My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

The voices in the cafeteria had long turned mum when Zhang Jiancheng walked toward Shi Nian's table, thus the man's words were clearly heard by the people around them. Just in a span of a minute, hushed whispers filled with excitement spread through the entire area and everyone knew that today was Shi Nian's birthday and Zhang Jiancheng was offering to give her a gift!

There was actually nothing special about it, but the person they were talking about was Zhang Jiancheng ah!

Zhang Jiancheng, who kept his distance from every girl. Zhang Jiancheng, the study male god that was renowned for his diligence and abstinence! Zhang Jiancheng, who rejected the School Belle without a second glance, was currently attempting to ask a girl. For. Her. Birthday. Gift!

"Oh my, Zhang Jiancheng asking that question is really like a ray of warm sunlight amidst the freezing winter. It can melt you like butter!"

"I have never known that Zhang Jiancheng could sound so…gentle before!"

"True love, this must be true love!"

On the other hand, a group of students who sat on the largest round table gave Shi Nian and Zhang Jiancheng curious glances. They then turned to the beautiful girl in the middle and shrunk their necks collectively in nervousness.

What to do? Ruo Tingran's face was so dark and terrifying!

After the gals in Ruo Tingran's group were arrested and sent into the rehabilitation centre, she was reduced into a loner. However, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Ruo Tingran wasn't apprehended so she must be innocent! Now that the arrogant and haughty students around her were no longer there, people started to flock around her, trying to flatter, praise or even just sit near her so as to be splattered with the rich young lady's popularity.

That's why, upon seeing Ruo Tingran's displeased expression, the students started to echo one by one. "H—Humph! What does Zhang Jiancheng actually see in Shi Nian?"

"That's right, that's right! She's neither beautiful nor rich like Tingran. Even the things she wore are all cheap stuff you can get from the supermarket!"

"Aiyah, this Shi Nian must have used witchcraft to bewitch Zhang Jiancheng or else how can he be so smitten with her?"

"Shut up!" Ruo Tingran put down her spoon and fork with a loud clang and rose from her seat.

Those around her were shocked. "Eh, Tingran, don't be angry! She's not worthy of your attention. Wait for a few months longer, Zhang Jiancheng will gradually discover that she's nothing special."

"Yes, yes, don't lower yourself into her level ah!"

"Hmph, Zhang Jiancheng should be grateful that such a sophisticated young lady like Tingran actually likes him!"

Rather than being happy, Ruo Tingran turned incensed instead. They were so hypocritical and disgusting, did they think that she didn't know how they secretly badmouthed her behind her back? She flicked her hair, eyes glancing in the direction of the main commotion, harrumphing arrogantly. Her eyelashes fluttered low, hiding the dark emotions beneath them. "What about them? So what if he likes her? They will never be together anyway."

After leaving that sentence, she turned around and left with straight and poised back.

The students on the table looked at each other and saw the same apprehension and abhor in their eyes. The atmosphere turned stale and finally, someone muttered in mockery. "She's just jealous because she can't get him."

Covering their mouths, they snickered secretly and continued to eat.

***

Shi Nian sent Zhang Jiancheng away with much difficulty after asserting that he didn't have to go out of his way to get her a gift and she had received his well wishes. Only then did Zhang Jiancheng leave reluctantly, not before putting a new boba milk tea on her desk, a courtesy to her birthday, or so he said.

The rest of the day passed by peacefully, at least for Shi Nian albeit she could imagine how the newly reopened forum would have turned out by now. What should she do? Zhang Jiancheng was just that popular, it was such a headache.

That's why right when the final lesson's bell rang, Shi Nian was the one who dashed out the fastest so as to not go through a crowd of curious and inquiring students. She even left Chen Jiawei and Mo Ling behind.

Jiang Jinyan was already waiting outside the gate as always, leaning against the metal fence by the roadside. He looked surprised as he saw Shi Nian approaching with bated breath. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Shi Nian waved her hand breathlessly and spent some time calming herself before answering. "Nothing…just want to see you sooner." After that, she gave him a silly grin.

