Though he ultimately secured not a single firearm, Xiang Ri was nonetheless quite satisfied with the outcome—after all, he could now indulge in several complimentary lunches. Yes, lunches—his own insistence, as he sought to debunk the age-old adage that "there's no such thing as a free lunch."
Before departing, he cast a rather lecherous glance at the beauty with veins pulsating at her temples, feeling a lightness in his mood as he hummed an indiscernible tune while striding toward the campus gates. Yet, a fleeting pang of regret lingered; why wasn't Tie Wan embedded in this operation? After all, he was a significant threat; her presence here could have led to a passionate love story unfolding between them.
With his mind swirling in unwholesome fantasies, envisioning how it would be to undress a certain female officer, he was suddenly jolted from his daydream when an unruly youth charged up and slapped him on the shoulder.
Instinctively, Xiang Ri executed a swift shoulder throw, sending the delinquent sprawling several meters away, where he lay groaning on the ground.
"Who are you?" Xiang Ri seethed, his eyes icy and his demeanor akin to an enraged lion disturbed from its slumber.
"Big Brother, I'm a subordinate of Monkey." The youth trembled as he struggled to rise.
"Monkey sent you?" A flicker of intrigue sparked within Xiang Ri. Had there been progress on that matter?
"Yes, Big Brother. Monkey asked me to deliver this to you." The youth fumbled through his pocket, producing a stack of papers densely filled with handwritten notes.
Xiang Ri accepted the papers with an impassive expression, flipping through them casually until a gleam of delight brightened his face. To his surprise, Monkey was remarkably efficient—there were leads already! Folding the papers neatly, he addressed the youth, "Return to Monkey and tell him he's done well, but it's not over yet. He must continue to pursue this matter and inform me immediately of any developments."
"Yes, Big Brother, I'll certainly relay your message to Monkey. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." The youth, clearly terrified by the imposing figure before him, had just been thrown around like a rag doll and was uncertain if he had sustained any injuries—departing swiftly seemed wise.
"Wait! Do you have a phone on you? Hand it over!"
"Yes, yes!" The youth, trembling with fear, retrieved his phone and handed it to him.
Xiang Ri took the phone, inputting a number before returning it. "This is my number. Have Monkey send me his bank account details, and I'll transfer the remaining payment."
"Of course, Big Brother! I'll follow your instructions."
"By the way…" Xiang Ri interrupted the youth, pulling out a wad of cash from his pocket. "This is your reward for running errands. You should also get checked out at the hospital; that fall may have caused some issues."
"Thank you, Big Brother! Thank you so much!" The youth was overcome with emotion, tears in his eyes. He had heard tales of Big Brother's generosity; this sum must be at least ten or twenty thousand! He felt he had truly struck it rich.
"Now, be off with you!" Xiang Ri was not accustomed to a grown man weeping in his presence; an observer might misconstrue it as a peculiar inclination of his.
Ignoring the youth's incessant gratitude, Xiang Ri strode into the campus, only to be confronted by a spirited female student. It was none other than his long-absent disciple, Shi Qing.
In the brief week since they last met, Shi Qing appeared to have lost weight, her complexion pale and drawn. A frown marred her features, as though an unseen burden weighed heavily upon her. Her eyes lacked focus, staring blankly ahead, oblivious even to the rogue several steps away.
"Xiao Qing!" Xiang Ri gazed at her nearly colorless face with a pang of concern, berating himself for his own monstrous nature.
"Ah!" Shi Qing shrieked, glancing around frantically until she spotted Xiang Ri in the distance. Her face went pale, as though she had recalled some dreadful memory; she trembled and turned to flee, akin to a startled rabbit.
"Hey!" Xiang Ri raised his hand as if to call out, but the words caught in his throat. Assessing himself, he wondered if he truly appeared that fearsome. After all, she was the one who had struck him that day; if anyone should be afraid, it ought to be him.
Shaking off the unsettling thoughts, he entered the classroom, determined to cast aside his misgivings.
