"Xiao Hao!" A coarse shout reverberated through the classroom, and a group of figures appeared at the doorway.
Leading the group was a bald young man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, one hand casually shoved into his pants in an indecent manner. The others behind him wore similarly menacing expressions, their exposed arms adorned with tattoos—some depicting flowers, others fierce, terrifying beasts.
"Brother Shanji, you're here!" Lin Zihao greeted him with a sycophantic smile, rushing forward.
"Mm." The bald man responded curtly, his eyes sweeping across the classroom until they landed on two adorable girls. His gaze brightened. "Well, well, aren't there two little beauties here."
"Indeed, Brother Shanji. Allow me to introduce you," Lin Zihao chimed in, gesturing toward Hao Meng. "This is my big sister—the head honcho herself. But let me tell you, she's much prettier in person."
"Ah, so it's the big boss! My apologies! How about we grab a drink sometime? My treat!" Shanji drawled with feigned enthusiasm.
"No need, I don't drink," Hao Meng declined curtly, her brows furrowing. The sight of these hooligans had already stirred a deep disgust within her. If they hadn't been summoned by her own side, she'd have stormed out by now.
"Drinks or juice, whatever suits you." Shanji nonchalantly whistled, then turned to Lin Zihao. "Xiao Hao, who did you say needed a lesson? My hands have been itching for some action."
Lin Zihao pointed toward two trembling students in the middle of the classroom. "There, that green-haired one. Remember him, Brother Shanji?"
"Ah, it's you, Greenie!" Shanji sneered. "How convenient! I've been thinking about how unsatisfying it was to let you off last time. Now here we are again. So, what's it going to be? Are you rolling over here for your beating, or should I come to you? Let me be clear, if I have to come to you, you won't walk away unscathed."
The green-haired student trembled visibly, his terror evident. Helpless, he turned pleading eyes toward the newly appointed "big sister," Zeng Nan.
Unnerved by his pitiful expression, Zeng Nan felt a pang of sympathy. She had no desire to see her classmates suffer and boldly stepped forward, addressing Shanji with a glare. "Hey, Baldy! Didn't you get enough last time? Back for more?"
"You little brat! How dare you—" Shanji's retort faltered as his gaze locked onto her face. Recognition dawned, and he stiffened. "It's you?" His eyes darted nervously around the room as if searching for someone terrifying.
"Of course, it's me." Zeng Nan smirked knowingly. She could see his fear and quickly deduced that he must be wary of a certain someone. Otherwise, why would he act so guilty?
"Ah, so it is you. What a coincidence," Shanji muttered, his tone forced. "Last time, someone had your back. But this time, they're not here, are they? I'll settle the score now." His eyes gleamed with malice as he advanced.
"Don't be so sure." Zeng Nan's voice took on a mysterious edge. "My brother could show up at any moment."
"You're calling that guy your brother?" Shanji hesitated, skeptical. The events of last time played in his mind. This girl had clearly misunderstood him to be an ally of that lunatic. Was she now trying to use the lunatic's reputation to scare him?
Deciding to call her bluff, Shanji grinned wickedly. "Little girl, you'll have to try harder than that to fool me. This time, I'm collecting what's owed—with interest!" He rubbed his bald head, recalling the ridicule he'd endured last time when his head was left swollen like a Buddha's.
"Don't you dare..." Zeng Nan shouted sternly, though her voice betrayed a hint of fear. She hadn't expected him to be immune to her threats. "Take one more step, and I'll call for help! This is a school!"
"Go ahead and scream," Shanji sneered. "Scream all you like. No one will come to your rescue!" His lewd smile widened as he edged closer. "But if you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll let you off—and promise no one will ever bully you again. What do you say?"
"Dream on!" Zeng Nan spat, her voice filled with fury.
"Then so be it." Shanji shrugged, suddenly grabbing a chair nearby. "You humiliated me last time; now let's see who comes to your rescue!" He moved menacingly toward her.
"Brother Shanji, p-please don't," Greenie stammered, his voice quaking. "Zeng Nan has a really powerful brother. If you touch her, he'll kill you!"
"Is that so?" Shanji turned his malevolent gaze toward Greenie. "Then I'll deal with you first!" With that, he hurled the chair at him.
Greenie dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding the flying chair, which smashed into a row of desks, scattering them across the floor.
Hao Meng scowled deeply at the chaos. Grabbing Lin Zihao by the arm, she hissed, "Didn't you say it was just some minor scuffle? This is practically attempted murder! Do something—they're our classmates!"
"I-it should be fine, right?" Lin Zihao stammered, his face pale with fear. There was no way he'd risk getting involved.
"Should be?" Hao Meng shot him a furious glare, then turned toward the escalating conflict, muttering, "You coward! I'll deal with you later!" She prepared to intervene when a disgruntled voice echoed from the doorway.
"What kind of lousy school is this? Took me ages just to find the classroom!"
The unexpected voice froze everyone in their tracks.
Shanji stiffened, the chair slipping from his hands. His entire body went rigid, his expression a mixture of dread and despair, as though he'd just seen a ghost.
