Ch 35: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

Fu Chen and Yu Zhiyan exchanged a glance, their eyes calm and steady. Fu Chen extended his hand with an elegant, polite smile. “Hello, Class 1, Fu Chen.”

“Class 10, Yu Zhiyan.” Yu Zhiyan, as always, had a cheerful smile, seemingly born with a good temper. After introducing himself, he glanced at Ruan Cha and added, “Ruan Cha’s back-row neighbor.”

Ruan Cha: “…”

What was the purpose of that clarification?

When Fu Chen shook Yu Zhiyan’s hand, the abnormal coldness of his touch caused a brief crease in Fu Chen’s brow, though it quickly smoothed out. As for the “back-row neighbor” comment, he chose not to address it.

Noticing Fu Chen’s gaze shift to her, Ruan Cha’s earlier guilt bubbled back up. She was just about to explain when Fu Chen beat her to it.

His lips curved slightly, forming a gentle smile. “Hmm, you’re not dating.” After a pause, he added in an unhurried tone, “I trust your judgment.”

Ruan Cha: “…”

Thanks for the trust?

Yu Zhiyan: “???”

Who are you calling out here?

Xu Shen, ignored by Fu Chen, thought back to his earlier punishment of cleaning the school path and couldn’t help but laugh angrily. His voice carried a sharp edge. “Fu Chen, do you really think I wouldn’t dare hit you?”

The Xu and Fu families were evenly matched in status. For decades, their overlapping business interests had created constant competition. Xu Shen, having grown up hearing his father praise Fu Chen, had disliked the name “Fu Chen” long before meeting him.

Before Fu Chen could respond, Ruan Cha pointed at the awkward and evasive Ren Qingqing with a puzzled expression. “Xu Shen, instead of posturing, shouldn’t you be comforting your little girlfriend?”

With that, Ruan Cha pulled out her trusty pen-shaped stun baton and handed it openly to Fu Chen. Her actions were deliberate and unabashed, clearly favoring him. “Just one shock can knock someone out. No worries—if anyone tries to hit you, use this.”

Then, lowering her voice so only Fu Chen could hear, she added softly, “Go ahead and use it. Nothing will happen—I’ve got experience.”

In Ruan Cha’s eyes, while Fu Chen and Xu Shen were of similar height, Xu Shen’s uniform couldn’t hide his intimidating muscles. Fu Chen, on the other hand, looked slim and refined, unlikely to last more than a few rounds in a fight.

And why help Fu Chen?

Beyond the care Fu Chen had shown to “Ruan Cha” in the book, the study materials and key points she’d recently received from him were more than enough to sway her loyalty completely.

Fu Chen glanced down at the stun baton in his hand, his lips pressing into a thin line. Do I really look that weak? Still, he held the baton tightly, appreciating this tangible sign of care.

Xu Shen, who had just been talking tough, was left dumbfounded by Ruan Cha’s actions. An inexplicable frustration stirred within him. Kissing Ren Qingqing on impulse was one thing—after all, he did like her to some extent—but having Ruan Cha witness it? That was unexpected.

And now Ruan Cha could calmly suggest he comfort Ren Qingqing? Looking at the interaction between Ruan Cha and Fu Chen, Xu Shen’s expression grew cold, though even he couldn’t articulate the source of his anger.

Seeing Xu Shen remain silent, Ruan Cha tugged at Fu Chen’s sleeve and turned to Xu Shen. “If you’re not going to fight, we’ll leave first. There’s a lot of homework left to do.”

“No problem.” Fu Chen casually hoisted his nearly empty backpack, having finished all his assignments during the break, and looked Xu Shen straight in the eye. He twirled the stun baton in his hand and smiled leisurely. “But if you do want to fight, I estimate I can handle it in under a minute. Xu Shen, care to try?”

The others: “…”

Aren’t you two bullying him just a bit too much?

Ren Qingqing grabbed Xu Shen’s wrist, not daring to look at the group ahead. Her voice was barely audible. “Brother Xu Shen, let’s just go home.”

Agitated by the back-and-forth between Ruan Cha and Fu Chen, Xu Shen was already in a foul mood. Hearing Ren Qingqing’s timid voice, he abruptly yanked his sleeve away and shot a glance at her lowered head. In the end, he refrained from harsh words, suppressing his anger with a curt, “I’ve got something to do. You go home first.”

