054 Bad Influence

"Young master, I'll come pick you up this evening," the driver, Old Wang, said to Xu Yichen.

Yichen gave a slight nod and opened the car door without another word, stepping into the school.

Warm sunlight filtered through the thick foliage, casting gentle rays on the tranquil campus path. The meticulously trimmed trees exuded a subtle warmth in the morning light.

Xu Yichen strolled slowly along the shaded avenue, savoring this rare moment of leisure. In his earphones, Symphony No. 41 in C Major flowed smoothly, calming his restless heart.

As was his habit, he found a quiet spot on the back hillside, lay down casually on the grass, and closed his eyes—eyes that seemed far too deep for someone his age.

He was already so tired, after all these years.

Yet, as always, there were people or things that would shatter this fleeting peace.

When the sound of increasingly urgent moans broke through his music, Xu Yichen frowned in annoyance, removed his earphones, and the voices invaded his ears unfiltered.

"Oh... that's so good, you little minx, squeeze tighter..." A lewd voice laced with heavy panting cut through the trees, every word clear.

"Ah..." The woman's gasps rose, "Ah... Third Young Master, you're amazing... no, I can't take it, you're going to kill me..."

"Haha, it's still early," the man grunted. The woman let out a piercing scream, "I can't take it, please, Third Young Master, spare me..."

Xu Yichen frowned more deeply. That voice—wasn't it Li Shaoren?

Glancing at the two figures entangled in the nearby thicket, Xu Yichen pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Is this the Student Affairs Office? I'd like to report that there are people having sex in the woods behind the school, disturbing students during morning study."

He didn't bother to wait for a response. Hanging up, he removed his SIM card and tossed it into the river.

No longer in the mood to relax, Xu Yichen stood, took another path, and headed toward the classroom.

He had been familiar with such matters for over a year, ever since he first came to understand the ways of the world.

Back in the days when he was pursuing Liu Zhiqing, there was never a shortage of women warming his bed.

Apart from her, though, what did other women matter?

He was, indeed, poisoned by her—a poison named Liu Zhiqing.

Upon entering the classroom and sitting down, his troublesome friend Sun Mingfan sidled over with a cheeky grin. "Third Young Master is here! Come, let your humble servant pay his respects."

At the sight of Sun Mingfan, a faint smile flickered in Xu Yichen’s eyes.

The two of them were truly kindred spirits—growing up together, sharing everything from food and drink to gambling and debauchery. Later, though he never quite understood Xu Yichen's obsession with Liu Zhiqing, Sun Mingfan still supported him from behind the scenes.

In Sun Mingfan’s words, "You're the only brother I have in this life. Whatever my brother wants, I’ll help you get it. Don’t worry—even if your old man comes after you, you’ve still got me!"

"Listen to you, you rascal," Xu Yichen said with a laugh.

Sun Mingfan chuckled. "Hey, seriously though, why are you so late today? Did your old man catch you and give you a lecture again?"

Xu Yichen grabbed a textbook from the desk and lightly smacked him. "I've known you all these years and never once seen you act serious."

Sun Mingfan protested, snatching up his own book, and the two exchanged playful blows.

Xu Yichen’s class, Grade 9 Class 19, was known as the worst in the entire school—filled with students who cared little for their studies but all boasted remarkable family backgrounds. The teachers had long since given up, letting them do as they pleased. Morning self-study was nothing but a time of idle chaos.

They had been exiled to a corner of the campus, far from the other classes, to prevent their bad influence from spreading.

None of these privileged students cared about grades. If things didn't work out, they could always spend a few years abroad, indulging themselves, and return with a so-called “overseas experience”—a sea turtle, as it was mockingly called.

Then, they would secure a token position in the family business or simply live as a second-generation heir.

After all, for families like theirs, supporting an idler posed no difficulty.

After a while, Xu Yichen said quietly, "My old man’s sending me away—to guard the frontiers. You won’t see me next semester."

Sun Mingfan let out a loud cry. "No way! Your mother dotes on you—will she really allow it?"

Looking at the rowdy rich boys ahead, Xu Yichen replied, "I agreed to it myself. If I stay in City B, I’ll just end up another second-generation heir like the rest of them."

Following his gaze, Sun Mingfan surveyed the smoky, chaotic classroom, spat heavily on the floor, and sighed. "We really are brothers in misfortune. My old man was talking about it just yesterday. Looks like I’ll be exiled soon too. While you’re guarding the border, I’ll be shipped abroad to those damn capitalist countries. I’ll make those foreign beauties serve me, lick the soles of my feet—damn it."

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tossed one to Sun Mingfan, lit his own expertly, and blew a perfect smoke ring. Xu Yichen laughed, "Try not to bring any diseases back with you. It’s not like China out there—hardly any foreign girls over fifteen are still virgins."

With that, he took long, slow drags, exhaling ring after ring.

Amid the swirling smoke, he seemed to see again the version of himself who smoked through endless nights.

Sun Mingfan leaned over for a light, his movements still clumsy compared to Xu Yichen’s practiced ease. He blew a smoke ring and grinned, "Don’t worry, I’ll remember to use protection."

"Tsk, tsk—you really have no ambition."

After exchanging a few more jests, Sun Mingfan said, "Seriously though, shouldn’t we teach that bastard Li a lesson? How dare he mess with my brother without finding out who I am first?"

"Oh, cut it out—you’re not a monkey," Xu Yichen replied with a laugh. "If you ever start acting like one, don’t blame me for disowning you."

Like Xu Yichen, Sun Mingfan was a notorious playboy, blessed with good looks. Yet his sunny appearance was utterly undermined by his frivolous grin and that air of careless nonchalance.

Women love a bad man, after all.

As he grew older, his stature stretched out in high school, attracting countless girls with his charming eyes.

The aloofness of the Xu family’s eldest only drew more beauties toward the second young master at his side.

That was why Sun Mingfan loved going to nightclubs with Xu Yichen. By night’s end, he’d usually hooked up with a dozen beauties.

Holding his cigarette between his fingers, Xu Yichen flicked the ash carelessly and sneered, "As for that bastard Li, he’s just a jumping clown—not worth your attention. The Li family may be riding high now, but the undercurrents in the capital run deep. Who knows when they’ll capsize?"

"Hmph—" Sun Mingfan took a drag, gazing out at the dazzling sunlight and the little birds hopping on the branches. "When that day comes, it’ll be even better if we help him along, right?"

He turned with a laugh, "What do you think?"

"Damn, you really are devious," Sun Mingfan rubbed his hands in excitement. "But I love nothing more than a bit of scheming, haha."