Tonight, I will accompany you.

“Mistake, mistake,” Fang Chang’an said with an embarrassed smile, noticing the young girl’s face was still tense as she glared at him angrily. He edged closer, wearing a conciliatory grin and coaxed softly, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it was my fault. I promise I won’t dare do it again next time. Please don’t be angry, alright?”

Shen Mo remained silent, cheeks puffed with indignation.

Having apologized, Fang Chang’an didn’t linger on the subject. He picked up his notebook, pretending to read, and then sidled closer to Shen Mo. Before he could say anything, the girl immediately leaned away, turning her head and watching him warily.

“It’s over. The proverb holds true—a small lack of restraint leads to big trouble!” Fang Chang’an grumbled inwardly, but regrets were futile now, since what was done was done. He whispered, “Is it Wu Di…”

His voice was so quiet, and the classroom so noisy during the break, that Shen Mo didn’t catch his words. She leaned in closer and asked, “What did you say?”

Fang Chang’an secretly rejoiced, though he dared not show it, and resumed speaking softly, “Did Wu Di tell you this?”

“Yes.” Shen Mo nodded, a bit puzzled, unsure what the issue was.

Fang Chang’an asked, “If he wanted to warn someone, why didn’t he warn me directly? Why tell you so you could warn me?”

Only then did Shen Mo realize the problem, and she too looked confused. Fang Chang’an watched her expression and raised an eyebrow, “Do you understand now?”

The girl thought carefully and asked, “Was he lying?”

Fang Chang’an sighed helplessly. With intelligence like this, tricking her wouldn’t even be satisfying—but it was enough that she was pretty. He shook his head, “Lying wouldn’t make sense either.”

The girl pondered again, but couldn’t figure it out, so she gave up and whispered, “Then why?”

Fang Chang’an shook his head, “I don’t know either. Maybe you should ask him?”

Shen Mo shook her head and was about to speak when the bell sounded for class. She had to stop, stood and greeted the teacher, and as the geography teacher began his usual boasting at the podium, she carefully scribbled a note in her notebook.

She quietly nudged Fang Chang’an and slid the note onto his desk.

He looked down: “Don’t go to the street for dinner after school this afternoon. Eat at the school gate, where there are more people.”

Fang Chang’an saw the worried look in her eyes and nodded firmly. Then he quickly drew a little stick figure in his notebook and pushed it back to her.

Shen Mo glanced at it—it was a familiar doodle, the stick figure bowing deeply at a ninety-degree angle, with a vertical line of script beside it: “I solemnly obey your command, Your Highness!”

The girl could barely hold back her laughter, nearly bursting out loud. She covered her mouth, her bright eyes flashed him a glance, lips pressed together in a smile, and she put away the notebook, sitting up straight and listening intently to the geography teacher’s stories.

Fang Chang’an smiled and sat properly as well, turning to read “Lu Xun.”

As for Wang Chuanbiao’s possible “scheming,” he didn’t care much, but he wasn’t careless either. After all, intelligence wasn’t always the thing to fear—it was the reckless ones who posed real danger. As a man reborn, if he got ambushed once, he could chalk it up to negligence; but if it happened again, he’d truly be a laughingstock.

So at noon, after class, Fang Chang’an deliberately waited a while longer before leaving. He stood upstairs, watching Wang Chuanbiao exit the school gate, then went downstairs and followed, carefully making his way to Wang Chuanbiao’s home.

“Why are you here at noon?” The lunchtime rush meant the small shop was full of customers, and the owner looked surprised to see him.

“I wanted something to eat, so I came,” Fang Chang’an said with a smile, finding an empty seat inside. He grumbled inwardly, “It’s all thanks to your son scaring me.”

After finishing his noodles, he cautiously returned to school. Thinking back, besides feeling amused, he found the whole adventure rather exciting.

Back in the classroom, Wang Ke was chatting with Zheng Lili, Wang Yuwei, and others. She was turned sideways, and only noticed Fang Chang’an when he reached his seat. She glanced at him expressionlessly and continued listening to Wang Yuwei discuss the manga “Inuyasha.”

