The boy sat at his desk, with textbooks for various subjects laid out in front of him, but his gaze seemed to be fixed on one spot, and he stared at it for a full ten minutes.
With a loud bang, the boy stood up, and the chair made an extremely jarring sound.
The boy remained expressionless and eventually walked towards the door.
When someone knocked on the door, Nan Zhi had just finished washing up in the bathroom. The maid helped her into a wheelchair and left. Hearing the knock, Nan Zhi thought it was the housekeeper and called out, "Come in."
Nanzhi ignored it and continued drying her hair.
"Is it about the Li family? Keep an eye on Li Jin's father's movements these next few days and report back to me immediately, especially regarding Li Jin. We can't let him have a chance to bully Aying at school."
Nanzhi didn't pay much attention to that, and continued, "Also, remember to give them the things I asked for tomorrow."
Seeing that the housekeeper had not yet responded, Nan Zhi frowned, looked up and glanced at him. When she saw Shen Xingmian for the first time, she asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
Shen Xingmian's expression was indifferent. "Who else did you think it was?"
Nanzhi didn't respond, but instead asked, "What are you doing here?"
Shen Xingmian frowned. "How would I know someone was bullying Aying if I didn't come? Mu Xiyue, are you just going to keep this from me like this?"
Nan Zhi: "...I didn't hide it from you."
Seeing Shen Xingmian immediately launch into a tirade of accusations, Nan Zhi, naturally possessing a temper as well, turned cold. "Shen Xingmian, you're the one who's busy with this and that, neglecting A-Ying, and instead you're here criticizing me. Where were you when A-Ying was being bullied? What right do you have to criticize me?"
At this point, Nanzhi stopped drying her hair, which was still wet and draped over her shoulders. She stared at Shen Xingmian, her eyes filled with annoyance.
Shen Xingmian realized that he seemed to have gotten a little agitated. He remained silent and did not apologize. He just stood there.
Nan Zhi took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "I have nothing to say to you. You can go now."
Shen Xingmian looked at her, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back. Nan Zhi was getting annoyed just looking at him like that. It was a case of the tables turning; before, she was the one who angered Shen Xingmian, but now it was Shen Xingmian who was angering her.
"Let's go."
After a pause, Shen Xingmian said, "Then you should get some rest."
After saying that, he turned around, opened the door, and left.
Nan Zhi angrily threw the towel onto the bed and gritted her teeth, saying, "Shen Xingmian, if I get the chance to go back, I will definitely make you pay."
After leaving, Shen Xingmian thought about it again and again, and felt that his tone was too harsh, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize to Nan Zhi.
So he went straight upstairs to Gu Ying's bedroom.
Gu Ying was still awake. When he saw Shen Xingmian, he invited him in, "Brother Xingmian, did you just get back?"
Shen Xingmian sat on the bed and nodded. "I just got back. I have something to ask you."
She sat down next to him and obediently said, "What is it? Ask away."
"Were you bullied?"
Gu Ying's heart skipped a beat when Shen Xingmian spoke. He had never expected Shen Xingmian to ask him about this. Could it be that Sister Xixi said it? No, if it were Sister Xixi, Brother Xingmian would have asked him about it last time and would have stood up for him.
"I overheard it by accident."
Perhaps sensing what Gu Ying was thinking, Shen Xingmian offered an explanation.
“I wasn’t bullied much. Sister Xixi stood up for me.” Gu Ying’s eyes lit up when she talked about Nanzhi. “Brother Xingmian, Sister Xixi is really, really good to me. I like her a lot, so you can’t bully her. If I find out that you’re bullying her, I will definitely stand on Sister Xixi’s side without hesitation and fight against you.”
Shen Xingmian: "..." He hadn't even said a word yet, and this kid was already thinking about opposing him. It seems that Mu Xiyue's ability to subdue people is indeed impressive.
"I don't care why you like her, and I don't want to compare myself to her. Tell me who bullied you, and how?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Ying stared at Shen Xingmian with a serious expression, making Shen Xingmian feel somewhat embarrassed. After a long while, she heard Gu Ying say:
"Brother, I feel that you treat Sister Xixi very differently."
Shen Xingmian's breath hitched, and a barely perceptible blush appeared on his ears. He glared at Gu Ying and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? She's just our benefactor, no different from anyone else."
Gu Ying scratched the back of her head. "I just feel that you are always cold and indifferent to others, but you are unusually fierce to Sister Xixi. This is not like you at all."
Shen Xingmian shook his head. "I've always been like this, and I treat others the same way." He didn't admit to Gu Ying's statement, but he couldn't help feeling guilty. The feeling of being seen through scared him and made him afraid to face it.
Gu Ying had only said it casually and didn't mean to take it seriously, so she didn't dwell on the topic. "Brother Xingmian, Sister Xixi has already resolved the matter for me. You just focus on your own things and don't worry about me. I will study hard."
Even though Gu Ying said that, Shen Xingmian pondered for a while. The Mu family's strength was not to be underestimated. Helping Gu Ying was naturally good, but they couldn't accept such a favor without feeling at ease. He said:
"Since Miss Mu has helped you, let's leave it at that. But if something like this happens again, you must tell me first, okay? We can't trouble others too much."
"Sister Xixi is no stranger." The little boy was also growing up. He liked Mu Xiyue and considered her as his family. Therefore, he cared a lot about other people's opinions, even his older brother's.
Shen Xingmian: "......."
The next morning, after Shen Xingmian got up, he found a box on his bedside table. He stared at the exquisite gift box and was immediately surprised.
He reached out and picked it up, then opened it to find a cell phone with a SIM card inside. He immediately felt a pang of guilt; this must have been sent by Mu Xiyue. It was ridiculous that he had been criticizing this girl just last night.
His thin lips moved slightly, and if you were close enough, you could hear his muttering, a mixture of helplessness and regret, "Why are you so good to me?"
But all he got in response was silence.
While eating breakfast, Shen Xingmian frequently looked up at Nan Zhi, but Nan Zhi ate her breakfast nonchalantly, not even wanting to exchange a second more with him.
Gu Ying, on the other hand, was eating bread and drinking milk when she suddenly remembered something and excitedly spoke up:
"Sister Xixi, I received the gift, thank you."
Nan Zhi was stunned, bewildered. "What gift?"
Gu Ying: "My phone."
"I see," Nan Zhi waved her hand. "It's nothing. Having a cell phone makes it easier for us to stay in touch and it's also safer."
Shen Xingmian glanced at Gu Ying, then at Nan Zhi, and suddenly felt a sense of loss.
It turns out he wasn't the only one with it.
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