The Brutal Battlefield Begins, and the Drama Ends Up on My Own Doorstep

"Yes, that's correct. You release the person first. We'll discuss the details later when I arrive. There's been a misunderstanding in this case; we mustn't wrong any innocent person..."

The voice of the Bureau Chief came through the phone, sounding utterly upright and principled. The branch director who took the call was left stunned. Did that mean they had arrested the wrong person today?

Soon, the call ended. The branch director who had answered relayed the Bureau Chief's words verbatim. The policewoman who had been handling Tang Shouye was also taken aback.

The policewoman looked with disbelief at the somewhat overly "rotund," smiling middle-aged man before her. Everything he had just said turned out to be true.

He actually really knew their Chief Commissioner...

"So, was I telling the truth?" Tang Shouye chuckled, patting his belly as he spoke to himself.

The policewoman nodded: "Alright, sir. Please follow me. As for these items you..."

"I already said it's not worth much. Consider it my service to the people. Let's go, let's go, take me to see my sister quickly." With a gesture from Tang Shouye, his subordinates placed the items in the reception room.

They had seen generous people before, but never one as generous as Tang Shouye. He exuded an aura of wealth from head to toe, yet without any trace of being overbearing or difficult to get along with. Instead, he gave people a strangely comforting feeling.

Down-to-earth?

Coupled with Tang Shouye's plump, round appearance reminiscent of the God of Wealth, he was quite a cheerful sight. Just from that brief encounter, everyone in the station had instinctively taken a liking to him.

Led by the policewoman, Tang Shouye disappeared from the front desk and headed towards the holding cells.

...

Holding Cell.

Tang Yuyao was curled up in a corner, seemingly lost in thought. She was still hesitating whether to call her family to get her out. But if she made the call, she would definitely have to go back home.

She had been away for so many years and really didn't want to return. Having been a slacker for so long, she felt being a slacker doctor just idling away in the clinic was pretty good. Being a young lady from a wealthy family... well, it seemed just so-so.

Tap, tap, tap...

Just as Tang Yuyao was zoning out, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside—one heavy, one light, very distinct.

"Little sis."

Tang Shouye's voice called out. Tang Yuyao snapped back to reality, loosening her arms from around her legs slightly. She looked up, somewhat incredulously, at her round and plump fourth brother standing before her.

"Fourth Brother? How did you get here!" More than surprise, Tang Yuyao felt confusion.

She hadn't even made a call yet, so how did her brother already come to bail her out?

Tang Shouye raised an eyebrow: "Where there's danger, there's your fourth brother. So, little sis, are you touched? Do you feel the urge to go home with your fourth brother?"

Tang Yuyao: "..."

"Fourth Brother, it hasn't been that long since I last saw you. How did you get even chubbier?" Tang Yuyao noticed that her fourth brother standing outside with that mischievous look seemed to have gained quite a bit of weight. Her tone couldn't help but carry some surprise. He looked even more like the God of Wealth now, inexplicably festive. Put a hat on him, and it would be a perfect cosplay.

"Little sis, you don't understand. This isn't called fat, it's called robust, it's called prosperous!" Tang Shouye stubbornly explained, and then... hitched up his belt that was "on its last legs."

Thankfully, the belt was of good quality, genuine material. Otherwise, with a belly like Tang Shouye's, its first day on duty would have been its last. You get what you pay for.

While they were talking, the policewoman opened the door to the holding cell: "Alright, miss, you can come out now."

"Let's go quickly, little sis. Mom and Dad have been waiting for you for a long time." Tang Shouye chimed in.

Just as she was about to get up and leave, hearing her fourth brother's words, Tang Yuyao immediately squatted back down.

"Forget it, I'll just live here. I think it's quite nice."

Policewoman: "..."

Tang Shouye: "..."

"Don't be silly, little sis. Mom and Dad miss you a lot. Fourth Brother misses you too. Don't you want to go back and see them?" Tang Shouye appealed to her emotions and reason, playing the sentimental card.

