Chapter 4
1690 Words
Hu Shao was definitely not a good person. With Xiaozhou's warning in mind, Chen Nuo took a few steps back. "I have something to do later. Hu Shao, if you have anything..."
"To hell with you!"
Chen Nuo noticed a kick coming his way and dodged quickly. Hu Shao's kick missed, and feeling humiliated, he slapped Chen Nuo hard on the shoulder. He was already upset after being scolded by his family and now, seeing Chen Nuo's serious demeanor, it only infuriated him more.
"Why are you pretending to be all proper?"
Chen Nuo's heart was in his throat as students gathering for a late-night snack began to form a crowd around them.
Hu Shao glanced at the onlookers and found it meaningless to bully someone with no background, but his male ego wouldn't let him back down. Grabbing Chen Nuo's chin, he sneered, "So, you're a student at Qingjiang Academy of Fine Arts? Impressive. A few nights ago, you were squirming in bed, and now you think no one recognizes you in clothes?"
The crowd gasped, overhearing something scandalous.
Chen Nuo's face turned pale as he slapped away the hand on his chin. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Oh, so you dare to let men screw you, but can't handle being called out for it?"
However, Chen Nuo wasn't a cowardly, submissive person. He looked at the gloating Hu Shao and calmly said, "How about we go to the police and clear this up? I don't mind, but I wonder if you do. Coming to the school to block my way and slandering me in public—how will you take responsibility for the impact? This is a lawful society. You might bribe the police, but can you stop people from posting online?"
Hu Shao, not one to be easily intimidated, slapped Chen Nuo's shoulder again, impressed by his resolve.
"Chen Nuo, kneel before me, and we can settle our dispute right here. What do you say?"
Without a word, Chen Nuo turned and walked away.
"Should I go after him?" one of Hu Shao's lackeys asked.
Hu Shao waved him off with a cold smile. "No need. He's had enough for today. Contact a few alumni from Qingjiang Academy who are also in the business. Let's see him outtalk me now."
Listening to gossip was common, and someone in the crowd quickly recognized Chen Nuo. By the time he walked back to his dorm, unaware, rumors about him had spread like wildfire.
Chen Nuo didn't believe that Hu Shao's loss of a significant deal was solely because he didn't "serve" well. He was just a scapegoat, and dealing with a powerless student was as easy for Hu Shao as crushing an ant.
Calming himself, Chen Nuo entered the dorm. "I brought a family meal bucket," he said, noticing the evasive glances from his roommates. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
The dorm leader coughed a few times. "Thanks... um..."
Chen Nuo wanted to leave the school soon, so he opened the bathroom door to pack his toiletries. Seeing his toothbrush set aside, he paused. Outside, he heard the dorm leader's uneasy voice.
"Better check the group chat."
There was no need; the dorm leader had already forwarded the messages to him.
It took 20 minutes to walk from the school gate to the dorm. During that time, the news of him being blocked at the gate and spending the previous night with a man had spread. With no classes in the evening, the gate was crowded, and such a sensational piece of news spread quickly.
Chen Nuo was a well-known figure in the oil painting department, not because he was wealthy but because he was diligent, kind, and well-behaved. Many admired him. But now, suddenly revealing he liked men and slept with them was too juicy to ignore.
Standing at the bathroom door for five minutes, Chen Nuo finally put his phone away, packed his belongings into his suitcase, and kept his usual smile as if nothing had happened.
"Family buckets are best eaten hot. I have to paint tonight, so I'll head out."
The dorm leader, a rough guy, was a bit worried seeing Chen Nuo like this. "You okay?"
"What could be wrong?" Chen Nuo shrugged. "Just a rich guy trying to mess with me. I'm fine."
Chen Nuo didn't remember how he left the school, only that many people stared and pointed at him. He fled through a side path, his feigned composure shattering in an instant. What had happened to him lately?
There wasn't even time to feel sad; things just kept happening.
Some messages of comfort came through. Chen Nuo, sitting on his suitcase, watched the traffic. The November chill was creeping in, and he shivered in his long-sleeve shirt. Without proper rest after the incident, he caught a fever. The next day, burning with fever, he went to the hospital, returning late at night.
The situation at school kept escalating, even with photos of him working at the club circulating. People commented he looked like a young master in his uniform.
Chen Nuo glanced at his phone and turned it off, going back to sleep. Later, his class teacher called to ask if he needed more time off.
