Stop Chasing the School Belle, My Shy Deskmate is Sweet and Soft - Chapter 83

Looking at Ye Shengshi, who was now scared out of his wits, Xia Tian’s goal had been achieved.

On the way here, he and Fang Yu had discussed it.

To ensure this guy didn’t lie, they needed to scare him a little.

Otherwise, getting false information here would only lead to more trouble down the line.

Seeing Ye Shengshi trembling, Xia Tian’s expression remained cold. “Start from the beginning, including what Duan Yingying said when she came to you.”

“O-okay, just don’t hit me…”

Shrinking his neck, Ye Shengshi stammered nervously, “Back then, Duan Yingying somehow found out that I was from the same village as Ye Ningyu. She brought two other girls with her to talk to me.

They asked me what Ye Ningyu was like back in her hometown in Sichuan-Chongqing. At first, I didn’t want to say anything because I knew it wouldn’t be good for her if it got out.

But Duan Yingying could tell I was broke, so she said if I told them any scandals about Ye Ningyu, they’d pay me. The juicier the dirt, the more money I’d get.”

“I didn’t think much of it at the time. I figured it was all just a misunderstanding and would get cleared up eventually, so I told them.

I moved to Beian with Ye Ningyu’s family, and one day before we left, I saw her walk out of that place I mentioned earlier. I also saw her mom come out of there.

But it was all because of Ye Ningyu’s dad. He was a gambler. After losing all the family’s money, he racked up a mountain of debt. Whenever he got drunk, he’d drag Ye Ningyu and her mom to that place, hoping they’d make money for him… But nothing actually happened.

I explained this to Duan Yingying and her friends, but they gave me 1,000 yuan and left without saying anything.

After that, the entire school was full of rumors about Ye Ningyu being involved in prostitution.”

After finishing, Ye Shengshi timidly glanced at Xia Tian, his face full of regret.

“Actually… after that day, I felt really bad about it. But when Duan Yingying and her two friends got expelled because of this, I was too scared to say anything. I was afraid I’d get expelled too.”

“Also… I’m actually kind of related to Ye Ningyu. I have to call her ‘big sister.’ Every time I think about this, I feel like I’m not even human. But now I’ve heard that she’s doing well at Beian No. 1 High School, so I just…”

Bang!

Before he could finish his sentence, Xia Tian landed a punch squarely on his face.

“You think because she’s doing well now, you can feel at ease? You’re a disgrace!”

Xia Tian’s eyes burned red with anger. He raised his fist, ready for another punch, but Fang Yu grabbed his arm tightly.

“Little Tian! Stop, don’t hit him again!”

“You… you promised not to hit me… I’m really sorry! But what’s done is done—what am I supposed to do? I even apologized to Ye Ningyu…”

Ye Shengshi, clutching his face where Xia Tian had punched him, started crying.

If Fang Yu hadn’t held him back, Xia Tian might have beaten Ye Shengshi to death then and there.

Because of this bastard, Ye Ningyu had endured so much gossip and slander!

In the end, she couldn’t bear it anymore and had to transfer schools to Beian No. 1 High School.

Xia Tian took several deep breaths, trying to calm the storm raging inside him.

Finally, he had a clear picture of what had happened.

Duan Yingying and her two friends had paid Ye Shengshi for information about Little Ye’s past in their hometown. They had taken the story out of context and spread it across the entire school.

Little Ye, completely innocent, had suffered because of her gambling-addicted father.

This was something Xia Tian hadn’t known at all.

Now it made sense why both Little Ye and Wang Qingshan had avoided telling him anything about this.

After a long silence, Ye Shengshi stopped crying.

He sniffled a few times and said in a small voice, “You’re the first person who’s ever believed in Ye Ningyu. You must be her friend, right? Actually, Ye Ningyu’s family came to Beian to escape their debts.

Her dad lost all their money and owed a ton back home. They fled here in secret… But her dad passed away two years ago. She and her mom have had it really rough.

Every night when I try to sleep, I think about this and feel so guilty. If you’re her friends, please protect her. Don’t let her get hurt again. She’s… she’s had it so hard.”

