Shen Xiyan calmly adjusted his sleeves, a faint smile on his lips.
“So, what do you want to talk about?”
Qin Ge, emboldened by the crowd behind him, looked at him with scorn.
“I heard you’re my sister’s boyfriend?”
“That’s what I’ve heard too…”
Shen Xiyan couldn’t help but marvel at the gap between fantasy and reality.
In fantasies, it’s always something like this: while out on a morning jog in the park, you stumble upon a retired, high-ranking elder suddenly collapsing from a heart attack—and just so happen to know CPR.
Or because of a minor misunderstanding, you and the untouchable campus goddess become bickering lovers.
Or maybe you’re just a delinquent coasting through school, yet still manage to win the affection of the school belle and a gorgeous teacher.
But reality?
Reality was being cornered by a brat.
Truly, “enemies meet with blazing eyes.”
In his previous life, Shen Xiyan had already sensed Qin Ge’s hostility the moment he started dating Qin Sheng.
Back then, he hadn’t thought much of it. If it had been Wenwen in a relationship, he’d probably be so overprotective it’d be lethal. So he brushed it off as sibling affection—nothing they’d actually act on.
But he soon found out that they were a blended family, and from Qin Sheng’s own mouth, he learned how much she loathed Qin Ge.
It escalated quickly. Qin Ge didn’t just come looking for trouble—he even started blocking Wenwen after school.
The first time it happened, he frightened her half to death.
When Shen Xiyan found out, he charged straight over and beat the crap out of him.
Of course, without any evidence, the accusations didn’t hold up. Instead, he got slapped with a warning for “unprovoked assault.”
And that was only because Qin Sheng had pleaded on his behalf. Otherwise, with that stepmother’s temperament, she’d have egged the principal on to expel him on the spot.
Qin Sheng had scolded him afterward, upset he hadn’t told her beforehand.
Qin Ge might’ve been a kid, but he’d grown up absorbing all the toxic power games around him. He understood perfectly how to bully under the shield of authority.
Shen Xiyan’s kind of direct retaliation only made things harder on himself.
From that point on, the paper-thin sibling bond between Qin Sheng and Qin Ge began to fracture. After more than ten years of pretending, they simply… stopped.
Logically, Qin Ge should’ve realized he was in the wrong. Who Qin Sheng dated—or whether she even dated at all—had nothing to do with him. What, was he planning to marry his own sister?
Same father, different mothers.
Dream on.
But reality was worse: not only did Qin Ge not reflect, he doubled down—piling all the blame for their broken sibling bond squarely onto Shen Xiyan’s shoulders.
By the time they got to college, Qin Ge’s courage had fattened up along with him. The goons he recruited were more seasoned too.
At first, it was just a couple of thugs waiting along Shen Xiyan’s night class route. After he beat them all down, it became three. Then four.
Shen Xiyan could handle them easily. He didn’t even bother telling Qin Sheng—he didn’t want her blamed for “taking sides” again. With Qin Ge, it was obvious what he was thinking.
As for going to the police? Please. Qin Ge called those thugs uncle.
This went on for months—until one day, Qin Sheng stepped in.
Soon after, Qin Ge ended up with both his legs broken.
And then came his fall from grace—no place left to call home.
Qin Sheng’s father might’ve stood by her… but only her.
To him, Shen Xiyan was just some unwanted wild card. No way he’d ever compare to his precious son.
So really, how could Shen Xiyan not love a girl like her?
Every time they talked about breaking up, it was Shen Xiyan who hesitated more.
“You’re seriously her boyfriend?” Qin Ge’s disbelief was growing. But the rumors online had only gotten more and more vivid, too real to ignore.
“Even if I said I wasn’t, would you believe me?” Shen Xiyan glanced in the direction Lin Ci had left, adjusted his angle, and added, “Whatever you want to say, make it quick. I’m in a hurry.”
“Stay the hell away from her.”
“That’s not really up to me. She’s the one who came after me… Honestly, I’m at my wits’ end. Why don’t you try talking her out of it?”
“Bullshit! As if my sister would ever fall for you!”
“Well, the testimonies on the forum don’t lie. Your sister didn’t just fall for me—she kissed me. Forcefully.”
“Say that again and I’ll end you!”
Shen Xiyan raised an eyebrow. “Been running with street thugs so long you’re bringing their tricks to school now?”
Qin Ge grinned darkly. “You think I won’t beat you up? I can knock you down and nothing will happen to me. Want to test it?”
“Oh, I believe you.”
Because the rules? They’re written by the strong.
And while rules might look fair, they always do two things: restrain the weak and protect the powerful.
Same fight, different results—For Shen Xiyan, it was expulsion.
For Qin Ge, just a polite “Hey, Uncle.”
