After the soul swap, I became stronger (13): Family Recognition Conference

When the child of the world picked up the phone to call Si’s parents, Xiu Xiu informed Si Qi about it.

Si Qi was on a date with Chu Feng. Upon hearing the words, his expression remained unchanged, and he replied with a faint “Hmm.”

Xiu Xiu was puzzled: [Master, aren’t you going to stop them?]

Si Qi smiled and said, [What am I stopping? I can’t just forcibly tear their family apart, can I?]

Xiu Xiu thought about it and felt the same way. Just looking at how well the couple from the Si family treated his master all along, he subconsciously regarded them as his master’s family in this world. It would be quite a pity if they suddenly disappeared.

No longer bothering Si Qi, he turned to secretly observing the call over there. In case Dad Si and Mom Si were more concerned about their other son, or even planned to join forces with the Son of the World to harm Si Qi, Xiu Xiu could also remind Si Qi a thing or two.

But in terms of the outcome, Xiu Xiu felt that she had truly judged a gentleman’s heart with the mind of a petty person.

He happily wagged his tail and said to Si Qi, [Master, your parents are really good to you. They gave the Son of the World a good scolding!]

Si Qi smiled, not very surprised, and said, [Yeah, they really are quite good.]

Such good parents, how did they end up with such a troublesome son?

Chu Feng saw Si Qi suddenly start laughing, and his own mood became much happier as well. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Si Qi: “I miss my parents.”

Chu Feng smiled and said, “You have a really good relationship with your parents.”

“Mm.” Si Qi nodded in acknowledgment and said, “I remember your company has developed many smart home products. Why don’t you send me a set? I see my mom managing that house by herself is quite hard.”

Chu Feng nodded and agreed, as usual, giving instructions to the assistant beside him.

The assistant, no longer wearing the previous superficial smile, saying a thousand unwilling things in his heart, instead his eyes sparkled as he looked at Si Qi, as if witnessing a miracle, his attitude couldn’t have been better.

Previously, he really disliked Si Qi, thinking that Si Qi, a kid who hadn’t even hit puberty yet, had seduced his boss. Not only did Si Qi make his boss waste so much money, but he also made his boss prioritize romance over the job he once valued the most. He regarded Si Qi as a seductress and it was utterly annoying.

Later, when the news about the male student getting involved with the sugar daddy spread, the assistant felt even more that Si Qi was a jinx, tarnishing his boss’s reputation and dragging his boss into such an inescapable scandal. From now on, it seemed like they would be talked about every few days because of this incident.

But what about the results?

After that, the assistant personally witnessed a group of high-ranking big shots treating Si Qi with utmost respect, saw a group of bodyguards carefully protecting Si Qi in the middle, and even his boss was warily watched when trying to talk to Si Qi.

Even later, someone contacted Chu Feng here, informing him that the Chu Feng Research Institute had been taken over by their national agency, and instructed him not to disclose anything about Si Qi to the outside world. They also handed over a confidentiality agreement to the assistant.

The assistant’s heart was pounding non-stop, with a gut feeling that everything was completely different from what he had imagined. That Si Qi was actually someone with real skills!

Later, online discussions surged, and the state confirmed the validity of Si Qi’s research findings. The state planned to bid for the pharmaceutical rights internationally on behalf of Si Qi. Si Qi stated that half of the credit for the research findings belonged to Chu Feng, and he wanted Chu Feng to be involved as well.

The assistant, trembling, followed Chu Feng to the bidding site, witnessing the arrival of those internationally renowned pharmaceutical companies one after another. It was a bidding event measured in billions, with prices directly in the thousands and tens of thousands. The little assistant’s heart was almost about to explode from the excitement.

Although these numbers referred to sales over the next few decades, they would ultimately be handed over to Si Qi in the form of a percentage. However, the amount of money involved was absolutely enormous and could not be avoided!

The assistant had been working beside Chu Feng for so many years and considered himself a well-informed person. He had handled several super-large-scale projects involving billions, but this scale of bidding was truly unprecedented in his life, and he didn’t even dare to imagine it!

You should know, the current net worth of his boss was only “a little over” 100 billion!

Even being placed here, they did’t even qualify to compete with other companies!

The final bidding ended, and Si Qi received patent fees valued at approximately 390 billion through a fixed annual dividend.

Almost three Chu Fengs…

When he heard this number, to be honest, the assistant’s legs were trembling.

Especially when he personally heard Si Qi say he was willing to transfer half of the money to Chu Feng, the assistant almost couldn’t contain his excitement and let out a scream!

But contrary to everyone’s expectations, just like when Chu Feng casually invested tens of millions for Si Qi’s research without asking for results, Chu Feng did not accept this overly generous reward.

Just like Si Qi who treated money like dirt, this “collaborator” had the same temperament as Si Qi, and surprisingly, didn’t care at all about this much money.

At that moment, Chu Feng and Si Qi exchanged a smile, completely unconcerned about the matter, which truly opened the eyes of everyone present.

Thinking to himself, no wonder these two people were able to maintain a good relationship even when Si Qi was still unknown; it turned out it was because their personalities and ideals were the same.

In the end, out of more than 300 billion, over 200 billion was taken out as charitable donations and handed over to the state for handling, while the remaining money was left for Si Qi to conduct research.

The country returned kindness for kindness, thanking Chu Feng for his initial help to Si Qi, and later for his joint donations with Si Qi. On the surface, nothing was said, but in reality, Chu Feng’s company had already been regarded as an excellent patriotic enterprise in the country. An occasional policy tilt or special treatment was enough for Chu Feng’s company to earn a fortune, with endless benefits.

The assistant witnessed everything from start to finish. At this moment, seeing Si Qi and Chu Feng’s interaction, it was as warm and sweet as ever. Si Qi still liked to tease Chu Feng like a little sprite, and Chu Feng didn’t neglect his care and concern for Si Qi because of his abilities. They still cared for and protected each other. The two had never changed the way they interacted with each other due to changes in status, making the assistant lament that the fool was actually him. From the very beginning, there had been no exchange of financial benefits between them, only the purest and most sincere mutual affection.

Sincere wishes for this relationship, hoping the two of you can be together for a long time and be forever happy.

–

When Si Qi returned home, Dad Si and Mother Si had already prepared Si Qi’s favorite dishes and called him to wash his hands and eat.

The family, as if they were a real family, chatted and laughed, enjoying a hearty meal in a cheerful atmosphere.

After the meal, Dad Si asked Si Qi not to rush to take the dishes to the kitchen and said to Si Qi, “We already know.”

Si Qi, upon hearing the words, merely lowered his eyes and after a moment, slowly smiled, “What do you and Mom think?”

Dad Si’s expression softened, “We are very happy that you are willing to continue calling us Mom and Dad.”

“As long as you like it, I will keep calling you that in the future.” Si Qi maintained his smile, “Even if I am not your real son, I am willing to be filial to you. You have treated me very well.”

Mom Si sat by, tears suddenly falling, unable to help but walk over, hugging Si Qi and crying softly.

“Good child…”

Si Qi gently patted the woman’s back and comforted her, saying, “Don’t cry. As long as you don’t mind me, I will always be by your side.”

“How could Mom ever dislike you? Mom likes you so much, she can’t get enough of you.” Maom Si sobbed, “Mom is just afraid you might leave. You’re so talented and so likable. We’re afraid your real parents will come and take you back… Mom and Dad don’t expect anything from you. Even if you don’t take care of us, it’s okay. We just like you and can’t bear to part with you…”

“I know.” Si Qi raised his hand to embrace the gentle woman, his gaze turning to Dad  Si sitting across from him. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t go back. My previous parents already knew about the soul swap with someone else, but they despised me and didn’t want me as their son at all. I won’t go back.”

“They actually dare to look down on you!” Mom Si, upon hearing this, was furious and couldn’t help but complain, “You’re so good, how dare they look down on you! They don’t even want you! Do they know how much you’ve suffered in my house? They don’t feel a bit sorry for you…”

“Where have I suffered?” Si Qi couldn’t help but laugh, “You clearly left the best things for me.”

“But…” Mom Si was still a bit conflicted.

“Mom, if you don’t want me either, then I’ll really become a child without parents.” Si Qi said deliberately, “Do you want me to go back there and be looked down upon and despised by others?”

“You child.” Mom Si, still wiping her tears, lightly patted Si Qi’s shoulder, knowing that Si Qi was deliberately saying this to make them happy.

With Si Qi’s current abilities, even parents with the highest standards couldn’t possibly look down on Si Qi.

As everyone finally spoke their minds, the little worries in Dad Si and Mom Si’s hearts finally dissipated. They chatted and laughed about Si Qi’s past, the good, the bad, the happy, and the unhappy. The more they understood Si Qi’s character, the more they were convinced that Si Qi was not the kind of person who despised the poor and loved the rich, nor someone who was cold-hearted in relationships.

He said he would stay, so he would definitely stay. Mom Si wouldn’t have to secretly shed tears over this anymore, and Dad Si wouldn’t have to hide and sigh silently anymore.

They had a better relationship than a real family.

Si Qi said with a smile, “In a few days, there will be a banquet, and the Wang family will also be invited. Would you like to go and meet that person?”

Mr. and Mrs. Si thought seriously and gave Si Qi a reply the next day: “We want to go see that child. You… do you want to meet with your parents as well?”

Si Qi casually smiled and said, not really caring, “Let’s talk about it later.”

At this point, it was no longer a matter of whether he wanted to meet with the couple, but whether he was willing to meet with them.

Taking Chu Feng along, Si Qi brought the Si family’s parents to choose suitable suits and formal wear.

Mr. and Mrs. Si finally met in person the rumored person who supposedly had a great relationship with their son, discovered his potential, and helped him develop a miraculous drug. They naturally had an infinite fondness for Chu Feng and were extremely close to him.

Chu Feng felt quite guilty when he saw Si Qi’s parents because he had feelings for Si Qi. His attitude was incredibly good, and there was no trace of the cold, ruthless business elite he used to be. After a little interaction, the two parents quickly praised him, thinking he was indeed an outstanding young man who took special care of their son. They hoped Si Qi could get along well with Chu Feng and learn from him.

Si Qi: “……”

What to learn? How to be flirted with?

Just smile.

A few days later, the charity gala.

Many social elites received invitations, and hearing that the recently popular Si Qi would also be present, even entrepreneurs and power holders who usually left such social events to their wives showed up, just to meet Si Qi and get familiar with him.

After Si Qi arrived, his impeccably tailored suit made his already outstanding demeanor even more striking. The venue fell silent for a moment, with everyone’s eyes on him, filled with admiration.

They couldn’t believe that such a young man, as they had investigated, came from a poor family. It can only be said that people are indeed different; some people, even if they come from humble beginnings, can still possess an elegance and nobility akin to that of royalty, making them not to be underestimated.

No wonder he was able to independently develop such a miraculous drug at such a young age. Now that they’ve seen him in person, it suddenly didn’t seem so surprising that he could do something like that.

A group of people smiled and walked up to greet Si Qi, offering friendly greetings to Si Qi’s parents.

The two adults were attending such a luxurious event for the first time, facing a group of distinguished individuals whose demeanor immediately suggested they were extraordinary. Looking at the decorations that seemed to sparkle everywhere, they felt very nervous.

Everyone around them noticed this, but not a single person would make fun of them at this moment or say anything to embarrass them. They all maintained friendly smiles, intentionally or unintentionally supporting them, praising them, and taking care of their feelings.

No one would look down on parents who could raise a child like Si Qi, and it would be impossible to mistakenly offend them, thereby offending Si Qi.

In this atmosphere, the two adults quickly calmed down and naturally conversed with those around them, neither feeling inferior nor arrogant. Their poised and graceful demeanor earned them the admiration of those nearby.

The Wang family saw the Si Qi family under such circumstances.

Old Master Wang saw Si Qi walking over from a distance, dressed in a light-colored suit, with a calm and indifferent smile at the corner of his mouth. His eyes, as he looked around, showed no surprise or concern, as if a gentle spring breeze was brushing past. That demeanor, that aura, all made the old master feel an indescribable sense of familiarity, instantly increasing his fondness for the child. No matter how he looked at this kid, he found him more and more pleasing to the eye.

Thinking about the debt his grandson owed to this child some time ago, the old man felt increasingly uncomfortable and just wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Si Qi and properly apologize.

Just at that moment, those two troublesome sons and daughters-in-law suddenly became agitated, their eyes gleaming with a greedy look as if they had spotted a huge treasure, and they headed straight towards Si Qi.

The old man’s temples twitched, and he felt an indescribable frustration and irritation in his heart.

Turning around again, he saw his grandson’s face, pale and with clenched teeth, full of resentment, and his heart felt even worse. He felt that children were nothing but a burden, and his mood had sunk to rock bottom.

At the same time, the girl standing next to the Son of the World, dressed in a delicate white floral evening gown, was staring blankly at Si Qi in the distance, feeling a bit dazed.

She was just momentarily dazzled and mistakenly thought that her beloved Brother Jiu had come over.

But Wang Jiu was clearly standing right next to her, wearing a light-colored suit similar in style to that of the boy, staring intently at him…

His were filled with a dark resentment she had never seen before.

This expression made the girl feel a chill in her heart, inexplicably creating a sense of unfamiliarity.

When she was only looking at Wang Jiu by himself before, she didn’t think much of it.

At this moment, seeing a young man with a similar aura to the person she liked made her unable to help but recall the memories of that person. Looking again at her fiancé standing beside her, the more she looked, the more she felt a sense of incongruity… Suddenly, the girl felt that the person beside her was even less like the one in her memories. The many things he had done recently also left her feeling confused and bewildered.

She couldn’t figure out what all this was about, but a girl’s intuition is always very accurate. She dressed beautifully and attractively today just to see her fiancé and make him like her a little more.

However, when she saw her fiancé in person, the girl inexplicably lost the impulse to hold his hand upon meeting him. Instead, she stood far away, unable to find the intimate feeling they once had.

Subsequently, the teenager’s parents came to find her fiancé, and both sides had strange expressions, as if they had something to say.

The girl left on her own, only watching the three people talk from a distance, feeling that the atmosphere between them seemed a bit awkward and somewhat tense.

Then she saw her fiancé’s parents also found the boy. The boy kept a smile on his face and didn’t say much. Instead, the people around kept talking to her fiancé’s parents. She could only see her future in-laws’ expressions getting worse and worse, even becoming a bit angry.

The girl picked up a cherry from the table, eating it while thinking. Her former fiancé had done that to the boy, so it didn’t seem strange that people around them would mock them.

However, judging by the boy’s reaction, he didn’t seem to care about this matter at all. He didn’t even say a few more words, showing restraint and detachment.

She didn’t even know what her future in-laws were angry about.

It seemed that both families ended up parting ways on bad terms. Wang Jiu met with his parents with a dark expression, and a low-voiced argument broke out between them, drawing curious glances from those around. This situation made the girl unable to help but sigh, making her even less inclined to talk to her fiancé.

Clearly, it was a long-awaited meeting, so why did it feel so oppressive?

At that moment, the boy she had been secretly watching suddenly found her.

She looked up in surprise, quickly putting down the food in her hands. Her cheeks were slightly flushed for some reason, and she shyly said, “Hello, are you Si Qi? My parents have mentioned you. They said you are very impressive…”

“Annie.” The boy’s gentle and soft voice sounded in front of her. For some reason, the familiar tone made the girl pause, staring blankly at the boy’s tender eyes.

Si Qi said, “Have you been doing well lately?”

The girl instinctively smiled and sweetly said, “Very good.”

Saying this, the feeling of unease in her heart grew stronger, and for some reason, she even felt a sense of grievance, making her nose tingle and wanting to cry.

Si Qi said, “I heard that you’re going to study abroad after graduation. You need to take good care of yourself out there.”

“……” The girl listened to the voice that for some reason made her particularly fond and particularly moved. Her feelings became increasingly complicated, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She could only press her lips together and reveal a smile that was not impolite.

Si Qi reminisced with her for a while, paused for a moment, and then said, “Wang Jiu and I are classmates… I know he has a marriage contract with you, but I’m not sure if you know that he is dating other girls at school.”

The girl’s gentle smile instantly shattered, disbelief filling her eyes as she looked at Si Qi. She then abruptly turned to look at her fiancé in the distance, her hand resting by her side starting to tremble faintly.

Her lips devoid of color, she said, “Wh-what?”

Si Qi: “It seems you don’t know.”

This made him feel much more at ease. He was quite worried before that the girl, being deeply attached to the original owner, would stubbornly insist on marrying him even after being betrayed by the Son of the World. That would have been too cruel.

Si Qi spoke gently, “The person you liked is no longer the same as the one you fell for. You’re great, but he’s not worth your continued affection.”

The girl’s tears fell like pearls, unable to accept this reality. Si Qi gently comforted her, “You are a good girl; he doesn’t deserve you.”

The girl was sobbing quietly with her head down, and this scene caught the attention of many people around. They were surprised by what Si Qi had said to make such a young girl so heartbroken.

Just looking at the atmosphere between the two, it didn’t seem like Si Qi said anything unpleasant to make the little girl feel embarrassed…

Seeing this, the girl’s parents hurried over and cautiously asked Si Qi, “What happened?”

Si Qi apologetically said “sorry” and recounted to the two adults what he had previously told the girl. The two parents’ expressions immediately changed, their eyes subtly revealing thinly veiled anger.

They thanked Si Qi and said they would investigate the matter thoroughly afterwards. If what Si Qi said was true, they absolutely would not let it go and would not let their daughter be wronged.

Originally, it was because of the relationship between the two families that they took care of the Wang family’s direct line in many ways. But now, while the Wang family was enjoying the benefits, they were also doing such shameless things. How could they let their own daughter suffer this kind of humiliation? They would definitely demand an explanation and make the Wang family pay the price.

The two adults took away the weeping darling, and as the girl walked away, she couldn’t help but keep glancing back at Si Qi, always feeling an emptiness in her heart, as if she had lost something precious.

This treasure, was it referring to her fiancé who was as beautiful as moonlight in her heart, or to the boy standing in front of her, looking at her with a face full of guilt? She herself was not sure.

After watching the girl walk away, Si Qi found the old man standing in the crowd, casually chatting with a few friends nearby.

With a complex expression, Si Qi slowly revealed a smile and whispered, “Grandpa…”

The old man’s calm expression, which had been a faint smile, suddenly froze. His brown-gray eyes fixed intently on Si Qi, his trembling lips parted slightly, and for a long while, he couldn’t utter a single word.

“You…”

After the soul swap, I became stronger (12): Home phone call from the children of the world

After the news that Si Qi developed a special drug for AIDS spread, the students at school were bewildered, Si Qi’s parents were dumbfounded, and the “family of three” from the Wang family, who had been secretly observing Si Qi’s movements and were deeply afraid of being entangled by him, completely collapsed!

That “fool” who they avoided at all costs, who never intended to return, and who only knew how to bury his head in books without any idea of competing or fighting, actually casually donated more wealth than ten Wang families combined, and he did it under the name of Si Qi, who had no connection to the Wang family at all!!

They were so jealous they were about to go crazy!!

If they had known their son had this ability, why did they always stop him from doing research, why did they refuse to provide him with the most basic conditions for experiments, why did they always urge him to fight for those trivial benefits from the Wang family, and why did they treat him like a cheap commodity to be “sold” to other families for marriage alliances in exchange for benefits?

Were they stupid?!

Just when they wanted to contact Si Qi, they didn’t even know where he was living, what he was doing, or how to find him.

The country also would not let them know! Even less would it casually allow them to establish any relationship with Si Qi!

They had never been recognized by Si Qi as father and son before, so naturally, there was no possibility of being recognized by Si Qi in the future. They lost a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed, and now it was too late to regret it!

After hearing the news, the school was overjoyed and couldn’t contain themselves. They must have thanked their lucky stars countless times for not hearing those rumors before and for dismissing Si Qi.

Otherwise, now that the news had come out, everyone in the world knew that with Si Qi’s abilities, he would never demean himself to do such a thing. Yet the school, biased and credulous, would become a perpetrator of public opinion, recklessly and arbitrarily driving away an innocent student, allowing him to be blamed by millions.

Of course, now it was possible to use Si Qi’s name and receive praise from everyone internationally, boasting, “This is the school that had the foresight to sponsor Si Qi’s education years ago!”

Seeing more and more people extending olive branches to the school, offering to sponsor it and promising numerous benefits, and preparing to send their own children here to study, the school leaders are almost going crazy with joy!

They didn’t know how many times they had been grateful for the decision to spend money to bring Si Qi to the school to study; it was an incredibly profitable deal, even more so than a tenfold return on investment!

Originally, there were keyboard warriors online who, due to the unequal relationship between Si Qi and Chu Feng, tried every means to portray the two in a negative light, but they had now been completely silenced.

Seeing Si Qi casually donate more than Chu Feng’s net worth, who would still dare to say a bad word about Si Qi? Instead, everyone praised Chu Feng’s keen insight, recognizing Si Qi’s talent so early on, regardless of Si Qi’s age and experience, and fully funding Si Qi’s research, pouring hundreds of millions into Si Qi without hesitation.

If it weren’t for Chu Feng’s help, how could that special drug against the AIDS virus been cultivated by Si Qi?

This also led to the continuous surge in the stock market value of Chu Feng’s company in recent days. The shareholders couldn’t stop smiling at Chu Feng, praising him for his vision time and again, throwing out flattery as if it were free, completely forgetting how they used to badmouth him and Si Qi behind their backs.

And various aspects of Si Qi’s life had been gradually uncovered by netizens. For example, he came from a poor background, and his family was in massive debt, yet he managed to get into an international school with top-notch teaching resources through his own efforts, receiving the best education in the country. Not only did he not spend a dime, but he was also able to receive money from the school to support his family.

For example, during his time at school, he had close relationships with teachers and classmates. Recently, when he was almost slandered, the school leaders and teachers were the first to stand up and speak for him. The students also jumped out in righteous indignation to argue with netizens on his behalf. Their heartfelt and sincere actions made people marvel at Si Qi’s good relationships.

Some people even found the dilapidated little house where Si Qi had lived for ten years. As soon as they opened the door and stepped inside, they were almost driven back by the foul smell, covering their noses and screaming, “What is that smell?”

Looking at that cramped and dark place, it was hard to imagine that a family of three could actually live there. Then recalling the bright and beautiful campus seen online before, which seemed to gather all the world’s beauty, netizens couldn’t help but once again admire Si Qi’s resilience, as he seemed utterly unfazed by this harsh reality.

Someone found Si Qi’s neighbors again and asked about Si Qi. These people, who lived at the bottom of society and had clearly experienced many unfair treatments, always liked to nitpick and be difficult, and at first glance, they seemed hard to talk to. However, in front of the video camera, they unexpectedly showed smiles and praised Si Qi. They said he was sensible, smart, and filial, and that he was a particularly likable child who would smile at everyone he met.

In short, as long as Si Qi’s name was mentioned, you would never hear a single bad word about him from these people, and every compliment was genuine and heartfelt, with not a hint of insincerity.

“That kid knows I have rheumatism, and every rainy day my legs hurt so much I can’t stand up straight. Climbing the stairs feels like it could take my life. Every time, he carries me up and down several flights of stairs, and he says that if I ever need anything done, just let him know and he’ll take care of it… Oh, when I see his obedient little face, how could I bear to refuse? My own son and daughter don’t care for me, but this little kid who lives next door is so considerate!”

“He knew I had stomach problems and didn’t want to take the medicine, so he went to the pharmacy himself to get the medicine, brewed it, and brought it to me, saying it was all traditional Chinese medicine and not worth much. He made me take it on time every day, and if I finished it, he would brew more for me. You have no idea, that medicine was bitter, but no matter how I drank it, my heart was sweet…” The elderly person on the other side of the side of the camera couldn’t help but wipe away tears while speaking, choking up and saying, “I watched him every day as he flipped through medical books, researching how to treat us. My heart just couldn’t take it! That child is truly wonderful…”

“The medicine he gave me was really effective. It was a problem that had been bothering me for several years. No matter what medicine I took or what treatments I had at the hospital, the pain would still come back. But after taking the medicine he gave me, I was better in less than a week! That kid really knows his stuff! This is it!” The aunt speaking gave a thumbs up, her smile incredibly bright.

The video started with the small house, interviews more than ten neighbors around it in the middle, and ended with a shot of the exterior of the small house.

After watching the video, the netizens sighed and commented:

“This house is the one that Si Qi only moved out of after that incident, right? Before that, he clearly already knew Boss Chu Feng and had a good relationship with those wealthy students at school, yet he still willingly chose to live in a place like this. It really shows that he didn’t care at all about those external material conditions.”

“There are actually such good people in the world, and I only found out about his existence now… If I could have known Si Qi earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to bear seeing him go through such a hard life… Just watching the video makes my heart ache and makes me want to cry.”

“Previously, there were even people slandering that Si Qi was with Chu Feng for money. I couldn’t help but sneer. Si Qi’s friends even said they were willing to give Si Qi a house to live in, but Si Qi didn’t want it. Isn’t that enough to prove his innocence? And yet, after that, they still spread rumors everywhere, saying how Si Qi was. Now, let’s see what those people have to say!”

“I guess those keyboard warriors’ faces must be swollen by now. That’s over 200 billion. Si Qi said he would donate it, and he did. He also said that the remaining money, according to the agreement, was supposed to be transferred to Chu Feng as part of the sponsorship fees. But since Chu Feng didn’t want it, he had to keep it. Actually, if you think about it, Si Qi probably didn’t keep a single cent for himself.”

“Hey, the more I think about it, the more I realize this kid is extraordinary. Whether it’s his brain or his character… he’s too selfless.”

“I am proud that our country has someone like Si Qi!”

“…So who was the person who framed Si Qi back then? Does the country not intend to stand up for Si Qi at all, not intend to catch that person and punish them severely? Aren’t they afraid of disappointing Si Qi?”

“Hey, Si Qi is just too kind. Why did he stop others from revealing the name of the mastermind during the live stream? I really wanted to be a keyboard warrior and unleash some online violence on that black-hearted guy!”

“If it weren’t for Si Qi’s abilities and strong character, any random teenager would probably be unable to turn things around if they encountered such slander, right?”

“I heard that the student is surnamed Wang, and his family runs a hospital and deals with medical equipment.”

“Hehe, opening a hospital? What a coincidence! If that’s the case, their family is going to have a tough time from now on… Of all the people to offend, they had to offend the big boss in this field. They’ll have plenty of trouble to deal with in the future!”

As the netizens said, the Wang family was indeed very unfortunate right now.

Although the public opinion was being controlled online, for the time being, no one knew that the person who framed Si Qi was the future heir of their family, so their hospital and pharmaceutical brand had not suffered a fatal blow or been spontaneously boycotted by the public.

But due to word of mouth among the students, people in the upper circles had almost all learned about the matter concerning the young master of the Wang family, Wang Jiu. They knew that he had offended the famous domestic entrepreneur Chu Fengg and the rising star Si Qi, who had already become a key protected figure by the state.

The Wang family suddenly became the pariahs of everyone around them. Wealthy and influential people who used to come to their hospital for consultations and treatments disappeared without a trace overnight. This invisible blow was equivalent to taking half their lives.

The Wang couple had really hit rock bottom, with external ridicule, internal family oppression, and the collapse of their biological son’s massive fortune. Any one of these would be enough to drive them to the brink of despair.

They blamed all of this on “Wang Jiu.” If it weren’t for his appearance, their son would still be their son, and they would still have their share of the hundreds of billions in assets! If “Wang Jiu” hadn’t maliciously targeted “Si Qi,” causing them to lose out, how could they have been disliked by the old master of the Wang family? How could they have been ridiculed by everyone for offending Si Qi and Chu Feng?

