Couldn't she express herself more delicately? Such crude language!

"I was truly frightened this time. He may be formidable, but next time, I swear I'll bite his mouth so hard!" she declared, her voice tinged with a mix of fear and determination.

Lo Yun was taken aback by her friend's words.

"Rou Rou, what are you saying? You're thinking about a next time? Have you lost your mind?" Lo Yun asked incredulously, her face a picture of astonishment.

"Oh... I misspoke in the heat of the moment. Next time I see him, I'll make sure he regrets it. I'll make sure to give him a taste of his own medicine," she said, balling her hands into fists with resolve.

"Yun, didn't you also have a run-in with a hooligan? Come on, share your story with me. It might just cheer me up."

After a gentle outburst, Lo Yun felt much better. She inquired about Lo Yun's well-being and even cracked a joke.

"Eh, compared to what you went through, mine doesn't seem so bad. I just got my belly and feet rubbed."

Hearing about her best friend's ordeal, Lo Yun couldn't help but compare her situation to that of Ling Tianxie. She wasn't harassed, was she? After all, Tianxie was just treating her.

"Ah? He rubbed your belly and feet? Give me the juicy details!"

Lo Yun's eyes sparkled with curiosity, eager for the gossip.

Pressed by Lo Yun's relentless questioning, she reluctantly recounted her encounter with Tianxie in the office.

Yet, there were details too embarrassing to even think about, let alone share with Lo Yun. She certainly wouldn't mention having to change her clothes afterward.

Ding ling ling, Ding ling ling.

Ling Tianxie watched as Ling Yueer and several female classmates exited the classroom. One of the girls, upon spotting Tianxie, quickly hid behind her peers, her face etched with panic.

"Yue'er, over here!"

Tianxie called out to his sister, but she turned her head, feigning ignorance of his presence, so he approached her.

"Yue'er, what's the matter? Why are you upset?"

Tianxie was genuinely puzzled by his sister's anger.

He could easily discern her thoughts, but he wasn't so idle as to pry into others' minds all the time; it would be more of a hindrance than a help in his life.

"Hmph! Don't you know what you've done?"

Ling Yueer, despite her fear of embarrassing Tianxie, responded to him.

Tianxie was baffled; he hadn't done anything wrong. Perhaps his sister was just having one of her princess moments.

Then, the girls came over to introduce themselves. Only Hsu Yahan hung back, stealing glances at Tianxie.

Tianxie learned the girls' names.

Soon, they started discussing the incident on the sports field.

"Wow, I had no idea you were so tough. Ling, you're really lucky."

Jin Beibei's tone was laced with envy.

"Absolutely, and not only is he skilled, but he also looks so cool playing basketball!"

Liu Yan's remarks reeked of decay.

"It's impressive, sure. But do you really have to be so crude?" Xu Wei commented, her face devoid of emotion.

"Ling Yueer, could you ask your boyfriend if he's open to taking on a disciple?" inquired Zhang Lingling, as Ling Yueer frowned.

"What do you want to learn? Martial arts or basketball?" Jin Beibei chimed in.

"I'm aiming to master the art of flirting. Remember how Yahan blushed and ran off the field the other day?" Zhang Lingling said with a boisterous laugh.

Hsu Yahan blushed deeply upon hearing this, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

Ling Tianxie surveyed the girls, each a charming beauty, and inwardly lamented that his class was a hotbed of gorgeousness, complete with an intellectually beautiful teacher.

Suddenly, he felt a pinch at his waist – Ling Yueer had caught him eyeing her pretty classmates and gave him a twist.

Ling Tianxie affectionately pinched his sister's cheek in response.

But Ling Yueer swatted his hand away, whispering, "There are too many people around."

She was feeling shy.

The other girls watched Ling Tianxie's tender gesture with curious eyes, while Hsu Yahan harbored a twinge of sadness.

At the tender age of awakening emotions, how could she resist Ling Tianxie's charms? She felt a mix of hope and fear.

Once Ling Yueer was away from the group, she reverted to her Little Witch persona, playfully tormenting Ling Tianxie all the way home.

But for Ling Tianxie, the doting brother, his sister's happiness was all that mattered.

Back at home, his sister Ling Yufei had dinner ready and waiting.

At the dinner table, Ling Yufei addressed her brother, "Tianxie, Xue called to say she and her mother have moved out. Did you know?"

"Yeah, I'm aware," Ling Tianxie replied with a smile. "Maybe we should move too? The environment here is quite complex, and I can't always ensure your safety."

"Tianxie, we can't afford the high rent with our current finances," Ling Yufei reminded him.

Ling Yufei assumed they were going to rent a house.

"You both are princesses. I still have five million yuan, so I can afford a nicer house. I won't rest easy knowing you're living here."

Ling Tianxie gazed at his sisters with a grave expression.

"Ah? Tianxie, are you kidding? Where did you get all that money? You better not be involved in anything dangerous or illegal."

Ling Yufei's face was etched with concern as she spoke.

Ling Yueer also looked at Ling Tianxie, her small face mirroring the worry.

"Have you forgotten my skills? Making money is a breeze for me. Sister, don't you work at a real estate agency? Let's go house hunting tomorrow."

Ling Tianxie's heart swelled with tenderness as he regarded his anxious sisters.

Comforted, Ling Yufei and Ling Yueer's faces lit up with joy as they gazed at Ling Tianxie.

Despite their confusion about how Ling Tianxie suddenly came into five million yuan, they trusted that whatever he had done, it was for their sake.

The following morning at four o'clock, Ling Tianxie rose early and headed to the small woods by Bright Clear Lake, where he had previously honed his martial skills.

Due to his visit to the Police Station the day before, he hadn't had the chance to purchase higher-grade medicinal herbs and had to continue making Body Stabilizing Pills.

The spiritual energy around Bright Clear Lake was significantly richer than in other places, making it an ideal spot for cultivation.

Last time, when refining pills in the Origin Devouring Ring, the absence of the world's spiritual energy had lessened the effect. This time, Ling Tianxie planned to harness the spiritual Qi from nature, confident that the quality of the Completed Pill would be greatly enhanced.

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