A sudden gust of wind swept from behind, and without a moment's thought, Xiang Ri instinctively reached back with a swift cut of his hand. "Ah!" A startled cry echoed, followed by a cacophony of sounds as numerous items tumbled to the ground.
The previously boisterous classroom fell into a hush, with even the faintest sounds of swallowed saliva and pounding hearts now audible. All eyes were fixed on the rogue, who still had his hand outstretched. After a brief pause, the students snapped back to reality, rushing from their seats—specifically, the female teacher behind him, frantically gathering the scattered books.
"Teacher Song, are you alright?"
"Yes, Teacher Song, did you hurt yourself?"
"Teacher Song, should we take you to the infirmary for a check-up?"
Regardless of gender, the students gathered around, even the male teacher who had initially harbored ulterior motives for being present now joined in, all speaking over one another as they offered assistance, some even beginning to pick up the scattered lesson plans.
Xiang Ri stood frozen, withdrawing his hand, the lingering sensation of icy slickness still on his fingertips. He dared not turn around, fearing he might encounter the face that sent tremors through his heart.
"Oh dear, Teacher Song, you're bleeding!"
"Oh my, there's really blood! Quick, someone get a tissue!"
"Teacher Song, you should go to the infirmary!"
The collective gasps reverberated through the room, causing Xiang Ri to shudder, compelling him to glance back.
A female teacher in a light blue suit was kneeling quietly on the floor, one hand gathering the materials assisted by others, while the other clutched a white tissue to her nose, from which a crimson stream flowed, staining the pristine fabric—a heart-wrenching sight.
"Xiang Kui!" A tall male colleague glared at him, fists clenched as if he intended to devour him whole.
It dawned on everyone that the culprit stood nearby, their gazes converging on Xiang Ri. The boys, already embittered by his allure of two stunning beauties, particularly the fierce Shi Qing, were reluctant to provoke her, yet it was intolerable that a mere nobody had outmaneuvered them. This time, he had struck down their dream girl, Teacher Song, and any man would feel obliged to give him a thorough thrashing.
In contrast to the boys, whose knuckles cracked ominously, the girls wore expressions of fierce indignation, their teeth grinding in a collective determination, thirsting for vengeance.
"You did that on purpose!" shouted one clearly older man, sporting a stylish goatee, pointing accusingly at Xiang Ri.
"Absolutely! We must expel this kind of miscreant from our sacred institution—such scum should not defile these hallowed halls!" another flamboyant man escalated the outrage.
"If this weren't in school, you'd be in for it!" threatened a clearly athletic man, flexing his muscles in a display of intimidation.
The crowd continued to rally against him, oblivious to the fact that he was gazing at a singular point with a complicated expression.
"No, I'm fine. It's not this student's fault; I simply walked carelessly." A soft voice emerged, cutting through the cacophony as the female teacher pushed through the throng.
Xiang Ri gazed at her familiar yet foreign face, murmuring, "Xiao Song—"
The teacher trembled, wide-eyed with disbelief, her voice charged with emotion. "You—you know me?"
"You are my teacher; of course, I know you," Xiang Ri replied, his senses sharpening as his expression grew more natural.
"I knew it! You couldn't possibly be him…" Song Qiuheng's gaze dimmed as she whispered to herself; had Xiang Ri not been closest to her, she would not have caught her words.
"Alright, everyone, return to your seats. Class will commence shortly." Suddenly, Song Qiuheng swept away her melancholy, regaining her confidence.
"Teacher, you're just letting him off the hook?"
"Yes, Teacher Song, students like him—"
"Everyone, don't worry. I'm fine, really! It's just a little blood, and science shows that a bit of blood loss can actually be beneficial to one's health. Moreover, this student didn't mean any harm; we ought to forgive him."
Though the students were unconvinced, they feigned indifference as the protagonist himself dismissed any grievances, while secretly plotting their revenge.
Xiang Ri walked toward the back of the classroom as if nothing had transpired, enduring the scornful glances of his classmates, which he completely disregarded.
"She's still so kind!" he thought to himself.