Volume One: High School Days Chapter Fifty-Six: Yagyu's Scheme

In Liu Meng’s room, Wang Chen sat on the floor by the bed, holding the hand of the sleeping Liu Meng. No one knew how much time had passed before he too, unknowingly, fell asleep, his head resting on the bedside.

In another room, Liusheng spent the entire night wide awake. He couldn’t say why, only that his heart now felt utterly empty, as though not a single soul remained within it.

Outside, the sky gradually brightened. Liusheng, never having fallen asleep, dressed and went downstairs to the breakfast shop, buying enough breakfast for four.

When he returned, he didn’t wake anyone. Instead, he sat alone in the living room and quietly began to eat.

Just then, Ren Xiadong came out, glanced at Liusheng, and, pointing softly at Liu Meng’s room, whispered, “Still asleep?”

Liusheng shook his head silently and gestured to the breakfast, inviting Ren Xiadong to join him.

After eating and tidying up, the two prepared to leave for school. Seeing no sign of activity from Liu Meng’s room, they decided not to wake either Liu Meng or Wang Chen and left for school together.

June’s air was just beginning to warm. A gentle breeze brushed Liusheng’s face, bringing him a fleeting warmth, but inside, he felt only the chill of desolation. He couldn’t understand himself—watching Liu Meng call Wang Chen’s name even in her sleep, his heart churned with a bitter mix of emotions.

At school, Liusheng went to the office to request a day’s leave for Liu Meng, claiming she had a fever.

Through the morning’s classes, the empty seat beside him was a constant reminder. Memories of Liu Meng’s lingering glances—sometimes deliberate, sometimes not—haunted him. Now, suddenly, she was gone, and he found it hard to adjust.

During the fourth class, Liusheng’s phone vibrated. Lost in his thoughts, he forgot he was in class and pulled out his phone openly.

The teacher glanced his way but said nothing. Liusheng was always ranked first in every exam, so as long as he didn’t disturb the class, the teacher allowed him his freedom.

The message was from Wang Chen: “He Xun invited me to dinner to apologize. I’ll handle it.”

Liusheng thought to himself, “How will you handle it? There are interests between your families. There’s no way you’ll truly come to blows over this. In the end, you’ll accept He Xun’s apology and reconcile. If that’s the case, I’ll help you ignite this war.”

He replied, “Send me the address. I’ll come too.”

At Liu Meng’s home.

“He Xun is inviting me to dinner to apologize. Don’t worry, I won’t let him hurt you again,” Wang Chen said.

Liu Meng immediately replied, “I’m not going.”

Wang Chen, sensing her fear, gently squeezed her hand and said, “Wait for me at home. I can handle this.”

“You can’t go either! He Xun is less than a beast. I’m afraid he’ll hurt you!” Liu Meng’s worry was palpable.

A strange warmth spread through Wang Chen’s heart. For the first time, he felt Liu Meng’s concern for him. It made him feel that everything he had done for her, all those years of waiting, had not been in vain.

He smiled with confidence. “Don’t worry. That bastard He Xun wouldn’t dare do anything to me. Besides, I’m going there for you. And Liusheng will be with me—nothing will go wrong!”

When he mentioned Liusheng, Wang Chen expected Liu Meng to ask him to look after Liusheng. To his surprise, she said, “If Liusheng is there, Ren Xiadong will be too. With both of them, you’ll be safe. That reassures me. Promise me, nothing can happen to you! I’m afraid He Xun is luring you into a trap.”

At school, as soon as the bell rang, Liusheng dashed out of the classroom before the teacher could even dismiss them. Running toward the school gate, he called Ren Xiadong, telling him to meet him there immediately.

On their way to the address Wang Chen had given, Ren Xiadong called Yang Fan, telling her he couldn’t join her for lunch and that she’d have to eat alone today.

When they arrived at the appointed place, Wang Chen and He Xun were already seated inside. Out of fear, He Xun had brought four bodyguards, while Wang Chen had come alone.

The moment Liusheng entered, he noticed Wang Chen’s hostile glare fixed on He Xun. Even with his four bodyguards, He Xun dared not speak in the face of Wang Chen’s more powerful family influence.

Liusheng and Ren Xiadong sat down on either side of Wang Chen without asking for permission.

“Brother Chen, name your terms. What will it take to resolve this?” He Xun broke the silence first.

Wang Chen continued to stare at him with hatred. “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not happy right now.”

He Xun, unsure how to appease him, took out a passport prepared for Liu Meng and placed it in front of Wang Chen. “I didn’t know Liu Meng was your woman. If I’d known she was my sister-in-law, I’d never have done what I did. Brother Chen, you’re a magnanimous man—just forgive me this once.”

He then looked to Liusheng and Ren Xiadong. “Brothers, we’ve become acquainted through conflict. Put in a good word for me with Brother Chen, will you?”

Liusheng replied coldly, “I failed to stop you in time with Tang Xin, so you were able to harm her. If we let you go this time, who knows how many more young ladies will be ruined by your hands?”

Wang Chen picked up the passport and studied it. “What’s this supposed to mean?”

