Chapter 7: Ch6 - Strawberry Flavored Scholar Gong (6)

-5 favorability value, red blood!

Translator: KunLin

Editors: Amaris, Grump

After he had eaten dinner in the hospital, the System gave Gou Liang a clear response as to how the store was going to handle the ineffectiveness of the mirror image extracting prop—a full refund would be given, and as a show of sincerity, the store would offer a one-time lucky draw.

【Seeing that Gou Liang’s was in high spirits, the System decided to take this opportunity to say some things and get it out of the way: Master, the shop’s item had lost its effectiveness and caused you inconvenience. The shop will wholeheartedly compensate you this time but only this one time. Oh, and don’t forget to leave a good review oh, kiss.】

【Gou Liang waved his hand: Don’t say so many useless things, just tell me the terms of the lucky draw. 】

【System: Ding, dear Master, seeing that your shop status is only at white diamond, the prize for this time’s lucky draw is limited to the items that are 100 points or below. Good luck to you, oh.】

The serial number of different items appeared within Gou Liang’s consciousness. The numbers were cycling at a rapid speed.

Gou Liang didn’t know that the lucky draw would be conducted like this. If he had known, he would’ve memorized the serial numbers of all the items in the shop. However, right now he could only pick a random time to say stop.

【System: Ding, congratulations Master for receiving the Luck Debuff item that costs 44 points! This item can only be used in this world. By using this item you can steal the luck of the chosen target thus weakening the strength of their luck. The distance restriction is the scope of the map of the city that the mission undertaker is in. Each use of the prop is effective for 3 minutes and the cooldown period is three hours. Please use wisely oh! 】

【Gou Liang: Make people unlucky? Interesting… Unfortunately, I’m guessing that this thing isn’t effective on the target? →-→】

【System: Erm…Don’t mind the details, ma, dear Master.】

Gou Liang turned the Luck Debuff prop into an electronic watch and wore it on his wrist. He played around with it for a bit. He had already thought of a way to use it. The corner of his mouth lifted and he took this chance to check the time.

【Gou Liang: It’s almost time. Little Wanton, show me the monitoring for Ye Chao and Ye Hui.】

【The System didn’t dare to go against his order, it did as it was told while chattering: Master, it’s not appropriate for you to focus your attention on these two people. Right now, the entire Bureau has their eyes on us. Furthermore, the alarm for the -5 favorability value goes off every 5 minutes, can’t you see it? 】

The System pulled up the monitoring of the target and enlarged it for Gou Liang to see. Gou Liang conveniently took a look at it: The location of the target was exactly the same as half an hour ago. Staying in a room full of books for so long, it seemed that the target was indeed a studious and uninteresting person.

【Gou Liang, who already had a plan in mind, did not feel worried at all: Little Wanton, you have to believe that everything I’m doing right now is for the sake of completing the mission even more perfectly.】

System: …heh.

【Gou Liang raised an eyebrow: You don’t believe me? Then what type of person do you think a tall, rich, and handsome man like Shi Yu will like? 】

【System:…naive, pale, and sweet?】

【Gou Liang:…】

He sincerely advised the System to watch less of those brainless dramas from C-ranked worlds. Its IQ was originally already worrying enough, it should urgently keep hold of its brain cells, not throw them away.

The System was about to continue asking when the monitor showed Ye Hui walking into Ye Chao’s study. Gou Liang didn’t bother to waste time explaining something that it wouldn’t be able to understand. He held onto a bowl of melon seeds and enthusiastically watched the big play that the father and son pair was about to act out—Ye Chao didn’t disappoint Gou Liang.

Ye Chao stopped writing. His fingers slowly twirled with a fountain pen, his face was calm as he looked towards Ye Hui without a word. He kept staring until the latter became uncomfortable and asked: “Dad, did you need me for something?”

“You, ne.” Ye Chao’s line of sight remained on him, “Don’t you have something to say to me?”

Ye Hui smiled dryly, “What can I say? Everything is the same old, same old and my grades haven’t dropped. Oh right, Dad, next week I have to represent the school to enter a competition. Recently I’ve been busy preparing for it; I’ll definitely bring back a trophy.”

“Are you very pleased with yourself right now?”

“Ah? Dad, why are you asking this…”

From his drawer, Ye Chao took out the phone that had still been in Ye Hui’s possession earlier today and placed it onto the desk. On the screen of the phone was a photo of his stepson. Qi Cheng’s entire body was □□ and his hands, which were tied with transparent tape, had been shoved in between his legs. This photo was taken three days ago. Other than his hands, his neck, and his face, his body was densely covered with bruises. The pair of eyes revealed pain and were frighteningly empty.

