Getting Rich Legally 3

The three words "find a partner" almost made Lin Qi spit out the soy milk in his mouth. He coughed twice, swallowed the soy milk, lowered his head to avoid Meng Hui, and quickly stood up, saying, "I'm going to be late."

Meng Hui grabbed the schoolbag at hand, "Let's go."

Nearing the school gate, Lin Qi said to Meng Hui beside him, "Give me back my schoolbag."

"Here." Meng Hui didn't make things difficult for him anymore, watching as Lin Qi merged into the crowd.

When almost all the students had gone in, Meng Hui walked to the school gate. The guard in the guardhouse saw at a glance the hooligan vibe radiating from Meng Hui that couldn't be hidden even by a school uniform, and stepped forward to stop him. "Which class are you from?"

"I'm looking for Director Zhang," Meng Hui said politely. "Please make a call and just say Meng Hui is looking for him."

The guard didn't expect the boy, who looked exactly like a troublemaker, to speak quite politely. He eyed him doubtfully a couple of times. "Wait."

Not long after, the guard poked his head out from the guardhouse. "Go in."

It had been at least over a decade since he last entered a school gate. After Meng Hui dropped out in his first year of high school, he had never returned to school. When his company went public, Lin Qi urged him to go back and get a diploma, saying that since he would be the CEO of a listed company, it wouldn't sound good if word got out that he had dropped out of high school. He was unwilling and had even thrown a tantrum at Lin Qi.

Lin Qi had also dropped out of school, but he persisted in taking self-study exams to get into university and study for a master's degree, exuding an elite aura all over. Many years later, when the sharp edges of youthful arrogance had faded, Meng Hui could finally admit that he was just feeling inferior back then. The more he felt he wasn't good enough for Lin Qi, the more he put on an attitude of not caring and being indifferent.

The three large characters for 'Political and Educational Affairs Office' were printed on the door. Meng Hui took a deep breath and knocked.

Lin Qi entered the classroom, returned to his seat, and organized his schoolbag. Before he could even sit steadily, the group leader came over, "Class Monitor, collecting homework."

Lin Qi glanced at him, lowered his eyes, and said calmly, "Didn't do it."

The group leader was dumbfounded. Was there ever a time when the always diligent and studious Lin Qi didn't do his homework? He hesitated for a moment and started making excuses for Lin Qi on his own, "Were you feeling unwell last night?"

"Mhm," Lin Qi replied.

In another half a year he would drop out, so now he could slowly start acting out.

"Lin Qi," came a call from a classmate sitting by the door, "Someone's looking for you."

Lin Qi put down his schoolbag and went out. Ge Jianjun was leaning against the corridor wall with one leg propped up, his yellow hair scattered like dry grass, a malicious gleam in his eyes. "Lin Qi, morning."

"What do you want?" Lin Qi took a half-step back. "This is a school."

Ge Jianjun loudly sucked his saliva. Students were coming and going in the corridor, voices buzzing, but he wasn't afraid of being heard and said without holding back, "Let me tell you, that little bastard robbed me of eighty bucks last night. I'll round it up for you to a hundred. You figure out how to pay it back."

"Whoever robbed you, go ask them for it." Lin Qi turned around and went straight back into the classroom.

Ge Jianjun spat, "Damn it, acting tough in school. Wait till you're outside the school gate, see how I'll deal with you." He turned around and limped toward the corner of the corridor. Looking up, his gaze swept past. A towering figure stood out strikingly among the crowd of students. Ge Jianjun immediately spotted that extremely short hair and the two strong eyebrows, and he was so frightened that he directly barged into a classroom behind him.

"Coming back to study is a good thing. If your father were still around and saw you willing to go to school, he'd definitely be very happy." Director Zhang patted Meng Hui's shoulder. "Study hard, don't make trouble, you hear?"

Meng Hui said steadily, "I will work hard."

"Actually, I suggest you repeat a year in Senior One. After all, you haven't touched a book in two years. You might fall behind and not adapt," Director Zhang suggested. He had watched Meng Hui grow up. He was quite a cute and clever child when he was little, but when he grew up, he went out into society and took a wrong path. He had always felt it was a pity.

