The few people present were all taken aback.
Jian Chuyi's mouth hung wide open; she had thought Ji Tian would continue to ignore the provocation, but to her surprise, Ji Tian clapped back instantly, not showing any sign of weakness.
Gong Dongxi herself was caught off guard for a moment. Wasn't Ji Tian supposed to be meek and submissive, silent even in the face of ridicule, continuing to be a quiet punching bag?
She let out an exaggerated "Ha," pointing to herself, "Ji Tian, do you dare call me a damn dog?"
Ji Tian blinked innocently, "Nope, I said it would be more fitting if your surname were 'Gou,' how could you call yourself a damn dog?"
Gong Dongxi's face turned red with anger, and she raised her hand wanting to hit Ji Tian. But with a quick glance, Ji Tian dodged Gong Dongxi's blow, pinched her own thigh fiercely, and her eyes immediately reddened. She ran to Ji Weinan, "Third brother, someone wants to hit me."
Ji Weinan and the others had just come in; he was used to being arrogant, and Ji Tian wasn't one to tattle easily. Seeing his sister's reddened eyes, he rarely felt his temper flare, "Who is it? Who dares to touch you? Are they tired of living?"
Ji Tian pointed at Gong Dongxi without feeling any guilt, "She called me vulgar, and just because I talked back, she wanted to hit me."
Gong Dongxi was stunned by Ji Tian's crafty move; she actually learned to tattle!
Looking at the expression in Ji Weinan's eyes, Gong Dongxi's face bloated red, "I—I didn't." She looked toward Gong Yu, "Brother, I really didn't."
The Ji Family and the Gong Family could be considered half nobility, with business dealings between them.
Gong Yu had warned Gong Dongxi on normal days to not provoke Ji Tian too much, but she specifically targeted Ji Tian, believing she was too soft-spoken to retort, and became even more ruthless in her mockery.
He glanced again at Ji Tian's reddened eye corners, feeling it strange how much a person could change. His gaze became darker, his smile even warmer.
"Dongxi, apologize to Tiantian."
Gong Dongxi bit her lip, "Brother..."
Gong Yu's smile remained unchanged, and his tone was mild, "Hurry up."
Gong Dongxi's body trembled involuntarily; the person she feared the most was Gong Yu. Eventually, she approached Ji Tian and said reluctantly, "Sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn't have called you vulgar. Please forgive me."
Ji Tian hadn't planned on escalating the situation. After this incident, Gong Dongxi would probably not provoke her again if she was smart. She simply wanted to live her high school days happily, like a lazy fish; she didn't want to engage in intrigues like in 'The Legend of Zhen Huan'.
Her eyes still red, she nodded, "Alright then, for Gong Yu brother's sake, I forgive you."
Gong Dongxi's hands, which hung by her side, relaxed and then clenched again, possibly feeling humiliated. She left without even finishing her meal.
Gong Yu finally laughed, "This is just friends messing around, it's not a big deal, no need to make it known to both our families. Weinan, let's go have a meal together." He looked at Ji Tian, smiling gently, "Tiantian, do you want to join?"
Ji Tian shook her head, "No need, I'll go with Chuyi."
He nodded and walked ahead. Ji Weinan wanted to speak but hesitated. It was the first time his sister had sought his protection, and he felt an odd mix of emotions, yet also strangely satisfied. In the end, he wore a proud face, disdainfully saying, "Crying for what? If someone hits you, hit back. If you can't beat them, come to your brother, I'll help you. Got it?"
Ji Tian's mouth twitched. What an act.
She responded noncommittally with a nod, "Alright, brother, you're my guardian angel, with you here, I'm not afraid of anything."
Ji Weinan awkwardly shifted his gaze away, his ears tinged with red. For the first time, he found his sister's compliant and cute demeanor endearing, suddenly not minding having a sister so much.