Ye Hui who had been playing dumb immediately became mute.

“How are you planning to explain to me?”

Ye Chao’s expression was extremely ugly.

He originally only had people take away Ye Hui’s phone so that evidence of him contacting or doing monetary transactions with the PE students who had broken the law wouldn’t fall into outsiders’ hands. He didn’t expect to find an even bigger ‘surprise’.

Ye Hui lowered his head, he used his toe to kick at the carpet and said with difficulty: “I only took the photos. The idea was thought up by someone else. It was also Zhan Yongzhe who paid those PE students to beat him up. What does this have to do with me? He’s a pervert but he still won’t let people say it?”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“You think what you did is correct, you think you have nothing to do with him. Am I right? ”

“Gjv, jii P vlv kjr kjamt bc atf rlvf. Gb P tjnf jcs byilujalbc ab tfiq tlw? Dfrlvfr, la’r tlr ojeia obg qgbnbxlcu qfbqif lc atf olgra qijmf—”

“Uj!”

Tf Jtjb rijwwfv vbkc atf obecajlc qfc tfjnlis jcv rabbv eq. Lf geatifrris rijqqfv Tf Lel, mjerlcu tlw ab rafq yjmx lc j rajuufg. Ktf ijaafg rajgfv lc vlryfilfo jr tf aegcfv tlr tfjv ab ibbx ja tlr ojatfg. Eluta joafg tf geyyfv tlr jmtlcu ojmf, oeii bo uglfnjcmfr jcv lcvlucjalbc tf sfiifv: “Qtja vlv P vb kgbcu?! Tbe jmaejiis tla wf yfmjerf bo tlw!”

”You really don’t know how to repent.”

Ye Chao’s eyes revealed deep disappointment, his voice heavy as he said: “It was you who led Qi Cheng to the bathroom, it was also you who instigated Zhan Yongzhe to humiliate him, and today it was still you who incited Wu Yong to steal Qi Cheng’s diary and post it onto the announcement board. These things, if someone had the intention to it can easily be found out! Moreover, the number of times that you’ve done something similar like this isn’t a few. Previously, when you bullied him at home and ostracized him I didn’t stop you, but that doesn’t mean I think what you were doing was correct. Rather, it was because I believed that no matter how overboard you acted, you would have a sense of propriety! That you would remember that he’s registered as a member of our Ye family, that when he walks out in the public he also represents our Ye family’s face. In the face of outsiders, you and he stand on the same side of the battlefield!”

“From the looks of it now, I seem to have regarded you too highly.”

“The things that happened today, anyone can do these sort of things but you can’t!”

“What can you get out of doing this? What others talk about won’t be that a homosexual from YuLe High confessed to someone in front of the entire school. They will only say what a good stepson I, Ye Chao, have, that our Ye family actually brought up a gay man! Something so simple, can’t you see it? Taking the initiative to help outsiders step on your dad’s face, are you very proud of yourself? Our Ye family becoming a joke, do you also want to laugh a couple of times with them? Really stupid to the extreme!”

Ye Hui was shocked. He hurriedly tried to explain himself: “Dad, that wasn’t my intention. I just find him irritating to look at, I didn’t think too much about it…”

“You view Qi Cheng as an enemy; this point I also don’t understand.”

Ye Chao interrupted him and sat back down into his seat. Even this position where he had to tilt his head up to look at his son did not at all diminish his cold and imposing aura.

“Have I ever shown any bias towards him? No. But you, on the other hand, in the 12 years that he had entered this house, you have successfully made your stepmother ignore her own blood son. You’ve made it such that he doesn’t have anywhere to belong in this house. Or is it that you think he has some wild ambition to fight with you over my assets, causing you to have a sense of crisis? Ah, it’s none of these reasons. Tell me, what caused you to have such a great prejudice against Qi Cheng that you have to make it so that the two of you are like fire and water?”

Ye Hui was stumped by the questions, he stalled for half a day but was still unable to give a proper reason as to why.

“…I hate him, there is no reason. I just don’t like him.”

“That isn’t an excuse for your mistakes.”

Ye Chao said: “At first I did have some thoughts on cultivating him to be your assistant. But when I saw your rejection towards him, I abandoned that idea. In these 12 years, I haven’t said a single extra sentence to him. I didn’t provide resources for him. Even when it comes to his education, it isn’t the same elite upbringing that you receive. But it turns out that my neglect hadn’t raised a thankless white-eyed wolf. Instead, my 17 years of blood and sweat were used to raise an idiot. Have you thought about what the consequences would be if he had exposed all your deeds in front of all those people today?”

