LABMY CH1 [Arc 1]

Chapter 1: The Poor Child Abandoned by the Wealthy Family

In early September, the yellowing leaves of the plane trees swayed precariously on the branches. A few hand-sized leaves had already fallen onto the black asphalt road.

The once quiet intersection gradually became lively as the school bell rang, echoing down the street. The students, still excited from the start of the new school year, eagerly shared stories of their summer adventures.

Amidst the chatter, the roar of a motorcycle engine wasn’t particularly loud, yet it still drew countless students’ attention.

A sleek, black motorcycle with a streamlined metallic sheen and an aura of cold, hard elegance appeared at the entrance of the high school, instantly captivating those who craved coolness and style. However, the real reason why everyone’s eyes were glued to that spot was perhaps something else.

The man on the motorcycle was even more eye-catching. Most people looked awkward or clumsy on a bike, but he effortlessly straddled the foot pedal with his long legs. His lean, athletic figure bent slightly forward, and paired with his sharp, cold gaze and chiseled jawline, he resembled a predator ready to strike.

His exceptional appearance and aura made him stand out like a lone tree in a forest, dazzling among the crowd of high school students still dressed in their baggy uniforms.

The hearts of teenage girls at sixteen or seventeen were always filled with dreams and fantasies. It was the most passionate and innocent age, and they couldn’t help but whisper to one another.

“Look, look! The guy on the motorcycle.”

“Wow… A motorcycle hottie.”

“Quick, take a picture! The bike is cool, but the guy is even hotter.”

The girls walking arm-in-arm slowed their steps, nudging each other curiously.

“Who do you think he’s here for?”

“Could he be someone’s boyfriend from our school?”

“Slow down, let’s watch.”

The whispers around him didn’t reach Jian Yuanbai’s ears. He had already spotted the male protagonist, Wei Zhenge, who had just walked out of the school gate, guided by the system’s prompt.

He had to admit, as the protagonist, Wei Zhenge’s appearance was quite impressive.

The seventeen-year-old boy still carried traces of youthfulness between his brows. His clear and bright eyes, delicate features, and slender figure outlined by a white shirt made him look as elegant as jade. He said something to the person beside him and suddenly smiled, radiating warmth and grace.

However, the students of Jinyang No. 1 High School, watching Jian Yuanbai dismount and approach Wei Zhenge, had rather complicated expressions.

As a top student who had consistently ranked first in the entire grade, Wei Zhenge was quite famous at school. Yet, equally well-known was his poverty.

He always wore clothes that had faded from frequent washing and shoes that were slightly falling apart at the soles. Even though he had an exceptionally handsome face, few people were willing to befriend him.

Firstly, his poverty was too infamous. Secondly, for some unknown reason, the rich kids particularly despised him, the one who got into the school through donations. Not only did they bully him, but they also targeted anyone who dared to get close to him.

Over time, the students of Jinyang No. 1 High School developed a subtle and complicated attitude toward Wei Zhenge.

“Wei Zhenge, right?” Jian Yuanbai, oblivious to the thoughts of others, walked straight up to him.

The boy who had been talking to Wei Zhenge immediately turned and ran away as if fleeing the scene. His speed left Jian Yuanbai slightly bewildered.

Wei Zhenge, however, remained calm, as if he had long been accustomed to this.

“I am. And you are?” he asked.

“Jian Yuanbai,” he introduced himself and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, handing it to Wei Zhenge. “From now on, for the next year, I will be your guardian. Your parents have entrusted you to me.”

Wei Zhenge glanced at the paper. It was a hastily prepared foster care agreement, signed without the slightest concern, as if he were not a human being but a stray cat or dog casually handed over to someone else.

“I need to call home to confirm this,” Wei Zhenge said, his lips pressed tightly together, turning pale.

He took out his phone, an old model with chipped edges and worn paint, showing that it hadn’t been replaced in years. Despite the situation, he didn’t suggest finding a more private place to make the call—there was no point.

If this really came from that woman, she must have deliberately arranged for him to be confronted in front of the school gate, just to humiliate him further.

Though Wei Zhenge had already guessed the truth, as someone nearing adulthood, he still had basic caution.

He dialed the number. Although the call wasn’t on speaker, the angry shouting from the other end was so loud that Jian Yuanbai could hear it clearly.

“You little bastard! What else can you do besides making your mother miserable at home?”

Jian Yuanbai couldn’t quite make out the rest of the words over the phone, only catching a few curses when the voice on the other end got particularly agitated.

It was peak dismissal time, and the school gate was crowded. Though people weren’t standing too close to each other, the shouting from the phone was so loud that even passersby could hear the harsh insults.

After hanging up, Wei Zhenge gripped his phone tightly. His knuckles turned white, and a faint look of embarrassment appeared on his face. Seeing this, Jian Yuanbai belatedly realized that he should have chosen a more private place to discuss this matter with the young and vulnerable boy.

Feeling a bit guilty, he was about to ask what Wei Zhenge wanted to eat for dinner when a loud and arrogant voice suddenly came from behind:

“Well, well, I was wondering which stray dog was blocking the way. Turns out it’s our top student, Wei Zhenge.”

Though it was dismissal time, Jinyang No. 1 High School was well-funded, with a large campus and a spacious area in front of the school gate. Besides, Jian Yuanbai and Wei Zhenge were standing off to the side and clearly weren’t blocking anyone’s path.

