Chapter 56
The next day, Yu Chen told Xiao Yu about his plan. “I want to test Zhang Xiao first. If the person who cheated with Lin He isn’t him, I’m afraid we might wrong an innocent classmate.”
Xiao Yu looked puzzled. “How are you going to test him?”
Yu Chen had spent the whole night thinking through the plan. On the surface it seemed fairly complete, but he was still worried there might be flaws once it was actually put into action.
Still, for He Zhen’s sake, he was willing to give it a try.
“Don’t you have your little informants? Tell them to deliberately say this in front of Zhang Xiao: ‘He Zhen’s side has already made progress with the investigation. Whoever really teamed up with Lin He to cheat is in serious trouble now.’”
Xiao Yu frowned slightly. “That works.”
Yu Chen reminded him, “Make sure you watch Zhang Xiao’s expression. He’s not an actor. If he really did it, there’ll probably be some kind of tell.”
“No problem. Just wait for my good news.” Xiao Yu moved fast and immediately arranged for two people to put on the act.
Yu Chen pulled some lucky money out of his schoolbag and handed Xiao Yu a portion. “If you’re asking people to help, you should probably treat them to a meal. When you have time, take them out for something good.”
Xiao Yu found it a little surprising. He had not expected Yu Chen to actually understand this sort of social give-and-take. He really did know how to handle things. Xiao Yu pushed the money back. “You still don’t trust the way I do things? This is your lucky money, isn’t it? Take it back for now.”
Yu Chen had just taken it out from his New Year red packets. There was even a rabbit drawn on it, so it was obviously the lucky money he had tucked away since last year.
“Mm. Then I’ll treat you to a meal sometime.”
Xiao Yu said, “Fine. And when that time comes, I’m definitely going to make you pay dearly.”
All morning, Yu Chen kept thinking about Xiao Yu’s arrangement.
During break, after turning it over again and again, he decided he still needed to go see the homeroom teacher.
The homeroom teacher naturally knew who he had come for and comforted him, saying, “Don’t worry. The school will clear He Zhen’s name. His middle school teacher is a friend of mine, and he said that child always ranked first in every exam. His ability is beyond doubt. But right now, Lin He’s parents are making a huge scene. They’re even threatening to stand outside the school with banners if the school handles it unfairly. We also want to protect He Zhen, so we’re allowing him to rest at home for a few days for the time being. Once the investigation is clear, we’ll absolutely restore his innocence.”
As He Zhen’s homeroom teacher, he was definitely on He Zhen’s side.
Being able to teach the student ranked first in the grade had always been a source of pride for him.
Yu Chen nodded and, being sensible, forced out a small smile. “Thank you for trusting him. Sorry to trouble you.”
“You’re welcome.” Seeing that Yu Chen did not look well, the teacher gave him a few pieces of chocolate. “Go study now. Don’t worry too much.”
When he returned to class, Yu Chen received another piece of good news.
Xiao Yu’s little followers had already finished testing Zhang Xiao. When Zhang Xiao heard the message, he was in the middle of doing an experiment. His dropper nearly got burned, and he quickly made up an excuse to go to the restroom, then rushed out of the classroom in a fluster.
Xiao Yu hesitated. “What are you planning to do next?”
Yu Chen considered it. “I’m going to test him myself.”
Xiao Yu said, “Alright. If you need me, call me.”
At noon, Yu Chen only ate a few casual bites, then kept lurking outside Class Three. For some reason, Zhang Xiao simply never came out. For something like this, it would be best to avoid other people. Yu Chen waited through three separate breaks before finally catching Zhang Xiao going to the restroom.
When Zhang Xiao came out, Yu Chen blocked his way. “Zhang Xiao, I—”
The moment he saw Yu Chen, Zhang Xiao’s face changed slightly. Hiding the guilt in his eyes, he hurriedly shoved past him. “I don’t know anything.”
