Chapter 44, Ignition

. "Two things," He Chuan said. "Li Yige came to see me. Zhuang Min came to see me too."

He peeled off his scarf piece by piece, revealing half his face covered in blood.

"Zhuang Min—the one who had the accident at the hospital?"

"Yes. He found my information there."

Feng Ran cursed softly and asked, "Did you call the police?"

"The surveillance cameras were blind. He contacted a group of minors. He's a repeat offender." He

clenched and unclenched his fists, frustration and guilt bubbling in Feng Ran's chest.

He would rather he were the one getting beaten. He Chuan had no grudge against the men, and he had simply suffered for them.

Looking at the cut at the corner of his mouth, he couldn't even say sorry.

He Chuan said, "Do you need money?"

"No, no." He twisted He Chuan's chin, examining the injury. "It's so late... Stop worrying about me." He

remembered a bottle of medicine in the car, a prescription from the hospital a few days ago. He dug it out, dipped a cotton swab in it, and applied it to the corner of He Chuan's mouth.

He dodged, and it missed. Feng Ran said, "Don't move."

He Chuan replied, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt anymore."

How could Feng Ran swallow this? He put the medicine in his mouth and said, "Take this bottle of medicine. That guy is finished. I thought I'd stay away from him for his mother's sake. I didn't expect him to do this."

"Don't be impulsive."

"No," he shook his head. "Leave it alone."

He Chuan added, "And Li Yige, he's not doing well."

"Huh? What is he going to do?"

"He took some pictures... of you and Chen Zhi."

Feng Ran was completely dumbfounded.

When Chen Zhi heard the door open, he immediately lay down on the bed, turned his back, and said coldly, "Why did you come back?"

He didn't respond. He frowned and turned around, only to see a strange man standing not far away. He

was young, looked like a student, and had delicate features.

He stepped forward hesitantly: "Sorry to bother you."

Shen Zhi sat up, surprised: "How did you get in?"

"The door was not closed."

"Then are you... in trouble?"

"No, I'm Feng Ran's ex-boyfriend." The student said, "We just broke up last month. Has he mentioned me to you?"

Shen Zhi's eyes suddenly became sharp, and the student looked at him bravely.

"You can call me Xiao Muzi."

Chen Zhi said, "So, you have something to talk to me about?"

Xiao Muzi hesitated and said, "I just want to ask, do you know... when he was with me, he was also living with someone else, and they are still in contact now. I calculated the time, he was with you just a few days after he broke up with me. You weren't deceived by him, right?"

Seeing Chen Zhi's face turn pale, he said, "I didn't mean to hurt you or break you up, it's just that he is too... too much. If you were deceived by him, then..."

"How far has it gone?"

"What?" "

Did it happen?"

Xiao Muzi gritted his teeth: "What does this mean? Don't you believe what I said?" He took out a stack of bills and a stack of photos from his schoolbag and slammed them on the table.

"These are receipts for things he bought me, along with photos of us hanging out. Doesn't that prove something? I took these when I was stalking him and that guy. They ate and slept together, went in and out together every day. This one was taken right after he dropped me off at school, after another night of drinking at a bar, and got picked up by that guy. We kissed on the way home!" Chen

Zhi's mouth tasted bloody.

Xiao Muzi spoke with conviction, "Wake up! You really were deceived by him. He and that guy have never broken up. I've talked to him, but he won't give a damn. He's known him for years, at least ten! Maybe we're the mistress—"

The door slammed open, interrupting him forcefully and timely. Like a sharp knife, it pierced through the wind and pierced his throat.

Feng Ran stood between their gazes.

Xiao Muzi stared at him intently, his Adam's apple sliding up and down. "Feng Ran, long time... no see. Do you have anything to explain?"

"Get out of here!"

Xiao Muzi shuddered.

"You..."

Feng Ran said coldly: "Get out. Don't make me repeat it a second time."

The man left.

Feng Ran poured a cup of warm water and walked to the bedside. He lowered his head to check Shen Zhi's injuries, and his tone returned to gentleness: "Are you okay? Doesn't it hurt?" Shen

Zhi said with a smile: "Look, your little lover has found this place. I didn't know you had such a romantic affair."

"He's not..." He opened his mouth, but lowered his eyes sadly, "Forget it."

"Not what?" Shen Zhi pressed, "Tell me. And you and He Chuan, where did you go just now? The time is not accurate. Normally you wouldn't have ejaculated at this time."

Feng Ran said anxiously: "What are you thinking! Nothing! He was beaten by that Zhuang guy, and I-"

"You are heartbroken, right? What's the matter? Are you going to take revenge or repay a favor? Do you need to pledge your love to me?"

"Shen Zhi!"

Shen Zhi calmed down and said: "Mobile phone."

Feng Ran took it out of his pocket and handed it over obediently.

Shen Zhi took it and threw it into the trash can.

Feng Ran said, "Don't..."

"Don't what?"

"Don't get angry and hurt yourself."

"You're overthinking it. Why should I be angry about you? I should have known it long ago. You've always been like this. I was wrong. I shouldn't have expected you to change anything."

He Chuan walked out of the darkness and looked at the person huddled in the corner.

He said, "Have you been there?"

The person in the corner raised his head, his face full of tears.

"Why, why?"

He Chuan said in a muffled voice, "Be more rational."

"Go away. I want to be alone."

"Okay."

He Chuan took two steps, and his clothes were pulled tightly again. Xiao Muzi lowered his head, tears still falling.

"Who does he like? I don't understand. If he likes that man, then what am I? And you, who are you to him?" He choked and said, "I have never loved anyone, why would I like him?"

"Give up," said He Chuan.