His footsteps paused. Meng Hui looked up at the words 'Class 7, Senior Two' on the doorframe. "Don't worry, I can keep up."

The sounds of collecting and passing out homework in the classroom stopped because Director Zhang brought someone in.

"Alright, students, everyone stop for a moment and sit properly." Class Seven was the class Director Zhang managed himself. Putting Meng Hui in his own class meant, firstly, he could feel at ease, and secondly, it wouldn't make things difficult for other teachers. A kid who had dropped out of school for two years coming back to study—no matter which teacher got him, they wouldn't be happy.

"So, today, I am going to introduce a new classmate to you all..."

Meng Hui looked fixedly at the person buried in a pile of books. Everyone else had looked up to listen; only Lin Qi had his face buried in his arms, his thin shoulders arched in the oversized school uniform, appearing exceptionally lonely and frail.

"Alright, everyone let's welcome Meng Hui."

Amid the applause, Lin Qi, who had his head down, suddenly heard Meng Hui's name and snapped his head up.

An incredibly tall stature, hair that couldn't be any shorter, dark irises, a high nose bridge, and a lazy expression on his face—if that wasn't Meng Hui, who was it?!

Lin Qi's eyes widened in surprise. Didn't this guy say he hated school and would never step foot inside the school gates for the rest of his life?

"You can sit over there." Director Zhang pointed to the last single empty seat.

Meng Hui replied with an 'mhm', his eyes fixed on the surprised Lin Qi. After moving a step, he turned back around as if he just remembered something and said to Director Zhang, "Teacher Zhang, I don't have textbooks."

"Well..." Director Zhang swept his gaze over and landed on Lin Qi, who was obviously staring at them. "Class Monitor, Lin Qi, take Meng Hui to the warehouse to get a new set of books."

Lin Qi sat there blankly, even forgetting to agree. Director Zhang left right after speaking, not caring whether he answered or not. Meng Hui leaned against the door and smiled at Lin Qi, "Class Monitor, lend a hand?"

With a complicated mood, Lin Qi slowly stood up. He didn't have any friends in the class, otherwise he definitely would have asked someone else to take Meng Hui. Somewhat reluctantly, he walked up to Meng Hui and walked out of the classroom without saying a word.

Meng Hui smiled and quietly followed.

In the crowd, Lin Qi walked quickly with his head down. Meng Hui followed neither too closely nor too far behind, thinking to himself that this kid still couldn't take a joke. Even a little joke could make him keep a cold face for half a day. Yet, he just couldn't change his own terrible habit of wanting to tease Lin Qi.

Ge Jianjun hid behind the door. Seeing Meng Hui following behind Lin Qi, he was frightened out of his wits.

The classmates in the classroom saw this notoriously unapproachable delinquent and didn't dare to speak out despite their anger. As soon as Ge Jianjun went out, they immediately closed the door.

The warehouse was at the corner of the first floor of the Mingli Building. Lin Qi walked to the warehouse with his head down. Seeing the warehouse door tightly shut, he knocked but no one answered. The breath he had been holding involuntarily turned into a sigh.

"No one's here?" Meng Hui leaned against the wall and said casually, "Let's wait, there's no rush."

Lin Qi ignored him and silently turned around, but Meng Hui grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?" Lin Qi said nervously.

Meng Hui didn't say a word, his shining eyes staring faintly at Lin Qi. Lin Qi felt like he was being eyed by a wild beast and couldn't move. Meng Hui said slowly, "I just played a joke on you this morning, why such a big temper?"

Lin Qi was no longer that innocent person who didn't understand anything. Meng Hui's vague probes and the excess hormones radiating from his body all revealed one fact—Meng Hui's feelings for him were not those of an ordinary brother or friend.

He had Du Chengying. Even though they were separated and scattered in different worlds, having someone meant having someone. Lin Qi struggled with his arm but couldn't break free. He lowered his head and gave in, saying, "I'm not angry. Let go, I'll go look for the warehouse teacher."

