President 16
When Tang Xi woke up, he had almost completely forgotten about what had happened the day before.
He was carried downstairs by He Wang for breakfast, leisurely lapping at some goat’s milk and nibbling on small dried fish at the dining table.
After watching the little kitten finish his meal, He Wang set down his bitter black coffee and got up to leave.
Tang Xi had been racking his brain for an excuse to avoid going to the company, but to his surprise and delight, the villain didn’t seem to have any intention of taking him along today.
Putting on a clumsy act, he pretended to be reluctant to part, rubbing against He Wang affectionately.
He Wang’s acting skills were far superior. His expression remained as indifferent as ever. “Stay home and don’t run around.”
Tang Xi didn’t suspect anything: “Meow meow.” Alright, now hurry up and leave.
Following He Wang’s orders, the butler dutifully carried Tang Xi back to the master bedroom after his employer had left for work.
Listening as the footsteps faded into the distance, Tang Xi slowly sat up in bed and stretched. “Meow.” Time to go.
If he didn’t return to school soon, he was afraid the campus heartthrob, Ye Qian, would be worried sick. If that guy decided to look up his records or visit the fake address the system had created for him, his cover would be blown.
Yawning like a drowsy cat, Tang Xi transformed back into his human form. His eyes, both innocent and alluring, still shimmered with tears of drowsiness.
Without hesitation, he walked straight into the secret tunnel connecting He Wang’s room to a secluded corner of the school—vanishing in an instant.
Neither the careless Tang Xi nor the system noticed the few hidden surveillance points that had appeared in the room.
As soon as he entered the classroom, Tang Xi was immediately greeted warmly by his classmates.
Both the girls and boys gathered around him, their eyes filled with genuine concern.
There were all sorts of rumors on the school forum about what had happened between Tang Xi and the campus bully, Shen Chensi. No one knew the real story, only that the two had been hospitalized over the same incident.
This morning, Shen Chensi had walked into school with a bandage on his forehead, instantly sparking heated discussions online. Everyone was curious about what had happened between the notorious school bully and the new transfer student.
Unlike the rest of the school, Class 7 was a close-knit group. Instead of gossiping recklessly, they surrounded Tang Xi, bombarding him with questions about his “injuries.”
Using his size advantage, Chen Ruili squeezed to the front, his face filled with guilt. “Are you okay?” He blamed himself, thinking that if he hadn’t left Tang Xi alone that day during P.E. class, none of this would have happened.
“I’m… I’m fine.”
Trapped in the middle of the crowd, Tang Xi looked even smaller than usual. His bewildered expression made him seem like a helpless little animal, the kind that people instinctively wanted to pet and comfort.
Chen Yuxin’s maternal instincts were instantly triggered. Popular among the girls, she raised her voice, “Alright, everyone back up! Tang Xi is still recovering—let him go sit down!”
The girls immediately stepped aside, gazing at him with doting eyes. The boys followed suit, giving him space.
Feeling the heat rise to his cheeks under their intense stares, Tang Xi quickened his pace and hurried to his seat, as if staying even a second longer would get him surrounded again.
Chen Yuxin, satisfied, returned to her seat. Once again, she felt fortunate to be sitting right in front of Tang Xi. Lowering her voice, she turned around and asked, “Tang Xi, are you sure you’re not hurt?”
“Really, I’m fine.” Tang Xi’s gaze was sincere.
He didn’t want to lie to his classmates, who had been so worried about him.
But Chen Yuxin didn’t believe him. She was convinced that he was just pretending to be okay to stop them from worrying, secretly licking his wounds when no one was watching.
Her imagination ran wild, and she even felt a pang of heartache for him. Her gaze toward Tang Xi became even more sympathetic. “I understand. I totally understand.”
With that, she turned back around, deciding to let her poor, fragile classmate rest.
Tang Xi had no idea what exactly she thought she understood, but he still let out a relieved sigh—at least this whole thing seemed to be settling down.
Just then, Ye Qian, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
From the moment Tang Xi had walked into the classroom, Ye Qian’s gaze had never left him.
Unlike the others, he could tell that Tang Xi was truly unharmed—his body showed no signs of injury, and his fair face was even a little rosy.
This only confirmed Ye Qian’s previous suspicions, making him feel even more protective.
—So, my little deskmate was too scared to come to school these past two days.
“I wasn’t afraid,” Tang Xi said, completely baffled.
Why did it feel like everyone was acting so strangely today?
Ye Qian’s eyes held a faint trace of warmth. “Mhm, you weren’t afraid.” He didn’t argue, simply pushing a notebook toward him. “These are the notes from the past two days—go ahead and look them over.”
Thoughtfully changing the topic, he handed over his notes.
Tang Xi’s attention was successfully diverted. He took the notebook and immediately started reading, his expression serious and focused.
It wasn’t until 1551 reminded him that he finally remembered what he was supposed to do.
“Did you know Shen Chensi got hurt?” Tang Xi casually brought it up, as if it was just a passing remark.
“Yeah, I know.” Ye Qian glanced at him, his tone serious as he added, “He deserved it.”
“How could he deserve it? He was so pitiful—he got beaten up by a whole group of people!” Tang Xi’s eyes widened in surprise.
This wasn’t the response he was expecting at all.
“He almost got you hurt too.” Ye Qian’s throat tightened, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.
Wait… wasn’t the point to show concern for Shen Chensi? How did the conversation end up here?
The reason Shen Chensi got into trouble with that gang was because he had once stepped in to save a girl who was being bullied by the leader—a yellow-haired thug. That’s why they had it out for him.