This shouldn’t have happened at all; it was all because of that damn, lowly, delusional brat who thought he could rise to the top in one step! It was all because of him!

“The family of three” caused a huge commotion because of this matter. The child of the world was both devastated and desperate, completely unaware of how things had turned out this way. He never expected that person to have such abilities. He regretted that people are indeed different from one another. Those with talent, regardless of their background or living environment, would eventually rise.

On the contrary, even though he had such a privileged family background and power that others could only dream of, in the end, he still ended up with nothing.

He gave up his almost within reach inheritance, lost the favor of teachers and classmates, abandoned the parents who cared for him, and lost the good impression he should have had with everyone…

Just by changing a chip, everything that originally belonged to Wang Jiu just disappeared like that…

Why, was he really that bad?

The child of the world, in pain, clutched his hair, hiding in the spacious and luxurious bedroom, questioning life and feeling utterly helpless.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but miss his parents. If it were them… would they forgive him and accept him again?

In this world, perhaps only those two people would unconditionally love him.

In his time of pain, he picked up his phone and dialed that incredibly familiar number, one he hadn’t contacted in months.

“Hey, Dad? It’s AQi…”

Your real son.

Over there, Dad Si’s expression changed, and he frowned, saying, “What did you say?”

Sitting on the sofa watching TV, no longer having to wake up early every day for work, Mom Si looked over in confusion, her eyes questioning.

Mr. Si and Mrs. Si exchanged a glance, said nothing, stood up, walked towards the bedroom, and closed the door.

The child of the world cried out, “Dad, I am really AQi, your biological son! The one now is an imposter! Dad!”

Dad Si sat on the stool at the foot of the bed with a stern face, silently listening to the unfamiliar man’s voice crying for a long time.

Although the voice was completely different, this familiar tone, even the emotions during crying, were exactly the same as the boy in his memories.

Thinking about the mysteries that had accumulated over this recent period; only at this moment had they finally all been unraveled.

The voice over there continued, “Don’t you find it strange? He’s changed so much during this time. Just look at how he talks and acts, where is he the same as me?”

“Dad, I’m not doing well right now. No one really cares about me. I miss you so much. I think about coming home every day… Boo hoo, Dad.”

Dad Si sighed silently, furrowing his brows and said, “Where are you now? What’s going on?”

The Child of the World choked up and said, “I’m at someone else’s house right now. I swapped souls with the person who took over my body. My name is now Wang Jiu. Wang Jiu was my classmate before, the one who was the student council president.”

“Is it him?” Dad Si frowned, recalling the face he had seen a few times over the past few years, and the student who had spoken at the recent parent-teacher meeting. His expression grew increasingly tense, and his fists clenched tighter. “If what you’re saying is true, then your family conditions must be quite good now.”

The sound of crying over there suddenly became unnatural.

Dad Si’s face was grim, and there was a hint of anger in his tone: “Xiao Qi has been awake for almost two months. Why haven’t you come to find your mom and me during these two months after you swapped bodies with him? Why haven’t you told us the truth?”

The Child of the World fell silent once again.

Dad Si slammed his fist on the table: “You said you and Xiao Qi are classmates, so why didn’t you come to see us at the last parent-teacher meeting?”

“You clearly knew my and your mom’s phone numbers, why didn’t you call us to report that Xiao Qi was in a vegetative state before?”

“Were you planning from the start not to acknowledge us, thinking we were poor and a burden to you, wanting this wealthier family instead? Now that you’re suffering over there, seeing that our family’s situation has improved, you want us to help you?”

“Have you ever thought about the fact that you’ve already taken over Xiao Qi’s identity, and now you’re coming back to reclaim your own biological parents? What will happen to Xiao Qi?!”

The Son of the World was infuriated by the relentless questioning, and shouted loudly into the phone: “Why do you care about him? Are you so impressed by that guy’s success that you don’t want me as your son anymore? You snob! Do you even realize that I am your real family?! Do you have any conscience at all?!”

Dad Si’s face turned grim as he said word by word, “Yes, I like that kid more than you, but not because he is successful! Didn’t you used to be more successful than other kids? Weren’t your mom and I good enough to you? But how did you treat us before? After Xiao Qi came over, he still hadn’t figured out that so-called medicine, and the conditions at home were just as poor as before. Your mom and I are not his real parents, and we can’t even provide him with the most basic material conditions. We can’t compare to his real wealthy parents at all! But him? He treats us better than you, our son whom we’ve pampered for over ten years! He’s so filial and considerate to both me and your mother. He even knows to give us shoulder massages, pluck our gray hairs, and bring us a cup of health tea after we get off work! Your mother was so happy that she secretly cried with me several nights, saying that her son has finally grown up.”

“I’ll tell you, AQi, I know you’ve always been someone with your own ideas, and when you have a goal, you’ll do anything to achieve it. But this time, it’s different. You can’t use me and your mom to hurt that child.”

“Now that you have money, a good family environment, and don’t have to worry about food and clothing, you don’t need us, your once despised parents, to help you with anything. Don’t tell me you long for family affection; you’re not that kind of person! I know your intentions. The only advantage your mother and I have in the eyes of others is that we raised ‘Si Qi.’ Are you also thinking along those lines, wanting us to do something for Xiao Qi? Let me tell you, it’s impossible!”

The Son of the World was almost driven mad, screaming, “Why? Why does that guy get all the benefits? He took everything from me, he even took you away! You actually speak up for him, do you even consider me your son anymore?”

“I think you would rather be someone else’s son!” Dad Si snorted coldly.

The Child of the World was furious: “They never treated me like a son! In these wealthy families, everything is calculated. To them, family ties are nothing. They used to be polite to me, but now that they see I have no use for them, they turn their backs on me! They don’t even realize their own son has been replaced. You just leave me here and don’t care?!”

“That’s why Xiao Qi is so good to us; he never experienced family love before!” Dad Si’s words almost drove the Child of the World crazy. “This poor child, your mom and I will definitely treat him better from now on! We’ll make up for all the parental love he missed out on in the past!”

“Dad!!”

“Don’t call me Dad.” Dad Si closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself to harden up. He said to the person over there, “Don’t even think about coming over to disturb your mom. Your mom likes the current Xiao Qi more than I do. What you’re doing will only hurt her!”

“I—”

“Enough!” Dad Si said, “If you really get into trouble, your mom and I will help as much as we can, but I can’t think of any situation where you would need help from two people like us who have no money and no ability!”

A father knows his son best. As soon as Dad Si received the call and heard his son playing the victim, the first thing that came to his mind was that this person was preparing to use him to harm his current son; otherwise, his tone wouldn’t be so resolute.

“Qiqi’s money is Qiqi’s, and Qiqi’s connections are also earned by Qiqi himself. Your mother and I have no skills at all. Now we just take the money Qiqi gives us out of filial piety and live a peaceful retirement. We can’t do anything to harm Qiqi for the sake of you, this ungrateful little brat!” Dad Si was halfway through his words when he suddenly saw the bedroom door being pushed open from the outside.

However, Mom Si just stood there, silently crying, seemingly not thinking of coming over to take the phone and talk to the person on the other end. Her face, full of despair, looked particularly pitiful.

Dad Si didn’t have the heart to continue talking to that ungrateful child. He hurriedly hung up the phone amidst the shouting and commotion, put down his phone, and walked over. Before he could say a word, the overwhelming sadness swept over him first. Unable to hold back, he hugged his wife tightly and choked out a sob.

“Don’t be sad, we still have Xiao Qi.”

“Woo woo woo woo…” Maom Si burst into tears, collapsing onto the ground, her legs giving way beneath her. She kept hitting her legs with her hands, “I can’t bear to part with this child. Why isn’t this child ours? Why! Woo woo woo…”

After being a mother for over ten years, Mom Si felt the warmth of her son’s filial piety for the first time. When she saw Si Qi, she felt as if her heart was melting, wishing she could dedicate everything she had to him.

She wasn’t unaware of the discrepancies, but she really couldn’t bear to shatter this illusion. She didn’t want such a good child to leave them. She knew that self-deception was wrong, but she truly lacked the courage to face the harsh reality.

“Alright, alright, don’t cry. If you cry, I’ll want to cry too,” Dad Si wiped the tears from the corner of his eye and said to Mom Si, “Xiao Qi has never mentioned wanting to recognize his biological parents. I’ve heard that his parents treated him very poorly and didn’t care about him at all. He would rather have us, his poor parents, than go back to that wealthy family, which shows that he still likes us very much.”

“Woo woo woo…” Maom Si was so sad that she could only cry. Dad Si said, “Since we already know about this, when Xiao Qi comes back, we’ll have a good talk with him and see what he thinks. If he wants to leave, we have no reason to force him to stay. He has already been good enough to us. If he wants to stay, then we won’t have to worry anymore and can raise him as our own son. What do you think?”

Mom Si cried for a long time, and under Dad Si’s gentle comfort, she slowly nodded and said sadly, “What about AQi?”

Dad Si’s eyes were complex, and the coldness in his tone from before was gone. It was clear that his earlier tough attitude was just a facade. He sighed and said, “The place where he lives now is very wealthy, and we don’t need to worry about his food and clothing at all. He didn’t want to acknowledge us before, so he must have been very satisfied with the conditions there. Now that he’s calling, he must have seen the news and realized that Xiao Qi is capable and our family is quite wealthy. I don’t really know what he wants to do. He didn’t mention any difficulties he encountered during the call, so I guess he’s just trying to sow discord.”

When Mom Si heard Dad Si arranging things against his own biological son like this, she pursed her lips, lowered her head, and actually felt that with that child’s personality, he could really do such a thing. Not a single thought of rebuttal arose.

Seeing that Mom Si looked sad, Dad Si wanted to say something nice to cheer her up. He smiled and said, “Do you remember the student council president at Xiao Qi’s school? You used to praise that kid, saying he spoke politely and was well-mannered. When you were helping him with the scholarship student enrollment procedures back then, you even said the student council president respected you a lot, didn’t mind our family’s poverty at all, and was meticulous and considerate in his work—Xiao Qi is that person.”

Mom Si was surprised for a moment, recalled Wang Jiu’s face, and happily said, “Oh, it’s him! He really is a good kid, very well-behaved, and his grades are excellent. I see that the teachers and classmates at school all like him very much.”

Dad Si also laughed, “We are really lucky to have met such a good child.”

“Yeah, winning the lottery isn’t as lucky as we are!” Mom Si curled her lips and smiled, “Ever since he came to our house, I wake up smiling every day.”

After the soul swap, I became stronger (11): You regret it now, right? There’s no use regretting it! 

The live broadcast stopped, but what happened in the principal’s office was still ongoing.

A group of school leaders watched in astonishment as the national-level bigwig, who was only active in various academic journals, chatted with Si Qi, looking overjoyed and treating him as if he were a precious treasure, making them vaguely feel that something extraordinary was happening, yet they had no idea what it was.

Looking back at the strange expression on the faces of Chu Feng and his assistant, who were also stopped by the bodyguards from approaching Si Qi, they hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong with Si Qi?”

The bodyguards looked over, speaking in a warm tone that maintained a sense of distance: “Some things need to be kept confidential; it’s better if you pretend you don’t know anything.”

Chu Feng and the assistant, upon hearing this, vaguely sensed something, and an incredulous look flashed in their eyes. Then Chu Feng said, “Si Qi had to leave for something, but our matters are not over yet.”

Upon hearing this, the principal and others immediately recalled the earlier commotion and quickly nodded, saying, “Rest assured, I’ll go bring him right away.”

The students standing in the principal’s office were taken back to their respective classes by the teacher, leaving only a few who were closest to Si Qi, stubbornly standing their ground and arguing, “We won’t leave! I want to get to the bottom of this for Si Qi! Let’s see who is really framing him!”

The principal said with a stern face, “Si Qi said he wouldn’t publicly pursue this, and you…”

“He won’t pursue it! I will!” Xie Man, filled with anger, interrupted the principal’s lecture: “He is just too good-natured, which is why anyone dares to come and bully him! If anyone had dared to do this before… Anyway, I’m staying here!”

The principal and others found it both helpless and amusing, but in the end, it was still Teacher Huang who forcibly dragged Xie Man back to the classroom, and then conveniently brought over the Son of the World who had been hiding in the classroom all along.

Xie Man was a perceptive person and knew better than anyone else about the soul swap between Si Qi and Wang Jiu, understanding the dirty thoughts in Wang Jiu’s heart.

As soon as the teacher called Wang Jiu to ask questions, even under the pretense of discussing school matters, he still started a huge commotion in the classroom, rushing over to grab the Son of the World’s collar and roaring angrily, “It’s you, isn’t it? You trash! How dare you treat him like that! You’re looking for death! I’ll kill you!!”

The already chaotic classroom instantly became a frenzy because of Xie Man’s outburst. Many students looked at the Child of the World in disbelief, clearly shaken by Xie Man’s words.

After all, he was their student council president, the person whom the students had admired and loved the most over the years… how could this happen?

Class teacher Mr. Huang felt a deep headache and didn’t expect that this kid Xie Man would be so perceptive. While saying “What are you guessing about?” he couldn’t shake off Xie Man’s entanglement and had no choice but to bring both of them to the principal’s office.

Leaving a group of students sitting in the classroom, discussing animatedly:

“It can’t really be the president, right?”

“Why did he do that?”

“Didn’t the livestream say that the mastermind thought Si Qi and his girlfriend were having an ambiguous relationship, so they deliberately framed him? The president really does have a girlfriend now!”

“But I haven’t seen Si Qi talk to his girlfriend either…” a student murmured in confusion.

“So later that man in the suit said Si Qi was wronged, he never had a close relationship with any girlfriend!” A student immediately retorted.

“Wow, if the president really did something like this, I’d be disillusioned with him!”

“You just now realized it? Actually, I’ve been feeling that he looks weird for a while now, but I didn’t have the courage to say it!”

“Didn’t you notice that the president’s good friends have all fallen out with him recently and their relationships have soured?”

“Every friend he makes is worse than the last, always hanging out with those delinquents at school.”

“He even got a girlfriend! His grades have dropped quite a bit too!”

“Don’t even mention his girlfriend. Just thinking about it makes me sick. Don’t you know his parents found him a fiancée? What does that even mean? It’s basically cheating!”

“Every day he brags about his work at the company, but what’s so great about that? He messed up a lot of things in the student council before, and the teachers just spared him the public criticism to save face.”

A group of people were discussing animatedly, completely ignoring the teacher above them who was looking at them with a helpless expression, unable to correct their discipline.

“Hey, originally, I found it quite absurd that a high and mighty person would still date other women even while being engaged to someone. Later, the president’s personality became increasingly strange, and you couldn’t see the previous cool and noble demeanor at all. Instead, it felt a bit like he was putting on an act…”

“Do you all feel the same way? I do too!”

“Before, you could feel that genuine sense of calmness upon close contact, but now, there’s none of that left; it feels more like acting.”

“Yeah, that kind of demeanor of being free from desires and wants can’t be faked. The more you try to fake it, the more it shows!”

A group of people saying these things here, the Son of the World could imagine just by thinking about it.

His face was as pale as a ghost, and he walked with his head down, completely lacking the calm and self-assured demeanor he used to feign.

Long before the live broadcast began, he saw Chu Feng and Si Qi standing in the principal’s office on the screen. The teachers beside them looked at the two with eyes that showed no trace of disgust, only the anger of having been wronged. He felt a vague sense of unease in his heart.

He heard the classmates next to him whispering in surprise at Chu Feng’s name, excitedly explaining his identity to others. A heart that harbored dark thoughts quickly sank to the bottom, starting to sense that something was amiss.

And indeed, the subsequent developments were just as he had intuitively predicted. With the explanations from the surrounding teachers and classmates, Si Qi quickly cleared his name, while he, the mastermind behind the scenes, ended up in trouble. 

His heart was pounding like a drum as he was about to think about what to do next, how to protect himself.

In the live broadcast interface, a group of people who would only be formally introduced by the host on the central news appeared again. The child of the world felt a darkness before his eyes, as if sensing the hopeless future that awaited him.

Then the homeroom teacher from the next class came over, and Xie Man publicly grabbed his collar and loudly questioned him about why he did this.

It was as if the sound of something shattering echoed in his ears, a sense of helplessness that an important thing could never be salvaged, making the Child of the World’s face turn pale, each step towards the principal’s office felt like walking to the gallows.

The principal’s office door was wide open, and everyone inside was looking at him with unfriendly expressions. Xie Man forcefully pushed him in from behind, crossed his arms, and glared at him angrily.

Afterwards, the principal and others talked to him a lot, but his mind was in a daze, and he couldn’t take in anything.

It was just the invisible pressure that made it hard for him to breathe, every minute and every second felt like torture.

He was just a teenager, and for the past few months, he had been hiding a secret in his heart, making it hard for him to sleep well.

Now that he had done something bad and the matter had been exposed, the illusion he had been maintaining had been shattered, and he was feeling anxious and fearful inside.

Afraid that Si Qi might take this opportunity to publicly reveal the soul swap between him and himself, afraid that Si Qi brought so many domestic researchers, was it just to capture him for research, to find out why he could replace the other person…

He felt like everything was about to end.

He just stood there with his head down, “playing deaf and dumb,” and the principal and others gradually shifted their gaze from pity to disappointment.

They called Wang Jiu’s parents. Initially, the two parents were quite reluctant when they received the call, thinking that if the school had something to discuss, their assistant could go instead. Anyway, with their son’s abilities, it shouldn’t be anything bad. It might even be something good, like participating in a competition to bring glory to the school.

Who would have thought that over there, they would use a serious, even slightly angry tone to inform them that they must be present, saying that Wang Jiu had caused a big mess and they had to come over to clean up the aftermath.

Later, on their way over, they watched the trending topics and live stream replay that the school leaders had reminded them to check, and their moods plummeted to the lowest point.

First, they never expected that the Son of the World would target their son so specifically, even claiming that their son was gay and selling himself for money. Second, they were not only angry that he targeted their son, but also that he let the situation escalate to such a public and uncontrollable level, further involving and angering the famous Chu Feng!

Look at how Chu Feng cared for “Si Qi” in the video, and you’ll know that this matter couldn’t be resolved without some serious consequences. To put it nicely, this time “Wang Jiu” was throwing a bucket of dirty water on Chu Feng; to put it bluntly, that was the heir of the Wang family, going against an entire massive group!

“Wang Jiu” had caused a huge mess this time!

Not to mention whether Chu Feng over there was willing to let it go, even the people within the Wang family, upon hearing about this matter, would probably gloat over it and use it to stir up trouble with the head of the Wang family, who was now the current power holder of the Wang family, and Wang Jiu’s grandfather.

If he became disappointed with Wang Jiu, those uncles and aunts around him who were eyeing him covetously might just push him further…

Whether the position of the next heir of the Wang family still belonged to their faction was hard to say!

The more they thought about it, the angrier they became. By the time the couple arrived at the school, their faces were as pale as could be.

This scene was just seen by the students at the school, who immediately took out their phones, took pictures of the two people, and uploaded them to the school forum or class chat group.

In just a few minutes, the entire school was blown up.

“The president’s parents also came!”

“It seems that the president really did it!!”

“My goodness, it really is the president!”

Whether the matter would be known outside the campus by the onlookers who were closely following it remained to be seen.

In short, the two of them arrived at the principal’s office and saw “Wang Jiu” standing there in a daze, looking utterly dejected. They were so furious that they directly slapped him hard across the face.

Afterwards, it was all about making amends and apologizing.

They spoke humbly to Chu Feng, who refused to forgive them no matter what, and met with their biological son, who finally took some time out to come to the principal’s office and finally spoke to them again after several months.

The two parties exchanged a tacit glance, their eyes flickering as if they were contemplating whether they could take advantage of any “nonsense” from Si Qi at this moment to create a diversion and let the trouble pass just like that…

As a result, Si Qi, under the incredulous stares of the two parents, said without any courtesy, “I’m not familiar with these two, so I won’t be talking to them. If there’s anything, Brother Chu will help me arrange it. I trust his decision.”

The two adults stared at Si Qi in astonishment, clearly not expecting their son to react this way after such an incident. Instead of tearfully recounting his terrifying experiences over the past period, he acted as if he didn’t even know them, not even bothering to spare them an extra glance, as if he wanted to completely sever ties with them.

All the plans they had in mind came to nothing, leaving them with a sense of bewilderment and being caught off guard.

But in the end, they didn’t say a word, didn’t apologize to Si Qi, didn’t reminisce with Si Qi, just turned their gaze away, as if nothing had happened.

After Si Qi finished speaking, they took his leave with the company of the professors and academicians. Chu Feng couldn’t help but say, “Xiao Qi, you are…”

Si Qi smiled and said, “Brother, I have a few things to take care of. Thank you for coming to help me today, I’m really happy… As for what’s wrong with me, well, you’ll find out in a while, don’t worry.”

After finishing speaking, Si Qi waved at him with an innocent and romantic expression, saying, “I’ll find you in a few days,” and left under the crowd’s attention.

Leaving many teachers and principals looking at each other in confusion—they sensed that something good must have happened, but they couldn’t figure out what exactly it was, and they had no place to express their joy.

Xie Man stood to the side, glaring fiercely at those two parents, as if he had completely seen through these beastly people. He made up his mind and directly ran out of the principal’s office to call his own parents.

“Hey, Dad, do you have Grandpa Jiu’s contact information?”

“I have something to discuss with Grandpa Wang…”

Because of Xie Man’s actions, before Wang’s parents could find trouble with the Son of the World after taking him back, they were the ones who got into trouble with Grandpa Wang first.

The old man sitting on the spacious brown sofa had a dark expression, his eyes deep and silent as he watched the three people walk in.

Before they could even nervously ask how the old man had arrived, he slammed his cane down heavily, producing a loud “bang” that seemed to strike straight into their hearts.

“I’ve already heard about Xiao Jiu’s situation at school.”

The old man’s sharp and discerning eyes stared straight at the Son of the World, as if trying to see right through him.

“Xiao Man said you’ve changed a lot recently, and I didn’t believe it at first.”

Even after reading all the details of the incident sent by Xie Man, the old man still had confidence in his grandson, believing that he was not the kind of person who would resort to underhanded tactics. He thought it was most likely a scheme by those troublesome sons against the young grandson.

But now, seeing his grandson’s face again, seeing those eyes filled with darkness and evasion, the old man, no matter how disappointed he was, had to admit that his grandson had changed, had become as mercenary and despicable as his parents.

“I heard you’ve been frequently visiting the company lately and have become quite familiar with the department heads and shareholders.” The old man’s deep voice revealed no warmth, only coldness: “It seems they have led you astray.”

“Grandpa…” The Child of the World felt a chill run down his spine. For some reason, he always felt a sense of distance from this old man.

“Don’t go to the company for now; that’s not something you should be dealing with at the moment.” The old man sighed, “Didn’t you say you liked doing research? Grandpa has already found a teacher for you; we can send you to an institution for close-up learning…”

The Child of the World said anxiously, “Grandpa, I don’t want to learn those things!”

The old man frowned, looking at his own grandson for the first time with the gaze of a stranger.

“Grandpa, I like being in the company,” the Child of the World said seriously, “Didn’t you say that everything in the family would be handed over to me in the future?”

Not long ago, the Wang couple took him to meet the elder. At that time, he was focused on playing the role of a good child, doing whatever the elder said. The atmosphere between them was very pleasant, and the elder privately told him that everything in the company would belong to him in the future. Only then did he feel at ease and boldly started getting involved with the company’s affairs.

Who knew the old man would suddenly change his mind?

The old man frowned and said, “I will hand over the family to you, but I never said you should manage it. You can hold shares and live the life you want, do the research you like, and all the money you earn will be yours.”

He looked at his grandson’s shrewd, suddenly brightening eyes, and suddenly felt that no matter what he wanted to say, he couldn’t say it anymore.

How did this child suddenly become like this?

He said displeased, “What’s going on with that Si Qi? How could you bully your classmates at school and then slander them online?”

The Child of the World, upon hearing the name Si Qi, felt a tightness in his chest and quickly said, “Grandpa, that Si Qi is really not a good person! He’s gay!”

“Enough!” As soon as he saw his grandson’s sinister and resentful expression, the old man felt a darkness before his eyes, and he was extremely uncomfortable.

He looked at the Son of the World with a mix of hatred and disappointment: “How did you end up like this! You—”

His grandson was so pure, so gentle. Every time the old man saw him, he genuinely loved him from the bottom of his heart, wishing he could give him all the best things, fearing that he might be looked down upon. So, he repeatedly praised his grandson in public, just to make sure everyone must cherish and pamper him, so that no one would hurt his innocent heart.

But what about the results?

His grandson actually spoke ill of others in front of so many people, and just because of their sexual orientation, he was so exclusionary and hateful! He even went so far as to use his power to oppress innocent children!

His family had a medical background, and the values passed down through generations were tolerance, selflessness, gentleness, and dedication. When encountering patients, even at the risk of infection, they would never show disdain or even disgust. Now, his grandson merely encountered someone with a different sexual orientation, a perfectly normal and natural situation, and yet he reacted in such an abnormal way. The old man was filled with anger.

He wearily rubbed his temple with his hand and sighed, saying, “I’ve watched that live stream recording. Si Qi is a good kid; Grandpa won’t make a mistake. You must never target him again. Go to school tomorrow and apologize to him! Do you hear me?”

“I—” The Child of the World was furious: “He’s a good person? If he were a good person, would I have become like this?”

As soon as Si Qi woke up, he went to the school to threaten him, locked up the people he had sent over in the bathroom and beat them up severely, and intimidated him with a weapon so that he wouldn’t dare to move easily. Then, over the next period of time, he took back everything that originally belonged to him, whether it was the trust of teachers and classmates, the top position in the grade, or friends like Xie Man, and even his two parents from the Si family!

That guy seemed incredibly gentle and polite to everyone on the surface, but in reality, he could do anything. When he encountered him privately, his eyes were filled with malice, sharp as a knife that killed without shedding blood.

That person even deliberately concealed his sexual orientation. He was obviously a homosexual who liked men, yet he still pretended to be accommodating, “having no choice” but to get engaged to a young girl. He was the most despicable and shameful one!

However, this insidious, cunning, and despicable bastard pretended to be kind and deceived everyone, even this old man in front of him!

The Child of the World angrily said, “Grandpa, you’ve been deceived by that guy. He’s not a good person at all! He’s involved with a man, and that man is very wealthy. He’s deliberately getting close to him for his money! He can’t stand the poor life anymore, so he wants to take this opportunity to rise up and live a life of luxury and indulgence again! With his current status, this is his only way out! Grandpa, believe me, he’s really disgusting and despicable, two-faced, and very scheming…”

“Shut up!” The more the old man listened, the more the veins on his temples stood out. He angrily slammed his cane down, trembling and struggling to stand up, pointing at the Son of the World’s head, “Shut up!”

If anyone else had said such words, the old man wouldn’t have gotten so angry; he would have just listened. But this was his usually kind and innocent grandson! How, how did he become such a dark and malicious person?

The two parents nearby noticed something was off and glared fiercely at the Child of the World, thinking to themselves that he was truly more of a troublemaker than a helper. They scolded, “That’s enough! What nonsense are you spouting?”

They wonder if the thing the old man couldn’t accept the most was hearing such words from his own grandson?

The child of the world saw the old man’s reaction, realized he was speechless, and felt very regretful for a moment. He could only lower his head and admit his mistake, “Grandpa, I’m sorry, I was just too anxious…”

With a pleading look, he gazed at his two parents, hoping that these two people who could help him the most would lend him a hand at this moment.