After saying this, he turned to Fu Chen, a cold sneer playing on his lips. “Fu Chen, being protected by a girl—what a coward you are.”

Fu Chen’s expression remained light and composed. “Sorry, but being protected by a fairy? I’m quite happy with that.”

Ruan Cha: “!!!”

Ahhh! This was the first time someone had outright called her a fairy to her face! Fu Chen, you’re an absolute angel!

Xu Shen: “…”

What the hell is wrong with you?

Regardless, thanks to Ruan Cha’s interruption, the tension between Fu Chen and Xu Shen diffused for the moment. With Fu Chen present, Ruan Cha didn’t hesitate to leave Yu Zhiyan behind and pulled Fu Chen toward the back gate.

Although it might be unfair to judge Yu Zhiyan so soon, for now, Ruan Cha trusted the Fu Chen she had encountered in her dream more than the mysterious new transfer student.

Fu Chen folded the slim stun baton and handed it back to Ruan Cha, casually asking, “That Yu Zhiyan earlier—he’s the new transfer student in your class? Do you two know each other from before?”

With Ji Feiyang in Class 1, news traveled fast, so Fu Chen hadn’t initially paid much attention. However, something about Yu Zhiyan struck him as not entirely genuine.

“Don’t know him. It’s the first time we’ve met,” Ruan Cha replied, stuffing the customized stun baton her dad had made into her bag. “We just happened to run into each other on the way to the back gate.”

Thinking about Yu Zhiyan brought the wretched system to mind, and Ruan Cha quickly turned to Fu Chen. “Fu Chen, my second brother mentioned that your family’s company is researching AI and holographic technology?”

Fu Chen nodded. “That’s right. Actually, several companies have made some progress in the AI field.”

“Do you think it’s possible to create the kind of systems commonly seen in novels? You know, like ones that push people to study or unlock brain potential?”

Fu Chen seemed surprised by her question but couldn’t brush it off when faced with her bright almond eyes. After a brief pause, he thoughtfully replied, “It’s hard to say about the future, but based on current technology, it’s very unlikely. The process from code to system framework to—”

As they walked, Fu Chen patiently explained industry-specific terms in an accessible way. While Ruan Cha didn’t fully grasp everything, she committed it all to memory, determined to review it later and see if she could experiment on Ren Qingqing someday.

Throughout the day, Ruan Cha had figured one thing out: Ren Qingqing and Yu Zheng must be connected in some way. Whether the system had truly severed the link or not, she needed to stay ahead of Ren Qingqing academically to avoid being outmaneuvered.

In the book, the troubles that befell the Liang family all seemed to stem from her being undermined. But now, without having her intelligence or beauty points siphoned by Ren Qingqing, the Liang family was thriving.

Her second brother hadn’t been in a car accident, her grandfather’s health was better than ever, and there had been no talk of company project issues from her uncle.

The facts were clear: by keeping Ren Qingqing suppressed, she had genuinely altered her family’s future for the better.

When they arrived at the parking lot, Fu Chen and the Liang family cars were parked in separate areas. After dropping Ruan Cha off, Fu Chen was about to leave but turned back and asked, “Ruan Cha, I heard Brother Cunjin filmed a reality show at home. Do you know when it’s airing?”

“Next week… next Saturday,” Ruan Cha replied after recalling what the director had said. “Next Saturday at 8 p.m., on Lemon TV.”

After Ruan Cha answered, she couldn’t help but wonder. Ever since the truth about the two families’ accidental baby swap had come out, Fu Chen had avoided visiting the Liang family to prevent awkwardness. Was he asking about the show to check on Grandpa and the others?

“Fu Chen, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

Pulling at her backpack strap, Ruan Cha gave an embarrassed smile. “If you’re free next Saturday evening, help my second brother out by boosting the show’s viewership. Thanks~”

Seeing Fu Chen nod, she quickly waved goodbye and got into the car. Once seated, she urged the driver, “Uncle, drive quickly.” She couldn’t bear to see any awkwardness on Fu Chen’s face—after all, even tough guys get shy sometimes.

Since he might want to watch, she thought, why not give him a legitimate excuse to do so openly?

