Rebirth: My Childhood Sweetheart Came into My Arms

Meanwhile, at the East Street arcade.

"boom--"

The fist slammed heavily onto the pressure plate, and the number on the screen rose rapidly, eventually settling at 780.

Lan Yuan flicked his wrist, sweat trickling down his forehead, his eyes radiating a murderous aura that seemed to pierce the screen.

The school disqualified him from the competition.

The reason is malicious foul, and there is no room for negotiation.

Even more disgusting is that Team Deepsea actually defeated Team Lightning without him, and Liu Wen, the "perennial supporting actor," became the pride of his teammates.

That's fucking ridiculous.

Lan Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead, raised his right fist, and squinted slightly.

This time, he imagined the pressure plate in front of him as Liu Wen, as Jiang Chengyu, and as all the stumbling blocks that hindered his success.

Then, strike hard!

After a muffled thud, the red numbers surged upwards, soaring all the way to 880, directly breaking the record for this punching machine.

……

When He Ningqiu arrived at the arcade, Lan Yuan was standing in front of the boxing match, surrounded by several female high school students.

The high school girls looked smitten, probably stunned by Lan Yuan's cool punch; their faces clearly showed their infatuation.

Lan Yuan remained unmoved by this.

His gaze was sinister, his face expressionless, and the flickering light of the screen was reflected in his dark pupils. He was as cold as an ice sculpture.

He Ningqiu pursed her lips, walked over, and softly called his name, "Lan Yuan."

Lan Yuan turned around at the sound, saw He Ningqiu, and frowned. "What brings you here?"

"I... I was a little worried about you when you suddenly left, so I..."

He Ningqiu looked like she had just run; her cheeks were flushed, her chest was heaving, and her breathing was a little unsteady.

He overslept today and found that He Ziyu hadn't waited for him, so he had to take a taxi to school alone, find the seat that Lan Yuan had saved for him, and watch the game all alone.

Later, when Lan Yuan was sent off for hitting someone, he was afraid that Lan Yuan might do something rash, so he quickly chased after him.

But when they chased him to East Street, he suddenly disappeared. No one answered the phone. Worried that Lan Yuan had gone far away, He Ningqiu ran and searched, and finally found him in the arcade.

"I'm fine." Lan Yuan said coldly, pushing past the high school girl and walking out.

He Ningqiu quickly chased after him.

"It's just a game. If we can't play, so be it. There are always other games next year..."

Lan Yuan walked ahead without saying a word.

Yes, the competition will be held next year, but once you lose face, you can't get it back.

The collision he made with Jiang Chengyu on the field allowed him to vent his anger, but it also made him realize his own predicament.

From the moment the referee blew the whistle until the school doctor arrived, He Ziyu's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Chengyu, without glancing at him once.

He didn't know if He Ziyu really disliked him or was just being stubborn, but one thing he was sure of was that if he lost the bet, he would become a laughing stock in the eyes of the entire school.

……

He Ningqiu chased after Lan Yuan as they left the arcade and walked along East Street.

Lan Yuan remained silent, unsure how to offer any advice; the atmosphere was strangely awkward.

As Lan Yuan was about to cross the road, he suddenly stopped.

"Why are you following me instead of going to find your brother?"

He Ningqiu was taken aback.

Lan Yuan stared at him, his face expressionless. "Jiang Chengyu was injured by me. Shouldn't you be taking the time to show him concern and care, just like He Ziyu did?"

He Ningqiu: "What...do you mean?"

"I know you like him," Lan Yuan sneered. "Wherever Jiang Chengyu is, your eyes are always on him, just like when that leech was chasing after me."

Upon hearing this, He Ningqiu subconsciously avoided Lan Yuan's gaze, her eyes flickering slightly. "I...I didn't. Don't talk nonsense. I don't like boys."

"What's the point of pretending in front of me? I'm not going to tell anyone."

"..."

"Fine, it's your business who you like." Lan Yuan took a deep breath. "Anyway, you should go home first. I want to be alone."

Just as he finished speaking, the red light turned green, and Lan Yuan strode forward.

As a result, He Ningqiu was still following behind after they crossed the street.

Lan Yuan was getting impatient and was about to say something when He Ningqiu spoke first.

"What you're really worried about is the bet, isn't it?" He Ningqiu stared intently at Lan Yuan. "Liu Wen told me about your bet with them."

Lan Yuan frowned, unable to help but curse Liu Wen as an idiot in his heart.

He Ningqiu added, "I heard that He Ziyu pursued you quite aggressively in junior high school, but I can tell you with certainty that he likes Jiang Chengyu."

How did you know?

"I live under the same roof as him, and I know his every move better than anyone else."

Lan Yuan: "So, why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I want to help you," He Ningqiu said. "You know, He Ziyu has been isolating me at school. Although I don't say it, I still feel quite bad inside."

"I haven't been in Yuecheng for long, and I'm not familiar with No. 8 Middle School. In this unfamiliar place, only you are willing to take care of me."

"So, more than that nominal older brother, I care about your feelings and don't want you to suffer, understand?"

He Ningqiu spoke these words with such sincerity that Lan Yuan felt a tightness in his chest.