Ye Hui: “He wouldn’t dare to!”

“Why wouldn’t he? Is it because of this photo or is he scared of your tyrannical abuse of authority?”  Ye Chao smiled coldly. “That’s because he understands more clearly than you, he knows what’s important and is capable of seeing the bigger picture! It’s because he considers himself to be a part of this family that he knows to protect his own family members in front of other people! In order to not make things difficult for his mother he rather let himself be wronged. He never mentioned  a single sentence about your wrongdoings to his mother or to me.”

“Dad! Why are you so satisfied with him, on what basis? His grades are trash, there isn’t a single merit in his entire body from his head to his toes—”

“You still don’t understand.” Ye Chao was immensely disappointed.

Ye Hui met with his gaze, he was like a cat who had its tail stepped on, angry and zealous. “I’m the one who’s your son, Dad, what kind of thing can he be considered as—”

“Is this the reason you incited your younger brother today? To get him to ask whether his brother Qi Cheng was a homosexual when your stepmother and I came home, crying and throwing a tantrum, for your stepmother to kick him out of the house? After you get rid of Qi Cheng are you also going to use this kind of method on your younger brother and me?”

“Dad, it’s not like that, how would I think like that. Qi Cheng can’t be considered as anything but the two of you are my closest family ah…”

Ye Chao let out a sigh and once again picked up the fountain pen. This conversation wasn’t going anywhere. He saw no point in discussing it with his son any further. “You can leave. Think about why I said these words to you today. Think carefully about where your wrongs lie. When you’ve thought it through, come find me. If you still can’t understand, then I’ll have to change the method of educating you and reconsider your ability. Also, don’t make trouble for Qi Cheng again, this is my first and last time warning you.”

【The System who was being buried under a pile of pink bubbles again: M-master, did you strike it rich again?】

【Gou Liang couldn’t stop smiling, saying: Nope, it’s just that I’ve received a reward of 100 spirit coins.】

The original’s soul still possesses recognition of the people that he had once interacted with before. Through Gou Liang’s eyes, the original saw the scene of Ye Hui being scolded, naturally he would be happy. This 100 spirit coins, Gou Liang would be kindly accepting it.

No need to rush, things could be done slowly, he would definitely unreservedly convert all of the original’s soul force into adorable spirit coins.  ≡‿≡✧

*

The second day, Gou Liang was picked up from the hospital by a servant of the Ye family. As for Cheng Li’s promise from yesterday to visit him early in the morning, he would just treat that as listening to a joke.

Because Ye Chao had specifically instructed, the kitchen didn’t neglect today’s lunch for him in the slightest. Gou Liang happily ate his meal.

Cheng Li finished putting on makeup and brought Ye Yao home from school. The mother and son pair talked and laughed cheerfully, but when they saw Gou Liang who was waiting by the door, both of them stopped smiling and their expressions changed.

Ye Yao upon seeing him yelled in a shrill voice: “Mom, why haven’t you kicked him out yet! He’s a pervert! He’s sick! I don’t want to be infected by him! Mom, didn’t you promise me to drive him out and not let me see him! Why is he still here, I don’t want to see him, I don’t want to!”

Ashamed, Cheng Li looked at her eldest son, who had recoiled back a step in panic. She bent down to hug her small son, coaxing: “Yao’er be good. Your brother just got discharged from the hospital. Let’s not talk about this, alright?”

“He’s not my brother! You promised me yesterday!” Ye Yao pushed away Cheng Li, who was wearing high heels. He did not care in the slightest about the pain of the latter falling onto the floor. He let out a scream and rushed forward to punch and kick Gou Liang: “Get lost from my house! Get lost you bastard! Pervert! You’re not my brother, what kind of thing are you, get out of my house!”

Gou Liang dodged him. He walked towards Cheng Li who was unable to get up and supported her up. He asked in an anxious voice: “Mom, are you alright?”

Not waiting for Cheng Li to reply, Ye Yao shot over like a little bullet. “Let go of my mom! She’s my mom not yours, go away! Wuwuwu—”

Ye Yao suddenly burst out in tears.

Cheng Li’s heart ached immensely. She brought Ye Yao into her arms and comforted him. She faced her eldest son and said impatiently: “You return to your room first. Don’t make your younger brother cry any longer!”

Gou Liang pursed his lips. Without another word, he returned to the room that was located at the very end of the hallway.