The baby swap with the Liang family was already a confirmed fact, but no one in their family blamed him. As her mom had once said, if the swap hadn’t happened, she might never have met Ruan Cha’s dad at the orphanage. They could have gone their entire lives without crossing paths.

Besides, their family was happy and harmonious. Whether there had been a swap or not, it didn’t really change much.

Hugging her backpack, Ruan Cha silently gazed at the street scenery. If there had been any impact, it would only be from the events described in the book.

When she read the book the first time, all she had wanted was to take her parents back to the small town so their family of three could live safely. But during the second read, after seeing the Liang family’s tragic endings, she was glad her parents had let her stay.

After all, as things stood, she seemed capable of changing her family’s future to some extent.

---

When the Liang family’s car was out of sight, Fu Chen lazily withdrew his gaze. Yet, in his mind’s eye, he could still see Ruan Cha with her ponytail and sparkling almond-shaped eyes.

After a long moment, he lowered his gaze to his empty palm and murmured to himself, “Mom, Grandpa’s family now has a very cute… little fairy. I’ll take care of her well on your behalf.”

“Though… maybe ‘take care’ isn’t the right term. Perhaps… make amends?”

Just as he looked up, ready to leave, he caught sight of Yu Zhiyan and Ren Qingqing walking out one after the other. His expression shifted slightly as he stepped aside to hide.

---

At the front of the alley.

Ren Qingqing nervously wrung her hands, her gaze flitting toward Yu Zhiyan, who stood an arm’s length away. Biting her lower lip lightly, she stammered, “Yu—Yu Mr. Yu, why are you at Second High?”

“Why am I here? Don’t you know?” Yu Zhiyan’s voice was icy, entirely devoid of the warm smile he had shown to Ruan Cha. He turned back to stare directly at Ren Qingqing, his gaze sharp and unrelenting. After a long pause, he let out a soft sneer. “Ren Qingqing, you’re truly useless.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” No sooner had he spoken than Yu Zhiyan doubled over in a violent coughing fit, covering his mouth with his hand. The pallor of his face was tinged with an unnatural flush from the exertion.

Ren Qingqing couldn’t understand why Yu Zhiyan insisted on coming to Second High. His words calling her “useless” struck a nerve, making her think of the two intelligence points she’d recently lost. Her tone turned irritable, unable to hide her frustration. “I told you I have a plan! Why don’t any of you believe me?”

Yu Zhiyan’s amber eyes glinted with mockery. “Your plan? To let Ruan Cha become sixth in the grade, crowned Second High’s school belle, and just shy of having a glowing halo over her head?”

“I have—” Ren Qingqing abruptly stopped herself. No, she couldn’t say it. She couldn’t reveal the existence of the system. The system was her greatest trump card.

Pausing, her heart churned with resentment. If it weren’t for their threats, she might never have chosen Task B in the first place! Then she wouldn’t be in this position, losing both beauty and intelligence points.

“Oh? You have what?”

Yu Zhiyan casually rolled the practice book in his hand and lightly tapped Ren Qingqing’s face with it. His smile remained sunny, but his words were sharp as a blade tracing her throat. “Do you have… a system?”

Ren Qingqing’s head shot up, her eyes wide with shock.

Seeing her reaction, Yu Zhiyan’s sneer deepened, his tone carrying a faint trace of icy derision. “Honestly, managing to turn a cheat-level system into garbage… You’re a true talent in being unbelievably stupid.”

Ren Qingqing’s face turned deathly pale. She slid down to the ground, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath. Her system came from a higher plane! How could he know about it?

Yu Zhiyan didn’t pay any attention to Ren Qingqing, who was now trembling and slumped against the wall. Twirling the practice book he hadn’t bothered to complete, he strolled away on his own.

-Ah, it’s heartbreaking. Ruan Cha left with that guy called Fu Chen. How tragic.-

---

Since there was some distance between them, Fu Chen couldn’t hear the exchange between Yu Zhiyan and Ren Qingqing. However, from their expressions, it was clear Ren Qingqing was terrified of Yu Zhiyan, and Yu Zhiyan himself seemed far from the harmless persona he had displayed earlier.

Frowning, Fu Chen silently made a note of the name Yu Zhiyan in his mind.