Originally curled up hugging her legs, Tang Yuyao, upon hearing this, simply lay flat on the floor, shifting to a more comfortable position, looking every bit the slacker.

"I was thinking about leaving, but now that you mention it, I suddenly don't want to anymore. I want to live in here forever," Tang Yuyao declared.

Tang Shouye: "..."

"Don't worry, little sis. Fourth Brother guarantees you won't be pressured about marriage this time you go back!" Seeing the situation, Tang Shouye had no choice but to play his trump card.

Tang Yuyao scratched her back: "As if I'd listen even if they pressured me. Hah."

Tang Shouye: "..."

It hadn't been that long, but his little sister seemed to have become even more "formidable." Before, although she was a bit mischievous, she would at least listen a little to what was said. Of course... it might also have been because he gave her money that she listened that tiny bit.

Ahem, but whether money was given or not isn't important. The point is she used to listen a little. Now she doesn't listen at all.

Although Tang Yuyao was being difficult, Tang Shouye was no ordinary person either. He had anticipated such a situation before coming and had prepared a backup plan.

Tang Shouye briefly gathered his emotions, then put on a dejected, inexplicably sorrowful expression.

"Little sis, I know you don't want to go home because you're angry with Dad. I can understand you not wanting to deal with Dad's side, but Mom has fallen ill. You can't just stay silent and not go back to see her, can you?"

Tang Yuyao furrowed her brows, propping herself up a bit: "What do you mean?"

"Mom is sick. She has been for a while. We should have told you, but Mom wouldn't let us..."

Tang Shouye sighed. In a spot where the policewoman couldn't see, he pinched his thigh hard. Tears immediately welled up in his eyes—it hurt!!!

Tang Shouye's eyes were slightly red: "Mom's condition isn't good. The hospital checked but couldn't find anything wrong. They said it's a heart condition. She hasn't been able to get out of bed for almost half a year now..."

Tang Yuyao grew anxious upon hearing this. She was a medical student. In medicine, there is indeed such a concept. There's an ancient idiom, "lovesickness leads to illness," which in a sense is a manifestation of a heart condition.

For her mom to have such a problem was clearly because of her.

Back home, it was her mom who doted on her the most. Now, even when sick, she didn't let her brothers tell her, obviously still taking care of her, afraid she would worry...

"You... you're sure you're not lying to me?" Tang Yuyao was already wavering.

There was a chance she was being tricked, and a not-small one at that, but if it were true... she couldn't afford to take that gamble.

"Little sis, when has Fourth Brother ever lied to you?" Tang Shouye said with utmost sincerity.

"You're the one in the family who has lied to me." Tang Yuyao answered without a second thought.

Tang Shouye: "..."

"Ahem, that was when I was little. Now that I'm grown up... ahem, at least right now, Fourth Brother isn't lying to you!" Tang Shouye originally wanted to say that only children lie, and he doesn't lie now that he's grown up, but then... he remembered he had just lied to his sister not long ago.

Similarly, to trick her into going back, Tang Shouye said he had discovered a great way to make money and wanted to take Tang Yuyao along to get rich, with all the earnings being her own.

He lied, but not completely, because it failed, hahaha...

Tang Yuyao narrowed her eyes, staring motionlessly at the somewhat sweaty Tang Shouye in front of her.

No way, could this girl have figured something out? That shouldn't be, my acting was so convincing this time. Was the emotional delivery not enough?

Just as Tang Shouye was reflecting on where he might have gone wrong, Tang Yuyao's voice came from beside him.

"You dead fatty, if you're lying to me you're dead meat. I'll smash all your cars!" Tang Yuyao gritted her teeth, stood up, and left the detention room.

Tang Shouye: "..."

What kind of sister is this? Not cute at all, actually calling her brother 'dead fatty'. Ah, how heartbreaking... Tang Shouye wallowed in self-pity there, but noticing his sister had no intention of waiting for him and was walking outside, he hurriedly followed.

