Chapter 1: The Fragile Youth
Under the scorching sun, even though it was already September, the weather remained hot. It was just a little after 9 in the morning, but the heat was becoming unbearable. At the entrance of Wanghai City's First High School, a motorbike was slowly approaching. Riding the bike was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, stunning to the point of suffocation. She was wearing the First High School uniform, and even though the slightly old-fashioned uniform should have been plain, it only served to accentuate her exquisite figure more alluringly than the most expensive fashion. The girl had a bright smile on her face as she chatted with someone sitting on the pillion seat.
On the back of the motorbike sat a boy also wearing a school uniform. If it weren't for his male school uniform and the few centimeters of hair on his head, one might mistake him for a girl, as he was almost as good-looking as the stunning girl, albeit with a touch more masculinity.
"Bro, do you think we'll have a new teacher this time?" as they entered the school gates, the girl slowed down the bike and turned her head to ask the boy behind her.
The boy pondered for a moment before replying, "I don't think so. The teachers at this school usually stick with the same class for all three years, right? Why? Are you worried that your favorite teacher, Ms. Yu, will leave?" He chuckled.
Upon hearing her brother's words, the girl couldn't help but pout. The teacher he mentioned, Ms. Yu, was their homeroom teacher in their freshman year. They got along very well, to the extent that sometimes the girl wouldn't even go home after school but instead stayed at the teacher's dormitory with Ms. Yu. The boy teasingly referred to them as lesbians, which often led to the girl playfully hitting him.
After a brief moment of sulking, the girl saw that they were nearing the teaching building and said to the boy, "Bro, you get off here and wait for me. I'll park the bike and join you, and then we can go back to the classroom together."
The boy nodded, hopped off the bike, and as he looked up, he noticed a few students dressed in a rough manner staring at him with ill intentions. He instinctively moved aside.
This boy's name was Ye Fei, nicknamed Yemanren (Brute Man). When it came to social status and background in Wanghai City, he could be considered the crown prince. His late father was the head of an underground force in Wanghai City. Even though his father had passed away, his father's brothers still remembered their debts and treated Ye Fei and his family with great respect. His mother ran a multi-billion-dollar company, but more importantly, his two aunts were the mayor of Wanghai City and the commander of the Special Forces in Wanghai Military District, respectively. After his father's death, his uncle became the new head of Wanghai City's underworld. His three aunts were also influential figures in various fields. Although they didn't always see eye to eye with his mother, they all doted on him.
Ye Fei's background was no secret at school. With such a background, no one dared to bully him. However, Ye Fei was different from other privileged students. He never sought help from his family. Even when bullied severely, he always handled it himself. As a result, the less honest students in the school gradually started to cause trouble for him.
"Hey, Brute, you're here early today. Missed us, huh, after a whole summer without seeing us?" one of the ruffians with purple hair said sarcastically, leading a group to surround Ye Fei. Another guy with a shaved head added, "What's this? Did your sister bring you here again? You really are useless, can't even ride a bike on your own, need your sister to bring you. Have you got today's protection fee ready?"
Ye Fei seemed accustomed to such situations; his expression remained unchanged as he silently took out several hundred-yuan bills from his pocket and handed them to the guy with the shaved head, saying calmly, "You better leave now. My sister went to the bike shed; she'll be back soon."
Having seen Ye Fei's sister, Ye Yunqi, just go to the bike shed, the guys took the money and didn't say much more. They hastily left because Ye Yunqi, unlike her brother, was not one to be trifled with. In fact, she could be considered a queen within the school, possessing formidable martial arts skills and a strong sense of justice. Few troublemakers in the school had not felt the force of her fists. People familiar with them often wondered if their mother had mixed up their genders when she gave birth to these twins.
Seeing a group of thugs leaving her brother, Ye Yunqi hurried over and asked, "Bro, did they bother you?"
Ye Fei chuckled, "How could that be? With you around, even they wouldn't dare."
"Hmph, they wouldn't dare to try me either!" Ye Yunqi snorted triumphantly. "But whenever I see those bad students, I just want to give them a beating."
Ye Fei smiled faintly and said, "Let's not bother. Actually, they're quite pitiful. Their current state is either due to unfortunate family circumstances or the influence of those bad movies. Deep down, they're not really bad. I once saw the guy with the shaved head helping a disabled person. And when they bully others at school, it's not out of malice, just a way to seek attention and be noticed."
"I see." Ye Yunqi nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I won't bully them anymore. By the way, brother, you spent this whole vacation training at Auntie's place. I didn't get to ask you yet, did it have any effect?"
"It should have had some effect," Ye Fei said with a wry smile. "My strength has improved a bit. I can now barely lift a 30-kilogram barbell, which I couldn't even budge before."
Thirty kilograms? I could easily lift that with one hand, Ye Yunqi thought to herself, but she didn't say it out loud. She knew her brother, despite his kind appearance, had a strong sense of pride. If she said the wrong thing, he would feel upset. So she just smiled and said, "Impressive! If you keep this up, I might not stand a chance against you."
Ye Fei, always very clever since childhood, naturally saw through his sister's insincere words. He smiled helplessly and headed towards the teaching building.
Watching her brother's tall but fragile figure walking away, Ye Yunqi felt a surge of sympathy and guilt towards him. Remembering how she used to bully him in the past, she almost wanted to give herself a few slaps. Her change of heart stemmed from a joke her mother made during the summer vacation. She hadn't seen her brother, who had always been by her side since childhood, for a while and started missing him. She mentioned playfully that she felt like beating up that brute. Her mother then joked about his weak body, attributing it to her hogging most of the nutrients during childbirth.
It must be said that a young girl's thoughts are sensitive. Her mother's jest struck a chord with Ye Yunqi, making her feel guilty towards her brother. She vowed to protect him for life and ensure he never suffered a bit of injustice.
Ye Fei's physical condition was truly abysmal. Their classroom was on the fourth floor of the teaching building. These six seemingly insignificant flights of stairs posed a challenge for him. He even had to take a break halfway through before finally managing to climb up. Ye Yunqi followed behind, feeling even more anxious than him, but she didn't step in to help. She knew her brother would never allow her to assist him.