In the past, when he encountered difficulties at the Si family, his parents would come to help without a second thought. He got used to his parents’ unconditional help when he faced difficulties.

But in the end…

He only saw two pairs of eyes filled with disgust and disdain, as if he were some kind of plague, fearing that getting involved with him at this moment would only annoy the old man.

Don’t even think about helping him; not making things worse was already a lot.

The old man weakly glanced at the child of the world, and after a thousand thoughts, it finally turned into a long sigh.

…

Unlike the oppressive atmosphere on the Wang family’s side, the current situation of the Si family appeared to be thriving.

Since Si Qi revealed his identity, his parents and even the area around his home had been secretly protected.

It was just that his home address had already been exposed online, so moving should be put on the agenda.

Si Qi suggested wanting to change residences, and the country immediately patted his chest and said there was no problem. Watching Si Qi call his parents, saying he would hire someone to help with the move, the two parents spent the night confusedly sorting through their belongings at home. The next morning, they were greeted at their door by a group of smiling young people.

Watching the young men in suits who entered the narrow house to help them move things, the two adults grabbed the son standing nearby and asked, “Son, what’s going on?”

Si Qi said with a smile, “I found a job, and they arranged accommodation for me. We can move over there.”

Dad and Mom Si were astonished and said, “A job? Aren’t you still in school? When did you find a job—so that’s why you were always coming home so late recently, because you were working?”

While speaking, Mom Si shed tears, both happy that her son was successful and sad that he had taken on pressures at such a young age that he shouldn’t have had to bear.

Dad Si recalled the video he was dragged into watching by his coworker yesterday, and remembered the young man standing next to Si Qi at that time. He immediately said, “Are you working for that person named Chu… Chu Feng? I heard he is a well-known entrepreneur in our country.”

Si Qi shook his head and said, “No, I should say we have a cooperative relationship.”

Dad Si and Mom Si looked increasingly confused, and a few uncles and aunts standing outside the door watching the commotion asked Dad Si and Mom Si, “What’s going on, big sister? Are you moving?”

Watching as the house’s belongings were almost completely moved out, the two adults could only nod and say, “Yeah.”

“I see the moving truck downstairs, it’s quite unusual! This shouldn’t be a moving company’s truck, right? Could it be another one of Xiao Qi’s friends?”

The aunt enviously said, “Oh, your Xiao Qi is really successful, and all the friends he makes are impressive.”

“Sort of,” Mom Si suppressed her complex emotions and replied somewhat proudly, “Xiao Qi is capable now; he can lead us to a good life!”

“He has always been very capable.” A group of uncles and aunts were very envious: “He was always smart and did well in school, unlike my few troublesome kids. Sigh, they are so mischievous, making them do homework is like asking for their lives! They didn’t even finish middle school before running off to work…”

“At such a young age, he can already earn money to take you out for a good life. He’s so filial!”

After Si Qi’s performance during this period, the neighbors who were originally quite unfriendly towards the Son of the World now looked at Si Qi with increasingly friendly eyes.

The original owner already had a likable personality, and after Si Qi inherited his mannerisms, he didn’t even need to deliberately interact with people; everyone naturally liked him.

He was the kind of person who, just by looking at him, could make you feel like you’re basking in the spring breeze.

The old lady who met Si Qi on his first day in this world now liked him even more. Seeing Si Qi about to leave, she secretly wiped her tears, her heart full of reluctance, and kept muttering that it was too sudden. She even offered to help move some things but was politely declined by the group of young men with laughter.

Unlike these middle-aged people who were slightly older and not very well-informed, some young people in their twenties and thirties in the shared house had more or less heard about yesterday’s events. They knew that the national husband, Chu Feng, opened a live stream to explain the ins and outs of the matter due to some people’s malicious slander. And the other main person standing next to Chu Feng at that time was the child who lived with them.

Yesterday, a group of people followed the news and came to their small place to watch the excitement, pointing and commenting on the dilapidated houses. Early this morning, some people also peeked over here.

No wonder Si Qi wanted to move so early in the morning…

If they didn’t leave soon, those media reporters might just come knocking on their door.

After Si Qi watched everything being moved in place, he instructed someone to bring down the gifts that had been prepared in advance from the car, and then he went door to door delivering the gifts.

“Thank you for taking care of me during this time. Let’s keep in touch.”

The adults who received the gifts were all smiles, their eyes filled with increasing fondness as they looked at Si Qi. “Why are you being so polite, kid?”

They knew that Si Qi was different from their group and would definitely be successful in the future, so when they saw him, none of them had a bad attitude; in fact, they were quite reluctant to see him go.

This also led to reporters and influencers who came to this small place later, when they inquired about Si Qi, hearing nothing but praises about him. It left netizens stunned, thinking to themselves that in this day and age, there really was such an outstanding and good child, untainted by the muck, self-reliant and self-loving, liked by teachers, classmates, and even neighbors. It was truly rare.

The mastermind behind the matter, the Son of the World, was repeatedly dragged out and publicly humiliated because of this. Rumors began to circulate online that “the student who was jealous of Si Qi, who was the student council president of their age, was Wang,” but due to the Wang family’s intentional control, it was never conclusively proven as fact.

But that was no longer something Si Qi should care about.

He submitted the samples he had developed during his time at the research institute to the state. The group of leading scientists, comparing them with the papers Si Qi had published in journals and the knowledge they had learned from their email exchanges with him, analyzed and studied the efficacy of these samples. One by one, they were so shocked by the unexpected results that they were left speechless.

How could there be such a monstrous person in this world?

He hadn’t even reached adulthood yet!

After discussing with the higher-ups, a group of people finally decided to announce the news—this was something that could save countless lives. They had no reason to hide it; the sooner it was announced, the sooner lives could be saved.

At this point, after more than a week of speculation, more and more netizens were curious about what Si Qi and the group of research bigwigs did after they left.

Why didn’t he go back to school? And who were those soldiers helping him move in the video? How did he even get involved with Chu Feng? Were things really that complicated between them?

Amidst the heated debate, Si Qi reappeared once again.

Carrying an achievement that could shock the entire world, he walked onto the stage with a smile.

As we all know, AIDS is a highly dangerous infectious disease recognized globally. It cannot be completely cured and can only be conservatively treated through drug control methods. Once a patient is infected and misses the initial opportunity to use blocking drugs, it is equivalent to being sentenced to death; even a deity couldn’t save them.

It will, after the incubation period, recklessly destroy the immune system within the human body, causing infections of various malignant diseases such as tumors, cancer, and so on, with a very high mortality rate.

Currently, the global population of people infected with AIDS has reached 38 million. These individuals will pass away over the next ten to twenty years. The only way to extend this time is through long-term use of antiviral treatment medications, at the cost of conditions such as malnutrition, abnormally high blood lipid levels, anemia, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and emotional depression, allowing them to stay with us a little longer.

It is no exaggeration to say that medicine is their lifeline.

As early as a few years ago, the global antiviral drug market had already exceeded 56 billion USD, and this figure has been continuously increasing year after year.

More than 50 billion dollars, what does this number represent?

It represents that if a person possesses so much wealth, in just four years, they could take the position of the richest person in China.

Wait for this time to extend to five years, ten years, twenty years, or even forever…

Just imagining it was enough to make those profit-driven merchants’ blood boil, driving them into a frenzy of excitement.

What Si Qi held in his hand now was just such a key to the endless treasure mountain.

Moreover, it was currently the most effective method internationally, capable of completely rewriting the outcome of “getting AIDS means certain death,” driving everyone crazy.

As a research scholar, Si Qi naturally did not need to participate in the process of making the medicine. He submitted the samples to the state, and after the state confirmed that the special medicine developed by Si Qi was indeed effective, they published this information on the international platform.

Countless top pharmaceutical companies around the world sprang into action, flying to China at the first opportunity in an attempt to meet with Si Qi.

Si Qi continued the original owner’s personality and really couldn’t muster much interest in these matters. He entrusted all these tasks to his country, from meetings, negotiating terms, bidding, to signing, the country handled everything for Si Qi in an orderly manner, requiring him to exert no effort at all.

After Si Qi received the future earnings that were destined to accumulate to hundreds of billions of dollars, he immediately donated the net worth of a Chinese billionaire. This act instantly garnered unparalleled respect from the state and all the researchers who knew Si Qi.

The world was bustling with people coming for profit, and the world was filled with people leaving for profit. People pursue profit, but Si Qi was completely indifferent to this. This mindset, this behavior, how could one not admire it?

Therefore, as the news of “Chinese scientists have developed a complete cure for AIDS” spread and shocked the whole world.

An even more jaw-dropping piece of news was also spread under the intentional or unintentional promotion of the country, shocking the entire Chinese populace.

It was said that the person who developed the cure for AIDS was actually a seventeen-year-old high school student!

It was said that after this student received patent fees amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, he donated over 200 billion back, handing it over to the state for charitable contributions!

It was said that this student was the unfortunate boy who recently caused a stir online and almost got falsely accused of selling himself!

He was Si Qi!!

The students at the school were dumbfounded, the Si family was stunned after seeing the news, and the Wang family, who had been secretly observing Si Qi’s movements and were deeply afraid of being entangled by him, completely broke down!

After the soul swap, I became stronger (9): Instant reversal

When Chu Feng sent his assistant to retrieve the photos last night, he never expected the situation to escalate to this extent, and so quickly.

Upon further examination of the post detailing information about Si Qi, the data was thorough and the “evidence” was ample. It was evident that this had been premeditated for a long time, deliberately targeting them.

Chu Feng felt that Si Qi, as a student in school, wouldn’t have offended anyone. At first, he thought that this must be his business rival deliberately targeting him, causing such a commotion. He felt both heartbroken and guilty towards the young man.

At this very moment, a shareholder even called him directly, demanding an explanation.

What could Chu Feng possibly say? His mind was filled with thoughts of whether the boy would be scared enough to cry. Coldly, he said, “I like men, the person in the photo is my future partner. This is someone deliberately targeting the company, using my private life to create rumors. Do you want to make trouble for me at this time, or would you rather wait patiently until I resolve this matter?”

The shareholder on the other side was suddenly speechless.

Although he was a shareholder, the company was ultimately established by Chu Feng, and he was the largest shareholder. He only became a shareholder of such a large group because he took advantage of the initial investment. If he really went against Chu Feng, it would be clear who will end up worse off.

Moreover, he didn’t expect Chu Feng to be so resolute and to treasure the person in the photo so much. Originally, he wanted to use this matter to take advantage of the situation and undermine Chu Feng’s authority, but his intention was immediately extinguished. He took the initiative to bring the matter to light and even offered to help manage the public opinion online.

“No need, I’ll handle this myself.” Chu Feng said with a fierce look in his eyes, then turned to his assistant beside him and said, “Take me to the school.”

The assistant was startled by Chu Feng’s imposing presence; at this moment, he didn’t dare to think about persuading him at all and quickly nodded in agreement. He called the driver to bring the car to the front, then arranged for the public relations department to investigate who was behind this matter on the way.

Chu Feng originally came from the internet industry and was well-versed in this area. Trying to use public opinion to deal with him was simply like bringing an axe to the domain of an expert—ridiculously laughable.

Not only did they make a foolish move, but they also dared to provoke Chu Feng by touching his sore spot. They didn’t even consider that Chu Feng had been famous for many years and had seen all kinds of people. When had he ever been interested in anyone? The assistant even thought that the person on the other side must be out of their mind, coming over to seek death by opposing Chu Feng on this matter.

By the time the car arrived at the school, the department had already found out that this was the work of a group of professional internet trolls. After contacting them, they were quite shocked and insisted that they never intended to cause trouble for Chu Feng; their target was actually the student named Si Qi!

The assistant looked at the reply from over there and was speechless, thinking to himself, what kind of low-level internet trolls are these? They didn’t even know who the most untouchable person in this industry was. He felt that the reply sounded a bit off, and maybe the other side was just being stubborn and unwilling to admit it. So he urged the department to repeatedly press them to find out who exactly was targeting Chu Feng.

The trolls over there felt very wronged upon seeing this. They were just trying to smear a student online, and suddenly they got involved with the top dog of the domestic internet scene. They didn’t want this either!

Fearing that Chu Feng would cause them trouble, this group of people with no professional ethics immediately confessed. They clearly explained from start to finish how they received the commission, how they tracked and investigated Si Qi, how they saw Si Qi being intimate with a wealthy man, and how they posted online to buy trending topics and manipulate public opinion.

Moreover, out of a desire to shift the blame, they even revealed the name of the Son of the World, directly releasing the chat records between the two parties, as well as the transfer screenshots, repeatedly crying out, “It was this person who instructed us!” “Maybe he was deliberately targeting Chairman Chu and tricked us into thinking he was targeting Si Qi, making us take these photos and post them online— we are really innocent!”

So, the assistant smoothly got Wang Jiu’s name, and while Chu Feng entered the school with a cold face heading towards the principal’s office, he quickly found out that Wang Jiu was actually a student at this school and had even met his boss before!

This situation could get really serious; if things went wrong, it might even escalate into a conflict between a family business and an entire conglomerate.

He hurriedly told Chu Feng about Wang Jiu’s name and the family situation behind Wang Jiu.

Chu Feng hadn’t figured out how to handle this matter yet when he suddenly heard a clear and bright voice from the principal’s office, loudly saying, “I just like him, and this is my answer no matter who asks!” There was also the middle-aged man’s furious threat, “You’d better leave the school!”

The entire face instantly turned cold, and with a forceful push, the principal’s office door swung open. A voice filled with rage and malice came through clenched teeth: “Who do you intend to expel?!”

Just when the school leader was feeling that something seemed a bit off, he was caught off guard by that familiar face. Combining it with the name Chu Feng mentioned by Si Qi, and recalling the other man in the photo they had overlooked…

Suddenly, he felt completely overwhelmed!

Hastily getting up, he said, “This, you, hello, are you Mr. Chu Feng? This…”

Things happened too suddenly; he couldn’t even react properly.

Chu Feng didn’t care at all about the reactions of these people and said angrily, “You want to expel Si Qi? Just because of that post that distorts the truth?”

He treasured that person so much, cherished him so deeply, that he would have given everything good to him. Yet, because of such a nonsensical and ridiculous slanderous post, so many people called him to the office to bully him, and now they even wanted to dismiss him!

Chu Feng thought about how helpless and scared the boy must have felt before he arrived, and his eyes turned red with anger.

These people also saw that Chu Feng was now dead serious, and they didn’t dare to go against him. They immediately smiled and said, “It’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding…”

Previously, they didn’t recognize the man in the photo and thought that Si Qi had fallen for an older man who had been in society for many years and might even have some money. They figured that no matter how they looked at it, this wouldn’t sound good if it got out.

Now, looking again at Chu Feng’s identity and his immediate action of contacting the school to back up Si Qi, it was clear that the things said in the post were indeed all lies.

What kind of person was Chu Feng? If he really wanted to keep someone, he could just throw some money at them and be done with it. Why would he spend so much time dating someone outside? Not to mention, not long after the incident happened, Chu Feng hurriedly came to speak up for Si Qi, fearing that people around would bully him.

Could this be a sugar daddy relationship?

Chu Feng directly said, “This matter is someone deliberately targeting me. Si Qi and I are just friends; he got involved because of me. The content of the post is all fabricated. There’s no need for you to vent your anger on Si Qi. I will clarify this matter with people later. You can’t hurt an innocent child like that.”

The school leader now realized that there was a misunderstanding and at that moment wanted to nod and agree, thinking that this was indeed a baseless conspiracy.

Then he recalled Si Qi’s assertive statement earlier, “I like Chu Feng, what’s wrong with me taking the initiative to approach someone I like?” Suddenly, he felt that Chu Feng’s repeated insistence that “Si Qi is being implicated” and “we can’t harm innocent children” had too many flaws. Unable to help himself, he scrutinized Si Qi and Chu Feng with a doubtful gaze, thinking that with Chu Feng’s reaction, their relationship didn’t seem that innocent either…

Unfortunately, this kid, Si Qi, still didn’t know how to hold back and actually said angrily at this moment, “You say we’re just friends? You want to cut ties with me!”

As soon as these words were spoken, several adults’ hearts trembled; they were truly at their wits’ end with this relentless little ancestor.

However, this time, they didn’t dare to scold Si Qi at all; instead, there was a hint of pleading in their tone as they advised Si Qi, “Si Qi, you’re still young. It’s not good for your reputation to have such incidents spread around. Listen to us, let Uncle Chu… Brother Chu handle this matter!”

“The school won’t expel you, and we’ll help clarify things for you at school. Just focus on your studies and don’t worry about anything else.”

“Don’t worry, you will definitely succeed in the future. When the time comes, you can talk to Mr. Chu about… about your feelings. There’s no need to rush.”

“There’s only a few months left until you graduate, just endure for a few more months!”

A group of people were persuading him with kind words, but Si Qi was only looking at Chu Feng, a bit displeased.

Chu Feng knew that his actions were the most correct, but as soon as he was stared at by Si Qi, he immediately lost the courage to speak any grand principles. He could only cautiously apologize to Si Qi, pleading with him not to be angry in a polite and gentle manner. His posture was so low that it was hard to imagine the fierce demeanor he had when threatening several school leaders just moments ago.

It was the first time everyone saw the way Si Qi and Chu Feng interacted: “………………”

Just, very shocked.

They were now completely disbelieving the nonsense said in that post. With the way these two interacted, could it be a sugar daddy relationship? Saying that Si Qi was supporting Chu Feng was more believable!!

Then, the assistant who had been standing by and witnessing the entire incident stepped forward and said, “We found out that the person who posted that message is the president of your school’s third-year student council, Wang Jiu.”

Wang Jiu was after all a student at the school, and the school had already agreed to help clarify things for Si Qi and Chu Feng. At this time, of course, one should win over the school leaders and others to have them speak on one’s behalf.

A group of teachers and leaders were taken aback upon hearing this and instinctively retorted, “Impossible!”

“Wang Jiu’s child wouldn’t do something like this!”

The assistant was not familiar with the original owner, so naturally, they were unaware of how outstanding the original owner appeared in the eyes of outsiders. Seeing this, the said nothing more and directly took out a tablet, displaying the chat records with the hired commenters and various pieces of evidence.

Looking at the ironclad evidence one after another, the school leaders and others exchanged glances, completely not expecting the situation to evolve into this.

For a moment, it was both unbelievable and deeply disheartening: “How could this happen…”

Si Qi watched the scene coldly from the side. Even if the assistant didn’t investigate, Si Qi would have presented the evidence of the Son of the World framing him after the incident, prompting the school to take action against the Son of the World.

At this moment, he directly said, “Wang Jiu has been deliberately targeting me lately. After I woke up from a coma following a car accident, Wang Jiu even sent someone to beat me up when I got to school, but I ended up beating them up instead.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked.

The homeroom teacher, knowing that Si Qi had fought with someone at that time, couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, “Did he send someone to beat you up? Why?!”

Si Qi shrugged: “He insists that I have a close relationship with his girlfriend and thinks I’m pestering her. It’s really ridiculous. I clearly like men like Chu Feng, so how could I possibly have an affair with his girlfriend? Moreover, when he and his girlfriend decided to be together, I was still lying at home in a coma. After that, I never spoke to his girlfriend again. He still comes to me with trouble. I really don’t understand.”

The scene fell silent for a moment as many teachers recalled the recent changes in the Child of the World, and how he had become estranged from many of his former friends, such as Xie Man and others. They realized that what Si Qi said was indeed not without any signs.

So…

This Si Qi really was just because of bad luck, being inexplicably targeted by someone, that such a commotion was stirred up.

The school leaders felt sorry for Si Qi, but then they remembered that the post specifically mentioned the school’s name, implying that the school had poor judgment in admitting someone like Si Qi as a sponsored student. Many netizens also criticized the school in the comments below the post…

Suddenly, they were united with Si Qi in enmity and bore a grudge against the Son of the World, with a rage in thier heart that was countless times stronger than when he had just scolded Si Qi.

Si Qi’s actions at most only implicated the school, but Wang Jiu deliberately set the school on fire! He did it on purpose!!

Thus, the assistant’s purpose in saying those words was achieved. The leaders, united with Chu Feng, directly declared, “Whatever you decide to do, our school will fully cooperate. We will not let anyone misunderstand Si Qi even for a moment! After all, our school acts justly and sits properly. We will never wrong an innocent person, nor will we tolerate anyone with malicious intent!!”

Once this sentence was spoken, the course of events was basically set.

Just before, netizens were still complaining about how today’s students were so lacking in self-respect that they would even dare to do something like this.

Shortly after, a well-known domestic internet company used its official account to stream a live broadcast. In the live stream, Chu Feng appeared, standing next to a handsome young man who looked particularly gentle and pleasant when he smiled.

And… a group of middle-aged men and women who seemed like they were just background characters.

At first, netizens didn’t know what was going on; they were just happy that Chu Feng had actually started a live stream and happily called their good friends to come over and watch the national husband together.

Then, they saw Chu Feng, rarely with a cold expression, directly calling out a post that was trending. The netizens followed Chu Feng’s lead and went to check it out, only to be utterly shocked by the content inside.

What wealthy men are keeping students, what students are messing around with same-sex relationships… what kind of nonsense was this!

If these netizens saw the post first, they might even be angered by the inflammatory words in the post, thinking that the young person in the post was wrong in their actions.

But they came to see the post through Chu Feng’s live stream. Once they saw the photos in the post, and especially the Chu Feng who was indeed present but not very noticeable in the photos, how could they still believe the content of the post was true?

Turning around to see Chu Feng with a cold expression in the livestream room, they immediately understood why he was so angry. They couldn’t help but laugh and say, “This poster is really something, of all people to criticize, they dare to target Chu Feng!”

“I mean, is the person who posted this trying to set us up on purpose? Although they keep talking about that boy, the real target is actually our Chairman Chu, right?”

“If Chu Feng doesn’t react in time, will someone come out later to ‘remind’ us who the other male protagonist in the post is? Haha, do they think we’re stupid?”

“Hey, is that boy in the post the same one standing next to Chu Feng now? He looks a hundred times better in person than in the photos!”

“Which heartless person would slander a student like this? If no one clears things up, how will they live their life? Won’t they be pointed at and talked about in school?”

Some people saw all sorts of foul language in the comments below the post, saying all kinds of dirty, ugly, and disgusting things about Si Qi. Then they looked at the boy in the live stream, who smiled so cleanly and gently, and they were absolutely furious.

Even though Si Qi and Chu Feng hadn’t said anything yet, these people immediately rolled up their sleeves and started arguing with the continuously increasing comments below the post.

“You people are so easy to fool. Just a few photos and some made-up text, and you become their knife, ruthlessly stabbing innocent children in the heart!”

“Can’t you use your brain a bit? What era are we in? Still believing everything you hear without question? Can you eat melons rationally?”

“Did you see with your own eyes that the kid was messing around with someone? So what if he knows Chu Feng and talks to him? Do you know what it means to take advantage of a situation and frame someone? Is online bullying fun? Do you only feel happy when someone’s life is ruined?”

The sudden, completely different voice left the group of people who were passionately criticizing Si Qi in the post momentarily stunned.

Looking back at their previous “righteous remarks,” which were mocked as “mindlessly stirring up trouble,” this group couldn’t sit still and immediately started firing back at those people:

“You say it’s slander, so it’s slander? The post clearly states his family background, where he goes to school, and in the photos, they were almost hugging. The facts are right here, but you pretend not to see them!”

“Hehe, finally realized and started damage control? How much for a comment? Send me a link so I can earn some too, bro.”

“These people are obviously hired trolls. Everyone, let’s boost the popularity of this post so more people can see that guy’s shameless behavior! We absolutely can’t let him whitewash himself!”

Amidst the commotion, someone finally noticed Chu Feng’s name in the comments and exclaimed in surprise, “Wait, the other male lead in the photo is Chu Feng?!”

“Who is Chu Feng?”

“Are you stupid? That Chu Feng on the Forbes list! One of the most famous tycoons in our country!!”

“Hehe, these days, the wealthy just love to engage in that kind of arrangement.”

“Is the person upstairs not thinking straight? It’s already been said that it’s Chu Feng, and you still can’t figure it out? This is obviously a bait post! They’re deliberately using the name of a young boy to mess with Chu Feng! Otherwise, how could this post have gone viral overnight? Clearly, someone is behind the scenes stirring things up!”

“Quick, go watch Chu Feng’s live stream!! That boy is in it too! And his teachers from school!!”

Seeing this comment, the people who were arguing fiercely in the thread immediately shifted their focus to the latest gossip field to continue their argument.

However, before the keyboard warriors could organize their words and unleash the latest insults onto the screen, they saw a boy with an exceptionally sunny and warm smile appear before them, smiling right at them. The firepower that was about to be unleashed suddenly got stuck.

The entire screen of bullet comments even had a momentary blank, followed by a frenzied “ah ah ah ah.”

The teacher standing next to Si Qi stepped forward and said, “I am Si Qi’s homeroom teacher. We have seen all the slanders against this child, and they are completely unfounded!”

“He has excellent academic performance and good relationships on campus. He is absolutely not the kind of person people say he is! He has no reason to do such things!”

The elderly principal, who looked very dignified and credible, also stepped forward and said in a very serious tone, “Si Qi is an outstanding student both in character and academics. Due to his family’s financial difficulties, our school decided to support him in attending our school after considering various factors. For the past three years, he has been one of the best students in our school. We trust his character and firmly oppose any false statements regarding student Si Qi!”

Several teachers came forward to say such things. The internet trolls, who had already calmed down a bit, had mostly settled down, with only the most stubborn and malicious ones still cursing. Most calmed down and were seriously analyzing the situation:

“Scholarship students should be outstanding in every aspect to qualify, right? If their moral character is corrupt, wouldn’t the school be asking for trouble? Si Qi has been a scholarship student for three years, and at least his character is beyond reproach.”

“Anyway, as soon as I saw him in person, I completely disbelieved what was said in the post. This is obviously a good kid, with such clear eyes. How could he possibly do such a thing!”

“Chu Feng is even willing to step forward to clear the boy’s name. If it were really a sugar daddy relationship, would they go this far?”

“Eh… After so many years online, I still got used by someone. I’m going to delete my previous comments right now. Thinking about it, I really feel sorry for this kid.”

“Tch, you people are so easy to fool. Just because someone says this person is clean, they are really clean? These school leaders and homeroom teachers are definitely just scared of the Chu family’s big business and came out to ‘clarify’! If they were really innocent, would they be so eager to jump out and clear their names? Chu Feng and this person definitely have a secret relationship!”

“Exactly because Chu Feng has a high status, it further proves that these teachers are untrustworthy, okay? Nowadays, there are plenty of people who are blinded by money! They were just threatened by Chu Feng and now they don’t dare to speak the truth!”

The head teacher and others, seeing that their group had already explained everything, were furious to find that someone was still trying to frame Si Qi and twist the truth, turning black into white. Their faces turned pale with anger.

They pointed at those comments to refute, using their own moral standards as a guarantee, almost swearing an oath. Even when their mouths were dry from speaking, that group still didn’t believe them. Instead, they became even more pleased by their anxious emotions, gleefully saying, “They’re panicking, they’re panicking.”

“Feeling guilty after being exposed, huh?”

“When you took the money, how could you not think you would be exposed? You call yourselves teachers! No wonder you raised someone like Si Qi!”

Seeing the situation becoming more and more confusing, a few teachers who had never experienced anything like this almost died of anger! Although more netizens kept saying they believed the teacher and Si Qi, their voices were obviously not as noticeable as those who maliciously slandered.

