After about half an hour, a few people entered the office. They were in their thirties, bustling and bustling, but I didn't see my uncle among them. A hint of disappointment settled in my heart.
"Who are you looking for? Is it Jim's parents?" Arnold asked arrogantly, his legs still crossed. He looked as arrogant as he sounded. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was the boss around here.
The group glanced around, their gaze landing on me. One of them approached and studied my face before saying, "You must be Jim. Your uncle will be here shortly. Can you hold on?"
"I'm fine!" I nodded vigorously. I was determined to endure until my uncle arrived. I had to reclaim those two slaps that Arnold had given me. I had never suffered such a humiliation from childhood to now, and this matter wouldn't be over until I did something about it!
My uncle used to say often, "When you're wrong, you must admit it, and when you're hit, you must stand your ground." But today, I wasn't in the wrong; I was the one who was initially bullied.
The few people in the room stood still, not paying any attention to Arnold. I could tell that these were my uncle's friends, probably here to check on me.
Arnold's face was full of frustration. He approached the group and asked in a loud voice, "What's this? Have you come here uninvited?"
No one responded to him, not even sparing him a glance. I thought, these people are so cool! They were clearly unfazed by Arnold's attitude. These guys were clearly adults with real-world experience. Maybe they'd even resort to violence if pushed!
Seeing that nobody was acknowledging him, Arnold's face grew darker. He raised his voice again, "Go call the security guards! Let's see who dares to act unruly here!"
Someone immediately went to call the security guards. I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for the people in front of me. But then, I heard a familiar voice – my uncle's voice.
"Excuse me, I'm Jim's guardian. Can you tell me where he is?"
Upon hearing my uncle's voice, my heart raced with excitement. Shortly after, my uncle entered the office, accompanied by a few people dressed smartly in shirts and shoes. My confidence surged.
My uncle's expression changed as soon as he saw me. I knew that my appearance must be quite pitiful, but I was relieved that he was here.
"Uncle!" My eyes welled up with tears. I poured out the whole story to him, even about the two slaps. His eyes turned red as he listened.
My uncle's face became stern, like the calm before a storm. Arnold was feeling uneasy and kept asking if the security guards were on their way.
"Is everything you said true?" My uncle asked me, each word pronounced with weight.
"Uncle! They ganged up on me, demanded money without even considering the situation, and threatened to expel me!" I pointed at Arnold. I hadn't forgotten the two slaps he had given me.
My uncle's face turned even darker. He walked up to Arnold, and I thought he was about to explode. But to my surprise, he apologized and even turned to me, kicking me twice while apologizing, "Sorry about this, little brat causing trouble for the school."
I was momentarily stunned. Though my uncle had punished me plenty in the past, these kicks felt particularly harsh, and they hit right at the core of my grievances.
"Did I not tell you before? If you hit someone, you have to pay compensation for medical expenses. No matter the reason, you have to pay!" My uncle's words left me completely baffled. This wasn't the uncle I knew. While he wasn't the most reliable person, he had always stood up for me. Arnold joined in, chuckling.
"I told you this kid's guardian would be sensible. If you hit someone, you must compensate for medical expenses. Otherwise, parents won't back down, and the school will have to report it to the police." Arnold seemed pretty pleased with himself, as if he were accustomed to parents bowing and scraping.
"We'll compensate. We'll pay. He's just a kid. Let's not involve the police. Let's discuss and resolve this issue amicably. Get out of here and wait! You've injured someone, and I can't guarantee your safety!" Suddenly, my uncle's tone shifted. He yelled at me, and I clenched my teeth to hold back tears as I walked out of the office.
I hadn't expected my uncle to act this way. Standing at the office door, I felt a whirlwind of emotions. But then I heard the sound of chairs being knocked over and tables being smashed inside the office. My uncle's voice followed, a mix of anger and fierceness.
"Who the hell do you think you are, laying a finger on my nephew? Are you tired of living, you old bastard? Do you know who the hell I am? I can hit him, but anyone who dares to touch a single hair on him better be prepared for a beating!"
"What? What did you say? You're calling me an old bastard?"
"Yeah, I'm calling you that! You think you can hit people and get away with it? Whether you like it or not, I'll pay your medical expenses now!"
Immediately after that, I heard a muffled thud from inside, as if something had been knocked over, accompanied by countless gasps and screams.
As the chaos erupted in the office, a cacophony of my uncle's furious shouts mixed with Arnold's cries of agony reached my ears. Confused and still feeling the pain from the kicks on my backside, I couldn't comprehend what was happening...
Just moments ago, my uncle had been nodding and apologizing, but I couldn't fathom how he had changed so suddenly. Had he actually laid hands on Arnold?
The sounds of commotion inside escalated, becoming more intense by the second. But just as quickly, they began to die down. Unable to resist my curiosity, I pushed open the office door. There I saw Arnold sprawled on the ground, hair disheveled, head covered in blood, and the entire office in disarray – a scene resembling a car crash.
My uncle looked baffled as he stood there, gasping for air. The others also seemed to have engaged in some kind of altercation. I was left dumbfounded, sensing an aura of dominance emanating from them.
"Uncle, what's happening..."
"It's nothing. I just got a bit carried away. It has nothing to do with you," my uncle said nonchalantly. At that moment, I felt that he was truly my uncle. But the room was a disaster, with people lying on the floor and chaos all around. How was I supposed to deal with this?
"Jim, remember this: when you hit someone, you have to pay. I'll cover the costs this time, but you'll repay me later. And if anyone dares to touch you, fight back fiercely. If something happens, you'll deal with it on your own. Uncle won't clean up your mess. Do you understand?"
"I understand," I nodded vigorously.
My uncle and the others lit cigarettes and showed no intention of leaving. They occasionally spat on the ground near Arnold. I had never seen my uncle this domineering. Not only had he hit Arnold, but he had also said those words in front of other teachers.
However, it seemed that I might not be able to continue attending this school. It appeared that I would be expelled...