Stop Chasing the School Belle, My Shy Deskmate is Sweet and Soft - Chapter 15

Under the streetlight, Qiao Shaoxuan stood tall, radiating a sense of righteousness. He thought he looked incredibly cool at that moment!

Last night, after hearing that Xia Tian had made Xu Yuan cry, Qiao Shaoxuan was so furious he couldn’t sleep, spending the entire night thinking about how to teach Xia Tian a lesson.

“How dare you make my goddess upset! You must have a death wish!”

“You’ve been chasing after Xu Yuan for so long, and yet now you’re getting cocky? Either keep simping or get lost so I can take over!”

Xia Tian narrowed his eyes, looking down at Qiao Shaoxuan, who was significantly shorter than him. He raised an eyebrow.

“Do you have a screw loose or something?”

“She cried, and how’s that my problem? She wanted me to walk her home, and when I refused, she cried. How is that my fault?”

Qiao Shaoxuan hesitated for a moment, then exploded with anger. “You’re lying!”

“Xu Yuan said you deliberately told her ghost stories to scare her so much she couldn’t go home!”

“Who told her ghost stories? I just warned her about what might happen on her way home. How is that a ghost story? I even gave her a flashlight to help! Some gratitude.”

Xia Tian let out a cold laugh and stepped forward, looming over Qiao Shaoxuan.

At 6’0″ (1.83 meters), Xia Tian towered over Qiao Shaoxuan, who was barely 5’7″ (1.70 meters).

Standing in front of Xia Tian, Qiao Shaoxuan looked like a frail, spindly bean sprout.

“You—you filthy liar! Apologize to Xu Yuan right now and stop wasting my time. I need to walk her home!” Qiao Shaoxuan yelled, rolling up his sleeves in a show of defiance.

“You’d better watch your mouth, kid. You’re gonna catch a faceful if you keep running it like that.”

Xia Tian’s voice grew cold, his gaze darkening.

He wasn’t known for being soft-hearted, and when it came to people who couldn’t keep their mouths clean, Xia Tian had one rule: **If you can solve it with fists, don’t waste time talking.**

Qiao Shaoxuan was clearly intimidated by Xia Tian’s aura, but when he glanced back at Xu Yuan and Chen Jiayi, he steeled himself.

How could he back down in front of his goddess?

Gritting his teeth, he rolled up his sleeves even higher and charged forward recklessly.

“Let’s see who gets slapped first!”

Xia Tian clicked his tongue in annoyance.

So the rumors about Chihuahuas liking to pick fights were true…

Just as Xia Tian was about to raise his fist, Ye Ningyu tugged gently on his sleeve from behind.

“Xia Tian… please don’t fight, okay?”

Glancing back at Ye Ningyu’s anxious expression, Xia Tian’s heart softened.

He nodded slightly and lowered his arm.

His tone grew warm and gentle. “Don’t worry, I won’t fight.”

“Xia Tian! You coward, get over here and fight me!” Qiao Shaoxuan shouted as he threw a punch.

But Xia Tian easily sidestepped, causing Qiao Shaoxuan to stumble and miss.

Seizing the opportunity, Xia Tian quickly walked over to the security office near the school gate, his long legs covering the distance in just a few strides.

He knocked on the window. “Hey, security uncle, this guy is trying to pick a fight with me. I’m so scared…”

The security guard, hearing this, immediately opened the door and rushed out.

“Who’s fighting? Which class are you from? Who’s your teacher?”

Qiao Shaoxuan froze in place, his face paling. He quickly turned around and fled, not daring to cause any more trouble with Xia Tian.

Seeing Qiao Shaoxuan back down, Xia Tian smiled at the security guard. “It’s okay now, Uncle. He ran off as soon as he saw you.”

The security guard, cigarette in hand, frowned. “Good. There was a big fight near the school gate recently, and it reached the principal’s office. The rules are strict now—anyone caught fighting will be expelled, especially you boys. Be careful, okay?”

“Of course, Uncle. I’m a model student in my class, nicknamed ‘Little Lei Feng of Bei’an.’ I’ve done enough good deeds to fill a train! No way I’m that kind of troublemaker.”

“Hah! That’s enough out of you. I remember you. Weren’t you the one who sprayed bug killer all over your classroom with a dozen cans last June? Almost poisoned your chemistry teacher. I had to supervise the cleanup myself!”

“Heh, you remember that, huh?” Xia Tian chuckled awkwardly.

It seemed his “legendary” deeds were known to even the school’s security team.

The guard gave him a stern look, reminding him to head home quickly and not loiter outside. Afterward, he returned to the security office.

With Qiao Shaoxuan thoroughly cowed, Xia Tian didn’t even spare him a glance. He casually grabbed his bike and rode off with Ye Ningyu.

From afar, Xu Yuan watched Xia Tian and Ye Ningyu leave together, her expression darkening.

“Why is he walking with Ye Ningyu? I heard rumors this morning that he walked her home last night too. Could it really be true?”

“What’s so special about that quiet little girl … why hasn’t he even glanced at me?”

