As Hu Jiaojiao was caught up in her own worries, the school's dismissal bell rang.
Oh no, Hu Jiaojiao thought.
Biting her lip, Hu Jiaojiao steeled herself and said, "Jian Yiling, I'm ready. I'll call the police anytime!" She already had the number dialed on her phone, just one press away from making the call. It was obvious she was nervous, her hand trembling slightly.
In contrast, Jian Yiling, the person at the center of it all, showed no signs of panic. Her eyes were clear and calm, her expression as indifferent as always. Hu Jiaojiao couldn't help but admire her.
Jian Yiling is so calm! If it were me, I would've been in tears by now!
It was clear: Jian Yiling was in a league beyond her.
As they walked towards the school gate together, they spotted Cheng Yi waiting for Jian Yiling. Dressed in light gray casual clothes and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, he looked scholarly and refined. Jian Yiling's eyes showed a hint of confusion when she saw him.
She had only asked for two security guards to pick her up, so why was Cheng Yi here?
Cheng Yi greeted her with a gentle smile, the kind that resembled a friendly older brother, and reassured her, "Don't worry, those thugs at the gate are already being dealt with. You're safe now."
While Luo Xiu'en was handling the fighting, Cheng Yi's job was to escort Jian Yiling home safely.
"Why did you come too?" Jian Yiling asked, tilting her head up to look at him, puzzled. She had only requested two security guards. Cheng Yi, as someone always busy, surely didn't need to be here.
"You're in trouble, so of course I came," Cheng Yi replied, chuckling at her adorably confused expression. To him, it was only natural to come when someone from the institute needed help. He'd do the same for anyone else in the research institute, with the exception of Luo Xiu'en—she could handle herself.
Cheng Yi's answer seemed so logical, but Jian Yiling just stared at him for a while, lost in thought.
While she was gazing at him, Cheng Yi walked forward and took Jian Yiling's heavy school bag from her shoulders, carrying it himself. Even though Jian Yiling always tried to bring as few books as possible, her high school bag was still hefty, especially considering her small frame.
Standing beside Jian Yiling, Hu Jiaojiao was utterly confused, her mind racing as she tried to figure out who this man was. After a moment of contemplation, she assumed that Cheng Yi must be one of Jian Yiling's older brothers. She had heard that Jian Yiling had several older brothers, and this man could be one of them.
Now that one of Jian Yiling's family members had shown up, Hu Jiaojiao felt slightly more at ease. Whatever was happening at the gate seemed less of a problem now. But just in case, she kept a tight grip on her phone, still ready to dial the police if needed.
As Cheng Yi led Jian Yiling out of the school gate, both Jian Yiling and Hu Jiaojiao saw the four men lying on the ground, including the so-called "romantic" thug who had made a spectacle of himself.
The scene before them was nothing like what they had expected.
"Wha… what happened?" Hu Jiaojiao stammered, visibly shaken. The sight of the four men sprawled out left her on edge, her thumb hovering over the call button, trembling as if she might accidentally press it at any moment.
"Don't worry, they're with us," Cheng Yi said calmly, trying to reassure her.
Hu Jiaojiao, relieved, finally moved her hand away from the phone. If they were "with them," then they couldn't be a threat, right? She sighed in relief, her tension melting away.
Now that she had calmed down, Hu Jiaojiao's attention was drawn to Luo Xiu'en. She had never seen a woman beat up four grown men before, let alone make it look so effortless.
In Hu Jiaojiao's eyes, the four men looked like helpless little chicks in front of Luo Xiu'en.
This... this is amazing! So cool!