“Zhang Xiao!” Yu Chen immediately chased after him, but Zhang Xiao ran too quickly. As soon as he turned a corner, he vanished.
Yu Chen stood there, breathing hard, even more certain of the suspicion in his heart.
On the other side, Grandpa He at the hospital finally woke up.
He Zhen helped the doctor raise Grandpa He up a little, then spooned some warm water to him. “Grandpa, how are you feeling?”
Grandpa He struggled to open his swollen eyes. “I’m fine. Where’s He Heng? How has the school matter been handled?”
He Zhen gently rubbed his back. “It’s already been taken care of.”
“Really?” Grandpa He recovered a little strength. “Lin He admitted he framed you?”
“Mm.” He Zhen asked softly, “Do you want some fruit?”
Grandpa He nodded, puzzled. “Why the sudden change of heart? I’d actually been thinking that since they refused to be reasonable, there was no need for us to show mercy. I wouldn’t even need to deal with them personally. Their whole family wouldn’t get to live in peace.”
“I’ll cut it into pieces for you.” He Zhen carefully sliced the fruit and fed it to Grandpa He. “As for you, just focus on recovering. You were already getting better, but because of this matter, you fell ill again from the anger.”
“How could I possibly endure them smearing you?” Leaning against the pillows, Grandpa He said slowly, “But in this matter, Lin He’s parents are a huge problem. He Heng told me their emotional control is almost nonexistent. That kind of crazed behavior probably happens often at home.”
“They want him to succeed too badly. Even when he takes second place, his parents still blame him.” He Zhen pulled out a tissue and gently wiped the corner of Grandpa He’s mouth. “They may be a little obsessive in that area.”
“Why is it that some parents can’t admit their child is ordinary?” Grandpa He sighed. “They themselves can’t reach that level, yet they insist on forcing their child to.”
He Zhen considered that and smiled faintly, then continued feeding Grandpa He fruit.
Grandpa He bit into a strawberry and narrowed his eyes slowly. “Xiao Zhen, there’s something behind that smile of yours. You aiming for MIT is because you’re talented, not because I forced you.”
“If I couldn’t get in, would you be disappointed?” He Zhen half-joked as he voiced the thought in his heart. “Though I’ll probably get in.”
Grandpa He thought about it. “I would be disappointed, yes. But the reason I’d be disappointed is because you yourself are capable of reaching that height and yet, because of certain accidents, failed to do so. If you were ordinary to begin with, then what would there be for me to be disappointed about?”
“What if I were ordinary to begin with? What would you do then?”
He Zhen fed Grandpa He another piece of fruit.
Grandpa He laughed. “What else could I do? I’d train the most professional career managers for you from the time you were little, make sure you weren’t bullied after I’m gone, and let you carry the company forward in a steady, stable way. Even A Dou, after Zhuge Liang died, still managed to keep the crumbling Shu Han going for decades.”
He Zhen lightly held the bowl, lowered his eyes, and hid his expression.
“The reason I’m handing the company to you isn’t just your ability. I also value your character. Besides, the company was built by your parents in the first place. Giving it to you is only fair.”
“Grandpa.” He Zhen set the bowl down and lowered his head slightly. “I didn’t know you thought this way. That day, when I saw Lin He’s parents treating him like that, I was really afraid you’d be disappointed in me too.”
“I’m definitely not the same as Lin He’s parents. If you were average in ability, I definitely wouldn’t force you. Rather than making everyone unhappy, it would be better to let you live a happy life.”
Grandpa He’s wrinkled hand gently gripped the back of He Zhen’s neck, drawing him down until he rested against his lap. Putting on a stern face, he said, “But let me make this ugly truth clear first. You’re so smart, which means the weight on your shoulders will definitely be heavy. If you’ve decided to bear responsibility, then you must have a strong core and strong conviction. You can’t be easily crushed by anything.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Seeing He Zhen lightly hug his arm, Grandpa He laughed. “It feels like you’ve never acted spoiled with me like this before.”
