"First Encounter"

"You know what?! A new student came to the school and I heard he's super handsome. The campus walls are flooded with people asking for his WeChat!" The music in the bar was so loud that Li Liao practically shouted.

Zhang Xiu covered his ears, speechless. "A gay guy offered five figures for that guy's WeChat?"

"Yes. But that person's information has been blocked; no one can find out anything about him."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiu was somewhat surprised. He took advantage of the darkness to raise his hand and point to the corner, "I remember the last time it was sealed off, it was him."

Li Liao immediately slapped his hand down and turned to look at the man sitting in the corner.

The bar's dazzling lights seemed to deliberately avoid him, becoming dimmer the closer one got, casting only a few rays of light on his profile, revealing a section of his straight nose and a pair of cold, stern eyes.

Li Liao's gaze lingered for a few seconds before he heard the person next to him ask, "Hey, what do you think he's here for tonight?"

"What else can we do?" Li Liao lowered his voice and glanced at the drunken man opposite him. "He came here not to drink or play games, he's just here to cause trouble if he's not here for entertainment."

"What? What are you picking a fight with?" Zhang Xiu asked, puzzled.

Seeing that Li Liao did not reply, Zhang Xiu followed his gaze to a person who had stood up, walked to the corner, and held a glass full of wine in his hand.

The man respectfully toasted the person in front of him, saying, "Thanks to your guidance during this time, our team was able to reach the finals. We are very lucky to have met you."

He drank it all in one gulp.

"Coach, I don't know if I'll have the chance to meet you again after this competition. I really hope I can follow in your footsteps in the future."

Zhang Xiu was dumbfounded and elbowed the person next to him, asking, "What's he doing?"

Li Liao calmly replied, "Looking for a powerful backer."

A young man who won the F award at the young age of 22 has a future so bright it could dazzle them. If it weren't for a competition that brought them together, Chen Chi's current achievements would make it difficult for them to even meet.

The man remained expressionless, placed the wine glass offered to him on the table, and said in a cold tone, "Actions speak louder than words."

Despite being humiliated, Yi Fan remained composed and calmly toasted each member of the team.

He was humble and chose his words carefully, making him seem a bit out of place among the group of young people, but he didn't care. He bent down and toasted the last person.

"Brother Jie, thank you for your hard work and contributions to the team during this time."

"Hahaha!" Laughter suddenly rang out, like a blatant mockery.

Zhang Xiu realized something was wrong, and without any apology, he covered his mouth, his eyes still smiling, and looked at the drunken man opposite him in a provocative manner.

They all got into the team through their own merit, except for Jie, whom Yi Fan mentioned, who got in through connections. Fine, he's in, a rich kid from a powerful family, as long as he doesn't cause trouble.

Who knew this person was so arrogant that he practically held his nose to the sky, making Zhang Xiu extremely displeased.

Zhao Jiechao's drunken gaze fell on Zhang Xiu's face. His eyes were flushed red, and there was a hint of fright in his eyes, which were filled with the smell of alcohol. Zhang Xiu suddenly stopped laughing.

"We've made it to the finals today, and even the usually busy Chi-ge is showing up. What a joyous day!" Li Liao stood up to smooth things over, smiling as naturally as if he'd won the lottery. "Hey, it's such a great day, let's all have a drink! What's there to hold a grudge over? A drink can make the forgetful!"

"I just heard from a friend that we have the best chance of winning the championship. We're comrades-in-arms!" Yi Fan looked at Zhao Jiechao with a grin, his expression slightly ingratiating.

One by one, the people in the room stood up, all raising their glasses to clink, their gazes urging Zhang Xiu and Zhao Jiechao to move, but they didn't.

Chen Chi, who was also sitting in the corner, hadn't moved either.

Zhao Jiechao didn't say anything, but rudely gulped down a mouthful of wine, his face even more gloomy than when he was usually angry.

Li Liao had a bad feeling; his heart was pounding. He gave Yi Fan a look, signaling him to take Zhao Jiechao away from the bar.

Yi Fan patted Zhao Jiechao on the shoulder, "Brother, I have a question for you, it's too noisy here..." Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Jiechao gave a cold laugh, as if it were some kind of ominous sign.

Yi Fan instinctively tried to grab Zhao Jiechao's arm, but was suddenly thrown over by a strong force.

The sudden sound of glass colliding rang out as Yi Fan's body, like a tidal wave, crashed heavily onto the booth, spilling tens of thousands of dollars worth of drinks onto the floor as spoils of war.

The instigator stood still, surrounded by surprised and indignant gazes. He suddenly spoke like a wooden statue, "Chen Chi, I've put up with you for a long time."

The light in the bar mirrored the ever-changing expression on Zhao Jiechao's face. His fierce eyes held a hint of resentment, and impulse and anger were stirring within him.

Li Liao realized what was happening and walked towards him, but was blocked after only a couple of steps.

He looked down and saw a leg blocking his way, as if it were an unshakeable wall.

The light flickered and swayed, revealing the subtle muscle lines beneath his slim-fitting trousers. Chen Chi sat with his legs spread wide at his sides, leaning forward, exuding an indescribable sense of violence.

He looked up, his high, prominent brow bone forming a dark dividing line under his eyes, and his eyes, hidden in the shadows, were colder than the coldest winter.

What are you trying to say?

Li Liao took a few steps back, pulled Yi Fan up, and walked to a corner.

Zhao Jiechao glared at him angrily, "Who are you trying to impress with that attitude?"

"You're just a poor student who won a few worthless awards, and you're really getting cocky with me? Do you even know who I am?" He had an arrogant smile that showed he didn't know the immensity of the world. "No matter how many awards you win or how many honors you receive, after graduation you'll still be working for someone like me in a company."

