The Fallen, Stubborn Prince - Chapter 4
Su Qian placed a white chess piece on the board, lifted her gaze slightly, and said softly,
“Her name is Fang Xian — Fang, like in sugar cube; Xian, as in fairy. She once told me that people without a heart never remember her name. I don’t want to be that kind of person. I want to remember. So next time I see her, I won’t have to ask again. Uncle, you should remember too — she’s really smart—”
“I know, I know,” Ye Feng cut him off with a chuckle before the boy’s praise could go on forever. “You seem to have quite an impression of this girl, hmm?”
For the first time, Ye Feng really saw how much Su Qian had grown — not just physically, but emotionally.
When he thought about it, Fang Xian was the first girl Su Qian had ever mentioned by name.
Su Qian didn’t notice the deeper meaning in Ye Feng’s tone. He was slow to understand emotions, so he thought carefully before replying, “She helped me once. The invoice still tore, but… she’s still the nicest person I’ve met.”
On the bedside table lay that same invoice, neatly taped back together. The once-tattered paper now looked almost whole again, and the two words written on it were still clear and visible.
Ye Feng couldn’t help but smile. In such a short time, Su Qian had learned to appreciate kindness — to see people, to connect with them.
“Really?” Ye Feng asked gently. “So… do you like it here?”
Of course, he already knew what had happened at the snack shop — the boy who had bullied Su Qian, Ling Huanchen; the brave girl who had stepped in, Fang Xian. He had watched quietly, letting life test Su Qian on its own. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of Su Qian opening up to the world again.
Su Qian nodded, a faint, content smile on his lips.
“Then…” Ye Feng hesitated, “should we stay here?”
Su Qian didn’t even have to think. “Fang Xian lives here. So yes — let’s live here.”
Ye Feng’s chest filled with relief. He had brought his nephew from the noisy city to this quiet countryside, hoping for a change. Even if Su Qian never fully recovered, as long as he was happy, the decision was worth it.
And now, this unexpected encounter — this girl — had brought color into the boy’s quiet world.
“She’s a good classmate,” Ye Feng said warmly. “You should treasure a friend like her. I can tell she’ll be good for you.”
But Su Qian only shook his head slightly. “I don’t want her to always help me. I want to help her too.”
Ye Feng froze. That simple sentence said everything. Su Qian was beginning to think of others — to care, not just exist.
“Ah Qian,” Ye Feng murmured to himself, smiling. “You’ve really grown.”
Monday morning, seven o’clock.
Fang Xian was on school duty at the gate, checking uniforms and confiscating contraband, jotting down names of late students. Everything was routine — until she saw the figure walking toward her from a distance.
The first late student of the day, she thought, flipping open her logbook.
But when she looked up — she froze.
“…Su Qian?” she blurted, eyes wide.
He smiled, holding up a transfer certificate. “Fang Xian, we meet again.”
Fang Xian stood speechless for a second. Meet again? She suddenly remembered Ye Feng’s words: If fate allows, you’ll cross paths once more.
Su Qian became the first — and probably last — transfer student of their senior year. To her shock, he was assigned to her class.
“Who transfers schools in senior year?” Lan Qian groaned when she saw him sitting beside Fang Xian. “We’re all dying from exam prep, and he still has time to adjust to a new school?”
“Lan Qian,” Fang Xian sighed, “he didn’t choose this.”
“Who said I was worried about him?” Lan Qian scoffed. “He’s… well, kind of slow, isn’t he—”
“Lan Qian!” Fang Xian snapped. “He’s not stupid at all.”
“Okay, okay!” Lan Qian raised her hands. “I heard the teacher said you’d be… um, looking after him? So he’s joining our little group?”
Fang Xian nodded helplessly.
Earlier, their class adviser had pulled her aside, explaining that Su Qian’s situation was special — that he might need extra help adjusting. The teacher asked her, as class monitor, to take care of him when she could.
Fang Xian didn’t think of him as a burden. She wasn’t sure what to think yet — maybe pity, maybe curiosity — but she couldn’t bring herself to dislike him.
He reminded her of a child — quiet, fragile, and somehow endearing.
Su Qian sat on her right side. He didn’t look around or try to talk; he just sat there quietly, his hands on his desk.
When she sneaked a glance, she noticed him staring into his drawer. What’s he doing?
Then she saw it — the invoices again.
“Put that away, it’s class time,” she whispered.
He looked up immediately. “Okay, I’ll stop.”
The obedient tone made her smile despite herself. Maybe this boy wasn’t just her responsibility — maybe he’d be the most unexpected joy of her senior year.
Even Ling Huanchen, who had once bullied him, now acted friendly.
“From now on,” Ling announced loudly, “Su Qian’s my buddy. Anyone who messes with him messes with me!”
No one dared to argue. Su Qian sat between Fang Xian and Ling Huanchen — a seat protected on both sides.
“See, Ah Qian?” Ling grinned. “Stick with me and no one will bother you again. We’ll start fresh, yeah?”
Su Qian didn’t know how to answer. He turned toward Fang Xian instead, but she was staring out the window, pretending not to listen.
So he said softly, “I’ll listen to Fang Xian.”
Ling blinked. “Huh? What did she say?”
“She said… to stay away from you.”
The whole class went quiet. Fang Xian hid a smile, fighting the curve at the corner of her lips. She hadn’t meant for him to repeat that out loud — but hearing him defend her still warmed her heart.
“Hey!” Ling barked. “Don’t listen to her! You need ambition! Stick with me, I’ll teach you what it means to be a real man!”
“With you?” Lan Qian sneered. “He’d only learn your bad habits. What use is that?”
“Lan Qian, what did you say?”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Oh, but I can sing it too,” Ling teased, bursting into song,
“Lan Lan Xiang~ different from the rest, with a fresh and lasting scent—”
“Shut up!” she shouted, face red. The whole class burst into laughter.
And for the first time, even Su Qian smiled.