Chapter 182: 169. The Person Behind the Scenes (Asking for Monthly Tickets in a 10,000-Word Mega Chapter)
Zhang Tianzhen and Hu Xiaoniu, in the eyes of their classmates, were already considered the epitome of tall, rich, and handsome.
When everyone went to visit them, they had seen the spectacle at the hospital.
The bodyguards outside the ward were incredibly professional, as was the dedicated medical team for these two.
All of this was treatment not usually afforded to just any affluent good-looking guys.
Yet, even such a top-tier rich and handsome guy had been calmly observed by Yangyang for three seconds and had his momentum defeated...
Zhang Tianzhen grumbled while packing up his things, "Why are you only picking on me? Why don't you go bully Xiao Niu? You must think I'm a pushover!"
Yangyang glanced at him, "You want another beating, is that it?"
Zhang Tianzhen immediately shut his mouth and obediently moved another table.
They had all been in the same private school since they were young, where boys often couldn't keep their hands to themselves: they liked poking girls' backs with pencils, and liked to pull on girls' ponytails.
This was their clumsy way of attracting the girls' attention, causing the girls much annoyance.
However, this situation never existed with Yangyang, because being handsy with this girl meant you would genuinely end up pinned to the ground and beaten up.
The girl sat down between Qing Chen and Hu Xiaoniu, and Hu Xiaoniu asked in a low voice, "Yangyang, have you heard about Wang Yun's incident?"
"Yeah," Yangyang nodded, "Your issue has caused such a stir in the circle, it's impossible not to know. But it's not anyone else's fault, it's normal to have problems when you mix with problematic people."
When the bell for the start of class rang, Hu Xiaoniu sighed and said no more.
Side by side, Qing Chen and Nan Gengchen exchanged glances, realizing that this Yangyang seemed to hold a very high status within Hu Xiaoniu and their group.
However, Qing Chen was somewhat puzzled as to why the person opposite would sit next to him.
Had she recognized him?
The girl had clearly not paid him any mind at first, her gaze had swept right past him, only to turn back once again.
Thus, it seemed that even if she hadn't recognized him, she must have harbored some suspicions.
During the first English class, the girl known as Yangyang didn't lift her head even once, constantly engaged in writing and drawing, and it was unclear what she was sketching.
Your next read is at empire
Just before the class was about to end, the girl suddenly wrote a note and passed it to Qing Chen.
Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen, both silently observing her, were stunned to see this action. What was happening? Yangyang passing notes to a boy? Were they seeing things?
Based on their usual impression of the girl, they wouldn't be surprised if she gave Qing Chen a Cross Choke instead.
But passing a note was definitely not behavior one would expect from her!
If this were to be shared in the Haicheng High School student group, their classmates wouldn't believe it!
Zhang Tianzhen also wrote a note to Hu Xiaoniu: "Could Yangyang be here for that Qing Chen guy?"
Hu Xiaoniu shook his head: "I've observed some details; she probably doesn't recognize Qing Chen, nor does she know he's here."
"Could it be because Qing Chen is quite good-looking? So she's passing him notes."
"What a joke, Yangyang is no silly girl! She must have her reasons!"
While the two wealthy second-generation students were discussing, Qing Chen quietly read the note in front of him that said: I know you've recognized me.
He thought for a moment and wrote on the note: Classmate, what do you mean?
The girl calmly wrote: I've recognized you too.
His heart tightened.
She indeed had recognized him.
The girl turned her face to the side, staring at Qing Chen's profile intently, waiting for his response.
That sharp glance was piercing, as if capturing every minute detail of Qing Chen's face, this scrutiny felt like a heavy pressure bearing down on him.
Qing Chen responded: Classmate, you must have mistaken something.
He didn't believe that she could be 100% certain; this was likely a bluff.
Yangyang then wrote: You were the Assassin on Laojun Mountain that night, right? Although you've changed your hairstyle, your eyes are the same; I can't be wrong about that.
Qing Chen replied: Classmate, you've really mistaken me for someone else.
At this point, Yangyang didn't waste any more words.
She pulled out a sketch from under her notebook and placed it on the desk in front of Qing Chen.
Qing Chen looked at the pencil drawing in front of him, with simple lines yet rich in chiaroscuro. This girl had been busy sketching him all along!
In the drawing, only the upper half of Qing Chen's face was depicted, the eyes strikingly lifelike.
Yangyang wrote: Was that your first time killing someone that night? If it was, you're stronger than me.
Qing Chen stared at the drawing of himself—it showed him somewhat disheveled, with messy hair and dust on his face.
But in the eyes, there was more determination and resolve.
Menacing.
He felt that if he had looked in a mirror that night, the reflection would have been exactly like this drawing.
Did this girl also possess a photographic memory?
Not just Qing Chen felt this way; when Nan Gengchen sneakily glanced at the drawing, it almost brought back his memories from that night.
The fierce criminals, the flames shooting into the sky, the screaming crowd.
And Qing Chen who had saved him in the nick of time.
Days had passed, and Nan Gengchen had nearly forgotten those scenes.
But this sketch was so compelling that it instantly pulled him back to that midnight.
Seeing he didn't speak, Yangyang wrote another note: "I've been drawing for 12 years, and I'm best at capturing facial details. Thomas Lawrence is one of my favorite artists. Such distinctive eyes, facial expressions, I'll absolutely never forget after seeing them once. I'm very confident about that, so there's no need for you to keep denying it."