Chapter 214

Words : 1260 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

"Fuck! Stop hitting me!!!!" Seeing that he still had the energy to curse, Ji Nian kicked him squarely in the ribs. "‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍Ah!!!!" Li Yuan, now a far cry from his earlier arrogance, curled into a ball, clutching his head as he tried to shrink into the corner, gasping in pain. Ji Nian recalled what Zhiliao had told her the night before—about Shen Qingtang's emotional struggles—and wondered if this piece of scum had something to do with it. When Li Yuan tried to scramble away, Ji Nian stomped on his ankle, ready to strike again, but suddenly, a hand caught her wrist. Recognizing who it was, she didn’t pull away, pausing to catch her breath before turning to look at He Xiang. He Xiang seemed to have run back in a hurry. At some point, he had pushed through the crowd and now stood beside her, his long lashes lowered as his dark, pearl-like eyes—unchanged since childhood—fixed on the speck of blood staining Ji Nian’s cheek. "Your hand." After barely gripping her wrist, He Xiang quickly let go, nodding toward her hand. Her knuckles were reddened from the force of her punches. Ji Nian took a deep breath, glancing down at Li Yuan, now swollen like a battered pig’s head. "I’m taking him to the office to confess." Before leaving, she patted He Xiang’s shoulder with her cleaner hand, just like always. "Don’t worry, it’ll be fine." Then, grabbing Li Yuan by the collar, she dragged him away without another word. He Xiang stood there, watching her go. As an outsider at school, He Xiang—who came from nothing—had long grown accustomed to the way things worked here. Ever since Li Yuan transferred into their class, the once-peaceful atmosphere had turned chaotic. From whispers among classmates, He Xiang had pieced together Li Yuan’s background. He didn’t fully understand it, but he knew it wasn’t something a kid from the mountains could challenge. He vaguely knew Ji Nian’s family wasn’t ordinary either, but he had no idea just how powerful they were. The uncertainty gnawed at him. Knowing he couldn’t protect her or even be of any use to her, He Xiang clenched his empty hands at his sides before letting them fall slack. If he couldn’t shield her himself, he’d find someone who could. With that thought, he turned and sprinted toward the third-year classrooms. Right now, to Ji Nian, He Xiang was worthless. That’s what he believed. ... "This is so satisfying. Last time, Li Yuan just took my brand-new tissue pack without even asking." "Serves him right. He’s always been such a bully." "Remember when he made me cry? I threatened to tell the teacher, and he kicked my desk over." "Is Ji Nian gonna be okay? Li Yuan’s dad is a director at Dingli. Back in seventh grade, Lv Xin told her parents after he bullied her, and she ended up transferring." As Ji Nian hauled the bruised and sobbing Li Yuan down the hall, the murmurs of onlookers buzzed around them, many faces alight with schadenfreude. After all, Li Yuan had always been obnoxious and rude, with almost no friends—just universally disliked. Shen Qingtang had been pulled aside by their homeroom teacher to discuss sports day arrangements. On her way back, she spotted Ji Nian heading toward the office, trailed by a crowd of rubbernecking students. Dragged behind her was a wailing, sniveling mess of a person, face swollen beyond recognition. It took Shen Qingtang three full seconds to realize it was her deskmate. "Ji Nian?" Quick on the uptake, Shen Qingtang immediately pieced together why Ji Nian had beaten him up. There was a reason the teacher had assigned Li Yuan as her deskmate. Though no one knew exactly what Shen Qingtang’s family did, her closeness with Gu Xiuyuan kept Li Yuan from acting out too blatantly. But the underhanded jabs never stopped. If Ji Nian had resorted to violence, he must have crossed a line. "What did he do to you?" After sparing only a glance at Li Yuan’s blood-streaked face, Shen Qingtang hurried over, her first assumption being that the idiot had provoked Ji Nian. Ji Nian shrugged. "He didn’t mess with me. He messed with Aunt Flo." Shen Qingtang: ? But... she hasn’t even gotten hers yet? Their homeroom teacher—the same one Ji Nian had back in elementary school—was summoned outside by another staff member. One look at the scene, and he froze. What the hell happened? Ji Nian offered an apologetic smile. "Teacher, I hit someone." The moment she spoke, Li Yuan let out a howl and scrambled toward the teacher on all fours, his eyes wide with terror as he glared at Ji Nian. "Call my dad! She hit me! How dare she hit me!!!" The surrounding students’ gazes flicked between Ji Nian’s slender frame and the wreck before them, all thinking the same thing— She really did this? The teacher massaged his temples. "Ji Nian, what’s the reason? I know you wouldn’t attack a classmate without cause." Having taught her for years, he trusted her character. The quiet, well-behaved young lady from the Ji Family had always left a good impression. "Because he bullies people!" "He stole Shen Qingtang’s pads, and Ji Nian caught him!" "He spreads disgusting rumors!" "He called me a slut!" Several girls peeked out from behind Ji Nian, voices trembling with anger. Ji Nian hadn’t even noticed they’d followed her. When the teacher pressed for details, they all erupted, airing Li Yuan’s long list of sins. Hearing it was about her, Shen Qingtang pulled out a wet wipe and began cleaning Ji Nian’s hands. But the moment she looked up, tears spilled over before she could speak. "Teacher, Li Yuan’s always going through my things when I’m not looking. He picks on the girls and says horrible things." Seeing Shen Qingtang cry only fueled Ji Nian’s rage. She briefly considered whether she could sneak in one more jab at this bastard later. The teacher’s expression darkened as he turned to Li Yuan. "Who gave you the right to torment your classmates!?" Once the tears dried, Shen Qingtang wiped her face, all traces of fragility gone as she meticulously cleaned Ji Nian’s fingers. Before transferring, Li Yuan had always been coddled—no teacher had ever scolded him. Furious, he remembered his phone and immediately called his father. "Dad! Someone hit me!!!" As he spoke, his venomous gaze swept over Ji Nian, the others, and the teacher. He was his father’s late-life miracle child, the apple of the family’s eye. Though their status in S City had once been modest, they’d recently struck gold—his father had secured a supplier deal with the Ji Family. That was why Li Yuan had acted with impunity, knowing his father would always bail him out. Sure enough, the moment his dad heard his precious son had been beaten, he dispatched a lawyer. Amid the chaos, the teacher discreetly pulled Ji Nian aside. He knew she was sharp. "Ji Nian, Li Yuan’s family... they’re not easy to deal with. About this situation..." The reason Li Yuan had been transferred in the first place was because he’d driven his previous homeroom teacher to the brink. And whenever something happened, his family always targeted the teachers first. The principal had no choice but to shuffle him into Class 1. Ji Nian toyed with the wet wipe Shen Qingtang had given her, entirely unruffled as she smiled reassuringly at the tense teacher. "Don’t worry, sir." "It’s not like he’s the only one who can call their parents."

Chapter 214

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