The Sick Villain Just Want to Live

Xia Yang was enjoying the superiority of being admired and praised by other students. However, the sudden appearance of these two names instantly diverted his attention. 

“Damn it, it’s really them!”

“What did the two of them do off-campus? Why did they come back this late?” 

“They’re riding a bike together. Did they sneak off for a secret date or something?” 

Suddenly, a few pairs of eyes turned towards Xia Yang.

Xia Yang has pursued Shao Ming with great fanfare for so long, but Shao Ming has never given him this kind of treatment. 

In a relatively dark environment, nobody saw Xia Yang clenched his hands.

But someone next to him saw that his expression was not right, and immediately said, “What kind of wild guesses are those? That can’t be the case at all. I heard that Yuan Shaozhou went to find trouble with Shao Ming today, and they fought in the restaurant. I guess the two of them just came back from the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Xia Yang’s expression tightened immediately, “Is Shao Ming injured?”

“How is that possible?” The boy teased, “Don’t worry Yangyang, the one who was injured was Yuan Shaozhou, and he’s okay now. But he’s not the one that needed medical attention from a hospital. That would be Zhu Tong, I heard that he sprained his ankle.” 

“A sprained ankle? Why?”

“Well, I don’t know why honestly.” 

AD

“Ah, so Shao Ming accompanied him to the hospital because he wanted to?” 

The bicycle outside had turned around the complex building and was no longer visible. In order to please Xia Yang, someone sneered and said, “Maybe it’s because of sympathy? Look at Zhu Tong’s fragile appearance, how long has it been since school started? Yet, he already has to go to a hospital again.” 

“That’s right, those who don’t know would think that he’s some kind of young lady from a wealthy family.”

“Heh, why would a rich boy attend our school?” 

After a pause, someone turned their head to see Xia Yang.

‘Isn’t Xia Yang from a wealthy family? But he transferred to chase after Shao Ming…’

‘Now Zhu Tong is Shao Ming’s deskmate again.’ 

The person wanted to comfort Xia Yang, but faced with this uncomfortable fact, he didn’t know what to do now. 

AD

Especially because everyone knew that Shao Ming was indifferent to Xia Yang. 

–And it’s true that Shao Ming had dinner with Zhu Tong and accompanied him to the hospital.

They formed such a stark contrast. 

Xia Yang clenched his teeth and took a few deep breaths. He forced himself to be calm: “Don’t say that. Zhu Tong is not in good health, and Shao Ming should take care of him… Anyway, class is about to start. We should go back as soon as possible.” 

“Yes, yes, you’re right.”

“Let’s go.” 

Someone quickly changed the topic as they walked back towards the high school teaching building.

As he walked following the flow of his classmates, Xia Yang lowered his head slightly, various thoughts surging in his heart.

‘Did Zhu Tong come here specifically to fight against me? Why do you always jump out and spoil my good mood?’

Ever since Zhu Tong appeared, everyone in school had been talking about him. 

AD

‘He has a poor constitution and bad grades. What’s so good about him?’ 

Xia Yang was very upset.

Back in the classroom, he received a WeChat message just as he turned on his phone. He impatiently opened it, and saw that it was from Yuan Shaozhou. His initial reflex was to lock his phone directly.

But then, his fingers suddenly paused. 

In the 2nd Year’s teaching building, Shao Ming went to the teacher’s office after sending Zhu Tong back to the classroom.

When fighting outside the school, he had no choice but to face the consequences. 

However, due to Yuan Shaozhou’s infamy and Shao Ming’s honest admission (plus his good grades), he successfully avoided harsh punishment. He only needed to write a self-review of his mistakes. 

In Class 3’s classroom, Zhu Tong was being cared for by his classmates because he was admitted to the hospital.

“Zhu Tong, how is your foot? Does it hurt?”

“It’s swollen, how can it not hurt?”

“Yuan Shaozhou is too much!”

“Why hasn’t the school expelled him?”

Zhu Tong listened quietly as they started a crusade against Yuan Shaozhou. His heart felt confused—

After all, his sprained ankle was because of his dumb mistake. Of trying to kick someone. He didn’t know how to tell everyone this truth without losing his dignity as a human. 