"Wait for me, little sister! Slow down, Fourth Brother can't run that fast..." Tang Shouye panted heavily, trailing behind his little sister who was walking at a breakneck pace.

The two of them headed outside.

...

Meanwhile.

At Dahai City Noble Academy.

Ye Cheng was squatting in a flower bed, carefully sifting through something.

"No, not this one either. This one seems..."

Ye Cheng, with his butt in the air, was rummaging through the flower bed.

He was already past the time he agreed upon with the President, and it was almost mealtime. He had to get the roses to the President before then.

"What kind of crappy school is this? Not a single decent flower! Damn it!!!" Ye Cheng cursed under his breath, then... continued vandalizing public property, showing no regard for public decency whatsoever.

One of the few places where Ye Cheng's conscience surfaced was that while picking flowers, he paid attention not to step on the other plants. He didn't crush them, just disrupted their originally neat arrangement, making it look rather unsightly.

A few minutes later.

"Uh... this should be about right, right?" Ye Cheng looked at the bouquet he had assembled from a handful of colorful flowers and spoke to himself uncertainly.

Ye Cheng had a good eye for aesthetics. Even the flowers he hastily gathered from around the school looked better than most specially bought bouquets from shops.

It was the best he could do under the circumstances. Plus, on his way over, Ye Cheng had picked up a discarded newspaper from the roadside. After a simple fold and wrap, a large bundle of "love-filled" bouquet was ready.

Still super makeshift!!!

Ye Cheng made quite a spectacle of himself, walking toward the teaching building with a large bunch of freshly picked flowers.

It was break time, perfect for delivering them to the President. After giving her the flowers, he could return to the classroom and go to the cafeteria with the Young Miss for lunch. Hmm... a wonderful plan.

Of course... it would have been even better if he hadn't run into the Young Miss on his way to see the President.

Inside the teaching building.

Outside the classroom where Dongfang Zhixia and her little secretary were, a crowd had gathered, seemingly watching some exciting drama, a thrilling scene for gossip lovers!

The Young Miss stood outside Dongfang Zhixia's classroom, explicitly demanding that Dongfang Zhixia come out, saying she had something to say. What was the President's personality like?

How could she possibly agree? She refused to go out no matter what, just sitting at her desk. The two had been at a stalemate like this for several minutes, and almost all the first-year students had gathered.

Such a classic showdown scene had the crowd of onlookers boiling with excitement!

"No way, could it really be what I'm hoping for?"

"It definitely is. Such an obvious showdown. All that's missing now is the male lead. But speaking of which, why haven't we seen the male lead?"

"Darn it, why hasn't the male lead come over to meet his fate yet? You jerk, I want to see bloodshed!!!"

"Looking at this, it seems like she's here to demand someone. Did you forget? That guy is in the same class as the Shen Family Young Master's lackey. How could he not be by her side?"

"By your logic... the President has hidden him away?"

"That's not clear, but it seems even if he's not hidden, it's related to the President. Didn't you guys see the confession wall posts before?"

"Confession wall? Oh, right, right, I saw it. I voted for the Shen Family Young Master. Who did you vote for?"

"..."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the post where the President called the Shen Family Young Master's lackey 'darling'. Did you see it? Seems like they even kissed... Oh, and I voted for the President. President's side is sure to win!"

The surrounding noisy discussions didn't affect the Young Miss.

The Young Miss just stood quietly at the classroom door, her gaze calm as she looked at Dongfang Zhixia sitting inside the classroom. On the other side, Dongfang Zhixia returned the look with an equally haughty glare.

The two seemed to have fallen into a state called "What are you looking at?" "Just looking, what's it to you?"

Inside the classroom.

The little secretary, Soong Soong, hid behind her Young Miss, muttering softly, "Young Miss, she looks really fierce. Should we go over? Maybe she has something urgent to tell us?"

