#12 — Revenge

The entire afternoon passed with Ji Feng buried in his textbooks. By evening self-study session, his mind felt foggy and exhausted.

Rubbing his temples, Ji Feng mused inwardly: *It seems even with a photographic memory, overusing it still causes mental strain. I need to pace myself.*

After a short break, he turned his attention to applying the knowledge he'd memorized. The sheer volume of missed coursework made mastery impossible in such a short time.

He considered asking Zhang Lei for help, but one glance at his friend's lazy sprawl across the desk made him reconsider. Seeing the usually irreverent Zhang Lei lecturing seriously would feel downright unnatural.

With no better options, Ji Feng resolved to drill through practice problems—the most reliable path to proficiency.

At 9 PM sharp, the evening session ended.

Reviewing the day's progress, Ji Feng felt satisfied. He'd nearly memorized all new textbook content—only practical application remained.

As he packed his bag in the nearly empty classroom, a voice called from the doorway:

"Ji Feng!"

Turning, he saw Monitor Tong Lei lingering by the exit.

*Why hasn't she left yet?*

Approaching with a smile, Ji Feng quipped, "What can I do for our illustrious monitor?"

His recent experiences had loosened his inhibitions. The old Ji Feng would never have dared such casual banter with Tong Lei.

But Tong Lei remained solemn. "Ji Feng, be honest—did Xu Mo confront you about me this morning?"

Ji Feng shook his head. "Nothing like that. We just chatted casually."

"You seem honest but lie so smoothly!" Tong Lei's reproachful glare carried an unconscious allure that momentarily stunned Ji Feng.

"W-what are you staring at?" Flustered by Ji Feng's transfixed gaze—especially those clear, profound eyes—Tong Lei's cheeks warmed. Her coy tone bordered on flirtation.

Ji Feng coughed awkwardly, forcibly averting his gaze. If Tong Lei continued radiating such charm, he'd surely embarrass himself further.

"Really, it's nothing. Don't worry about it." He knew telling the truth would send Tong Lei confronting Xu Mo, likely ending the harassment.

But Ji Feng refused this solution.

Men should handle their own conflicts. More importantly, Xu Mo's "you're just a nobody" remark had planted a determined seed—one day, those words would be thrown back in his face.

"If there's nothing else, I should head home," Ji Feng said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Tong Lei hesitated before adding, "It's late... walking back alone seems scary. Could you... escort me?"

Ji Feng wavered. His mother would have dinner ready, and making her wait would be inconsiderate.

"Never mind, I'll manage," Tong Lei said quickly, noting his hesitation.

Ji Feng chuckled. "How could I abandon such beauty to the night? I'll see you home."

"Silver-tongued rogue!" Tong Lei's playful eye-roll accompanied their departure.

As they walked, she grew serious. "If Xu Mo troubles you again, tell me immediately. I apologize for any problems I've caused you."

"Now you're being too formal," Ji Feng laughed. "Aren't we friends?"

Tong Lei's musical laughter sparkled under streetlights. "Do you truly consider me a friend?"

"Absolutely." Ji Feng nodded earnestly. "Before, only Zhang Lei counted as one. Now there's you—a definite upgrade."

"Then I'm honored." Her smile softened.

The county committee residential compound where Tong Lei lived stood north of town, not far from school. Their banter made the walk feel brief.

At the compound's gates, Tong Lei turned with a radiant smile. "Thank you, Ji Feng. See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." As Ji Feng walked away, Tong Lei's gaze held unspoken regret.

A familiar figure emerged from the shadows—none other than Zhang Lei himself.

"So little sister, what do you think of my friend?" His grin revealed an astonishing truth—they were siblings!

Tong Lei huffed. "What kind of brother plays matchmaker? If father knew—"

"Who's going to tell him?" Zhang Lei interrupted. "Listen, with our family's status, we lack neither power nor wealth. But finding genuine love? That's rare. Every suitor circling you wants either your beauty or our connections." His voice turned serious. "As your brother, I won't let you become some political bargaining chip."

Tong Lei sighed. "Do we even have choices?"

"Damn right we do!" Zhang Lei declared. "Precisely because of our background, being with someone like Ji Feng—who couldn't care less about money or status—would be ideal. If things progress, I'll handle Father."

"Enough." Tong Lei shook her head. "I'm not ready for this. Maybe after graduation."

Zhang Lei arched an eyebrow. "Then why have him walk you home?"

"Because of Xu Mo!" Tong Lei's eyes flashed. "He threatened Ji Feng today, and judging by Xu Mo's expression, Ji Feng didn't cave. That means retaliation. I couldn't let him walk into an ambush alone!"

"Xu Mo!" Zhang Lei's voice turned icy. "That deputy county chief's brat has overstepped for too long. Time someone taught him humility."

"Don't cause trouble!" Tong Lei grabbed his arm. "You know how Father feels about you stirring up incidents!"

Zhang Lei patted her hand. "Relax. If Xu Mo leaves Ji Feng alone, I'll ignore him. But if he dares..." His unspoken threat hung heavy in the night air.

Meanwhile, Ji Feng remained oblivious to the siblings' conversation as three thuggish youths blocked his path home...