Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Courageous Confession

These days, Guan Jingyun’s mood had been dreadful. Apologizing to Shangguan Luohua in front of so many teachers had pushed her to the brink of rage with nowhere to vent her frustration. When she received a report from the cafeteria just now, she rushed over, intending to use this incident as an outlet.

Upon entering, she immediately spotted Nangong Yuchen, and her expression darkened at once. If it weren’t for this boy, she would never have suffered such humiliation.

Her eyes, full of hostility, swept over Nangong Yuchen and Le Han, then paused on the group of people lying half-dead on the floor behind them, including Tuoba Lin. Unable to contain her anger, she demanded, “What on earth happened here?”

Her cold, interrogative tone was directed entirely at Nangong Yuchen, since he and Le Han were the only ones injured in the entire cafeteria—it was obvious to anyone that he was involved.

The moment her voice fell, the whole cafeteria fell silent. The students present knew the woman before them was the campus deputy director. None wished to offend Nangong Yuchen, nor dared to contradict Guan Jingyun’s questioning, so silence reigned.

Seeing the students bowing their heads, Guan Jingyun’s expression grew even uglier. Just as she was about to explode, Nangong Yuchen suddenly admitted, “I did it!”

“Oh? You did it!” Guan Jingyun retorted coldly, then yelled, “Do you realize this is an academy?”

“Yes,” Nangong Yuchen replied indifferently.

“You knew, yet you still dared to hit someone? Clearly, you have no regard for the regulations of Star Academy!” Guan Jingyun shouted.

Listening to these accusations, Nangong Yuchen frowned, displeased. “Deputy Director Guan, I suggest you investigate the matter before making a judgment.”

He could tell this madwoman was targeting him on purpose.

“Investigate? Are you questioning my ability to handle matters?” Guan Jingyun changed tack, immediately snapping, “You nearly killed someone, what else is there to investigate?”

Nangong Yuchen’s expression shifted as he glared at this unreasonable woman, his anger rising. “According to your logic, we can’t defend ourselves if we’re attacked?”

“Enough! I don’t have time to listen to your excuses. I will report this fight to the school as a serious incident!” Guan Jingyun gave him no chance to explain, arrogantly declaring, “A student reflects their homeroom teacher—clearly, like teacher, like student!”

“Deputy Li—”

“You, take the injured students to the medical room immediately. The rest, return to your classrooms. Don’t block the way here!” Guan Jingyun interrupted Xia Ruli, issued her orders, then turned and left.

She felt a surge of satisfaction—she hadn’t expected to get ammunition against Shangguan Luohua so quickly.

Xia Ruli hurried after her, anxious to explain, “Deputy Director Li, this all started because of me—it’s not Nangong Yuchen’s fault. He’s a victim too!”

Though Guan Jingyun heard her, she didn’t look back, her black high heels clicking as she strode away.

Nangong Yuchen had no time for these trivialities. He didn’t take Guan Jingyun’s targeting to heart; her departure was actually good for him, as he was anxious to take Le Han for treatment.

“Nangong Yuchen!” Xia Ruli watched his disappearing figure, pressing her hand to her chest and murmuring in disappointment.

The words she wanted to say remained unspoken.

…

After delivering the unconscious Le Han to the medical room, Nangong Yuchen waited anxiously at the door. If Doctor Chen hadn’t bandaged his forehead wound along the way, he didn’t know how much more blood he would have lost.

He pulled out his phone to check the time and realized class was about to start. After a brief word with Doctor Chen, he hurried off toward the classroom.

Just as he returned to the academic building, his phone rang in his pocket. When he saw it was his homeroom teacher, Shangguan Luohua, he quickly answered, “Teacher!”

“Nangong Yuchen, come to the academy’s administrative office at once.”

With that brief instruction, Shangguan Luohua hung up.

At that, Nangong Yuchen understood that Guan Jingyun had already reported the incident.

Ten minutes later, he arrived at the administrative office. As he knocked and entered, he found seven or eight people seated inside.

He recognized several of them: the homeroom teachers from Class One and Three, Li Xiuyuan, Guan Jingyun, and two teachers he had never seen before.

“I believe we should revoke Nangong Yuchen’s recommendation for the exceptional student quota. Otherwise, he’ll become even more audacious and disregard all the academy’s rules!” The voice belonged to Deputy Director Guan Jingyun.

He remembered never having offended this woman, yet today she was out to cause him trouble.

“No!” Shangguan Luohua objected firmly. With Nangong Yuchen’s outstanding physical abilities, canceling his quota would be such a waste. To delay him a year would squander his talent.

Guan Jingyun wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by, eager to pressure Shangguan Luohua further. She pressed, “Why not? A student like him, no matter how talented, lacks character. If he becomes an exceptional student, wouldn’t it tarnish our Star Academy’s reputation?”

“Character?” Shangguan Luohua was displeased, standing to retort, “Deputy Director, do you know what happened? As I understand, it was Tuoba Feng from Class One who incited the conflict, bringing his brother to assault Nangong Yuchen. Punishing Nangong Yuchen seems quite far-fetched, doesn’t it?”

