At this moment, the rest of the class finally reacted and began congratulating Shu Jia Er.
“Ahhh, I knew you two would end up together!”
“The candy is so delicious! And the milk tea is amazing too!”
“The boss is really generous—so envious!”
Shu Jia Er accepted all the congratulations with a smile. Then, Jiang Xici walked up from the back of the classroom, quietly offering her his congratulations before slipping away.
With so many people congratulating her, Jiang Xici didn’t stand out at all. Shu Jia Er didn’t even notice when he left.
No one was paying attention to the academic bully at that moment; everyone was too caught up in the explosive news of Shu Jia Er and the boss getting together.
So no one noticed the trace of loneliness in the academic bully’s expression, which vanished after a minute as if it had never been there.
A saying that goes, “Excessive joy leads to sorrow” is true. Shu Jia Er knew that Huo Chao’s high-profile behavior would spark resentment, but she never expected him to be sanctioned by the principal so soon.
As soon as Huo Chao stepped out of the classroom, he was stopped by the principal.
Just seeing Huo Chao gave the principal a headache. What could he say about this student?
Back in his first and second years, Huo Chao had been a troublemaker, constantly fighting and had many younger brothers behind him. He was like Chen Haonan, a leader of the underworld. He finally calmed down a bit in the latter part of sophomore year, giving the principal a bit of relief. But before he could truly relax, Huo Chao started causing trouble again in his senior year.
And now, he even got himself a girlfriend. Neither of them were the type to stay low-key. Previously, Huo Chao had broken another student’s wrists over this girl and had to publicly apologize in front of the entire school. Now he was celebrating their relationship with milk tea and candy, announcing it to everyone.
What was he thinking?
Were they just going to disrupt other students who were trying to study and improve?
What about the students whose families didn’t have wealth—could they live in peace?
The school wasn’t strict on dating, and there was even a tacit tolerance. But bringing it out in the open like this was unacceptable—absolutely unacceptable.
The principal said with a stern expression, “The school clearly prohibits dating. As a senior student, flaunting your relationship like this sets a poor example for your peers and underclassmen. Do you think the school really wouldn’t expel you?”
Huo Chao, hands in his pockets, maintained a calm expression. “Principal, isn’t expulsion a bit extreme for this?”
The principal’s tone was severe. “If not expulsion, then a demerit for sure!”
Demerits are serious for students; they remain on their record, even if revoked later, leaving a mark.
A demerit would be a stain, permanently there.
Huo Chao’s homeroom teacher sighed beside him, pleading on his behalf, “Principal, how about sparing him the demerit? Boys at this age can be a bit high-profile and impulsive. Give him another chance; he’ll mature gradually.”
The principal was only using harsh words, and now that Huo Chao’s teacher had given him an out, he took it. “Since your homeroom teacher is speaking up for you, I’ll let you off with a warning this time. But if it happens again, there will definitely be a demerit!”
Huo Chao had anticipated this outcome. With a hint of self-mockery, he gave a slight laugh.
Though he’d resented his family background countless times, he had to admit that the Huo surname brought him many privileges and exceptions.
All because he had a father who was a successful entrepreneur and an older brother who was an all-around talent.
As for himself…
He carried labels like “troublemaker,” “gang leader,” and “street racer,” none of which remotely implied excellence.
Taking a deep breath, Huo Chao muttered a hollow “Thank you, Principal. I’ll remember that.”
Just as he was about to leave, the principal turned back and added, “Since we’re not going with expulsion or a demerit, you’ll need to write a reflection. As a student about to take the college entrance exam, I think it’s necessary for you to set an example of ‘studying hard’ for the younger students. You should encourage them to focus on academics and avoid falling in love early like you did.”
Huo Chao: …
So, could he take the principal’s words to mean that he, a student who fell in love too early, had to tell younger students not to fall in love too early?
That’s how it was, right?
With his hands behind his back, the principal concluded, “That’s it, then. Prepare for it—you’ll be giving the reflection tomorrow.”
After the principal left, Huo Chao’s homeroom teacher patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. “I remember your girlfriend got third place in the last monthly exam. You should at least try not to fall too far behind her, right?”
His little girlfriend is pretty impressive.
After a moment of thought, Huo Chao replied, “I know.”
The next day, when Shu Jia Er found out Huo Chao was going to deliver another reflection in front of the entire school, she couldn’t help but feel, ‘Well, of course.’
She wasn’t surprised at all by this outcome. After all, high school is for studying, not dating. With Huo Chao being so high-profile this time, it would have been stranger if there were no repercussions.
