Chapter 61: Surrounded by Wolves

Wen Xiao was a bit surprised to see Ji Ling. He had never known that Ji Ling was a member of the fencing club, so hearing him ask this, he shook his head instinctively.

He had no intention of telling Ji Ling about the purple card. As a guy, receiving a card like this was hardly something worth broadcasting.

Wen Xiao tucked the card into his bag and said, "It's nothing, thanks, senior."

He planned to check the surveillance footage of the lockers outside the fencing classroom when he had some free time.

Ji Ling smiled as well, his tone overly familiar: "You really don't need to be so polite with murmurs—with me."

Wen Xiao picked up his fencing bag and looked over at Wei Nanxing. Finding that Wei Nanxing was still zoning out, he raised a hand and waved it in front of him.

"Snap out of it." Seeing Wei Nanxing like this, assuming he was still worried about him after seeing that card, Wen Xiao couldn't help but reach out and pat his head.

This was almost a habitual action; he had frequently patted a younger Wei Nanxing like this in the past, though as they grew up, he rarely did it anymore.

"You don't need to worry about me, I'll be careful," Wen Xiao said softly.

Wei Nanxing looked up at him, his dark, heavy eyes carrying a trace of an emotion Wen Xiao couldn't quite understand. It was like a night sky without light, or perhaps pitch-black ocean water, with turbulent or silent undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

He stared at Wen Xiao's lean and tall back, finally blinking once before following after him, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, his gaze occasionally drifting toward him.

Xiaoxiao, the person you need to be careful of is right behind you.

He is the person you can place your trust in, the one you can entrust your back to, the friend you have approved of.

Will you accept it?

*

The overall interior design of the fencing classroom at St. Lanter Men's School had a somewhat technological feel. Both the floor and the ceiling were white with a hint of gray, reflecting a silver metallic sheen.

Once Wen Xiao stepped onto it, however, he could tell the floor was actually made of wood.

At that moment, several boys were still warming up inside the fencing classroom. Seeing Wen Xiao and Wei Nanxing walk in, they stopped what they were doing and looked over.

"It really is Wei Nanxing and Wen Xiao..." someone muttered quietly. "I thought they wouldn't come."

"How come Song Jingbai isn't here?"

Ji Ling walked in behind them and smiled as he introduced them to everyone, "This is classmate Wen Xiao and classmate Wei Nanxing. I suppose everyone knows them."

"How could we not? They're both celebrities of our school," a tall, curly-haired boy said with a smile, looking at Wei Nanxing. "I went to watch when you played basketball against Huo Zhanyan last time. You played really well."

Wei Nanxing looked at him expressionlessly, making no sound at all, which caused the curly-haired boy to rub his nose and awkwardly trail off.

The expressions of the other silent fencing club members flickered as well, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward for a moment. But after all, Wei Nanxing bore the surname Wei; even if some harbored dissatisfaction, they didn't dare say anything.

"Thank you. We've just joined the fencing club, and we hope our seniors will take good care of us," Wen Xiao suddenly spoke up, standing close to Wei Nanxing.

After saying this, he tugged at Wei Nanxing's sleeve, prompting Wei Nanxing to nod, his attitude noticeably less cold than before.

"For sure!" Hearing Wen Xiao say that, the curly-haired boy immediately threw the previous minor episode to the back of his mind, still basking in the pleasant feeling of Wen Xiao calling him senior.

Wen Xiao glanced at Wei Nanxing with a hint of puzzlement; Wei Nanxing's mood had seemed somewhat off ever since a moment ago.

Wei Nanxing was always like this—doing as he pleased, refusing to spare even a single glance for people and things that didn't interest him.

Yet toward the things he liked, he would invest one hundred percent of his focus, to the point of failing to notice changes in the outside world.

Many people wanted to speak with Wen Xiao, but hindered by the fact that Wei Nanxing, that massive refrigerator, was standing right beside him, they didn't dare say much.

Getting even slightly close would result in being fiercely glared at by those dark, heavy eyes, leaving them with no choice but to exchange a few forced laughs before scurrying away.

Internally, they marveled that anyone who could get along so well with a freaky guy like Wei Nanxing certainly wasn't ordinary. What an unusual temper—to still be able to smile through all that.

Everyone tacitly assumed that in this friendship, Wen Xiao was mostly accommodating Wei Nanxing.

Ji Ling walked over, glanced at the club members clustered around Wen Xiao, and said with a smile, "Anyone not in the know would think Wen Xiao was a huge star, with all of you surrounding him like this. How is Wen Xiao supposed to do his own thing?"

After all, he was the club president and held considerable prestige within the fencing club, so the members quickly dispersed from around Wen Xiao.

Only the curly-haired boy remained face-to-face with Wen Xiao. Before leaving, he said to him, "You didn't choose the fencing elective in your freshman year, but I always heard the teachers mention you, saying you were very well-suited for fencing."

Wen Xiao smiled and blinked. "Is that so? But the teachers told me I wasn't suited for it at all."

The curly-haired boy didn't reply, staring at Wen Xiao for a moment before looking at the fencing bag slung over his shoulder, eager to try. "Whether you're suited for it or not, you'll know once you spar with me."

Ji Ling patted him on the shoulder. "Stop thinking about sparring all day long, people haven't even all arrived yet."

No sooner had he spoken than he saw a delicate-looking boy poking his head in through the doorway, asking timidly, "Is this the fencing classroom?"

Ji Ling nodded. "That's right. You must be Ye Heng, welcome to the fencing club."