Xiao Muzi gritted his teeth and said, "I will, but not now."

"Oh."

"What about you? Why don't you give up? Between you and the man in the room, who is the real one—"

Beneath the scars covering his face, He Chuan's dark eyes were like a pool of stagnant water. The desperate tears and excited emotions of the man before him could not stir him in the slightest.

He smiled a playful smile, as charming as a demon in the darkness. Xiao Muzi stared at him, fear creeping into his heart, almost forgetting to breathe.

"You have to accept it, Feng Ran. This is how it is. It hasn't changed in all these years."

He was in his first year of high school, and Feng Ran was a freshman in college. Later, Feng Ran's younger sister was already in high school, and he

was still in his first year. His family wouldn't pay his tuition, so he was stuck in his first-year class.

His family wasn't here, but his grandfather had moved here to open a silversmith shop, so he'd followed.

It had to be that his parents rarely cared about him.

When had he first met Feng Ran? In high school? No, it seemed even earlier—that year, when he was only twelve.

Feng Ran's father was gifted with a clever tongue, his ability to adapt to the individual's situation had been perfected. He often came to his grandfather's shop to persuade him to join the old man in expanding the silversmith shop and making a fortune.

His grandfather simply smiled and agreed. Feng's father didn't get angry. He persisted, rain or shine, and asked his grandfather to invest the money, buy the land near the school gate, and move the shop there immediately. He said children loved these little things, especially girls. It was sure to be profitable.

Grandpa said, "You've got the wrong guy. I give all the money I earn to my son, so why would I keep it for myself?"

Feng's father smiled, "Don't worry, no, I'm not after that. I'm just keeping an eye on that piece of land for you."

Grandpa knew what he was thinking.

He whispered to He Chuan, "Be careful. Stay away from this guy!"

"He's not a good person?"

Grandpa said nothing, sighing.

Coming out of school, He Chuan saw Uncle Feng standing in a tree pit at the school gate, smoking.

He tried to get around, but was caught red-handed.

"Hey, isn't that the silversmith's kid? Come, come here, uncle's got some bitter coffee."

He Chuan, ice cream stuffed into his arms, whispered, "Uncle, I don't want any."

"Don't mention it, don't mention it!" Uncle Feng said enthusiastically. "Come on, uncle's going to take you to eat hairy crab."

He Chuan clutched the strap of his schoolbag, "I have to get back."

"Don't want to eat? KFC is fine too."

He started to run, but the adults grabbed him by the head.

"What a coward!" the man behind him laughed.

He was reluctant, but he let the man lead him by the hand as they walked down several long streets to the KFC that had just opened downtown the previous month.

The man ordered a hamburger and a Coke, and before he could even sit down, he leaned in and asked, "How much pocket money does Grandpa give you every month, Xiaochuan?"

He shook his head.

"Do you know where Grandpa learned his cooking skills?"

He knew that, and replied, "Grandpa's mom taught him."

The man smiled. "That's impressive. You must be making a lot of money, right? Where are your parents? Why are they so often away? Didn't they learn the cooking skills?"

"They..."

He Chuan hadn't finished when, with a thud, a cup of Coke slammed down in front of him, splashing black, bubbling liquid and making him flinch.

He looked up. The boy who had delivered the food had a sullen face.

He was about three or four years older than him, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high nose, and thin lips. He was incredibly handsome. Though not fully grown, he was already slender and tall, with a sleek, powerful figure. His every move was swift and graceful, his handsomeness undeniable even in his ordinary fluorescent uniform.

However, his face didn't look good.

Uncle Feng, standing beside him, was also furious: "Feng Ran?! What are you doing here instead of going home after school?"

The boy glared at him: "What about you? You haven't been home in a few days, so who is this kid?"

Uncle Feng spitted and said, "How can you talk to your dad like that, little bastard? You've grown wings, haven't you? How old are you to dare to work here? Where's the boss? Where is the boss? How dare you hire child labor?"

He shouted for a long time but no one came out, and it attracted a lot of attention.

The boy sneered and said, "I just turned sixteen, have you forgotten?"

The man cursed, and before he could vent his anger, he said,

"Don't think I don't know what you do all day. Your uncle Wang told me that you and that transfer student were fooling around, and the school leaders were alarmed! They said they saw you two skipping classes every day, staying out all night, engaging in homosexuality, and corrupting the school's atmosphere!"

The boy's face flushed red, and his hair stood on end with anger: "Nonsense!"

"I'm talking nonsense? Look at what you've done!"

"Shut up, you don't know anything, don't say anything when you go back!"

He Chuan saw that the situation was not good, so he grabbed his schoolbag and slipped out through the gap.

He ran out of the street, thinking he was safe, but when he turned around, the boy suddenly appeared behind him.

His face turned pale, and he tried to run again, but was caught tightly.

He screamed, but the boy covered his mouth and said, "Scream, or I'll strangle you to death."

He stopped screaming.

"Where is your home? I'll take you."

He gave an address.

"So far? What's your relationship with him? Why did you follow him to eat?"

"He dragged me there."

The boy's face suddenly turned fierce, and he raised his fist: "Don't talk to him in the future."

He Chuan hated his attitude, took a step back, and fought back: "You are not yet sixteen years old."

The boy was stunned and was caught by He Chuan.

"I'm going to report you." He said.

The boy straightened up thoughtfully: "You are quite brave. How did you know?"

"The name on your nameplate is different from the one Uncle Feng called. You used someone else's ID card."

The boy sent him home. His grandfather was already waiting at the gate of the community and wanted to keep him for dinner, but he refused and left in a hurry.

"Little brother." He said the last words before leaving, "stay away from him in the future, he is a liar."