He Zhen smiled faintly. “I’m not acting spoiled.”
Grandpa He patted his shoulder. “Alright, hurry up and get yourself ready to go back to school. Li Huan and He Heng are here, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Tomorrow is Saturday. I can stay and keep you company a bit longer.”
Grandpa He stroked his hair again. “Alright.”
At around nine that evening, He Heng knocked and came in.
Seeing that Grandpa He had fallen asleep, he called He Zhen outside.
“Xiao Zhen, Yu Chen asked me to look into one of your classmates. Did you know that?” He Heng sent the information on Zhang Xiao over to He Zhen as well. “This child’s background is very simple. He didn’t attend the same middle school as Lin He. Is he connected to this matter?”
After receiving the information, He Zhen shook his head lightly. “I’m not too sure. I’ll ask Yu Chen.”
He Heng said, “If you need me to step in, contact me right away.”
He Zhen said, “Thank you for the trouble.”
After He Heng left, He Zhen called Yu Chen several times in a row, but Yu Chen never picked up.
Worried that something might have happened to Yu Chen, he called Li Huan directly. Only after learning that Yu Chen had already fallen asleep did he finally relax.
Before leaving yesterday, Yu Chen had promised him that he would only gather information within the school grounds. Seeing that Yu Chen was not in any danger, He Zhen had not stopped him any further.
After staying up through another night by Grandpa He’s side, He Zhen had just finished showering the next morning when he suddenly received a call from Xiao Yu.
“He Zhen, let me tell you something. Yu Chen is planning to go to the hospital where Zhang Xiao’s mother is staying and find him there. I was supposed to go with him, but I’ve been having diarrhea non-stop and I’m on the way to the hospital for an IV. I don’t feel good about him going alone, so I already told Fang Jingrao to go find him. I’ll send you the hospital address. Hurry over there and take a look.”
“I’m going right now.”
He Zhen did not even have time to ask for more details. After changing clothes, he immediately hailed a cab to the address He Heng had given him.
On the way there, Xiao Yu rambled on and told him the whole story in detail.
It turned out that after getting Zhang Xiao’s information yesterday, Yu Chen had planned to bring Xiao Yu to the hospital and have a proper talk with Zhang Xiao.
Zhang Xiao spent almost all of his weekends at the hospital during the day, so they had no chance to wait for him outside his home.
The information He Heng provided showed that Zhang Xiao’s mother had been diagnosed three months ago with a severe blood disease. She needed to wait for a matching donor, and the illness had nearly drained the family’s savings.
At the same time, Zhang Xiao had planned to sign up for a physics competition prep class, which required a huge tutoring fee. Because money was so tight, even the funds to top up his meal card had been borrowed from classmates.
However, for some reason, someone from Zhang Xiao’s tutoring class had said that his tuition fee had suddenly been paid in full last week.
Yu Chen suspected that the money had come from Lin He, and planned to persuade Zhang Xiao to help clear He Zhen’s name.
“Yu Chen said that if Zhang Xiao really did cheat together with Lin He, then he definitely has evidence like chat records in his hands. That way your name can be fully cleared and the mouths of those people can be shut for good.”
“These past few days, the teachers and quite a lot of our classmates have believed you were framed. But there are always some people stirring things up on purpose. Those boys are just jealous of you and deliberately muddying the waters. A big part of them are the same group who lost to you in basketball that day, so don’t take it to heart.”
“Thank you. I understand.” The cab stopped in front of the hospital courtyard. After ending the call, He Zhen hurried toward the hematology ward.
His eyes quickly swept the area, and at last he spotted Yu Chen in the corridor.
Yu Chen had his schoolbag on and was carrying a bag in his hand, as if looking for someone. He Zhen was just about to call out to him when Yu Chen suddenly ran toward another direction.
In the corner, Zhang Xiao was crouched outside his mother’s hospital room, wolfing down a stuffed pancake.
Suddenly, a large bag of snacks and boxed meals was set down beside him.
