Chapter Eleven: The Place You Love

The next day, after Gu Yan arrived at school, he couldn’t shake an odd feeling. The teachers smiled warmly at him, and his classmates greeted him with unusual friendliness.

Sure, his grades this time were better than before he was reborn, but was it really worth all this fuss? Gu Yan wondered.

“Gu Yan, you’re amazing! You got first place in the whole grade,” said Chen Ke’an.

“First place? That can’t be right. I thought it was you…”

“It’s not me—I’m second,” Chen Ke’an replied with a smile.

“I knew you weren’t ordinary,” Lin Ning turned around to say.

For some reason, Gu Yan hadn’t seen Yu Sheng that morning, so he’d come to the classroom on his own.

“What about you? Do you still have your phone?” he asked.

“No, it’s gone,” Lin Ning shrugged indifferently, her reaction completely different from before.

“Did Yu Sheng do better or worse this time?” Gu Yan thought back to the results from yesterday. If his own outcome had changed, what about Yu Sheng’s?

“She made it into the top hundred—didn’t really get better or worse,” Lin Ning replied. “But now that the two of us at the back table are first and second in the grade, we’ve got nothing to worry about.”

As she spoke, Yu Sheng came in right as the bell rang.

“Look at you, coming in later and later,” Lin Ning teased.

“I overslept, totally missed breakfast,” Yu Sheng said as she put down her bag.

Hmm? She didn’t have breakfast? Gu Yan looked up at her.

“I haven’t eaten either. Why don’t we check out the school store after the morning run?” Lin Ning suggested.

“Sure.”

After the morning self-study period ended, the whole class went out for exercise. Gu Yan excused himself, claiming he wasn’t feeling well.

Once everyone else had left, he hurried to the school cafeteria to buy a few buns for Yu Sheng. The cafeteria was mainly for teachers and boarding students, and it would be empty after morning exercise, making it the perfect time to go.

When he returned to the classroom, Gu Yan glanced at Yu Sheng’s seat and sighed.

Skipping breakfast isn’t good for your health.

After exercise, Yu Sheng and Lin Ning came back for money to visit the shop, only to find a few buns tucked in the desk compartment.

“Yu Sheng, you’ve got breakfast!” Lin Ning exclaimed.

“It’s not mine. I didn’t buy any,” Yu Sheng said puzzled.

“Maybe someone has a crush on you and bought you breakfast in secret,” Lin Ning said, sneaking a glance at Gu Yan.

“Maybe someone put it there by mistake.”

“Gu Yan was the only one in the classroom just now. Why don’t you ask him?” Lin Ning encouraged.

Yu Sheng thought for a moment, and just as she turned her head, Gu Yan happened to look up as well.

“Gu Yan, did you see anyone…” Before she could finish, Gu Yan spoke up, “I bought them for you.”

Then he added, “Your brother asked me to look out for you at school. If you skip breakfast and get sick, he’ll blame me.”

Wasn’t this the perfect way to sound both reliable and not make Yu Sheng feel awkward? Gu Yan wondered.

“Don’t believe a word he says. He bullies me all the time,” Yu Sheng said, though she seemed convinced.

“But Yu Sheng, can you share a few with me?” Lin Ning asked pitifully.

“I have some little buns too. Do you want them?” Chen Ke’an, who had been quietly listening, suddenly chimed in.

“Yes, I do!” Lin Ning replied eagerly.

Chen Ke’an smiled, handing over his own little buns and yogurt to Lin Ning.

“Breakfast is important. I see you skip it every day,” he said to her.

“It’s just that I’m always in a rush. My house is so far from school. You guys are lucky to live nearby.”

That afternoon, before class started, the homeroom teacher came in with an announcement: starting next week, there would be evening self-study sessions. The whole class groaned in protest.

“Is the school crazy? Aren’t we already working hard enough? Why add evening study?” Lin Ning fumed.

“Who knows what they’re thinking,” Yu Sheng said helplessly.

Gu Yan, on the other hand, didn’t mind. This gave him another legitimate reason to walk home with Yu Sheng.

“It’ll be so late when we finish. I’ll have to get my dad to pick me up,” Lin Ning pouted.

Yu Sheng considered her own situation. Evening study wouldn’t end until nearly ten—would she walk home with Gu Yan? The thought made her uneasy. Being alone with a boy at night could cause gossip.

Wait, Chen Ke’an lives in our neighborhood too. If he comes with us, the three of us walking home together won’t attract any rumors, she thought.

“What about you, Yu Sheng?” Lin Ning asked.

“I…” Yu Sheng began, but Lin Ning interrupted, “Oh, I forgot—you have Gu Yan.”

“Keep your voice down. It’s not like that. He’s just my neighbor,” Yu Sheng muttered, worried the others in class would misunderstand.

Yu Sheng, oh Yu Sheng, how can you be so oblivious? Lin Ning thought. Even she could tell Gu Yan liked Yu Sheng.

All right, big sister will help open your eyes!

She turned and tapped Gu Yan’s desk.