There were even some who, seeing the teachers’ pale faces filled with indignation, gradually began to doubt and felt that what those people said might not be unreasonable after all.

At this moment, the door to the principal’s office in the live stream was knocked on. When the door opened, there were over a hundred students standing outside. They were all wearing matching suit uniforms, and their well-off family backgrounds gave them an exceptionally outstanding demeanor, making them a pleasure to look at. A few of them were even holding their phones, standing in the crowd with puffed-up cheeks, their eyes glaring into the office.

“How did you get here?” the teachers exclaimed in surprise, “We’re still in class!”

“We just can’t sit still anymore!” the students angrily said, “How can they slander Si Qi like this?!”

As soon as the homeroom teacher and others heard this, they immediately knew what the students were up to. At that moment, they didn’t dwell on how the students had skipped class; instead, they directly switched the camera to ensure the live broadcast could capture them.

The audience in the livestream room indeed became more lively because of the students’ arrival.

“Eh, it seems this boy is quite popular, huh?”

“Hmph, I bet they’re here to expose the teachers’ true colors!”

Xie Man was furious, stepping forward a few paces and almost shoving his face directly into the camera. Pointing at the camera, he angrily said, “What kind of nonsense is written in that post! They actually said Si Qi… I can’t even say it! Disgusting! So disgusting!”

The other students were also indignant, saying, “We’ve been studying with Si Qi for so long, we know better than anyone what kind of person Si Qi is. He could never do something like that!”

“Besides, how could someone who comes to our school possibly be kept by someone? Who could afford to keep us?”

“My parents both said that if Si Qi is willing to come work at my company, they would welcome him with open arms!”

“My parents too! They especially like Si Qi, saying that Si Qi will definitely have a bright future!”

These students were wearing well-fitted custom suits, and their spirited appearance was immediately impressive. It wasn’t until this moment that netizens belatedly remembered that this was an international private school, the kind of academy that only the wealthy could attend, and these kids were all bona fide second-generation rich.

Previously, there were people online casually saying, “This teacher and students are all like this. I think this school is probably just training mistresses for the wealthy,” but now, looking at the actual truth, They suddenly felt that these days, all sorts of strange characters could speak out online.

And this person was actually studying how to be a mistress for rich people, when they themselves were a bona fide rich person, really??

Xie Man was so angry that his face turned blue. The words he had been holding back burst out like a machine gun, rapid and urgent: “Do you know what kind of situation Si Qi is in? His family conditions are poor, living in a dirty and small rental house with bad sound insulation and a strange smell, which disrupts his studies! I feel sorry for him and have offered to give him a house to live in many times, but he refused, saying he could get a house himself in the future and telling me not to worry. Even after all this, you still say he’s being kept by someone. Have you ever seen someone being kept who lives in that kind of place?”

“His living environment suddenly became this bad, yet he still maintained his grades without any drop, ranking first in his grade every time. Do you know how resilient he is?”

“His parents are in debt, and all the scholarship money from the school goes to paying it off. They don’t even have an air conditioner or a refrigerator at home. And every day when he goes to school, he has to interact with classmates whose families are in much better conditions than his. Do you know how big the psychological gap is? But Si Qi doesn’t care at all. Every time he talks about his family, he does so cheerfully, without any jealousy or feelings of inferiority! If I were Si Qi, I definitely couldn’t be as composed as he is!”

Xie Man imagined that if he were like his friend, suddenly falling from heaven to hell, going from a carefree rich young master to a child of a poor family, he might go crazy within a few days. But he really couldn’t see any gloom in his friend’s demeanor; Si Qi was truly calm and stable, not valuing external conditions or seeking pleasure.

In this world, anyone could fall from grace due to money and temptation, but that person could never be Si Qi. Xie Man would stake his life on it; he had witnessed this more clearly than anyone else. Therefore, seeing Si Qi being wronged like that made him especially furious.

Xie Man was so furious that his face turned bright red, and he was practically spitting out saliva, completely ignoring the classmates behind him who were equally indignant and wanted to interject: “Let me tell you, if anyone dares to slander Si Qi online again, I’ll immediately go back and tell my parents to hire a lawyer. I’ll sue each and every one of you! I’ll keep suing until you apologize and never say such things again!!”

After waiting for Xie Man to finally say he was tired and take a few breaths, the students who had been waiting patiently without monopolizing the entire screen immediately leaned forward and shouted loudly, “Exactly! Xie Man is right!”

“My family also has cooperating lawyers. I’ve told my parents to have them help Si Qi sue you for defamation!”

“The last time I wanted to give Si Qi a watch worth tens of thousands, he said he didn’t want it. You guys actually say Si Qi sold himself for money, it’s just ridiculous!”

“I’ll tell you, even though the Si Qi family doesn’t have much money, they really don’t care about those few hundred or thousand million! Last time at the parent-teacher meeting, Si Qi chatted with my parents for a bit and really helped them out. My mom kept saying afterwards that she wanted to repay Si Qi and give him a little gift, but Si Qi said it wasn’t necessary.”

A group of children were chattering eagerly, making the netizens on the other side of the screen sigh repeatedly:

“It seems that this kid named Si Qi is really well-liked!”

“I hear these students casually talking about hundreds of thousands or even millions, their families must be really wealthy!”

“Si Qi usually lives around these kids, so the pressure must be quite high, right? But looking at his expression, you can’t see any signs of him being mentally unbalanced. His mindset is really stable.”

“Didn’t you see them say that Si Qi’s abilities are quite good, and he can even help their parents? No wonder he was invited by this school to be a sponsored student. It’s not just his academic performance; his character, morals, and social skills are all top-notch! I think his future opportunities after graduation will definitely be high. This group of students is so supportive of him; they will definitely be part of his network in the future!”

“Alright, I completely believe that Si Qi would never mess around with someone outside. With his conditions, he really has no need to degrade himself like that.”

“Some people even say that the teachers are speaking up for Si Qi because of money… These teachers are working for their salaries, they probably don’t have much money, but these students are pure-hearted and not lacking in money, so they can’t possibly be lying, right? Moreover, there are so many of them, and they’re all this angry. If this is still fake, then I really have to admire Chu Feng’s ability.”

“I suddenly think this kid is really great! Coming from a poor background, he excelled in his studies through his own efforts, won a scholarship, and got into the best school to receive the best education. Even in an unequal environment, he still made many friends with his charm. Such a talent can achieve remarkable things no matter where he is, and his future achievements are limitless!”

“Don’t talk about the future; haven’t you seen that at this age, they can already know Chu Feng? People like us will probably never even get to see Chu Feng in our lifetime…”

“I’m feeling jealous.”

“I’m feeling a bit jealous too…”

Because of the students’ appearance, the originally somewhat chaotic bullet comments had now completely turned into a sea of sour fans.

Everyone was too busy envying Si Qi to bother with those nitpickers who lied through their teeth.

At this moment, Chu Feng’s assistant cleverly brought out the most favorable evidence, presenting the numerous documents and materials that had just been printed and organized. With a steady pace and clear logic, he explained the ins and outs of the matter in a straightforward manner.

“This is the confession of the hired trolls. They were instructed by someone to deliberately fabricate content to frame Si Qi. We will organize it and publish it online shortly.”

He took out a printed piece of paper, which clearly explained how those hired commenters confessed that their group received commissions, how they tracked Si Qi to investigate his family background, and how they opportunistically took seemingly ambiguous evidence to manipulate online comments.

Seeing the content above, the audience immediately fell over in anger:

“How shameless!”

“They really can do it!”

“Looking at Si Qi’s sunny face, you can still come up with such disgusting things. You people really have no conscience!”

“Outrageous…”

Not only were there the confessions of the hired commenters, but also their chat records with the clients, as well as the tens of thousands of yuan in transfers. Everything was laid out clearly and plainly before everyone. Even those who still had some doubts in their hearts were finally convinced by this evidence, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “This kid really is quite unfortunate, to be slandered like this!”

“Fortunately, he is a good person, and so many people came out to speak for him. If it were someone else who was falsely accused like this, they would probably have to endure being pointed at for the rest of their lives.”

“However, he should have been implicated by Chu Feng, right? Otherwise, why would they target him so specifically? Didn’t they say he was well-liked?”

At this point, the assistant suddenly spoke seriously: “There are deeper issues behind this matter. The mastermind behind it is a classmate of Si Qi. He suspected that his girlfriend was having an affair with Si Qi, so he deliberately targeted Si Qi within the school for a long time. He even hired detectives and internet trolls to follow him, spy on him, investigate him, and frame him. The affair is completely fabricated; we have already investigated it thoroughly. However, the actions of this person have already on the edge of criminal activity, we have already found out his identity is—”

“Assistant,” the homeroom teacher suddenly spoke up, interrupting the other person, and pleaded, “He’s still so young. Could you please consider our position as teachers and not do this…”

The assistant was taken aback, and a few students nearby shouted loudly, angrily saying, “Why not say it? He should be the one to suffer!”

The teacher and others exchanged glances, looking helpless.

They taught Wang Jiu for three years and had a really good impression of him (the original owner).

He could only say politely, “Since you dislike him using such online public opinion tactics to deal with others, why would you use the same tactics to harm him? We guarantee he will receive the punishment he deserves, and it will surely satisfy you…”

After speaking, the teacher and others looked at Si Qi with guilt, as if seeking Si Qi’s approval.

Si Qi didn’t want the good image the original owner had built over the years to be completely ruined by the Son of the World in an instant. Although he couldn’t help the Son of the World clear his name, he could at least maintain the “legacy” left by the original owner, preventing outsiders from using the original owner’s name to criticize him, saying that the original owner had always been pretending to be kind… He could still accept that.

He nodded to the assistant, indicating that it was okay.

The assistant paused for a second, omitting the name of the “Son of the World” amidst the complaints from netizens, and continued, “We will reserve the right to pursue legal action against him and will take all necessary measures to defend our reputation.”

The school leader said sternly, “The school will also make a judgment on this matter, ensuring that Student Si Qi will not be wronged, and at the same time, the culprit will not escape unpunished.”

Netizens were all giving likes, saying “Well done” and “It should be like this.” They were cheering in the live broadcast room, celebrating an invisible victory where the wronged were exonerated and the evil were punished.

That post was also voluntarily deleted by the trolls and others, and later a clarification post was uploaded, explaining the background and details of the matter, and sincerely apologizing to everyone involved.

As for whether they would be cursed out by furious netizens, that was none of Si Qi’s business.

At this moment, the students standing at the door all turned their gazes towards the hallway, as a group of tall, well-built individuals in black suits approached, parting the sea of people.

A group of middle-aged and elderly people with graying hair, glasses perched on their noses, and dressed in plain clothes, all of whom looked like highly educated intellectuals, eagerly made their way through the crowd to stand in front of Si Qi, barely able to contain their excitement:

“Are you Mr. Si? We finally get to meet you!!”

“We’ve heard about those things on the internet too. Don’t worry, the country will never let you suffer any injustice for no reason!”

“Regarding the paper you published last time…”

An old professor had just spoken when he was suddenly carefully stopped by the bodyguards beside him, who whispered a few words in his ear.

The professor looked at the camera, nodded absentmindedly, stopped his eager questioning, and earnestly said to Si Qi, “I wonder if you are available to discuss this with us now…”

When they were speaking, everyone present except for Si Qi and the group that arrived later was confused.

Everyone stared blankly at these obviously extraordinary people, not knowing how to even begin to ask questions.

The screen fell into a brief silence, with only the viewers in the live stream chattering away.

Si Qi smiled and nodded, “Of course, no problem.”

After finishing speaking, he was respectfully escorted out of the principal’s office by a group of elderly intellectuals and some burly bodyguards, leaving a few people to quietly explain the situation to the principal and others.

Everyone clearly saw the sudden stiffening of the backs of the school leaders and their faces filled with incredulous shock.

Moreover, the head teacher pointed outside in shock and exclaimed, “Wasn’t that Academician Ji just now?! How could he come to a place like this! And he even addressed Si Qi as ‘Mr Si’?!”

In an instant, the barrage in the live stream suddenly increased by more than ten times. The next moment, the live stream was abruptly closed by someone, leaving a group of stunned viewers, their minds echoing with the teacher’s voice filled with disbelief.

Sitting blankly in place, he slowly uttered a sentence:

“Whoa…”

After the soul swap, I became stronger (8): It’s officially announced again!

It was as if he could hear the click of a camera in his mind. The assistant was suddenly startled and quickly looked over at the couple next to him. Fortunately, he didn’t see them hugging each other. He shouted loudly, “Boss! Someone is taking pictures secretly!!”

After finishing speaking, without waiting for the two to react, he dashed out in a single leap to snatch the camera from the person’s hand.

Unfortunately, the other party was indeed a professional in this line of work. As soon as he saw the assistant’s reaction, he turned and ran, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

After a while, the assistant returned, panting heavily, and said hesitantly, “Sorry, boss, I couldn’t catch up…”

Chu Feng’s expression wasn’t very pleasant.

He looked at the young man with some difficulty and said to Si Qi, “It might be the media reporters who are after me.”

As a rising star in the business world, Chu Feng was young, wealthy, and exceptionally handsome, making him the type of guy girls adored. Dressed in a suit, he exuded an aura of restraint and elegance, always the center of attention wherever he went, and had consistently attracted media attention.

He knew he was very popular online, and many netizens would exaggeratedly call him “husband” directly. But he didn’t expect that after becoming famous, even his private life would be disturbed. If it involved the young boy…

He knew in his heart that the difference in status between him and the young man was too great. If others saw the way the young man interacted with him, they would definitely look at the young man with suspicion, thinking he had ulterior motives.

He didn’t care about being called gay, nor was he afraid that the company would be affected by it. He just worried that the young man wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of pressure, which would affect his daily life.

Who would have thought the young man just smiled and said to him, “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to publicly acknowledge our relationship? Or do you think it would be embarrassing if the news got out?”

Chu Feng was taken aback.

He hadn’t known the young man for long, and he was usually very busy with work, making it hard to find time for dates. The young man was equally busy at school and in the research institute, with seemingly endless tasks to do every day. The number of times they had actually met in person could be counted on one hand; most of their interactions had been through online chats.

Previously, he and Si Qi got along well, and the atmosphere would sometimes seem a bit ambiguous when they occasionally met, but due to various reasons, he never broke through that barrier with the young man.

Now, suddenly hearing Si Qi say this, Chu Feng actually felt a bit caught off guard, and for a moment didn’t know how to respond.

Refuse? Of course, it was impossible to refuse. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, he was certain that he could never let go of the boy in this lifetime.

Agree? He certainly wanted to agree, but the boy was still so young, with a more beautiful and broader life ahead of him. He couldn’t hold the other person back…

Si Qi, not as hesitant as him, said with a calm expression, “Anyway, I’ve made up my mind about you. No matter who asks me, I will say I like you and I want to be with you. If you don’t dare to admit it…”

Si Qi glanced at Chu Feng, a half-smile on his face: “Do you dare not to admit it?”

The assistant standing nearby, who heard the entire process, was utterly dumbfounded. He thought to himself, this guy really had some skills, saying such things just to get ahead as soon as possible! What was there to be afraid of for a nobody student to have a little scandal? As long as he could tie himself to this young rich man, his future would definitely be worry-free for life!

But what about Chu Feng? With such a huge business, even the slightest disturbance could have a massive impact! If he were to come out publicly, how many rumors and slanders would the entire conglomerate face from the outside? How could the shareholders in the company possibly let it go?

Chu Feng was gambling with his own future!!

The assistant was so furious that he almost rushed over and pointed his finger at Si Qi’s nose, cursing him out and telling him not to be so shameless and harm others. But deep down, he knew he was just a salaried employee and had no right to meddle in his boss’s affairs. Still, he just couldn’t get over it!

Chu Feng looked at the stubborn-faced young man with a complex expression and gently advised, “You’re still young; doing this will have a very negative impact on you.”

Si Qi snorted, “As long as I’m strong enough, who dares to speak ill of me? Anyway, I want to be with you, and no one can change that!”

Chu Feng felt both touched and pained upon hearing this, while the assistant couldn’t help but roll his eyes, thinking to himself that this was truly the most shameless person he had ever seen in his life!

In the end, Chu Feng couldn’t outargue Si Qi and didn’t have the heart to make the young man deny his feelings for him. He could only find a way to resolve the matter on his own, taking on all the pressure for the young man.

After he sent the teenager home, he had his assistant investigate which media outlet took the photos and find a way to buy them back with some money.

Who would have thought that the person who secretly filmed them this time wasn’t even targeting Chu Feng at all, and didn’t even know who he was. They just thought that Si Qi, coming from a poor background and liking men, had actually hooked up with a seemingly wealthy man outside, and the two were even dating outside the campus!

The photo reached the hands of the Son of the World, who was just a fake young master from a wealthy family, completely unaware of who the renowned Chu Feng was or what he looked like. Naturally, he never considered whether he could offend this person. At that moment, his thoughts were the same as the hired help he had paid for; he just felt that Si Qi had hooked up with a big shot! He was so excited that he had someone upload the photo to the internet that very night, and the title was quite shocking.

What kind of high school students are getting involved with wealthy men, engaging in financial transactions and the like?

It clearly and explicitly detailed the poor background of Si Qi’s family, stating that his parents were in debt and lived a hard life. It also mentioned that he was unfilial, had a bad attitude towards his parents, and made them write IOUs to pay him back. Furthermore, it said that he was gay, which was one thing, but he also engaged in prostitution, taking advantage of his good looks to sell himself to others. He was simply a person with a notorious reputation.

The post not only clearly and thoroughly detailed Si Qi’s background, where he was currently studying, and so on, but also included numerous pieces of irrefutable evidence in the form of photos. For example, Si Qi carrying a backpack back to that dim and dirty home, Si Qi sitting in an extravagant and expensive restaurant enjoying a delicate meal, Si Qi and that obviously wealthy man exchanging smiles, their bodies leaning closely together as if embracing…

Originally, in this day and age, the idea of men being together already sounded quite eye-catching. Coupled with topics like student affairs and financial transactions, the post quickly gained traction with the help of the Son of the World and various professional online promoters, rapidly trending and attracting considerable attention overnight, even alarming the school authorities.

The school leader looked at the boy’s face in the photo, then saw the ambiguous way the two interacted, and suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.

Upon seeing the post again, he was even more furious to find that it blatantly mentioned the name of their school. He couldn’t contain his anger and directly called Si Qi’s homeroom teacher, Mr. Huang, asking him to bring Si Qi over.

At this time, that post had already spread throughout the school, and many students were discussing the matter, occasionally casting glances at Si Qi. Their gazes contained malice, suspicion, and of course, a fair share of schadenfreude.

Those students who were beaten up by Si Qi directly came to Si Qi and said maliciously, “Si Qi, I heard you like men. Is it true that you can sleep with anyone for money?”

A few students who were quite close to Si Qi nearby heard this and got very angry, directly saying, “Watch your mouth! Si Qi would never do such a thing! That post is completely slanderous!!”

“You think Si Qi is that kind of person? He wouldn’t lack that little bit of money! He has a good relationship with Xie Man, and Xie Man even said that his parents really like Si Qi. They plan to have Si Qi work at their company in the future!”

“Exactly, with Si Qi’s abilities, he doesn’t need to rely on others to get ahead!”

As a result, those people sneered and loudly said, “Who knows if he and Xie Man are in that disgusting kind of relationship too!”

“This guy is gay. The people close to him, the ones speaking up for him, are probably just feeling guilty, afraid that their own relationship with Si Qi will be exposed, which is why they’re so eager to defend him!”

“Those photos are so clear. If there was nothing going on between Si Qi and that person, would the atmosphere be so ambiguous?”

“Si Qi, you tell me yourself, what is your relationship with that person?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Si Qi, thinking that he would feel guilty, angry, and argue.

Who would have thought, Si Qi casually sat in his seat, showing no signs of urgency at all, and very calmly said, “Yeah, I’m dating him.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell silent for several seconds.

People who had a good relationship with Si Qi showed worried expressions, while those who came to trouble Si Qi instantly became excited, their faces flushed as they loudly exclaimed, “Just as I thought! I knew it!!”

Si Qi couldn’t help but laugh and said to these people, “Haven’t you figured out who my boyfriend is?”

A few people said with smug expressions, “Hmph! Isn’t he just a pervert who likes to keep young students?”

Si Qi happily took back his phone and waved it in front of him: “I recorded this conversation. I can guarantee it will definitely become your lifelong black history.”

The person across from me looked bewildered, just about to continue mocking, when their homeroom teacher, Mr. Huang, with a scowl on his face, walked over.

Seeing Si Qi surrounded by people and talking about “boyfriend,” he was infuriated and directly said, “Si Qi! Get out here!”

When the students saw the teacher come out, they immediately felt that things had gotten troublesome. They didn’t dare to stop Si Qi and just watched him being taken away. Then they started discussing it in the classroom.

“Who is Si Qi’s boyfriend?”

“Do you really think he and that person are in a romantic relationship? I thought Si Qi was just saying it out of anger!”

“Otherwise! I think Si Qi could never do something like that!”

“I looked at that person and he seems quite familiar to me…”

“Do you feel the same way? So do I!”

“Could it be some kind of celebrity? He looks pretty handsome…”

Everyone was discussing aimlessly for a while until a phone call suddenly came to one of the students’ phones. It was the student’s parents.

“Hey, Mom?”

She didn’t know why her mom suddenly called at this time, thinking it was just to talk about everyday matters. But her mom directly asked, “Yin’er, is that person in the post your classmate?”

The student immediately looked conflicted and said somewhat sheepishly, “Yeah…”

Mother: “Is it the person you introduced me to at the last parent-teacher meeting?”

The student felt even more guilty: “Hmm…”

She thought her mother would scold her about this, telling her not to have any more contact with Si Qi in the future, but her mother actually said, “Wow, he’s quite impressive!”

Student: “I was wrong… huh?”

She exclaimed, “What?”

Mother: “The other person in the photo is Chu Feng, the one who made the Forbes list before turning thirty.”

The student recalled carefully, suddenly gasping in surprise, “It was him all along!”

No wonder she thought this person looked so familiar; it turned out she had seen photos of Chu Feng online before and had even excitedly called him “husband” several times along with a group of other netizens…

The student thought about it and felt that her mother’s tone just now was a bit off, and she wondered, “Mom, you actually don’t think Si Qi is very… you know?”

The mother over there chuckled and said, “If I hadn’t met Si Qi and Chu Feng before, I might have thought otherwise. But I’ve met these two people—one is intelligent and quick-witted, with limitless potential for the future; the other is outstanding and capable, always surrounded by the right people. Neither of them would ever stray down a crooked path, so how could I think their relationship is improper?”

The student said, “You think so highly of Si Qi?”

Mother directly said, “This Chu Feng also came from a poor family, didn’t he also start his career at a young age through the internet business? I think this Si Qi and Chu Feng are very similar, both are promising. Maybe even the photos in that post were a misunderstanding.”

The student blinked rapidly, scratched his head, gave an awkward smile, and didn’t have the courage to tell his mother that Si Qi had just publicly admitted that he and Chu Feng were in a romantic relationship.

Her selfish desire was for her mother to think that Si Qi was a clean and innocent person.

Mother: “I don’t have anything going on either, just asking casually. Oh, and…”

Mother thought for a moment and said gently, “Chu Feng will definitely become even more impressive in the future. If he and Si Qi really get to know each other, you can spend more time with Si Qi at school. Given the current public opinion, if Si Qi faces any unfair treatment at school, you can help out and build a good relationship with him…”

The student was a bit surprised after hearing this and quickly nodded, “Okay, okay, no problem, I got it, Mom.”

Even if her mother didn’t say so, she actually wanted to help Si Qi a bit in her heart.

Hanging up the phone, seeing someone over there still loudly saying that Si Qi is a shameless and despicable person, the student retorted sharply, “What nonsense are you talking about! Do you even know who the other person in the photo is?”

“Who is it?” the person asked with wide eyes.

“It’s Chu Feng! The Chu Feng on the Forbes list!” The female student said with some pride, jokingly to the person, “You think you’re pretty impressive, saying bad things about Chu Feng in public and accusing him of keeping male students? Do you think you can afford to offend him?”

The person across the table’s face suddenly changed, and only at this moment did they finally remember who the person in the photo, who looked particularly familiar, was. A hint of regret began to stir within them.

But once the words were out, he couldn’t be taken back. He could only put on a brave front and say, “So what if it’s Chu Feng! Didn’t he do this? Are we not allowed to speak up?!”

“This matter? What matter? What did Chu Feng and Si Qi do?” The few students who were already quite angry, upon hearing about Chu Feng’s identity, suddenly seemed to gain confidence and directly said, “Is it not okay for them to be in a serious relationship? Is it illegal for rich people to date these days? Why do you have to think of them in such a dirty way?”

“Besides, with someone as great as Si Qi, who wouldn’t like him? He’s smart, has a good temperament, and is well-liked. Who knows what kind of talents he might have in the future! It’s perfectly normal for Chu Feng to take a liking to him!”

“Exactly! Chu Feng is almost thirty, an old man, who would take advantage of him is still up for debate!”

A few students who were insulted were furious and pointed at the group, saying, “You, you, you, you can even say something like ‘Chu Feng is an old man’!”

Chu Feng became one of the top billionaires in the country in his twenties, handsome in appearance, with limitless future achievements. Which woman wouldn’t want to marry him upon seeing him? Even this straight man couldn’t resist Chu Feng’s pursuit and was about to bend, yet he still dared to call Chu Feng an old man. It was simply absurd!!

The students snorted coldly, word by word, and said, “Anyway, Si Qi could never be kept by someone!”

A few of the students who were confronted were so furious they were practically jumping up and down, unable to contain their anger: “What use is it to say it’s impossible? The whole world says Si Qi is being kept by someone, so he is being kept! There’s no way to wash this away!!”

Meanwhile, the principal’s office.

“You handle this yourself! What are you going to do!!”

In the office, several school leaders and class teachers, with cold faces and furious expressions, slammed the table at Si Qi and said, “How old are you? Doing something like this? Do you have no shame?”

“You have excellent grades, the school spends money to let you attend, and even gives you scholarships! And what do you do? You, at such a young age, not studying well, learning from those people outside to find rich people to support you! Tell me, does what you’re doing now live up to the school’s investment in you, to your parents’ expectations of you, and to yourself!!!”

“We are very disappointed in you. Don’t come to school anymore. We will announce your expulsion to the public!”

“Don’t blame us for being ruthless. If it weren’t for your teacher Huang constantly pleading with us, I tell you, Si Qi, this matter wouldn’t end so easily. You have caused a very bad impact on our school’s reputation!!”

As soon as Si Qi walked in, he was met with a barrage of insults from several people, leaving him somewhat speechless. Once they finally gave him a moment to speak, he directly said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting close to someone I like. Besides, my academic performance hasn’t been affected by these actions, and I haven’t been flaunting my relationship with Chu Feng everywhere! Instead of causing trouble for me, you should go after the person who posted that message. He clearly targeted me, and it is he who is causing a negative impact on the school, not me.”

“You! You still have the face to say that!” The school leader didn’t even notice the name Chu Feng for a moment; his focus was entirely on Si Qi, who didn’t think he had done anything wrong, almost driving them to the brink of anger.

“You are dating someone and still speak so confidently! You say it’s because you like him? What will people outside think? Will they believe what you say?”

These school leaders didn’t care at all about Si Qi’s thoughts; all they were thinking about was how to distance their school from this scandal.

