<h4>Chapter 534: Chapter 535: The Contest of Alcohol Tolerance</h4><h4></h4>


    Ji Liangchuan’s anger grew stronger by the second, and as he chewed on peanut kernels, it seemed as though he was eating He Xing’s flesh, his hatred vast and overwhelming.


    What infuriated him most was the barely perceptible sneer at the corner of He Xing’s eyes and brows—it was more unbearable than if He Xing had killed Ji Liangchuan.


    His memory drifted back to their childhood. Ji Liangchuan clearly remembered when He Xing transferred into their ss while he was in the fourth grade, and he even vividly recalled the scene when the homeroom teacher led He Xing into the ssroom.


    It was autumn then, and school had already been in session for over a week.


    It had been raining continuously for several days, washing the leaves outside the ssroom spotlessly clean, green as gems; yet the sky remained foggy, and although it was morning, the ssroom lights were still on, bright and clear—Ji Liangchuan could see the dandruff sprinkled atop a female ssmate’s head in front of him.


    His seat was right in the middle of the ssroom, the best spot, and his ssmates always clustered around him like stars around the moon, after all, he was the most handsome boy in the ss—no, even the girls weren’t as good-looking as him.


    Therefore, many wanted to be his desk mate; some girls even fought over it, which led the teacher to decide that Ji Liangchuan’s desk partner’s spot would remain empty.


    The bell for ss rang, and the group of students surrounding Ji Liangchuan finally dispersed back to their seats; the mask-like fake smile on Ji Liangchuan’s face also disappeared, and he pulled out wet wipes to clean the desk meticulously.


    He had OCD, not wanting to touch ces others had been, yet he relished the feeling of being the center of attention, so some sacrifices had to be made.


    The sound of high heels echoed, signaling the arrival of the homeroom teacher, whom Ji Liangchuan could barely tolerate for her demeanor rather than her looks.


    He pulled the books he needed for ss out of his bag, adopting the facade of a dutiful student as he looked up toward the ssroom door, only to see He Xing following behind the teacher.


    The ssroom, which had quieted at the bell, erupted in excitement, especially among the girls, whose eyes almost popped out in their agitation.


    And less than a minute before, all these girls had been circling him like flies, but now...


    The young Ji Liangchuan clenched his fists tightly, faintly hearing the grinding of his teeth. Once he managed to control his emotions, he then earnestly scrutinized the boy following behind the teacher.


    He wore the school uniform, identical to all the other students’, with ck pants, a white shirt, a burgundy tie, and ck leather shoes.


    Ji Liangchuan had privately mocked how ugly the uniform was countless times, dismissing the so-called aristocratic school as nothing special. Yet, at that moment, as he looked at He Xing, he felt as though that uniform looked like it was tailormade for him, inexplicably attractive.


    Back then, his knowledge was limited, and hispliments could only be expressed in simple words because he believed he was the most attractive person in the world. He only needed to bask in others’ praise and didn’t need topliment anyone else.


    But upon seeing He Xing, he felt he was wrong—He Xing was the most beautiful person in the world, with eyebrows dark as ink, eyes brighter than incandescent bulbs, a defined nose, thin yet vividly red lips, a perfect facial structure matched with fair skin, and a tall, erect posture; it was only natural for the girls in the ss to scream for him.


    He Xing, also a fourth-grade student, stood beside the homeroom teacher, not much shorter than her; Ji Liangchuan remembered being half a head shorter than the teacher. Height was the most significant concern for men, and that made Ji Liangchuan’s mood worsen even more.


    The homeroom teacher rapped on the lectern, silencing all the students, but the excitement on their faces was unmistakable.


    "Students, we have a new ssmate joining us today. I hope that you can all get along with the new student and work together to learn and improve," she said.


    After delivering her message, she turned to He Xing and prompted, "He Xing, please introduce yourself."


    Ji Liangchuan’s homeroom teacher was very young, having just graduated from university. Maybe because she was a young woman, and fearing she wouldn’tmand respect among these older children, she always acted quite strict.


    But now, she addressed He Xing with unusual gentleness, her caring gaze resembling one that looks upon a younger brother; the group of students below stared in amazement, not expecting their homeroom teacher to have such tender moments.


    He Xing looked emotionlessly at his new ssmates and stated coolly, "Hello, my name is He Xing."


    After a moment, the homeroom teacher, not receiving more from him, gently prodded, "He Xing, you can share more about yourself, like your hobbies or interests. That will help you make friends faster."


    "I don’t have much to say," replied He Xing, his youthful face masking an iceberg’s demeanor as he coldly said to the teacher, "May I know where my seat is?"


    The homeroom teacher’s warm approach met a cold shoulder, making her somewhat unable to save face. The smile on her face vanished, and behind the sses, her gaze coldly swept the ssroom in search of an empty seat.


    The students all feared this homeroom teacher and, by tacit agreement, lowered their heads, not daring to meet the teacher’s eye.


    Only Ji Liangchuan wasn’t afraid of the teacher at all; he leaned back in his chair, his gaze on her clearly filled with schadenfreude.


    The teacher’s expression darkened further as she pointed coldly to Ji Liangchuan’s seat and said, "He Xing, you will sit there."


    He Xing followed where the teacher was pointing, marking the first exchange of nces between him and Ji Liangchuan—their calm, steady gazes were asposed as those of grown adults.


    Desk mates—this was where the fate of Ji Liangchuan and He Xing began.


    Initially, Ji Liangchuan held animosity toward He Xing. Since He Xing’s arrival, the attention from both the boys and the girls in the ss shifted noticeably more towards He Xing than Ji Liangchuan.


    Although Ji Liangchuan never took his ssmates seriously, he was ustomed to being the center of attention and found the sudden fall from grace somewhat unsettling.


    Both of their dispositions were aloof, capable of not speaking for days on end.


    Ji Liangchuan didn’t speak because he could converse with others. His neighboring ssmates would chat with him every day, sparing him from boredom; but He Xing truly didn’t speak. Although the students always paid attention to He Xing, they were afraid of him, seldom daring to converse with him.


    How their rtionship improved over time, Ji Liangchuan didn’t really know.


    He only knew that the teacher thought it was good for them to be desk mates. So, although the seating arrangement in their elementary ss changed countless times, He Xing and Ji Liangchuan were always desk mates. They were like anchors, invariably sitting in the center of the ssroom, their positions never altered.