With his cheeks still puffed full, Zhang Xiao looked up in a disheveled way and realized that Yu Chen had at some point squatted down next to him and was quietly looking at his mother’s room.
Zhang Xiao panicked. Without even bothering to swallow what was in his mouth, he blocked Yu Chen tightly. “If you have something to say, we can talk at school! Not here!”
His eyes were bloodshot, and he spoke sharply enough to startle even the family members of nearby patients.
Seeing that, He Zhen had already rushed over.
The moment Yu Chen noticed He Zhen, he quickly signaled with his eyes for him to stay back.
“I’m not here to tell Auntie anything. I just want to talk to you.” Yu Chen returned to the corner and crouched back down, holding up one of the boxed meals with a smile as he offered it to Zhang Xiao. “I know what it feels like when a parent is lying inside like this and you’re scared out of your mind as their child. I definitely won’t tell your mom about this, and I’ll also remind He Zhen’s family that even when solving this matter, they still have to consider your mother’s condition.”
Zhang Xiao struggled to swallow the pancake in his mouth. Two quiet lines of tears had already appeared at the side of his face.
“Is that pancake enough to fill you up? I bought boxed meals for you.” Yu Chen spoke in a low, nagging voice. “I bought four boxes. The two of us both eat a lot, so we can each have two.”
Zhang Xiao took a deep breath. “What exactly do you want? You want me to clear things up for He Zhen? You know I’m the one, right?”
“Zhang Xiao, when my dad had surgery for appendicitis, I was scared half to death. I was terrified something might happen to him. In the same way, now that your mother is sick, I can understand your difficulties. From your point of view, I really can understand how you feel.”
Yu Chen’s voice was extremely sincere, and his lowered eyes seemed a little sad too.
Zhang Xiao turned his reddened eyes away and fiercely wiped off his tears.
“But because of Lin He’s actions, He Zhen’s grandfather, who already has heart disease, is now bedridden again. He Zhen’s family is innocent too. For them, this dirty accusation is even more suffocating and painful.”
Yu Chen stared at him closely. “If you’re capable of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, then you should understand He Zhen’s feelings. He wasn’t just slandered himself—his family got dragged into it too. That kind of pain is doubled.”
Zhang Xiao inhaled deeply and leaned weakly against the wall. “I didn’t want this either. I didn’t want it either… but I had no way out.”
“How do you have no way out?” Yu Chen stood up and unzipped his schoolbag. “I’m guessing Lin He gave you financial help. If you’re worried that clearing He Zhen’s name means you won’t be able to pay Lin He back, then I can cover it for you.”
Yu Chen handed Zhang Xiao a thick bundle of cash. “There’s a note on top saying it’s a voluntary gift. I won’t ask for it back, and there’s no transfer record. This is my lucky money. I didn’t steal it from my parents, so don’t worry. There’s sixty thousand in total. With the rest of it, could you buy Auntie some good food?”
Zhang Xiao froze in place, and his eyes reddened at once.
He did not take the money from Yu Chen. Instead, he turned around, pressed himself into the corner, and started sobbing softly.
“If you’re willing to stand up and help clear my name, my family’s foundation will take over your mother’s case, help search for a match, and provide support.”
Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Zhang Xiao jerked his head up and realized that He Zhen was standing right in front of him.
Zhang Xiao instinctively wanted to run. From behind him, Yu Chen lightly patted his shoulder. “He Zhen is here too. I’ll promise you right in front of him—if you’re willing to step forward, then the He family absolutely won’t pursue your responsibility, and we’ll also talk to the school so this matter won’t be told to your parents.”
This time, Zhang Xiao was completely shaken. He looked at He Zhen. “Are you sure… you’ll help my mom find a match?”
He Zhen nodded. “I promise.”
“The doctors in my boss’s family are incredible. You can absolutely trust them!” Yu Chen hurriedly added extra reassurance for Zhang Xiao. “My heart condition was a difficult case ever since I was little, and it was the He family that found doctors for me.”
