Chapter Twenty-Four: The Troublemaker Arrives

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After being loudly questioned by the tall athlete, the previously noisy atmosphere in Class 2, Grade 12, suddenly fell silent. Every student, regardless of gender, glanced nervously in Wei Dong’s direction, their hearts pounding, but no one dared to ask anything. The relentless grind of exam-focused education had not only dulled their minds but also eroded their courage and spirit, leaving timidity magnified while bravery diminished. From a national perspective, perhaps this was precisely the outcome the ruling class desired—those in power needed timid fools, not unruly free spirits.

“Fang Hao, this is Class 2, Grade 12. Who gave you permission to come and go as you please?” Wang Yiran suddenly stood up from her seat, strode over to the tall athlete’s side, and questioned him without a trace of fear.

“Wang Yiran! Stay out of this—it has nothing to do with you. This is purely a personal matter! Just tell me who Wei Dong is, and I won’t bother anyone else!” Fang Hao, somewhat wary of Wang Yiran, softened his tone.

Any boy at Changqing No.1 High would feel a bit awkward facing Wang Yiran; she was their dream girl, their goddess. But Fang Hao’s wariness wasn’t just rooted in personal admiration—more importantly, Wang Yiran was a figure of immense significance to the entire school. With her grades, she was set to become this year’s top scorer in the college entrance exam for Ludong Province, and many teachers believed she had a real shot at being the national top scorer if the questions and grading were aligned. A student like her was invaluable to the school. If Fang Hao clashed with Wang Yiran on school grounds—especially when she was blameless—he could easily imagine being suspended on the spot.

“I’m the class monitor of Class 2, Grade 12. If you cause trouble in my class, it’s my business. Whatever happens outside school is your own affair, but you can’t act like this here,” Wang Yiran said calmly. Though she was much smaller in stature, she showed no fear at all.

For Fang Hao, storming into someone else’s class and shouting as he pleased was already an outrageous act. Yet, except for class monitor Wang Yiran, no one else in the class dared speak up, cowed by his imposing manner. This left Fang Hao feeling rather pleased with himself.

“Yiran’s already said it: this is a school, a classroom. If you have personal issues, take them outside. If you start a fight here and end up with a disciplinary record, that’s your problem, not ours,” Qin Anyi said casually from his seat, hands tucked in his pockets. His voice wasn’t loud, but the classroom was so quiet that everyone heard him clearly.

“Who’s running their mouth over there?” Fang Hao, locked in a stalemate with Wang Yiran and starting to lose face, perked up at the sound—a perfect target for venting his frustration. He turned and spotted Qin Anyi’s nonchalant attitude. The face was unfamiliar; Fang Hao knew all the troublemakers in school by sight, and this boy clearly wasn’t one of them. With no need for restraint, Fang Hao leaped over, sidestepping Wang Yiran, and stomped across the desks straight to Qin Anyi’s seat.

When Wang Yiran recognized Qin Anyi’s voice, she didn’t try to stop Fang Hao; instead, she watched with interest, ready to see what would unfold.

“What did you just say? Say it again if you dare!” Fang Hao landed in front of Qin Anyi, his face menacing.

“Are your ears bad, or is it your brain? You didn’t catch what I said? And by the way, you dirtied three desks—make sure you clean them,” Qin Anyi replied, utterly unfazed, his calm demeanor enough to ignite anyone’s anger.

In the past, Qin Anyi would have avoided a school bully like Fang Hao at all costs, eager to steer clear of any trouble. But now, things were different. Courage always grows in proportion to one’s strength—and now, with this matter involving Wei Dong, there was no way Qin Anyi would just sit back and watch.