Zeng Nan's initial shock turned into shy delight. She had just sworn that if someone came to save her now, she would agree to be their girlfriend. And now, here he was. Was this fate?
Greenie and his companion, on the verge of tears, looked as if they had just seen salvation.
Lin Zihao and Guan Guang stared at the newcomer with complicated expressions—disbelief, awe, and admiration blending together as they gazed at the bespectacled man with his right hand wrapped in thick bandages.
Hao Meng acted decisively, abandoning her initial path and sprinting toward the door. "Teacher!" she cried out.
"Don't be so enthusiastic!" the newcomer interjected, raising his uninjured hand to stop her approach. While he wouldn't mind an embrace from a sweet girl, her charge was far too energetic—he feared she might accidentally bump his injured hand.
"Teacher, you're so annoying!" Hao Meng pouted playfully, though her radiant smile betrayed her delight. With this "martial arts expert" of a teacher around, all problems would surely be resolved. Though she found it odd that he had come to the school seeking her, she decided the pressing issue at hand deserved priority. "Teacher, come on in! There are outsiders bullying us!"
"Oh? Who dares to bully you? Let me teach them a lesson!" Xiang Ri declared, his face a mask of righteous indignation as Hao Meng tugged him into the classroom.
At that moment, Zeng Nan hurried over. Upon seeing Xiang Ri with that "idiotic woman" clinging to his arm, she felt a twinge of displeasure. After all, fate had seemingly declared this man her "boyfriend." Nevertheless, she masked her annoyance with a sweet smile and warmly greeted him, "Brother!" Without hesitation, she claimed his right arm for herself.
"Be careful," Xiang Ri cautioned, a trace of worry in his tone. Though he knew her "brotherly" affection stemmed from a misunderstanding of his offhanded remark, he found the role of doting brother rather agreeable. At least for now, the soft sensation against his arm was not unpleasant. In a few years, he mused, she might truly become quite extraordinary.
"I know!" Zeng Nan stuck out her tongue mischievously. Having witnessed the events at the bar last time, she was well aware of his injured hand and made a conscious effort to avoid touching the wounded area.
"Good," Xiang Ri said approvingly, pleased with her attentiveness. His gaze shifted to the group of men, clearly not students, loitering in the classroom. "Xiao Meng, were these the ones bullying you?"
"Yes, it was them!" Hao Meng affirmed with certainty.
Zeng Nan, however, couldn't resist a jab. "How ironic—thieves crying foul! Someone seems to have conveniently forgotten her own role in this mess." Her dissatisfaction was evident as she glanced resentfully at the "idiotic woman," annoyed that Xiang Ri had questioned her first.
"What are you implying, Zeng Nan?" Hao Meng snapped, her eyes blazing.
"Why not just admit it? Those outsiders were clearly invited by you!" Zeng Nan retorted without a hint of fear, meeting her rival's glare head-on.
"You... You're slandering me!"
"Slandering? It's the truth!"
"I—"
"Enough!" Xiang Ri interrupted before their verbal sparring escalated into something physical. He turned his attention to the troublemakers, redirecting the tension. "You lot! Get over here! Now explain yourselves—what's going on? How dare you cause trouble in a school? Damn it, don't you know I despise scum who bring chaos to school grounds?"
The bald man flinched but nervously stammered, "Boss, it's not our fault! We were just—"
"Shut up!" Xiang Ri cut him off sharply. "Don't try to worm your way out of this. You think I can't see what's going on? You're clearly here to make trouble!"
"That's right, Brother! That bald guy even tried to hit me with a chair just now!" Zeng Nan eagerly added, fanning the flames.
Shan Ji regretted his actions so deeply he almost wished for death. He had never imagined that the little girl was actually the man's sister. Had he known, he would never have done something so foolish. But it was too late for regrets now; all he could do was plead desperately for forgiveness.
Xiang Ri waved his hand dismissively. "Why are you begging me? That depends on my sister. If she forgives you, I might consider letting this go."
Shan Ji immediately turned his pleading gaze to the girl who had just been his "prey," looking pitifully at her. "Big Sister, please, be magnanimous and spare us this time!"
"Letting you off isn't impossible," the girl said smugly, stroking her chin. Just as a glimmer of hope lit Shan Ji's face, she added, "But your bald head left a deep impression on me last time. You wouldn't mind if I knock on it a few more times, would you?"
"What?" Shan Ji nearly collapsed. Was he really going to return with a head battered like a wooden fish again? That would be worse than death. Just as he was about to beg further, the "Big Sister" had already instructed one of her underlings to bring a broom, clearly ready to relive her "knocking" fun from before.
Realizing there was no escape, Shan Ji resigned himself to his fate and lowered his head, bracing for the blows. After all, compared to being personally beaten up by the man, this was a far better option. At most, he'd endure some mockery and nurse his wounds for a few days. He had seen what happened to Black Dog, their former boss, who was beaten so badly he was unrecognizable. After being carried out of the hospital, he was buried alive on the orders of their big boss, Grizzly.
"Alright, here I go!" Zeng Nan said gleefully, rubbing her hands together, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.
