Liu Yunqi’s body slowly relaxed, settling into the crook of his arm. Enveloped by his presence, the frantic rhythm of her heart gradually calmed.

“What are you looking at?” Liu Yunqi asked, though she already knew. She looked up at his high-bridged nose and suddenly realized he was, objectively, quite attractive.

“I’m looking to see what makes your face different from others,” Zhong Yun’s voice was level, carrying a slight, pleasing resonance.

“What’s different?” Liu Yunqi inquired, her eyes drifting to his lips. Intrigued, she began tracing the faint vertical lines etched there.

“Nothing much different.” Zhong Yun reached out, brushing the hair back from her forehead, revealing skin that gleamed with an alabaster luster. He then lightly tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger. “The same set of eyebrows, two eyes, one nose, one mouth.”

He concluded, “No different from an ordinary person.” As he spoke, the pad of his thumb gently grazed her cheek, slick and smooth as if handling the finest pearl powder.

He murmured, half-questioning her, half-questioning himself, “Why can’t I get you out of my mind?”

Liu Yunqi caught his hand and pressed it against her own face, closing her eyes to savor the slight roughness of his large palm.

Time seemed to halt in that instant.

After a long pause, Liu Yunqi softly said, “Let’s go.”

Zhong Yun didn't move, only tightening his hold on the arm cradling her.

She turned her delicate head and pressed her lips briefly against his palm. “Class is starting soon.”

Zhong Yun used his hand to smooth out a few strands of her dark hair before finally nodding with satisfaction. “Let’s go.”

He escorted her all the way to the entrance of the Conservatory of Music. Only when he saw her safely inside did Zhong Yun turn to leave. He deliberately acted as if he hadn't noticed the large crowd gathered near the gate.

However, his indifference did not mean the crowd would ignore him.

A tall, handsome young man stepped forward and blocked Zhong Yun’s path. He was almost half a head taller than Zhong Yun, standing with his arms crossed, looking down at him with undisguised disdain.

“Are you the kid claiming to be Liu Yunqi’s boyfriend?”

“No,” Zhong Yun replied, not sparing him a glance, hands tucked into his pockets. He tried to step around, but the man shifted instantly to intercept him again. “Move aside. Stop blocking the way.”

“You Moon Lake kid are quite arrogant,” the tall youth sneered, his disdain deepening. He barked, “You coward, you won’t admit it in front of me?”

A burst of mocking laughter erupted from the surrounding students.

“Boring,” Zhong Yun remarked, using his little finger to nonchalantly clean his ear.

The tall youth flared up, taking a threatening step forward. “What did you say?”

Ignoring the blatant threat, Zhong Yun flicked his finger outward. “If you don’t clear off, I might start kicking people.”

“You’re asking for death.” Veins pulsed visibly on the tall youth’s forehead; he was enraged to the point of fury and thrust his hand towards Zhong Yun’s shoulder.

Before his hand could connect, a sharp kick landed squarely on his shin. “Ow!” he yelped, stumbling back several steps before landing hard on his backside.

The crowd erupted. “Too aggressive!” “How dare he fight on Mingzhu School grounds!” “Beat him up!”...

Zhong Yun had effectively stirred up a hornet’s nest. Though he hadn’t initiated the conflict, the students from Mingzhu School, who already disliked him, were certainly not taking his side.

Sensing the mood turning sour, Zhong Yun turned and bolted. A large group shouted and gave chase behind him.

Damn it. Do they really think I’m scared of them? Zhong Yun felt frustrated. If he hadn't been trying to avoid escalating things and instead just taking them all down, when had he ever been chased so embarrassingly?

With the running proficiency honed from training at the base, these ordinary high school students from Mingzhu couldn't hope to keep up even if they galloped.

But Zhong Yun was deep in hostile territory. Some of the chasers, acting cleverly, yelled loudly, distracting and diverting other students ahead of Zhong Yun into intercepting him.

Zhong Yun expended significant effort just to escape the Mingzhu School grounds, crossing the main road back toward his own campus. The Mingzhu pursuers, high on adrenaline, actually chased him right onto the grounds of Yuehu Academy.

Just as Zhong Yun let out a breath of relief, seeing the Mingzhu group relentlessly following, a surge of anger flooded him, hardening his resolve: Dare to chase me onto my turf? They really don't know how to live.

He sprinted forward again, the Mingzhu contingent hooting and yelling as they caught up.

Some Yuehu Academy students who hadn't understood what was happening suddenly became incensed. The Mingzhu people were being too presumptuous, bullying someone right onto their territory.

Zhong Yun darted quickly, then slowly, leading the pack toward the large sports field. He knew classes would likely be holding outdoor physical education sessions at this hour.

Indeed, on the open field, many students were preparing for P.E. When they suddenly saw Zhong Yun running in, closely followed by a large group wearing Mingzhu School uniforms, they instantly exploded with agitation.

Yuehu Academy students being chased aggressively by a crowd of outsiders on Yuehu grounds? Unacceptable. Without a word, the Yuehu students surged forward and encircled the Mingzhu group.

“You dare cause trouble on Yuehu Academy grounds? You must be tired of living!” A particularly sturdy boy stepped forward and roared.

The group from Mingzhu, numbering about twenty, had been so caught up in the excitement of the chase that they hadn't realized they had crossed the boundary until this moment. Seeing their precarious situation, they exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to respond.

Zhong Yun seized the opportunity to slip away quietly. He reached his classroom and, miraculously, hadn't been late. Thinking about the fate awaiting the twenty-odd Mingzhu students, he finally vented the frustration of being chased for several blocks.