Facing the girls, he could only try to lower his voice and say, “It’s okay, thank you for your concern.” 

AD

He didn’t know that in the eyes of the girls, he was already stamped as the “pitiful sickly beauty”. Hearing his trembling whisper, the girls’ protective instinct skyrocketed. Their gaze only turned more loving. 

‘He was targeted as soon as he transferred to another school.’

‘Didn’t he vomit blood before? Now, his ankle is sprained.’

‘That bitch Yuan Shaozhou is the culprit!’

‘He is so pitiful…’

Zhu Tong might not have telepathy, but he could guess what kind of messy thoughts were forming in the girls’ brain hole1. 

“But wasn’t Shao Ming with you at the time? He fought so hard, how could you be hurt?” 

‘Well, because I sprained my foot myself.’ Zhu Tong inwardly muttered. But then, he suddenly realized something, he raised his head and asked, “How do you know that Shao Ming fights very well?”

When asked by him, Tang Nuan froze for a moment, and answered, “Isn’t this a well-known thing?”

Zhu Tong: “?”

“Zhu Tong is a transfer student, it’s normal you don’t know. Well, let me tell you,” A girl came up to explain, “Actually, even before you transferred, Shao Ming was often troubled by Yuan Shaozhou. That pest really bothered Shao Ming on-campus and off-campus. But Yuan Shaozhou is a loser compared to Shao Ming, and he couldn’t win against him at all. In the end, that pest could only target Shao Ming’s deskmate in retaliation.” 

“Also, I heard that Shao Ming beat those gangsters when he was in junior high school. He’s the school bully then, or so the rumor goes. I personally can’t verify this, so take it with a grain of salt.” 

“…”

Zhu Tong suddenly remembered what Shao Ming had said to him in the restaurant.

He said he sent his step-father to prison himself.

‘What does he mean?’

Tang Nuan didn’t know what he was thinking. She let her curiosity reign over her. “By the way, you are also in the restaurant today. Did you see Shao Ming fighting? Is he as powerful as the rumor said?” 

Zhu Tong thought about Shao Ming’s calmness when beating someone. He nodded and said, “He’s very powerful.” 

One of the girls exclaimed, “So he is…” 

Tang Nuan asked, “So how did you get hurt? Did they bring a lot of people?”

Afraid that they might misunderstand something again, Zhu Tong explained, “I…”

“He’s injured because I didn’t protect my deskmate well. I’m already reflecting on this.” 

A voice popped from Zhu Tong’s right, then circling Zhu Tong but avoiding the boy’s gaze. Before he knew it, the speaker had already sat down beside him.

Shao Ming crossed his hands to support his chin, looked at the girls and said with a charming smile, “I’ll be more careful next time. Jiejie2, please let me go?” 

Zhu Tong: “…”

The girls: “…”

Everyone was caught off-guard by him. Tang Nuan took the lead in returning to her senses, “You’re one year older than me, and you still call me jiejie, what about your face?”

Shao Ming innocently replied, “But don’t you think me calling you meimei would feel greasy instead?” 

Everyone: “…” 

‘Can’t you just use our name like a normal person?’

‘–Oh, there are too many people to call.’

Tang Nuan said with a stern face, “Call me class monitor.” 

Shao Ming agreed a little too easily, “Okay, class monitor.”

“…”

The atmosphere froze for a moment, and someone couldn’t hold back their laughter. As one finally let out their laugh, others would follow suit not long after. 

After a few words following this laughter, the class bell rang, and all the people around them dispersed.

Zhu Tong still turned his head to look at him.

Shao Ming slumped on his chair in a lazy manner. He raised his head towards Zhu Tong, his gaze fixated on Zhu Tong’s injured legs. “How is your ankle? Does it still hurt?”

Zhu Tong shook his head, “It won’t hurt as long as I don’t move it.” 

‘Well, he’s honest and obedient for once.’ 

Shao Ming smiled and said, “Don’t forget to use the medicine later.” 

Zhu Tong nodded.

In the following self-study class, Zhu Tong was a little absent-minded.

In the classroom, some people were busy practicing questions and taking notes, some people were playing with their phones with their heads down, and some people couldn’t stop chatting in small voices.

The classroom was not very quiet.

