Chapter 17: Scooter Escort

The Rolls-Royce driver’s posture was beyond reproach. He kept his waist bent low.

Gu Yanli sat in the SUV, one hand resting on the steering wheel, his dark eyes fixed on Xu Zhou as if Xu Zhou were prey bound for his net.

Xu Zhou stood on the steps. The wind lifted the hem of his clothes.

He looked left. Then he looked right.

“Mr. Xu?” the Rolls-Royce driver prompted in a low voice.

Gu Yanli said nothing. His index finger tapped against the steering wheel, one dull beat after another. Every tap sounded like a countdown.

Xu Zhou’s fingers in his pocket touched the small key that still carried Mateo’s warmth.

He sighed to himself. Then, his face blank, he walked down the steps.

He did not walk toward the Rolls-Royce. He did not walk toward the SUV either.

He passed both cars and headed for the row of red-and-green rides parked along the green belt by the curb.

They were St. Lester low-carbon, eco-friendly, single-person electric scooters.

He took out his terminal and scanned the QR code on the front of a scooter.

A green light came on, along with a crisp system chime.

[St. Lester Green Travel wishes you a pleasant trip.]

The Rolls-Royce driver’s smile froze.

Gu Yanli’s tapping finger paused slightly too. His eyelids lifted at last.

Xu Zhou put one foot on the scooter, grabbed the handlebars, and turned to the Rolls-Royce driver with a polite smile.

“Sorry, I get carsick. Please tell Senior Vale I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Without even a glance at Gu Yanli, he twisted the throttle with his right hand.

Whirrr.

The electric scooter gave a soft motor hum and slid out along the bicycle lane.

Because the scooter was speed-limited to fifteen kilometers per hour, Xu Zhou’s back in the morning mist looked serene, slow, and absurdly unbothered by the world.

Behind him, a low engine note sounded.

The huge black SUV crept along in low gear, trailing right behind the scooter.

Its massive body nearly blocked the entire one-lane road. It was like a black beast escorting a slow turtle.

Behind the SUV, the Rolls-Royce, the symbol of ultimate luxury, had to put on its hazard lights and crawl along at a speed just as agonizing for its driver.

On St. Lester’s main campus road, students hurrying to their early-morning class stopped one after another.

They rubbed their eyes, thinking that getting up too early had given them hallucinations.

A pretty Eastern sweetheart in a school uniform rode a shared scooter at the front, his face blank.

Behind him came the Disciplinary Committee president’s personal vehicle. Behind that was the Black Rose Society’s welcome car.

Even the imperial family on an outing could hardly have made a grander procession.

Watching the faces on both sides shift from shock to hungry curiosity, Xu Zhou tightened his grip on the handlebars.

Fine. By noon, the campus forum would definitely have a post at the top about Xu Zhou, the special-admission student, who was stringing along two people at once and had been cornered on the street by Gu Yanli and Theodore.

He had never in his life wanted to wear a mask so badly.

Ten minutes later, at the student council building.

Xu Zhou parked the scooter, locked it, and paid.

The SUV and the Rolls-Royce behind him cut their engines at the same time.

Gu Yanli pushed his door open and got out. His Disciplinary Committee uniform was immaculate, and his leather shoes clicked on the marble floor.

He walked to Xu Zhou’s side and glanced at the black hair the ride had tousled.

“Fun?” Gu Yanli asked, his voice icy.

“Pretty eco-friendly, President. It also gives me some exercise.” Xu Zhou straightened his uniform collar. His expression was completely unbothered.

Gu Yanli gave a cold snort. He didn’t expose that little bit of passive resistance and took the stairs first on his long legs.

The Life Department’s tea room was on the third floor of the main building.

In name, it was a tea room. In reality, it was where the Life Department’s senior members received honored guests and held private discussions.

The ornately carved European double doors stood open. Inside, thick Persian rugs lay on the floor, and the air was filled with the fragrance of top-grade Darjeeling black tea.

Theodore Vale was sitting in an armchair by the window.

Today he wore a cream cashmere sweater, with a snow-white collar showing at the neck. Gold-rimmed glasses rested on his straight nose. He looked gentle and refined, like an English gentleman who had just stepped out of a painting.

When Theodore saw Xu Zhou come in, his lips curved slightly. When his gaze swept to Gu Yanli behind Xu Zhou, his smile deepened.

“Have a seat, junior.”

He pointed to the single sofa across from him. His tone was as familiar as if he hadn’t been the one sending provocative messages last night.

Xu Zhou went over and sat down. The chain round his ankle made a soft clink at the boundary between marble and carpet.

Theodore lowered his eyes. Behind his glasses, his gaze rested for half a second on the exposed stretch of Xu Zhou’s pale ankle. He let out a sigh, a touch of helplessness in it.

“President Gu is still as heavy-handed as ever. Skin this beautiful, locked in cold metal like this. What a waste.”

Gu Yanli sat down at the other end of the long table, hands folded over one knee. His black gloves made him look cold and ascetic.

“If Vice President Vale has any complaints about the Disciplinary Committee’s security equipment, he can submit a compliance revision proposal directly to the principal’s office.” Gu Yanli’s voice was flat. “If it’s only a verbal complaint, there’s no need to waste everyone’s time. Bring out the registration form.”

Theodore let out a low laugh, not offended.

He pushed an elegantly gold-embossed file toward Xu Zhou, along with a fountain pen.

“Routine business, junior.” Theodore looked at Xu Zhou and tapped the file with slender fingers.

“Sign this equipment registration form. Of course, according to procedure, I need to verify the frequency band of the release key, to make sure the Disciplinary Committee didn’t use a prohibited military-grade lock.”

He raised his eyes and gave Xu Zhou a warm look. “Did you bring the key?”

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