"I'll go with you."

"If we both leave, what if the warehouse teacher comes back?"

"Then we'll just come back again."

"You..."

"Yo, what's with the pulling and dragging?" The aunt who managed the warehouse came over holding a large enamel cup, squinting and smiling, "Don't fight, now."

Lin Qi's face instantly turned red.

"We're not fighting," Meng Hui let go of his hand and said politely to the warehouse aunt, "Hello, teacher, we're here to get a set of textbooks."

Lin Qi glanced at him. After this big hooligan's rebirth, he had brought out his pretense from the business world ahead of time. He could retract or release his hooligan aura at will. Except for his overly prominent appearance, he now looked exactly like a student.

"What grade?" The aunt pulled out a large bunch of keys to open the door, took a look at Meng Hui, and said with a smile, "Are you in Senior Three?"

The tense-faced Lin Qi couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Meng Hui tilted his head and glanced at the corners of Lin Qi's mouth that he just couldn't suppress, and said calmly, "Senior Two."

It hadn't been long since school started, so the teaching materials were piled up at the entrance of the warehouse. Meng Hui picked up a set of books and thanked the aunt. Lin Qi stood silently beside him the whole time, and when he saw Meng Hui was done picking up the books, he turned around and walked away.

"Why are you walking so fast?" Meng Hui caught up to Lin Qi in a few strides. "Don't like seeing me?"

Lin Qi said in a low voice, "Why should I like seeing you?"

Meng Hui curled the corners of his lips, that bit of hooligan aura unabashedly radiating out again, "I did save you last night, after all."

"Thank you," Lin Qi said quickly, looking like he wanted to draw a clear line. He could wait until Meng Hui started his business in the future to help him out properly, but as for developing a romantic relationship with Meng Hui, he would respectfully decline.

Meng Hui hadn't expected the teenage Lin Qi to be so defensive. He smiled, "Just a verbal thanks?"

"You want money?" Lin Qi said deliberately.

The smile on Meng Hui's face predictably faded. "Make friends, can't we?"

"I don't make friends with people who have poor grades," Lin Qi said coldly.

Meng Hui was amused again, "Specifically?"

Lin Qi stopped his rapid footsteps. In his impression, Meng Hui absolutely hated school. Lin Qi had a mission node to persuade Meng Hui to go to university, and even had a fight with him over it. There was no way such a Meng Hui wasn't a poor student. Lin Qi said harshly, "Anyone not in the top ten of the class is considered poor."

"So what you mean is," Meng Hui casually placed the books he was carrying on a nearby flower bed. Finding the child-like Lin Qi quite amusing, he said with great interest, "If I get into the top ten of the class, you'll be friends with me?"

"That's hard to say, I still have many other standards." Lin Qi was watertight, not giving Meng Hui any loopholes to exploit.

Meng Hui glanced behind Lin Qi, then looked around the surroundings. Following his gaze, Lin Qi also looked around, then looked at Meng Hui with a face full of confusion.

"I took a look, there's no one around here..." Meng Hui's voice was low and deep. Along with his lowered voice, his body also slowly pressed forward. The terrified Lin Qi was trapped between the flower bed and Meng Hui's arms. Meng Hui's lips curled into an evil smirk. "I'll ask you one last time. Let's be friends, okay?"

Lin Qi: "...Okay."

Meng Hui held back his laughter, keeping his voice deep, "What do you call me?"

"Bro... Brother Hui..." Lin Qi chickened out once again, shivering as he leaned against a smoothly pruned ornamental tree.

Meng Hui said unhurriedly, "Remember that, don't get it wrong next time."

Lin Qi nodded in humiliation. The moment Meng Hui accommodated him slightly, he couldn't help but get carried away, almost forgetting Meng Hui's identity as a veteran hooligan.

"No matter what kind of requirements and standards you have," Meng Hui slowly stood up, picked up the books from the flower bed, his brow bone raised, looking wild and arrogant, "I'm going to be your exception."