"You can only boss me around for this short period of time, what the hell are you!" Zhao Jiechao kicked the table. "Fuck your grandpa, you call me a piece of trash, you call me useless, aren't you just a penniless student?!"

Zhao Jiechao stared at him. "Say something."

His face was contorted with rage, and he smashed all the bottles on the table with unbridled abandon. The loud noise even stopped the deafening music, and everyone's eyes were drawn to him.

"You fucking look down on me! After the competition, I'll be the first one to cripple you! You look down on me... I'll teach you to look down on me! You're just a poor kid with no parents, what gives you the right to challenge me! What gives you the right to look down on me?!" His eyes even glistened with tears.

Zhang Xiu rushed forward and kicked him, yelling, "How could you say such a thing!"

Zhao Jiechao fell to the ground, then staggered to his feet, glaring at Chen Chi and laughing.

The person at the center of the farce remained as calm as an outsider.

Chen Chi was wiping the spilled liquor off his hands, slowly and carefully cleaning each drop. "I really look down on you."

He threw the tissue onto the table, saying, "Those raised in a golden pot are nothing but a pile of dung."

Zhao Jiechao straightened up. "What do you mean?"

Chen Chi stood up. He was a head taller than Zhao Jiechao, and the angle between them made his already cold face appear even more unapproachable. "The finals are just around the corner. Do you really think that no matter what happens, I can't eliminate you?"

He seemed to give a cold laugh, but no one dared to look at the curve of his lips.

Chen Chi turned to leave, but before he could take a single step, Zhao Jiechao pounced on him like a madman.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he dodged the incoming fist and kicked out with his leg.

Caught off guard, Zhao Jiechao fell onto the booth. The force and inertia caused the booth to shift. His abdomen felt like it had been kicked through. His eyes widened in pain, and he couldn't speak, only able to mumble and clutch his stomach.

The people traveling with Zhao Jiechao were stunned and hurriedly helped him up, asking, "Are you alright, damn it?"

Chen Chi didn't give him a second glance, expressionlessly straightening his hem and walking slowly ahead under everyone's gaze.

The lights from all directions swirled like fish, their flickering shadows falling on his slightly protruding nasal nodules, reflecting a cold, sharp light.

He opened the bar door, and as the night poured in, he stepped forward. Along with the night, someone else rushed towards him.

In the chaos, the man bumped his head against his shoulder and remained motionless.

In an instant, the weight and the scent pressed down on him, causing his mountain-like, solid body to sway.

Within half a second, Chen Chi slowly lowered his eyes and saw a pair of eyes as shimmering as a spring sea.

Those eyes, the color of the inky sea mixed with a deep blue hue, were staring at me without blinking.

Chen Chi took a half step back, his gaze lingering on the other person's face. He watched as the other person slumped against his shoulder again, completely dazed, without making a move.

In the dim light, the drumbeats in my ears were like raging waves, penetrating my eardrums and causing tremors. The scene in front of me kept changing, shrinking and disappearing in an instant.

He lifted his leg and walked forward again, the gaze lingering on the other person's eyes disappearing with each step, and the music returned to normal.

The person who happened to come along attracted a lot of unfriendly stares and slumped down on the messy booth in a daze.

Zhang Xiu, who was talking to the waiter, was stunned for a moment, then pointed at the person and asked, "Who is he?"

Li Liao glanced at it casually, then glanced at it again.

"Holy crap? This is what it means to be a freshman who gets approached by a gay guy!"

Zhang Xiu stood up and carefully examined his face. "Damn, what a coincidence!"

Yi Fan, who was talking to the cleaning lady, noticed the commotion and strode over after giving her instructions.

He looked at the person slumped in the booth with some confusion, and after noticing the unfriendly gazes of those around him, he grabbed a jacket to cover the freshman's slightly disheveled face.

Yi Fan said, "Why is he here?"

"Who knows?" Li Liao slowly glanced at Yi Fan. "Why are you covering his face?"

Yi Fan said, "Too many people are looking over here."

Li Liao smiled at these words.

Zhang Xiu ignored the commotion and looked at Zhao Jiechao, who had just been pulled out of the back door, grabbing his hair haphazardly. "This is it, we're doomed. The finals are coming up soon, how are we going to coordinate?"

Li Liao wanted to divert attention, so he kicked Zhang Xiu, saying, "Wasn't it your smile that provoked him? He's not a normal person to begin with."

Zhang Xiu kicked him back, "What do you mean? What do you mean I provoked them? Those two never got along, they can leave if they want."

Li Liao innocently replied, "It was just a joke."

"But the coach's arrival today was too suspicious. I don't believe he came here for anything other than pure celebration."

Zhang Xiu replied, "Who knows what he's up to?"

Li Liao pondered silently for a while, and then said, "What I fear is not his departure, nor who is plotting against whom."

"But now that the coach has kicked someone out, how are we going to find them? How is he going to explain this to Zhao Jiechao's father?"

"If we act as if nothing happened and continue the game, what's the difference between that and swallowing a fly?"

Zhang Xiu was so angry his lungs hurt. "Isn't that exactly what he was targeting? What kind of scum is he!"

At this moment, the newcomer lying slumped beside him stirred twice, brushing the coat off his head as if he were uncomfortable. He mumbled a few indistinct words, attracting the attention of the three of them.

Several melancholy people and a drunkard exchanged glances.

Zhang Xiu pointed and asked, "What should we do with him? The school can't just leave him here."

Li Liao took out his phone. "Let me ask if anyone knows him and can take him back." He tapped the screen a few times, then suddenly realized, "What's his name again?"

“Chu Sinian,” Yi Fan said.

"Chu Sinian!"