In a posh yet traditional office with old-fashioned furniture, a man with windsor reading glasses hanging low at the tip of his nose pushed them back up nervously his palms sweaty.
In front of him was a stern-faced handsome man sitting with his leg crossed at the knee while rubbing his thumb and index finger slowly like he was contemplating how to end this man's poor life in an instant.
Sitting beside him was a much more approachable young man with a very stunning appearance and a childish air around him despite being a full-fledged adult. He was dressed youthfully and full of vigour than when compared to his counterpart.
The glasses man's gaze happened to fall on the young man's collar and he saw a purple bruise as entrancing as a blossoming pansy flower at the beginning of spring peering through his t-shirt.
He didn't want to look but it was just right there in his face. He truly couldn't help himself. Before he could extricate himself from the situation he felt an unbearable chill spread all over his body making him freeze on the spot like he had been electrocuted.
He couldn't afford to offend this great buddha so he cleared his throat nervously before a deep charming voice spoke to him, "Principal Sing, would you like some water?"
Qie Ranzhe turned his head sharply and stared at his husband with a little grievance in his eyes. Wen Qinxi squeezed his hand underneath the table his glance directly translating to 'don't you fucking dare scare our kid's principle'. Qie Ranzhe sighed softly and tried to give the principal a stiff smile but it was like being smiled at by Pennywise in the storm drain.
Principal Sing pushed up his glasses his nerves stretched taut like he was about to pass out from fright. He cleared his throat again only for the door to get kicked open with a loud bang.
In walked a very gorgeous woman draped in very expensive apparel. When she moved, her long luscious hair swayed with her hips and waist. She pinched the lit cigarette in between her fingers while glancing at the pair of dads. With a loud exclamation of annoyance she said, "Argh, it had to be the gays."
Wen Qinxi, "..."
Qie Ranzhe's expression turned a few degrees colder as he glowered at her. Principal Sing could see that if he didn't diffuse the situation things will boil over like hot lava in an active volcano.
"Miss miss Luo... we don't tolerate such discrimination in our school," he said but Miss Lou sat down on the only available seat while nonchalantly taking a long drag of her cigarette like she didn't care.
The principal looked like he was about to have a heart attack. She not only had a loose mouth but she was also smoking in his office. He knew he should do something but the clash of these titans was inevitable.
Miss Luo relaxed her back on the backrest of the seat and showed a slight quirk at the corner of her lips while puffing out a stream of smoke.
"Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with your sexuality. What's that got to do with me?... My problem with you is your failure to discipline your son. Talk about bad parenting."
Wen Qinxi didn't get pissed off when she said it's the gays in a contemptuous tone but being called a bad parent was where he drew the line.
"Who are you calling a bad parent?" he said looking like he was about to fight somebody but as a good citizen, he had to restrain himself.
"If the shoe fits," she replied and Wen Qinxi almost lost his cool. If it weren't for Qie Ranzhe holding him back he would have said something he might regret.
Miss Luo smiled slyly before calling out, "Muchen come here."
The boy sitting outside the office hesitated to move. His preppy uniform was torn and his lip was busted but he wasn't in pain. He glanced at the boy sitting next to him. The boy had his head low and his fingers squeezing the edge of the seat tightly. The redness on the boy's knuckles was especially noticeable.
It was obvious he was the perpetrator but the victim looked more worried for him than himself.
"Muchen, don't make me call you twice," said the woman's voice and Luo Muchen didn't hesitate anymore.
He stood up but kept looking back. When the lonely figure didn't raise his head to look at him Luo Muchen showed a fleeting glint of disappointment in his eyes but it vanished as quickly as it came.
When he stepped into the office, Qie Xieling slowly raised his head his expression sullen. His dad had told him not to use his hands but his words yet he had done the exact thing his dad told him not to do.
Normally he was a very good kid. He did everything he was told in time. He did his homework without being asked and helped dad at any chance he got. He was a good-tempered kid but this Luo Muchen really got on his nerve and before he knew it they were rolling on the school playground fighting. To be exact it was him hitting Luo Muchen and the other didn't fight back which was puzzling.
Qie Xieling sat there for ten minutes with the fear of god in him. From where he was he could hear the adults talking and he was shaking his leg out of nervousness. After that, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the office and Luo Muchen's mother came out with Luo Muchen walking behind her.
When his eyes met with Miss Luo she snorted coldly as she passed him. Qie Xieling didn't dare look at Luo Muchen like he had vowed not to look at him again. He had decided from henceforth that he would treat him like air better yet treat him like he didn't exist.
Luo Muchen pursed his lips and followed his mother in silence. Just when the pair left and he was about to exhale his caught breath, he saw a pair of leather shoes step in front of him.
Qie Xieling closed his eyes his heart sinking in the pit of his stomach. He knew that punishment was inevitable but despite him being prepared for it he still felt nervous.
"Let's go," said Qie Ranzhe in a commanding tone that made it very impossible to negotiate. He nodded his head and got up on his short legs before following behind his father.
As for his dad? Wen Qinxi had already gone ahead. It seemed he was even more upset with Qie Xieling than Qie Ranzhe. He was the most upset but he was also the most lenient which wasn't necessarily a good thing.