Just as Shen Lang was deep in thought, Fan Jun suddenly bolted back to his seat, panting heavily. It took him a few moments to catch his breath before he could speak. "Shen Lang, I just overheard those fifth-grade bullies talking while I was in the restroom. They're planning to ambush your sister after school tomorrow, intending to teach her a lesson for what she did. I'm telling you, they're serious. Should we inform the teacher? I mean, if it really comes to blows, there's no way we'd stand a chance against them. There's a whole gang of them, and we're… well, we're just a couple of shrimps. Going up against them is like sending ingredients straight to the chopping board."
Shen Lang's face remained pensive, as if weighing his options. Fan Jun glanced around before leaning in and whispering, "What if I sneak a couple of iron bars or metal rods from my dad's shop? They'd be good for intimidating those jerks and would definitely give us a boost in confidence. What do you think?"
Hearing this, Shen Lang suddenly chuckled, a sound so rare that it seemed to echo around them. Heads turned, and everyone nearby gaped in astonishment. Shen Lang, the ice-cold kid, was laughing—an actual laugh, and an eerie one at that. But his smile only lasted a couple of seconds before his face resumed its usual expression, as icy as a sudden shift from the equator to the Antarctic. His classmates quickly turned back to their work, not daring to let him catch them staring.
"Don't even think about it," Shen Lang said, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. "Using weapons like that can quickly spiral out of control. We're all amateurs here; one wrong swing, and it's more than likely someone ends up with a broken arm or leg. I have no interest in landing a disciplinary record in elementary school, let alone breaking bones. Let's hold off and think about this. There's still a day left."
The following day at school, Fan Jun noticed Shen Lang was wearing a pair of shiny leather shoes that looked almost too flashy on him, giving him an oddly commanding air. At the end of the school day, Shen Lang tossed his backpack to Fan Jun. "You go wait by the gate with the bike. I'll be out in a bit."
Fan Jun nodded, glancing around. "Got it. Your sister's meeting isn't over yet anyway. I'll keep an eye on things from the gate."
When Ouyang Lan returned to her classroom after her meeting, she froze upon seeing Shen Lang lounging in her seat, looking completely at ease. For a split second, her face paled. What on earth is he doing here? she wondered, almost convinced he was up to no good. As she cautiously entered, Shen Lang finally rose, flashed her a casual smile, and ambled out of the classroom. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner, then grabbed her bag and rushed out.
Shen Lang strolled leisurely to the alleyway, where his older siblings, Shen Zheng and Shen Nan, were already surrounded by a group of fifth graders. They were being herded deeper into the alley, like sheep heading toward the slaughterhouse. Perfect timing, he thought with a smirk.
He picked up a brick he had conveniently found earlier in the day, holding it in one hand as he swaggered forward. The sight of a brick in his hand, particularly given his slight stature, had an unsettling effect, as if something was dangerously out of place.
When Shen Zheng and Shen Nan saw him approaching, their initial alarm shifted to horror. They began shouting at him to run, to go find a teacher. The fifth graders, on the other hand, erupted in laughter, eyeing Shen Lang's brick-wielding swagger with amusement. One even scoffed, "What's he planning to do with that? He can barely lift it!"
Without a word, Shen Lang walked over to a cement block, set half the brick down, and, with one swift motion, smashed the other half with his hand. A loud crack echoed through the alley, leaving everyone around him in stunned silence. Holding the remaining piece, he raised his free hand, lightly blowing the dust off his knuckles, then casually tipped his head toward them, "Seriously? You snot-nosed punks think you're tough enough for a fight? I'll take on each of you with one arm tied behind my back. Try me, and I'll snap those chicken legs of yours like twigs."
One of the bystanders, too startled to move, found himself in Shen Lang's path. Shen Lang didn't bother to be gentle—he kicked the boy squarely in the backside, sending him sprawling to the ground. The boy started wailing in humiliation and pain, his sobs cutting through the stunned silence. Seeing their friend's fate, the other kids shifted nervously, some instinctively edging backward, realizing that if this kid could break a brick, he'd probably break bones too.
Spotting a particularly bold fifth grader trying to slip away, Shen Lang lunged forward, his foot connecting with the kid's backside. "So now you want to run, huh?" he taunted. "Too bad. Now, line up against the wall, every last one of you. And don't even think about moving."
Shen Lang turned to his brother and sister, glancing at the ringleaders. He walked up to each, planting two solid kicks in quick succession. "Think you're tough? Bullying just anyone you can? Move. Against. The. Wall. Now."
Once the fifth graders were neatly lined up, Shen Lang gave his brother and sister a nod, smirking as he glanced back at the would-be tormentors. "Let's go. What are you waiting for, a formal invitation?" he said dryly, waving his siblings toward the exit.
As they walked away, Shen Lang turned back to the fifth graders and added, "If we weren't in the same school, I'd be sending you all home with a lot more than bruises. You thought it'd be fun to mess with my family, huh? Here's a warning: anyone so much as breathes near my brother or sister again, I'll be paying each of you a personal visit at home. Got it? Good. Now scram."
One last kid, who hadn't moved fast enough, got another sharp kick for good measure. Shen Lang's leather shoe landed squarely on the boy's behind, leaving him teary-eyed and too frightened to cry. He clenched his jaw, trying to hold back tears.