Chapter 12

The school building erupted in cheers as soon as the bell rang signaling the end of the exam.

Students poured out of the exam hall, their faces a mixture of relief, exhaustion, and eagerness for the answers.

Xie Qingyan walked out of the examination hall with the crowd and let out a long sigh of relief. The days of hard work had transformed into a sense of fulfillment. He felt he had done very well on the exam, and he was certain that he wouldn't be last in this mock exam again.

He remembered his mother's smiling words as he left that morning: "Come back quickly after the exam. Mom will stew pork ribs and cook fish for you. Let's relax tonight!"

Thinking of the warm lights, the fragrant food, and his parents' kind smiles, Xie Qingyan felt a long-lost sense of ease and anticipation welling up inside him. He strode towards the stairwell where he had arranged to meet Jiang Ci, a light smile unconsciously appearing on his face.

Jiang Ci was already waiting there, leaning against the railing, looking out the window.

Hearing footsteps, Jiang Ci turned around.

The chill seemed to linger around him, but when he saw the bright expectation in Xie Qingyan's eyes, the ice in his heart melted instantly, and a gentle smile appeared on his face. He didn't speak, but nodded almost imperceptibly, and the two walked side by side toward the school gate in tacit understanding.

The setting sun cast long shadows, and the air was filled with the lingering noise of the exams. Xie Qingyan even spoke up, a rare occurrence for him, his tone light and cheerful: "My mom said she's making sweet and sour pork ribs and sauerkraut fish tonight, we need to hurry, otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, he noticed that Jiang Ci beside him had suddenly stopped walking.

The pause was so abrupt and stiff, as if Jiang Ci had crashed into an invisible ice wall.

Xie Qingyan turned his head in surprise, only to see that Jiang Ci's face had turned completely pale in an instant, paler than at any moment in the examination room. His gaze was fixed on the roadside not far from the school gate, and his usually calm or cold eyes were now churning with clear shock, disgust, and a trace of deep-seated fear.

Xie Qingyan followed his gaze.

A sleek, black luxury sedan with a gleaming finish, like a silent and arrogant wild beast, was parked quietly by the roadside. The windows were tinted dark, obscuring the interior, yet an invisible pressure emanated from it.

Xie Qingyan didn't know much about car logos, but he recognized the car model—it was similar to many of the vehicles he had seen in the villa area when he went to look for Jiang Ci that day.

Based on Jiang Ci's reaction, it can be inferred that this is probably the Jiang family's car.

Almost the instant their gaze fell upon the car, the driver's side door opened. A middle-aged driver, dressed in a well-tailored suit and with a serious, stern expression, quickly stepped out and respectfully opened the rear door.

A gleaming leather shoe stepped out, followed by long legs encased in expensive trousers. A well-maintained middle-aged man, whose face bore a resemblance to Jiang Ci but was more cold and imposing, emerged from the car. He stopped, his gaze piercing through the noisy crowd at the school gate, landing directly on Jiang Ci.

There was no concern for a long-awaited reunion in that gaze, no curiosity about how the exam went, only a top-down scrutiny, an unquestionable control, and a hint of impatience.

Jiang Ci's body trembled almost imperceptibly, not out of fear, but out of some deeper, almost reflexive resistance. He subconsciously took half a step back, a subtle movement that revealed the turmoil raging within him.

The faint sense of relief I felt after the exam was instantly shattered. The warm dinner at the Xie family home, the waiting light, seemed to have been instantly shut out by this black sedan, transporting me to another, unreachable world.

Jiang's father did not speak, but simply stood there, exerting a silent yet immense pressure with his gaze, as if to say: Come here.

Xie Qingyan's heart sank. He saw Jiang Ci's fist clench instantly, and a fleeting, intense emotion that seemed about to burst forth from his eyes.

All the plans for tonight were shattered by this sudden, cold reality at this moment.

Jiang Ci's gaze clashed with his father's cold, scrutinizing eyes, as if the sound of ice shattering could be heard. He could almost foresee what would happen next: questioning, mockery, and perhaps even merciless denigration in front of others. He absolutely could not let Xie Qingyan see any of that, much less let him get dragged into this quagmire.

Just as Xie Qingyan took a half-step forward, worried by his pale face, Jiang Ci suddenly turned his head, his voice extremely low, yet carrying a resolute and even somewhat fierce tone, speaking so quickly that there was no room for argument:

"Go quickly. Go home. I won't be coming to your house tonight."

Every word was like a shard of ice, crashing to the ground. Jiang Ci didn't look at Xie Qingyan, as if even a glance would betray his disheveled state. After speaking, he took a deep breath and walked towards the black sedan as if heading to his execution. His back was straight, but as stiff as a string stretched to its limit, each step landing on Xie Qingyan's suddenly tightening heart.

