Beyond the Rift (Campus 1V1) - 9.

9.

Zong Du doesn’t return home tonight.

After showering, Ling Jia goes to bed alone.

The next morning, she rarely receives a message from Zong Du. He says his cousin transfers to their class and tells her to be careful.

At the time, Ling Jia thinks the message means she should look after his cousin.

When she meets the person at school, she realizes the real intent is to keep her distance from his cousin.

Zong Min’en’s self-introduction is quite simple.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Zong Du’s cousin, Zong Min’en. You can call me Min’en.”

Unlike Zong Du’s cold demeanor, he has a babyish face. He appears approachable and easy to get along with.

Many raise their hands. They’re offering to be his deskmate and help him adjust to campus life quickly.

But he walks straight to Ling Jia. He smiles politely at Yu Yuan beside her: 

“Classmate, can you please move? I want to sit here.”

Ling Jia hears whispers speculating that her relationship with Zong Du is unusual. She’s wondering why Zong Min’en’s name is never mentioned before.

“Seems he is in poor health, recovering in Li Jin. Doesn’t something happen there recently?” someone says.

“That vocational high school brawl on TV?” 

“Yeah, maybe the environment isn’t good, so he transfers to Qianchuan.”

“Don’t you think he looks like the face of that hot new boy band?” 

“Oh, I know—Eros!” 

“Not much taste,” 

Zong Min’en shakes his head, dissatisfied. He says to Ling Jia, 

“If they are a bit smarter, they see Eros is modeled after me, right?”

His nose and lips resemble Zong Du’s. But his eyes are entirely different—rounded at the corners, narrow and upturned at the ends. They’re typical fox-like eyes.

Ling Jia smiles, 

“Maybe.”

Her perfunctory response annoys Zong Min’en. He grabs the pen she uses to solve problems.

“Speaking of which, I see you before at the Li Jin private hospital. You are—” 

He gestures a phone call with his other hand. He points outside.

“Talking to Xue on the phone?” 

Ling Jia’s holding the same pen. She turns cold.

Zong Min’en releases it. He raises his hands in surrender: 

“I don’t mean anything by it. I just let you know, I’m not interested in much. But I’m top-notch at causing trouble. If you can get Xue and my brother’s engagement canceled, I definitely am your ally.”

These elite family business marriages are beyond Ling Jia’s understanding. But she knows their importance.

The Zong family’s little-known young master doesn’t go to Class A but transfers to Class One.

And he says such things to her.

Unfortunately, she has no plans to play both sides.

Zong Du isn’t a pushover. If he finds out she makes deals with his cousin behind his back,

It likely ends badly.

“Thanks,” 

Ling Jia politely declines, 

“If there’s a chance, I consider what you say.”

Zong Min’en behaves through an entire class for once.

As soon as the bell rings, he goes to Class One to corner Yan Xue.

“Why doesn’t your cousin come to school?” 

Yan Xue is unsure of Zong Min’en’s intentions. She eyes him cautiously.

Zong Min’en spreads his hands to show he means no harm: 

“I’m in the same class as your cousin. Isn’t it normal to care about him?”

Yan Xue rolls her eyes: 

“Why don’t you call him yourself?”

“Good question—phone, huh?” 

Zong Min’en takes out his phone. He calls Yi Chuan in front of Yan Xue.

The cold female voice on speaker repeats a busy signal.

He says, sounding hurt, 

“Forget? After that party, your cousin blocks me.”

That is quite a party.

Zong Du is abroad then. He leaves Zong Min’en alone at the Zong residence.

It is a rare chance to host a party at the Zong villa. And he invites many people.

Only Yi Chuan doesn’t play along. He throws a glass at him halfway through,

Accusing him of spiking his drink.

So unjust.

“Just a little something,” 

Zong Min’en sighs innocently, 

“Don’t they say he can’t get it up? I help, and he’s still ungrateful?”

Yan Xue is a fool to believe him.

Zong Min’en tries to get Yi Chuan into a prostitute’s bed. If not for Yi Chuan’s willpower, he might succeed.

After that, Zong Min’en lands on the Yi family’s blacklist.

Zong Du is usually strict with Zong Min’en. Yet he doesn’t punish him.

He only says, somewhat disappointed, 

“Can’t even catch someone handed to you—what are you if not useless?”

Of course, Zong Min’en doesn’t share that with anyone.