His purpose in approaching He Ningqiu was not pure; he had initially planned to use him and then get rid of him. But now, hearing He Ningqiu say this, he felt a little uneasy.

After hesitating for a moment, Lan Yuan couldn't help but probe, "Aren't you afraid that I'm taking care of you just to provoke He Ziyu?"

Upon hearing this, He Ningqiu quickly shook her head, "No, you're not that kind of person."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lan Yuan's expression changed, becoming a mixture of guilt and unease.

Seeing this, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed in He Ningqiu's eyes.

In fact, after he heard about the bet, he had already guessed that Lan Yuan was using him to provoke He Ziyu.

Even so, he still didn't intend to make things clear to Lan Yuan.

After all, he was now isolated and helpless at No. 8 Middle School, and it was rare for him to find someone like Lan Yuan to rely on. Even if it was a mutually beneficial relationship, he should cherish it.

"In short, I'm on your side in this matter." He Ningqiu squeezed Lan Yuan's arm. "Lan Yuan, if you trust me, do as I say."

Lan Yuan hesitated for a moment, but considering that he couldn't think of a better solution, he agreed with the attitude of "trying anything as a last resort".

……

After using the restroom, He Ziyu originally intended to take Jiang Chengyu home directly, but after checking the time, he realized it was already lunchtime. Fearing that Jiang Chengyu might be hungry, he found a nearby porridge shop and planned to have him eat something first.

Unexpectedly, halfway through my porridge, I received a call from an unknown number.

The person opposite him was none other than the culprit he had been searching for, Lan Yuan.

Lan Yuan apologized to him over the phone, rattling off a long apology in a very sincere manner.

After he finished speaking, He Ziyu only asked him three words: "Where are you?"

"East Street".

"See you at school in half an hour."

He Ziyu hung up the phone after he finished speaking.

Jiang Chengyu noticed his strange expression and felt a little uneasy.

"Who are you going to see?"

"An old friend," He Ziyu said casually, scooping up a spoonful of porridge and bringing it to Jiang Chengyu's lips. "Don't talk yet, drink your porridge, it won't taste good if it gets cold."

Jiang Chengyu saw that he didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't press him further.

After the meal, He Ziyu saw Jiang Chengyu off to his car.

"I've already told my mom about your injury. She'll take care of you when you get back."

Jiang Chengyu nodded, then, as if remembering something, called out to him again.

"Ayu".

"Um?"

"Regarding today's matter," Jiang Chengyu paused, "I will resolve it myself with Lan Yuan."

He Ziyu was slightly taken aback, his fingertips lightly digging into his palm.

Jiang Chengyu had indeed guessed what he was going to do.

But this time his mind was made up, and no amount of persuasion could change it.

"I know, Brother Yu." He Ziyu smiled. "Go back and get some sleep first, I'll talk to you later."

……

After Jiang Chengyu left, He Ziyu went straight back to school.

He arranged to meet Lan Yuan on the playground.

The afternoon basketball game hadn't started yet. During lunch break, students strolled around the playground in twos and threes, while others ate in the cafeteria.

He Ziyu stormed into the school with a cold face and saw two familiar figures standing under a big tree in the distance.

He Ningqiu and Lan Yuan.

Without any hesitation, he walked straight to Lan Yuan, and before Lan Yuan could speak, he swung his fist and smashed it heavily into Lan Yuan's left cheek!

The punch was so fierce and powerful that Lan Yuan had no time to react. His mind went blank, and he staggered and fell to the ground.

He Ziyu pressed his advantage, straddling Lan Yuan with his left hand on his shoulder and furiously punching him in the body and face with his right, each punch delivered with all his might.

Faced with this sudden and unexpected beating, Lan Yuan didn't even have a chance to fight back; his health bar was instantly reduced by more than half.

"Stop, stop hitting him!" He Ningqiu was terrified by He Ziyu's insane appearance, her voice trembling.

He Ziyu turned a deaf ear and clearly intended to beat Lan Yuan to death.

More and more people gathered on the playground to watch.

Not long after, Tangyuan arrived upon hearing the news.

"Stop! Don't fight anymore!"

He Ziyu was so engrossed in the beating that he couldn't hear anyone talking beside him until Tangyuan came up and pulled at his clothes. Only then did he stop beating, panting, and slump to the side.

"Oh my little darling, look what you've done to him!" Tangyuan pointed at Lan Yuan's face, trembling with anger.

He Ziyu belatedly glanced at Lan Yuan's face.

I don’t know, I’m scared.

Lan Yuan's once handsome face had been beaten into a pig's head, his nose was bleeding profusely, and his face was so distorted that his original appearance was completely unrecognizable.

He Ziyu glanced at his right hand again.

It was covered in blood.

Tangyuan has been teaching for many years and has caught many fights, but she has never seen such a bloody scene before, and she was a little flustered for a moment.

Just as he swallowed hard, preparing to send a classmate to the infirmary to call the teacher, He Ziyu stood up with one hand on the ground and walked up to him.

Tangyuan instinctively took a half step back. "W-what are you doing?"

He Ziyu steadied his breathing and calmly said, "Teacher, please punish me."