Chapter 32

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of November. With the Sudoku competition approaching, Ji Ran has been preparing for the competition these days. Therefore, apart from attending evening self-study sessions, she would occasionally go to the training room during lunch to practice some exercise problems.

In reality, she didn’t intend to rely on Sudoku to get into college. Perhaps it should be said that she was trying to make up for regrets from her previous life.

That year, after winning the national championship, she originally had the opportunity to participate in the World Sudoku Championship. However, Pei Yuan believed that Sudoku was just a waste of her time. In the end, Ji Ran did not attend the World Championship.

This time, it could be considered her being willful for once.

At noon, Ji Ran took out a sandwich from her backpack and sat quietly in a chair, eating the sandwich while reading a book. It wasn’t until her phone, placed in her backpack, rang.

“Haven’t you had lunch again?”

As soon as the call was answered, Shen Zhi’s voice on the other end sounded somewhat helpless.

Ji Ran was a bit slow to react; she still had a sandwich in her mouth. After eating it unhurriedly, she lowered her voice and said, “How did you know?”

Shen Zhi’s originally slightly furrowed brows relaxed because of her words.

He was nervous for quite a while, only to find out that she didn’t care at all.

He stood up and walked to the balcony, speaking in a low voice, “I just saw Wen Qianxia. She mentioned that you’ve been in the Sudoku training room during lunch these days.”

Ji Ran had been having lunch with Wen Qianxia recently, but these days she had been spending her lunchtime preparing for the weekend competition, skipping meals.

Ji Ran softly responded with an acknowledgment.

Shen Zhi asked in a low voice, “Is winning all that matters to you?”

Ji Ran was briefly taken aback; no one had asked her that question before. Did she want to win?

Yes, she did.

Shen Zhi fell silent for a moment and then whispered, “Even if you want to win, you still need to eat. Just sandwiches for lunch?”

Ji Ran looked down at the sandwich in her hands and the thermos beside her. Steam was still rising from the hot water inside. She blinked and said in a small voice, “Sandwiches are delicious too.”

“Silly girl.” Hearing her soft voice, Shen Zhi suddenly chuckled.

After a moment of pause, his tone filled with amusement, he said, “Stop eating sandwiches. Brother will bring you something delicious later.”

Ji Ran had her fingers resting on the workbook in front of her, preparing to turn the page when she heard the term “brother.” Her whole demeanor suddenly changed, and she expressed some displeasure. “What are you saying? What kind of brother are you?”

“Brother Shen,” Shen Zhi said softly, suppressing a smile.

Ji Ran didn’t mean it that way, but unexpectedly, she found herself teased by him again. So, feeling a bit annoyed, she said, “I’m hanging up.”

Then she hung up the phone.

Not long after, she finished her sandwich, drank a cup of water, and then Ji Ran stood up to go to the bathroom.

It was lunchtime, and the entire activity building was quiet, as if she were the only one there. The Sudoku training room was on the first floor, and the bathroom was at the end of the corridor, with a small door leading to the basketball court.

As Ji Ran entered the bathroom stall, she closed the door, and just as she was about to pay no attention to the footsteps outside, she happened to glance through the gap between the stall door and the floor. When she saw the shoes the person outside was wearing, her eyes widened, and a look of fear appeared on her face.

These were men’s shoes.

She stood motionless inside the stall, and the person outside happened to stop right in front of her stall door.

Just as Ji Ran took a deep breath, preparing to speak, the door of her stall was lightly knocked. The sound wasn’t loud, but Ji Ran’s entire body’s hair stood on end.

The person outside suddenly let out a laugh—a strange and intentionally eerie laugh.

a bizarre and frightening laugh.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Ji Ran, with a sudden burst of tension, screamed.

Upon hearing her scream, the person outside, as if satisfied with the response, turned and ran away. After the person had left the bathroom, Ji Ran reached out to open the stall door.

Once she pushed the door open and walked out, she realized her legs were weak. Even though she had maintained enough composure moments ago, she leaned against the wall as she walked to the entrance.

Just as Ji Ran exited the bathroom, Shen Zhi, who had come in from the other side with lunch in hand, hurried over to her. Seeing her like this, he immediately asked, “Ji Ran, what happened?”

The moment Ji Ran saw him, her whole body relaxed, but the shivering she felt seemed to intensify.

Shen Zhi directly placed the lunch on the ground, reaching out to support her. Ji Ran saw that the forced calmness and strength she had displayed just moments ago were now completely gone. Her eyes couldn’t help but turn red as she whispered, “A boy just barged into the bathroom.”

