Chapter 013: Once Out of the Hotel, We're Strangers—Just Another Toad

Song Kai heard the shouting and turned his head. In an alley, two men were grappling with each other—one a bespectacled middle-aged man, the other a young fellow. They were fighting over a wallet. It was obvious the young man was the thief.

Song Kai quickly ran over. With a thud, the middle-aged man was knocked to the ground, the young thief having kicked him in the chest.

“Uncle, are you all right?” Song Kai asked as he rushed over.

The man waved his hand, pointing at the escaping thief. “Quick, go after him! That guy just stole a girl’s wallet.”

“Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

Song Kai took off after the thief at lightning speed. The thief was surprisingly quick, and realizing he couldn’t catch up right away, Song Kai swung his backpack off his shoulder and hurled it at the thief’s back.

The thief fell flat on the ground.

“You little punk, stealing in broad daylight! Cry your heart out at the police station!” Song Kai strode over and gave the thief a kick.

The thief immediately fell to his knees. “Brother, please don’t call the police! Please, this is my first time, I swear! I had no choice. Look, I work for Express Wind delivery. Last week, I broke a client’s computer and my company’s making me pay for it. I’m desperate, that’s why I tried stealing! I have an eighty-year-old mother at home and three little kids to feed. I’m at the end of my rope!”

The thief wept, pulling open his jacket to reveal the uniform of an Express Wind courier.

Song Kai felt the man might actually be telling the truth. After a moment’s hesitation, he took out a thousand yuan, tossed it to the thief, and said, “Take this, but give me the wallet and the phone.”

Li Dong stared at the money on the ground, stunned and suddenly ashamed. He handed the wallet and the phone to Song Kai, stood up, and muttered, “Sorry, brother. I lied to you just now. I… I… Thank you.”

With that, Li Dong left the money where it was and took off running.

Song Kai watched Li Dong disappear, puzzled, but thought no more of it. He picked up the money, put it away, and returned to the mouth of the alley.

The middle-aged man, seeing his belongings returned, praised Song Kai before riding off on his electric scooter.

“Thank you, thank you so much!” a beautiful female student came over, expressing her gratitude to Song Kai.

As Song Kai turned, their eyes met—and both were lost for words.

“It’s you!” Song Kai broke into a smile. This was the same woman who had spent the previous night with him in the hotel!

Now, Liu Miaoyu was dressed in the school uniform of Tengyun No.1 High. Though not as dazzling as when she wore a dress, she still exuded a sweet charm.

Liu Miaoyu had meant to thank him, but seeing that it was Song Kai, her face flushed red. She snatched her wallet and phone from his hands and hurried off without a word.

“Hey, hey! What’s wrong with you? It’s me, Song Kai! Have you forgotten?” Song Kai followed close behind. “I didn’t expect you to be a student at Tengyun No.1 High too! Last time you even lied to me about it. By the way, what’s your name?”

Liu Miaoyu, fuming, strode toward the school gate. She was genuinely at her wits’ end—not only did she not know how to face Song Kai, her one-night-stand classmate, but ever since he had touched her, she’d even dreamt about him and relived the sensations that went bone-deep!

My God, I’m a girl! How can I be so shameless?

Song Kai trailed after her, still asking, “Which class are you in? I’m in Class Three, Senior Year. Seems like fate, huh? Oh, and those people who tried to set you up—did you ever find them?”

“Shut up!” Liu Miaoyu suddenly spun around, glaring at him.

Other students passing by turned to stare at her outburst.

Song Kai was taken aback. “Hey, do you not recognize me? Did you forget, just two nights ago, we—”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Who was with you? I don’t know you! Stop following me or I’ll call the security guards!” Liu Miaoyu shot him a glare and dashed into the school without so much as a backward glance.

Song Kai scratched his head, feeling frustrated. Damn, this girl is really ungrateful. Last time I did her a favor and restrained myself all night, and today I went out of my way to get her phone back, yet she ignores me!

“Hahaha, just another of Liu Miaoyu’s admirers.”

“Hey, Liu Miaoyu’s a school beauty. Even in that plain school uniform, she’s got a line of admirers, and they’re all good-looking. This guy’s dreaming.”

“Toads everywhere—let’s go, class is starting.”

The students around mocked and left.

The sound of their ridicule left Song Kai even more speechless. Truly, no good deed goes unpunished.

“Don’t just stand there like a fool, toad.” A woman’s voice called out.

Song Kai turned to see his deskmate, Zhou Ran.

She wore a pair of jeans that accentuated her long, round legs and shapely figure.

“What toad?” Song Kai muttered.

