When parents call their children by name without the surname, it’s usually fine. But when they use the full name—surname and all—it’s often a sign: something’s wrong.
You probably messed up, and if you’re unlucky, a scolding (or worse) is on the way.
Since yesterday, Qin Sheng had either been calling him “Xiyan” or the more affectionate “Classmate Shen Xiyan.” All were terms of endearment.
So when she suddenly blurted out “Shen Xiyan,” it caught him off guard. He froze.
“What is it?”
“Are you good at fighting?”
Qin Sheng stared at him intently, lips slightly pouted, a hint of complaint in her expression.
“I always thought you were a model student…”
So that’s what this is about.
Shen Xiyan let out a small breath of relief.
Did Qin Sheng ever care about that in their past life?
He didn’t recall her being bothered by it. Her preferences were always fluid—based on who he was at the moment.
So maybe she was just looking for a conversation starter?
Shen Xiyan rubbed his reddened knuckles. “Taking on a bunch of middle schoolers is no big deal.”
“But you didn’t look like a regular student just now. You moved like someone professionally trained.”
“You think this is a martial arts novel?” he chuckled. “They were just some street punks. I barely had to try. Didn’t you notice how they dropped to the ground after one punch and played dead?”
“No sense of dignity at all. If fists don’t work, they should’ve used their teeth. If not that, grab a brick!”
Qin Sheng smiled softly. “I see…”
“Alright! Could you two show a little respect for the victim here?” Song Wan interjected with a sharp tone.
“You beat up Qin Ge like that—his mom is definitely going to cause trouble.”
The bruises on Qin Ge’s face couldn’t be hidden, and that was the real problem.
“Your early romance is protected because of Qin Sheng—so you won’t get expelled. But a fight like that…”
“Relax,” Qin Sheng said confidently. “After what I just said to him, I promise he’ll swallow his pride and pretend nothing happened.”
Shen Xiyan nodded. “And I recorded the whole thing. It’s self-defense, right?”
“You recorded it?” Song Wan was visibly surprised.
Shen Xiyan nodded again, then walked over to a nearby tree—where Lin Ci had left—and retrieved his phone. He handed it to Song Wan.
At first, she was calm, thinking: At least he’s smart enough to collect evidence.
That way, even if Qin Ge’s mother tried to pressure the school, the principal wouldn’t dare overreact.
If push came to shove, Shen Xiyan could just show the video at the school gate, let it go viral online, and the principal would be the one in trouble.
But when she saw the part where Shen Xiyan dramatically faked getting hit, her eyes narrowed with interest.
“You really thought this through… Took a punch on purpose for the sake of ‘self-defense,’ huh?”
“Whether I took it on purpose or not doesn’t matter,” he said with a smirk.
“What matters is, I took the hit—and even though they outnumbered me, they weren’t planning to let me go. So if I’d really gone all out and broken a few bones, it still counts as self-defense, doesn’t it?”
If it’s one versus one, it might be seen as excessive force.
But one versus many? That’s self-defense—no question.
End the threat before it escalates. That’s what matters.
“Incredible,” Song Wan muttered.
Smart, rational, and ruthless. That was her most direct impression of Shen Xiyan now.
Qin Ge should count himself lucky. If his crew had gone harder, Shen Xiyan might’ve shattered more than just pride.
He came prepared for real consequences. How could Qin Ge possibly compete?
But Shen Xiyan flinched slightly at the praise.
There was something sharp and aggressive about Song Wan’s presence. Though she carried herself with elegance, her aura was quietly oppressive.
In this life, he no longer feared such people—but he was still cautious.
“Send me the video,” she said. “Add me as a friend. If any trouble comes up, I’ll help you handle it.”
Shen Xiyan frowned. “Why?”
It felt…off.
Song Wan probably didn’t even like him. Expelling him, removing him from Qin Sheng’s side—that should be exactly what she wanted.
Unlike Qin Ge, though, her motives weren’t so crude.
“Because Qin Sheng also got involved.”
“…Alright.”
“Wait!” Qin Sheng suddenly interrupted, stopping them from adding each other. She eyed Song Wan warily.
“No need to add him. He’ll send the video to me, and I’ll pass it on.”
Song Wan tilted her head and gave Qin Sheng a look—subtle, complicated, like she had more to say but didn’t.
Shen Xiyan wisely decided not to get between the two girls. He gave a polite nod and walked off.
Song Wan smirked. “What, worried I’ll bully him?”
“I told you… Don’t show up in front of him again. We’re not close.”
“Well, close or not, today you’ll have to be.” Song Wan grinned. “Your dad’s not home lately. When you go back, you’ll be stuck alone with those two. Don’t tell me you’d rather stay with them than with me?”
