Chapter Thirty-Three: [Mutation] (We're climbing the rankings—cast your votes!)

Chapter Thirty-Three: Mutation

All afternoon, Chen Xiao was restless, his mind preoccupied with the girl named Xiao Qing, pondering what connection she might have with the Phoenix.

After five o’clock, the day’s classes ended. Chen Xiao quickly packed his things and dashed out of the school gate—tonight was Wednesday, and he had to go to his tutoring job.

At the school entrance, he saw Bai Cai, her bicycle propped up by the roadside. She wore a delicate floral dress, her pale legs peeking out above a pair of sandals. In the afternoon sunlight, she shielded her eyes with one hand, and when she saw Chen Xiao striding out, her eyes curved into a bright smile.

“Chen Xiao!” Bai Cai’s clear voice called out. She skipped over to his side, glanced at him, and asked, “You didn’t bring your bike again today?”

“I left it downtown,” Chen Xiao sighed. He was a bit worried—his bike had been abandoned in front of the bank for days, but with all the strange events lately, he hadn’t found time to fetch it.

Bai Cai’s expression faltered, a trace of disappointment in her eyes. She’d finished her classes early but had waited at the school gate, hoping to ride home with him.

“Oh... So, are you taking the subway?” Her voice betrayed her dejection. “Let me take you to the station. It’s quite far from here.”

“No need.” Chen Xiao smiled. “A friend is giving me a lift.”

As he said this, he subconsciously cracked his knuckles. Just then, a car horn sounded behind him. Xu Yifan arrived, driving his old-man’s Volvo sedan.

When the window rolled down, Xu Yifan avoided Chen Xiao’s gaze. Earlier that afternoon, Chen Xiao had called him. The message was simple: “You brat, if you want to find a master, do it yourself—why drag me into it as a scapegoat? That Xiao Qing is absurdly skilled. Don’t you know talking nonsense like that could get us killed?”

Xu Yifan had only laughed awkwardly on the phone, knowing he was in the wrong. Now, seeing Chen Xiao cracking his knuckles, he hurried out of the car, hands raised. “Hey, if you’re going to hit me, at least not today. I’m injured—Xiao Qing beat me up enough during practice yesterday... Don’t kick me while I’m down.”

“Please, if I wanted to get you in trouble, I’d have told Xiao Qing the truth today. She said if anyone lies to her, she’ll break their legs. And you can see she doesn’t look like someone who jokes.”

Xu Yifan shrank back, grinning. “Come on, brother, I know you wouldn’t sell me out.”

Trying to change the subject, he turned to Bai Cai as if discovering a rare treasure. “Wow! You must be the legendary ‘Little Bai Cai’! Chen Xiao’s mentioned you before. You’re as cute as he said—no wonder he’s so willing to help you.”

Having seen enough heiresses at Gide Academy, Xu Yifan was dazzled by Bai Cai’s unadorned, fresh appearance. He slicked his hair back, stepped forward, and with his most magnetic voice, asked, “Beautiful, what’s your number? Can I have it? Maybe dinner together sometime?”

He produced a blooming rose from his sleeve as if by magic, eyes twinkling as he gave his most disarming smile. “You know, when I was walking out of the garden, I thought this was the most beautiful thing I’d see today. But then I saw you and realized I was wrong. This flower, lovely as it is, is nothing compared to you. So, it’s only right I give it to you.”

Bai Cai stared at the rose, momentarily stunned. She opened her mouth, and just as Xu Yifan thought he’d succeeded, she turned to Chen Xiao and asked a question that nearly made Xu Yifan collapse.

“Chen Xiao, who’s this sissy?”

S-sissy?

Xu Yifan’s face fell. Sissy? He’d been called a playboy, a little scoundrel, a spendthrift, a rascal—but never a sissy, and never by a girl!

This was simply... outrageous!

“T-t-too much...” Xu Yifan’s voice trembled. “It’s too much... I, Xu Yifan, have ruled K City for years, charmed countless girls, and never once... Who are you calling a sissy!”

Bai Cai eyed him with disdain, pointing. “Your face is whiter than a girl’s... And if you’re not a sissy, why are you wearing an earring?”

Earring? Indeed, Xu Yifan wore a delicate platinum stud in his left ear.

He rolled his eyes, fuming. “What do you know! It’s called style, individuality, taste! It’s being unique!”

Bai Cai sighed, looked him up and down, then smiled consolingly. “Alright, I get it... I don’t mean to look down on you, so why get so worked up?” Her next words, however, made Xu Yifan practically jump out of his skin.

Chen Xiao watched Xu Yifan, hair nearly standing on end from Bai Cai’s comments. He’d intended to give Xu Yifan a hard time over Xiao Qing, but seeing him so flustered, he hurried to smooth things over. “Alright, you two, enough. Bai Cai, this is my best friend, Xu Yifan—known as Xu Second Young Master.”

“Oh, your name is Xu Yi Fan? But why ‘Second Young Master’ then?” Bai Cai’s innocent smile sparkled. “Are you first or second?”

“Second! I’m second! Do you have hearing problems?” Xu Yifan gritted his teeth.

At last, Bai Cai beamed, making a victory sign. “You really are second-rate...”

Xu Yifan: “I...”

—Thus was the historic first meeting between Bai Cai and Xu Yifan.

“Alright, enough squabbling,” Chen Xiao said, stifling a laugh. “Bai Cai, don’t tease him. If it weren’t for him, those guys would have caused you trouble again today.”

“I know.” Bai Cai smiled sweetly.

“You know, and yet you say those things?” Xu Yifan rolled his eyes. “Don’t you know the meaning of gratitude?”