“But with that tone of yours?” Shen Xiyan’s expression darkened. “You’re pissing me off.”
“Not my problem. So, one last time—are you backing off or not?”
“I told you. It’s not my decision.”
“Qin Ge, what’s with all the yapping? Just beat him up and he’ll shut up. There’s so many of us—what’s there to be afraid of? Just remember to take the blame after!”
With that, the fat guy at the front charged Shen Xiyan and slapped him—so hard he flew backward.
But oddly, the guy didn’t look smug—just stunned.
He’d felt it: Shen Xiyan was deceptively lean, but built like steel. That slap had been blocked. He’d acted like he was sent flying.
What was he playing at?
Meanwhile, Qin Sheng caught up to Song Wan, cutting her off.
“Song Wan! What the hell was that just now?!”
Song Wan raised her hand and gave her a light slap. “Call me Sister.”
“Song Wan!”
“I don’t know what crap you’ve been through at home, but if you’re trying to get revenge on your dad like this, then seriously, stop. You’re just degrading yourself.”
Song Wan thought she knew Qin Sheng well. Even if this was “love at first sight,” it felt too impulsive, too extreme—like she was acting out, venting.
That’s why she was being so cold and decisive.
“I really like him,” Qin Sheng snapped. “So stop being all snide and weird around him!”
“Oh? And I somehow didn’t notice?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.” Qin Sheng scoffed. “Do I have to report everything to you? Even my love life?”
“But I’ve been watching you constantly. Yesterday was definitely your first meeting. And now you’re already kissing him? Wow. Romantic.”
“Mind your own damn business.”
Song Wan dropped her teasing and spoke sternly.
“I’m just warning you. First loves never end well. Especially for someone like you. I’m not saying don’t be reckless—but know when to stop.”
“You’re so annoying! I like him, end of story!”
“Then what do you like about him?”
“I can’t find a single thing I don’t like. Satisfied? I can’t live without him. It’s not the other way around!”
For a second, Song Wan felt an ache in her chest.
She looked closely.
Was it just her imagination, or had Qin Sheng completely changed?
She used to always keep her guard up, icy and distant.
Now she glowed—eyes shining, smiles blooming from every angle—like joy and warmth were overflowing from inside her.
“You’ve really gone off the deep end… Just move out of that house already.”
Qin Sheng sneered. “And go where? Run to the woman who didn’t want me?”
Song Wan sighed deeply. “She couldn’t beat your dad back then—”
“Then she shouldn’t have left!” Qin Sheng shouted. “She abandoned me! Made me call another woman Mom! And now she regrets it? Where the hell was she when I needed her?!”
“Those are adult problems. I’m not arguing with you… Anyway, I think I just saw Qin Ge heading toward your ‘little boyfriend’ with a whole group of guys…”
Qin Sheng: “???”
In the woods.
Qin Ge’s lackeys, seeing Fatty land the first blow, all swarmed in like hyenas.
“Stop hitting me! Please—stop!”
Shen Xiyan shouted, but rather than retreat, he stepped in.
As a punch flew toward his face, he dodged—and countered with a sharp right hook to the gut.
Thud!
The guy staggered back, collapsing on the ground and dry-heaving.
Shen Xiyan was about to finish him off when more came charging in.
If this were the old Shen Xiyan, he probably would’ve panicked and curled up on the ground. But now, he moved like an eel, dodging and weaving through the crowd.
A punch to the face here, a kick to the shin there—Within seconds, he had dropped seven or eight of them without so much as a scratch.
The truth?
These punks were all talk. Wild swings and brute numbers.
Shen Xiyan? He was trained. These kids were child’s play.
They didn’t even have the guts to trade blow for blow.
All spoiled rich kids—once they got hit, they just wailed on the ground.
Shen Xiyan turned to Qin Ge with a smile.
He wasn’t some noble hero who would just walk away.
What heroism? That was just avoiding consequences.
He was here to finish this.
He slowed his pace, each step deliberate, each one crushing down on Qin Ge’s nerves.
Then, with no warning, he raised his hand and smacked the arrogant brat across the face.
SLAP!
Qin Ge stumbled, dazed.
“You mother—!” he roared, lunging with a flying kick.
But Shen Xiyan moved like lightning—counter-kicked, even faster, straight to the stomach.
Qin Ge flew back, curled up, gasping, eyes red with fury.
“You like bullying the weak?” Shen Xiyan sneered. “Ever heard of self-defense?”
Let’s see how you punish me this time.
Like Qin Sheng once said: Qin Ge wasn’t that capable, wasn’t that clever, and worst of all, he was a sick pervert with twisted feelings toward his sister.
Aside from sucking up to their dad, all he ever did was throw his weight around.
You think I’ll let you touch Wenwen?
I’ve been dying to beat you up.