Chapter 4

"You should've contacted me earlier." The butler said with disappointment. "Had you called me, I'd have helped you... Anyways, you'll get your uniform from the teachers, I arranged it. And you arranged books by yourself? Are you fine with old books?"

"They're not that old. I'll manage." Chen Dulan replied on the phone.

"Fine. But you'll get a small allowance from Madam Yao. Really irresponsible of you to not inform us beforehand..." He still sounded very annoyed. How would Chen Dulan know he'd be helped? No one had told him so, of course he'd assumed he was alone. "I suggest you still keep the job. Young master spends a lot of time in that... karaoke."

"Yes, I'll do it. Thank you."

Before heading towards the school building, Chen Dulan sent a text to the older sister downstairs. She's been kind to him after all. 'Thank you for the books and the food. It was very delicious. My parents called, they will send some money monthly, so I won't need to eat with your family everyday. Thank you for the offer, though.' She was probably sleeping, as she didn't respond yet.

He walked his way to school. The neighborhood was quiet and dull. And it was very empty. There weren't many families in the town, even the school building was so much smaller than any other schools in C City. The campus was only a ground and a three-storey building.

"You're Chen Dulan? Second year transfer student?"He nodded in response. The teacher made him fill a form, and gave him a uniform and asked him to change after homeroom. He was in 2-B, he'd see Young Master after many years.

"I'm your homeroom teacher. Come on in, class is about to begin." He followed inside the classroom. All the students stood up, and he tried to locate Yao Fang in the lot first. "He's a new student, kid, introduce yourself." The teacher patted his shoulder and he saw one student sitting in the end row, it was the Young Master. He was staring outside the window, ignoring the class conversation.

"I have transferred here from C City." Yao Fang's eyes immediately moved to him. "I look forward to being in this class. I am Chen Dulan." Young Master stared wide-eyed at him.

Chen Dulan? That Chen Dulan?

"Go and sit wherever you like." Roll call started after that. The two empty desks in the classroom were both very far away from Young Master. But good enough to keep an eye on him. They didn't have to talk at all, honestly. As long as Yao Fang didn't stir trouble. He'd study enough in class, so he could maintain an average grade.

But how could he concentrate on the English lecture, when Yao Fang hadn't stopped staring at him? The gave felt cold on his neck, and he tried his best to ignore it till lunch time. He must remember everything being taught in class; he must.

Then he put on the uniform and resumed class. Some classmates tried to talk to him and Yao Fang kept staring from far. Chen Dulan's refusing to smile was bothering him. He hadn't changed at all. Why was he in S town anyways? Had Yao Jianguo meant this when he said he'd take care of it? What could the weak looking Chen Dulan do?

And the maths lecture started, it was a female teacher this time, and Chen Dulan visibly struggled with the problems. He looked confused, when the teacher had asked him a question. Chen Dulan wasn't the best at academics, it seemed.

'I don't know any of the formulae from before. I don't remember any elements on the periodic table. What even is an sp3? How can I catch up with this at all?' He should call the butler again, and tell him, this would be impossible to handle. If he couldn't perform decently, he'd be put in supplementary classes, and he had no time for that-

"Chen Dulan. Come outside, talk." Yao Fang had called him and walked out with his hands in his pocket. Chen Dulan obediently followed behind.

"We meet again, Young Master." He bowed just a little, to not be noticed by other students. They were around the same height. "Your brother asked me to keep you away from trouble." Yao Fang only got more irritated at the mention of his brother.

"A few years you've spent at MinYao, you think you're better than me?"

"I may be weaker than you physically, but there's two things Young Master is forgetting." Chen Dulan replied without letting his own annoyance show.

"And what is that?"

"First, Young Master's hands need not get dirty in smaller troubles. Let this one lower than you deal with these small problems... and well," He shrugged, not sure if he should say it. He moved his face closer before saying it, almost as a whisper.

"Second, you haven't killed people yet."