Flirt First, Run Later [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

Liang Chu angrily turned his head away, hooking his arm around the steering wheel as if carrying a basket, striking a pose that said no one could make him yield.

More and more people gathered around, and a younger child looked up at their mother and said, “I don’t want to go to school today either.”

Liang Chu began to feel uneasy. Children were easily influenced, and Jing Ke wouldn’t care about such things. He was just a child himself. But Liang Chu couldn’t knowingly make a mistake. What if other children imitated his act of grabbing the steering wheel? It was far too dangerous. In the few seconds Liang Chu hesitated, Xie Shenxing seized the opportunity, pried his hands away, and lifted him out of the car.

Liang Chu nimbly broke free from his grasp, slipped back into the car, and sat upright, remembering to set an example for the other children by fastening his seatbelt.

People around began pointing and whispering, “Whose child is this? So unruly.”

“He’s been making a scene for so long. Our Lulu mustn’t learn from this.”

“Don’t be too harsh. Kids are kids—how many of them are truly well-behaved? Maybe he’s just reluctant to part ways after a whole summer of fun.”

The driver sighed in frustration, feeling utterly overwhelmed. This wasn’t his own child. If it were, he’d have given him a smack on the bottom and sent him off to school. As the crowd grew larger, no teacher showed up to handle the situation during the start of the school year. The driver pulled out his phone and called the Jing family. Jing Wenwu put down his backpack and tried to drag Liang Chu out of the car. Seeing him causing trouble, Liang Chu quickly shut the door before he could get in, blocking him with a loud thud. Jing Wenwu angrily slapped the window, shouting, “Jing Ke! Open this door right now! You’re going to be the death of me!”

Liang Chu ignored him, keeping his eyes fixed outside. The driver soon hung up the phone, walked over, and said, “Wenwu, take your sister to school. Jing Ke can go home for now.”

Jing Wenwu froze for a moment, then grabbed his backpack and climbed into the passenger seat. He turned to Liang Chu in the back and said, “You’re infuriating!”

Then, he rolled down the window and told the driver, “I’ll go back with him. Grandpa’s home today.”

He turned back to look at Liang Chu, gloating, “Do you even know why I’m going back? I’m going back to watch you get a beating!”

Liang Chu replied, “So what if I get beaten? I actually want a spanking—then I won’t have to go to school.”

Jing Wenwu sneered, “Keep talking tough. Let’s see how much you cry when it happens.”

Liang Chu grinned, “If you keep yapping, I’ll tell your grandpa you forced me to call you ‘brother.’ Then we can cry together.”

Jing Wenwu’s face flushed bright red. He opened his mouth but didn’t dare say another word.

Jing Wenwu climbed into the car, and Jing Qin and Jing Qi glanced at the school, then at their older brother and uncle, before following them into the vehicle one after another. The driver had run out of patience and muttered, “Troublesome kids,” before getting in, starting the engine, and driving them back home just as he had brought them.

The group marched into the main hall in a grand procession. Xie Shenxing gripped Liang Chu’s hand firmly, but Liang Chu showed no appreciation, snapping, “Why are you squeezing me?” and shaking him off as he walked ahead.

Jing’s mother was already waiting downstairs. The moment she saw Liang Chu, she began scolding, “You’re nothing but trouble every single day! Are you deliberately trying to make my life difficult?”

Liang Chu retorted, “What did I do?”

Xie Shenxing stepped forward, shielding Liang Chu behind him, and said, “It’s my fault. I didn’t keep a close enough eye on him.”

Jing’s mother grew even angrier, “Of course it’s your fault! How dare you even speak to me? Get out of my sight! If it weren’t for you, none of this would’ve happened. You’ve gone completely out of control!”

Liang Chu was terrified that Xie Shenxing would clash with the Jing family, fearing they’d end up losing more than they gained. He took a deep breath, like a volcano that had just mastered the Lion’s Roar technique, and shouted, “I said why are you blocking my way?!”

In an instant, everyone’s attention was drawn to him. Jing Wenwu’s ears rang from the noise, and he blurted out, “What are you crowing about?”

“I feel like it!” Realizing that didn’t sound right, Liang Chu roared back, “You’re the one crowing!”

Jing Wenwu didn’t dare provoke him further and scurried away, signaling he wasn’t going to stoop to his level.

Jing’s mother was furious, her face flushed with anger as she glared at Liang Chu. Just as she was about to scold him, Jing’s father, draped in his coat, descended slowly from the second floor. His sharp, authoritative gaze swept across the room, and Jing’s mother swallowed her words, turning to him instead. “I can’t handle this anymore. You deal with it.”

Jing’s father sat in the master’s chair, frowning. “What’s all this shouting and yelling? It’s disgraceful.”

Liang Chu lowered his head, staring at his toes.

Jing’s father turned to the driver and asked, “What’s going on here?”

The driver recounted the entire incident. Jing’s father furrowed his brows and asked, “Xie Shenxing, since when has there been another boy in this household?”

The driver wiped his sweat nervously. “For over half a year now.”

“Is that so?” Jing’s father replied indifferently.

Liang Chu sighed softly. He had expected this answer. The old man, Jing Weigang, had built his fortune from scratch and dominated the business world for half his life. Ambitious and proud, he had never truly paid attention to the people in his own home. Though the east wing housed only a few individuals, whether one more or one less, he was largely unaware.

Knowing a tough battle lay ahead, Liang Chu steeled himself and prepared to face it head-on.

