The Taming of the Ruffian Hero

Chapter 96 (She’s Dead?) Pulling off His Return to University and Burial of Trouble

After packing his luggage and ordering bus tickets, Lin Wenxi was off.

“Remember not to come home often. Better yet, don’t come home at all!” Lin Ziwei said solemnly.

“Hm.” Lin Wenxi nodded but thought that it wasn’t a bad idea to visit Zhao Yuan’s home for Chinese New Year instead of his own.

“I’m saying that you should avoid Yangzi County as much as possible!” Lin Ziwei emphasized. It was as if he could see through his son’s thoughts.

Lin Wenxi nodded silently.

When his bus was about to leave Yangzi County, he sent one final text message to Zhao Yuan: “I’m thankful to you.”

The reply: “I hope it’s not too late.”

While he was still reading the text message, another person was receiving a phone call. Hong Xuan’s face darkened after the call and his grip tightened on his Nokia phone, causing the keys on the device to pop out of their sockets nearly. Confused, Lin Wenxi stared solemnly at the typically calm and robust Hong Xuan. He became even more perplexed when Hong Xuan made him get off at the next stop and grab his luggage. Then, Hong Xuan went to buy tickets at the counter without another word.

“Return tickets?” Lin Wenxi noticed that the bus terminal written on the ticket was Yangzi County.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Some issues cropped up with the other exchange student. I suspect other arrangements will have to be made,” Hong Xuan said solemnly.

They left home in the morning and returned by noon. However, Lin Wenxi didn’t feel relaxed in the slightest. He suddenly recalled Zhao Yuan’s text message: “I hope it’s not too late.” Could Zhao Yuan alone really pull this off? It seemed unlikely. He would rather believe this to be a coincidence. However, whatever it was, he ought to be able to return to Jifu University. He thought he should inform Zhao Yuan about this and happily ran off to make a call.

“What? She’s dead? How did a perfectly fine person die?” Lin Ziwei was furious. “Is this piece of news accurate?”

“Yes. I got the news from my men over there. Everything’s settled at the university but the young lady suddenly passed away, apparently of a heart attack. My men have confirmed that she indeed had heart disease,” Hong Xuan said with certainty.

“F*ck! How could there be such a coincidence?!” Lin Xiwei flung the teacup in his hand to the floor with force. Hong Xuan’s heart jumped when he heard his old leader cursing.

“Are your men reliable? I hope they didn’t reveal any information,” Lin Ziwei asked.

“They’re my brothers. They’re absolutely reliable when it comes to things like this!” Hong Xuan assured Lin Ziwei with a pat on his chest.

“Investigate it. Have them investigate the student’s death with the local police and see if it’s nature at work or humans pulling the strings!” Lin Ziwei said.

“Yes.”

“Another thing. Besides us, is Wenxi’s classmate Zhao Yuan the only one who knows that he’s about to leave?” Lin Wenxi asked. “And does Zhao Yuan know his identity?”

“I’m not sure. I know that Zhao Yuan is the only one who knows aside from us. From my investigation, I know Chen Tianjiao kept his word about not letting his daughter Chen Wanxin find out about Wenxi’s identity. Chen Wanxin has a fairly decent reputation in the university and I’ve never heard of any major conflicts between her and Wenxi. So, the information should be secure from their end,” Hong Xuan explained.

“Investigate Zhao Yuan and Chen Wanxin’s relationship. Find out Zhao Yuan’s background. Don’t tell me he’s just a university student. Considering his nature, Wenxi will be in a very precarious situation if he really wants to break the law.” Lin Wenxi punched the wall. Evidently, he was terribly vexed.

“Zhao Yuan and Wenxi are really close. They’ve long dubbed each other brothers. Zhao Yuan takes care of Wenxi very well and even saved him during the cross-country practice,” Hong Xuan said.

“Is that so? Even so, we can’t let down our guard!” Lin Ziwei said.

Hong Xuan had more to say but when he saw how tightly knitted his former superior’s eyebrows were, he swallowed the words that were about to leave his mouth.

“Wenxi and Zhao Yuan are a pair! They’re very close even if they tend to quarrel. Zhao Yuan is always tagging behind Wenxi, buying him breakfast, and bringing him hot water. I once saw Zhao Yuan squatting down to tie Wenxi’s shoelaces! He dotes on Wenxi so much!”