Actually, it was the teachers in the classes who had more contact with Si Qi, like Teacher Huang, who felt more sympathetic towards him. They thought that as a student, Si Qi encountering such a situation and being threatened by adults must be very frightening for him. Unable to hold back, they spoke up for him: “Si Qi is indeed at fault in this matter, but the one who is more at fault is the person who deliberately posted and spread this matter. I know Si Qi well. He studies hard, gets along with people, is good at dealing with others, and has a lot of experience in handling social situations. He will definitely be successful in the future! He could never be kept by someone, nor does he need to sell himself to do such things!”

The school leaders were not stupid; they were counting on Si Qi to achieve good grades and bring glory to the school. Over the years, they had paid more attention to Si Qi than to other students, and often heard teachers and classmates mention Si Qi, praising how outstanding Si Qi was.

Now, after listening to Teacher Huang’s analysis again and pondering it carefully, they realized that given Si Qi’s conditions, he really wouldn’t go so far as to degrade himself.

Then, looking again at the young man standing straight in the crowd with a calm expression, it was clear that this child had a very good temperament. He remained composed in the face of danger and was not the type to lose sight of the big picture by getting caught up in trivial matters.

The overwhelming anger slightly calmed down, and with a weary rub of the forehead, he sighed and said, “You’ve been maliciously targeted!”

Whether it was a same-sex relationship, the highly debated and mismatched conditions due to significant differences between the two parties, or the incredibly detailed accounts of how Si Qi was unfilial to his parents…

No matter how you think about it, this matter was incredibly tricky. Although the school leaders had some sympathy for Si Qi, as the management of the school, they really couldn’t protect him just for the sake of one student, stubbornly refusing to expel him, and going to court with the netizens outside who insist that Si Qi had ulterior motives, to clear his name…

This would only have a more detrimental impact on their school.

At most, just like before, wthey wouldn’t hold Si Qi accountable, and they wouldn’t kick him when he was down by pushing all the blame onto him. They would let him leave school peacefully.

The teachers looked at Si Qi with regret, already sensing in their hearts what kind of trouble Si Qi would encounter next and to what extent he would be pointed at by those around him…

They felt very reluctant in their hearts, but they didn’t know what to do.

In their hearts, they even somewhat blamed Si Qi, thinking why he couldn’t just study well at school and had to go out and fool around with some so-called love interest. If he weren’t out there mingling with other men, would he have been photographed like that?

Si Qi saw everyone’s reaction and didn’t think much of it.

Originally, with Xiu Xiu’s abilities, he could directly delete this post, making it invisible to anyone.

But Si Qi didn’t think there was anything wrong with his relationship with Chu Feng. Why should he delete it? Deleting it would indirectly admit that “being with Chu Feng is bad and shouldn’t be known by outsiders,” which Si Qi found quite uncomfortable.

As for those slanders…

How to solve this? It was simple.

Si Qi had been in this world for so long, it was time to get down to business.

He had Xiu Xiu send out a few emails, revealing his identity to the big shots in the domestic research community and expressing his hope to meet them.

The reaction over there was quite significant; they were very shocked when they saw Si Qi’s age. After a flurry of contacting colleagues and reporting to superiors, they immediately replied that they would go find Si Qi.

No matter what, after they investigated Si Qi’s identity and found out that he was even blackened as a gold digger who was with rich men for money, it would be quite a ridiculous reaction. Si Qi once again brought up the previous topic, saying, “I won’t argue about the fact that I like Chu Feng, nor will I hide it. I stand tall and straight, liking is just liking! If you are dissatisfied and want me to drop out, I don’t mind.”

Anyway, in the end, he would definitely not be the one regretting it.

There was no reason in this world that just because a student had a crush on someone and got maliciously slandered online, they should be expelled—understandable, but not acceptable.

He shrugged, “But posting this, slandering me and Chu Feng as having an improper relationship, and even saying I’m unfilial to my parents, I will definitely get to the bottom of this!” He specifically made this trip for this reason; the Son of the World must suffer for his actions, otherwise, wouldn’t that be too easy on him?

The school leader glared at Si Qi with displeasure. At this point, the student’s sexual orientation was no longer the most pressing issue. He directly said, “If you want to leave the school, that’s for the best! As for the person who posted, we will also investigate what exactly happened…”

As they talked, the leader paused for a moment and finally began to find the name Chu Feng somewhat familiar.

Before he could remember who Chu Feng was and why he sounded so familiar.

The principal’s office door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and a person he had seen countless times in the central news of the financial magazine stood there, looking at the group inside with a grim expression, his tone as cold as frost: “Who do you intend to expel?”

After the soul swap, I became stronger (7): You are so kind that you even helped me come out?

What was happening with the Wang family, Si Qi didn’t pay much attention to.

If he truly wanted to prove his identity and reclaim the position of the Wang family’s heir, he could easily have a hundred ways to achieve that goal.

But just like he told Xiu Xiu before, there was no need.

Xiu Xiu showed Si Qi the conversation between the Wang couple, but Si Qi remained unfazed and didn’t react at all. He simply said that such trivial matters didn’t need to be addressed, as he had more important things to attend to.

When Xiu Xiu heard this, he thought Si Qi was really going to do something terrible, so he didn’t have the mind to care about these two clowns, his little face tense with some anxiety.

Looking back, Si Qi was busy with something, Xiu Xiu: […………]

Wasn’t it just an online romance with the Lord God?

The Lord God was still blushing and flustered by his ten-year-younger master, showing none of the demeanor of a business elite.

Always adhering to the principle that the master was the best in the world, as soon as the master said anything, Xiu Xiu immediately changed his strategy, no longer rushing to monitor the Wang family’s situation, and wholeheartedly helped the master with dating.

[Master, today’s Lord God is very handsome~]

[Master, the Lord God specially wore the tie clip that you think looks great, but he was too shy to take a photo for you. Clever Xiu Xiu has already recorded the scene for you!]

[Master, the Lord God intends to meet at the golf club today, hoping to run into you! Ah, too bad you have work to do today…]

Si Qi put down the document in his hand and, listening to Xiu Xiu’s incessant rambling all day, said with a wry smile, [When did you become a dating assistant system?]

Xiu Xiu adjusted his two fingers on both hands, feeling a bit shy, and said, [But Xiu Xiu can only help the master with these things…]

During this period, Si Qi’s life had been getting better and better.

Originally, the terrible impression left by the “Child of the World” was gradually forgotten after Si Qi arrived. It slowly turned into “I heard there’s a student in the top class who’s really handsome, has excellent grades, and is easy to get along with,” or “The spot for the city-level competition was originally for the class president, but since the class president’s grades dropped, it was given to the top student, Si Qi,” or even now, “The class president has been messing up a lot of things lately, so the teachers handed over the work to Si Qi, and he actually did it better than the class president!”

Before anyone realized it, discussions about Si Qi in the school became increasingly frequent, subtly trending towards the way things were with the former student council president.

In fact, today’s Si Qi was just like the previous student council president; whether it was his demeanor, grades, or popularity, they were among the top in the entire school.

It was just that he was a sponsored student, his family conditions were not that good.

But there were indeed people in the world whose charisma was so great that everyone fought to befriend them, completely disregarding their family background.

Who cares if a celebrity comes from a wealthy family or has a fortune? It’s because the celebrity is likable that they are so widely adored.

Si Qi was now like a campus star at school.

Moreover, compared to the student council president who had to be mindful of their image in everything they did, the current Si Qi had completely broken free from those constraints. He joked, laughed, and played around, and when conversing with others, he no longer had to worry about whether their family had any grievances with the Wang family. It was an indescribable sense of ease and freedom.

On the other hand, the Child of the World over there, in order to familiarize himself with the complex interpersonal relationships within the family, had been scheming against everyone except himself, constantly thinking about how to vie for power and gain more. Unbeknownst to him, his status in school had plummeted, even becoming dim and unremarkable.

“Why do I feel like the president has changed so much recently…”

“Yeah, I also find it a bit strange. He always hunches over and has bad posture, not as good-looking as before.”

“His grades have dropped, and the teacher even said he’s messing up things in the student council.”

“The few people who used to hang out with him often have also drifted apart.”

“Hey, I’m really disappointed.”

Standing at the corner, the Son of the World, who inadvertently overheard this conversation, froze, almost unable to maintain the smile on his face.

The vice monitor who was holding his arm also heard this conversation and had a somewhat strange expression.

She didn’t know if it was the saying “familiarity breeds contempt,” “the beauty that distance brings”, or some other reason.

The student council president, whom she had always secretly admired deeply, since he took the initiative to confess to her, they became a couple. The once brilliant aura around him had gradually dimmed, and occasionally, it even gave her the illusion that he wasn’t that great after all.

Now, whenever she heard people around her discussing behind her back, the vice monitor felt even more uncomfortable and forced a smile at her boyfriend, saying, “Don’t take it to heart. I know you’ve been busy with things at home lately.”

The Child of the World paused for a moment, nodded, and said, “Yeah, I didn’t take it to heart. The family is indeed very busy. My dad said he wants to hand over a company to me to practice on. I’ve been busy lately learning those business-related things, so I haven’t had time to review my homework.”

As he spoke, it seemed he felt quite proud of himself for being able to manage a company and handle business matters at such a young age, a hint of smugness appearing on his face.

The vice monitor forced a smile and thought to herself, what kind of family would let their child, who was in the crucial third year of high school, go to a company to “practice”? Wasn’t this just ridiculous?

And this person who was eager to join the company, his family wasn’t in trouble, so why was he so impatient to get a job here? What was he trying to do? What scheme did he have in mind?

Not wanting to think badly of his former idol, the vice monitor could only pretend she hadn’t heard anything and persuaded him with kind words: “Family matters are certainly important, but you can’t give up on your studies. Look at Si Qi from the next class, he ranked first in the last monthly exam, and wherever he goes, people greet him. The teachers really like him too…”

The vice monitor originally just wanted to use Si Qi’s presence to motivate her boyfriend, but unexpectedly, when he heard the name Si Qi, his body stiffened, and his face turned even more unpleasant.

The vice monitor clearly didn’t expect her words to have such an effect. Seeing her usually easy going boyfriend show a look of apprehension, she didn’t know whether to feel gratified or disappointed.

How could she know that what the Child of the World feared the most right now was exactly this kind of talk?

He was so busy with family matters that he was at his wit’s end, always on guard against others seeing through his identity. Whether it was networking, work, or social etiquette, everything was something he had never encountered before. He was studying desperately every minute and every second, and had to pretend to be at ease, making his days incredibly torturous.

That was one thing, but he also had to watch out for that ticking time bomb, Wang Jiu, and when it would explode. Every day was spent on edge, never at peace.

Clearly, he had already obtained what he once longed for the most, but the child of the world found that he wasn’t as happy as he had imagined.

The mastermind, Wang Jiu, was still acting as if nothing happened, showing no intention of hiding his true nature. He brazenly revealed his true self, shining brightly and gradually reclaiming what originally belonged to him. Whether it was the trust of his classmates, the closeness of his teachers, his excellent academic performance, outstanding work abilities, or even the two family members who should have belonged to “Si Qi”!!

A few days ago, the monthly exam ended, and the school held a parent-teacher meeting. Watching the two middle-aged couples, dressed simply, talking to Si Qi with affectionate expressions, completely ignoring the person who should have been their biological child, the child of the world felt a mix of emotions.

Especially since everyone else’s parents had already arrived, but his parents were nowhere to be seen, having just sent a secretary over to wrap things up. Standing aside and watching that harmonious family of three made the Son of the World feel indescribably uncomfortable.

He used to not care at all about the love from these two poor parents, but now that he had lost it, he actually felt a bit regretful…

The child of the world shook his head, trying to forget this trivial matter as much as possible. He didn’t want these romantic entanglements to interfere with his life plans, believing that the current path was the best for his life.

Who would have thought that the poor kid, Si Qi, who should have been ignored by everyone, was being enthusiastically surrounded by a group of students? Everyone was trying to introduce their parents to him, or rather, to let their parents meet the young companion they admired the most.

This group of successful parents, having heard that the other person was the top student in the grade and deeply loved by the teachers, watched as he conversed with a group of elders without showing any signs of shyness, his demeanor gentle and graceful, and unconsciously regarded him with higher esteem.

After another conversation, they discovered that this child could respond to anything and that the content of his speech was particularly high-level, easily revealing his extraordinary background. Hearing that the other party was a sponsored student at the school, they couldn’t help but feel the urge to befriend him, extending an olive branch in the hope that they could spend more time with their child in the future, and even work at their family’s business later on.

The larger the company, the more it needs talent, and the more it understands the significant impact that capable individuals have on the entire enterprise.

When encountering someone qualified, do your best to win them over; if you can’t win them over, you absolutely must not offend them. This is the basic principle that allows big shots to lead their companies steadily forward.

The Son of the World watched as Wang Jiu, who should have been as down-and-out and neglected by everyone as he once was, was actually surrounded by so many people, smiling and catering to him. He felt an extreme sense of imbalance in his heart.

——On what basis?

Why was it that this person, coming from a small place with no power, no influence, and no connections, could be so popular with so many people?!

Clearly, everyone’s conditions were the same. Why couldn’t he do it before, but Wang Jiu could do it now?!

Moreover, not to mention Wang Jiu, even the couple who were so cautious and afraid of being impolite when they first arrived at the school, now seeing their child so successful and valued by those around them, their backs straightened up immediately, their smiles became incredibly bright, and their voices were several decibels louder when talking to others, with even more confidence.

“We actually didn’t do much; it’s all thanks to the child’s own abilities!”

“Yeah, he’s very sensible, never makes us worry too much, and he’s also very filial!”

“We must have really burned incense in our past lives to have such a precious son.”

These words, full of pride, sounded like a knife carving into the heart of the Son of the World, leaving his heart bleeding profusely and filled with rage.

Why did Wang Jiu get to take all the good things? Why was it that when he was terrified of losing everything and had to give his all just to maintain his image and stand here, the other person could shamelessly reveal his true self and be welcomed by everyone?!

Watching Wang Jiu casually chat with the parents about company management and the unspoken rules between large families, the eyes of the crowd looking at Wang Jiu grew brighter and brighter, as if they had seen a pearl lost in the human world. The jealousy in the heart of the child of the world could no longer be restrained.

If he didn’t step in to stop it and let Wang Jiu plunder at will, then not only the things in the school, but this person would eventually take away everything he had!

He must strike first, otherwise he couldn’t endure these days of constant fear and torment!

Holding the vice monitor’s hand, the Child of the World left the corner and returned to the classroom. Taking out his phone, he asked the people over there, “How did the things I asked you to do go?”

The person over there quickly replied, “We’re working on it, and you’ll see the results soon.”

After finishing, they also sent him a few pictures: “We found that Si Qi and this man are very close. The atmosphere between them is a bit unusual.”

What did “Unusual” mean?

The Child of the World raised an eyebrow, looking at the boy in the photo who bore his face, displaying a bright smile that he could never have shown in the past. The boy flirtatiously adjusted the man’s tie, their gazes meeting as if they were exchanging unspoken words, hiding a thousand sentiments.

The child of the world was suddenly struck by lightning, and in his mind, the image of Wang Jiu saying “I like to post photos on gay dating sites” with a smug look suddenly flashed by.

His whole face turned green.

This Wang Jiu…

Simply…

The Son of the World grabbed his hair, trying his best not to imagine the scene of his face kissing another man. Just knowing that this possibility existed was enough to drive him crazy.

He confidently replied, “Si Qi is gay, he likes men!”

There was a pause on the other end for a few seconds, then they replied, “Okay, I’ll control the public opinion and steer it this way. He won’t be able to turn things around.”

The Child of the World forcefully tapped “OK” on the screen. Glancing at the picture on the chat interface, he quickly averted his gaze as if it had been burned by fire, feeling a pang in his heart.

Xiu Xiu saw the reaction of the Child of the World through the screen and reported to Si Qi: [Master, the Child of the World wants to help you come out!]

Si Qi was surprised for a moment: [He’s so kind-hearted?]

Xiu Xiu: […………]

Xiu Xiu whispered: [If the Child of the World knew about your reaction, he might just die of anger.]

Si Qi chuckled: [I’m not some big star, nor am I some family heir. Trying to threaten me with this kind of thing? He must be out of his mind.]

Xiu Xiu: [But usually, when someone is forced to come out of the closet, no matter their identity, they would panic a bit, right?]

Moreover, at this moment, Si Qi was still a scholarship student whose eligibility to attend school was tightly controlled by the school, and any hint of scandal was absolutely not allowed.

Once someone was confirmed to be gay, the school would probably not be able to sit still.

The people around him, whether they were teachers, classmates, or even his parents and neighbors, would point fingers at him, stab him in the back, and insult him.

Although, Xiu Xiu couldn’t even imagine a scene where Si Qi would be treated like this.

He “looked down” at the recent emails exchanged with those researchers, as well as the papers published by Si Qi in journals that had sparked international debate, and his heart slowly settled back into his chest.

That’s right, his master was quite capable. If it weren’t for being so keen on dating the Lord God and not wanting to reveal his identity, he wouldn’t have become so busy and wouldn’t care about such trivial matters.

These days, when people hear that the child of someone next door is gay, they will chatter on and on about it. But if they hear that the CEO of a certain company, an emperor from a certain dynasty, or a big name in a certain literary field is gay, they will at most say “oh,” indicating that they understand, since it is too far removed from their own lives.

Anyway, Si Qi was not worried at all right now. He had a smile on his lips, resting his chin on one hand pretending to listen to the class, while his other hand was in the desk hole, chatting online with his crush.

Si Qi: [Are you busy?]

Over there, Chu Feng, who was busy handling documents, heard his personal phone ringing. Under the pained gaze of his assistant, he picked up the phone and replied seriously: [Not busy.]

Si Qi watched the internal broadcast that Xiu Xiu gave him, and the mountain of folders piled in front of Chu Feng, and smiled: [If you’re not busy, come pick me up after school this afternoon.]

Chu Feng: [Okay]

Chu Feng looked up and said to the assistant standing beside him, “Take me to school at four.”

The assistant said with a pained expression, “Okay, boss.”

Other bosses who keep young people are always bossing them around, telling them to come and go as they please.

His boss was doing well; as soon as he got a text, he ran over without a second thought. No matter how much work he had or what he was doing at the time, he was just a fool with too much money, like a diamond bachelor.

He didn’t know how many times he had roared in his heart, wishing he could tell Chu Feng, “You are the one with the money, you are the one in control, be a bit more reserved, let people know how powerful you are, and treat you like an emperor.”

But as soon as he saw the soft, infatuated gaze with which Chu Feng looked at the boy, as if he wanted to dedicate everything to him, the assistant choked and didn’t dare to say anything.

He now thought  that the good-looking young man was a male fox spirit who could cast spells, completely enchanting Chu Feng, who was dedicated to his career and had a righteous character. Although it hadn’t made Chu Feng neglect his duties as a king, he had indeed done a lot of foolish things, spending money like water. The assistant had lost a lot of hair over this and disliked Si Qi immensely. But every time he heard Chu Feng’s plans, he had to hold his nose and go along with them.

Fortunately, the boss’s family was wealthy and their business was thriving, earning money quickly. Even if Si Qi caused trouble, it would take at least ten or eight years for them to go bankrupt.

Chu Feng remembered something: “Did you pick out the house I asked you to choose?”

The assistant shook his head: “Boss, the young master said he doesn’t want the house.”

Chu Feng complained, “Why doesn’t he want it? Is the house not good enough? I said I wanted to choose a place with a quiet environment, close to his school, and with convenient transportation…”

Just thinking about what kind of place the boy was living in now made his heart ache.

The assistant helplessly said, “I found it according to your request; it’s a standalone villa worth at least tens of millions. But the young master didn’t even look at it and directly refused, saying he didn’t want the house you offered.”

Chu Feng listened to Si Qi’s words, showing a look of regret, but quickly convinced himself and said with relief, “He has always been so considerate, worried that the gift was too expensive, afraid I would spend too much.”

The assistant looked at the selectively forgetful boss with exasperation, wishing he could grab Chu Feng’s shoulders and shake him vigorously, roaring in his ear, “It’s not that Si Qi doesn’t want you to spend money, it’s just that a mere villa is nothing compared to what he makes you spend on!!”

The corner of his mouth twitched, subtly reminding, “Did you forget the research institute you found for him a month ago?”

The research institute, costing billions, had basic rental and equipment usage fees that amount to hundreds of thousands a day. Not to mention the various rare materials that Si Qi had Chu Feng use his connections to procure—things the assistant had never even heard of before—each tiny ounce costing over twenty million! When the assistant heard Si Qi’s exorbitant demands, he almost had a heart attack.

He thought to himself, this person really overestimated himself. Just a mere kept man, and he dared to ask the sugar daddy for such an extravagant thing to squander. It was simply a pipe dream!

Who would have thought that after hearing this, Chu Feng waved his hand and, without hesitation, signed and paid the money. It was as if the paper didn’t contain a list of supplies worth over a hundred million, but rather a restaurant bill…

Now hearing Chu Feng say that Si Qi helped him save money and couldn’t bear to let him spend, the assistant looked at Chu Feng speechlessly, thinking that love really does make people blind, even turning their brilliant and formidable boss into a fool.

Watching as Chu Feng quickly finished all his work, at exactly four o’clock he promptly picked up his suit jacket and headed downstairs, with his assistant dutifully following behind, arranging his schedule for a date with a young man.

4:20, the car arrived at the school gate. 4:40, the teenager slowly walked out under the escort of his friends. 5:00, the two arrived at the restaurant that Chu Feng had booked early, and together they enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

The assistant sat at another table, watching Si Qi and Chu Feng sitting across from each other from a distance. Under the warm orange candlelight, the boy’s picturesque features were indeed a feast for the eyes. He sat naturally at the dining table, surrounded by the lavishly decorated high-end restaurant and the expensive crystal wine glasses. Despite the opulent scene, nothing compared to the dazzling and precious sight of the boy before him.

Anyone who saw it would feel that only this person was the most valuable presence in this place; the others could only be considered decorations.

The noble aura radiating from him, as if he were a prince of nobility, made the assistant unable to help but sigh in admiration. This person indeed had the qualities to be cherished and pampered in the palm of someone’s hand. Just this demeanor, just this cultivation, would make anyone think he was worthy of such a privileged lifestyle.

It was no wonder that his boss, despite being taken for a ride, still seemed so content; Si Qi just had that kind of captivating charm.

Watching the young man and the boss smiling and whispering to each other, the occasional glance from the young man, a gaze lifted from below, contained such lingering affection that it was enough to make anyone’s face flush and heart race.

The assistant didn’t know how the young man could be so flirty. Even as an observer, he found it a bit unbearable. He could only sigh, thinking that his boss was doomed, and resolved to stay alert, determined not to let his boss fall into this person’s hands.

He perked up his ears to eavesdrop and saw the young man resting his chin on his hand, smiling sweetly at Chu Feng. The sweet words flowed like a clear spring, like the song of a siren at sea. Knowing he shouldn’t be tempted, he still couldn’t help but be entranced: “I’ve always wanted to see you. Whether at school or in the lab, I think about you every moment. I really don’t want to be apart from you.”

The assistant was worried that their boss would be completely smitten by the boy’s words, but fortunately, the boss still had a bit of rationality left and modestly said, “At your age, you should focus on your studies and not get distracted.”

Si Qi picked up the crystal-clear glass cup in front of him and casually played with it, smiling as he said to Chu Feng, “It’s okay, I’m a genius. I learn everything quickly. Didn’t you see what I’m studying? Ordinary students can’t do it like me.”

The assistant couldn’t help but complain, “You know that ordinary students can’t possibly waste money like you do, and on top of that, you’re doing research and hogging such a huge lab all by yourself. Who do you think you are?”

Who would have thought that Chu Feng would actually say, “I know you’re very smart. You like doing research, that’s great. If you enjoy it, just keep going. Don’t worry about other things. If you want something, just tell your brother. Your brother will help you solve it.”

The assistant almost spat blood after hearing that, but Si Qi’s eyes sparkled, hands cupping his face, and he said with immense admiration, “Brother Chu is so good to me, I really like you~”

Chu Feng’s ears turned slightly red, he cleared his throat lightly, and said subtly, “You are very outstanding, worth me treating you this well…”

Si Qi reached out and touched Chu Feng’s hand resting on the table, startling Chu Feng, who hesitated to pull away. With eyes full of surprise and shyness, he looked at Si Qi, who then said, “You treat me so well, don’t you want me to repay you in some way?”

The assistant went completely crazy upon hearing this.

What did this guy mean? Was he deliberately trying to seduce his boss? If his boss really got this person and became addicted, wouldn’t he be completely unable to get rid of this vixen?

Chu Feng looked at the young man, understood his meaning, his cheeks flushed, and said sternly, “You’re still young!”

“……” Si Qi glanced at Chu Feng, noticing his refusal, and chuckled a few times, feeling even better. He deliberately teased, “What are you talking about? I was going to say that once my research results come out, I must repay you for your previous help by giving you half of the profits. But who knew you would… So this is how you think of me…”

As he spoke, he withdrew his hand, putting on a heartbroken and pained expression, his tone filled with disappointment: “Even though my family is poor, I haven’t fallen to the point of having to sell myself…”

Chu Feng: !!!

Chu Feng was immediately flustered and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way!”

The eavesdropping assistant was pounding his fists on the table, almost driven to the brink of collapse by this scheming man, Si Qi.

Ahhhh, boss, wake up!!! This guy was just playing hard to get, he was deliberately pretending to be angry!!! He was not angry at all, he was just doing it on purpose!!!

Hearing the boss continuously apologize to the young man, and even under the young man’s questioning, he seemed to accept the young man’s future “benefits” in a flattering manner, repeatedly saying how good the young man was to him, how he was willing to share the things he had personally researched, and so on and so forth.

The assistant couldn’t help but cover his face with his hand, finding it almost impossible to look at his boss at that moment.

——With Si Qi’s high school education, what kind of nonsense could he possibly come up with? Even if by some stroke of luck he actually produced some results, the profit probably wouldn’t even cover a day’s rent for the research institute!

Only their boss would choose to be selectively blind for the sake of love, thinking that his precious was truly a treasure… He even said that the young man treated him well. The assistant couldn’t help but doubt whether their brilliant and mighty boss had been time-traveled, turning into such a lovesick fool. It was truly despairing!

Just like that, he watched as Chu Feng politely apologized to Si Qi and cheered him up again. The two left the restaurant, went out on a date, picked out gifts for each other, and subtly held hands when they felt a spark, like the most common couple in love outside.

The assistant walked all the way here, and just watching the interaction between the two made him feel like his eyes were about to go blind. Seeing that the two seemed like they were about to hug, the assistant couldn’t help but look away, turning his gaze to the distant grass, hoping to save his eyes with the harmonious greenery.

As a result, he saw a person hiding behind the bushes, holding a camera, pointing it towards them.

Click.

After the soul swap, I became stronger (6): Parents on both sides

After getting the leave cancellation form from the Child of the World, Si Qi met Xie Man, who was waiting for him in the parking lot.

Xie Man still found it a bit hard to get used to his friend changing into a different appearance. Watching him make familiar expressions and movements with a stranger’s face felt somewhat novel.

Concerned, he asked, “What did you say to that guy? He didn’t bully you, did he?”

Si Qi smiled warmly, like jade: “No, don’t worry.”

Xie Man mumbled, “You’re just too gentle by nature. In the past, people were willing to pamper you, so you wouldn’t suffer any grievances. What are you going to do about it in the future…”

His heart was filled with concern for his friend.

They went all the way to the golf course that collaborated with the school; this was also a place the original owner used to frequent.

Xie Man watched as Si Qi expertly entered the password, opened Wang Jiu’s locker, and took out the equipment inside. The last bit of doubt in his heart completely vanished.