Jing Weigang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and set it back on the table before lifting his eyes to look at Xie Shenxing. His calm, water-like expression suddenly shifted slightly. Jing Weigang straightened his posture.

“Fetch my glasses,” Jing Weigang said. The maid acknowledged and hurried upstairs to retrieve them for him.

Putting on his glasses, Jing Weigang stood up and walked over to scrutinize Xie Shenxing. Who was Jing Weigang? A self-made man who had amassed millions, now in his sixties, tempered and reserved, his presence was unmatched by ordinary people. Yet, standing side by side, Xie Shenxing was not the least bit overshadowed. The young man held his ground, meeting Jing Weigang’s gaze calmly and steadily.

Jing Weigang was the first to look away, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. He returned to his master’s chair, removed his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It seemed as though he had recalled something, but he shook his head, dismissing the thought.

“Attending school is no big deal,” Jing Weigang mused. “We truly shouldn’t hinder a young person’s future. Education is important. Let Hongjie handle this matter.”

Jing’s mother’s expression shifted. “Weigang! You’re still letting him stay in this house?”

“People shouldn’t be so short-sighted,” Jing Weigang said. “It’s just an extra mouth to feed. Let it be.”

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the younger generation from the room.

As the group stepped outside, Jing Wenwu scratched his head and asked, “How did it turn out like this?”

Liang Chu was equally puzzled. Had they won without even fighting?

Liang Chu walked slowly, allowing Jing Wenwu and the others to move ahead. Xie Shenxing, ever attentive, matched his pace.

Just as Liang Chu was about to find a way to send Xie Shenxing away, voices from inside the room carried through the doors and windows. Jing’s mother’s sharp tone was unmistakable: “What’s wrong with you?!”

Faintly, they could hear Jing Weigang reply, “That boy looks familiar to me. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

Mother Jing spat out disdainfully, “Isn’t that normal? He’s always hanging around the house—how could you not have any impression of him?”

“No,” Father Jing waved his hand dismissively, “I mean he reminds me of someone.”

“Who?”

Jing Weigang furrowed his brow and said, “He bears some resemblance to the deceased eldest son of that family in the capital. Have you forgotten how big of a scandal that was back then? The eldest son and his wife both died, and a child went missing. It just goes to show that wealth doesn’t guarantee prosperity. Spreading the family business too thin isn’t a good thing. Distant relatives and close kin, so many people are eyeing that position.”

Mother Jing paused and asked something in a hushed tone, but it was too far away to make out clearly.

“I only saw him once. Alright, let’s not be overly suspicious. He’s probably not connected to them. We’ll keep him here for now,” Jing Weigang said, recalling how their brief eye contact had felt like a confrontation. “Even if he has no ties to the capital, I think this boy has great potential. A future with boundless prospects. He could even come to the company later to help Hongjie.”

This conversation sent chills down his spine. He turned his head to observe Xie Shenxing. The icy aura that had filled the hall earlier had now melted away. Xie Shenxing gazed into the distance and murmured softly, “Coco.”

Liang Chu’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”

Xie Shenxing didn’t respond. Instead, he turned and looked at him silently. How could a family like the Jings raise such an endearing child? He was like a treasure nurtured by heaven and earth—always putting on a fierce, irritable front, yet his heart seemed to hold a rainbow.

Liang Chu breathed a sigh of relief. Xie Shenxing didn’t seem to have noticed anything. And why would he? He had been bought when he wasn’t even a year old—how could he possibly remember his origins?

Having wasted most of the morning, there was no way to attend the morning classes now. Liang Chu returned to his bedroom, leaned against the bed, and crouched down. He pulled out the large egg and said, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Banya Xiong’s voice came muffled from inside the egg, “What’s wrong?”

Liang Chu grimaced and said, “That missing child… it’s Xie Shenxing, isn’t it?”

Banya Xiong replied, “Actually, I didn’t hear what they were saying.”

Liang Chu cracked open the egg, and Banya Xiong poked its head out to look at him. Liang Chu said, “Don’t play dumb. Xie Shenxing is the mission target in this world—doesn’t that make him the protagonist? Otherwise, why would we have to win him over instead of someone else? Of course, all the good things happen to him. That family lost a child, and Xie Shenxing was bought as an orphan. I’m pretty sure they’re the same person.”

Banya Xiong retorted, “What do you mean ‘all the good things happen to him’? If that were true, why is he still hauling bricks?”

“Alright, I’ll admit you have a point. But why did you pretend not to hear them earlier?”

Banya Xiong sighed and said, “Fine, I admit you’re right. They are the same person.”

“…”

Banya Xiong lamented dramatically, “You’re doomed!”

Liang Chu said, “…Do you believe I’ll snap off your buckteeth?”

Banya Xiong covered its mouth with its paws.

Liang Chu stood up and muttered to himself, “No, I have to be nicer to him. I even yelled at him earlier. What if Xie Shenxing reclaims his heritage and seeks revenge? He might treat me the way I treated him—maybe even worse.”

Banya Xiong waved its paws frantically, “No! If you do that, you’ll die and have to start over!”

Liang Chu’s heart ached. “Why is my life so miserable?”

Outside the window, cicadas chirped incessantly. The deep green leaves of summer withered and fell, only for new buds to sprout in their place.

Time flies, youth fades swiftly. Year after year, six springs and autumns have passed, and childhood has drifted away. Once again, it is early summer.