Jian Yuanbai frowned slightly. “Classmate, your words are quite rude.”

Fu Pengyi was stunned for a moment. “Where did this idiot come from?”

The group behind him burst into laughter, but Fu Pengyi ignored Jian Yuanbai. He hadn’t come here for some random biker; his eyes were fixed on the document in Wei Zhenge’s hand.

“Oh? What’s our top student reading? Why don’t you let us take a look too?”

As he spoke, he reached out to snatch the document that bore Wei Zhenge’s father’s fingerprint. His face was filled with excitement and mockery.

He’d already heard from Wei En that this “bastard” brother of his was going to be kicked out of the house today. As Wei En’s good buddy, how could he miss the chance to make this public and let the entire school know that Wei Zhenge had been handed over to a gambling addict?

Fu Pengyi was fat and bulky, towering over the thin and slender Wei Zhenge like a wall of flesh. However, Wei Zhenge was agile and quickly stepped back to avoid his grasp.

Fu Pengyi spat in frustration. “F**k, acting all high and mighty, huh?”

“Surround him. I’m gonna read out whatever’s on that paper for everyone here to hear.”

Fu Pengyi and his gang were notorious bullies at school. No one dared to offend them due to their family’s influence. Although they usually acted arrogant, the only person they truly bullied was Wei Zhenge.

For the other students, this kind of scene was already a familiar sight.

In Jian Yuanbai’s head, the system’s voice chimed in:

“This is a scene from the original plot. The character you’re playing is a gambling addict. According to the storyline, you’re supposed to stand aside and watch Wei Zhenge get humiliated.”

Jian Yuanbai was confused. “But I’m supposed to be his ‘fateful encounter.’ How does a gambling addict provide any ‘opportunity’ for the protagonist?”

System: “The gambling addict bets on rough jade stones. He took on the role of Wei Zhenge’s guardian for money and to gain a free ‘stone-cutting expert.’ Since the Wei family doesn’t care about Wei Zhenge, they allowed him to be mistreated.

“By staying with the gambling addict, Wei Zhenge takes his first step into the world of stone gambling. Most importantly, after acquiring the ‘X-ray Vision’ cheat ability, he finds an Emperor Green jade stone from the gambling addict’s pile. That’s his starting capital.

“So, you can choose to let things play out.”

“I’ll send you the basic plot of this world for reference.”

The system’s words were subtle. It didn’t explicitly tell Jian Yuanbai to ignore the bullying but left the choice up to him.

While Jian Yuanbai was processing the information, Fu Pengyi and his gang were already closing in.

Wei Zhenge scanned the faces of those surrounding him, catching a glimpse of Jian Yuanbai standing motionless behind them, watching the scene unfold.

His gaze grew colder.

As expected, this man was sent by his dear father and stepmother to further humiliate him.

This scene was probably planned in advance.

Wei Zhenge’s grip on the document tightened, the fragile paper crumpling beneath his fingers.

Handing it over would prevent a beating, while refusing would surely result in one. The choice seemed obvious.

Yet, his hand wouldn’t let go.

After all, he was only a seventeen-year-old boy. Even though he knew the outcome, there was still a stubborn fire burning in his heart.

His face remained expressionless, but inside his mouth, he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek, tasting faint traces of blood.

As Fu Pengyi reached for the document again, this time, Wei Zhenge didn’t dodge.

Seeing him finally submit, Fu Pengyi’s face lit up with triumph.

“Oh? What could this be? Could it be that some bastard—”

BAM!

A solid punch landed directly on Fu Pengyi’s face, cutting off his words. His jaw throbbed in pain as he looked up in disbelief at the man who had just struck him.

“You… You dare hit me?”

Jian Yuanbai cracked his knuckles. “I told you, using foul language is very impolite, classmate.”

Wei Zhenge’s eyes widened slightly, surprised to see the tall man standing protectively in front of him.

“Hey! What’s going on over there?” A sharp voice belonging to the school’s disciplinary director rang out. The crowd murmured, “The director’s coming!”

As the disciplinary director marched over, Jian Yuanbai suddenly turned around, grabbed Wei Zhenge by the waist, and hoisted him onto the back of the motorcycle.

Then, with a swift motion, he swung his leg over the bike, revved the engine, and sped off, disappearing before the director could catch them.

Wei Zhenge sat on the back seat, stunned. His waist was still aching slightly from being lifted so abruptly.

This man… actually just picked him up and tossed him onto the motorcycle. And the speed—he hadn’t even had time to react.

“…Why are you running?” Wei Zhenge finally asked.

Jian Yuanbai didn’t respond, only giving him a cold side glance.

Wei Zhenge pressed his lips together.

This guy not only had brute strength but also seemed cold and antisocial. From his aura and the heavy motorcycle he rode, it was clear that he wasn’t someone to be messed with.

Wei Zhenge suddenly felt a bit worried about his upcoming year living with this man.

However, what Wei Zhenge didn’t know was that this so-called “cold and aloof” man wasn’t ignoring him on purpose.

Jian Yuanbai simply couldn’t hear him over the roaring wind. He was also busy multitasking, talking to the system in his head:

“…Wei Zhenge is this good-looking, with such a slim waist. Won’t his future three wives feel insecure?”