Dongfang Zhixia snorted coldly. "Why should I go over? I haven't settled the score with her for last time, and she actually comes looking for me herself!"

"Last time? What happened last time, Young Miss?" The little secretary blinked her pretty big eyes, looking curious.

Last time, the little secretary had stayed home memorizing vocabulary and didn't participate in the first showdown between the President and the Young Miss. Similarly, she didn't know what exactly happened in the office.

She only knew her Young Miss got hit, leaving a red mark on her hand...

In the first confrontation, Dongfang Zhixia lost. Whether it was Ye Cheng's choice or the Young Miss's physical attack, Dongfang Zhixia lost, thoroughly.

That led to the later flower-giving retaliation. Except... on the very first day, Ye Cheng stood her up.

Not only did the Young Miss feel inexplicably uncomfortable not finding Ye Cheng, but the President was also extremely displeased because Ye Cheng was intercepted, and he didn't even come to deliver the flowers.

The President thought the Young Miss was coming now to gloat. After all... the strong should ruthlessly humiliate the weak!

Going over there would be walking right into her trap. How could she possibly go?

Did they think she was stupid?!

Shen Qinghan, just you wait!

"Be quiet. No going out today!" Dongfang Zhixia scolded her little secretary, her tone decisive. Even if Shen Qinghan wanted to see her today, she would have to come in herself. Dongfang Zhixia was definitely not going out!!!

The tension of the showdown began to spread, pushing the curiosity of the onlookers to its peak. Even the teacher was blocked outside the door, unable to get in.

No one noticed the person coming up the staircase. In his hands, he held a bouquet of flowers, while his mouth muttered the "professional simp lines" and "coward's survival guide" he had just rehearsed downstairs, hoping to make it out alive after facing the Student Council President.

"Dear President, your eyes are as beautiful as the stars in the sky. Your father must be a thief, who stole the most beautiful star and placed it in your eyes. What is your zodiac sign? You belong to me. I heard you are strong-willed, but you don't need to be anymore, because your strength... oh, wait, that part should be changed... it should be your Cheng has arrived instead..."

"Huh? Why are there so many people ahead?"

Ye Cheng was muttering the "professional simp lines" to himself as he walked towards the President's classroom, only to find... the doorway was packed with people, more crowded than a pot of dumplings.

"Is there some drama?"

Ye Cheng instantly got excited. As a seasoned drama enthusiast, he felt his blood start to boil!

Hatches open, go!!!

Ye Cheng entered his "Ultimate Drama" spectator mode. To protect the flowers from getting crushed, he held the bouquet high and pushed his way into the crowd.

"Hey, watch it! Can't you see there are people here?"

"Stop pushing, we're getting squished like sardines!"

"Who was that? Some jerk took advantage of the chaos to grope me, damn it!!!"

"Ah~"

Ye Cheng: "..."

Did something weird just get mixed in here? He was just trying to squeeze through to see what was happening. How did it turn into this? Clearly, there were some bad apples in the crowd!

Whatever, getting the gossip is what matters most.

Ye Cheng pushed his way from the very back to the very front, securing a spot on the front lines of the drama: "What's going on? Can anyone fill me in?"

"It's a showdown, man! Can't you see? The Student Council President is facing off against the young master of the Shen family. Tsk tsk, you don't get to see this often. Huh? Bro, you look kinda familiar..."

A kind-hearted bystander nearby actually answered Ye Cheng's question, instinctively looking up at him as he spoke... only to realize Ye Cheng did look somewhat familiar.

Huh?

Wait, not sure, let me look again...

"Holy crap, the male lead is right here!!!" the person shrieked. Instantly, the gaze of everyone around focused on Ye Cheng, the leading drama spectator.

Ye Cheng: "..."

The noise attracted not only the onlookers outside but also... the young lady standing at the doorway, who was emanating an "aura of a conqueror" that kept everyone at a distance.

The young lady seemed to vaguely hear something about a "male lead." She paused for a moment and looked in Ye Cheng's direction...