However, to the gang members across from her, her grin was no less terrifying than a demon's. Even so, they felt a glimmer of relief that none of them sported a bald head like their leader—avoiding his miserable fate.
Seeing the matter settled, Xiang Ri grabbed the eager-to-act Hao Meng and led her out of the classroom, as he still had some questions for her.
Meanwhile, Zeng Nan, who had been about to knock on Shan Ji's bald head, caught sight of Xiang Ri leaving with that idiotic woman. Taking this as a "heavenly sign," she immediately abandoned her task. Barking an order for Green Hair to finish what she'd started, she hurriedly chased after them!
"Teacher, did you come to find me for something?" Hao Meng asked, sensing there must be a reason he had pulled her aside.
Xiang Ri cleared his throat. "Well, actually, I wanted to ask you—"
"Brother! How could you leave without calling me?" Zeng Nan interrupted before he could finish, rushing over and throwing herself onto him, clutching his right arm tightly.
"Weren't you about to hit someone? Why are you here?" Xiang Ri asked helplessly, looking at the girl practically hanging off him.
"Hit someone? As if! When I saw you leave, of course, I had to follow. I'm just afraid someone might snatch you away!" Zeng Nan said indignantly.
"What do you mean by that, Zeng Nan? He's my teacher," Hao Meng retorted, clutching his arm tighter, which stirred a peculiar sensation in Xiang Ri's heart. This girl wasn't so small after all.
"Hmph! He's just your teacher, but he's my brother! Why are you holding him so intimately? Let go!" Zeng Nan demanded.
"Your brother? Who are you kidding? My teacher's surname is Xiang, yours is Zeng—there's no relation at all!"
"Why can't he be my godbrother? And didn't you hear him just now? He called me his sister!"
"That's only because you're shameless—"
"Enough! Enough!" Xiang Ri interrupted before their argument escalated again. Offering an enticing distraction, he suggested, "It's getting late. How about we grab some KFC?" If he didn't intervene, who knew how long this would drag on? Besides, his stomach had begun to protest loudly.
"KFC?" The two girls' eyes lit up simultaneously as they exclaimed in unison, "Yes! Let's go to KFC!"
—
When they emerged from the KFC, each was holding a bucket in their arms.
Hao Meng munched on her food as she walked, exclaiming, "Teacher, you're so nice! My mom never lets me eat this kind of thing!"
Zeng Nan, equally occupied with her food, chimed in, "Brother, you're the best! My dad never gives me money to buy stuff like this!"
Xiang Ri ignored their chatter, downing the last of his cola in one gulp before tossing the empty cup into a nearby trash bin.
Just as he was about to leave, his eyes froze on a sight across the street—a restaurant.
Through the glass wall, he spotted a familiar figure. It was a woman. A woman with an exceptionally voluptuous figure. And that woman, without question, was the very one responsible for driving the policewoman away from him—the culprit behind his heartbreak.
A wave of anger surged through Xiang Ri. Without a second thought, he strode briskly toward the restaurant. His two little shadows let out startled cries and hurriedly followed.
"Teacher, what are you looking at?" Hao Meng asked curiously, watching her martial arts teacher peer intently through the glass. If they were already at the restaurant, why wasn't he going inside?
"You're staring at that woman," Zeng Nan observed sharply, her eyes following his gaze until they locked on the target.
"A woman? Which woman?" Hao Meng's interest was piqued.
"That one! The one with two basketballs stuffed under her shirt!" Zeng Nan said in a tone of annoyance.
"Which—oh, wow! Her chest is huge! How does someone even grow like that? Hey, look at the guy sitting across from her! He's so handsome! And they've got candles on the table. So romantic! Are they on a date? But why is the teacher watching them?" Hao Meng asked, her voice a mix of amazement and puzzlement.
"Why? To ruin their little party, of course!" Xiang Ri said darkly, his face shadowed by rage. Damn it, you tore my world apart. Let's see how I dismantle yours.
"But teacher, why would you do that? That doesn't seem right," Hao Meng asked, her face full of confusion.
Zeng Nan echoed her sentiments with a curious frown. "Yes, brother, why go through all this trouble?"
"Enough!" Xiang Ri snapped, his voice sharp. Realizing he had frightened them, he softened his tone. "You don't understand. That woman and I have a history. She wronged me, and now, I must settle the score."
"Oh... I see," Hao Meng muttered, her voice tinged with a mix of apprehension and hurt. Zeng Nan, too, gazed at him with wide, innocent eyes, her expression pitiful. They had both been startled by the sudden outburst and his fierce expression.
"Good. If you understand, then let's proceed. I'm assigning you two roles for this mission. Here's what we'll do…" He leaned in conspiratorially, outlining his plan. "Remember, just cooperate with me and follow my lead. Got it?"
"Got it!" they responded in unison.
"Good. I'll go in first. You two wait a bit before coming in."
"What's the name of this operation?" Hao Meng, now completely engrossed in her role, asked with wide-eyed excitement. It was her first time doing something like this, and she found the thrill exhilarating.
"Operation: The 36F Hunt Plan," Xiang Ri replied with a sinister grin.