Chapter 60: Approaching Adulthood

Tang Yu quietly gazed at the crown of her head, suddenly feeling an urge to laugh.

Zhou Xunwen spoke, "I only recently learned about the long-term bullying you suffered from Liu Yaojie and Fan Yuebin. But Shirui has confessed everything—the incidents had nothing to do with her. It was just those two acting on their own..."

His eyes were filled with regret, as if deeply remorseful. "I'm sorry. If only I had realized it sooner, you would have been spared some pain."

He then glanced at Meng Shirui, silently prompting her.

Meng Shirui, unwilling, clenched her teeth and took out two bundles of cash from her expensive handbag.

Zhou Xunwen handed the money to Tang Yu. "This twenty thousand is compensation from Liu Yaojie and Fan Yuebin. Fan Yuebin has already transferred schools and won't be coming back. I had Liu Yaojie write a guarantee promising never to bully you again. Tang Yu, please accept this money."

Tang Yu's gaze fell on the bundles of cash.

She earned fifteen yuan an hour from her part-time job.

Yet twenty thousand yuan was something they could produce effortlessly.

Their families were so privileged, and yet they never extended gratitude toward the world. If they didn't like someone, they could freely abuse, insult, and treat her as a bird in their palm, an outlet for their frustrations.

Under the shelter of their families, the perpetrators could simply pay money and evade any real responsibility.

Tang Yu smiled, lifting her eyes from the money and calmly looking at Zhou Xunwen.

"So, you intend to seal my lips with these twenty thousand yuan."

Zhou Xunwen heard the sarcasm in her tone and anxiously tried to explain, "That's not what I meant! The money is to compensate you, and it can help lighten your family's burden..."

"No need." Tang Yu abruptly interrupted, her refusal icy.

"My family's burden is my responsibility alone. I don't need any help, nor do I want this false kindness or pity. Please take the money back—and please stay as far away from me as possible."

She grabbed her bag, drove them out of the milk tea shop, locked the door, and hurried away.

Zhou Xunwen hadn't expected such a fierce reaction—it felt as if things had backfired. He immediately rushed after her.

Meng Shirui watched his anxious figure, her expression growing darker.

If it hadn't been for the moment when she was tearing up the registration form, and Zhou Xunwen happened to witness it...

If it hadn't been for the phone call with Liu Yaojie, overheard by Zhou Xunwen...

Meng Shirui's grip on her bag tightened, nearly snapping the strap.

Thinking back to that day, Zhou Xunwen's cold and disappointed face, and the words he said to her, she almost wished she could stab Tang Yu then and there.

"Shirui, I always thought you were the innocent, kind little girl from childhood, and I always treated you as a younger sister. I never imagined you could do such a thing!"

"Why did you tear up Tang Yu's registration form? Why did you have Liu Yaojie and Fan Yuebin bully her? How long has she suffered at your hands? The injuries she had—were they caused by you?"

His voice thundered with rage and accusation.

In that moment, Meng Shirui truly panicked, tears streaming down her face.

She ignored the ongoing call in her hand, her mind desperate to distance herself from responsibility.

So she cried and blamed everything on Liu Yaojie and Fan Yuebin!

Claimed it was all their doing.

Insisted she knew nothing about it.

But Zhou Xunwen wasn't appeased; he made her go and apologize to Tang Yu.

Meng Shirui, proud by nature, absolutely refused.

In the past, she could throw a tantrum or act spoiled, and the matter would be dropped.

Who would've thought, even when she starved herself at home for days or skipped school, Zhou Xunwen would ignore her.

He even said, if she didn't apologize, he would never speak to her again.

Meng Shirui wept bitterly for days, demanding to know why he was so protective of Tang Yu.

Zhou Xunwen said something she would never forget: "Because I like her."

At that moment, she felt the sky collapse.

Her ears rang for a long time before she could react.

What she had always feared had happened—he had fallen for another girl, and that girl was Tang Yu.

He even said he wouldn't confess now, only because he didn't want to disturb Tang Yu's studies...

He would confess after the college entrance exam, and planned to apply to Qingbei University with her!

Those words struck like thunder on a clear day.

Watching Zhou Xunwen and Tang Yu's backs, Meng Shirui's hand holding the bouquet trembled uncontrollably.

Petal after delicate petal was crushed in her palm, scarlet juice seeping through her fingers.

Zhou Xunwen finally caught up to Tang Yu.

He grabbed her arm. "Tang Yu, wait, you misunderstand me!"

Tang Yu, her expression tinged with anxiety, tried to pull away from his grip.

Afraid she would run, Zhou Xunwen held tighter.

"This money isn't what you think! It's compensation for emotional distress—you won't have to work anymore before the exam with it!"

He spoke quickly, "Every minute of senior year is precious. Working has wasted too much of your study time. If you don't use it all, it can even cover your university tuition. Please accept it."

"I don't want it!"