Li Xiuyuan impatiently cut them off. “Enough arguing. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Before anyone else could speak, Nangong Yuchen walked in.

Li Xiuyuan, seeing him, got straight to the point. Looking at his wheat-colored, youthful face, he pursed his lips lightly. “Nangong Yuchen, you injured nearly ten students in the cafeteria at noon, leaving them seriously hurt. Your exceptional student quota is now revoked. Do you have anything to say?”

“Revoking my quota?” Nangong Yuchen hadn’t even processed the words before snapping in anger, “On what grounds are you revoking it?”

“How dare you speak to the director like that?”

“Shangguan Luohua, is this how your students behave?”

The moment Nangong Yuchen spoke, Zheng Bowen and Guan Jingyun seized the opportunity to scold him.

“Tuoba Feng and Tuoba Lin not only injured me, but also hurt my friend. Why don’t you mention that?” Nangong Yuchen, already furious over today’s undeserved disaster, was now deeply disappointed by the school’s handling. “If that’s how it is, then this damned academy isn’t worth staying in. I quit!”

With that, he turned and strode out. His physical abilities were about to break through the first tier anyway; truthfully, whether he stayed at this school mattered little—it would simply spare him further irritation!

Guan Jingyun and Zheng Bowen were secretly delighted. They hadn’t expected it to be so easy; once this boy left, Shangguan Luohua’s class would return to being the worst in the academy. The thought made their smiles even broader.

“Director Liu!” Shangguan Luohua called out angrily, seeing Nangong Yuchen almost at the door.

“Ha! Young man, don’t be so hot-tempered!” Li Xiuyuan suddenly darted to the door, blocking Nangong Yuchen’s way. He had merely wanted to test the boy’s reaction; he hadn’t expected such a fierce response. He was reluctant to let Nangong Yuchen leave—otherwise, Star Academy would lose a prodigious mecha warrior!

“What? I can’t quit after all?” Nangong Yuchen showed no sign of friendliness.

Li Xiuyuan smiled awkwardly. “I’ve looked into it. Everything was Tuoba Lin and his friends’ own fault, not yours! Just now, I was testing you. Now I declare this matter closed. No one is to mention it again. If similar incidents occur in the future, the academy won’t concern itself!”

“Huh?”

Nangong Yuchen was bewildered by the sudden change. Before he could say anything, Shangguan Luohua glared at him. “Go back to class. You have nothing more to do here!”

Still confused, Nangong Yuchen left the office and headed for the classroom. He wondered what kind of drama the academy was playing.

He hadn’t walked far when he saw a familiar, graceful figure waiting on a campus path, standing tall as if she’d been there for some time.

Hearing footsteps, the girl turned and smiled apologetically. “Nangong Yuchen, the school didn’t punish you, did it?”

“Isn’t it class time? Why are you standing here?” Nangong Yuchen shook his head, then asked, puzzled.

“I got permission from the teacher. After all, this… happened because of me.”

Seeing her about to bring up the previous incident again, Nangong Yuchen grew impatient. “Enough, Xia Ruli, let’s go back to class.”

“Oh!” Xia Ruli clasped her hands in front of her, disappointment in her eyes. As Nangong Yuchen was about to walk away, she hurriedly called out, “Nangong Yuchen, I… have something to say to you!”

Hearing her delicate voice, Nangong Yuchen paused as if waiting for her to continue.

But as seconds ticked by, Xia Ruli’s pretty face only grew redder, and not a single word escaped her lips.

After several more seconds, Nangong Yuchen lost patience, not even bothering to say goodbye as he strode off. Back at the Star Emperor Tavern, he’d admired Xia Ruli’s courage, but now she only felt like a nuisance.

Except for his sister Nangong Kexin and Mu Ningxue, Nangong Yuchen had little tolerance for others—just as he’d once quarreled with Angel over a bottle of mineral water. So Xia Ruli’s situation irked him, especially matters like this.

“Nangong Yuchen!” Xia Ruli, seeing him walk farther and farther away, panicked and hurried after him, pleading, “Nangong Yuchen, please give me a little time—let me finish what I want to say!”

Helpless, this time he turned, impatience on his face. “What is it now?”

Sensing his annoyance, Xia Ruli’s heart ached, but remembering what she wanted to say, she pushed aside her emotions. She opened her mouth, speaking slowly and clearly, “Nangong Yuchen, I… I…”

She placed her hands over her chest, as if to muster courage. Her lovely face grew redder, almost as if she’d bleed. She tried to draw upon her inner bravery, wanting to shout her feelings, but lacked the courage—the words got stuck in her throat.

This time, Nangong Yuchen was truly impatient, turning to leave without another word.

Xia Ruli, anxious to the point her lips trembled, saw him about to walk away. She finally gathered all her courage, closed her sparkling eyes, and called out loudly.

“Nangong Yuchen, I… I like you!”

Her sweet, trembling voice echoed, filled with shyness, leaving Nangong Yuchen momentarily stunned.