King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

 Xuanling likes me, which is very surprising to me. Ever since my dad died, everything in my life has hit rock bottom. I've lost my house, lost my friends, and this has filled me with insecurity about the real world. I can't even dare to like someone anymore.

 To put it simply, it's just insecurity...

 If it were the confident me from before, after knowing that Xuanling liked me, I would definitely accept it and then date her openly. But now, it's not possible.

 I have more important things to do, and standing out is my top priority. Besides, I've already started, and success is just within reach, so I don't want anything to hold me back.

 Back at school, my advisor asked me to come to the office. He first expressed his concern for me and then asked why I had missed classes. I came up with some excuses to get by. The advisor told me that if I continued to miss classes, I might not be able to graduate. He said that if I was really in need of money, it would be better to drop out and go home to work rather than wasting a few more years at school. Besides, the tuition fees for college are

 I know the mentor's words are meant to provoke me, but I won't just walk away. I don't want to disappoint my mom. She wants to see me graduate from college and be a good student. Even if I have to pretend, I have to get through the next two years.

 Leaving the mentor's office and standing on the playground, I saw Cheng Na supporting Xuan Ling back to school. As for Cheng Na, although I didn't like her, I really admired her. Xuan Ling didn't have many friends, and Cheng Na might be her only friend. Cheng Na was willing to slap me for Xuan Ling, which showed how good their relationship was. This is what friends are like. But my friends, when I was at my most difficult times, all chose to avoid me.

 Xuanling also saw me. She walked while staring at me. I turned around, not wanting to see her gaze. Suddenly, I heard footsteps splashing through the mud, rushing towards me. Just as I turned back, someone suddenly hugged me tightly.

 It was Xuanling, her head hitting my chest. She was only as tall as my chest. She held me tightly, crying incessantly. I looked at Cheng Na, and the look in her eyes, filled with disappointment and frustration, made my heart ache.

 "Why, why, why don't you like me, why do you push me away, am I not pretty enough or am I too annoying, tell me, why..."

 Xuan Ling kept questioning me, making my heart tremble a bit. I had never been confessed to by a girl before. If it were in the past, I would have excitedly boasted to my buddies, but now all I feel is heartache.

 I said, "It's not that you're not good enough, it's that I'm not good enough. I have nothing, I can't give you anything, really..."

 Xuan Ling cried and told me in a hoarse voice, "I don't want your things. You're great. You've always been excellent in my eyes. You got into the top university in the province with the highest scores. Do you know you've always been excellent? I know your father's death hit you hard, but as long as you keep trying, everything will be fine. I'm willing to be with you, okay? I'll be with you to cheer up. I really like you..."

 Xuanling was crying very hard, and I really didn't want to reject her. I pushed her away, held her arm, and said, "I'm not in a slump; I've been picking myself up. I'll earn more money, I'll make a name for myself, I don't want to be held back by anyone, you know?"

 "I've held you up..." Xuan Ling looked at me in surprise.

 Although I didn't want to hurt her feelings, I still nodded. She looked at me, silent, but tears kept flowing from her eyes, like a dam that had burst. After a long while, she lowered her head and said, "What about in the future? Will you like me then? Will you be with me?"

 She didn't dare to look at me. I knew that deep down, she was very fragile too. I said, "No one knows what will happen in the future. Let's talk about it later..."

 Xuanling looked up at me, and I reached out to wipe away her tears. I said, "I'm not worth waiting for."

 Xuanling opened my hand and said very seriously and earnestly, "If you truly love someone, no matter how long you have to wait, no matter what the final outcome is, I think it's worth waiting. I don't wait to achieve a goal; I wait for the person I love in my heart. I'm willing to wait, is that okay?"

 I looked at Xuan Ling; it seemed like she had mustered her last bit of courage to say these words to me. I never knew that I held such an important place in someone else's heart.

 "Yo, Zhao Fei, are you out chasing girls? Look at how our alternate committee member is being bullied. Xuan Ling, we might be colleagues in the future, so tell me, did he bully you?"

 I heard Zeng Hong's voice, so I turned around and took a look. It was Zeng Hong. She was wearing a standard uniform, her long hair tied up in a bun, looking capable and sharp. There was a badge on her uniform that read "Student Council President."

 Zeng Hong was elected as the student council president. I used to support her a lot and even recommended her. Back then, I really hoped Zeng Hong would be elected as the student council president. But now, looking at her true colors, it's absolutely disgusting.

 Xuan Ling looked at Zeng Hong, her face showing a mix of hatred and envy. I've had that look before. I know Xuan Ling envies Zeng Hong. She's beautiful, comes from a wealthy family, has many friends, and was elected president of the student council. She deserves to be envied.

 "It's nothing, I'm just talking to Zhao Fei about some matters, you don't need to worry about it," Xuan Ling said.

