The Heiress and the Illegitimate School Bully: Chapter 23

Taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere following the college entrance examinations, Xiao Yi and Song Qian met in a secluded corner of the park. They sat on a bench, sharing a pair of earphones, listening to their favorite music, and stealing smiles at each other, fully immersed in a world that belonged only to them.

Xiao Yi cautiously reached out to take Song Qian’s hand. Just as they were whispering to each other, Song Qian’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and her body went rigid. Xiao Yi followed her line of sight and saw a middle-aged man watching them with a stern expression. Instinctively, Xiao Yi moved to protect Song Qian, asking who the man was. It was her father—Song Qian’s father was walking toward them, his face clouded with severity.

Her father approached with hurried, authoritative strides. His eyes locked firmly onto the hands Xiao Yi and Song Qian had been holding, his gaze burning with anger. Xiao Yi scrambled to let go and stood up, stammering, "Hello, sir..." Song Qian also stood up, tense and nervous, bowing her head in silence.

When he reached them, Song Qian’s father glared at Xiao Yi before turning to his daughter. "How could you sneak out for a date at a time like this? The exams have only just finished—where is your head?" Tears welled up in Song Qian’s eyes as she tried to explain, feeling wronged, "Dad, we were just out to relax..." Her father showed no sign of softening. "Relax? Do you even understand what love is at your age? This will jeopardize your future!" Xiao Yi quickly interjected, "Sir, I will take responsibility for her. It won't affect her studies." The father let out a cold laugh. "How will you take responsibility? You are both far too young; you have no idea of the weight that word carries."

The air around them seemed to freeze. Song Qian’s soft sobs became piercingly clear in the silence. Xiao Yi stood there, bewildered and at a loss for how to appease the man’s rage, while Song Qian, under her father's scolding, felt only dread and sorrow, wondering where their budding relationship would go from here.

Struggling to contain his fury, Song Qian’s father took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "Come home with me. I have things to say to you."

Back at home, her father sat on the living room sofa, watching Song Qian with a solemn expression. After a long silence, he spoke slowly, "Do you have any idea what you are doing? The exams have barely ended, and you are already rushing headlong into a romance. Do you think this is what you should be focusing on right now?"

Song Qian lifted her head slightly, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. "Dad, I know the exams were important, but I have feelings too. We just like each other and wanted to spend some time together."

Her father furrowed his brows, his voice rising. "Like each other? What do you know of true affection at your age? This is nothing but a fleeting impulse. You should be focused on your college applications and planning your future, not dallying with some boy."

Tears shimmered in Song Qian’s eyes. "Dad, he isn't what you think. He’s excellent, and he takes such good care of me. We encourage each other; we want to become better together."

Her father scoffed. "Encourage each other? I see it as a mutual distraction. Haven't you seen enough examples of people whose grades plummeted and whose futures were ruined by early romances? I will not let you gamble with your future."

"But I can manage my feelings and my studies," Song Qian argued through her tears. "They won't conflict."

Her father stood up, his emotions stirring. "You can manage them? You think emotions are so easily controlled? You are too young, and you lack the capacity to balance the two. I am your father, and I will not stand by and watch you stray onto the wrong path. From this moment on, you are to cut ties with that boy. I forbid any contact with him, at least until you are in university."

Song Qian’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Dad, how can you do this? You can't strip me of the right to like someone."

Her father looked at his daughter, a trace of reluctance flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by firm resolve. "I am doing this for your own good. When you are older, you will understand my intentions. Now, go to your room and think about it."