Fang Chang’an sighed inwardly, turned in his seat and asked, “What are you talking about?”

The young girl shot him a glance, still keeping her face stern. “It has nothing to do with you.”

Fang Chang’an clicked his tongue silently. So young, yet so adept. He rested his elbow on her desk and whispered, “Are you upset about something?”

“No.” To prove her point, Wang Ke gave Fang Chang’an a dazzling smile, then instantly wiped it away and turned to listen to Wang Yuwei’s conversation, even chiming in, “Wang Yuwei, have you finished? Can I borrow it afterwards?”

Wang Yuwei looked at her, “I’ll bring it for you tomorrow.”

“Great, thank you.” Wang Ke smiled happily, then turned to Fang Chang’an to show just how cheerful she was.

Fang Chang’an nodded, smiling along as if saying, “Your happiness is mine.” The girl vaguely sensed something was off, recalled he had dared to touch Shen Mo, and immediately put on a stern face again, ignoring him.

Fang Chang’an edged closer and whispered, “Have you ever met Wang Chuanbiao?”

Wang Ke thought for a moment, “Who?”

“The one in the last row, sitting alone.”

Wang Ke remembered—this person didn’t get along well with Fang Chang’an. She thought it over, shook her head, and whispered, “I haven’t seen him.”

Fang Chang’an nodded, his expression worried. The girl immediately grew concerned, moving closer and asking softly, “What’s wrong?”

Fang Chang’an hesitated, glanced at her, then, as if trusting her deeply, leaned in so their heads nearly touched and whispered, “This morning Wu Di told me that yesterday during evening self-study, Wang Chuanbiao asked him when I’d be in the classroom. I suspect Wang Chuanbiao wants to ambush me.”

“What?” Wang Ke was startled, completely forgetting her anger as she worried, “What should we do? Maybe we should tell Teacher Cheng?”

“He hasn’t done anything yet, so telling Teacher Cheng won’t help.” Fang Chang’an sighed, seeing Wang Ke’s worried expression, and gave her a warm smile. “But it’s nothing serious, don’t worry. I’m not afraid of him.”

Seeing him threatened and clearly scared, yet still trying to comfort her, the girl was moved and anxious. She bit her lip and whispered, “But he’s taller than you, and will probably bring others. Don’t leave school these days, and don’t be alone. With more people around, they won’t dare ambush you.”

Fang Chang’an showed an admiring look and nodded vigorously, “I’ll do as you say.”

“Mm-hmm.” The girl felt she’d found a temporary solution and became cheerful again, but Fang Chang’an’s expression suddenly clouded, as if he remembered something.

She nervously asked, “What’s wrong?”

Fang Chang’an replied, “But I go running every evening, and I don’t have anyone with me.”

“You run at night?” Wang Ke was surprised. “Then just don’t go.”

“I can’t skip it—I’m in bad shape, and there’s a physical test for high school entrance. If I wait until then, it’ll be too late. I have to practice early.”

Wang Ke thought for a moment, “Ask Wang Hao to go with you. If someone tries to ambush you, Wang Hao can call for help.”

“Wang Hao won’t go. I’ve asked him, but he doesn’t want to.” Fang Chang’an didn’t feel he was lying—Wang Hao knew he ran every day, which was a subtle invitation, yet Wang Hao never joined him, so it was pretty much a refusal.

Hearing this, Wang Ke grew troubled, furrowing her pretty brows as she earnestly pondered a solution.

Fang Chang’an waited, and when she still didn’t catch on, used a timid tone to prompt, “How about…you come with me?”

“Ah?” Wang Ke wasn’t averse to exercise, but only in group activities like skipping rope or elastic games among girls. She truly disliked running, and the playground was so dark at night, with the risk of being ambushed. She hesitated.

“You’re a girl; even if they ambush me, they won’t bother you. Then you can go call for help,” Fang Chang’an pleaded, sounding like a drowning man grasping for rescue. The girl had never seen him so vulnerable before, and her heart softened. She looked at him, hesitated for two seconds, then finally bit her lip and nodded, “Alright, I’ll go with you tonight.”