“He’s out of town for something and is back tomorrow,” 

Yan Xue says. Looking toward Class One’s classroom, she asks Zong Min’en, 

“You know Ling Jia?”

“She’s my deskmate,” 

Zong Min’en smiles. He adds, 

“Maybe my future sister-in-law. How can I not know her?”

–

Seduction is a skill Ling Jia still learns.

But adding Zong Du’s name to seduction

Makes it much easier.

She finds him in the gym locker room.

He just showers. He’s shirtless. His school pants’ belt is still unfastened.

The inner room is steamy. While outside, boys who just finish playing ball loudly discuss the game.

Ling Jia locks both of them in the locker room. She stands on tiptoes to wipe his wet hair.

Her movements seem strained. But Zong Du has no interest in cooperating.

“Does your cousin ever kill anyone?” 

“Even dismembers them.”

Ling Jia says 

“Oh,” 

She then slowly asks, 

“Is he an assassin?”

A lousy joke.

Zong Du doesn’t respond.

“When I sleep alone last night, I dream of you,”

She says softly. She recounts her dream: 

“We are here too. You take off my clothes and say, ‘Ling Jia, I want to fvck you.’”

Zong Du finally looks down. He sees her smiling eyes.

He curves his lips. He asks with interest, 

“How do you reply?”

“I say, ‘Sounds like an interesting sport. But the problem is, Zong Du, if we make love, can you be gentle?’”

She stands on tiptoes. She’s hooking his neck. The moment they touch, water droplets on his body soak her shirt.

She tilts her head. Her soft kiss lands like a butterfly on his lips.

“Or maybe we should take it slow, start with kissing.”

Zong Du looks at her beautiful lips, thinks for a moment, and agrees, 

“Good idea.”

Zong Min’en arrives at the gym. He hears from Zong Du’s teammates that he is still inside.

Standing at the door, he listens for a bit. He’s tempted to record but holds back by his survival instincts.

The kissing sounds inside are like sticky rain falling on his ears.

It reminds him of childhood. He sees their aunt and his father kissing and heading to the bedroom at the Zong residence.

Elders always say he breaks rules. But few in the Zong family are normal.

Like his father and Zong Du’s mother.

Or Zong Du’s father and their aunt.

This messy web is like a ball of red thread tangled by a cat. It’s impossible to unravel.

But dressed up, they all look proper outside. He isn’t as polished. He’s often unable to control his fiery urge to destroy.

Limbs entwine, a p3nis thrusts into a soft v4g1na, a usually cold voice turns seductive in bed. As if a different person.

—Honey, I’m coming, you’re fucking me to death. I love your c0ck, fvck me to death, right on this bed.

—Slut, does my brother know you’re this wild in bed?

—What your brother’s like in bed, your sister knows best…

Through the door crack, sounds and images merge.

At the same time, he recalls Zong Du’s disgusted expression after seeing such a disgraceful scene.

“So dirty,” 

Zong Du says. He closes the door and pulls him downstairs.

–

Yan Xue smiles as she leaves a club with friends.

She sees the dance poster on the bulletin board.

Park Jun Seok’s fresh from the hospital. He’s still shaken but itching with hatred for Ling Jia,

Wants Yan Xue and Zong Du to stay together forever, leaving no room for anyone else.

“Xue, does Zong Du attend this year’s dance?” 

He doesn’t show up last year or the year before.

He always hates such lively events.

“Does it matter if he attends?” 

Yan Xue asks, smiling. 

“Even if he goes with someone else, so what? Jun Seok, know why your family is stuck in the middle for years, nearly bankrupt?”

Park Jun Seok’s smile freezes. He says nothing.

Yan Xue looks at Ling Jia coming out of the gym.

A male school uniform jacket nearly engulfs her. It reveals only the hem of her pleated skirt.

Yan Xue crosses her arms. She watches Ling Jia’s figure disappear. She then says to Park Jun Seok, 

“Because you’re too stupid, taking games too seriously. Everyone has their place. Some people, no matter how hard they climb, are just playthings. Your father brings a plaything into the family, and that’s why you are ousted from high society, right?”

Besides,

Zong Du doesn’t sleep with Ling Jia.

He’s utterly bored with it.

After all, he’s the kid who sees his parents with others.

She is certain. Though Ling Jia enters Zong Du’s lounge,

She definitely doesn’t see the array of craft knives inside.

Why does the Zong family let Zong Du do as he pleases?

Because they are terrified.

They fear he is like he was at sixteen,

Plotting in his room how to die.