That night he took the initiative to find Ye Chao and brought up the idea of moving out to live on his own.

Ye Chao was silent before saying: “When I came home I’ve already heard about what happened with Ye Yao from your mother. This matter, he was in the wrong. I’ll properly reprimand him so nothing similar like this happens again. Xiao Cheng, I know what he said today must’ve hurt your feelings but in the end he and you are still half family. Even if the bones are broken the two of you are still connected by the tendons. He’s still small and doesn’t understand some things so forgive him, alright?”

Gou Liang said quickly: “No, Uncle, you’ve misunderstood. The truth is… I’ve been wanting to bring up this idea since the start of Year Two. It’s not because of my younger brother. It’s just that it’s currently not convenient for me to live in the school dormitory so I want to rent an apartment outside to live in.”

”If it’s not because of your younger brother, then can you tell your Uncle why?”

Ye Chao had on the appearance of a calm elder, gentle and reliable.

As he expected, Gou Liang opened up his heart to him, “Uncle, if I say something wrong, please don’t be angry.”

“Truthfully it’s not some special reason. I just want to seriously prepare for the entrance exam and get into a decent college so in the future I can find a stable job. At first I was hesitant, after all, my only two family members are here. Uncle Ye has also never wronged me; you are what I imagine a father to be like. This place has always been home to me. If I say it you might laugh… I was afraid that if I left, Mom and little brother would forget about me, that’s why I’ve been hesitating. But yesterday at the hospital, a remark that you made woke me up. These two years are the two most important years in my student career. If I don’t give it my all, I’ll regret it in the future.”

Ye Chao probed him with some more questions but didn’t hear him mention anything about Ye Hui or Ye Yao’s misdoings. He saw that Gou Liang had already made up his mind. In the end he could only agree: “Then Uncle will buy a building near the school for you.”

“No, no, there’s no need, Uncle.” Gou Liang hurriedly said, “I’ll only be living there for two years at most. Buying it would be too wasteful. Also, Uncle has raised me up but I haven’t repaid anything in return. I have caused so much trouble for you instead. I’m really too ashamed to ask you for anything more… Uncle, I still have some money on me. The money that you have given me over the years, I haven’t spent much of it.”

Ye Chao naturally couldn’t let Gou Liang provide the money. Right in front of Gou Liang, he made a call and had his secretary look for a suitable building; all expenses would be covered by him.

Gou Liang was extremely moved. When he was leaving the study, he stopped for a moment outside the door before turning around and bowing deeply towards Ye Chao.

He said: “Uncle, in the future I will definitely repay you.”

Ye Chao was stunned. In the next instance he got up and patted him on the shoulder, saying: “Uncle believes in you.”

Ye Chao’s secretary was very efficient. On the second day, Gou Liang moved into his new dwelling. The secretary also had people add in a lot of things according to his own preference.

【Gou Liang: Little Wanton, this will be our first home in the world.】

【System comment: Current favorability value -5 (Red Blood)】

【Gou Liang: …killjoy】

As Gou Liang meticulously made preparations, a new week slowly arrived.

The morning breeze brushed through the white curtains, the sunshine that had just awakened mischievously led the pieces of flittering dust in a dance. On the balcony, the flowers that had been cultivated with the utmost care stretched out their bodies to greet the new day. They blossomed in the most beautiful posture, bestowing their strong and sweet fragrance.

Perspiration dripping under the rays of sunshine, Gou Liang got off the treadmill and wiped his sweat as he headed towards the bathtub that was already filled with dense medicinal liquid made of Soul Recalling Grass. Gou Liang got into the tub and let out a comfortable sigh, his entire body was submerged in the medicinal water. The dark green bath slowly became lighter in color as it turned green and then light green. When the last bit of green disappeared and the water had become clear, Gou Liang got up.

Drops of water slid off his skin, he stood in front of the mirror and took a look at himself.

His skin had been thoroughly moisturized. It was tender like water and full of elasticity. The bruises that had been hideous to see a few days ago were now completely gone without a single trace. His skin had a pale and healthy luster and was brimming with the vitality that a youth should have.

His delicate features were enhanced a few levels due to his fair complexion. His hair that had been cut short revealed a perfect and youthful face that seemed to be especially spirited. His smiling pair of large cat eyes were full of craftiness, his lush and curved lashes hooked a person’s sight, the faint dimples that appeared with a lift of his full cherry lips added the finishing touch that brought his five features to life. When he smiled, he was full of life and vitality. When he spoke he attracted everyone’s attention.

