Chapter Ten

Seeing Sun Ying return to her room, Yu Xingyue finally felt at ease and closed his own door. On the other end of the phone, Lin Zimo asked, "Why did it take you so long? Is something the matter?"

Yu Xingyue sighed helplessly. "I wanted to be quick, but you told me to make sure there was no one around or outside the door eavesdropping. I checked, and Sun Ying was right there, listening in."

"Sun Ying... that’s your future sister-in-law, right?" Lin Zimo asked.

"It’s way too early to call her that; we haven't reached that point yet. Now, let’s talk about this Honda Haoyun," Yu Xingyue replied seriously.

"Right, well, here is the situation..."

What followed was Lin Zimo’s account of Honda Haoyun.

Honda Haoyun was born on June 6, 1996, into an obscure, impoverished family. Because they were too poor to afford a meal, they were forced to beg on the streets. By the time Haoyun was three, his parents were already dragging him along to beg. With his presence, people’s pity was easily stirred; back then, Haoyun played a significant role in their survival.

"How do you know so much? And what does this have to do with Honda Haoyun now?" Yu Xingyue asked, puzzled.

Lin Zimo replied, "My friends in Japan mentioned this to me, which is how I know. Don't interrupt; listen to the end."

Young Haoyun soon realized he was nothing more than a tool for his parents to make money, and they never considered his feelings. His parents assumed that a child’s tantrums could be soothed with a little coddling, but Haoyun didn't see it that way. Harboring this resentment, he endured it for twenty-one years.

When he was nearly twenty-one, he left home for unknown reasons. His parents eventually died of starvation in their home. At that same age, Haoyun began working. His parents had hoped his labor would improve their living conditions and lead to a better life, but it was at this moment that Haoyun snapped—or rather, he went insane.

"Then why isn't he locked in a psychiatric hospital instead of being allowed to run loose and hurt people?" Yu Xingyue asked.

Lin Zimo sighed. "Do you think people don't want to lock him up? He has immense strength and has escaped from psychiatric wards more times than anyone can count. Anyone who encounters him meets a terrible fate—either beaten into critical condition or killed outright."

"This is making me uneasy. I really want to catch this guy myself."

"Don't even dream of it. Honda Haoyun’s physique is massive; you’re no match for him. Even if you tried to stand against him, the probability of your failure would be extremely high," Lin Zimo warned.

Yu Xingyue fell silent. Lin Zimo then added, "You heard his date of birth, right?"

"June 6, 1996... Does that have some kind of meaning?"

"I thought you would know, but I suppose I’ll have to explain," Lin Zimo said, taking a deep breath. "Haven't you noticed there are three sixes? The meaning is quite easy to grasp."

"Three sixes? What do they represent?"

"In the West, three sixes signify the devil, the harbinger of misfortune. That’s all I know; anything beyond that remains a mystery," Lin Zimo said.

"The devil? That certainly suits him. He didn't even blink when he hurt my friends," Yu Xingyue said, his resentment toward Honda Haoyun deepening.

"Hurt your friends? Do you mean Wang Tianqi has already been injured by him?" Lin Zimo asked.

Yu Xingyue clarified, "No, it was some of Sun Ying's classmates who were ravaged by him. I want to do something, but I feel so helpless."

"What you should be doing right now is waiting for the police to investigate and catch him. Don't think that just because he’s mentally ill, he won't be held legally responsible." Lin Zimo sounded dissatisfied. The fact that he could hide behind the label of "mentally ill" to avoid consequences for his violence was something she detested.

Yu Xingyue agreed with her point. "I really don't understand why such regulations exist. Can someone just do whatever they want because of this status? Perhaps, in time, these laws will change."

"That’s all I know about Honda Haoyun. If you want to know more, you'll have to ask someone else," Lin Zimo said.

"I will. But tell me, have you missed me?" Yu Xingyue asked the lethal question. It wasn't necessarily a fatal question for everyone, but for a single person, it was lethal.