“She said she didn’t like it here, wanted to study abroad, and never wanted to return.”

After He Xun spoke, Wang Chen realized that Liu Meng wanted to leave because of Liusheng. Liusheng, too, understood—if not for his attitude toward her, things would not have come to this. If not for his inaction, Liu Meng would not have been hurt by He Xun.

On the surface, Liusheng appeared calm, but inside he seethed with rage, wanting nothing more than to destroy He Xun for tormenting Liu Meng—and himself, for driving her away through his own failings.

Trying to please Wang Chen, He Xun produced a bottle of expensive red wine and presented it. “Look, this wine is worth over a hundred thousand. I brought it today just to apologize.”

As He Xun set the wine before Wang Chen, Liusheng quickly used the power of his eyes to speed up his perception of time, freezing everyone else as if the world had halted.

He donned a pair of disposable gloves from the restaurant, walked to Wang Chen and He Xun, took the red wine from He Xun’s hand, and turned to Wang Chen. “I’m sorry. We’re both here for Liu Meng’s sake. You don’t want He Xun to walk away unpunished, and neither do I. Liu Meng has chosen you, so I must let her go. Help me—let me do this one last thing for her.”

With that, Liusheng raised the bottle worth hundreds of thousands and smashed it over Wang Chen’s head. As the bottle shattered, he quickly shoved the broken neck into He Xun’s hand and returned to his seat, pulling off the gloves and relaxing his vision.

Everyone was stunned. Blood poured from Wang Chen’s head, and He Xun, holding the broken bottle, stammered, “It wasn’t me! Brother Chen, are you all right?”

He Xun, panicked, leaned closer to Wang Chen to check his wounds. As he was about to touch Wang Chen, Liusheng once again activated his power.

He donned his gloves anew, positioned He Xun’s hand clutching the bottle against Wang Chen’s chest, and shifted He Xun’s foot back so that when time resumed, he would stumble and plunge the bottle into Wang Chen.

Once finished, Liusheng whispered to the motionless Wang Chen, “Forgive me. This way, Liu Meng will always be yours. I don’t know why I’m doing this—I don’t want to lose her, but I can’t stand seeing those who hurt her go unpunished.”

He returned to his seat, pocketed the gloves, and let time flow.

Just as Liusheng envisioned, He Xun stumbled forward, the broken wine bottle driving into Wang Chen’s chest. Wang Chen, wounded, grasped He Xun’s hand with both of his, gasping, “Still insist it wasn’t you?”

Liusheng and Ren Xiadong watched as Wang Chen’s clothes became soaked with blood. Liusheng delivered a flying kick to He Xun, knocking him away, while the four bodyguards moved to help.

But Liusheng shouted, “If you interfere, you’ll answer for it with your lives!”

The bodyguards, understanding the implications—if Wang Chen died because of them, they’d be finished—hesitated.

As Wang Chen began to collapse, Liusheng rushed to support him. “Call an ambulance!” he barked at the bodyguards.

Seeing Wang Chen covered in blood, He Xun instinctively tried to flee. Ren Xiadong moved to stop him, but Liusheng grabbed his arm. “Don’t chase him. Wang Chen’s safety comes first. With the power of the North-South Group, He Xun won’t get far.”

…

At the hospital, many prominent individuals gathered to visit Wang Chen, who had just come out of surgery.

Liusheng and Ren Xiadong sat in the corridor, waiting for Liu Meng to arrive.

A middle-aged couple approached them. The man said, “Thank you, both of you. If you hadn’t brought my son to the hospital in time, the Wang family would have been left without an heir.”

From his words, Liusheng recognized them as Wang Chen’s parents, the owners of the North-South Group.

Wang Chen’s mother added, “Kind young men, what do you want as a reward? How can I ever thank you?”

Seeing their agitation, Liusheng replied, “Mr. Wang, I am the owner of Liuyao World Animation. Our work is screened in your North-South cinemas. I ask nothing in return—besides, Wang Chen and I are friends. Helping a friend requires no repayment. As long as Wang Chen is safe, that’s enough.”

Wang Chen’s parents, realizing who he was, sized him up. Mr. Wang said, “Good—so young and successful. I’ve seen your work. You have a promising future. With you as a friend, I can rest assured for my son.”

Liusheng probed, “We thought it was just a simple meal today, but who could have predicted that bastard He Xun would attack Wang Chen? Now who knows where He Xun has run off to…”

Before he could finish, Mr. Wang snarled, “We’ll make the He family pay in blood! A hundred, a thousand times over!”

Hearing this, Liusheng finally felt at ease. He had done this last thing for Liu Meng. Looking through the window at Wang Chen lying on the hospital bed, he whispered, “Wang Chen, please pull through. Get well soon.”

Just then, Liu Meng arrived, breathless with worry. “How is Wang Chen?” she asked.

Liusheng pointed silently to Wang Chen’s room.

Watching Liu Meng rush in, Liusheng felt another pang of sorrow. In that moment, he realized he had lost Liu Meng forever. But everything he had done was for her sake. He understood that by acting thus, he would lose her and that she and Wang Chen would be together, beyond any hope of return.