Chapter 23: Paying for Frustration

After a bout of laughter and commotion, the school arranged for people to bring over some stools. Shen Zixuan was the first to choose a spot. Since Cao Xun couldn’t sit next to Song Fei’er, he figured he’d sit beside Shen Zixuan instead—after all, she was in no way inferior to Song Fei’er. If anything, the two were evenly matched.

“You can’t sit here,” Shen Zixuan said, stopping Cao Xun just as he was about to take the seat.

“I’m sitting here today, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Cao Xun retorted, feeling disgruntled. Not being able to sit beside Song Fei’er was one thing, but now even the new transfer student was rejecting him—how humiliating!

Determined, Cao Xun plopped down next to her regardless.

The classmates watched all this unfold, many of them regarding Cao Xun with disdain. But he couldn’t care less; anyone who challenged him would just have to be subdued by force.

“Fine, you sit. I’ll just find another spot,” Shen Zixuan said, standing up and leaving through the other aisle.

Watching her walk away, Cao Xun ground his teeth in frustration, but there was little he could do.

Shen Zixuan found another seat and beckoned to Wang Peng. He hurried over, eager and excited—after all, it was the first time such a beauty had sought him out.

“Hey, is there something you need?” Wang Peng asked, barely able to contain his excitement.

“Just sit beside me,” Shen Zixuan replied coolly.

The whole class buzzed with excitement—this beauty actually wanted Wang Peng to sit next to her, and everyone looked on with envy.

“Sure, sure!” Wang Peng quickly placed his books on the desk next to Shen Zixuan, as if afraid she might change her mind.

Truth be told, the reason Shen Zixuan had chosen Wang Peng as her seatmate was that she wanted to ask him about Yang Le, to find out what kind of person he really was.

Not wanting to sit beside Cao Xun, Shen Zixuan left him to Wu Qian, who was only too eager to take the spot. As for Master Shi, he was left to sit alone.

Once the seating was sorted, Zhang Xinjie handed out books to the new students and then left. Not long after, the subject teacher arrived.

“Lele, surprised? Excited?” Fang Jing, unable to focus on the lesson, poked the studious Yang Le and whispered to him.

“A little, I suppose. But what does it matter? Pay attention in class; we can talk later,” Yang Le replied. Although he was now wealthy, he still believed in the value of studying hard.

Seeing Yang Le so absorbed in his books, Fang Jing gave up on talking to him and started entertaining herself.

Song Fei’er, having noticed Fang Jing’s special request to sit beside Yang Le—and her success in doing so—couldn’t help but glance back at their seats from time to time. She happened to witness Fang Jing poking Yang Le, which immediately made her suspicious about the two.

Even after their brief exchange ended, Song Fei’er kept glancing back at them.

Bored, Fang Jing decided to scope out the classroom for handsome boys and pretty girls. The moment she looked up, her eyes locked with Song Fei’er’s. After a brief, silent battle of gazes, Song Fei’er looked away first.

“Hey, isn’t she the one whose father invited you to dinner at their house yesterday?” Fang Jing nudged Yang Le and discreetly pointed at Song Fei’er.

“Yes, is there a problem?” Yang Le replied openly, puzzled—he didn’t recall telling Fang Jing about this. How did she know? He remembered Song Fei’er’s look had been tinged with envy just now; how could Fang Jing not have noticed?

The one most frustrated was Wang Peng. When Shen Zixuan invited him to sit with her, he’d thought he’d have a chance to get close to her. But since class began, she hadn’t paid him any attention. He had tried to strike up a conversation, only to be met with a cold glare that promptly shut him up.

The morning passed quickly, and soon it was lunchtime. As soon as the bell rang, a crowd of students rushed to the cafeteria. Yang Le, however, was in no hurry; there would still be food left even if he went a little later.

He casually ordered a few dishes and found a seat. Those who had been treated to Yang Le’s lavish meals before all flocked to sit near him, eager to build a good relationship and perhaps benefit from his generosity again.

No sooner had Yang Le set his tray down than Song Fei’er arrived with hers. The others immediately made room for her, allowing her to sit directly across from Yang Le. The two, however, said nothing to each other—clearly, the awkwardness from that evening still lingered.

Shortly after, Fang Jing and Shen Zixuan approached with their trays. Seeing Fang Jing eyeing Yang Le, the other students deduced she wanted to sit next to him and made space for both girls.

With Fang Jing and Shen Zixuan now seated, the rest of the class looked on with envy. Was Yang Le blessed or what—three beauties at his table! But there was nothing they could do except vent their feelings on their cafeteria food.

At that moment, Cao Xun and his lackeys made their way over. Despite his grudge against Yang Le—and the fact that two of the girls at the table clearly didn’t like him, and the third remained an unknown quantity—Cao Xun was convinced that if he put in enough effort, Song Fei’er would eventually be his.