Only then did Chen Nuo realize how big the issue had become. Being humiliated publicly had made him a notorious figure.
Living a solitary life, he could still manage, though the whispers behind his back hurt. He couldn't stay idle any longer.
His teacher granted him half a month's leave, mostly because of his good grades. Once his fever subsided, Chen Nuo began job hunting, targeting upscale places with good pay, even if they had higher demands.
Finally, he found a part-time job at a high-end Japanese restaurant. With his high educational background and good English, the manager was pleased.
In his third year, with fewer classes, Chen Nuo didn't need to be at school often. Despite the ongoing gossip, he remained quiet, letting the storm pass. His teacher, however, was angry, feeling he was "self-degrading."
"You were one of our best students," his teacher almost questioned the rumors directly.
But Chen Nuo wondered what "self-degrading" meant.
Once, his dream was to paint diligently, live well, and pay off the mortgage with Li Haozhe, finally owning a home. Now, after nearly a month of chaos, he hadn't recovered from the fallout.
"You've been sleeping through classes lately. What are you doing at night?" His classmates' stares were judgmental.
Chen Nuo didn't know what was wrong with him. He was so tired these days.
They all called him lowly, even his teacher's eyes were strange.
One day, while cleaning a table, Chen Nuo's vision blurred, and he almost dropped a teacup. A colleague, seeing this, was startled. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just my legs went numb." Strangely, Chen Nuo laughed, "Maybe it's the winter making me lazy."
A colleague nudged him, "The kitchen has prepared dinner. Let's eat."
Chen Nuo liked the restaurant's food but had been eating less lately. "The cold makes me sluggish. I prefer lighter food now. Greasy food makes me uncomfortable."
"You look so frail, you should take a break if you're unwell. The manager's kind, he'll understand."
But Chen Nuo felt he wasn't at that point yet. Recently, he couldn't stand the smell of meat. Last night, the kitchen's braised pork knuckles made him queasy, though everyone else found it appetizing. He lay in bed for half an hour to recover.
"Chen Nuo, clean up the private room. Someone's coming."
Chen Nuo complied, noticing fewer customers than usual for a Saturday. "It's pretty quiet today."
The manager explained, "Someone booked the entire place. Be thorough."
Who could afford such extravagance?
Curiosity spread among the staff. Chen Nuo finished his shift and changed clothes, ready to leave. As he stepped out, he caught a whiff of perfume that made him nauseous. Usually unaffected, today it made him retch uncontrollably. Dizzy, he felt weak and thought he'd collapse when a strong arm supported him.
"Are you okay?"
The familiar voice startled Chen Nuo. He steadied himself, looking into familiar light brown eyes, then jerked away.
"Tsk."
"Shut up," someone scolded from behind the man, "Behave."
Peering over Su Cheng's shoulder, Chen Nuo saw a now cowering Hu Shao, previously so arrogant.
Under the bright lights, Su Cheng's smile and gentlemanly demeanor contrasted starkly with the scene. "We meet again."
"..."
Chen Nuo recoiled as if shocked. Amidst the awkwardness, the manager hurried over, apologizing, "Sorry, please come in."
Taking advantage of the moment, Chen Nuo slipped away, watching the group head into the private room. Of course, it was them. This place was limited, and for someone like Hu Shao seeking a refined, quiet spot, there weren't many choices.
Recalling Hu Shao's past actions, Chen Nuo felt a chill. He wasn't someone to be easily dealt with.
Hu Shao's vindictiveness was thorough. On the bus home, Chen Nuo received a text from the manager, "Chen, you don't need to come in tomorrow."
"Why am I being dismissed?"
The manager didn't reply.
Chen Nuo didn't need to ask further. He clutched his backpack, his fingers turning white, eyes fixed on the bus stop sign, trying to calm himself.
Clearly, he was the one who suffered, so why did everyone stand on the moral high ground and criticize him? Had he done anything wrong?
He was the one who was wronged and humiliated, driven to his current predicament. Was it wrong for him to want to start anew and live a good life?
These questions crashed against his heart. Chen Nuo wiped his eyes and firmly said, "Driver, let me off at the next stop."
After getting off the bus, he took a taxi back to the hotel. The manager, who was busy instructing the kitchen staff, looked uneasy seeing him return. "Uh, I’ll calculate your wages."
Chen Nuo glanced at the manager, then directly pushed open the door to the private room.
Before the manager and others could react, a furious shout came from inside.
"Are you looking for death?!"
- Writer
