As Long Kun stepped through the door, regret immediately washed over him. The once orderly office was now a chaotic mess. Books flew about the room, shards of glass and spilled water lay just inches from his feet. In the center of the room stood a few individuals—among them, a middle-aged man in a suit, his face darkened with anger, holding back a rather stout woman who seemed on the brink of losing control. Meanwhile, Chen Yong stood beside an elderly man, Mr. Huang, whose face wore a helpless expression, and whose somewhat effeminate features now seemed even more sinister in Long Kun's eyes.
It was Mr. Huang who noticed Long Kun first. As soon as he saw him, the elderly man began signaling for him to leave. Although their relationship had always been distant, the sight of Mr. Huang expressing concern for him stirred a warmth within Long Kun. However, Mr. Huang's well-meaning gesture went unnoticed—this was no longer about whether Long Kun wanted to leave, but rather the fact that Chen Yong, following Mr. Huang's gaze, had already spotted him. A broad smile spread across Chen Yong's pale face, and he loudly declared, "Long Kun, so you dare show up!"
The moment the words left his lips, all eyes turned to Long Kun. The most venomous glare came from the woman, who was now nearly mad with rage.
Fear was inevitable. Confronting such a lunatic, Long Kun's heart raced with anxiety. Yet, all he could do was steel himself and hold his ground. He walked over to Mr. Huang and greeted him. The elderly man sighed, about to speak when the woman's shrill voice cut through the air again. "You little thug, did you hit my son?"
Long Kun furrowed his brow. If anyone were to be called a thug, it was Wang Jun, not him. But, acknowledging the situation, he replied, despite the fact that his own soul was not entirely at fault, "Yes, it was me. I'm sorry. I will cover Wang Jun's medical expenses." He felt his heart bleed as he spoke those words.
Upon hearing his admission, the woman's shrieks grew more frenzied and venomous, "You little **, you dare hit my son! Pay the medical fees? Ha! With your pathetic appearance, how much can you possibly afford? If anything happens to my son, I will make sure you pay—either by your own death or by suffering a lifetime of misery. The child of parents who died early clearly has no upbringing. You're no better than a rabid dog, beating people at random. If anything happens to my son, I'll have you meet your dead parents!"
Long Kun's brow twitched. He felt the stirrings of his darker side within him. He knew that if he lost control, Lo An could take over his body, and in such moments, it was better to stay composed. Over the years, Long Kun had forgotten what true anger felt like. Even when enraged, he strove to suppress it, and eventually, he could no longer tell whether he was truly angry or not. Lo An's presence had become the barometer for his emotions.
Trying to keep his feelings in check, Long Kun suppressed his rising anger. He knew that if Lo An took charge of his body, things would escalate quickly. Yet, as he realized the situation, he could no longer hold back. His words, previously constrained by the weight of life, now slipped out unbidden. "I apologize, I am not the 'thug' you speak of. My parents passed away early, and yes, I may lack proper upbringing," he paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "But to begin insulting and attacking someone's family before understanding the situation… I believe your son has inherited your 'upbringing.' Is this the family tradition you're so proud of? I think I'd rather go without it."
Lo An's influence was evident in his words—Long Kun would never have said such things before, not out of cowardice, but because life had taught him to keep his mouth shut. Over time, he had forgotten how to argue, but now, perhaps because of the force residing within him, he had the courage to speak up. It was not that he was a saint—just that a person's dignity could never be stripped away.
The woman, stunned by his words, found herself momentarily speechless, but her rage flared anew. For a madwoman, words were but a distraction—actions were far more potent. She wrenched herself free from her husband's grip and lunged toward Long Kun, wild eyes gleaming as if ready to claw or bite. Long Kun, startled, dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding her. However, the elderly Mr. Huang, too slow to move, was pushed to the ground as the woman missed her mark. It was a sorry sight—Mr. Huang, for the first time in his life, being knocked down by a woman.
The middle-aged man's face darkened as he saw his wife acting out. He moved quickly to restrain her, but the woman, still oblivious to the inappropriateness of her actions, struggled to rise and continue her assault on Long Kun, shouting more vile curses.
After all, she was a woman—an insane woman. And Long Kun, who lacked any real aggression, had no choice but to dodge, keeping as much distance as possible. Fortunately, the middle-aged man stepped in to pull his wife away. Meanwhile, Chen Yong, who had been watching the spectacle with amusement, forgot for a moment about his "obedient student" image and instead hid in a corner, quietly snickering.
Just as the scene seemed to reach its peak, the office door swung open, and a soft but trembling voice rang out, "Stop!"
Everyone froze. The middle-aged man seized the opportunity to restrain his wife, and Long Kun turned toward the door, where the class beauty, Tang Keyu, stood. The sight of everyone's gaze falling upon her made her momentarily uneasy. Yet, gathering her courage, she raised a small pink phone and declared, "You're threatening and harassing a minor, and that's illegal. I've recorded everything."
Unbeknownst to Long Kun, Tang Keyu had been quietly worrying outside the office. Hearing the sounds of the woman's fury and objects crashing, her concern deepened. It wasn't that she had any particular feelings for Long Kun, but her kind heart couldn't bear seeing him, a boy with a tragic past, suffer further. She felt a sense of helplessness on his behalf, knowing he couldn't defend himself against Wang Jun's family.
Though Tang Keyu had no knowledge of the law and certainly had no recording, she was simply trying to redirect the attention of the madwoman, using her phone as a bluff.
Seeing Long Kun still standing dumbly in the room, she grew anxious. "Long Kun, hurry up and come out!"
Long Kun snapped to attention and rushed over to her, but he didn't leave immediately. After all, running away wouldn't solve anything, and he had no desire to be beaten senseless by that madwoman.
Inside the office, everyone was visibly shocked by Tang Keyu's sudden entrance. Mr. Huang, just getting to his feet, frowned in confusion—why was his usually cold class leader here? Chen Yong, seeing the way Tang Keyu defended Long Kun, shot him a jealous glare, which only further cemented his resolve to make Long Kun's life miserable. The middle-aged man stared at Tang Keyu, a flicker of recognition passing through his eyes, as though recalling something.
The woman, however, was the first to react. For a moment, she was frozen, but then her expression shifted to one of panic. Without thinking, she lunged at Tang Keyu, aiming to snatch the phone from her hands.