Chapter 21: Success

Twenty-three seconds.

After arriving at the garden, Xia He had been counting silently in her heart for exactly twenty-three seconds.

From the moment Lu Renjia spoke his first word until she caught sight of the figure running out of the teaching building from the corner of her eye, the timing was perfect—not a second more, not a second less. 

It was right at the limit she could accept.

If it had gone over thirty seconds, she might have been slightly annoyed. 

Fortunately, Jiang Yueming hadn’t made her wait too long.

She had deliberately agreed to come downstairs with Lu Renjia, doing so right in front of Jiang Yueming, just before Wen Xiaoyu blocked his path.

As she turned to head downstairs, she had glanced at Jiang Yueming’s expression over Wen Xiaoyu’s shoulder.

Unease. 

Impatience.

And a trace of confusion that was difficult to detect.

Perfect.

Xia He cheered softly in her heart.

Jiang Yueming had shown that expression for her once again—like a boy watching the girl he liked walk off with another guy, his chest tightening with jealousy.

Although he was still far from truly falling in love with her, at least it proved she already held a place in his heart.

A sweet feeling bloomed inside Xia He.

Jiang Yueming’s figure had already burst out of the teaching building and was rushing toward them. 

He was about to reach the garden entrance.

She watched his approaching figure for a few seconds, then looked up toward the third-floor corridor. 

Wen Xiaoyu had also leaned out, becoming one of the many spectators watching from the railing.

The curve at the corner of her mouth deepened.

“Lu Renjia, do you know why I’ve never paid any attention to you?”

Lu Renjia swallowed hard. He knew the answer wouldn’t be something he wanted to hear.

“It’s not because you have a girlfriend and still flirt with other girls,” Xia He tilted her head, her expression innocent and pure. 

“Nor is it because of those screenshots the girls posted in the group chat.”

At the word “screenshots,” Lu Renjia’s face paled a little more.

“It’s because,” Xia He took a step forward, closing the distance between them, “from beginning to end, you never had the right to make me look at you even once more.”

Her voice was quiet—only the two of them could hear it.

Lu Renjia had never expected Xia He to say something like this. After a brief moment of shock, rage surged through him.

“You! Who do you think you are? Does being the Young Miss of the Xia Family make you that special? You think…”

“I never thought I was anything special. You’re the one who thinks that.”

Xia He interrupted him calmly, her tone neither hurried nor slow.

“You think the title ‘Young Miss of the Xia Family’ is impressive, so you chase after me. You think Jiang Yueming’s family isn’t as wealthy as yours, so he’s unworthy. You think because your family background is good and you’re handsome, the entire world should like you.”

Xia He took another step forward. 

This time she crossed the safe distance, her shoe tip nearly touching his.

She looked up at Lu Renjia. Even though she had to tilt her head back, Lu Renjia felt as if she were looking down on him.

Those eyes gazing at him held neither anger nor disgust—only a faint, chilling layer of pity.

It was as if he had suddenly become a beggar by the roadside. 

Xia He happened to pass by and casually tossed two bills onto the ground out of pity.

“But without all of that, what are you really?”

“Without all of that, could you ‘conquer’ me—the Young Miss of the Xia Family—with your own ability the way you imagine?”

Lu Renjia’s pupils contracted sharply. 

A fire ignited in his chest, spreading through his body and arms, causing his fingers to clench tightly one by one.

“…Shut up.”

Seeing his expression growing more and more strained, Xia He smiled faintly. She ignored his trembling hands and continued.

“You’re nothing but a vain, narcissistic, and utterly clueless wretch.”

Lu Renjia finally snapped.

“I told you to shut up!”

His roar was loud. 

Everyone heard it, including the students in the teaching building.

In the next second, Xia He suddenly fell backward onto the ground. 

At the same time, a clear look of shock and resistance appeared on her face.

“What are you doing! Don’t touch me!”

An uproar erupted across the teaching building.

From a distance, Xia He’s fall looked as if Lu Renjia had suddenly lost control and violently pushed her to the ground.

The sudden scene left Lu Renjia stunned. He hadn’t touched her at all—she had fallen by herself.

“You…”

He instinctively reached out to help her up, but the moment his hand extended, he saw a faint, almost imperceptible smile hidden behind Xia He’s pitiful, delicate expression.

That eerie smile made his outstretched hand freeze in mid-air.

“Stop!”

A furious shout came from behind him. He turned around and saw Jiang Yueming running over, panting heavily.

Jiang Yueming charged forward much faster than Lu Renjia had anticipated. 

Before he could react, Jiang Yueming slammed into his shoulder, knocking him aside.

“Are you okay?”

Jiang Yueming crouched down, anxiously checking if Xia He was hurt. 

Xia He immediately grabbed his hand, her eyes full of lingering fear.

“He said he wanted me to have dinner with him tonight… I didn’t want to… so he suddenly tried to force me…”

Xia He’s voice trembled slightly.

She shrank into Jiang Yueming’s arms like a frightened rabbit.

Jiang Yueming gently patted her back and comforted her softly.

“It’s okay now. It’s okay.”

Lu Renjia stood two steps away. Upon hearing Xia He’s words, the anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by a dazed look as if he had been jolted awake from a dream.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Jiang Yueming had already turned around.

Jiang Yueming’s gaze moved from Xia He’s slightly trembling shoulders to Lu Renjia’s uncertain face. His eyes darkened little by little.

“What the hell did you want to do?”

“I didn’t do anything! She fell by herself. I never touched her!” Lu Renjia hurriedly tried to explain.

Almost the entire school’s attention was focused here. In an instant, he had become the villain who had assaulted a classmate in public.

Jiang Yueming clearly didn’t believe him. Seeing that he wouldn’t even admit what happened, his expression darkened further.

“I really didn’t push her!” 

Lu Renjia took another step forward, wanting Xia He to explain—that she had fallen on her own and it had nothing to do with him.

But the moment he stepped forward, Xia He immediately cried out, “Don’t come any closer!”

Lu Renjia looked over. 

Behind Jiang Yueming, where he couldn’t see, the supposedly trembling Xia He wore a completely different expression.

She hid behind Jiang Yueming, her cheeks flushed as she leaned against his back. 

Her breathing was deliberately soft and gentle.

But her eyes peered straight over Jiang Yueming’s shoulder at Lu Renjia. 

There was not a trace of fear in them—only that familiar look of pity, as if saying: You fell for it.

He saw Xia He look up in another direction. Following her gaze, he spotted the classmate who had blocked Jiang Yueming earlier.

Wen Xiaoyu, wasn’t it?

When he looked back, Jiang Yueming was protectively shielding Xia He behind him.

Xia He clutched tightly onto Jiang Yueming’s sleeve, gripping it as if afraid he would run away. 

Her grip was so strong that her knuckles had turned slightly white.

Along with her triumphant smile, all these scenes fell into Lu Renjia’s eyes.

For no reason at all, a chill rose in his heart.