Shen Zhi looked toward the small door leading to the basketball court. When he came from the other side, he didn’t encounter anyone.

So the person must have left through this door.

He spoke in a low voice, “Are you okay?”

Ji Ran’s eyes were teary, but she nodded and said, “I’m fine. Go catch him; catch that pervert.”

She was scared, but she didn’t want the person to get away because this time it was her; next time, he might scare other girls in the school.

So Shen Zhi said in a low voice, “Wait for me here.”

Before he left, Ji Ran added, “He was wearing a pair of black sports shoes. I saw it.”

As Shen Zhi rushed out through the small door, Ji Ran took a deep breath and followed him step by step. Shen Zhi surveyed the surroundings; the person couldn’t have gone far in such a short time.

Until he saw a boy wearing the uniform of 4th Middle School and black sports shoes, he immediately rushed over.

When Shen Zhi grabbed the person and forcefully turned him to face him, the person’s face, surprisingly, didn’t show a hint of surprise.

Instead, he smiled gently at Shen Zhi and said, “What do you want, Shen Zhi?”

Finally, Shen Zhi was thoroughly provoked. He threw a punch directly at the boy’s face. At that moment, he seemed like a frenzied little beast, with a terrifyingly fierce and indifferent look in his eyes.

The height difference between the two was too obvious; the boy had no power to fight back and could only passively take the beating.

People playing on the nearby basketball court were drawn to the scene. Initially, a few tried to pull Shen Zhi away, but he went berserk and continued to strike the person lying on the ground.

When Ji Ran arrived, she saw blood on the person’s face and on the ground. Her breath, already irregular, became even more rapid. It wasn’t until she saw the bloodstained face of the person that she suddenly froze.

It was the boy she encountered at the station that day—the one Shen Zhi scolded at their first meeting.

Ji Ran snapped back to reality and rushed forward. She desperately grabbed Shen Zhi’s arm, shouting, “Shen Zhi, Shen Zhi, that’s enough; stop it. If you keep going, he’ll really be in trouble…”

Her voice trembled uncontrollably. Everything had happened so quickly, and she, too, was experiencing such a situation for the first time.

In her mind, the horrifying and eerie laughter echoed.

Even though it was early winter, with such cold weather, her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

Shen Zhi, who had descended into madness, stopped his actions upon hearing her trembling voice. He turned to look at Ji Ran.

Her eyes were still red, her lips were slightly trembling, and even the fingers holding his hand were pale.

Seeing Ji Ran like this, Shen Zhi felt his heartache intensify to the point of explosion.

He wished he could kill the guy in front of him, but he was afraid of frightening her.

Ji Ran lowered her head slightly, her eyes fixed on his palm, covered in fresh blood, unsure if it was the guy’s blood or his own.

Shaking her head, she whispered, “It’s not worth it.”

It wasn’t worth sacrificing oneself for someone like that.

The person on the ground still lay motionless, looking like he had really been beaten badly. The surrounding students kept glancing over but hesitated to approach due to Shen Zhi.

Until Shen Zhi whispered, “Let’s go. I’ll accompany you to the training room first, then get your things.”

Ji Ran glanced at the person on the ground, but Shen Zhi decisively pulled her arm and left without hesitation, coldly saying, “Don’t worry, he won’t die.”

When they returned to the activity room, Ji Ran packed up her things and walked to his side with her backpack.

Shen Zhi spoke casually, “What a waste of the things I brought for you. The fried rice from this place is many times better than what you brought me last time.”

Still shaken, Ji Ran nodded gently and said, “Let’s eat it next time.”

Suddenly, Shen Zhi chuckled, surprising Ji Ran that he could laugh at a time like this. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you laughing now?”

Leaning in, Shen Zhi’s fingers gently lifted Ji Ran’s chin and playfully hooked it.

“Because you’re being so obedient and agreeable right now.”

Under normal circumstances, she would have a hundred reasons to refuse him, but now, with her soft voice saying, “Let’s eat it next time,” he suddenly wanted this next time to come a bit sooner.

Ji Ran blushed, but as she looked at him, her eyes became even redder. She suddenly asked in a low voice, “Shen Zhi, will you be in trouble?”

So many people saw him hitting someone.

“What’s there to be afraid of? We’re on the right,” Shen Zhi said in a low voice. But as he saw Ji Ran’s tears about to fall, a sudden pain pierced through his heart, so evident.

Even when he was hitting the guy just now, he wasn’t this flustered.

Shen Zhi said, “Hey, little girl, why do you cry so easily?”