Bai Cai huffed, explaining, “First, Chen Xiao helped me yesterday. You only stepped in because of him, so I owe Chen Xiao, not you. Second, I can’t stand guys who flirt with every girl they meet.” Her eyes flashed with a hint of menace. “And lastly... I hate being called ‘Little Bai Cai’! Remember that. Otherwise, you’d better keep heart medication in your pocket whenever you see me.”

Xu Yifan stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. “What a shame. Such a pretty, gentle-looking girl, yet so sharp-tongued. Hmph, I won’t stoop to your level.”

“Exactly.” Bai Cai chuckled. “An ancient sage once said, the prettier a woman is, the more deceitful she is.”

“Oh? Which sage said that?” Even Chen Xiao was curious.

“Jin Yong.” Bai Cai grinned, thrusting her budding chest forward with pride.

Xu Yifan blinked. “Jin Yong... isn’t exactly ancient.”

“It’s last century—doesn’t that count as old?” Bai Cai waved it off with gusto.

“Nonsense!” Xu Yifan scoffed. He and Bai Cai seemed destined to clash. “Didn’t expect you’d read Jin Yong.”

“...No, just watched the TV shows,” Bai Cai admitted.

“Hmph, uncultured girl.” Xu Yifan puffed out his chest. “Do you know Jin Yong’s fourteen novels, when you string together their titles, form a poem: ‘Flying snow covers the sky, shooting the white deer. Laughing at the martial world, leaning on the green mandarin ducks’?”

“So what if I don’t? Do you know that another world-famous author’s novels, when you string together the first word of each title, also make a sentence?”

“Oh? Who?”

Bai Cai burst out laughing seven times, looking at him serenely. “J.K. Rowling.”

Xu Yifan almost fled in defeat, dragging Chen Xiao into the car and speeding away.

He drove as if venting all his frustration through the gas pedal, the dashboard needle climbing rapidly. Chen Xiao hurried to buckle his seatbelt.

Xu Yifan was silent the whole way, the Volvo racing through the city until they reached the address for Chen Xiao’s tutoring job.

At the entrance to the community, Chen Xiao was about to get out when Xu Yifan suddenly lowered the window, his expression odd and uncharacteristically serious.

“Hey, Chen Xiao. Let me ask you something. Answer honestly.”

“What?” Chen Xiao adjusted his shoulder bag.

“Well, Bai Cai...” Xu Yifan hesitated. “You really don’t have feelings for her?”

Chen Xiao, seeing his serious expression, grew concerned. “She only teased you a bit. You’re not really planning revenge on a girl, are you?”

“No.” Xu Yifan shook his head, not smiling, his cheeks tinged red. “I just think she’s interesting. I’ve never met a girl like her... You really don’t...” His voice trailed off. Suddenly, he shook his head. “Forget it! I’m leaving!”

He shut the window and, with a wild turn, the car sped away.

Chen Xiao stood there, pondering Xu Yifan’s unfinished words, both amused and intrigued.

Could it be... Xu Yifan likes Bai Cai?

No way—are we about to witness a knock-off version of the classic romance between Shancai and Dao Ming Si at Gide Academy?

Stepping into the community, Chen Xiao made his way to his tutoring client’s door. Suddenly, a scream rang out near the garage.

He saw the lady of the house, the elegant mistress where he worked, shoved violently by a man. She fell hard to the ground, crying out in pain. The man was in a suit, his hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot, the stench of alcohol radiating from him.

She landed with her knee scraping the patterned tiles, blood welling up, her face streaked with tears and fury as she glared at the man.

“You stupid woman!” the man roared, his drunken tongue almost tripping over itself. “If I don’t network, don’t drink, how am I supposed to do business? Without business, how do I provide for you? The house, the car, the clothes—all bought with my money! All you do is cry! All day long, nothing but crying! Enough already! Are you cursing me to death?!”

He grabbed the remote, flung open the garage door, and staggered inside.

“What business? What networking?” the lady tried to stop him. “You’re just out drinking, gambling, and chasing women! Don’t you know we’re almost out of money? If this keeps up, you’ll ruin us!”

“Get out of my way!” The man, face flushed, slapped her so hard it left red marks across her cheek. He stormed into the car and started the engine, which roared to life.

Desperate, the woman ran and spread her arms, blocking the garage exit. “I won’t let you go, even if it kills me!”

“Move! Don’t stand in my way!” he barked.

She didn’t budge. She fell to her knees, sobbing and pleading, “Husband, I beg you, please... just come back...”

Drunk and enraged, the man lost all reason. A wild, manic fury flashed in his eyes as he shrieked, “Fine! If you want to die, I’ll oblige you!”

The engine revved furiously.

No!

Chen Xiao had been standing at a distance, assuming this was just a domestic quarrel—not his place to interfere. But now, seeing things spiraling out of control—

Without hesitation, he saw the car lurch forward, the woman frozen in despair, unable to believe her husband would truly do this. She knelt there, helpless and hopeless...

A surge of adrenaline shot through Chen Xiao. He shouted, and suddenly, it was as if a powerful force erupted from within him!

At dusk, with no one else about, if anyone had witnessed what happened next, they would have been utterly dumbstruck.

In that instant, Chen Xiao’s figure shot forward as if propelled by an invisible force. There were seven or eight meters between him and the woman, but in a flash, he was there!

Almost on instinct, he shoved her aside, sending her rolling safely onto the lawn.

At that moment, the out-of-control car was right upon him.

Had anyone looked into Chen Xiao’s eyes, they would have seen his pupils flash transparent. He didn’t dodge—he simply curled up protectively, arms shielding his head and chest.

Then, the car slammed into him.

Bang!

Thud!!

A shadow flew sideways—

But it wasn’t Chen Xiao.

It was... the car.

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