“Zhao Yuan got so much thinner in the few months after Wenxi left!”

What did this imply? Hong Xuan could vaguely feel that something was off about the situation but didn’t know exactly what it was. The fair and quiet child’s words were unbelievable. Take his relationship with Brother Wei for example. They were long-time blood brothers. He would throw his life for Brother Wei’s sake without complaint but if someone were to ask him to buy breakfast, serve tea, bring hot water, and tie shoelaces for Brother Wei… He might not even be able to do such attentive and loving things for his wife. Considering this, Hong Xuan felt a terrible shock. Many years ago… someone seemed to have treated him this way.

Hong Xuan didn’t dare to ponder this issue. He hastily went off to do his business.

Three months had passed since Lin Wenxi’s departure. When the new semester finally began, midsummer had been replaced by a hot autumn spell that regained its might. It was once again time for the military practice. Lin Wenxi and Zhao Yuan entered the campus together. Lin Wenxi finally smiled as he took in the scenery. When he stepped through the university entrance by himself on his first day, he never thought he would someday do the same thing with such a handsome and elegant young man beside him.

The sweet scent of osmanthus and the pollen of Chinese roses filled the mid-autumn air. Two rows of shy, lovely chrysanthemums stretched from the campus entrance to the end of the world. The Chinese parasol trees that lined the street were lush and verdant against the quiet blue sky. Back then, he never found Jifu University to be this beautiful!

Zhao Yuan quietly watched Lin Wenxi as they walked. Such times were wonderful. It seemed that fate wasn’t unkind to him. But would he truly have to endure three years of painful waiting for such a moment again? How great would it be if Wenxi was simply an ordinary child? He felt as if his life would know nothing but happiness if he could always have this child with a smile throughout the whole journey.

Before they could even warm their seats in the dorm, Gu Xi ran to Lin Wenxi’s room like a little chick who had escaped its cage. She nearly touched Wenxi all over before saying serenely, “Did you know there was a weirdo who came and asked about you after you left?”

Lin Wenxi asked him to describe the weirdo’s appearance. When he learned that the weirdo had a wide nose, large ears, and skin as dark as Judge Bao, he smiled. Who would it be if not Hong Xuan?

Wang Xiang grabbed Lin Wenxi’s arm admiringly. “It’s said that lotus roots are hollow and white while the lotus flowers are stained with mud. Look at you! Why did you torture yourself to this state?”

Even Zheng Kai dropped his usual indifference and asked after Lin Wenxi’s wellbeing.

Soon, the girls from the Female Dorm No. 419 also came. Shu Xiaoman insisted on giving Lin Wenxi an enthusiastic hug while Zhou Nannan exchanged greetings with him. The two were only content after making sure each other was fine. Zhang An’an pointed to Wang Xiang and said, “Your oblique tones and rhyme are all off! Why don’t you just prostitute yourself instead of selling arts?”

It was business as usual. Only, Chen Wanxin stared at Zhao Yuan with an elusive smile. She stood in a corner quietly.

Zhao Yuan, as the president of the student union, wouldn’t shirk his duty in the university’s new admission assembly. Wenxi and Wang Xiang were tasked with creating a slogan for the assembly. The task of establishing an area for receiving parents was given to some earnest-looking female and male classmates with proper manners. The task of establishing an area for receiving seniors was given to some lively and passionate classmates, such as Chen Wanxin’s dance team—Xiaoman and so on. The task of refurbishing the road signs, distributing the student union handbooks, and overhauling the water and power supply as well as bed sheets in the freshman’s dorm, was given to students skilled in household electric appliances and machinery. Zhao Yuan also established numerous guide tours: one to explain the courses of Jifu University, one to help the freshmen with their luggage, one to guide visitors around the classrooms, and one to explain the schedule of the military practice and the follow-up exercises.

After a busy week, the assembly was finally over. The student union threw a drinking party to draw curtains on the whole affair. Everyone spent time calculating their accumulated merits while teasing the pretty girls they had just met. Under the computer, Chen Wanxin looked at Zhao Yuan silently. “Now that you’re done with your business, it’s time for you to make good on your promise.”

Zhao Yuan nodded. “I will.”