"Missed you to death. I really want to fly over there and pinch your cheeks."

The rest of the time was spent in the sweet, lingering intimacy of a phone call. Who broke up with whom, who started dating—none of it mattered to Yu Xingyue. He felt these trivialities had nothing to do with him; as long as he persisted for these two years, he would be able to return and see her.

How could Sun Ying not hear their sweet, mushy conversation? Even through a wall, the soundproofing was so poor that she could hear every word perfectly. While Lin Zimo’s voice was muffled, Yu Xingyue’s was crystal clear.

Sun Ying didn't know if it was heartbreak or something else, but she felt a profound sense of loss, as if something important was drifting further and further away, something she could never attain.

Once his health recovered, Yu Xingyue returned to class. He spent the next three days studying with uncharacteristic diligence. Wang Tianqi, sitting behind him, was astonished. How did the unreliable Yu Xingyue suddenly become so focused, and for three whole days, no less?

Liu Hailizi praised Yu Xingyue’s performance over the last three days and rewarded him with a weekend free of homework. Others envied him, and Yu Xingyue suddenly felt a sense of relief—not having to do anything was truly comfortable.

During those three days, Yu Xingyue heard that Ou Liqiaoyue had been discharged and had gone straight home. She would need to rest for a few days before she could see Sun Ying again. It was a pity they weren't in the same class, but at least she was safe.

During the break, Wang Tianqi patted Yu Xingyue on the back. "Here is the information you wanted."

Yu Xingyue turned around, looking at the file folder in her hand, and asked, "What is this?"

"It’s the information on that person you mentioned, obviously," Wang Tianqi said, adjusting her glasses. "I spent my spare time looking into this for you. It was quite a chore, so whether you want to look at it or not is up to you."

"Thank you." Yu Xingyue took the file. It contained everything on Honda Haoyun. Wang Tianqi had given him a copy, and she intended to look into this person herself later to see what kind of character he really was.

Yu Xingyue was eager to read it, but now wasn't the time. He decided it could wait until he got home. He tucked the file into his bag, just as an argument outside caught his attention.

"What’s that sound outside? It sounds quite intense," Wang Tianqi said.

Yu Xingyue replied, "Judging by the sound, it’s two women arguing. The good news is that the noise isn't coming from our class, and it isn't Teacher Liu."

"Isn't that obvious? Get to the point," Wang Tianqi urged.

"There is no point. Let’s go outside and see," Yu Xingyue said, standing up and heading for the door. Wang Tianqi followed, unable to suppress her curiosity. Since the front door was blocked by a crowd of female students, Yu Xingyue couldn't squeeze through, so he had to exit through the forgotten back door of the classroom.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw the scene and couldn't help but laugh. To laugh in such a tense situation showed his audacity.

He saw two girls cursing at each other. He only understood one word—"Baka!"—the rest was a blur. Yu Xingyue didn't learn dirty Japanese; he only studied polite language.

The two girls spoke with such rapid speed that it was impossible to tell what they were saying, yet the onlookers were watching with great interest. What was the appeal of this argument?

Wang Tianqi stepped out behind him and saw them too. "Aren't those two the 'Cinderella' and the 'Rich Girl'? They’re at it again."

"You know them?" Yu Xingyue asked.

Wang Tianqi rolled her eyes at him. "You said the argument wasn't from our class, but unfortunately, they are students in our class, and they are like oil and water."

Yu Xingyue nodded. "I'm more interested in why you call them 'Cinderella' and the 'Rich Girl.' Where did those nicknames come from?"

"It seems I have to give you a lesson. Listen up." Wang Tianqi began her explanation.

One of them came from a poor family but was stunningly beautiful and likable, attracting boys from the second floor to visit their classroom—hence, "Cinderella." The other, the "Rich Girl," was ugly in both appearance and heart, and often used vulgar language. Whenever she saw Cinderella, she would stir up trouble, leading to these arguments.