Xie Qingyan stood frozen, watching Jiang Ci walk towards the man whose mere presence exuded an oppressive aura. He could see the resistance in Jiang Ci's steps, the subtle tremor beneath his straight back. He didn't look like a wanderer returning home; he looked more like a prisoner being escorted away.

A sense of powerlessness washed over Xie Qingyan like a cold tide. What could he do? In what capacity? A classmate? A friend? Before such a powerful, cold, and stern father, his words were pale and powerless. The talent and composure befitting a top scholar seemed to lose their luster for the first time in the face of the naked reality of class and family authority.

Jiang Ci had already reached the car. Jiang's father didn't even glance at his son, turning around to get back into the car, as if Jiang Ci's appearance was merely to complete a routine of picking someone up.

Just as the car door was about to close—

"Please wait a moment!"

A clear voice broke through the slightly noisy air at the school gate.

Xie Qingyan rushed over instinctively. He took a few steps to the car, his breathing slightly rapid, but he forced himself to stand still, blocking Jiang Ci from the closing car door. He first bowed solemnly to Jiang's father, whose face had suddenly darkened inside the car—this overly elegant gesture startled both Jiang's father and the driver.

"Uncle Jiang, my name is Xie Qingyan, and I am Jiang Ci's classmate." Xie Qingyan raised his head, his gaze clear and firm, neither humble nor arrogant. "Recently, Jiang Ci has been staying at my humble abode because of me. My grades are not good, so I begged Jiang Ci to help me, and he finally agreed to tutor me. This was entirely due to my lack of consideration and my acting on my own initiative, failing to inform you in time. It is truly my fault. Jiang Ci was simply eager to help, and I hope you... will not blame him for this."

He finished speaking in one breath, his logic was clear, he took full responsibility upon himself, his posture was extremely humble, but his tone was frank and sincere.

Jiang Ci turned his head sharply to look at him, his pupils shrinking. He hadn't expected Xie Qingyan to rush over, and he certainly hadn't expected him to take all the blame in this way.

Seeing Xie Qingyan's earnest apology, an indescribable emotion surged into Jiang Ci's heart. It was astonishment, anger at his unnecessary actions, but deeper still, there was a strange, protective feeling of soreness.

Xie Qingyan's words instantly shattered the cold dam he had forcibly built.

Jiang's father's gaze finally settled on Xie Qingyan. From initial astonishment, to scrutiny, and then to a condescending indifference tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Xie... Qingyan?" Jiang's father slowly repeated the name, his tone flat, yet carrying an invisible pressure. "Jiang Ci's classmate?" His gaze swept over Xie Qingyan's faded school uniform and his sincere but undeniably youthful face, then glanced at his increasingly pale son, a cold smile curving his lips.

"It's good that classmates help each other." Jiang's father's voice was flat but clear. "However, my Jiang family's son has his own rules about where he lives and what he does. His running away from home is unruly. This has nothing to do with who he helped or why he helped."

His words were so casual that they deflected the responsibility Xie Qingyan had taken on, focusing solely on Jiang Ci's mistake of "running away from home without permission," completely disregarding reason and only talking about rules.

"As for you," Jiang's father's gaze returned to Xie Qingyan's face, with an indifferent, almost cruel tolerance, "Considering you are Jiang Ci's classmate, I will not pursue your instigation this time. In the future, stay away from my son."

He spoke the last few words very softly, yet they were like poisoned ice needles.

"Dad!" Jiang Ci cried out suddenly, his voice hoarse, trembling with suppressed anger. He could tolerate any belittling from his father, but he couldn't bear the thought of his father directing such malice at Xie Qingyan, the only one who had rushed out to protect him.

"Get in the car." Jiang's father no longer looked at any of them and gave the order directly, his tone leaving no room for argument, like a final verdict.

The driver had already opened the car door.

Jiang Ci stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving. He glanced at Xie Qingyan, whose face was full of worry and who seemed about to say something, then at his father's cold profile inside the car. In the end, an unfathomable weariness and a kind of resigned despair overwhelmed all his turbulent emotions.

He stopped looking at Xie Qingyan, afraid that what he saw would spiral out of control. He lowered his eyes, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, yet it clearly reached Xie Qingyan's ears:

"Hurry up."

Then, he bent down and climbed into the luxurious but suffocating car.

The car door slammed shut with a bang, clean and decisive, separating the two worlds.

The car silently glided into traffic and sped away, leaving Xie Qingyan standing alone, her fingertips icy cold.

As dusk settled, the crowd at the school gate had long since dispersed. The warm dinner at the Xie family's house seemed to still be waiting for them in the distance, while the boy who had just been preparing to go home with him was forced into that car.

For the first time, Xie Qingyan realized with such clarity that he was facing not only an academic gap, but also the formidable barriers of this world, and the vast and cold shadow behind Jiang Ci.

But he clenched his fists.

In his eyes, the flame that had once flickered due to its weakness did not go out, but instead burned brighter and more firmly.