He couldn’t help but say, “How could such a bizarre thing happen? Who should we turn to for help with this? A doctor? A Taoist priest? A hypnotist?”

Si Qi glanced at him and said, “You really think I would switch back just like that?”

Xie Man paused for a moment, his tone conflicted as he said, “I, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…” It’s just that he really felt sorry for Si Qi losing such a large family business.

Xie Man: “Even if your uncle and aunt are pretending not to know, what about your grandfather? Isn’t he always the best to you?”

Si Qi: “I will find an opportunity to clarify things with him in the future.”

Xie Man thought for a moment and could only say, “Alright, Grandpa Wang is a good person, he will definitely not mistreat you. After all, you are his own grandson.”

Although he now had different blood running through his veins.

Si Qi and Xie Man were chatting freely, mainly with Xie Man doing the talking and Si Qi listening. This guy had “lost” his friend for over two months, and now he had a lot to say.

When they reached the halfway point, Si Qi noticed a gaze that was fixated on him. He looked around and saw a tall man standing in the distance.

A sudden wave of familiarity washed over him, causing Si Qi to momentarily pause his breath and involuntarily stop to take a closer look.

Xie Man noticed that Si Qi suddenly stopped moving and, puzzled, asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xiu Xiu, who got there first, excitedly said through the nearby surveillance: [Master! It’s the Lord God!!]

In just a few seconds, Xiu Xiu relayed the information about Chu Feng in this world to him: [The Lord God in this world is a great businessman! Right now, he is playing golf and socializing with his business partners, and he has been staring at you the whole time!!]

Si Qi smiled slightly, and the tender affection that unconsciously showed on his face startled Xie Man, who blushed and said, “W-What are you doing?!”

“Hmm?” With eyes full of laughter, he glanced at Xie Man, only to see a man in the distance suddenly walking towards them. Xie Man was a bit puzzled, thinking it was some elder related to the family.

Who would have thought that as soon as that person came over, he would say to Si Qi, “Hello”?

Si Qi smiled and nodded, “Hello.”

The man across them had a solemn expression, seemingly a bit nervous, as if he didn’t know how to communicate with a child nearly ten years younger than himself, or perhaps… he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about his thoughts that he couldn’t possibly share with anyone.

“I see you play very well.”

Si Qi thought his partner’s attempt to make conversation was a bit cute, and couldn’t help but tease him deliberately, “Did you see me playing? Were you watching me the whole time?”

The man’s expression subtly changed; he didn’t even know how he became so… eager, especially since the other person was a teenager, a boy he had never considered before.

He was going absolutely crazy.

But he just couldn’t help wanting to get closer, wanting to hear the boy talk to him. Seeing the boy say this, he could only put on a serious face and replied nonchalantly, “I happened to see it.”

Si Qi smiled a knowing smile, with a deep meaning: “Is that so…”

Xie Man stood aside, thinking that the man had just happened to see them playing well and had come over to chat. He said, “Hello, uncle, are you here to play ball too? I haven’t seen you here before.”

Chu Feng’s hand holding the cue tightened unconsciously, his heart sinking. Seeing that Si Qi didn’t even refute, he felt even more uncomfortable inside.

“My name is Chu Feng, I’m twenty-eight this year. You are…”

Si Qi: “We are students of St. Peter’s, in our third year of high school, seventeen years old this year.”

It really was a full ten years difference.

Chu Feng felt somewhat uncomfortable inside.

As a result, Si Qi continued, “There’s only a ten-year difference.”

Only?

Chu Feng immediately looked at Si Qi, wanting to see what expression he had when he said those words. However, he saw the young man give him a brilliant smile, as bright as sunlight, as beautiful as the Milky Way, dazzling to the eyes.

Si Qi said in a leisurely tone, “It seems I should call you Brother Chu…”

Brother Chu… Brother Chu!!

Chu Feng almost couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth, coughed lightly in a restrained manner, nodded, and said, “Hmm.”

A single simple word contained countless joys for him.

Si Qi continued talking to him, “Does Brother Chu have a girlfriend?”

Chu Fen and Xie Man were both startled.

Xie Man never expected his own friend would say such a thing, while Chu Feng was shocked by the purpose behind Si Qi’s words.

A person who was originally very calm was completely led by the nose by the young man throughout the entire process, losing all composure.

“No, no…”

“Well…” Si Qi’s eyes rolled around, bright and clear, like the most beautiful pearl, staring intently at Chu Feng: “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Boom——

Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Si Qi was filled with shock, both excited and nervous, feeling as if his blood was boiling.

Xie Man directly called out, “Xiao Jiu?!”

Si Qi chuckled, “I was just joking.”

Xie Man and Chu Feng were both stunned for a long time, completely unsure of how to respond.

Si Qi: “I’ll give you my number, and you have to remember to come find me, okay?”

Chu Feng subconsciously nodded, but after a moment, he felt he had agreed too quickly, as if it was a bit inappropriate—after all, the other person was still a child!

Then, a note was passed to him by Si Qi, and he saw the young man wink at him.

Chu Feng: “…………”

Alright, it seemed like a particularly bold child, not at all like a typical kid.

With these flirting techniques, Chu Feng felt that even if he spent another ten years, he still wouldn’t be able to learn them.

The assistant standing next to Chu Feng listened from start to finish. After Si Qi and the shouting Xie Man left together, he quietly reminded Chu Feng, “Chairman, that young man doesn’t seem to come from a well-off family…”

Clothes, shoes, and many details could all be seen as wrong.

“But he gets along well with that obviously wealthy kid, letting him take him to places like this to fish for… play. He even said such things to you. Ordinary boys wouldn’t act like this.”

The assistant almost blurted out those words with negative connotations. Chu Feng suddenly turned to look at him, his eyes filled with warning: “Don’t ever say such things again!”

There were still more to come? The assistant widened his eyes in disbelief, thinking to himself, could his usually cold and decisive boss really be enchanted by that male vixen?

This flavor was really something special…

Chu Feng frowned and said, “His demeanor and background are completely unlike those of an ordinary family.”

As for why he dressed like that.

Chu Feng muttered to himself with concern, “Will he have a hard time living—”

The assistant, understanding the situation, incredulously thought, “Their chairman can’t really be planning to keep that young man, can he?”

Although he had heard about such things in the circle, many wealthy big bosses were into this, he never expected that his serious and stern boss would also be like this!!

And he was still a boy who was studying in school!!!

Suddenly feeling like he had discovered something incredible, the assistant forcibly suppressed the look of horror on his face and said “thoughtfully”: “I don’t think he minds being… If you like, I can help you look into his family situation?”

Chu Feng thought for a moment, and in the assistant’s “as expected” gaze, he nodded and said gently, “Go take a look. If the family is in trouble, find a way to help them.”

Hey, being able to phrase “keeping a mistress” so delicately, no wonder he was the boss.

The assistant said with a smile, “Alright, boss, you are truly kind-hearted.”

Chu Feng cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, feeling a bit ashamed of the feelings in his heart that he couldn’t share with anyone.

Although, his assistant had already “figured it out.”

He carefully put away the number with Si Qi’s contact information. When he talked to clients next, he couldn’t help but get distracted from time to time, his mind wandering, and he seemed a bit dazed.

In contrast to him, Si Qi remained very calm. Dragged to the lounge by Xie Man, the boy shook his shoulders back and forth, frantically roaring, “Ahhhh, what’s wrong with you? How did you become like this? You haven’t been replaced by someone else again, have you!!!”

Si Qi was at a loss for words: “I didn’t, I just really like him.”

“Like?!!!” Xie Man’s voice was piercingly sharp, his eyes wide as saucers: “But that’s a guy!!!”

And he was so much older!!!

“I don’t care whether he’s a boy or a girl, I just like him.” Si Qi smiled with a face full of happiness: “I fell in love with him at first sight.”

Xie Man opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, holding his head and spinning in place, sometimes leaning back and then bending forward, as if he were about to go crazy.

He felt that he had been overwhelmed by too many stimuli today, and each one had been more intense than the last.

Si Qi said with a smile, “I used to have too many things placed on me, but now I can finally live according to my own ideas. You will bless me, right?”

Xie Man turned around to look at him, his face a picture of conflict as he stared at him for a long time. Finally, biting his lip, he reluctantly nodded.

Si Qi’s eyes curved as he walked over, hugged him, and patted his back a few times.

“Thanks, bro.”

Xie Man suddenly learned about Si Qi’s “true orientation” and was hugged by him, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Raising a finger to wipe the tip of his nose, he said with a red face, “Hmm, hmm…”

While talking and tidying up, the two left the golf club. Xie Man had Si Qi drive, taking him all the way from the suburbs to his home. He also added Si Qi’s newly registered phone number and transferred tens of thousands of yuan to him.

“If you need anything, just call me,” Xie Man said. “And also, move out early.”

Just hearing Si Qi describe his current living situation for a sentence or two was already a bit too much for him to handle.

His good brother, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

Si Qi nodded with a smile and got out of the car.

Such a luxury car driving through this narrow and somewhat dirty alley attracted the attention of many nearby residents. A crowd gathered to watch, and when they saw that it was Si Qi, the murmurs grew even louder.

When the car drove away, Si Qi grabbed his backpack and prepared to go home. The elderly couple beside him quickly stopped him, their eyes filled with eager curiosity: “Xiao Qi, whose car was that? How come you got a ride from someone else?”

Si Qi smiled gently and said, “Hello, Grandma Li. That’s my classmate’s car. He gave me a ride back.”

“It’s your classmate, huh… It’s the first time I’ve seen you bring a classmate home.”

In the past, the Son of the World was self-conscious about his background, never daring to let anyone know where he lived, let alone show them his home. He would never even think of bringing their classmates to such a place.

But Si Qi didn’t have this concern at all. Why bother taking the bus when he could hitch a ride? If he wanted to take someone, just take them.

Leading to the fact that only now did people around him realize just how expensive the school Si Qi was currently attending was, supposedly.

“Your classmate is really wealthy; I think that car must cost at least several hundred thousand, right?”

Si Qi smiled and didn’t explain.

Several hundred thousand? The Xie family wouldn’t buy such a cheap car to embarrass themselves. That car was probably worth around three million, just about the same amount as the debt that almost drove the Si family to ruin.

He returned to the narrow, dimly lit rental room amidst the chattering of the elderly around him. A pungent odor hit him as he entered. Si Qi put down his backpack, grabbed some clothes and shower gel, and headed to the nearby bathhouse.

After washing up, he sat on a bench in the park and continued organizing the data he had been working on earlier in the day.

Just when the sun was about to set, the phone that had been in his pocket and had been waited for by Si Qi for a long time finally rang.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

[I am Chu Feng.]

When Si Qi saw that name, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but lift, and with a smile, he picked up his phone to reply: [Hello, Brother Chu~]

Xiu Xiu usually appeared a bit silly and cute, but when it came to situations like this, he was definitely a little clever one. Seeing the owner in a romantic relationship, it directly hacked into Chu Feng’s phone and, through the camera, projected the situation on his side into Si Qi’s mind.

Si Qi saw the man on the other end of the phone screen, dressed in a full suit and tie, sitting upright in the office, his serious demeanor as if he were handling some major business.

Seeing the teenager’s reply, he cleared his throat, awkwardly loosened his neatly arranged tie, and carefully pondered for a while before typing on the screen: [Are you home now?]

Si Qi’s lips curled up: [Nope~ I was just thinking about something outside.]

Chu Feng: [What are you thinking about?]

Si Qi: [What do I have to do to see you again~~]

Chu Feng was caught off guard by these straightforward words. He put down his phone, buried his face in his arms, took several deep breaths, and finally lifted his head with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth: [At your age, you should focus on your studies now. If you get into a good university in the future, I’ll give you a big red envelope as a reward.]

Si Qi: [I want a reward, but I don’t want a red envelope.]

Chu Feng raised an eyebrow: [So what do you want? As long as I can do it, I can give it to you.]

[Really?] Si Qi laughed and wrote on his phone: [Then I want you, can you give yourself to me?]

Chu Feng: !!!!!

Chu Feng held the phone as if it were hot, fidgeting restlessly in the spacious boss chair, feeling like he was about to catch fire.

He picked up the phone and put it down, picked it up and put it down again; deciding on a multi-billion dollar contract was never this nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing.

He wrote word by word, very carefully: [Little guy, don’t mess with your brother.]

After seeing the text message, Si Qi almost burst out laughing. After thinking for a moment, he typed out a line: [But I still have three months until I turn 18!]

After seeing the text message, Chu Feng’s breath hitched. For some reason, his breathing became heated, and he couldn’t help but fan himself with his hand.

But Si Qi was still relentless, continuing to say: [After reaching adulthood, I can do many things that only adults can do.]

[Brother Chu, do you know what I mean?]

Chu Feng: Aaaaaah!!!

He was really about to go crazy.

Unfortunately, Si Qi couldn’t tease his lover for long; a phone call from the Si family parents interrupted Si Qi’s prank.

This pair of parents, concerned about their son’s situation, left work early today. They heard from nearby people that their son had been out and hadn’t come home after school. Worried about his health and the dangers he might encounter outside, they still called, urging Si Qi to come back home early, even though they knew their son was rebellious and hated being disciplined.

“Where are you? Mom and Dad will come pick you up.”

Si Qi stood up from his chair: “No need, I’m at the nearby park, I’ll walk back by myself.”

But he still met the Si family’s parents on the way there.

Seeing the two pairs of worried eyes, Si Qi slightly raised a smile, walked over, and said, “I’m really fine, you don’t need to worry about me.”

This couple just chuckled awkwardly a couple of times, a bit unaccustomed to their son’s polite demeanor.

A bit happy, but also a bit flattered.

They awkwardly searched for common topics with their son: “Did you get tired studying at school today?”

“What did you have for lunch?”

Si Qi answered each question seriously, not saying anything particularly flattering, just simply stating the facts, but it was enough to make the couple happy for a long time.

After the son woke up, he changed a lot. He would seriously answer their questions, wouldn’t have an impatient look on his face when speaking, and wouldn’t roll his eyes at them or call them annoying.

They were very satisfied.

Si Qi: “My friend knows I’m not feeling well, so today he specially had his driver take me home.”

The parents hesitantly replied, “Oh, so that’s how it is. Are we causing too much trouble for them?”

They heard that the car was big and impressive, spotless, and super expensive!

Si Qi: “What’s the trouble with friends giving each other a ride home?”

The parents thought about it and agreed.

The key was that they were used to treating their son well, used to putting up with him. Now that Si Qi had just recovered from a serious illness, they were even less likely to deliberately go against him; they just silently nodded.

Si Qi: “By the way, he also lent me tens of thousands of yuan to help me recuperate. He even said he would help me pay off that several million yuan debt…”

This time, Si’s parents finally couldn’t stay silent any longer and exclaimed in panic, “What? How could your classmate say such a thing?!”

Si Qi smiled and said, “It’s just helping to pay off the debt, not giving us the money directly. Owing my classmate money is definitely better than owing those loan sharks, right? He said I’m doing well in my studies, and after I graduate, I’ll definitely have a bright future. If worse comes to worst, I can work at their company and slowly pay off the debt with my salary…”

The two parents felt extremely guilty upon hearing this. Mom Si’s eyes turned red, and wiping her tears, she said, “So you owe money to your classmates at school? If this gets out, won’t you be so embarrassed that you won’t be able to hold your head up high…?”

Dad Si even said, “We’ll pay that money back ourselves; there’s no reason for you to repay it with your salary after you graduate!”

They took their son’s scholarship, and they already felt they owed him so much. Now, hearing that their son would be unable to live peacefully after graduation due to the debts, they were even more restless.

Si Qi shook his head and said, “But it will be easier for me to make money in the future than for you. Besides, his family is wealthy and won’t rush us for money. In the future, the money you earn can be kept for yourselves, and you can find a better house to live in. You won’t have to hesitate to spend on food.”

The Si family’s parents were silent, not knowing how to respond, their eyes filled with guilt as they looked at Si Qi.

After being repeatedly persuaded by Si Qi many times, the two parents were torn for a long time and finally said, “You don’t have to pay back the money. If your friend is really willing to help, then we can pay him back.”

How should they put it? It was still better than having those creditors knocking on their door every few days to demand repayment, cursing and calling them beasts and garbage to their faces.

Si Qi smiled and said, “Alright, then I’ll talk to him later.”

Hey, they were both parents, but how come these two in front of him were so much better than the previous pair?

–

The parents referred to by Si Qi as “the previous couple” were currently sitting in the bright and shiny living room eating.

They held dinner knives in their hands, casually cutting the food on their plates, their eyes seemingly unconcerned as they scrutinized the “son” who had now imitated them to a considerable extent, and said slowly, “Your grandfather wants to see you.”

The Child of the World paused for a moment, then composed himself, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of probing as he smiled and said, “Really? I miss Grandpa too. Is he doing well now?”

“Of course, he’s in great shape, not at all inferior to the young ones.” The two shrewd parents could see through the child’s little tricks. They deliberately and unintentionally conveyed to him the information he most wanted to know in the most natural tone: “Your uncles and aunts at the company are very proactive now, always thinking about taking the inheritance rights from you. But your grandfather cares about you and thinks highly of you. As long as you perform well and follow your grandfather to learn to manage the company under your grandfather after graduation, what is rightfully yours will eventually be yours.”

The Child of the World’s eyes lit up, and the greed on his face flashed by. The two adults exchanged a knowing smile at his eager demeanor and continued, “I heard your grades have been slipping lately?”

The Son of the World tightened his grip on the cutlery.

He had been busy lately trying to find out everything related to his new identity, secretly investigating Wang Jiu’s social relationships, studying the nuances of etiquette and tone, fearing that he might slip up in front of outsiders. He had completely lost the energy to focus on his studies, and his grades had consequently dropped quite a bit.

Just as he was about to find an excuse to brush it off, he overheard the adults say, “Those things at school aren’t really important. Anyway, your grades are already good, so there’s no point in wasting more time on them. When you go to university, you can study business management, but the focus should still be on work.”

The Child of the World was slightly taken aback, still not having reacted, when he heard them continue, “When you join the company in the future, there are some things you won’t be very clear about, so I’ll explain them to you in advance.”

“Your second uncle…”

What the two people were saying right now was exactly what the Child of the World most urgently wanted to know but had no idea how to inquire about. It wa like a timely solution to his pressing problem.

Suddenly, he focused his mind and listened attentively, and that concentrated expression made the two adults very satisfied.

Sure enough, this kid’s personality was exactly what they had in mind. That previous one… heh.

They talked a lot at the dinner table. Even when the Child of the World inadvertently revealed some inconsistencies during the conversation, the two adults completely pretended not to hear. They silently guided the Child of the World to notice the oversights on his own through their words, and then carefully and cautiously made amends.

One party intended to conceal, while the other party intended to help cover up. The actions of the Child of the World in replacing Wang Jiu proceeded incredibly smoothly. In just two months, it had already reached the point where it could be safely taken out to meet relatives.

As for their real son…

The couple returned to their room after dinner. On the table lay a file folder, from which a few documents were faintly visible.

Dad Wang took out the things he had investigated from inside and handed them to his wife.

“He has already woken up.”

Since noticing the “son’s” change in character two months ago, the couple secretly observed him for a long time and discovered that he was unusually concerned about a classmate’s family situation at school.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the time this student fell into a coma due to a car accident was exactly the same as when the son had an accident a while ago. However, the son woke up quickly, while the other person became a vegetable.

At that time, the couple had not yet noticed anything unusual and did not think of their son’s transformation in such a bizarre way as a soul swap.

With the son’s extraordinary attention to that family and his petty behavior in various aspects of their daily lives, they finally began to feel something was off.

Slightly probing with words, they found someone to deliberately chat with “their son” about topics he shouldn’t know.

Before long, they had figured out that kid’s background completely.

Their son was no longer their son; he was a student from a poor family, a person named “Si Qi.”

As for where their son was at this moment, they were also unsure; perhaps he had already disappeared, or maybe he had entered that comatose person’s body.

Because they didn’t want to lose their son for no reason and lose this support as well, the couple remained inactive and didn’t rush to expose the truth. They even deliberately helped cover up many loopholes, not wanting their work to encounter unnecessary trouble because of this.

Later, as they spent more time together, they found that this son was much more pleasing to the eye than the previous one. He had an obsession with the company and money that was beyond imagination, wanting to claim anything good he saw as his own.

Seeing this, the couple discussed and realized that such a son seemed to be more to their liking. They exchanged glances, and certain decisions were quietly made.

Until today, the person helping them investigate the situation delivered the latest document to them at noon, which contained written materials as well as video recordings.

The teenager in the video walked through the campus, with a slight smile on his lips and a tone as gentle as a spring breeze, making the two parents instantly see through the familiar souls hidden beneath each other’s shells.

Watching all the videos with a blank expression, the air fell silent for a moment.

After a while, Mother Wang, with a cold expression and distant tone, said, “I didn’t expect him to wake up.”

Dad Wang also had a cold expression on his face, frowning in dissatisfaction: “What does he want to talk to ‘Wang Jiu’ about?”

The two pondered for a moment and finally reached a consensus: “We can’t let ‘him’ come knocking!”

Mom Wang’s beautifully manicured nails lightly tapped on her leg, a faint cold smile playing at the corner of her mouth: “Didn’t he say he doesn’t like to fight for things, doesn’t want to socialize, and prefers to do research? Then let’s fulfill his wish, let him ponder those boring things, and be stuck in the lab for the rest of his life, never to be recognized as the young master of the Wang family.”

After all, they had a mother-son relationship for over ten years. If she really had to be ruthless, she would actually feel a bit reluctant. It would be best to sever ties completely, not interfere with each other, and then she might consider giving a little compensation afterward, fulfilling her duty as a mother.

Dad Wang was even more ruthless, directly saying, “I had someone follow him to prevent him from talking nonsense with others. If he really messes up our plan…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but Mom Wang could tell what he meant.

She just slightly raised her delicate willow leaf-shaped eyebrows, and that was about it.

“That kid is just too impatient. Today at school, he almost slipped up and raised suspicions. His temperament is still too poor and needs a lot of work…”

The two of them were talking back and forth, and just like that, they settled the matter.

After the soul swap, I became stronger (5): 47: When it comes to nonsense, I’m a professional!

After the long break ended, those students who had trouble with Si Qi couldn’t hide their miserable appearance, and soon caught the attention of the teachers and other students around them.

Due to Si Qi’s threat, this group of people didn’t dare to say a word. They only claimed that these injuries were caused by their own group accidentally while fooling around. The people around them were taken aback, looking at these guys as if they were fools.

——They couldn’t even lie convincingly.

Because there were so many injured people, and they were all friends who usually hung out together and had a good relationship, a teacher privately asked other students what exactly happened.

Soon, the teachers heard the name “Si Qi” from a few students, who said that these people had found Si Qi during the big break and taken him to a corner of the teaching building where no one usually went. When they returned, Si Qi was unharmed, but this group of people had bruised faces and looked severely beaten.

This was equivalent to solving the case.

——Who was Si Qi?

Because of his good grades, the school specifically spent money to bring in this sponsored student, hoping that he could achieve excellent results in the future college entrance examination and help the school gain fame. He had an accident and was in a car crash a while ago, and hasn’t been to school for over two months.

Who would have thought that as soon as he recovered and returned to school, he would start picking fights? wasn’t this just him repeatedly testing the teachers’ patience and deliberately trying to annoy them?

Originally, students receiving financial aid were held to stricter standards at school, with specific requirements for academic performance, number of absences, and even discipline points.

Moreover, Si Qi had missed over two months of classes in one go, and his grades must have dropped significantly. Instead of focusing on studying hard to make up for it, he went around causing trouble everywhere. It was really frustrating no matter how you look at it.

In the afternoon, during the second period, the homeroom teacher, Mr. Huang, walked into the classroom with the lesson plan.

He looked down at the students and, at first glance, saw a particularly outstanding young man. Instinctively, he wondered who this person was and how he ended up in his class to attend the lesson.

Then he clearly saw that the person was Si Qi, and couldn’t help but click his tongue in his heart.

He said in English: “Turn to page eighty-seven.”

They had an international school here, with separate branches for elementary and middle school. Nearly half of the students had progressed through the grades in this way, so the teaching content could be smoothly continued. Whether it was full-time foreign language instruction or courses in art and physical education, the students could easily keep up with the curriculum.

The Child of the World transferred here halfway through and found that much of what was taught in this school was different from what was taught in the outside schools. Not to mention, in English class, the teacher naturally conducted the entire lesson in a foreign language, forcing the students to respond in a foreign language as well, which was quite a challenge for the Child of the World.

For a long time, his English grades were not good, and when answering the teacher’s questions, he was completely clueless, which was far below the standard expected of a scholarship student. His accent was so heavily influenced by Chinese pronunciation that no matter how much he was corrected, it remained the same. To make matters worse, his family couldn’t afford professional tutoring, which made the teacher very dissatisfied.

At this moment, a group of students below were flipping through their textbooks noisily, while Si Qi, as in the previous few classes, was still with his arms crossed, “resting with his eyes closed.”

The teacher, who already had a grudge against Si Qi, became even more irritated and directly called him out, saying, “Si Qi, everyone else is flipping through their books, and you’re just sitting there with your eyes closed pretending to be cool? Do you think you’re so impressive like this? If you want to sleep, go home and sleep! Don’t disrupt everyone’s studying here.”

The tone of this sentence was filled with annoyance. If any other student heard it, they probably wouldn’t feel good about it. Everyone couldn’t help but turn their gazes towards Si Qi.

In the past, Si Qi had a twisted personality, always making people feel a bit insincere. Sometimes, he would speak in a sarcastic manner, almost like he had a grudge against the rich. Everyone knew his family was poor, and seeing him made them feel a bit uneasy, so they would tolerate him as much as possible and wouldn’t take it too seriously. They just couldn’t get close to him.

But today, for some reason, these people, upon seeing Si Qi, felt that he was actually quite a good person. When they saw Teacher Huang suddenly causing trouble for Si Qi, who was quietly resting there, they couldn’t help but feel a tightness in their hearts and started to worry for Si Qi.

A girl said, “Teacher, Si Qi is not feeling well.”

Another person said, “Yeah, he was injured for so long, it’s already quite difficult for him to come to school and study.”

“Uncomfortable?” The homeroom teacher chuckled, thinking to himself that he had the strength to take on four people at once, and he was quite capable, so how could he be uncomfortable? He directly said, “I think he’s doing just fine!”

Seeing that this person was clearly determined to cling on, Si Qi, somewhat impatiently, casually opened the book and pretended to be ready to listen.

The homeroom teacher saw Si Qi’s attitude and gave him a disapproving glare. During the lecture, he occasionally glanced at Si Qi. Halfway through the class, he called out Si Qi’s name: “Si Qi, stand up and answer this section.”

Si Qi hadn’t been paying attention in class earlier, and now suddenly being called on, he didn’t even know what the teacher was asking. After standing up, Si Qi paused for two seconds without saying anything (actually listening to Xiu Xiu’s summary), the classmate next to him quickly lowered his voice to remind him, “The teacher wants you to describe the situation during the Renaissance…”

The teacher above sneered and said, “You really weren’t paying attention. If that’s the case, why even come to school? Isn’t your bed at home more comfortable than a desk?”

A student defended Si Qi: “Teacher, Si Qi didn’t come to school yesterday and didn’t study yesterday’s lesson, so it’s normal that he can’t answer.”