“Really…”
Zhang Xiao lowered his head slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he unlocked his phone and handed it to He Zhen.
“In our WeChat chat records, there’s the part where we discussed cheating. Lin He told me he didn’t want to keep getting scolded by his parents, so he wanted me to pass him the physics answers. He wanted to beat you just once. In return, he would give me twenty thousand yuan and hand over his Chinese answers.”
Yu Chen immediately took out his phone and recorded the entire set of chat records from start to finish. Then, with obvious relief, he smiled and stuffed the money into Zhang Xiao’s hands. “Thank you. Keep the money for now and buy Auntie some nourishing food.”
Zhang Xiao slowly looked down at the cash in his arms. In the end, he only took out twenty thousand. “I’ll count this twenty thousand as a debt to you, and I’ll pay it back little by little. Whenever you need me to go to the principal’s office, just notify me.”
Yu Chen nodded in delight. “No problem.”
“He Zhen, you really will help my mom, right?” Zhang Xiao was still not entirely sure. His reddened eyes tightened slightly. “Please don’t lie to me.”
To put him at ease, He Zhen had already taken out his phone. “I’ll contact them for you right now.”
Zhang Xiao froze for a moment, then slowly lowered his head toward He Zhen. His voice choked. “Thank you… and I’m sorry.”
“The person who should really be saying sorry is Lin He.” He Zhen looked at him. “Wait for my message.”
Zhang Xiao nodded hurriedly. “Okay.”
Before leaving, Yu Chen left the snacks behind for Zhang Xiao, then tugged He Zhen along and ran quickly into the hospital garden.
“Boss, don’t you think I’m incredibly smart?”
Yu Chen smiled brightly in excitement. “From what I observed, Zhang Xiao’s character is actually pretty good. And according to the information Xiao Yu gave me, Zhang Xiao is usually nice to his classmates too. I figured he probably didn’t really want to smear you on purpose, so that’s why I came up with this plan.”
“You know, before I negotiated with him, I even specifically studied psychology. I tried to guess what he was thinking. If we kept this from his mom and also helped him pay back Lin He’s money, then he probably wouldn’t have any more worries.”
“Oh right! I’ve got an even better idea!”
Yu Chen raised his hand like he was giving a report, his eyes full of happiness. “We can send the full record of their scheme, from beginning to end, to Lin He and give him a chance to confess on his own. If Lin He can stand up together with Zhang Xiao and reveal the truth, then nobody will be able to say anything else.”
After saying it all, Yu Chen felt light all over.
He had not expected things to go this smoothly today.
So all that time he had spent planning and maneuvering had not been wasted.
He felt incredibly capable.
He Zhen looked at the excited, happy Yu Chen, then closed his eyes and gently pulled him into his arms.
At that moment, an indescribable ache rolled through his chest. It surged up and blocked his throat so fiercely that he could not utter a single word.
He did not dare imagine how anxious Yu Chen had been for him, or how much thought and effort he had spent on him during these days.
Held tightly in He Zhen’s embrace, Yu Chen suddenly felt a damp patch spread at the base of his neck.
He quickly raised his head and looked at He Zhen nervously. “Boss, are you still worried people will keep talking about you? Let me tell you—they’re just pretending to be blind and deaf. They only used this opportunity to vent their jealousy toward you. You shone too brightly before, so they seized the tiniest crack and tried to drag you down into the dust.”
“Yu Chen.” As He Zhen smoothed the slight furrow between Yu Chen’s brows, the fierce ache in his heart showed itself bit by bit through his eyes.
Holding his breath, he spoke in a low, steady, and solemn voice. “I promise you—never again will I let you work this hard because of something involving me.”
Yu Chen laughed.
He stood on tiptoe, the corner of his brow lightly brushing against He Zhen’s ear. “Boss, I’m not tired at all. If it were me, you’d do exactly the same.”