He’d heard about Yang Le's background—just someone who’d won the lottery. No wonder he could afford a pair of Patek Philippe couple’s watches. Only a nouveau riche would do such a thing.

However, as Cao Xun and his friends approached, no one offered them a place at the table.

Annoyed by their disregard, Cao Xun had no choice but to hand his tray to Wu Qian. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick wad of crisp hundred-yuan bills. Distributing one to each of the students seated beside Yang Le, he offered a hundred yuan per person. Given their family backgrounds, they gladly accepted the money—after all, they could simply move elsewhere to eat.

“You’re being stingy. If it were me, I’d have handed over the whole bundle and let them split it up. Still, for someone as broke as you, a hundred yuan per person isn’t bad,” Yang Le taunted, seeing Cao Xun buy his way into a seat.

Cao Xun had been feeling quite pleased with himself, relishing the chance to show off—something he could never do at his old private school, where everyone was wealthy. But provoked by Yang Le’s words, he threw the entire bundle of cash to the group.

“Take it and share among yourselves, but give us your seats first,” Cao Xun declared. The group quickly grabbed the money and left, afraid he might change his mind.

“Who’s this rich kid?” someone exclaimed.

“Handsome!” another gushed.

“Handsome? More like an idiot,” a third scoffed.

“I suppose you’re right—it does seem a bit foolish,” someone agreed after a moment’s thought.

The cafeteria buzzed with talk after Cao Xun’s display. He basked in the attention, believing that with enough of it, he’d never lack for female admirers.

Indeed, plenty of girls were eyeing him, Zhou Meng among them. She wasn’t eating with Song Fei’er today because she was sitting with Li Yifei.

Li Yifei had also been observing Yang Le’s table. Though he couldn’t hear their conversation, it was clear to him that Cao Xun and Yang Le were at odds.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, Li Yifei thought, deciding to warm up to Cao Xun after lunch.

Truth be told, Cao Xun hadn’t wanted to eat in the cafeteria, but with Song Fei’er there, he’d followed along. Now that he’d handed over all that cash, he felt a twinge of regret—he’d have to ask his family for more money, and they’d surely accuse him of spending recklessly. Still, the rush of having done it made him feel it was worth it.

“Yang Le, I’m done eating,” Song Fei’er said just as Cao Xun was about to sit down.

“I’m done too, let’s go,” Yang Le replied, taking her empty tray and strolling away at a leisurely pace.

In truth, Yang Le had finished eating long before Cao Xun arrived; he’d only stayed to watch Cao Xun put on his little cash show.

Cao Xun was left feeling thoroughly deflated—he’d spent ten thousand yuan just to buy a seat, hoping for a conversation with Song Fei’er, only for her to leave the moment he sat down. Not even a second together, let alone a few minutes—how humiliating.

Still, the presence of the two other beauties at the table provided some consolation.

“Zixuan, are you done? Having Master Shi here is such an appetite killer. We might as well stop eating,” Fang Jing said. In truth, both she and Shen Zixuan had lost their appetites for cafeteria food—Yang Le’s home-cooked meals had spoiled them.

Cao Xun felt miserable. When had he ever been so unwelcome? And all because of Yang Le.

He realized he needed to come up with a plan to deal with Yang Le. If the tiger doesn’t bare its fangs, does Yang Le really think he’s a sick little kitten?

Seeing Cao Xun’s predicament, Li Yifei chuckled and walked over, handing his tray to his underling. Zhou Meng followed at his side, holding his arm as if she were his girlfriend.

Though they weren’t officially a couple yet, they’d gone out for dinner on Sunday, had a few drinks, and Zhou Meng had feigned drunkenness—leading to a long, private “chat about life.”

So why had Zhou Meng set her sights on Cao Xun now? She felt Li Yifei wasn’t generous enough. After their rendezvous on Sunday, she’d asked him to buy her a bag worth just ten or twenty thousand, but he’d refused. Li Yifei couldn’t afford it, while Cao Xun could easily toss out ten thousand without a second thought.

Li Yifei, stung by Yang Le’s extravagance, had impulsively spent all the money his father had given him on a car, leaving nothing for Zhou Meng’s bag.

“Cao Xun, hello! I’m Li Yifei, we’re in the same class. Frankly, Yang Le is insufferable, but he’s just a lucky loser who won the lottery. What’s so special about him? He spent over two hundred thousand on a single meal. At that rate, he’ll burn through his money in no time and be back where he started,” Li Yifei declared, making it clear whose side he was on.

“So you hate that guy too? Let’s find somewhere to have a proper chat,” Cao Xun said, linking arms with Li Yifei as they headed outside.