Ye Heng smiled gratefully at him, and upon seeing Wen Xiao, his eyes lit up. He walked over with his bag on his back, but once standing in front of Wen Xiao, he hesitated and stammered, unsure of what to say.

Wen Xiao didn't rush him, though Wei Nanxing's atmospheric pressure dropped a few more degrees.

"I... I didn't think you'd be in the fencing club too."

Wen Xiao gave him a gentle smile without saying much. "Let's work hard together."

Ye Heng nodded, then glanced at Wei Nanxing before walking away hesitantly, though his gaze still drifted toward Wen Xiao's direction from time to time.

A few boys nearby, noticing the bronze school badges on him and the other scholarship student, couldn't help teasing, "Before coming to our school, you probably never touched fencing before, right? Many of us have studied it for over five years, and the shortest is three years. If you don't have any foundation, you might not be able to keep up with the training."

"Wouldn't it be awkward if nobody wants to spar with you, hahaha?" After all, fencing was ultimately a two-person sport.

Wen Xiao looked at the tall boy who had spoken. Built like a brick outhouse, he clearly practiced épée. Hearing his words made Wen Xiao frown even more.

Before he could speak, he heard Ji Ling say to that boy, "Han Lin, I don't want to hear that kind of talk again."

Seeing that the president had spoken up, Han Lin wanted to say something else, but ultimately swallowed it back.

Thinking of Song Jingbai, Wen Xiao said to Ji Ling, "Song Jingbai has an experimental class tonight and said he'll be a bit late, no need to wait for him."

Ji Ling looked at Wen Xiao and suddenly remarked, "You two really get along well. Seriously, it's quite enviable."

Wen Xiao looked at Ji Ling. The other was a year older than them, and though his smile was gentle, it exuded a romantic, flirtatious, and carefree aura.

"You're so popular at school, Senior, would you still feel envious?" Wen Xiao said casually.

"Popular?" A hint of oddness crossed Ji Ling's tone. "Could it be that classmate Wen Xiao usually pays close attention to me? Otherwise, how would you know whether I'm popular or not."

Wen Xiao had only meant it as an offhand remark, but hearing him reply this way, he froze.

"Just kidding." Ji Ling looked over at Wei Nanxing and teased, "The moment I said that joke, your good friend looks like he wants to eat me alive."

Wei Nanxing's expression was freezing. If gazes could materialize, Ji Ling probably would have died several times over.

Knowing that Song Jingbai would arrive later, Ji Ling took the lead in giving a speech on behalf of the fencing club.

The fencing classroom was very large, divided by white walls and low steps into several spaces, including a training area and a rest area.

Aside from seating, the rest area also featured display cabinets showcasing trophies and medals won by past senior predecessors in domestic and international fencing leagues, serving as the ongoing goal for all club members.

"These medals and trophies are honors won by past senior predecessors in domestic and international fencing leagues, and they are also the goals our club members constantly strive for," Ji Ling explained.

Once Ji Ling finished introducing the fencing club, it was time for some of the senior members to introduce themselves.

Looking at those unfamiliar faces, Wen Xiao basically memorized all of their names.

There were over thirty senior members in the fencing club and fifteen new members, not even counting Song Jingbai.

"Do you think there are very few people in the fencing club? Some members shift their focus to academics and college applications once they reach senior year and basically quit. If you genuinely like this sport, you have to seize this year," Ji Ling said.

The members' self-introductions concluded quickly, and Ji Ling said, "Activities are a bit boring, and since I figured everyone dislikes tedious routines, I didn't arrange any. But in the fencing club, it's best to let the swords do the talking, right?"

That curly-haired boy, Cheng Zhuo, instantly perked up upon hearing Ji Ling say this and insisted on sparring with Wen Xiao.

Before he could walk up to Wen Xiao, however, his path was blocked by a tall figure.

Wei Nanxing looked at him expressionlessly, his shoulder-length hair falling behind his shoulders, stray bangs on his forehead partially obscuring his eyes, and his lips pressed into a tight, straight line.

He had already changed into his fencing uniform. The snow-white fencing outfit, fitted in design, made his figure look even more slender and tall.

"What are you doing? I'm not sparring with you," Cheng Zhuo waved a hand dismissively. The other guy was exuding a murderous aura, and he wasn't going to go looking for trouble.

Sensing something off upon reflection, he looked at Wei Nanxing and said, "I'm asking Wen Xiao, why do you keep shoving yourself in? Anyone not knowing better would think you were guarding your wife!"

"Sure, but you'll have to wait until I go change my clothes first," Wen Xiao suddenly said, causing both Wei Nanxing and Cheng Zhuo to look at him.

Cheng Zhuo was pleasantly surprised, while a flash of astonishment crossed Wei Nanxing's eyes. He gripped the sword in his hand tightly, ultimately making no move, only watching as Wen Xiao headed toward the locker room.

Wen Xiao could feel someone watching him from behind, but he didn't look back.

Thinking of the look Wei Nanxing had just given him—resembling an abandoned little beast, just like back then—Wen Xiao's steps paused slightly.

In the end, he still didn't turn back, walking straight into the locker room, and only let out a sigh once he was inside.

He felt that Wei Nanxing was far too dependent on him. It was like this now at school, but what about after graduation?

Back in his freshman year, he had felt that Wei Nanxing was distancing himself because he was growing up; now that the other person constantly followed him and clung to him, he seemed to have acquired a brand-new set of troubles.