It wasn’t a waste to chop off his hand and placed 10 orders of Soul Recalling Grass, as expected the effects were outstanding.

System:…

Having completed a business sale of a mere 10 points, it wasn’t very happy. My dearest Master, do you still remember the 998 gift pack by Daming Lake!

Foods that were both delectable and pleasing were enveloped by warm rays of light and emitted an alluring vapor. Gou Liang smelled the fragrance of the food in a drunken stupor. His eyes curved in happiness.

Today was definitely going to be a good day.

*

YuLe Cheng High School, Year Two, Class Three.

“Classmate Shi Yu, this question the teacher mentioned yesterday, I don’t really get it. Can I trouble you to explain it to me?”

“Alright. Is it this question?”

“En en, it’s that one…can I sit here?”

“Of course.”

This scene occurred in the very corner of the classroom during the 15 minutes break after morning self-study class ended.  The students of Class Three did not find this unusual—in the past few days, similar acts of asking for guidance had taken place. It was as if, in the span of a night, all the female students in the class had become studious.

The class flower and the handsome transfer student’s daily interaction wasn’t enough to become the talk of the students anymore. The hottest topic of discussion was what happened after the school fight that had taken place the week before.

A student who was familiar with the situation said that the Headmaster was going to expel Wu Yong and ten or so other students from the school at the flag raising ceremony today. Another student who was knowledgeable about the situation said that those students had gone crazy because they had been poisoned. As the rumors passed from one person to another, the rumors of poison had warped into a case of drug abuse. Speculations about what had really occurred differed throughout the student body.

The buzz of gossips hadn’t reached the corner of the classroom that was off in its own world. The school grass concentrated on explaining the question topic and the class flower focused on staring at the school grass with love-struck eyes. This continued until someone approached them.

“Knock knock.”

The sound of a hand knocking against the surface of the desk attracted the two’s attention. They raised their heads and saw a beautiful youth with dimples smiling at them as he said: “This classmate, this is my seat, are you done yet?”

“A-ah, I-I’m sorry.”

The class flower stuttered as she stood up in a fluster.

“It’s okay, good morning.”

He picked up the notebook that the class flower had left on the desk and handed it over to her, saying: “It is my desk’s honor to have you bestow your favor upon it. You’re more than welcome to come over again next time.”

The class flower was amused into smiling. She clasped the notebook against her stomach and asked him: “This classmate, are you a new student that had just transferred over today?”

Gou Liang, who had placed his schoolbag down, paused in the process of taking his seat. He leaned against the desk, both hands placed in his pocket as he inclined his body towards her and said: “I’m Qi Cheng. Classmate □□, nice to meet you.”

The entire class: “……”

□□：“……”

Shi Yu：“……”

There were sounds of hissing.

It was unknown who was the first one to suck in a breath of cold air but soon enough, the entire Class Three of Year Two was gasping in disbelief.

Gou Liang puchi and laughed. He lifted his legs and walked up to the front of the room and stood behind the teacher’s desk. “Given everyone’s expressions, I would’ve thought that I was possessed by a dinosaur, ne. Using this opportunity, I will formally introduce myself. I’m Qi Cheng. That’s right, the Qi Cheng from Class Three of Year Two; the one who sat in the corner of the classroom; the one with hair that was about this long and always slept through class and… the one who had liked Student Zhan Yongzhe.”

Upon seeing the change in Zhan Yongzhe’s expression, Gou Liang’s mouth slowly curved up in a faint smirk. At the same time he revealed a relieved smile.

Gou Liang walked towards Zhan Yongzhe. The latter had on an expression full of aversion as Gou Liang stopped a safe distance away from him.

“Classmate Zhan Yongzhe, I formally apologize for liking you before and causing you unwanted problems. Please forgive my youth and inexperience. Of course… whatever that you’ve done to me in the past, it will be considered written off from this moment on. Could the classmates here please act as my witnesses? I, Qi Cheng, vow to no longer like Zhan Yongzhe; I will not cause him any problems. If I go against my promise, then I will treat the entire class to mala crayfish.“

Gou Liang felt his heart ache as he said this but his face was full of solemnity.

The classroom was silent. It was unclear who had laughed out loud first.

“Hahahahaha.”

In the continuous peals of laughter, Gou Liang revealed a set of deep dimples and looked around until his line of sight landed upon his deskmate.

He gave a small smile and earnestly said: “I hope that from today onward… we can get along nicely.”

*

【Ding, target’s current favorability value: …………-5。 】