novelraw Chapter 132 : Hmph
Chapter 132 : Hmph
Volume 4: High School Arc - “I” Come to Find You~
That morning's incident didn’t escalate, but during the next two classes, Yuan Cai didn’t show up, and those three girls also took leave.
In a classroom that normally had thirty people, it suddenly looked a lot emptier.
Teacher Xue also noticed something was off, but only asked a couple of questions before letting it go.
After that, news of what happened to me quickly spread.
Don’t underestimate the speed of gossip in a school.
These students had nothing better to do and were incredibly good at passing things along.
Who knew how exaggerated the story had become by the end?
All I knew was that the other girls looked terrified when they saw me.
Even the boys seemed to glance at me with a bit of surprise.
When lunchtime came, the school provided student meals, all free.
They were actually pretty good too—generous portions and decent ingredients.
Still, some students preferred to bring their own or simply went out to eat with money.
There were quite a few restaurants just outside the school gate, most catered toward office workers.
Naturally, some of these rich second gens enjoyed being treated to meals there.
But I didn’t do anything special.
After class, I first went to the infirmary for a look, only to find Bai Juanjuan wasn’t there.
When I asked the school nurse, she said Bai Juanjuan had been picked up by her family during the fourth class.
Although it wasn’t too serious, her grandfather was very worried about her.
“Should I stop by her house tonight to check on her?”
That thought crossed my mind as I made my way toward the cafeteria.
Just halfway there, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze.
I ignored all the usual stares.
Those people were always eager for drama.
Besides, I’d heard quite a few rumors about myself today.
Thanks to my sharp hearing, I caught even the softest murmurs and subtle finger-pointing.
But none of it held much malice.
This gaze, though—it carried a strong, long-unfelt hostility that made me furrow my brow.
I glanced in the direction it came from.
Wasn’t that the same guy I ran into on the first day at the school gate?
How had just a few days passed and this guy already built up so much hatred?
Unless I’d killed his father or something, there was no reason for this level of resentment, right?
I hadn’t harmed him, had I?
With a trace of doubt, I pretended not to see him and turned back, continuing toward the cafeteria.
Yet that gaze followed me all the way there.
I didn’t get anything special—just some tomato beef stew and a side of marinated dried tofu skin.
I scooped a large bowl of rice.
I didn’t want to stand out too much at school, so I only took about a third of what I could’ve eaten.
I’d eat more later when I talked with Lu Haochen.
That guy knew my appetite anyway.
Right… I hadn’t greeted Xu Han or Jiang Yulong these past few days either.
Maybe I should give them a call and have dinner together tonight?
While thinking that, I found an empty seat.
There weren’t many students in the school to begin with—just over two hundred first-years, and about the same number of second-years.
There’s a saying that eighty percent of the world’s wealth is held by twenty percent of the people.
And this school was a concentrated reflection of that twenty percent.
These students were either rich second gens or officials’ kids—some came from even more powerful backgrounds.
Things like the Forbes rich list or corporate rankings only scratched the surface.
There were plenty of rich people who preferred to keep a low profile.
Families like the Lius were just one example among many.
Maybe because of the rumors, the students around me were clearly avoiding the seat I had chosen.
The cafeteria had three floors, and each year level typically ate on their respective floor, so it wasn’t like there was any seat competition.
But for a square table like the one in front of me to be completely empty—that was definitely odd.
I swept my eyes across the area, frowning.
“Did Yuan Cai spread some new rumor again?”
I was already used to this kind of exclusion.
As long as I kept my guard up, it didn’t bother me too much.
Still… being isolated like this never felt great.
“Looks like you’re troubled?”
Just as I was wondering what exactly Yuan Cai had said that made even the first-years avoid me like the plague, a gentle male voice suddenly rang out.
Without hesitation, he sat down across from me.
When I saw the deep blue tie with light blue stripes on his chest, I knew he was a second-year.
Right as I confirmed his grade, he casually sat down across from me, tray in hand.
On it was a neatly arranged western meal—not too much, not too little.
Some students in this school preferred Western food, and clearly, this guy was one of them.
A portion of steak and a salad.
Compared to what I was eating, his meal was much lighter.
“……”
I furrowed my brow.
This guy clearly had hostile intentions toward me.
Psychologically speaking, I had no desire to get involved with someone like that.
But the fact that he blatantly ignored the rule requiring second-years to eat on the second floor and came straight to my table—did that mean he had something to say?
Still… what business would someone who harbored malice toward me have?
Revenge?
Ridiculous.
I ignored him and lowered my head to eat.
The boy merely glanced at me calmly and said with a smile,
“Looks like you’re not much of a talker. Let’s get to know each other. I’m Song Yang. You’re Liu Yunyan, right?”
Hearing him call my full name, I had no choice but to lift my head and look at him.
“What is it?”
Song Yang revealed a flawless smile, gentle and sunny.
If it were any love-struck girl, she’d probably fall for him instantly.
After all, good looks were a form of capital.
It seemed like he was encouraged by the fact I finally responded.
He continued, unhurriedly,
“No… it’s nothing, really. I just—”
Before he could finish, I cleanly and bluntly cut him off with one sentence.
“If it’s nothing, please don’t disturb me while I’m eating.”
Then I lowered my head again and resumed eating.
The moment he heard my response, Song Yang’s expression clearly froze.
That gentle and sunny smile twisted ever so slightly into something sinister—but only for a split second before he pulled it back.
“Looks like you’re in a bad mood. I won’t bother you, then. If there’s a chance, let’s talk again.”
He looked like someone who’d received a very proper upbringing—at least on the surface.
Even after being snubbed so harshly by me, he didn’t lash out.
Instead, he smiled politely, gracefully picked up his tray, and headed upstairs to the second floor.
“This guy… is he brain-damaged or something?”
That’s what I said out loud, but in truth, I had already taken note of him.
Of course, for someone like me—a man in his thirties—to be keeping tabs on a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old kid?
What a joke.
Other than staying on guard, what other emotions could I possibly have?
Still, none of that mattered right now.
Even if I kept an eye on him, there was no way he could pose any serious threat to me.
I might as well get some rest and prepare for the afternoon classes.
…Wait, what was on the afternoon schedule again?