The Delicate and Frail One Everyone Hates - Chapter 4

Song looked at the three boys standing before him. They were all good-looking members of the “F3” group that usually hung out with “Qie Song.” Their height and looks were undeniable—high school boys these days were truly tall. He wondered how the “mini version” 170 cm Qie Song managed to fit into this 188 cm group.

They were certainly easy on the eyes, especially with Bei-huai Lu standing nearby. These four together…

What a view.

Had the original Qie Song always lived such a visually blessed life?

That said, being stared at like this made him very nervous.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Under their suspicious and confused gazes, his back felt stiff. He tried to look calm and turned his face away, but his sore throat made him cough twice.

“Young Master, why are you at school? Weren’t you supposed to rest at home?” Lu stood up and walked to Song’s side. Seeing his face turn red from coughing, Lu gently patted his back with care.

“If I didn’t come, wouldn’t they be bullying you?” Song took a deep breath and stepped slightly to the side, blocking Lu behind him. He reminded himself that he had to save this future big boss to save his own life, so he had to act when it mattered.

As soon as he finished speaking, he was suddenly pulled over by a tall boy across from him. He bumped right into the boy’s chest and let out a startled cry.

“Qie Song, what do you mean we’re bullying him? We were clearly just playing with you, okay?”

Before Song could steady himself, his chin was forced upward. He looked up in shock at the boy pinching him. The boy had cold black hair and a piercing gaze; meeting those deep eyes made Song’s heart tremble.

Gosh, this guy is scary.

He looked like he could kill Song with one punch.

“Alright, Ming Zhou, Qie Song just got better. Don’t mess with him like that.”

Song saw a gentler-looking boy walk over and pull him to his side. That boy then touched his face. “Qie Song, what are you playing at now? It’s not us bullying Bei-huai Lu; this was clearly your idea.”

Song instinctively dodged the hand touching his face. “…If it’s not you bullying Bei-huai Lu, then who is it?”

The moment he spoke, he felt an arm hook around his shoulders. He was pulled back into a broad chest, making his pupils shake. Good heavens…

“Why are you hiding from us?”

Song: “…” He stood there feeling weak, pitiful, and helpless among these three giants. Wait—even if they were “best bros,” did they usually hug like this? Guan Yu and Liu Bei definitely didn’t hug this way!

No, let him sort this out. Who was Ming Zhou, who was Tingsi Shen, and who was Jingchu Xie?

He ran through his memory as fast as possible. The one who hugged him at the school gate was Jingchu Xie. The grumpy one who pinched his face was Ming Zhou. The one who told Ming Zhou to stop was Tingsi Shen. These four were very close.

He instinctively looked toward Lu.

Lu was standing to the side, holding a backpack stained with mud. His pants were also dirty from being forced to kneel earlier.

He stood there in silence, seemingly accepting the cruelty of these spoiled young masters. He looked gloomy and depressed. Despite being tall and strong, he showed no sign of resisting.

Song thought to himself that if he stayed scared, he couldn’t help Lu. If things didn’t change, the future would still happen, and he would still die. He didn’t want to die, so he had to save Lu.

He was currently a “rich brat.” He didn’t know exactly how close he was to this F3 group, but he knew the original Qie Song was always very arrogant.

In that case…

He would just throw away his pride and act arrogant for Lu’s sake.

He gathered his courage. Okay, I can do this!

“I’ll hide if I want to.” Song shook off the arm behind him and turned to glare. “You’re heavy, Jingchu Xie. Don’t hug me.”

Yes, yes! Just like that!!

Seeing Song angry, Xie acted as if he were used to these sudden mood swings. He raised his arms in surrender and gave a playful grin. “Fine, no hugging. Don’t be so mean all the time.”

Song caught the phrase “all the time.” Oh, so this is how the original Song usually talked to them?

It made sense. The original “Qie Song” was hated by everyone.

However, the priority now was to save Lu from these people or at least make Lu realize his intentions.

He ignored the three boys, pushed past them, and walked to Lu. He grabbed Lu’s arm. “Let’s go.”

“Qie Song!”

Song heard the three of them calling him from behind, but he didn’t say a word. As long as he didn’t look back, no one would see how nervous he was. He pulled Lu away with a tight grip.

Lu didn’t say anything and let Song lead him away.

They walked through the small woods behind the dormitory building for a while before Song stopped. He turned to Lu and said, “Bei-huai Lu, I won’t bully you anymore.”

The sentence was very sudden and strange.