Zhou Ran kicked him lightly. “Aren’t you? Look at you—your dad’s bankrupt, you have nothing, you’re not handsome, your grades are terrible, and you’re weak and timid—anyone can bully you. You think you have a shot at Liu Miaoyu? She’s the school goddess, always ranked first, and has admirers from two whole classes.”

Song Kai scratched his head. “Is that so? She’s that famous? I wasn’t trying to pursue her, I just—”

“Save it! Idiot, I still haven’t settled the score with you for taking advantage of me the other night!” Zhou Ran glared, glanced at the time, and said, “Hurry up, we’re going to be late.”

Song Kai replied with an “oh” and hurried along with her toward the classroom.

At the classroom door stood their homeroom teacher, Ma Bo, a bald man keeping watch.

“Sorry, teacher, I overslept today,” Zhou Ran said.

Ma Bo beamed. “No problem, no problem. Don’t study so hard you lose sleep. Go on in.”

Without a change of expression, Zhou Ran walked inside.

Song Kai followed.

“You, get back out here!” Ma Bo grabbed Song Kai. “What’s wrong with you? Look at the time! Morning reading’s started and you’re just arriving! Playing games all night at home? Don’t you know you’re disturbing the other students? Listen, Song Kai, either behave in my class or get out! My class doesn’t accept trash like you!”

Song Kai was dumbfounded. What the hell? He and Zhou Ran arrived together, but this idiot smiled at Zhou Ran and turned around to curse him out!

He hadn’t wanted any trouble. He just wanted two peaceful months to prepare for the college entrance exam and marry Xu Ling.

But Ma Bo, this bald fool, was too much!

“Who are you calling trash?” Song Kai could no longer bear it. He looked Ma Bo straight in the eye. “A teacher like you? Cursing students without knowing the facts—how can you call yourself an educator?”

Ma Bo’s face darkened. He jabbed a finger at Song Kai’s forehead. “So you dare talk back to your teacher? I’ll call your parents! Oh, I forgot, your parents are dead. I’ll call your relatives then! My class doesn’t take in your kind. Don’t come to class today! Get lost!”

Song Kai let out a cold laugh.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with glasses and his hands behind his back walked over. “What’s going on here?”

Ma Bo turned, saw it was Vice Principal Wang Qinglin, who was in charge of teacher evaluation, and immediately shrank back, nodding obsequiously. “Principal Wang, it’s nothing. Just talking to a student about life and study. The pressure in senior year is high—I may have raised my voice. Song Kai, go back to class. This doesn’t concern you.”

Song Kai looked up in surprise—wasn’t this the same bespectacled man who’d been kicked by the thief earlier? Who’d have thought he was the vice principal, and even rode an electric scooter to work.

Song Kai pretended not to recognize him and raised his voice. “Mr. Ma, you haven’t apologized to me yet. I won’t go back to class. As a teacher, you called me trash without knowing the reason for my lateness, accused me of playing games—don’t you owe me an apology?”

Ma Bo grew anxious, shooting Song Kai desperate looks.

Song Kai stared back righteously. “What are you winking at me for? I have no idea what you mean.”

Wang Qinglin frowned. “What happened here? You, tell me.”

Ma Bo coughed nervously. “Song Kai, don’t spout nonsense in front of the principal! The consequences will be serious.”

“Hmph, but it wasn’t serious when you called me trash!” Song Kai shot back.

Wang Qinglin turned to Ma Bo sternly. “Mr. Ma, as a teacher, how can you insult your students? Do you realize you’re violating the teachers’ code of conduct? This could be a minor matter if you apologize and the student forgives you. But if it’s serious, you could lose your teaching credentials! And as for this student—he was late because he was chasing a thief and doing a good deed. Did you bother to ask why he was late?”

Ma Bo was frightened. He quickly turned to Song Kai. “Song Kai, I spoke out of turn. Please forgive your teacher, all right?”

Song Kai raised his head. “What was that, Mr. Ma? I didn’t hear you—the volume’s a little low.”

“I—” Ma Bo gritted his teeth and decided to endure it. He knew Wang Qinglin’s reputation for strictness—if things escalated, he’d be in real trouble.

Loudly, Ma Bo said, “I apologize to you, Song Kai. Please forgive me!”

Song Kai nodded, then strode into the classroom.

Everyone stared at him in astonishment—Ma Bo’s apology had been loud enough for all to hear.

“Whoa, is Song Kai crazy?”

“He’s got guts now, making the bald homeroom teacher apologize like that.”

“Did you guys notice? Song Kai and Zhou Ran came in together, both late!”

“Do you think Song Kai and Zhou Ran are… you know… involved?”

And so on.