Teacher Huang, dissatisfied, tapped the podium with the textbook, ready to seize the opportunity to elaborate, when he suddenly heard Si Qi slowly speaking in fluent, rhythmic, and more elegant and refined terms than even a native foreigner: “The Renaissance refers to a European intellectual and cultural movement that occurred from the 14th to the 17th century, reflecting the demands of the emerging bourgeoisie. People at that time believed that the arts had flourished during the classical Greek and Roman periods but had declined and faded during the medieval ‘Dark Ages.’ It was not until the 14th century that they experienced a ‘rebirth’ and ‘revival,’ hence the term ‘Renaissance.’”

A pleasant voice always effortlessly captures people’s attention. When Si Qi spoke a foreign language, it sounded as natural and familiar as speaking his mother tongue. Moreover, his tone carried an effortless ease, as if a poet reciting beautiful poetry, exuding an indescribable sense of casual elegance.

The students, who were already used to Si Qi’s heavily accented foreign language, all stared blankly at Si Qi, including Teacher Huang, who was full of grievances and wanted to vent.

Si Qi: “……It brought about a revolutionary period in science and art, marking the beginning of modern European history. It is considered the boundary between the Middle Ages and modern times. It is also one of the three major movements of intellectual liberation in Western Europe (the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment).”

Reaching this point, Si Qi tilted his head, looked at the teacher with an innocent expression, and said with a smile, “Teacher? Do you think my answer is correct?”

Teacher Huang: “…………”

Teacher Huang was momentarily bewildered, listening in stunned silence for a while. The more he listened, the more he felt that Si Qi’s spoken language skills were simply top-notch, no, they should be considered elite. They were not much worse than his own, a high-achieving student who had returned from studying abroad, and in fact, they might even be better.

This, how was this possible??

Teacher Huang looked at Si Qi with a hint of a smile in his eyes, then saw that all the surrounding students were looking at Si Qi with incredulous expressions. He cleared his throat twice and said somewhat awkwardly, “Very good, your answer is correct.”

After finishing speaking, he couldn’t help but take another look at the boy who was clean and pure all over, with an indescribably clear and innocent demeanor. He began to doubt whether he was being overly suspicious, as his judgment of Si Qi had changed so drastically based on just a difference in his spoken language skills.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he had too many biases against his student in the past, always thinking this child had impure thoughts and a sinister look in his eyes—when he was clearly quite innocent?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he might have wronged Si Qi in the past. Teacher Huang looked at Si Qi with some embarrassment and remedied, “So you have already learned this part of the text. No wonder you were resting with your eyes closed earlier… Hmm, very good. Everyone should learn from classmate Si Qi—Si Qi, if you are tired, just take a break, it’s okay.”

Si Qi couldn’t help but laugh, nodded, and said, “Thank you, teacher.” Although he didn’t close his eyes, he indeed stopped paying attention to the class.

He still needed to study the medicine of this world.

After class, Teacher Huang went to teach in the next class and happened to meet the math teacher coming out from inside at the door of the next class.

Teacher Huang kept thinking about what had just happened, feeling more and more guilty, and couldn’t help but mention it to a colleague: “This kid Si Qi is really not bad.”

The math teacher was taken aback for a moment: “Si Qi?”

If other teachers said this, it would be one thing, but for Teacher Huang to say it, that’s really something.

Which of the teachers in the office couldn’t see that the head teacher of the special class really disliked Si Qi, the sponsored student? He always beat around the bush, saying that the child had a bad character, extreme views, and didn’t get along well with classmates. Just a moment ago, he even heard that Si Qi got into a fight and seemed eager to have Si Qi punished. How did it suddenly change like this?

Seeing the math teacher’s astonished expression, Teacher Huang felt even more embarrassed and couldn’t help but confide, “Yeah, as soon as I saw that kid today, I felt he had changed a lot. Just now in class, his speaking skills improved astonishingly, clearly having worked hard in secret for a long time. I used to have too many prejudices against him, always thinking he came from a bad background and felt unbalanced towards those around him. But how could he ever feel balanced? If he didn’t fight for anything or chase after anything, he wouldn’t have reached today’s level of spoken language… I was thinking too poorly of this child. Such a small person, how could he have any bad intentions?”

The math teacher fell silent for a moment after hearing this. In fact, he had always thought that Si Qi was a person with a very complicated mind, heavy jealousy, and not an easy child to get along with. Now, after hearing what Teacher Huang said, he suddenly felt a bit uncertain, nodded, and made a note of this in his mind.

Then the class bell rang, and Teacher Huang continued with the next lesson. Standing at the podium, repeating the course content he had said countless times over the years, he casually pointed to Wang Jiu’s name, “You come and answer this question.”

Wang Jiu subconsciously clenched his fist, stood up, and involuntarily lowered his voice: “The so-called ‘Renaissance’ is actually an unprecedented liberation and creation of knowledge and spirit. On the surface, it aims to restore the progressive thoughts of ancient Rome, but in reality, it is a spiritual innovation of the emerging bourgeoisie…”

Teacher Huang couldn’t help but frown.

He didn’t know what had suddenly happened to this usually excellent student recently. His academic performance had fluctuated greatly, and he often didn’t pay attention in class. The tasks assigned to him by the student council were completed in a messy and subpar manner, and he even suddenly started dating other female students. Even his previously perfect speaking skills had somehow deteriorated, which was simply unbelievable.

He impatiently shouted “stop” and said to Wang Jiu, “Go back and practice your speaking more. It’s best to find a tutor and practice properly for a while…”

Based on the good impression the original owner left on those around him, Teacher Huang wouldn’t make a big deal out of this minor issue. But just that tone of disappointment was enough for the Child of the World to hold a grudge for a long time.

It’s just that his spoken language wasn’t perfect, but as long as he could understand, that was enough! This teacher used to always pick on him in the advanced class, looking at him like he was a rat droppings in a bowl of porridge, nitpicking him every few days. And now he was making a big deal out of nothing…

Just as Teacher Huang was speaking, he suddenly broke into a smile and shared the good news with everyone: “Si Qi from the next class, although he had to take a break for over two months due to an accident, his spoken language skills have improved tremendously since he returned. He even previewed today’s lesson in advance. Everyone should learn from him…”

The child of the world, who was sitting below and constantly complaining in his heart, suddenly widened his eyes and stared fiercely at the proud teacher above, his whole body trembling slightly.

What? Damn it, that guy actually…

Xie Man, who had been secretly observing the reactions of the Child of the World, sneered and said loudly, “Teacher, Si Qi is indeed very outstanding, but our classmate Wang Jiu’s spoken language is also excellent. How about we have them spar one day and exchange learning experiences?”

As the words fell, the body of the Child of the World tensed up in an instant, and his face turned ashen.

Teacher Huang didn’t notice this and casually said, “That depends on their own willingness…”

Xie Man turned around with a smile that was not quite a smile, sitting sideways and looking at the Child of the World with a strange expression. It was as if he had said nothing at all, yet it was also as if he had said everything.

The Son of the World clenched his teeth tightly, his fists hidden in the hole of the table, gripping firmly, and his anger grew even more intense inside.

In the subsequent lessons, Xie Man even more straightforwardly started causing trouble for him.

Always taking advantage of the break time, he publicly talked about things he didn’t know, related to Wang Jiu and him, or asked him about the Wang family’s relationships, even about the experiences of riding horses and riding speedboats together on certain days.

The Son of the World could not answer a single one, and saying too much would lead to more mistakes. Not saying anything would seem very strange. Every minute and every second was a torment for him.

He had to make an excuse to leave the class and only returned just in time for the lesson. But even so, he couldn’t escape Xie Man’s entanglement, because the last class of the day was physical education.

Moreover, it was a collective physical education class where all students in the entire grade choose elective subjects based on the course content.

He couldn’t escape Xie Man’s entanglement no matter what.

Worse was that Si Qi was also in this class.

The sports courses offered at their school include football, tennis, golf, swimming, fencing, fitness, equestrian, and more than ten other activities. The original owner was introverted and excelled at golf and equestrian, and he played them particularly well. However, these two were definitely weak points for the Son of the World; he didn’t have the conditions to learn such things, and he didn’t even start swimming until high school.

For the past two months, he had been getting through his PE classes by playing basketball, but now, seeing Xie Man striding over with an imposing demeanor, looking completely ready to cause trouble, the Son of the World felt an immense headache. This guy was really driving him crazy.

When Si Qi walked from the classroom to the gym, he saw Xie Man grabbing the Son of the World’s arm, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.

Xie Man: “I’ve already booked the golf course for you. Why are you suddenly not going?”

The child of the world forced a smile and spoke as gently as possible, “I don’t want to play golf.”

Xie Man: “Really? Then how about you don’t play and just accompany me for a bit? I have something to tell you.”

The Child of the World looked troubled and said, “No, I have other matters to attend to.”

“If you’re not going, then I’ll just say it in front of all these people right now!” Xie Man raised an eyebrow unhappily. “Wang Jiu, what’s wrong with you? You’ve changed so much lately, it’s like you’re a different person!”

The Son of the World pressed his lips tightly together, his gaze subtly scanning the people around him. Seeing that everyone was gradually starting to murmur, he was genuinely afraid that this guy would continue to show off. He could only grit his teeth and force a smile, saying, “Alright, I got it. I’ll go with you.”

After finishing speaking, he suddenly caught sight of Si Qi standing in the distance out of the corner of his eye. He almost jumped up from the ground, his heart racing wildly.

By chance, Si Qi took the initiative to walk over, coming to Xie Man’s side under the intense gaze of the Son of the World, who was on the verge of breaking down. The two people’s eyes met, and without saying a word, an overwhelming sense of familiarity surged forth, almost making the Son of the World cry out!

He thought Si Qi would confront him face-to-face at this moment, with Xie Man helping to expose his true nature.

But Si Qi just gave him a half-smile and said, “President, where’s my leave cancellation form?”

Child of the World: “…………”

He forced himself to maintain a calm smile on his face and said, “You and I will go to the office, and I’ll approve it for you.”

He was now going to take Si Qi away from this place, not giving him a chance to say anything!!

“Alright,” Si Qi smiled and waved at Xie Man, “You go wait for me at the parking lot.”

“Mm.”

The surrounding classmates curiously looked at Si Qi and Xie Man, and said to Xie Man, “Do you know that person from the next class?”

“I’ve never seen you guys talk before, huh?”

Xie Man smiled and said, “He’s my good friend.”

“Hmm?” A group of students, puzzled, said, “Isn’t your good friend Wang Jiu?”

Although it seemed like they had a bit of a falling out now…

Xie Man’s expression faded, and he said with a hint of bitterness, “It’s the same now.”

It’s just that, in the eyes of others, it no longer was.

Si Qi walked behind the hurried Son of the World, noticing that he was intentionally or unintentionally leading him to a secluded place. He didn’t mind and directly said, “I heard you’re trying to find out the contact information of those debt collectors?” It was Xiu Xiu who said that.

The Child of the World stopped in his tracks, the astonishment on his face fleeting. Turning around, his face still subconsciously mimicked the original owner’s expression, but his tone was already gritted with teeth: “What exactly do you want to do!!”

Si Qi let out a light laugh and said to him, “What do you think I should do? I can do whatever I want; this is my rightful power… But you, are you at ease using the things you stole?”

The Child of the World looked furious, glaring fiercely at Si Qi, and said word by word, “Those are all my things! Mine!!”

Si Qi seemed to have heard a joke, laughing heartily for a while, then looked up at the Child of the World.

The Son of the World felt uneasy under his gaze, his heart particularly unsettled.

Even if Si Qi was angry or scolded him, it would be better than now, where he seemed to be prepared to do everything but ended up doing nothing, leaving people guessing what he would do next.

He was really panicking. Besides causing trouble for Si Qi and getting him to shut up, he had no idea what to do, and there wasn’t even anyone he could discuss it with.

Even if Si Qi hadn’t appeared, he was always making mistakes in his daily life while trying to pretend to be someone else, leaving him in a constant state of anxiety and unable to sleep well.

But making him give up, he would absolutely never give up.

For this, he would do anything, even if it meant getting his hands stained with blood.

Si Qi said to him, “I’m quite comfortable using your identity, and I want to keep playing for a while longer. During this time, as rent for using my identity, you have to follow my arrangements and do the work.”

“Why?!” The Child of the World blurted out.

“With my knowledge of countless ways to prove my identity, even if I encounter danger, I can drag you down with me, making sure you can never find peace for the rest of your life…” Si Qi’s smile was like that of a devil, making the Child of the World furious, pointing at Si Qi and exclaiming, “You, you are actually this kind of person!!”

Si Qi burst into laughter: “Of course I am, and I always have been. You really think I’m some kind of easy going good person? You’re too naive.”

The Child of the World didn’t know Si Qi before, and his impression of him was always that of a “gentle and easy-going” person, as everyone unanimously agreed. But now, seeing Si Qi speak and act so forcefully and maliciously, having just beaten someone up at noon and then coming to threaten him in the afternoon, he became increasingly convinced that Si Qi was a despicable and difficult person to deal with, who had fooled everyone in the past with his pretense.

He took a moment to recall what Si Qi had just said, and with an inexplicable sense of dread, he asked, “What do you want to do with my identity?”

“That’s none of your business, and you have no right to ask me. This body of yours is now mine, and of course, the identity you’re using right now is still mine.” Si Qi smiled and patted the Son of the World’s face, saying, “If you know what’s good for you, don’t provoke me. Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to teach you a lesson.”

He thought for a moment and said with a sense of malice, “Oh, you may not know this, right? I used to have a little fetish. I liked to take nude photos of myself and post them on gay dating websites. All-round and multi-angle, my favorite thing was to take photos wearing cat ears and a cat tail… Wow, there were a lot of comments and likes~”

Looking at the Son of the World whose face instantly turned pale, Si Qi, with a serious expression, said jokingly, “If you don’t listen, the mosaic that was originally on the photo will be gone. You wouldn’t want to see ‘yourself’ in the family group chat or on the campus website, would you?”

The Son of the World was furious: “That’s obviously your photo! You pervert!”

How could there be such a website, what was the URL? What was the account and password for the website? He didn’t know anything, how could he delete all this stuff ahhh!!!

“But now it’s yours.” Si Qi tilted his head innocently and said, “By the way, I know very well who in the Wang family is most wary of ‘your’ existence, who is most eager to find something to use against you to bring you down and remove you from your position as heir… I know their numbers and contact information very clearly. Tell me, if they knew you had such a hobby, would they immediately make this matter known to everyone?”

“You!” The Child of the World grew more and more anxious as he listened, both angry and urgent, starting to stomp his feet. He even pleaded earnestly with Si Qi, saying, “Why do you have to do this? What’s mine is also yours. What benefit do you get from framing me like this?”

“It doesn’t matter if I don’t get any benefits, as long as I’m happy, right? And besides, I’m ‘Si Qi’ now~!” Si Qi blinked at him, completely like a demon causing havoc in the world: “So, you have to listen to me. Whatever I tell you to do, you do it, got it?”

The Child of the World turned as pale as a sheet, and Si Qi said with a grin, “From now on, you will be my slave. Be good, okay~”

The child of the world trembled like a sieve, not wanting to answer a single word.

How, how did it come to this? How did it come to this!

After the soul swap, I became stronger (4): The four people who were beaten: fuc…

The child of the world sat in the chair, feeling so miserable he could die. Yet he still had to force himself to act gentle and refined, feeling nauseated inside and out.

In the past, he always received a C from the teacher for his drawings, whether his skills were poor or he made rapid progress later on, he never got higher than a B.

The child of the world always thought that the snobbish teacher looked down on him because he was a scholarship student, so he deliberately gave such a low score to his excellent work.

Therefore, after becoming Wang Jiu, he arrogantly took his masterpiece to the teacher for grading, thinking arrogantly, “Let’s see if you can still deliberately target me and give me such an unfair score this time.”

As a result, the teacher stared at his work in a daze, looking at him several times as if he were some kind of rare phenomenon, hesitantly gave him a B, and said, “Keep up the good work.”

It clearly showed a “This time you didn’t perform well, so the teacher won’t deduct too many points from you. You can’t do this again next time” accommodating attitude.

At that time, it completely confused the Son of the World.

What did this mean? Was the teacher planning to give him a B just because he was not Wang Jiu?

Feeling both wronged and unwilling to accept it, Wang Jiu attended a few more weeks of art classes. This time, the teacher didn’t give him any face, sighed directly, gave him a C, and comforted him, “Don’t be too disheartened. You still have a good foundation. Just take your time to regain your feeling.”

Wang Jiu was completely dumbfounded this time.

He repeatedly looked at his own work with indignation. The lines, colors, and meanings were all quite good. They weren’t like the masterpieces of those famous artists, just a bit more immature, right? He had learned by following the works of those great painters, and he had specifically chosen a few pieces that could fetch high prices at auctions. How could he not get a high score?

Thinking about the original owner of this body, and the teacher repeatedly saying, “You were quite good before,” the child of the world, out of jealousy, took out the original works from the locker, looking through them one by one, wanting to see just how excellent those so-called excellent works could be.

Then he couldn’t see anything at all.

What were these things in the painting?

Bland, uninteresting, all meaningless things like idle clouds and wild cranes, at a glance, you couldn’t find a single commendable aspect. It was the type of thing that even the Son of the World was too lazy to imitate.

How come this kind of stuff always got an A?

It seemed that the problem wasn’t with his painting, but with that teacher’s eyesight! That teacher just liked this kind of bland and insipid work, so they always deliberately deducted points from him, treating his excellent work as worthless!

Those classmates who surround him and say his works weren’t as good as before also had their issues. What kind of perspective did they have?

Ridiculous!

And that was not all. The guy who always looked like he had a nose that wasn’t a nose and eyes that weren’t eyes in the special class suddenly became very friendly with Wang Jiu after that guy came over, even taking the initiative to talk to Wang Jiu.

They used to look down on this poor person, always treating him with cold violence, pretending he didn’t exist. Why suddenly treat Wang Jiu differently?

Those girls were even more annoying, saying things like how they never noticed before how good-looking Si Qi was, saying Si Qi suddenly became so refined. What nonsense was this!

Wasn’t this clearly saying that he wasn’t good-looking before, that he didn’t have any charm back then? These guys had always thought of him this way! They were all a bunch of jerks!!

The Child of the World spent the entire class thinking about Si Qi, getting angrier and angrier as he imagined the scene of so many students surrounding and bullying Si Qi after he arrived.

Just as this class ended, it was the big lunch break, the time those guys had agreed to trouble Si Qi.

He organized his art supplies and walked from this teaching building to the classroom in another building. As he passed by the adjacent class, he deliberately took a glance inside and, sure enough, didn’t see Si Qi’s shadow. At that moment, he couldn’t help but curl his lips in delight, earning him astonished glances from many passing girls.

Who would have thought that just as he turned around, preparing to go to the bathroom to enjoy the sight of Si Qi being beaten up, a familiar voice suddenly came from beside him: “Is there someone named Si Qi in your class?”

The Child of the World turned around in shock, only to see Xie Man suddenly appear beside him, speaking to a student in the Special Class.

The student said, “Yeah.”

“Where is he?”

“Not sure…” 

Xie Man didn’t give up either and kept asking several people in a row. Finally, someone said, “I think I saw a few people from Class Four talking to Si Qi and heading that way together.”

After finishing, he curiously asked, “What do you need him for?”

Xie Man didn’t know how to respond for a moment, and after a while, with a complicated tone, said, “I have a few things to ask him.”

This sentence instantly aroused the vigilance of the Son of the World who was eavesdropping nearby.

Was there something going on? What could it be? Did this guy discover something? Otherwise, why would he go and ask about “Si Qi,” someone he had no connection with?!

It was only the first day, and they had barely finished four classes! How did Xie Man find out so quickly?

Could it be that their friendship of over ten years was really this strong??

The child of the world was in a state of confusion, and seeing Xie Man heading towards the restroom as reminded, immediately chased after him and stopped him.

At the same time, Si Qi was pushed into the restroom. A group of guys who had always flattered and tried to get close to the original owner were now completely different, pushing Si Qi’s shoulders with smirks that were neither smiles nor sneers, looking like a bunch of thugs.

“Yo, still trying to hide!”

Seeing Si Qi’s “arrogant” attitude, he showed no signs of the expected submission. The previously feigned anger now genuinely flared up.

“Are you looking down on me, huh?”

One person tried to grab Si Qi’s hand, cursing as he spoke: “With your character, you still have the face to pester our president’s girlfriend. Don’t you think about what you are and whether you belong in the same league as those around you? Trash should be thrown in the trash can. Ugly people running around causing trouble, don’t you fear dirtying other people’s eyes!”

“Your parents are low-class people, and so are you! Don’t think that just because you got into the same school as us, you can turn your life around. Let me tell you, I just need to lift a finger and make a phone call to make your whole family miserable!”

“If you don’t want to die, then listen to me!”

After finishing his words, he kicked Si Qi in the abdomen with all his might.

Si Qi curled his lips, as if unlocking a long-restrained switch. One hand grabbed the boy’s ankle, using the momentum to pull him backward. The other hand reached back, grabbing the hair at the back of the boy’s head, yanking it backward painfully, making him cry out in agony.

Facing the other person’s eyes filled with a mix of shock and anger, Si Qi smiled brightly and forcibly pulled the person closer. With a heavy elbow strike, he hit the person’s abdomen, causing his body to curl up like a bent shrimp. The person lost all strength and involuntarily fell to the ground, lying there making sounds similar to vomiting.

Si Qi casually tossed the person aside, lifted his head, and looked at the other few who were still in shock and hadn’t had time to react. With the same bright and unclouded smile, this time he took the initiative to walk towards them. His confident and unhesitating strides were exceptionally intimidating, causing one person to even take two steps back in an attempt to escape.

Si Qi chuckled softly and said in a leisurely, lazy tone, “Where do you want to go?”

With that, a foot flew out, kicking the young man in front of him hard, sending him crashing into the bathroom door. Another hand grabbed the neck of the other person, dragging him towards the door. When the guy who tried to escape turned around, he grabbed him by the back of his neck and slammed him back hard.

He chuckled and said, “No one is leaving here unscathed today.”

The person lying on the ground was furious, his heart torn apart, and he shouted loudly in anger, “Si Qi! Do you know what you’re doing? How dare you!!”

Si Qi chuckled and said, “How could I not know? No matter what I do, you all will target me anyway, so I might as well get it over with first.”

“You!”

Si Qi: “What do you mean by ‘you’? Did I give you permission to speak?”

He stepped on the person’s head, pinning them to the ground, making them emit a humiliating groan. The people nearby could only hear the tragic sounds of Si Qi beating up the other friends, each scream making their hearts race with fear and regret.

The hellish sounds lasted for a few minutes before subsiding. Si Qi pulled these people up and they were shocked to see that the devil still had a spring-like smile on his face. He said to them, “By the way, who is the president’s girlfriend you mentioned?”

A group of people with bruised and swollen faces: “…………”

They were furious: “How dare you ask me!”

If he didn’t know them, why didn’t he just say so from the beginning? Why did he have to beat them up first and then slowly ask what was going on? Didn’t they get beaten up for nothing?

Si Qi shrugged his shoulders, looking innocent: “I had a car accident two months ago and haven’t been to school since. How would I know the student council president has a girlfriend?”

“It’s the vice class monitor of your class,” one person replied unwillingly. “Haven’t you always had a crush on her? I heard you even confessed to her, but she said she likes the president more, so she rejected you.”

Si Qi was momentarily taken aback, instantly impressed by the divine operation of the Child of the World.

This person used to like a girl, confessed his feelings, and was rejected. He then kept pestering her. Later, when he became the girl’s crush, he shamelessly got together with her. He even used the disgusting things he had done before to cause trouble for the girl’s real crush. This behavior was really quite outrageous.

“I don’t have any relationship with the vice monitor beyond being classmates,” Si Qi said seriously. “Even if we did, weren’t the vice monitor and the president a couple two months ago? What business is it of mine? Did I steal his girlfriend? And yet you come here to lecture me, to lecture someone who just got out of a coma, do you even feel justified?”

A group of people were huffing and puffing in silence, but couldn’t help but follow up on what Si Qi had just said. The more they thought about it, the more they felt that the president seemed to be completely different from the gentle and generous character described in the rumors; he was a particularly petty person.

Whoever got a girlfriend had to investigate her past life experiences thoroughly, and then call people to beat up anyone who had ever shown interest in her in the bathroom. Even these school bullies, who were consistently unreasonable, wouldn’t go this far.

It’s just that even though they thought this way in their hearts, Ithey absolutely could not admit defeat on the surface. Even if they had no grudge against Si Qi before, after being beaten by Si Qi now, they should have a grudge.

Just at that moment, Si Qi was sitting on someone’s back, casually patting the heads of a few people in front of him, and said to them, “Don’t think that just because Wang Jiu caused the trouble, you can get away with it, okay?”

“Your name is Zhou Xuan, right? Your dad is the manager of the foreign trade department at Qi Bai Group, and your mom was his mistress outside. She was only recognized two years ago.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was taken aback, including those who usually got along well with Zhou Xuan. They all looked at Zhou Xuan with incredulous eyes, clearly unaware of this matter.

Zhou Xuan’s face turned pale, and with a look of terror and despair, he looked at Si Qi and pleaded, “No, no…”

Si Qi: “And you, Mayor Li’s nephew, how does it feel to have your dad wielding a feather as if it were an order? Who gave you this hundred-thousand-dollar watch? Do you want someone to come to your house for an investigation in a few days? Let’s see if your uncle, whom you are so proud of, will be so furious that he might just bite you to death.”

That person’s pupils suddenly constricted, and he desperately shook his head, clearly very frightened.

Si Qi, still grinning, turned to the third person, “Mu Wanqing, right? Your sister—”

“Stop talking, please!” The person who was seen by Si Qi turned pale as soon as they heard the beginning and shouted loudly, “I was wrong, I was wrong, please let me go. I won’t trouble you again!”

Si Qi chuckled and said, “You don’t want to trouble me, but I just want to trouble you. If you want me to forgive you, then you’ll have to figure it out yourselves.”

A group of people looked at each other, and after a while, someone said, “I still have some pocket money on hand. If you want it, I’ll give it all to you.”

“I’m going to go give that Wang Jiu some trouble.”

“In the future, if you want to do anything, just let me know, and I’ll take care of it for you.”

A group of people were chattering away, cautiously watching Si Qi’s expression.

Seeing Si Qi finally show a hint of satisfaction, they dared to slowly get up from the ground, bowing and scraping as they hurriedly fled from the restroom. Their bruised and battered appearance coincidentally collided with Xie Man, who was walking this way.

Muttering indistinctly, “This Si Qi is really too sinister…”

“Where did he get such great strength?”

“Isn’t he an ordinary person? Where did he hear about our family’s matters…”

Xie Man heard that this group of people had a conflict with someone named Si Qi, and for some reason, he felt particularly anxious. He hurriedly walked forward, looking for Si Qi’s whereabouts.

Afterwards, he ran into Si Qi, who was completely clean from head to toe.

Just a single glance, and all the words Xie Man originally wanted to say vanished. The unbelievable “impossible, no way” in his heart all disappeared without a trace, leaving only a firm certainty that everything was understood without words.

Si Qi smiled, his crescent-shaped eyes filled with joy, as if a sea of flowers were blooming behind him.

“Xiao Man”

Just two simple words made the cold-faced boy in front of him tear up instantly. The boy rushed forward without a second thought, hugging Si Qi tightly, his voice choked with emotion: “Where have you been? How did you end up like this?!!”

Si Qi gently patted his good friend’s back and said to him, “Don’t cry, I’m back.”

“I-I didn’t cry,” the boy sobbed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He took a step back and scrutinized Si Qi carefully.

The appearance had completely changed; compared to before, there was almost nothing the same.