Zhu Tong was (trying) doing a physics problem. After ten minutes, his brute-force method scribbled all over his draft paper hit a dead end. 

He couldn’t help turning his head to look at Shao Ming.

Shao Ming was looking at his mobile phone with a lowered head. The light from the screen reflected on his face, making his expression look dim.

‘What is he looking at?’

Zhu Tong guessed that it must be something related to his mother’s milk tea shop that Yuan Shaozhou mentioned. His grip on his pen tightened. 

After hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is everything… alright at your home?” 

He was a little uneasy after speaking. He was scared that Shao Ming would think that he’s too meddlesome. 

But it was not a trivial matter for a small milk tea shop to be reported and investigated.

He was busy with examinations at the hospital before, so he didn’t have time to ask.

If the report was successful, Shao Ming’s milk tea shop would have to close down. Even if they were framed and reported maliciously, their business would still be affected even after the clarification. 

Zhu Tong was worried.

Shao Ming raised his head at Zhu Tong’s meek-sounding question. The worry plastered over his face was too easily read. It made the corner of his lips subconsciously curl up. 

“Huh? Are you worried about me?”

Zhu Tong didn’t rise to that bait. While Shao Ming seemed fine, he was worried that the taller boy was actually faking that smile .

Having seen Shao Ming’s “difficulties” several times, Zhu Tong was not “deceived” by his appearance. He ignored the question and instead asked, “Would you like to call your mother and ask?” 

Shao Ming paused for a moment. His expression was too serious, but only for a fraction of a moment. With a smile still on his face, he said, “Actually, I already called her.”

 Zhu Tong: “?”

‘When did you call?’

Shao Ming: “But my mother told me it’s fine.”

It took Zhu Tong several moments before he could speak. However, he was cut off by Shao Ming. 

“I know she must be lying to me, but there is nothing I can do. As for now… I’m putting my faith in the law and relevant departments. I know my mom and I have done nothing wrong, and we will be cleared of all suspicion eventually.” 

Zhu Tong was stunned for a moment.

–Shao Ming’s words seemed too self-defeating for his character, but he was right. They were still high school students.

So what if Shao Ming could study well and fight hard? 

Zhu Tong knew that all his achievements were something he did later in his life, when he’s already an adult. 

This Shao Ming was an underage, high-school student. What could he do in such a situation?

Zhu Tong lowered his head and eyes. 

Sitting next to him, Shao Ming was exerting every bit of his acting skill he could muster. He still had another speech prepared, but his deskmate suddenly fell silent. 

He turned his head and saw that Zhu Tong was lowering his head and frowning. He looked like he was deep in thought. 

Shao Ming was startled. He actually couldn’t believe that Young Master Zhu was so easy to fool. 

But his surprise was short-lived. The deep-in-thought Zhu Tong suddenly raised his head and looked at him with firm eyes, “Well, your store will be fine.”

Shao Ming: “…”

After the evening self-study finished, Shao Ming insisted on carrying Zhu Tong on his bicycle until they found Uncle Liu. 

In order to avoid gangsters and such, Zhu Tong asked Uncle Liu to park the car at the intersection opposite the school.

Zhu Tong didn’t dare to tell Uncle Liu that the foot injury was caused by a fight. Anyway, he had fractures and sprains before.

When crossing the road, Shao Ming turned his head and asked, “Are you sure you won’t go out on the weekend tomorrow?”

Behind him, Zhu Tong grabbed the clothes at his waist and said firmly, “I’m not, I’m going to take a day off.” 

It’s easy for Shao Ming to tell that Zhu Tong was lying. But he only smiled and didn’t expose him. Instead, he said, “Okay, call me if you need me.”

They had exchanged contact information yesterday. 

After thanking Shao Ming, on the side of the road, Zhu Tong got into the car with Uncle Liu’s careful support.

As soon as the car door closed, he sent a message to Tang Nuan.

[Class monitor, do you know where Shao Ming’s milk tea shop is?]

The author has something to say:

Shao Ming: I’m waiting for my wife to deliver himself at my door. 

wild imagination

Technically 姐姐们; older sisters (plural). The tone is playful and teasing. Shao Ming put himself as the younger party to gain extra maternal(?) love from the girls.