Lu’s grip on his backpack tightened slightly. He was silent for two seconds before looking at him. “Okay.”

Song: “You don’t believe me?”

Lu was silent for another two seconds, then nodded. “I believe you.”

Song: “You hesitated.”

“No, I believe the Young Master,” Lu said. “I believe you.”

Shadows from the trees fell over the tall boy. He wore a clean but faded shirt and mud-stained pants. His sneakers were old but well-kept, and even his backpack had patch after patch.

Everything looked so simple and humble, making his words “I believe you” seem incredibly sincere.

Song thought to himself that if he didn’t already know the ending, he might have believed Lu. The original “Qie Song” had slowly fallen into the trap of Lu’s seemingly loyal and perfect care. Lu never left even when hit or scolded, making Song believe Lu was truly a “simp” who couldn’t live without him.

That was Lu’s goal: to spoil “Qie Song” until he became useless and lost himself, unable to survive without Lu’s care.

Stupidity is no match for deep calculation.

“If they mess with you next time, hit them back.” Song leaned over and used his hand to brush the mud off Lu’s knees.

“I can’t win a fight.”

Song saw Lu grab his hand to wipe it clean for him. He pulled his hand back and frowned at Lu’s words. He looked Lu up and down, then lightly punched Lu’s arm.

He’s as solid as a rock, and he can’t win a fight?

Lu: “?” What does this soft punch mean?

“You’re so tall and strong, and you can’t beat them?” Song pulled back his hand, which actually hurt from the punch. He said with a mix of doubt and certainty, “You’re useless.”

Hearing Song use such a disdainful tone to call him “useless,” Lu went silent again.

He put his backpack on, and as he swung it up, it accidentally brushed against Song. It caused Song to stumble.

Song, caught off guard by the backpack, stumbled a few steps. Once he stood firm, he rubbed his arm and looked at Lu. “Did you push me?”

Lu: “?” He was truly being framed.

“I just protected you!” Song felt a bit grumpy and stared at him. “Watch out, or I won’t cover for you anymore.”

Lu: “…”

Song: “It’s embarrassing to be that tall and eat so much food just to get bullied. Next time they mess with you, hit back! Do you hear me?”

Lu: “…”

Seeing Lu lowering his head in silence, Song decided not to push it. After all, this man would be terrifying once he turned evil. Better to say less. “What classes do we have this afternoon?”

Lu looked at Song.

Song noticed the look of disbelief. He coughed. “I’ve decided to study hard.” He could even tutor Lu with his homework; that shouldn’t be a problem.

The two walked side-by-side toward the teaching building.

“Do you want to go to college?” Lu just asked to go along with him.

“I want to go to Harvard. How about you?”

Lu: “…”

“You don’t believe me again?” Song noticed his silence once more.

Right after he spoke, Lu placed a hand on his forehead.

“No fever.” Lu lowered his hand, finally showing a truly puzzled expression.

Qie Song had been acting too strange these past few days. What was he up to?

Song thought to himself: Fortune favors the bold. He looked seriously at Lu. “I’ve just been hiding my true abilities. If you don’t believe me, just watch the next monthly exam.”

Lu: “…”

“You’re doubting me again.” Song was losing his patience. As a former top student from Harvard who had countless high-paying job offers upon graduation, teaching a high schooler was more than easy!!!

“No, Young Master, I believe you.” Seeing that this young master was about to lose his temper, Lu decided not to provoke him.

“What do you believe?”

“I believe… you will study hard.” Lu thought about the Harvard part and couldn’t help himself; he chose the more likely possibility.

“Are you laughing at me?” Song looked up at Lu, narrowing his eyes in a warning. “Are you looking down on me?”

The sunlight through the trees fell on his pink-gold hair. His face, still recovering from illness, was pale, making his lips look even redder. His delicate face looked incredibly lively even when he was annoyed.

He was indeed beautiful.

This person was born wealthy—an arrogant, spoiled young master. He was a demon who had treated Lu like a dog since they were kids. He had thrown Lu’s new shoes into the river, tossed his homework into the trash, cut up his school uniform, and even made him kneel and lick his shoes in front of everyone. He had insulted him publicly.

Therefore, Lu couldn’t allow his heart to waver. He would use this person to climb to the top, then shatter him completely from that height along with the other three demons. That was the purpose of his endurance.

“No.” Lu stared down at the small boy in front of him and smiled gently. “I believe you.”

Song: “.”

Smiling like that he probably wants to kill me.

He decided to stop talking, or he’d definitely get pinched again tonight.