The female student who had just given Lin Fan the love letter hid behind a tree, quietly peeking.
She wanted to know how Chen Yang would react to the letter she had sent.
She had thought about it for many days before finally summoning the courage to deliver it.
But seeing Chen Yang being led away by Tang Jie towards the school gates made her nervous.
They were the bad students, and they were going to bully Chen Yang again.
In her heart, Chen Yang was a refined boy, clean, soft-spoken, and gentle. Many female classmates said Chen Yang was effeminate and preferred someone like Tang Jie, who seemed to offer a sense of security and was popular.
When arguing with other girls, they would be intimidated if they heard who her boyfriend was, someone known for fighting at school and having connections outside.
She hated these bad students the most. School was a place for learning, a place that should be beautiful, not a place for bullying.
In the alleyway, Tang Jie shoved Lin Fan against the wall, his face menacing. "You were pretty cocky just now."
After saying this, Tang Jie kicked at Lin Fan's shin.
Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged.
Tang Jie's face twisted in pain; his foot ached as if he had kicked a steel plate.
The surrounding students snickered. Some took out cigarettes, distributing them among themselves, and puffed away. They didn't take Chen Yang seriously at all. To them, Chen Yang was a fish on a chopping board, facing them, the bad students.
Could he even fight back?
"Hand over your money," Tang Jie demanded.
"Money? Are you talking about this paper?" Lin Fan pulled out the money from his pocket, a smile on his face. "If my classmates need it, I have no objections. I'm happy to help others."
"Cut the crap! Who needs your help? We're extorting you! From now on, every day you'll come here obediently and hand over your money. If you miss a day, you're dead." Tang Jie grabbed Lin Fan's collar, his expression fierce as he threatened him.
He enjoyed bullying others. Seeing the fear in their faces gave him immense satisfaction.
"Stop!"
A figure appeared at the entrance of the alley.
Cao Fangfang was scared, but she spoke bravely, "How can you bully your classmates? I'll tell the teacher."
Tang Jie glanced at her. "Mind your own business and get lost."
One of the boys said, "Hey, isn't she Cao Fangfang from Class 6? Didn't someone confess to her last time and get rejected outright?"
Cao Fangfang shouted, "Chen Yang, come quickly! Let's go tell the teacher together."
Lin Fan looked at Cao Fangfang. She was the girl who had just given him the love letter.
What a brave person.
Tang Jie ignored Cao Fangfang and forcibly searched Lin Fan's pockets, pulling out the love letter Cao Fangfang had just given him.
"Whoa! A love letter! Someone actually sent Chen Yang a love letter! I want to see who sent it and then beat Chen Yang up in front of her. Let her see how badly we can beat up the Chen Yang she likes."
"Cao Fangfang, hahaha… You're Cao Fangfang! So, this love letter is from you. Let me read what it says."
This was what Tang Jie enjoyed doing most: building his happiness on the suffering of others.
"Don't read it!" Cao Fangfang's eyes reddened with anger. It was the love letter she had mustered the courage to write, not many words, but words she had thought about for a long time, huddled under her covers.
Her protest only fueled Tang Jie's and the others' desire to read it.
Slap!
Lin Fan grabbed Tang Jie's wrist, calmly saying, "Classmate, you've gone too far. You can't do this."
"Damn you!" Tang Jie tried to slap Chen Yang.
But…
Bang!
Lin Fan pulled Tang Jie forcefully and shoved him against the wall. The force was considerable, and the back of Tang Jie's head collided with the wall. The pain made him clutch his head, almost crying out.
Everyone stared in disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost.
"What are you waiting for? Hit him!" Tang Jie yelled.
The students who hung around with Tang Jie looked at each other. The usually weak and gentle Chen Yang had become surprisingly strong, startling them.
Lin Fan glanced at them coldly.
Their eyes met Lin Fan's, and they felt a flicker of fear.
Lin Fan raised his hand, clenched his fist, and swung at Tang Jie. Tang Jie's eyes widened, feeling the force of the punch, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
Bang!
Tang Jie heard a loud noise beside his ear, followed by a sharp pain. Small stones had cut his ear.
He opened his eyes.
He fearfully turned his head and saw that Lin Fan had punched the wall.
The wall was slightly dented, with cracks spreading around the impact.
"Classmate, your behavior is excessive. If you continue like this, I won't be polite," Lin Fan said calmly.
His fist was bloody; it was Lin Fan's blood. Punching the rough concrete wall with his bare hand had naturally caused injury.
He released Tang Jie, grabbed the corner of his shirt, and wiped the blood from his fist.
"Don't bully people anymore, do you hear me?"
As Lin Fan wiped the blood, his calm expression was somewhat frightening, almost inhuman, sending chills down their spines.
"I… I hear you," Tang Jie stammered, clearly terrified by Lin Fan.
He had never seen anyone punch a dent into a wall.
If that punch had landed on his face…
The thought was terrifying.
Lin Fan patted Tang Jie's face gently, a comforting smile appearing on his face. "Good student, go home for dinner. Your family is waiting for you. Eat more and gain some weight. You're a bit thin, and being thin isn't good."
The students who followed Tang Jie looked at Lin Fan in fear.
"Chen Yang, we won't do it again, goodbye."
They fled in a hurry. They were just kids… where had they ever seen anything like this?
Tang Jie scrambled away as well.
Lin Fan picked up the fallen love letter and walked towards Cao Fangfang with a smile, extending his hand.
"Hello, classmate."
Cao Fangfang looked at Lin Fan's face. His smile seemed to brighten, like the sun, radiating warmth.
She took Lin Fan's hand.
Only one thought filled her mind:
Such a warm palm.
Such a soft hand.
Such slender fingers, such clean nails, so beautiful.
How she wished she could hold this hand every day.
"Chen… Chen Yang, can you be my boyfriend?" Cao Fangfang mustered her courage and confessed, her face flushing crimson with shyness.
"No," Lin Fan replied calmly.
Then he walked towards the bus stop.
Crack!
The sound of something shattering.
Cao Fangfang felt her hopeful heart suddenly break, mercilessly shattered.
Sob…
Cao Fangfang squatted down and cried.
First love!
Gone!