Xu Yuan felt a deep sense of loss.

Earlier, it had been clear that Xia Tian was ready to fight Qiao Shaoxuan.

But all it took was a tug on his sleeve and a few words from Ye Ningyu to make Xia Tian lower his fist.

And the way Xia Tian looked at Ye Ningyu… his eyes were filled with such tenderness!

But… wasn’t that tenderness supposed to be reserved for her, Xu Yuan?

Xu Yuan felt wronged.

—

Meanwhile, Qiao Shaoxuan came huffing and puffing back, trying to play the part of the righteous hero, his face twisted in frustration.

“Xia Tian is such a coward! Hiding behind the security guard! Otherwise, I would’ve made him apologize to you right here and now, Xu Yuan!”

“Next time! Next time I’ll teach him a lesson for sure and make him apologize!”

Qiao Shaoxuan boasted, feeling proud of himself. In his mind, Xia Tian had backed down out of fear and called for help.

He turned to Xu Yuan with an expectant look, hoping for praise.

But to his surprise, Xu Yuan’s face turned ice-cold. Her tone also became frostily indifferent. “Who gave you permission to raise your hand against Xia Tian? What right do you have to hit him?”

“But… but I heard you were upset last night because of Xia Tian, so I thought I’d give him a little lesson. That guy just doesn’t know his place…”

“Lesson? What gives you the right to teach Xia Tian anything? Qiao Shaoxuan, let me tell you this—if you try to lay a hand on Xia Tian again, don’t ever expect to talk to me again.”

The coldness in Xu Yuan’s face and voice left Qiao Shaoxuan completely dumbfounded.

He was just trying to help Xu Yuan by teaching Xia Tian a lesson. How had things flipped on him?

Before he could say another word, Xu Yuan cut him off, her tone still icy.

“And don’t bother walking me home tonight. Go home and think about what you did wrong… Jiayi, we’re leaving.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked off.

Originally, Xu Yuan had agreed to let Qiao Shaoxuan walk her home as part of her plan to make Xia Tian jealous and realize there was competition.

But Xia Tian hadn’t even looked at her once during the confrontation, leaving Xu Yuan feeling completely defeated.

She blamed Qiao Shaoxuan for ruining her plan.

“That brainless fool, Qiao Shaoxuan! So infuriating!”

“He ruined everything!”

Chen Jiayi, unsure of what was going on, was confused by Xu Yuan’s sudden coldness toward Qiao Shaoxuan. But since her best friend had already spoken, she didn’t say anything and simply shot Qiao Shaoxuan a sympathetic look before hurrying after Xu Yuan.

Now, the only one left standing in the cold wind was Qiao Shaoxuan, feeling utterly lost.

He stared blankly at Xu Yuan’s retreating figure, feeling completely wronged.

He had planned to impress Xu Yuan by standing up for her, but Xia Tian had called in the security guard and left him humiliated.

To top it all off, Xu Yuan had scolded him and taken away his chance to walk her home.

All his efforts had come to nothing.

Glaring in the direction Xia Tian and Ye Ningyu had gone, Qiao Shaoxuan’s eyes burned with fury.

“Xia Tian! You just wait! I’ll make you pay for ruining my plans!”

—

“Achoo!”

Xia Tian sneezed suddenly, instinctively turning his head.

That Qiao Shaoxuan must be cursing me!

However, Ye Ningyu immediately became concerned. She looked up, her voice filled with worry.

“Xia Tian, are you feeling cold? How about you take the hand warmer? That way you won’t be chilly.”

“I just refilled it with hot water when I left the classroom…”

With that, Ye Ningyu held the hand warmer out to Xia Tian.

She had kept it wrapped in her school uniform, so she hadn’t realized how hot the freshly boiled water was. But when she hurriedly pulled it out with her bare hands, the heat was too much, and she accidentally dropped it.

“Ah!”

She gasped in shock, quickly bending down to pick it up.

After wiping off the dust, she anxiously handed the hand warmer to Xia Tian again.

“I-I’m sorry, Xia Tian. I’m so clumsy…”

“Is that so? Maybe being a bit clumsy is good. After all, it wouldn’t be great if our future kids inherited all my intelligence…”

Xia Tian muttered, unknowingly letting his inner thoughts slip out.

“Huh?”

Ye Ningyu blinked, not quite catching what Xia Tian had said.

Xia Tian waved his hand dismissively, squinting his eyes. “It’s nothing. You keep the hand warmer. We’re almost at your place.”

“But…”

“If you say ‘but’ one more time, I’m going to get mad!”

“O-Okay.”

Ye Ningyu pouted slightly, clearly unhappy about not being able to give the hand warmer to Xia Tian.

But she was also afraid of making him angry, so she reluctantly held onto it. However, she quickened her pace, walking ahead of him in an attempt to shield him from the cold wind.

Watching her little act of kindness, Xia Tian couldn’t help but laugh quietly to himself from behind, resisting the urge to run up and hug her.

“This silly girl, always clumsy but full of love.”