 Zeng Hong walked over, looked at me, and said, "Zhao Fei, is one slap not enough to wake you up?"Look at what you've become now. Do you think you're still the Zhao Fei who was outstanding in both academics and character?Do you think you're still the Zhao Fei who could take a luxury car home?No, your dad's luxury car belongs to my dad; you're just the driver's son.

 "Zeng Hong, that's enough. No profession is superior or inferior. Why do you have to humiliate Zhao Fei like this?"Aren't you friends?You used to say that you and Zhao Fei were best friends who could talk about anything. Now, not only are you refusing to help him, but you're also humiliating him?"Are you two-faced?" Xuan Ling said angrily.

 Zeng Hong's face turned serious and said, "I was just trying to remind you out of kindness, to expose this useless person. I don't want you to be deceived by his facade. He only seems like a rich kid when he's with us, but in reality, he's a broke loser. The car he used to drive was my dad's. Don't be fooled by him."

 "Zeng Hong, that's enough. It doesn't matter what kind of car he drives or what his temperament is. I'm just having a conversation with him, and I don't want you to interrupt us. So please leave, okay?" Xuan Ling said coldly.

 Zeng Hong listened and was somewhat surprised. She looked at me, then glared at Xuan Ling, and said, "Then I won't disturb you. However, Xuan Ling, the student council committee positions should be full. I don't think there's any chance for you to get in."

 "You... whatever you want..." Xuan Ling said angrily.

 Zeng Hong shrugged, glared at me, and then walked away. Xuan Ling looked at me and said, "You should have seen what kind of person she is. To achieve her goals, she stops at nothing. When she ran for student council president, she hired a lot of thugs from the school..."

 I reached out to interrupt Xuan Ling's words and said, "I know her better than you do. Go back, you're still running a fever, don't catch a cold."

 Xuan Ling looked at me and asked seriously, "Are you concerned about me?"

 I looked into her serious eyes and said, "Yes, go back."

 "I understand now..." Xuan Ling said.

 She finished speaking and left, very decisively. I watched her go back to the dormitory with Cheng Na, feeling a mix of emotions. What I did can't be called dirty, but it was very risky. Xuan Ling would never accept it. I didn't accept her for her own good. I believe she will understand in the future.

 At that moment, my phone rang. I looked at the phone and saw that it was a call from Zeng Hong. I found it strange that she was calling me.I picked it up and said, "Is it interesting?"

 "Come to the woods behind the school cafeteria, I have something to discuss with you. You must come, otherwise, I'll take you to court and make you pay. Last time, I saw your mom selling rice dumplings near Kunming Avenue. The money she makes probably isn't enough to pay back, right?"

 Listening to Xuan Ling's words, I felt very angry. I hung up the phone and headed towards the woods behind the cafeteria. When I arrived at the woods, I saw a few people squatting on the ground. It was Huang Qin and the others. They had rolled up their shirts, and when they saw me coming, they stood up and rolled their shirts even higher, revealing the tattoos on their bodies.

 Huang Qin walked over, mocked me, and said, "Oh, look at that confidence you found. Trying to learn how to pick up girls?"Xuanling, right? Those petite women are really enjoyable. If I didn't like Zeng Hong, I would have gone for it.

 Huang Qin's words were like a spray of filth. I didn't look at him but at Zeng Hong, and I said, "What do you mean?"

 Zeng Hong said, "It's pointless. I'm just telling you, the way you looked at me just now annoyed me. I'm telling you now, next time you see me, keep your head down."

 I looked at Zeng Hong; she looked like a petulant child. But this child was really a bit too willful. Huang Qin came over, patted my shoulder, and coldly said, "Lower your head."

 I was really annoyed and wanted to rush over and fight him, but Qian Guang told me that fighting is a sign of immaturity, so I lowered my head. Huang Qin saw me lower my head and burst out laughing, and the three thugs beside him joined in the laughter.

 Zeng Hong walked over, grabbed my chin, and said, "Men don't bow their heads. You really have no guts. I look down on you. People like you don't deserve to have women like you. Don't let me see you with Xuan Ling again."

 After she finished speaking, she slapped my face a few times. I looked at her with a gaze that held a hint of mockery and anger. I didn't know why she was angry. Was it because I was with Xuan Ling that made her angry?Or is it because of something else?

 I used to think that Zeng Hong and I were friends, and I thought I knew her, but I was wrong. I don't know this scheming rich girl at all. We are all adults, so why would we do such childish things, like luring classmates into the woods to threaten them? I thought only middle school and high school students did such things, but I didn't expect it to happen in college too. It's really ridiculous.

 They laughed and walked away, leaving me all alone. These days are hard to endure, I know. As long as I'm at school, I have to endure such humiliation every day.

 It seems I must quickly develop in Ruili; I will definitely repay this grudge!