“Gu Yan, Yu Sheng and I are going to the seaside this weekend. Want to join? Chen Ke’an too.”

She included Chen Ke’an because she didn’t want to be the third wheel.

Yu Sheng was surprised to be included in a plan she hadn’t known about. She was about to object.

“Sure,” Gu Yan said.

Hearing his answer, Yu Sheng swallowed her words.

“This weekend?” Chen Ke’an hesitated.

“Yes! To celebrate our last free weekend before evening study starts.”

Their city was by the sea, a subway ride of less than an hour.

After thinking it over, Chen Ke’an nodded. “All right, I’ll come too.”

“It’s settled, then—see you all there!” Lin Ning said.

Gu Yan glanced at Yu Sheng, who had stayed silent the whole time.

“Don’t you want to go? To the weekend gathering?” he asked as they walked home after school.

“No, I do,” Yu Sheng replied.

“I know Lin Ning volunteered you for it. If you don’t want to go, we can cancel.”

“I want to go, but…” she hesitated.

Gu Yan stopped, waiting for her to continue.

“Actually, I’m a little afraid of the sea. Even though we live in a coastal city, every time I imagine myself in the ocean, I get scared. But I do like the seaside,” she admitted.

This surprised Gu Yan. She had never mentioned it before.

“Then let’s just stay on the shore, wherever you like,” he said gently, smiling.

Yu Sheng was caught off guard by his warmth.

“Okay,” she replied, dazed.

“I’ll stay by your side to make sure the waves don’t sweep you away.”

“I’m not a child—I’m not that light!” Yu Sheng laughed after realizing what he’d said.

Seeing her finally relax, Gu Yan felt relieved.

“Come on, let’s hurry back. If Yu Chen gets home first, we’ll be in trouble,” Yu Sheng said, grabbing Gu Yan’s sleeve and running.

Gu Yan had grown used to visiting Yu Sheng’s house every day. He used to drop off his bag at home before heading upstairs, but now he treated her place as his own, going straight up with her, sometimes even finishing his homework there after dinner.

That evening, Yu Sheng’s father was home too. As soon as Gu Yan walked in, he felt Yu Dong’s gaze settle on him.

“Wife, we’re almost out of vinegar. I’ll run downstairs to buy some,” Yu Dong said to Wei Yabai.

“Dinner’s ready—what do you need vinegar for?” she asked.

“There’s still a soup to make,” he replied.

As he passed Gu Yan, Yu Dong gave him a meaningful look.

Gu Yan guessed what this was about and said to Yu Sheng, “I just remembered—I left a package downstairs. I’ll go grab it.”

“Can’t you get it after dinner?” Yu Sheng asked.

“It’s important. I’d better get it now.”

So, with his flimsy excuse, Gu Yan followed Yu Sheng’s father downstairs.

Once they were a little distance from the building, Yu Dong pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, and finally said, “That information you gave us is very useful.”

“As long as it’s helpful, Uncle,” Gu Yan replied, feeling a strange tension.

“I don’t know how you got that information, but the fact that you did—it means you’re pretty capable, kid,” Yu Dong said, surprising Gu Yan with the compliment.

“It was nothing, Uncle. A friend helped me look into it.”

“So, any interest in joining us in the future?”

Was he inviting him to the police academy?

“Um… Sorry, Uncle. I have other plans for now.”

Gu Yan didn’t want to think that far ahead. If he couldn't overcome the challenges ahead, he’d have no future to speak of.

“Is that so? What a pity.” Yu Dong sighed, taking another drag.

“By the way, Uncle, how’s that case going?”

Yu Dong hesitated. “Technically, I can’t share case details with outsiders. But since you provided crucial leads, I’ll tell you a little—just a bit.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Gu Yan said, wanting to make sure Yu Chen and Yu Sheng were safe.

“The people from the Liu Group are now under our control, including Liu Quan, the one you mentioned. He’s disappeared, but we’re still searching. Don’t worry—I’ve already arranged protection for Yu Chen.”

“As for the lead you uncovered, it is indeed an international drug trafficking organization. We’re now cooperating with anti-narcotics police across the country. We can’t do much about foreign syndicates, but as long as they’re in our country, we’ll bring them to justice.”

“In our city, the Liu Group is the largest and wealthiest shield for drug traffickers. They’ve also been involved in trafficking themselves,” Yu Dong said, frowning.

“Sounds like a big operation,” Gu Yan remarked.

“It is—and we have you to thank. Without your evidence, we couldn’t have arrested them. But…” Yu Dong paused. “But we still haven’t found the mole you mentioned in the police department. I hope we’re wrong.”

“So do I,” Gu Yan replied. From Yu Dong’s and the police perspective, he hoped it wasn’t true.

“Let’s head back before your aunt scolds me,” Yu Dong said, finishing his cigarette and tossing it in the trash.

Gu Yan nodded and followed him upstairs. Only when they reached the second floor did Gu Yan remember his imaginary package—what was he supposed to do about that?