Qin Sheng smiled sweetly at that.
“You think I slapped Qin Ge a dozen times just for fun?”
“Threatening him was just for Xiyan’s peace of mind. That useless trash won’t even dare return to class to grab his backpack. Give it half an hour and he’ll be crying to his mom. Now guess where I’m sleeping tonight?”
She grinned like a little fox—completely pleased with herself.
Elsewhere—Shen Xiyan had only walked a short distance when he saw Wenwen and Lin Ci apologizing to the school guard. He stood to the side and waited patiently.
Soon, the two girls jogged up to him, trying to avoid the guard’s annoyed stare.
“Xiyan! Are you okay?”
He shook his head. “I’m fine. What happened with you guys?”
“Lin Ci-jie wanted to get a teacher, but it was too far—so we found a security guard instead. I stayed to watch the situation… I was even about to rush in to help!” Wenwen pointed at a nearby brick.
“But then I saw you pinning them down one by one—and I thought, no way! If the guard comes over, it’ll be a disaster.”
“…Then what?”
“We said we made a mistake. The guard yelled at us a bit, but since we’re girls, he let it go…”
“You’re really okay?” Lin Ci was still worried. And after hearing Wenwen’s version—phrases like “punching through kindergarten” and “kicking through nursing homes”—her concern only deepened.
The more Wenwen bragged, the more she questioned if that guy really was Shen Xiyan.
Even action heroes weren’t this good at fighting.
Feeling a bit guilty, Shen Xiyan joked, “Would I still be chatting with you if I wasn’t? Here, watch the video.”
He handed her the phone.
Lin Ci watched closely.
Wenwen, who had already seen it, still enjoyed it again now that she knew how it ended. It was like watching a satisfying revenge scene.
She even pointed and commented excitedly.
“Bro, that punch was too light! He got back up!”
“And this kick—why go for the ankle? Aim higher!”
“Whoa! That slap! So satisfying!”
“Sister Qin Sheng is amazing too! Beat him just right!”
“Hey! Look, Lin Ci-jie, that coward is running!”
Lin Ci finally looked up from the screen and stared at Shen Xiyan in disbelief.
“When did you become so good at fighting?”
He chuckled. “I’ve always been this strong. You thought I was soft just because I joke around with Wenwen?”
“I can lift a 50-pound sack of rice with one hand. Those little punks think they’re gangsters? Please—they’re nothing.”
“Seriously?!” Wenwen gagged in mock disbelief.
She was even more shocked than Lin Ci.
Lin Ci was just a neighbor. Wenwen had been his little sister for over a decade.
“You’re like those mythical guys who train in secret but have nowhere to show off!” she said.
“Are you really my brother? Maybe you’re a lookalike robot or something…” she narrowed her eyes, searching his face for flaws—but found none. He was still Shen Xiyan.
He smirked. “Want me to slap you and show you how real my skin is?”
“Pfft!”
Wenwen rolled her eyes—but they sparkled with admiration.
Girls love heroes. Even more when that hero is their own brother.
Shen Xiyan casually changed the subject and successfully brushed things off.
Wenwen believed her brother had been hiding his strength.
Lin Ci decided she just hadn’t paid close enough attention before—he had always been this strong.
“There won’t be trouble from this, will there?”
After worrying about his health, Lin Ci now fretted about his future.
Given Qin Ge’s background, the fallout could get worse.
Shen Xiyan reassured her with a smile. “They started it. And Song Wan said she’d take care of it. We’ll be fine.”
“…Alright then.”
“But just in case… Wenwen! Don’t go wandering after school. Wait for me at the gate. Who knows what those punks might try.”
“Okay~~” Wenwen nodded obediently.
As the dismissal bell rang that evening, the weather was just right, and the breeze was pleasantly warm.
Shen Xiyan was in a good mood.
He had worried Qin Sheng might try to ambush him at the gate—but she didn’t.
Just as he was starting to enjoy the peace, he spotted two familiar figures waiting by the entrance—and his eyelid twitched.
Wenwen was still Wenwen. And Qin Sheng… was still Qin Sheng.
She stood obediently near the gate, occasionally glancing toward the school building. She was obviously waiting for someone.
When she saw Shen Xiyan appear, her whole face lit up.
There was no annoyance, no trace of impatience—just the pure joy of finally seeing him.
Shen Xiyan approached with Lin Ci and frowned.
“You’re still here? What do you want now?”
Qin Sheng pouted, looking utterly aggrieved.
“Xiyan… I hit Qin Ge. I can’t go home~~”