Unless the Mingzhu boys surrendered immediately, the numerical superiority and moral high ground of the Yuehu students meant they wouldn't let this go easily. But given the pride of Mingzhu students, admitting defeat to their sworn rivals would be worse than death.

It was bound to be an excellent spectacle. Zhong Yun felt a flicker of regret; if he hadn't been the catalyst, he wouldn't have missed watching this drama unfold.

After school, Zhong Yun finally heard the full account. The two groups had indeed nearly come to blows. Had teachers not arrived in time, it would have escalated into a brawl—no, a massacre, hundreds against twenty-odd.

But the feud was sealed. The students of the two schools had always been on shaky terms, and now this was pouring gasoline on the fire, turning them into true, irreconcilable enemies.

As for the initial cause, it no longer mattered. Zhong Yun, the instigator, wasn't identified. Only that tall youth, whom Zhong Yun had kicked and who now harbored a hatred that ran bone-deep, would remember.

Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to visit Liu Yunqi at Mingzhu School anytime soon. Given the current tense atmosphere between the two schools, his appearance would guarantee another confrontation.

Instead of going straight home, Zhong Yun headed toward the renowned Financial Street near the city center avenue, where nearly every major financial institution in the country had an office.

The branch office for Omni-Union Bank was surprisingly humble. If the address hadn’t been correct, Zhong Yun would never have believed this place handled interstellar financial transactions.

ZER’s account was registered on Freedom Star; this was the only place in the entire country money could be transferred from.

There wasn't even an automatic door. Pushing the door open, Zhong Yun found no customers inside. Behind the counter, a figure was slumped over, seemingly asleep. “Uh, excuse me?” Zhong Yun called out. The person finally lifted their head with drowsy eyes—a man in his mid-thirties.

“Excuse me, is this the Omni-Union Bank Davao branch?” Zhong Yun asked tentatively.

“That’s right,” the man yawned. “What service do you need?”

“A transfer,” Zhong Yun felt a pang of anxiety. This man was hardly reassuring, considering he was about to move assets worth billions.

“Where to?” the man asked.

“I want to transfer a sum of money from Freedom Star to Davao. Is that possible?” Zhong Yun inquired.

“No problem.” The man tapped the counter, and an option box floated into view before Zhong Yun. “Just follow the process displayed above.”

Zhong Yun looked it over. It seemed simple: just write down the Freedom Star account number and password, the Davao bank account number and password, and fill in the transfer amount.

Zhong Yun hesitated repeatedly, but trusting Xiao Ling, he filled in the details. Xiao Ling wouldn't make a mistake, right? Even if this branch and this clerk were questionable.

After completing the transfer, Zhong Yun rushed to the adjacent Davao National Bank. He checked the balance, confirming every cent was present, and only then did he truly relax.

Billions were not easily earned; Zhong Yun preferred to be cautious.

Returning home, he saw Xiao Ruo again. Not wanting to make things difficult for his mother, he greeted her casually. His mood was exceptionally buoyant after the qualitative leap in his relationship with Liu Yunqi today.

During dinner, Zhong Yun asked Xiao Ruo, “I heard there was almost a brawl involving students from our school.”

“Is that so?” Xiao Ruo looked at him with eyes like black gemstones. “I haven’t heard anything.”

Zhong Yun shrugged. “Just heard rumors. By the way, which class are you in?”

“Grade 10, Class One, same as Tianhai and the others,” Xiao Ruo replied. Her voice was different from Yunqi’s; it was soft, like a spring breeze, making one’s heart feel instantly gentle.

“And Yunqi? You’re at the same school, have you kept in touch?”

Xiao Ruo’s gemstone eyes dimmed slightly, and she shook her head. “She hasn’t seemed to come to school lately.”

“What was the fight about?” Yun Rong shrewdly picked up on the subtle shift in Xiao Ruo’s demeanor and steered the topic elsewhere.

“I’m not clear on the details, just what I overheard…”

The meal concluded in a harmonious atmosphere. Zhong Yun suddenly realized his parents seemed to have genuinely accepted Xiao Ruo as their daughter, treating her with a warmth they didn't extend to strangers.

Having an extra sister isn’t a bad thing, Zhong Yun thought.

After dinner, Zhong Yun followed his father into his room. “I have something I need to talk to you about.”

“Dad, is your company in some kind of trouble?” Zhong Yun asked, now seated in a chair.

“What do you mean, your company? Aren’t you a part of it?” Zhong Pingjiang was always cheerful around his son, who had returned from the dead.

“I have some money here. Take it to cover shortfalls for now,” Zhong Yun said, producing his bank card.

“No matter how useless I might be, I won’t spend my son’s money.” Zhong Pingjiang smiled, genuinely moved. “I know you’re filial, but I can handle the company’s issues.”

“This isn’t a gift for you,” Zhong Yun chuckled. “It’s a loan. You must pay it back within a year.”

Seeing his son’s determined stance, Zhong Pingjiang accepted the card, thinking: If I refuse, I might hurt my son’s filial heart. He didn't pay much attention to the amount, assuming a seventeen-year-old couldn't possibly have much private savings.

“You can waive the interest, but there’s one condition,” Zhong Yun stated seriously.

Zhong Pingjiang found it amusing. “Go ahead, what condition?”

“Don’t ask where this money came from.”

“Deal.”

P: We have guests at home today, so I’m not sure if I can post the next chapter on time. If it’s not up by 9:30, please don’t wait and check back tomorrow. Also, we were climbing to seventh place, but we’ve been overtaken again. Everyone, please put in more effort!