Chapter 14 Brandon Ou

"It's me!" Jonathan affectionately stroked Nora's head and smiled. "I can see that the little girl from back then has grown up!"
Realizing it truly was Jonathan, Nora didn't care that they were in the middle of class and threw herself into his arms. Her body pressed against his, tears of excitement rolling down her cheeks.
"Jonathan, I thought we might never see each other again. Do you know how much I've wanted to tell you?"
Jonathan gently patted her back, his eyes filled with tender pity.
A seventeen-year-old girl had endured so much, even had to adopt a cold exterior to shield herself, and it had been over two years, a tough period indeed.
"It's okay, I'm back now. You can tell me anything!"
Nora had more to say, but the bell for class rang, and she reluctantly let go. Jonathan smiled at her reassuringly, signaling her to focus on the class first, then he walked back to the last row.
Countless eyes followed Jonathan, filled with astonishment.
"Wow, man, what exactly is your relationship with Nora? She just threw herself into your arms as soon as she saw you. I'm really impressed!"
The boy previously chatting with Jonathan was visibly impressed, whispering with a hint of awe, "Man, you really made history in our school. To see the 'Ice Queen' School Belle act like a little girl around someone, this would cause quite the stir if word got out!"
"And Brandon's expression right now? It's like he's been poisoned, absolutely priceless, ha!"
Jonathan followed the boy's gaze to see another student standing rigidly by the classroom door, his face dark and sallow, his eyes burning with evident hostility toward Jonathan. Jonathan merely glanced at him and then looked away, dismissing him as unworthy of his attention.
"By the way, let me introduce myself. I'm Justin Peng," the boy said familiarly, eager to forge a friendship.
Jonathan gave a slight smile in response. "Jonathan Ye."
A few minutes later, the class teacher entered the room. "Good morning, everyone. We have a new student joining us today, and I'd like everyone to give him a warm welcome!"
The teacher's announcement redirected all eyes to the back of the room.
"Looks like our new student is already here. Could you please introduce yourself?" the teacher asked Jonathan with a welcoming smile.
Standing up, Jonathan spoke with an unaffected tone, "I'm Jonathan Ye, from the countryside."
After his brief introduction, he sat down, leaving both the teacher and his classmates somewhat perplexed. His introduction had been unusually concise, just a name and a vague origin without any details about his hometown or city, which seemed almost dismissive.
The curiosity piqued by his earlier interaction with Nora rapidly dissipated after his succinct self-introduction. This air of aloofness didn't sit well with his classmates, fostering a sense of alienation. Moreover, mentioning his rural background in a school like Methodist 3 Middle School, where most students boasted affluent family ties, only deepened the disdain directed at him.
Some girls who initially found him attractive now shook their heads, decisively abandoning any thought of getting to know him better. In this society, a handsome face could hardly compete with the advantages of wealth, background, and connections. Being good-looking was insufficient unless one aimed to be nothing more than a trophy partner.
Sitting at the far right of the first row, Brandon's furrowed brows relaxed slightly. "From the countryside, huh? I thought he was someone significant, turns out he's just a country bumpkin!" Previously, he had regarded Jonathan as a formidable rival due to Nora's affectionate behavior toward him, but now, he found it hard to maintain any interest in Jonathan.
In his view, it was likely that Jonathan had simply lived with Nora back in the same village, perhaps hinting at some childhood friendship, but nothing more. Brandon was confident in his charm and capabilities. He believed he could make Nora see the stark difference between himself and Jonathan, proving what a true man of distinction looked like.
To Brandon, someone like Jonathan, a country boy, didn't even deserve to be considered a rival.
During the break, Nora approached Jonathan, glancing at Justin who tactfully gave up his seat and wandered off to chat with others, leaving Jonathan and Nora alone at the back of the class, in a world of their own.
"Jonathan, about my mom…" Nora's eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling with emotion.
Jonathan's voice was full of regret as he responded, "I only found out about your mom's situation when I returned recently."
Jonathan had been kicked out of the Ye family and abandoned in the wilderness as a child. He survived thanks to his resilience and was eventually found unconscious by Nora's mother, Kyle Xiao, who took him in and cared for him. That was when he met Nora. He was ten years old and she was nine. They lived together for half a year, growing close during that time.
Jonathan left as soon as he was able, determined to find a way to reclaim his martial prowess. He had planned to return and cure Kyle's illness but was too late; by the time he returned, she had already passed away.
Nora was Kyle's only kin, and Jonathan felt it his duty to ensure her happiness, free from the burdens of the world.
"Don't cry, girl. Even though Mrs. Xiao is gone, you still have me. I'll always be here for you, ready to take on any storm that comes our way," Jonathan promised solemnly, his voice thick with emotion.
Touched by his words, Nora felt a mix of relief and happiness. She had never expected to see Jonathan again and was overwhelmed by the reunion.
Their moment was abruptly interrupted by a male voice from the side, "Excuse me for interrupting."
"That Brandon, always using work as an excuse to get close to the School Belle," Justin muttered disdainfully from the back.

Jonathan was indifferent; to him, Nora's exceptional beauty and popularity were all too normal.
He had enrolled at Methodist 3 Middle School solely to be closer to Nora. He chose to remain a silent guardian by her side, never intending to interfere too much with her personal affairs. Even if Nora were to like Brandon, Jonathan wouldn't object.
"By the way, Jonathan, you might not know yet, but today our school is hosting a karate training team from Crait City Middle School," Justin mentioned with a twinkle in his eye. "They are a top-notch team led by a sixth-dan Kyokushin Karate instructor from Japan. Every member is highly skilled. They're here to exchange techniques with our school's Sanda club."
"I've seen videos of those Kyokushin Karate masters online. Even though I'm not particularly fond of Japanese things, I must admit they are quite formidable. I plan to go watch them later to broaden my horizons. Care to join?"
"Kyokushin Karate?" Jonathan's expression carried a hint of mockery.
To the uninitiated, Kyokushin Karate seemed extremely lethal and impressive, but to those well-versed in the deeper arts of martial combat, such displays were merely elementary. Even a beginner in the true martial disciplines could easily overcome a ninth-dan Kyokushin Karate master.
Only someone like Justin, unfamiliar with true martial arts, would find such an event exciting.
"I'll pass. I'm not really interested in that kind of spectacle," Jonathan replied, shaking his head, which made Justin frown slightly.
Despite the impressive display of martial prowess that Sanda and Kyokushin Karate offered, Jonathan considered them mere performances. Displeased by Justin's sour demeanor, Jonathan left the classroom alone, looking to find a convenience store within the campus for a snack.
As he passed a green strip, he overheard a series of coarse threats.
"Hand over all your pocket money, fatty. You know the consequences if you resist."
Jonathan looked over coldly. A group of bullies was shaking down a trembling, chubby boy for money. Jonathan decided this wasn't his concern and turned to leave.
"What are you looking at? You, come over here. New face, huh? You see this fatty? Hand over your money or you'll end up just like him."
Jonathan shook his head; such petty thugs were not worth his attention. As he turned to leave, a basketball flew towards his head. With a scoff, he swiftly deflected it with his hand, sending it flying back at the leader of the bullies at an even faster speed.
The leader was knocked out cold by the returning basketball, leaving his cohorts stunned and frightened. They quickly gathered their unconscious leader and scrambled away.
Left alone, the chubby boy stared in awe as Jonathan walked away with a cold, detached air, leaving behind a stunned silence and a powerful impression.