Ning Meng sighed beside her, “The boss is going to make a reflection again.”
Shu Jia Er nodded. This is almost becoming a monthly event. And now that she thought about it, both times Huo Chao had to apologize, it was related to her.
With that realization, Shu Jia Er decided she should accompany him this time.
Ning Meng added softly, “Even though he has to apologize, people are actually envious of you two.”
Not everyone had the courage to love so boldly, nor the privilege to do so.
In short, Huo Chao and Shu Jia Er have become indelible legends in the hearts of their classmates at school.
At lunchtime, Huo Chao once again appeared in the school’s broadcasting room. Since it wasn’t his first time, he seemed particularly at ease.
Sitting on a swivel chair, he absentmindedly fiddled with his phone, looking more like he was relaxing than preparing to apologize.
He looked up and asked the student council member, “Shall we begin?”
The student union officer checked his watch and nodded, “Yes, senior. You can start.”
Huo Chao leaned into the microphone and began without a script, “I’m Huo Chao from Class 36 of Senior 3. Yes, here I am again, giving another apology.”
The student council member, who happened to be a boy, couldn’t help but twitch at this unexpected line.
This senior was truly unique, always taking the unconventional route.
He is back with another apology.
Just then, the door to the broadcasting room opened, and a small, fluffy head peeked in.
It was Shu Jia Er.
She already heard Huo Chao’s voice over the loudspeakers while climbing the stairs, so she knew the apology had started.
Since he had only just begun, it probably hadn’t been long.
Originally, she intended to stand quietly in a corner and watch, but Huo Chao spotted her immediately.
He waved her over, and she approached with soft, small steps.
Huo Chao stood up from the swivel chair, adjusted the microphone, and began in a steady tone, “The principal believes that as a senior student, I need to set a good example for everyone.”
At that, Huo Chao extended his right hand and pulled the confused Shu Jia Er into his arms.
“I shouldn’t have flaunted my relationship so publicly. I apologize for setting a bad example.”
His voice, calm and deep, resonated clearly through the loudspeaker, reaching every student.
Unseen by them, students in their classrooms were holding their breath, listening intently.
“As high schoolers, the first rule should be to avoid dating falling in love too early.”
Huo Chao lifted his left hand to Shu Jia Er’s face, brushing the stray hair near her temples aside.
“Premature love can be distracting.”
His right arm wrapped around her waist, and his left hand cradled her face, pulling her closer, a clear smile in his eyes.
“For some students, premature love can even significantly impact their grades.”
His lips softly landed on her forehead.
The student union officer had already been watching in shock. If he stayed any longer, he might be blinded by this scene.
He slowly retreated until he was at the door, then quickly opened it and exited, closing it behind him.
Once outside, he clutched his chest, leaning slightly against the door and taking deep breaths.
My god, he felt like he had just witnessed something incredible.
Huo Chao is truly one-of-a-kind. Even when apologizing, he did it in his own extraordinary way, unlike anyone else.
He is warning the underclassmen against dating at a young age, saying it is bad for their studies, while his lips and hands seemed to have a mind of their own.
Legendary indeed.
Fortunately, he was the one on duty today, not the little girl.
Otherwise, the little girl’s screams would probably spread throughout the campus.
On the other side, the public apology in the broadcast room continued.
“As a high school student, the primary focus should be studying hard,” Huo Chao said as his warm lips slowly lowered, finally landing on Shu Jia Er’s.
Shu Jia Er tilted her head back, clutching tightly to his shirt, passively accepting the feather-light kiss, as gentle as a breeze.
She was completely bewildered.
Weren’t they supposed to be doing an apology?
But Huo Chao…
He gently brushed her cherry blossom-like lips, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, as if he were a mischievous child who’d just pulled off a prank. His demeanor had a mix of refined appearance and hidden boldness.
“Study diligently,” he said.
Another peck.
“And one day, serve the motherland well and become someone useful to society.”
He nibbled on her lips, murmuring through slightly muffled words, “Don’t be like me. Don’t start dating early—it’s really not good. That concludes my apology. Thank you, everyone.”
With a click, Huo Chao used his left hand to turn off the microphone.
In the next moment, he deepened the kiss.
His lips pressed onto hers again and again.
Though his words insisted that early romance was a mistake, his heart wanted nothing more than to hold her close, kissing her over and over.
Early romance was wrong.
It was obviously wrong.
Otherwise, why would his mind be in such a haze, filled with her image at every moment, as if he’d been enchanted?
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