Tang Yu struggled to free her hand.

Seeing her agitation, Zhou Xunwen tried to calm her.

Just then, a pair of hands suddenly clamped down on his wrist.

A sharp pain shot through him; Zhou Xunwen instinctively released his grip.

Bian Yang pulled the girl to his side, arm around her shoulders.

Tang Yu's back bumped against his chest; she looked back at him.

He squinted at Zhou Xunwen, eyes chillingly cold.

"Classmate, putting your hands on a girl—are you looking to spend a night in a cell?"

Zhou Xunwen steadied himself, seeing Bian Yang's arm around Tang Yu's shoulders, with Tang Yu not resisting at all.

He frowned slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Why does it matter where I am?" With a slight tilt of his eyes, Bian Yang glanced at Tang Yu. "Did he hurt you?"

Tang Yu shook her head, "No, I'm not hurt."

Zhou Xunwen gently said to Tang Yu, "I just wanted to explain, hoping you could take the money without feeling burdened. I never meant to hurt you."

Money.

Bian Yang finally noticed what Zhou Xunwen was holding, snorted coldly through his nose.

"If you have so much money to burn, go get your head checked at the hospital. What are you flaunting here?"

"You—!" Zhou Xunwen refused to argue further.

He took a deep breath, looked only at Tang Yu, and said seriously, "Tang Yu, stay away from him. He beat Fan Yuebin, and did the same to Liu Yaojie. He's not a good person."

This guy was really an eyesore.

Bian Yang let go of Tang Yu's shoulder, lazily stuffed his hands in his pockets, and turned to walk away.

"Tang Xiaoyu, you have three seconds to catch up."

Tang Yu clutched her fabric bag, told Zhou Xunwen, "He's a good person," and ran after Bian Yang.

"Bian Yang, wait for me!"

He walked so fast she couldn't keep up.

Bian Yang clicked his tongue lightly, but his pace visibly slowed.

Zhou Xunwen wanted to stop her, but Meng Shirui caught up, anxiously checking him for injuries.

"Xunwen, are you okay? Did Bian Yang hurt you?"

"I'm fine." His gaze remained fixed on the two figures ahead.

Tang Yu seemed to obey Bian Yang.

And she trusted him.

"This Tang Yu is so ungrateful! This money is yours, and you pretend it's Liu Yaojie and Fan Yuebin compensating her—who knows what false pride she's putting on…"

Zhou Xunwen frowned, cutting her off, "Enough."

Meng Shirui, unable to vent her anger, squeezed out a smile through her jealousy and clung to his arm.

"Xunwen, I was wrong, I just care about you. If Tang Yu doesn't want the money, let it be."

Zhou Xunwen's brow remained furrowed.

Meng Shirui muttered with pointed intent, "It's so late, Tang Yu isn't going back to the dorm—where is she going with Bian Yang? They've been together a lot lately, and seem pretty close…"

Hearing this, Zhou Xunwen's expression darkened, and he hurried after them, only relaxing when he saw Bian Yang and Tang Yu enter a restaurant.

Meng Shirui was instantly disappointed.

If only they'd gone into a hotel.

If Tang Yu got involved with Bian Yang, at least Zhou Xunwen's feelings would be cut off...

In the restaurant, Bian Yang prepared to order.

Tang Yu placed her fabric bag on the seat and asked, "Aren't we going home to cook?"

He had said on WeChat he wanted fish soup.

Bian Yang didn't look up, tapping slowly on his phone, scanning the code, and beginning to order. "Changed my mind—tonight we'll eat out."

"Oh…"

Bian Yang submitted the order, tossed his phone aside, crossed his arms, and looked at her with a scrutinizing tilt of his chin.

"You and that Zhou whatever—what's going on? Why did he come looking for you again?"

Tang Yu explained, "He brought Meng Shirui to apologize for tearing up my math competition registration form, and offered money as compensation for emotional distress."

"Heh." Bian Yang pressed his eyelids down, his gaze cool and indifferent, stabbing a hole straight through the disposable tableware.

"No one flatters for nothing—either a thief or a scoundrel."

Tang Yu glanced up at him; he looked rather displeased.

But he still poured a glass of warm lemon water and handed it to her.

Tang Yu held the glass, sipping gently, then looked up at him again, "Bian Yang, did you come out… to look for me?"

Bian Yang unwrapped the utensils, his tone chilly. "Saw you hadn't gone home so late—thought something might've happened. Turns out, some heartless little thing almost ran off with someone."

"I didn't!" Tang Yu answered quickly. "I'm not close to him."

The boy lazily curled his lips.

After a moment, he idly toyed with his phone, then suddenly asked, "After the mock exam, it's your birthday, right?"

Tang Yu looked up, puzzled, then thought for a moment—it was true.

The fifteenth, right after the mock exam, would be her eighteenth birthday.

"Coming of age, huh."

The youth's eyes curved slightly, his tone full of subtle meaning.