Chapter 54: Taking Off Glasses Turns Into a Drunken Monkey

Fang Cheng hadn’t expected to encounter Asaka Akihime here.

Kashima High School’s tuition wasn’t cheap—middle-class families could barely afford it by tightening their belts, while fourth-floor working-class families could only dream of it unless their child earned scholarships to overcome all hurdles.

Asaka’s family should’ve been on the third floor. What was she doing wandering this sketchy area so late?

Fang Cheng parked his motorcycle on an open roadside spot where he could see it, making sure to lock it.

If it got stolen again, he swore he’d have a stroke.

After parking, he approached Asaka Akihime. She’d returned to school the day after being confronted by three girls, acting like nothing happened. Sato Hayato’s surveillance had only confirmed she’d fought with them earlier.

Fang Cheng didn’t care about unrelated drama, but now here she stood, visibly distraught.

He almost pretended not to see her. Yet imagining tomorrow’s news headline—“Female High School Student Jumps into River for Unknown Reasons”—made him stop.

Saving a life brought more merit than building a seven-story pagoda, he supposed.

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Asaka stared vacantly at Edogawa River, tears streaking her face, unaware of Fang Cheng’s footsteps. He paused, studying her profile, then briefly imagined tossing her into the water to watch her flail.

To his surprise, she lifted a foot onto the railing.

No need to push—she was ready to leap.

Fang Cheng waffled between filming the moment and having a conscience. Ultimately, he tapped the back of her head.

“Ow!” She clutched her head, blinking up at him. “Fang-kun? Why…?”

“Evening.” He grinned.

She puffed her cheeks. “Why hit me? It hurts!”

“You looked ready to jump. Figured I’d knock you out and carry you home.” He mimed a chop. “Classic hero-saving-a-beauty move. You’d fall for me, I’d reject you, then you’d try seducing me with rabbits…”

Asaka snorted. “No hero acts like that! Besides, I wasn’t—” She froze, furiously scrubbing tears with her sleeve, only to cry harder.

Fang Cheng ignored her, leaning on the railing. He spat saliva at floating trash in the night-dark river. Bullseye.

Eventually, Asaka steadied herself, back against the railing, head bowed.

“Shouldn’t boys comfort crying girls? At least offer a handkerchief. Keep this up, you’ll never get a girlfriend.”

“You’re the second person to jinx me about never finding a girlfriend. If it really happens, you’ll have to take responsibility.”

Fang Cheng turned to Asaka Akihime. “Also, any guy who’s randomly nice to you just wants to get in your pants. Slap him awake if that happens.”

Asaka Akihime stayed quiet for a long moment before murmuring, “Thank you.”

She was grateful Fang Cheng didn’t press her with questions, letting her hold onto her last shred of pride.

Yet part of her ached. Why wouldn’t he ask?

The turmoil in her heart had swelled like floodwaters, threatening to drown her.

She desperately needed to release this pressure—any excuse would do, if only he’d ask “What’s wrong?”

But he didn’t ask at all, refusing to give her that chance. Instead, he kept talking nonsense.

Asaka Akihime couldn’t tell if this was kindness or cruelty. She only knew her emotions were slipping beyond her control.

“Let’s go,” Fang Cheng said abruptly. “I’ll take you home.”

She nodded mutely, face ashen, eyes empty—a porcelain doll stripped of life.

Fang Cheng studied her tear-swollen eyes and sighed.

Truly, he was a softhearted gentleman. Anyone calling him a blunt guy would regret it.

“Did you really want to die earlier?” he asked.

Asaka Akihime jerked her head up. Her lips parted automatically to deny it, as she always did.

“I… I…”

No words came. Only fresh tears, spilling over despite her efforts to stop them.

Fang Cheng seized her wrist. She flinched, pulling weakly, but he held firm.

Pushing up her sleeve, he revealed a snow-white arm crisscrossed with scars—old and new, layered into grotesque ridges.

Asaka Akihime shook violently, her deepest shame exposed.

Fang Cheng tugged the sleeve back down, then reached for her glasses.

“No!”

She wrenched free, stumbling back two paces.

“What? Will taking those off turn you into a drunken monkey?”

Fang Cheng flicked her forehead lightly and walked toward the motorcycle. “Let’s go.”

Clutching her head, Asaka Akihime stared after him, bewildered. After hesitating, she wiped her face and followed.

On the motorcycle, she paused before resting her hands tentatively on his waist.

She didn’t ask where he’d gotten the bike, or why he was out so late. Just as he hadn’t asked about her troubles.

“Your address?” Fang Cheng shouted over the wind.

She gave a location nearby—a fourth-floor apartment in a rundown shared complex. Middle-class life clearly lay in her past.

“Detour first,” Fang Cheng said. Tsukikage Hoshi’s place was en route.

Asaka Akihime nodded blankly, mind adrift.

When she finally noticed their surroundings, they’d reached the famed flower street—a strip of retro Japanese buildings housing quaint shops. Locals and even upper-floor residents frequented this nightlife spot.

Fang Cheng parked outside a plain izakaya. “Wait here with the bike.”

Donning a Kamen Rider mask, he pushed through the door. It swung shut behind him on its own.