Chapter 5 — The Fierce Honor Student Is Waiting for You Downstairs

Huo Nhan seemed quite satisfied with my answer, straightening up as the corners of his lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. Then, he did something that left the entire classroom gaping in utter astonishment. He raised his hand—the uninjured one—and patted the top of my head. The gesture could hardly be called gentle; in fact, it was rather rough. But... this was Huo Nhan! The school’s notorious delinquent, arrogant and famously dismissive of girls as mere nuisances! And yet, he had dared to voluntarily pet a girl's head? Furthermore, she was the younger sister of his sworn enemy, To Uc?! The classroom instantly plunged into a dead silence, so profound that even the dropping of a pin would have echoed loudly. I could hear Phan Hieu Le beside me drawing in a sharp breath of disbelief. From my brother's side of the room came the distinct, forceful sound of a desk being shoved. Completely stunned, my mind went entirely blank. What on earth was Huo Nhan doing?! Wasn't this supposed to be revenge? Weren't I supposed to be just a tool? What was the meaning of this lethal hair-patting routine?! Could anyone possibly act this ridiculously absurd? Acting as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, Huo Nhan withdrew his hand from my head, strode directly to his seat in the back row, tossed his backpack onto the desk, dragged his chair out with a harsh screech, and sat down. He then crossed his legs and dozed off, leaving me and the rest of the class staring wide-eyed, as if caught in the wake of a violent tempest.

Yun... Yun Yun... Phan Hieu Le whispered tremblingly, leaning closer to me. You... you and Huo Nhan... you two...

No... nothing at all! I hurriedly denied, my face burning as if set on fire. He... he just mistook me for someone else!

Even to my own ears, those preposterous words sounded completely unconvincing. Phan Hieu Le clearly didn't believe them either, but seeing my panicked expression, she wisely refrained from asking further, instead fixing me with an I understand, I understand everything kind of look. I wanted to cry without tears. It was over; by now, the entire school probably believed there was something ambiguous between Huo Nhan and me. As for my brother's side... I cast a stealthy glance sideways. To Uc was glaring daggers at me, his eyes burning with an anger and interrogation so intense it felt almost tangible. We were done for; tonight when we got home, I would undoubtedly face a full tribunal. Throughout the entire day, I felt as though I were sitting on pins and needles. Huo Nhan, meanwhile, slept soundly, seemingly unaffected by anything around him. Yet whenever he woke up, that vague, ambiguous gaze of his would occasionally drift over to me, leaving me thoroughly unsettled and on edge. The surrounding classmates looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and burning curiosity, making me feel like a caged monkey in a zoo, gawked at by all. With agonizing difficulty, I endured until the final bell rang, grabbed my bag, and prepared to make a swift escape. But the moment I reached the classroom door, someone tightly grabbed my arm. It was To Uc. My brother's face was as dark as a thundercloud, his gaze chillingly cold.

To Huu Van, come with me! he said through gritted teeth, his grip so fierce it felt as though he meant to snap my wrist.

What are you doing? It hurts! I struggled to break free.

Follow me! He brooked no argument, dragging me straight toward the dense little grove situated right behind the main academic building.

The secluded grove was notorious as both the sacred dating ground for student couples and the turf where unruly delinquents settled scores. Normally, I always went out of my way to avoid it.

What are you planning to do? I stumbled along behind him, the beginnings of panic blooming in my chest.

To Uc dragged me behind the thick trunk of a massive tree before finally releasing my arm. He whirled around to face me, launching into a relentless barrage of questions: What on earth is going on between you and Huo Nhan?! What did he mean by patting your head this morning?!

I... I don't know! I stammered, guiltily lowering my gaze.

You don't know?! To Uc's voice spiked sharply. To Huu Van, look me in the eyes! Are you and that guy... dating behind my back?!

No way! I hastily denied, Absolutely not!

If there's nothing, why would he touch your head like that?! To Uc clearly refused to buy it. Don't forget who he is! He is Huo Nhan! He is my mortal enemy! How could you possibly get mixed up with him?!

I haven't gotten mixed up with him! I panicked, raising my voice. It was him... it was him...

I trailed off, unable to continue. Could I possibly confess to my brother that Huo Nhan was threatening me and attempting to use me to get back at him? Wouldn't that simply be adding fuel to an already blazing fire?

It was him what?! To Uc pressed relentlessly.

It's nothing... I muttered, lowering my head. It was just... a misunderstanding.

A misunderstanding?! To Uc let out a cold laugh. To Huu Van, do you take me for a fool? Do you think I can't read your little thoughts? Have you had feelings for Huo Nhan all this time, haven't you?!

My entire body shuddered as I jerked my head up. How... how did he know?! Catching my reaction, To Uc's eyes flashed with even deeper anger and bitter disappointment.

So I guessed right after all! He was furious beyond containment. Yun Yun, how could you be so utterly foolish! Do you have any idea what kind of person Huo Nhan is? He is nothing more than a common thug! He's approaching you with zero good intentions; he's just using you to exact revenge on me!

These exact words... sounded identical to what Huo Nhan himself had said. On one side, I was told I was merely a tool for revenge against my brother. On the other, I was accused of being exploited by him to hurt To Uc. Did that mean I, To Huu Van, was nothing more than a piece of meat stuck in the middle of a sandwich, crushed from both sides? An unnamable fury suddenly erupted deep within my chest.

Fine! So I do like him! What about it?! I yelled at my brother, completely abandoning my caution. Even if he's a hoodlum, a delinquent, he's still a thousand times better than you! You stole the person someone else loved, and yet you still have the nerve to blame others?!

To Uc was stunned into silence by my outburst, his expression turning ghastly.

To Huu Van! Say that one more time! He pointed a trembling finger at me.

Did I say something wrong? Pushed to my breaking point, my eyes stinging with hot tears, you knew perfectly well that Huo Nhan loved Shen Qian, yet you deliberately confessed to her right in front of him! Did you ever consider his feelings? Did you ever care about mine?!

I... To Uc parted his lips as if to speak, but the words caught in his throat and he swallowed them back down.

He looked at me with a complex mixture of anger, deep disappointment, and a lingering trace of... guilt?

Yun Yun, his voice softened as he attempted a conciliatory tone, I know you're just temporarily confused, but Huo Nhan is truly wrong for you. A person like him can never bring you happiness. Listen to your brother, stay away from him, alright?

My affairs are none of your concern! I shook off his hand, stubborn to the core. Just worry about your own life!

Without waiting for another word, I turned on my heel and sprinted away. Tears streamed down my cheeks, completely beyond my control. I felt wronged, furious, and consumed by an indescribable sorrow. I couldn't understand why I had just fought with my brother, nor could I comprehend why I had defended that wretched scoundrel Huo Nhan. I only knew that my chest felt suffocatingly tight. Bursting out of the grove, I wandered aimlessly across the school grounds. The sky was gradually darkening, the setting sun casting a brilliant, golden glow over the rows of classrooms. I dragged myself over to the athletic field, found a deserted spectator stand, and sat down, pulling my knees to my chest and burying my face in my hands. I lost track of how much time had passed when a familiar voice suddenly echoed from above.

Hey.

My body stiffened as I jerked my head upward. Without me even realizing it, Huo Nhan was standing right before me. The twilight framed his tall silhouette, his expression unreadable as his deep eyes gazed down at me. One of his injured hands was tucked into his pocket, while the other held... a carton of strawberry milk?

Here.