But Tang Xi wasn’t supposed to know about that. Even though he really wanted to tell Ye Qian, he had to hold it in.
Ye Qian didn’t let the topic drop. He looked at Tang Xi, his gaze serious. “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from him? See? Nothing good ever comes from being around him.”
He paused for a moment, as if realizing his tone might be too harsh and could scare his deskmate. Lowering his voice, he continued, “If you want to skip class and have fun, I can take you. Just don’t go with him anymore.”
…Is this something the top student of the grade should be saying???
Aren’t you supposed to hate skipping class??
Tang Xi was so shocked by that last part that he didn’t even defend Shen Chensi right away.
To Ye Qian, his silence meant he was agreeing.
. . . . .
During the big break, Shen Chensi strolled into Class 7 again like he was taking a leisurely walk in his own backyard. A slightly ridiculous-looking bandage was still wrapped around his head.
“You okay?” He was carrying a cup of milk tea.
Tang Xi muttered, “Do you not already know whether I’m okay or not?”
I was the one who helped you to the hospital that day.
Shen Chensi was amused by the slightly proud look on his face. He reached out, ruffling Tang Xi’s black hair before casually placing the milk tea on his desk. “For you.”
Tang Xi twitched his little nose, catching a whiff of sweet strawberry. Instantly, a bright, obedient smile appeared on his face. “Thank you!”
He held the milk tea in both hands, quickly poked in the straw, and took a big sip. His cheeks puffed up as his eyes sparkled with happiness.
Ye Qian, sitting on the side, watched with an expressionless face. But the moment Shen Chensi’s hand got too close to Tang Xi’s face, he finally snapped.
With a loud scrape of the chair against the floor, he shot up from his seat. “Stay away from him.”
The sharp noise cut through the classroom, making everyone’s conversations die down a little.
No one dared to look their way, suddenly pretending to be deeply invested in their work.
Shen Chensi let out a cold laugh. “And what does this have to do with you?”
“I’m his deskmate. I have the right to keep him away from danger. And you? What exactly is your role here, trying to act all attentive?” Ye Qian clenched his fists slightly, his tone turning mocking by the end. “Are you seriously trying to make up for the fact that you almost dragged him down with you?”
No one could beat Shen Chensi when it came to shamelessness. He drawled lazily, “And what about the fact that he’s my savior? Can’t I repay him for that?”
Tang Xi sipped on his milk tea, caught in the middle, forced to endure the storm brewing between them.
He had no idea why these two, who were perfectly fine just a moment ago, had suddenly started confronting each other—so fiercely, too.
“Don’t fight,” he mumbled softly.
Shen Chensi’s cocky expression vanished in an instant. “We’re not fighting. This is just a friendly exchange between classmates.” The last five words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth.
Ye Qian, face still cold, didn’t want to lose his composure in front of Tang Xi either. Finally, he stopped targeting Shen Chensi.
But the tension didn’t fade.
Both of them continued to stare at Tang Xi, who was sipping his milk tea in the middle—like he was some precious treasure that could be snatched away at any moment.
Instead of arguing outright, they switched to a silent standoff.
The pressure was so intense that Tang Xi instinctively took another huge sip of his strawberry milk tea.
This bizarre atmosphere lasted until the school bell rang. Even though Shen Chensi was unwilling to back down, he had no choice but to return to his own classroom.
. . . . .
“President He, these are today’s documents.”
Secretary Huang carefully placed a stack of files on the desk.
Sensing the boss’s particularly serious mood, she didn’t dare linger. The moment she finished, she slipped away in a flash.
He Wang glanced at the documents, showing no intention of reviewing them. Stretching out his long legs slightly, his well-defined fingers rested on the mouse.
The cursor slowly moved over to a video file.
It was footage from the surveillance camera installed in his bedroom earlier this morning.
His slender fingers tapped the mouse twice, and the video began to load.
The familiar sight of his bedroom appeared on the screen. Skipping ahead a little, he saw the housekeeper carrying a tiny kitten back into the room.
He canceled the fast-forward, silently lighting a cigarette. But instead of smoking it, he let it rest between his fingers, allowing the smoke to curl and drift into the air.
Through the haze, the kitten in the video clumsily chased a plush ball, biting at it before proudly carrying it onto the bed. Then, burying its head into the blankets, it curled up into a soft, round bundle of golden fur.
Moments later, as if suddenly struck by a thought, the kitten seemed to gain newfound determination. It let out a sharp meow—like it had just made some kind of big decision.
And then, things took a completely unexpected turn.
He Wang’s heart pounded violently.
He rewind the video again and again, watching as the kitten abruptly transformed into a young man—only to disappear just as quickly into the corner of the room.
The boy’s face was youthful, each of his features striking and eye-catching on their own. Yet together, they formed a strangely harmonious balance—soft, unthreatening, yet undeniably alluring. His jet-black cat-like eyes shimmered with an intoxicating mix of innocence and temptation.
That unforgettable face… was the same as the boy he had casually saved that day.
Although he had already suspected something, witnessing this supernatural transformation with his own eyes still left him in stunned silence.
It wasn’t until the burning cigarette scorched his fingertips that he finally snapped out of it. He put out the cigarette and paused the video.
His eyes flickered with complex emotions. But in the end, all those thoughts condensed into one overwhelming feeling—possessiveness.
He reached out, lightly brushing his fingers over the boy’s face on the screen, murmuring in a low voice, “Why do you keep running away… so disobedient.”
Author’s note:
Busted.
At that moment, a certain little kitten—still savoring the taste of strawberry milk tea—remained blissfully unaware that his secret had already been exposed.