“Shen Zhi, I’ll stand up for you. If the school causes you trouble, I will tell everyone that the guy barged into the women’s restroom first,” Ji Ran said with a slightly sobbing voice.

After she said this, Shen Zhi unexpectedly felt a twinge at the tip of his nose.

Whether it was in the past or now, his little girl was always so brave.

always thinking about protecting him, even if she had forgotten the little boy from the past.

When Ji Ran returned to the classroom, Shen Zhi did not accompany her. Instead, as soon as she entered the classroom, everyone looked at her. It was Wen Qianxia who quickly pulled her to her seat and whispered, “Ranran, did Shen Zhi really hit that senior from the third year?”

Ji Ran was momentarily stunned.

Wen Qianxia anxiously said, “Just now, everyone heard that Shen Zhi suddenly hit a senior from the third year on the playground.”

Ji Ran didn’t know the senior’s grade level; counting this encounter, it was only the second time she had seen him.

“Why did it happen?” Wen Qianxia asked in a low voice.

Ji Ran didn’t say anything.

Shen Zhi had told her not to say anything and that if the school teachers approached him, he would explain the reasons himself.

Seeing her remain silent, Wen Qianxia whispered again, “It’s all over the forums. There are even pictures of Shen Zhi hitting someone. Ranran, I think you should stay away from Shen Zhi. I saw the person in the photo covered in blood. Considering they’re from the same school, how could he be so ruthless? No wonder everyone was scared of him before.”

Wen Qianxia, of course, knew about Shen Zhi’s feelings for Ji Ran. Anyone with eyes could see it.

But Ji Ran hadn’t become involved with him.

It’s just that the rumors in the school were so fierce now; Ji Ran was really going to be implicated by Shen Zhi. As a friend, Wen Qianxia couldn’t help but worry for her.

After all, being caught dating at this stage of high school was a big problem.

Previously, in their freshman year, there was a couple in their grade who were found to have early dating issues. Not only were they called in by their parents, but they were also suspended from school for three days to reflect at home.

Moreover, the rumors were especially harsh, saying the girl not only kissed the boy but also booked a room with him.

Later, it was said that the girl couldn’t bear the rumors and ended up committing suicide at home.

After that, she transferred schools, and no one ever saw her again.

After Wen Qianxia finished speaking, she expressed her worry, saying, “Moreover, now there’s all sorts of rumors spreading on the forums, and it’s really bad for you. People won’t care about the truth; they’ll just spread whatever they want.”

Ji Ran suddenly looked up at Wen Qianxia, her gaze a bit serious, making Wen Qianxia a little frightened.

It was only then that Ji Ran slowly said, “Shen Zhi is not as bad as you say.”

“He’s a good person.”

When it was time for afternoon classes, Shen Zhi returned to the classroom. However, not long after, the grade director and Teacher Qiao came over together. The two stood at the door, and Teacher Qiao directly shouted, “Shen Zhi, come out.”

The students in Class 8 nervously looked at the grade director and then at Shen Zhi.

Shen Zhi slowly stood up. But just as he came out and stood in the corridor, the grade director at the door said, “Ji Ran, you come out too.”

The grade director’s tone was obviously unpleasant.

Other students in Class 8 also looked at Ji Ran with curiosity, doubt, worry, and some with schadenfreude.

Shen Zhi’s voice suddenly rang out, sounding indifferent. “Teacher, I was the one who hit him. Why are you calling irrelevant students?”

The grade director was a bit impatient. “I called Ji Ran to understand the situation.”

“What situation? The situation is that I hit him. As for the reason, I just didn’t like him. This isn’t the first time I’ve hit him, and as long as he continues to annoy me, there will be a third time.”

“Shen Zhi, what do you think you’re doing?” Indeed, the grade director didn’t focus on Ji Ran but directly scolded Shen Zhi.

Shen Zhi didn’t bother with him. Instead, he turned and walked away. Just before leaving, he looked at Ji Ran, who was trying to stand up, and said in a low voice, “Ji Ran, don’t meddle in other people’s business; it won’t do you any good.”

Ji Ran just watched him walk away.

‘Ranran, that girl was ruined by rumors, so you need to be careful.’

‘People won’t care about the truth; they’ll just spread whatever they want.’

Yes, he had witnessed the destructive power of rumors firsthand, seeing how they ruined a person’s life. He had also witnessed his mother go insane. Therefore, he was afraid that rumors might actually affect Ji Ran.

Even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance, he dared not take the risk.

He was so cautious, even about getting close to his little girl; he couldn’t bear it.

He couldn’t afford to take the gamble.

So, the only thing he could do now was to ensure that she completely distanced herself from this matter.