"I'm heading back to school then."
Zhou Hong said no more. He turned and parted ways with Shen Yanran, walking directly towards the school gates.
Shen Yanran stood at the hotel entrance, watching Zhou Hong's receding figure, and sighed deeply. Previously, she only thought Zhou Hong was skilled at playing the guqin, but she never expected his martial cultivation talent to be so strong, even surpassing her brother's.
Just then, a man with wet hair walked out from behind Shen Yanran. It was none other than her brother, Shen Dongyang.
"Damn it." Shen Dongyang cursed as he watched Zhou Hong's back.
"Brother, why haven't you left yet?" Shen Yanran heard the curse and quickly turned around.
"Are you happy now? Humiliated by your lover," Shen Dongyang said angrily.
"Brother, we're just friends. Don't talk nonsense, and you're the one who ran into us."
"Is it wrong for me to catch you two red-handed? I'll definitely report today's matter to Grandpa." Shen Dongyang said furiously.
"Brother, Zhou Hong is no ordinary person. His martial cultivation talent is far superior to yours. You'd best not provoke him and just let this matter go," Shen Yanran advised.
"Impossible," Shen Dongyang roared, then immediately turned and left.
Shen Yanran looked worried, fearing her brother would exaggerate the story when he got home. Her brother was deeply favored by their grandfather. If Grandpa found out that his most beloved grandson had been shoved into a toilet, she didn't know what the consequences would be. Her grandfather was powerful, his martial cultivation realm already reaching level fifty-five of the Martial Master stage. If Grandpa were truly enraged, then Zhou Hong would... Shen Yanran dared not think further.
"Alas, I hope Grandpa won't be angered," Shen Yanran silently prayed.
After praying, Shen Yanran didn't return to school. Instead, she hurried home. She feared her brother would embellish the story, so she had to get back quickly. If she could resolve the conflict, that would be best. Even if she couldn't, she would try to mediate and minimize the friction.
When Zhou Hong returned to school, the afternoon class bell had just rung. Zhou Hong went directly to the Economics Department and entered the Accounting class.
"Zhou Hong, where did you rush off to without finishing your lunch?" Liu Hua asked in confusion as they entered the accounting classroom.
"Oh, I had something to take care of with Shen Yanran," Zhou Hong replied with a laugh.
"Wasn't it at a hotel?" Liu Hua chuckled.
"Don't be so loud." Zhou Hong glared at Liu Hua. If he spoke so loudly in the classroom, other students might overhear, which would be bad. Moreover, his fiancée, Qiao Xiaoyu, was in the same classroom, and he'd have to explain things again.
"Understood, understood." Liu Hua glanced in Qiao Xiaoyu's direction and chuckled, his smile incredibly lewd.
Zhou Hong really wanted to slap him. Why was he smiling so lewdly, as if Zhou Hong were having an affair behind Qiao Xiaoyu's back?
The first class of the afternoon was taught by Teacher Yang Xi. When Teacher Yang Xi entered the classroom, she glanced in Zhou Hong's direction. Seeing him, she gave him a nod of greeting with her eyes.
"Class begins."
"Hello, Teacher."
Teacher Yang Xi immediately began the lesson. She didn't know why, but seeing Zhou Hong in the classroom made her more energetic during class. Zhou Hong hadn't been at school for a week before, and she had felt listless every day. Teacher Yang Xi didn't understand what was wrong with her.
And at this very moment.
In the Shen Family.
Shen Dongyang had already returned home, arriving before his sister, Shen Yanran.
"Dongyang, why do you look so dishevelled?" An old man spotted Shen Dongyang as he entered the family compound.
This old man was none other than Shen Dongyang's grandfather, Shen Wansi. Although he was over seventy, due to his martial arts practice, he looked no older than fifty and was full of vigor. He was currently the strongest in the Shen family, a level fifty-five Martial Master, and a renowned figure throughout Jinzhou City.
"Grandpa, you have to get justice for me! I was shoved into a toilet and flushed!" Shen Dongyang immediately poured out his grievances upon seeing Shen Wansi.
"What happened?" Shen Wansi's brow furrowed, and his fists clenched slightly.
"It all has to do with Yanran. She was at a hotel with a man, and I caught them. I didn't expect that man to have some martial cultivation. I wasn't his match and he grabbed my head, shoving me into the toilet...!" Shen Dongyang embellished the story.
Just then, Shen Yanran returned.
"Grandpa, don't listen to his nonsense. He and I are innocent," Shen Yanran rushed forward to explain. Just as she had suspected, her brother would surely exaggerate the story to their grandfather and use him to deal with Zhou Hong.
"Hmph, still claiming innocence. When I arrived, you weren't even fully dressed," Shen Dongyang snorted coldly.
"Yanran, what exactly happened? Explain it to me immediately," Shen Wansi boomed.
"Grandpa, Zhou Hong and I went to the hotel because my bust is small, and Zhou Hong happened to know a secret technique that can help me increase it. That's why we went to the hotel. He and I are innocent; we didn't do anything. If you don't believe me, I can go to the hospital for a check-up to see if I'm still a virgin," Shen Yanran frantically tried to de-escalate.
Finally, after her persistent efforts, her grandfather gradually calmed down.
"Alright, I believe you. However, this Zhou Hong shoving your brother into the toilet was indeed too much. Fortunately, no outsiders knew, which preserved the family's reputation. Otherwise, I would never have let him off."
"Grandpa is right. He also felt he was too impulsive and privately apologized to me, asking me to apologize to Brother on his behalf," Shen Yanran quickly spoke up for Zhou Hong.
"An apology alone is not enough. How about this: tomorrow at noon, you bring him to our home. I want to meet him personally. Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for him, as long as he genuinely apologizes."
"Alright," Shen Yanran nodded, agreeing to invite Zhou Hong to their home tomorrow. She hoped Zhou Hong would show some sincerity in front of her grandfather and help resolve the issue.
"Grandpa, I'm going back to school for class now. Please don't listen to Brother's nonsense anymore," Shen Yanran said to Shen Wansi.
"Go ahead."
Shen Yanran then left home and headed back to school.
However, Shen Dongyang did not leave. He looked displeased.
"Grandpa, you're not really just going to let that Zhou Hong off, are you?" Shen Dongyang quickly said.
"Of course not. When he comes tomorrow, a small punishment will be unavoidable. However, this Zhou Hong is quite a talent. When he comes tomorrow, we'll see if he's willing to marry into our Shen family."
"What? You want to marry Yanran off to him?" Shen Dongyang was greatly shocked.
"Of course not. With Yanran's beauty, we must find someone better. I mean, a previously unmarried woman from the family."
"Hmph!" Shen Dongyang grunted slightly, clearly unhappy about the prospect of Zhou Hong marrying into their Shen family.