But his demeanor hasn’t changed, the curve of his brows and eyes hadn’t changed, and even the tone of his speech hadn’t changed at all.

Xie Man immediately confirmed that the person in front of him was his friend. He was both incredulous and overjoyed to the point of tears. Unable to contain himself, he pounded Si Qi’s shoulder twice and said angrily, “Why did you come back now?”

Do you know how conflicted he has been these days? He thought he had really lost this brother!

Si Qi said helplessly, “I don’t know either. I had a car accident and just woke up yesterday. As soon as I woke up, I found out that I had become someone else, and then that person took over my body…”

Xie Man’s eyes widened in anger, unable to contain himself: “That guy really isn’t you! I told you, how could you possibly have become like that! Bastard, bastard!!”

He repeatedly cursed the Son of the World countless times, constantly telling Si Qi how much trouble that impostor had caused while pretending to be Si Qi. Turning to Si Qi, he said, “Let’s go! We’re going to confront that guy!! Today, I’m definitely going to skin him alive!!”

“Wait, Xiao Man.” Si Qi was pulled by the boy by the wrist, his tone still as calm and unhurried as ever: “What’s the use of going back? He won’t admit it, and we have no way to go back.”

Xie Man angrily said, “We can’t just let him continue to be so brazen and deceitful! And Uncle and Aunt are also very innocent! Their precious son was actually replaced by someone else!”

Si Qi pressed his lips together, looked at Xie Man, and slowly said, “Do you think… my parents wouldn’t notice?”

Xie Man, who had been forcefully dragging Si Qi forward, suddenly stopped in disbelief, turned around, and looked at Si Qi in astonishment.

Si Qi still had that same smile, though it was slightly less bright than before. He shook his head and said, “The first time you saw me, you knew it was me, but my parents… it’s been over two months now, Xiao Man.”

Xie Man’s expression was one of astonishment and suspicion. He carefully pondered the meaning behind Si Qi’s words, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt a creeping sense of dread.

“Why?” Xie Man said, unable to understand: “Why??”

Si Qi smiled and said, “They have to have a son to inherit the family business. They can’t just abandon the current son and go searching for the real son who might already be lost to the world.”

Xie Man said incredulously, “What is your reason for this…?”

Although he said that, Xie Man was actually somewhat persuaded by Si Qi in his heart.

After all, it’s been over ten years of friendship. Could Xie Man really not see what kind of people the Wang couple were? Whether they truly cared for Wang Jiu or were just putting on a show, Xie Man wasn’t blind; he could always pick up on the details.

Not to mention anything else, just the fact that they forced Wang Jiu to get engaged to a fiancée he had no feelings forwas enough to make Xie Man feel disgusted for a long time.

Si Qi smiled and said, “Actually, I’m doing quite well now. I don’t have to bear such a huge amount of pressure, and I don’t have to learn so many things I’m not interested in. Although I regret not being able to see my grandfather, I feel that this identity suits me better.”

Xie Man was taken aback and looked at Si Qi with a bitter expression. Reflecting on his friend’s past life, it was indeed too oppressive, with no freedom at all.

Although he had lost such a significant background and what others would absolutely hate to lose, as long as his friend could be happy, it seemed like it wouldn’t be too hard to accept…

Xie Man lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, raised his head and said, “What about that imposter? Are you really going to let him take advantage of you and use your name to swindle people?”

Si Qi: “I have other plans for his matters. Don’t interfere, so as not to drag your family down.”

Xie Man expressed great doubt about this statement. Did he not know what kind of person his friend was? He was a gentle and polite gentleman who avoided conflict, the kind of person who couldn’t win an argument even if he tried.

Si Qi retorted, “Didn’t you just see those people with dirty faces walking out?”

Xie Man was taken aback.

Then, looking at Si Qi in disbelief, the corners of his mouth began to rise uncontrollably.

Si Qi looked at him with a grin, and that attitude was equivalent to an admission.

Xie Man instantly perked up and excitedly said, “Good job, kid! You’re finally showing some backbone!”

Si Qi had actually learned to hit people! If this were in the past, it would definitely be something worth celebrating with firecrackers!

The group that got beaten up: fuck…

Xie Man carefully looked over Si Qi and nodded in satisfaction: “As long as you’re not injured!”

Si Qi: “What harm could come to me? I’m free as a bird right now, feeling quite at ease.”

Xie Man nodded, then suddenly remembered something and asked him, “What was going on with those people just now? Why did they come to cause you trouble?”

Si Qi said slowly and deliberately, “That person and I swapped bodies. Afraid that I would spill the beans, he wanted to silence me…”

Xie Man immediately exploded in anger: “Damn, he dares! That shameless bastard, he’s simply brazen!”

Si Qi: “His matters aren’t urgent. Come on, do you have any money on you right now? My family’s still in debt, about three million or so.”

Xie Man thought for a moment and said, “Of course I have over three million, but if I move that much at once, my parents will ask questions, and it won’t be easy to explain. Wait for me for a few days, and I’ll get the money privately and give it to you.”

Si Qi: “Okay.”

Seeing Si Qi so straightforwardly ask him for help, Xie Man was overjoyed and said cheerfully, “If you ever run into any trouble in the future, just come to me. I’m afraid that bastard will come looking for trouble with you again.”

Although the foundation of the Xie family was not as strong as the Wang family, it was still quite solid. Protecting Si Qi from a junior member of the Wang family was not a problem.

Si Qi chuckled and said, “He doesn’t have the energy to bother me right now.”

The person causing trouble now was him.

When the group with bruised faces found the Child of the World, the Child had just come out of the cafeteria.

He was suddenly blocked by a few tall and burly guys and forcibly taken to an empty classroom nearby. Mistaking it for trouble, his past cautious nature, which had kept him from getting into conflicts, resurfaced, and his face unconsciously showed a fawning expression.

A few of the guys were taken aback by this expression, and then their eyes towards the Son of the World added a hint of disdain.

It seemed that the rumors were indeed just rumors, all based on the embellished image of the Wang family’s background. The so-called gentle and polite demeanor was nothing but the appearance of a petty person who couldn’t stand in the limelight and was extremely stingy.

Although they didn’t dare to truly oppose the young master of the Wang family, they were unwilling to just take a beating without a fight. They sarcastically said, “The tasks you assigned to us are beyond our capabilities. You handle it yourself.”

“Let us go teach Si Qi a lesson, huh…” It was already good luck if they didn’t get taught a lesson by him!

A group of people stood in front of the Child of the World, covering their faces or bodies. The Child of the World finally saw the disheveled appearance of the group, and after a moment of astonishment, asked in confusion, “What happened to you?”

It was better not to say this, but once it was said, they couldn’t contain their anger: “What’s wrong? Isn’t it Si Qi who hit us?”

The Child of the World was even more confused: “Weren’t you supposed to go beat him up? So many of you—”

“What’s the use of having more people?” The first guy to be grabbed by Si Qi and beaten up angrily said, “It’s not even enough for him to handle with one hand!”

Another person felt even more wronged: “What kind of person is that? That’s practically a monster!”

“I’ve never seen anyone like him, we didn’t even finish a sentence before he started hitting me. Who’s the bully here, him or me?! This is so unreasonable!”

A group of people were seething with indignation, and the Son of the World found it increasingly unbelievable. He thought to himself, never would he have imagined that the legendary gentleman with a jade-like demeanor was actually so ruthless behind the scenes. Perhaps he had been pretending all along due to his status, but now that he had nothing to lose, he was completely letting loose. Angrily, he said, “Is it true? With so many of you, your family’s influence could crush him with just a finger, and you’re still afraid he won’t listen to you?”

Just a poor kid from a destitute family, facing so many children from prominent families, yet he was often treated like dough, kneaded and shaped as people pleased, doing whatever they wanted with him.

Little did he know, this statement further enraged everyone, and one by one, they indignantly exclaimed, “Crush him? He hasn’t crushed us yet!”

“So what if my family has power? These days, the higher your status, the less you dare to act recklessly, fearing that a single wrong word could get you reported. That kid is as cunning as a fox; do we dare to provoke him?! We’re just grateful he doesn’t have his eye on us!”

The Child of the World looked at the group of people who were practically exploding with anger, and was utterly dumbfounded. The more he thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed: “What are you all afraid of? He’s just a poor kid. What can he do to you? I know him well enough. His family is so poor he can’t even afford a refrigerator. What can he do to you?”

A group of people rolled their eyes in unison and said to the Child of the World, “You’re so great, why don’t you deal with him?”

Let’s see what you can do!

“Of course I have a way.” The Son of the World was dissatisfied with the uselessness of the people in front of him. Bound by Wang Jiu’s persona, he could only forcibly suppress his inner anger, leaving behind a harsh remark before turning to leave.

These past few years, the debt collectors had been causing trouble for his family. In the past, he was well protected by his parents, and those guys had no idea that the Si family had such a promising son. Now, well, haha…

After the soul swap, I became stronger (3): Even wearing a dragon robe doesn’t look like a prince

Si Qi left amidst the crowd’s adoration, leaving only the Child of the World standing at the door, quickly drawing the attention of the classmates behind.

“President, what’s wrong with you?”

“Did that person make you angry?”

The Child of the World couldn’t help but twist the truth: “That person is really outrageous…”

People around were curious: “What’s wrong with him?”

“He,” the Child of the World paused for a moment, speaking with malicious intent, “his parents owe debts outside, and they used his scholarship to pay them off. He then argued with his parents, making them write IOUs, promising to pay him back later.”

The surrounding students were clearly shocked by this: “There are still people like this?!”

The child of the world saw the disdainful looks from those around and felt a bit annoyed, then said, “And he always asks his parents for money, saying he wants to buy the same things as the other students around him, like shoes worth thousands of yuan and stationery worth hundreds of yuan, without even considering how much his parents earn in a month.”

While saying this, he couldn’t help but feel that these words were so heart-wrenching. Was he cursing others or cursing himself? Looking around at the people who were indignant and chattering away, saying that Si Qi was no good, the feeling of being shot down became even stronger.

Suddenly, someone interjected, speaking harshly: “Wang Jiu, when did you become like this, talking behind others’ backs in front of so many people?”

The Child of the World paused for a moment, then turned to look at the person across from him.

That person was the original owner’s good friend, a close buddy, with over ten years of friendship. He was also the person the Son of the World hated the most, apart from the original owner.

He constantly came over to cause trouble for him, his eyes filled with suspicion when they looked at him. He went around stirring up discord, saying he had changed, that he was no longer like he used to be, that he was dating girls, shopping, eating and drinking everywhere, and that he never used to be like this.

The Child of the World felt both anxious and scared. After hearing these words, he immediately held a grudge against this person. There was no longer any patience for his hypocrisy and deceit; he automatically distanced himself, fearing that the other party would notice even more discrepancies.

Wang Jiu smiled and retorted, “It’s not that I talk bad about people behind their backs, it’s that I’m just too angry.”

Several classmates around nodded repeatedly: “Yeah, Wang Jiu has always been great. It’s normal for him to dislike those heartless guys.”

The heartless child of the world: “…………”

Damn it, he couldn’t even retort when someone insulted him. So infuriating!!

The friend, however, let out a cold laugh, looked at the Child of the World as if he were some strange monster, turned around, called over a few of his buddies, and left, making his disdain very clear.

Seeing this, the Child of the World was once again furious.

A few people nearby couldn’t help but say, “Did you have a falling out with Xie Man?”

“He’s been acting really strange lately, always going against you.”

“Exactly, when he looks at you, your eyes aren’t eyes, and your nose isn’t a nose.”

The Child of the World tugged at the corner of his mouth and said in a sarcastic tone, “Maybe he’s just not in a good mood. I won’t hold it against him.”

The people around him fell silent for a moment, and seeing the Child of the World suppressing his anger, they always felt that something was a bit off.

It was just that this little oddity was quickly uncovered by the Son of the World, who was wholeheartedly pretending to be someone else. He returned to his usual good-natured self and chatted and laughed with his classmates.

The atmosphere gradually became harmonious and cheerful.

Wait until he sent these people away and dispeled their doubts.

The Child of the World frowned, went outside, and found a few people from other classes. He asked them, “Do you know someone named Si Qi in the Special Class?”

A few students nodded upon hearing this: “The only impoverished student in the school, of course we know.”

“The one who is in the top ten of the grade, right?”

“President, you know him too? This guy is really annoying. Not only is he poor, but he’s also very vain! He used to come around here all the time, trying to take advantage of us—why are you suddenly bringing him up? What’s happened to him?”

The Son of the World had a grim expression, and as for the reason for his grim look… Well, that was hard to say. With a serious and sinister face, he said, “He keeps pestering my girlfriend, and after being rejected, he still keeps trying to win her over. His character isn’t great.”

After hearing this, a few people around suddenly realized and immediately started cursing loudly: “I told you that guy looked shifty, and sure enough, he’s not a good person!”

The Son of the World, who was called a rat-faced thief to his face, had veins popping on his forehead.

“Still daring to pester our sister-in-law, he should take a look in the mirror and see what he’s really like!”

After failing to confess his feelings, the son of the world, who tried to cling to his current girlfriend’s side, had a face that grew darker and darker.

“He’s like heaven and earth compared to our Brother Wang; it’s a miracle that the sister-in-law even looks at him!”

“Enough!” The Child of the World was so angry that his face turned blue. He didn’t even know how to express his anger, and the more he listened, the more grating it became.

Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of the people next to him, the Son of the World paused for a moment and could only say, “I don’t like people speaking ill of others in front of me.”

A few people nearby suddenly realized and flattered, “That’s right, that’s right, Brother Wang, don’t mind us, we spoke too bluntly and dirtied your ears!”

“Mainly, we are angry on your behalf. Don’t worry, we will take care of Si Qi for you!”

They were very clear about their own character. Wang Jiu suddenly found them and said those words in front of them. What was the purpose of that, wasn’t it obvious?

Coincidentally, they had been currying favor with Wang Jiu for so long without getting any response from him. Now that Wang Jiu took the initiative to ask them for help, they were so happy they couldn’t refuse.

At that time, they just patted their chest and agreed.

The Child of the World watched these people smilingly send him off, completely disregarding “Si Qi,” and felt quite uncomfortable inside.

Sure enough, the poor are just poor; in the eyes of these elites, nothing is worth anything.

He had been dreaming beautifully for over two months and didn’t want to go back to the past at all. He wanted to thoroughly crush the only person who knew the truth, “Si Qi,” making sure he couldn’t utter a single word of the truth, making him…

The Child of the World thought about these things and returned to his class with a serious face.

And in the classroom he passed by, Si Qi was sitting at his desk, flipping through the pages of a book in his hand.

Many female classmates nearby were secretly glancing over at him, whispering in hushed tones:

“How come I never noticed before that Si Qi is so good-looking?”

“Look at him when he’s sitting there, that demeanor…”

It reminded one of a patch of snow that falls on a pine tree in winter, pristine and untainted by a speck of dust. It also brought to mind the moon covered by dark clouds; as the clouds slowly drift away, the moon’s pure light is revealed, its radiance elegant and solitary, evoking a deep yearning in the heart.

He quietly sat by the window reading, a gentle breeze blowing, lifting a few strands of his dark hair. The sunlight poured over him, warming the heart. This scene was both pleasant and serene, like a cup of afternoon tea, lazy and carefree, just watching it felt like a delight.

The girl never thought she would actually see such a good-looking person in real life. Thoughts that usually come to mind only when writing essays involuntarily popped up in her head. As she was looking, she casually glanced to the side with her peripheral vision and then realized that the sudden silence in the classroom wasn’t without reason. Everyone’s gaze was directed at that person, and they instinctively lowered their voices, as if afraid of disturbing hin.

Until the class bell rang, everyone returned to their seats.

Si Qi flipped through a few books and confirmed that the content was all within his grasp. He casually set the textbooks aside and let Xiu Xiu gather the medical information of this world into his consciousness space, and then he began to read.

The Wang family in this world was a medical dynasty, having opened several hospitals and a few companies related to medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, making it a century-old family.

Because the nature of the medical field was special, regardless of whether it was the business, political, or military circles, many people wanted to build good relationships with them and tap into their network. After all, as human beings, who hadn’t been sick and hospitalized at some point? When it came to life and death, this relationship might just save a life, which was why the Wang family held a rather transcendent position in the upper circles.

The original owner, due to being influenced by his surroundings, was very interested in healing and saving people. However, the path he was interested in seemed a bit off to his parents—he neither liked becoming a doctor, which would make it convenient for him to inherit the family business by becoming the hospital director in the future, nor did he like studying business management to take over the company as the chairman and decision-maker.

He enjoyed doing research.

Moreover, it was the kind of pure scientific research that might not show any signs of improvement even after four or five years.

If placed in an ordinary family, a child with the potential to become a research scholar would definitely be considered “promising.” Earning a salary of 10,000 to 20,000 a month, and occasionally receiving bonuses from the institution for research achievements, was quite good.

But in a prestigious family like the Wang family, what could an heir who only understood theoretical research, didn’t know business management, and couldn’t even handle competition do?

No wonder that couple was so fond of the Son of the World who dived into the money pit. As Xiu Xiu would say, it was like a turtle looking at a green bean—mutually eyeing each other.

For the sake of money, they could even abandon their own son, and just like that, they could make the switch. This couple was quite something.

Si Qi was daydreaming in class and looking at some course materials. The teachers knew he had just recovered from a serious illness and had just woken up from a vegetative state. They also received a call from Si Qi’s parents, who asked them not to tire the child. Seeing Si Qi with his eyes closed, arms crossed over his shoulders, listening to the lecture, they didn’t say anything to him.

However, the third period was art, so they had to change classrooms. Si Qi went to the other teaching building at the invitation of his classmates.

Unlike most public schools, the art room in this private school was very large, filled with stone sculptures, paints, easels, and other supplies.

Generally speaking, just these things alone could cost quite a bit of money; you can’t get by without spending at least a few thousand or even tens of thousands. The Son of the World came in as a sponsored student, so not only did he have scholarship subsidies, but his tuition and miscellaneous fees were fully waived, and the teachers helped prepare all the equipment, so there was no need to worry about falling behind others.

But you know…

Even if he used the same equipment as those around him, the Child of the World was different from the children who had been educated in elite schools since childhood; he had risen through the ranks from public schools. In his previous art classes, he learned at most the most basic sketching, watched cartoons that the teacher played in class to cultivate his sentiments, and that was about it.

After coming to this school, the formal art education in the art room completely exceeded his understanding. He saw his classmates skillfully taking their art supplies and setting up their easels. Their natural and familiar demeanor made him feel very uncomfortable, and for the umpteenth time, he felt out of place and even inferior to those around him.

Especially after seeing others’ works that looked quite impressive, the child of the world held a drawing board in his hand that looked like a child’s scribble, lowered his head, imagined the sounds of people around him mocking him, and felt even more unwilling.

He always felt that if his background were the same as these people’s, he wouldn’t have fallen to the point of being ridiculed.

It was all his parents’ fault for dragging him down, making him lag behind others even in the most basic education, causing so many people to look down on him. Clearly, he did nothing wrong; his learning ability was better than anyone else’s. A thousand mistakes, all of them were his parents’ fault for not giving him a good start in life.

And it was not just art; it included horseback riding and swimming in PE class, piano and violin in music class, and even his embarrassingly poor spoken English in English class.

Every little thing seemed to remind him, you come from humble beginnings, you can’t compare to the privileged ones around you. Even if you get into a good university in the future, you’ll just end up working for wealthy families, spending your whole life earning what your peers have had since birth.

Until one day, he suddenly found himself in the identity of another young man, possessing the most prestigious background in the world.

His life underwent a drastic transformation all at once.

All the hard times had fallen on someone else’s shoulders.

Here, “someone else” naturally meant Si Qi.

Si Qi arrived at the storage cabinet that belonged to “him,” took out the drawing board, easel, and paints inside. He inadvertently saw the work that the Child of the World had started over two months ago, looked at it carefully for a moment, and then moved away with a somewhat indescribable expression.

It was not that this painting was particularly bad; even if it was a child’s work, it still looked quite cute and full of childlike fun.

But the works of the Child of the World were full of utilitarianism; you could tell at a glance what he wanted to express and who he was imitating. The craftsmanship was too heavy, just like him.

He moved a stool over to sit in his spot, casually organized his painting tools, dipped his brush in water and wiped it dry, then dabbed at the paint on the palette.

Before putting the brush to paper, Si Qi had already decided what to paint. When the brush touched the canvas, his effortless demeanor attracted the attention of many who were already observing him from the shadows.

When his painting was almost complete, a little girl found him, shyly smiling and saying, “Si Qi, are you painting a cat? It’s so cute.”

On the drawing paper, a cute little orange cat was napping on the sofa. Sunlight was shining on it, and it lay lazily with its four paws up, its lips slightly parted, as if you could hear a soft “meow~.” Its round, soft belly was so adorable that just looking at it made you feel good.

Si Qi squinted, applying a much-diluted light orange dot to the kitten’s body, then turned to look at her: “Yeah, it’s my friend’s kitten.”

The girl really liked this painting by Si Qi. It clearly didn’t use any particularly advanced painting techniques, and there was not much emphasis on its momentum, composition, or depth, but it just made people feel fond of it at first glance, as if a spring breeze had brushed past their hearts, making them forget all their worries.

She sincerely said, “Your drawings are much better than before.”

The girl’s words caught the attention of those around her. Curious, they came over to see just how good Si Qi’s work was. After seeing it, they all nodded in unison, “It is good.”

“Watching it, I just can’t help but smile.”

“Clearly, I’m not interested in cats, but if it’s the cat in this painting, I really want to keep it.”

“Too cute.”

Many people remembered what Si Qi’s earlier works were like. At first, they were very poor, but then he improved rapidly. However, despite his quick progress, the works he produced were still somewhat mediocre, and the teacher often gave him a C.

But this time, a classmate confidently said, “You are definitely going to get an A.”

There was also an art student standing in the crowd, looking down at the work on the easel, then glancing at Si Qi, whom he had always disliked. Suddenly, his impression of Si Qi changed quite a bit.

Originally, according to the character of the Son of the World, no matter how well he disguised himself in daily life, he would often accidentally reveal his true self. A jealous glance or a painting that felt overly imitative could easily ruin others’ good impression of him.

It was just because of his status as a sponsored student that many people wouldn’t openly bully or ostracize him; otherwise, what would happen? At most, they just wouldn’t talk to him or give him a good face.

But this little bit of differential treatment was enough for the petty-minded child of the world to harbor resentment for a long time. He felt that this group of people looked down on him, a poor person, and didn’t even want to talk to him. All day long, he thought about “don’t bully the young and poor” and “Thirty years in Hedong and 30 years in Hexi” treating these classmates who hadn’t even spoken a few words to him as his imaginary enemies.

Now this group of imagined enemies took the initiative to find Si Qi, and their attitude was quite good. With a smile, they said, “The realm of your painting is very free and easy. I’ve always wanted to capture this kind of feeling, but I just can’t seem to get it.”

Just as the class bell rang, Si Qi placed the unfinished artwork on the easel, covered it with a white cloth embroidered with his name, and set it in the corner of the studio. As he walked out, he said to his classmate, “Actually, when the time comes, the things you want to paint will naturally come out. The more anxious you are, the less you can paint.”

That student thought carefully for a moment, nodded, acknowledged Si Qi’s theory, and helplessly said, “But even if we say so, how can we control our thoughts?”

They finished their class and left, and the students from the neighboring class who had art next period were walking over here.

Si Qi saw the Child of the World in the crowd, his expression unchanged, as if he hadn’t seen him, continuing to talk with the people around him, his gaze inadvertently falling on someone behind the Child of the World.

That person seemed to have noticed Si Qi in the crowd as well, their footsteps subtly pausing for a moment. Then, their eyes fixed intently on Si Qi, as if they had a grudge against him, staring fiercely and forcefully.

Si Qi gave him a smile, and this familiar smile caused the other person’s expression to suddenly crack, their entire body tensing up as if struck by lightning.

Watching Si Qi slowly walk away amidst the crowd, he gradually returned from that world filled with blankness. The classmate walking behind Si Qi chatted casually as they walked, their voices carried by the wind to his ears: “Si Qi has really changed a lot since coming back this time.”

“Yeah, even though his face hasn’t changed and his clothes haven’t changed, it just feels different.”

“He’s become so classy!!” A girl suddenly got excited: “It’s that kind of noble aura, I can’t quite explain it, but I feel like a prince would definitely be like him!! So attractive, you know? He’s so handsome my legs go weak! If he dressed up a bit, he’d be even more charming!”

A few friends nearby joked, “You’ve got a crush again. Didn’t you say before that you were devoted to the president?”

The girl shyly said, “B-but, I suddenly think Si Qi is also very handsome, just as handsome as the president!”

A few people were talking and gradually walking away. Xie Man, with a blank expression, watched their backs, his gaze unconsciously turning towards a friend who seemed to have already become a stranger.

But then he saw the other person showing an expression of resentment that had never been seen in over a decade, an expression that should never have been revealed. With a face full of bitterness, he lowered his head, clenched his fists, as if bearing some immense humiliation.

Xie Man didn’t know what this seemingly changed friend was thinking, nor did he care to find out. With a cold expression, he walked past the other person, feeling nothing but disappointment towards him.

In class, he saw the other student hand in their work from the previous lesson to the teacher. The teacher gave Wang Jiu a somewhat awkward glance, marked a C, and comforted him with a few words: “You might be hitting a bottleneck. Go back and find your inspiration. The more you rush to finish something, the less vitality it will have.”

Wang Jiu had his back to Xie Man, and Xie Man couldn’t see Wang Jiu’s expression. He just inexplicably felt that this person was definitely in a bad mood, even somewhat gloomy.

He couldn’t help but shake his head, increasingly reminiscing about the time spent with him. Always felt like he had an important treasure that he accidentally lost, leaving his heart feeling empty.

He heard the teacher say again, “There’s a student in the next class whose work has a similar quality to your previous pieces. You can go ask him about his experience and learn from him.”

Who knows which part of this sentence touched Wang Jiu’s sore spot, but the other person’s voice raised a few decibels, sounding a bit exasperated: “No need!”

Xie Man didn’t know what expression Wang Jiu had when he said that, but judging by the teacher’s reaction, which seemed almost scared, it definitely couldn’t have been anything good.

This Wang Jiu must really be possessed, how did he end up looking like this?

The more he thought about Wang Jiu’s changes during this period, the more his emotions became suppressed. Even when he started to paint, he subconsciously chose dark tones, using thick paint and applying heavy strokes.

In the end, a perfectly fine picture was drawn to look bitter and resentful, dark and gloomy.

Clearly, the one drawn inside was his favorite little guy right now…

Xie Man became even more unhappy and took the painting to the teacher for grading.

The teacher frowned as soon as he saw it, took a close look at Xie Man, gave a D, and then said, “Are you under a lot of stress lately? You’re in your senior year, so it’s important to relax appropriately.”

Xie Man nodded silently, and the teacher, seeing this, thought for a moment and said, “Come with me.”

He took Xie Man to search the corners of the studio and found a piece covered with a white cloth. He lifted the cloth and took a look, confirming that it was indeed the same painting of a little cat as Xie Man’s. He said to Xie Man, “You can take a look at this painting, get a feel for it. Your mood will improve a lot after seeing it.”

After finishing speaking, there was no response for a long time. The teacher, puzzled, turned around to look at Xie Man.

Little did he know, Xie Man stood there in shock, eyes fixed on the artwork above, incredulously saying, “How, how could it be, it’s my family’s Mimi…”

He suddenly looked up, grabbing the teacher’s arms, his tone agitated: “Teacher, who drew this? Who drew this!!”