The corner of Jiang Jinyan's lips curled upward and he flicked her forehead. "Let's go."

"Okay, let's go!" Behind her, the students were starting to flock out of the buildings. She held his sleeve and pulled him ahead, leaving like there's a fire behind her butt.

Jiang Jinyan raised a brow but didn't say anything in the end.

"Have you recovered yet?" she asked after they were some distance away.

Jiang Jinyan nodded, his voice slightly muffled under the mask. "Have already recovered the day after that." He gave her a fleeting glance and said once again in a quiet voice. "Happy birthday."

In an instant, Shi Nian felt like the world brightened in color. Even the humid weather and the puddle along the road didn't seem that annoying anymore. She lifted her head and stared into his eyes, an uncontrollable grin on her face. "Thank you so much..." Recalling something, she pulled her collar to the side, exposing the necklace that was hidden underneath. "I am even wearing your gift, see?"

Jiang Jinyan's eyes skimmed past the delicate curve of her collarbone and averted his gaze in the next second. "Hmm, it looks good."

"Right?" She giggled cheerfully. "I like it so, so much!"

Jiang Jinyan suppressed the laugh bubbling up his throat. Looking at the girl who radiated happiness up to every strand of her hair, his hand suddenly itched to pinch her soft cheeks.

And so he did.

Shi Nian blinked in bewilderment when her cheeks were pulled to both sides, kneaded and pressed to his heart content. After a while, his wide palm cupped her cheeks and squeezed them so that her lips pouted like an octopus.

Jiang Jinyan's eyes curved into crescents as mirth swirled in his eyes. The mere sight was so beautiful that Shi Nian couldn't bring herself to complain.

Hmph, this was her birthday so she would graciously let him do whatever he wanted.

Jiang Jinyan didn't torture her for long. He finally spared her cheeks and cleared his throat softly. "Sorry, my throat is a bit parched."

Jiang Jinyan needed no extra words as the girl's ears perked up in worry. "Your throat hurts? Wait a minute, I will go there to buy a drink and cough drops for you, okay?" Fortunately, there was a convenience store a few hundred meters away. Shi Nian couldn't wait to rush ahead and returned as soon as possible.

His fingers brushed against his soft cheek, nodding gently. "I will be waiting here."

Shi Nian waved happily and skipped ahead. 

Jiang Jinyan didn't take his gaze off until her back got further away. Only then did he turn sideways to glance into the deepest part of the alley. "You have been following us from school. Come out. What do you want?"

A few seconds later, from within the shadows where the lights couldn't reach, a group of burly men sauntered out, their gaits intimidating with eyes filled with malice. Jiang Jinyan counted inwardly, five men. All around his height with muscles buffing their whole body and skin covered in dense tattoos.

Compared to the previous batch of gangsters whom he had beaten up before, Jiang Jinyan could sense that the five men in front of him were different. Danger was written across their foreheads and judging from the way they carried themselves, Jiang Jinyan was certain that…they had taken lives before.

His eyes frosted over and he stole a glance toward the direction of the convenience store to see Shi Nian seriously choosing between two brands of sports drink. "Why are you following her?"

"Move away, brat." The man at the very front spat out. He flexed his biceps and thick veins bulged out along his robust muscles. "We don't have any business with you, only the little girl. Don't worry, she will not lose her life, maybe only lose some…skin and teeth." The four other men cackled, malicious intent emanated from their eyes and gestures.

The pedestrians who sensed something off hurriedly turned around and ran away, leaving them alone on the street. The streetlamps over their head flickered intermittently, obscuring Jiang Jinyan's features. Only a pair of dark eyes gleamed amidst the dark, exuding ferocity and viciousness.

Jiang Jinyan's knuckles cracked as he sneered in mockery. "Well, try me."

.

.

.

A/N: Σ(°ロ°) oh damn, who is targeting Shi Nian again and again?! 1 vs 5, let's hope Jiang Jinyan can hold his ground QAQ

Tomorrow, mass release!