Tears welled up in Ye Shengshi’s eyes again as he dropped onto the ground with a loud thud, crying once more.

Xia Tian’s expression was dark and stormy.

Now that he knew the full story, his hatred for Duan Yingying, Bai He, and Yang Yue—the three girls who had nearly ruined Ye Ningyu—only deepened.

He also remembered what Little Ye had asked him a month ago after they finished selling fruit platters at Qingshui Park.

“Will you gamble in the future?”

Thinking about it now, Little Ye had probably asked that question because she’d seen how terrifying her father’s gambling addiction had been.

—

After Ye Shengshi finished crying, he wiped his face and stood up. “I’ve told you everything I know. Can I go now?”

Xia Tian clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he spat, “Get lost! But if you ever talk about this to anyone else, I swear you won’t live to see another sunrise!”

Hearing that, Ye Shengshi bolted between Xia Tian and Fang Yu like his life depended on it.

But after running a few steps, he suddenly turned back.

“Uh… I forgot to tell you something. A few days ago, right before the May Day holiday, the school belle from your school came to see me. She asked me about this too.

She seemed nice, said she was Ye Ningyu’s good friend, so I… I told her everything as well. Xu Yuan… she’s your friend too, right?”

Hearing this, Xia Tian’s face darkened instantly.

In a flash, all of Little Ye’s strange behavior over the past two days clicked in Xia Tian’s mind.

The night before the May Day holiday was when they celebrated Little Ye’s birthday.

And it was the very next day that she started acting differently.

So…

“That night, after we said goodbye, she ran into Xu Yuan downstairs. Xu Yuan must’ve used this information to threaten her into staying away from me.”

The more Xia Tian thought about it, the more convinced he was.

Especially when he remembered how, after their seats were changed earlier that day, Little Ye had instinctively glanced in Xu Yuan’s direction.

And when he had asked Little Ye why she changed her seat, she had inexplicably asked him why he didn’t like Xu Yuan anymore.

Putting all the pieces together, it finally made sense!

Before the holiday, after Xia Tian had bluntly rejected Xu Yuan and she realized he liked Ye Ningyu, resentment must have taken root in her heart.

That was why she’d resorted to this tactic to force Little Ye away from him.

“But… how did she know about Little Ye’s past?”

Xia Tian’s eyes grew colder.

Ye Shengshi, seeing his expression, didn’t dare linger a moment longer. He dashed back toward the school, afraid Xia Tian might hit him again.

“Little Tian, why would Xu Yuan be asking about this?”

Fang Yu still didn’t know about the recent friction between Xia Tian and Little Ye and looked at him in confusion.

Xia Tian’s expression was icy and terrifying.

He simply shook his head.

“It’s nothing. Let’s head back to school.”

—

The bell for the end of the evening self-study session rang.

Ye Ningyu glanced at Xia Tian’s still-empty seat, a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

“X-Xia Tian must be upset and disappointed because of what I said, right?”

“But… but I didn’t want this either.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed alone to the bike shed.

Retrieving her bike, she silently walked along the dark road home.

Without Xia Tian’s company, the road felt darker than it ever had before.

Having seen the light, returning to the darkness was even more terrifying and despairing than before.

Suddenly.

She looked up and saw two drunk men staggering toward her, their mouths spewing vulgar curses.

At the same time, she heard footsteps coming from behind her.

Ye Ningyu froze in place, too scared to look back or move forward.

Standing there, trembling, tears began to fall uncontrollably down her face.

Just as the two drunk men were about to pass her, she felt the back of her head press against something firm yet warm.

The two drunk men, who had seemed intent on approaching her, glanced at whoever was standing behind her and quickened their steps, walking away.

Ye Ningyu froze for a moment, tears still streaking her face. She turned around and looked up.

The boy standing there lowered his head, flashing a bright, toothy grin.

Under the dim light of the streetlamp, the sharp contours of his jawline were illuminated.

What she had just leaned against was his chest.

“While I was gone, you turned into a little crybaby?”

“So tonight, you’re Little Ye with tears, huh?”