The woman charged at them with fury. Classmate Tang had never encountered such a situation before, and for a moment, she froze in place, forgetting to dodge. Dragon Kun had been on high alert, keeping his eyes fixed on the woman. So, he was the first to notice her lunge in his direction. Escaping was easy, but Tang Ke Yu was still standing beside him. In his moment of impulse, Dragon Kun forgot that he could have pulled her aside to safety, and instead, he pulled the class beauty behind him. As the woman rushed toward them, he instinctively raised his foot in self-defense. Being young and occasionally doing laborious work, Dragon Kun had considerable strength. His kick sent the unstable woman tumbling to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Dragon Kun quickly dragged the still-dazed class beauty to a safer spot, away from the woman. Although the woman hadn't sustained any real harm, she now sprawled on the ground, crying and refusing to get up, like a petulant child. Her scathing words this time also included Tang Ke Yu.
By now, the early morning self-study session had ended, and students and teachers had begun to gather outside the office, drawn by the noise. The man, embarrassed by his wife's outburst, stormed over to yank the woman off the ground. He slapped her twice with heavy force, silencing her. The woman froze, covering her face with her hands, wide-eyed in disbelief. This wasn't part of the script she had envisioned.
Seeing his wife quiet, the man turned his gaze to Dragon Kun. More precisely, he directed his attention to Tang Ke Yu, who was standing behind him. His expression, once harsh, immediately became excessively fawning. "Miss Ke Yu, I didn't realize you were at this school. How has Mr. Tang been? I must apologize—my son's injury was serious, and my wife got a bit too emotional. I hope we didn't frighten you."
The situation had taken a sudden turn, and everyone was stunned. Tang Ke Yu was especially confused. She was certain she didn't know this man, yet he knew her name. It occurred to her that he might be an employee from her father's company, someone she'd met briefly when she visited with her father. But she had never paid much attention to the people there. Realizing that he might have recognized her from that interaction, she quickly responded, "Well, of course I was frightened! How could this lady behave like that? She nearly scared me to death! She tried to hit both Dragon Kun and me! As for yesterday, Dragon Kun made a mistake, but that doesn't mean Wang Jun was blameless. Insulting others like that would anger anyone. And Dragon Kun said he'd cover the medical fees. Why is she still being so aggressive?"
When Tang Ke Yu said the word "aggressive," her tone and posture carried an undeniable force, but in truth, she was also nervous. It was her first time facing a situation like this. But she knew that she had to present herself as confident and assertive, just like her father always said: no matter the circumstance, you must project strength.
The man was clearly taken aback by Tang Ke Yu's demeanor. He wasn't entirely overwhelmed; rather, he was frustrated by his wife's lack of foresight in offending the daughter of a powerful boss. He had assumed Tang Ke Yu knew him, but he had underestimated her. After all, why would a young girl be expected to remember someone like him? In his ignorance, he had walked right into his own trap.
With an awkward smile, the man responded, "Of course not. You're all students; we would never harm you. It's just that Mrs. Wang got too emotional. Fortunately, no one was hurt." Yet, as he spoke, his mind was filled with frustration. No one was hurt? His son was still lying in a hospital bed, wrapped up like a mummy, and now he had to worry about how to explain to the Tang family's heir why his wife had behaved so recklessly. If anything, his son's pride would never recover from this humiliation.
The woman, however, wasn't foolish. Her outburst had been a tactic to gain leverage for her son, but now she saw there was someone in front of her who was untouchable. Despite her age, the girl had a background she couldn't afford to offend. So, she silently stepped aside, no longer daring to stir trouble.
At this point, everything seemed to resolve itself. The woman who had been the loudest earlier now kept silent, and Wang Jun's father continued to apologize profusely. He even refused to accept the medical fees, but Dragon Kun, still determined to take responsibility for the situation, handed over the money he had just withdrawn from the bank. It wasn't much, but he didn't regret it. After all, it was his actions that had led to the injury. Even if it wasn't his fault, he had to make amends.
The situation had been smoothly handled thanks to Tang Ke Yu. If she hadn't rushed in and used her status to divert attention, Dragon Kun had no idea how he would have handled the scene. He had been naive, thinking that simply paying the medical fees would resolve everything, but reality was far more complex.
After today, Dragon Kun had a new understanding of Tang Ke Yu, the so-called "Ice Queen" of the class. In truth, she wasn't cold at all. She was kind-hearted and, despite the situation, had stepped in to help him without hesitation. His perception of her had changed entirely. No longer just a girl he admired from afar, she had now become the woman he dreamed of.
The two walked side by side back to class. After a few steps, Dragon Kun, as if making up his mind, suddenly called out to Tang Ke Yu. When she turned to face him, her stunning beauty took his breath away. His heart raced as his voice trembled, "Um, Tang Ke Yu, thank you for today."
She smiled gently, and it melted his heart, "You're welcome. I should say you're lucky. If it weren't for the coincidence that he knew my father, I might not have been able to help."
"Regardless, I owe you," Dragon Kun said earnestly. "Let me treat you to a meal."
His offer was simple, yet sincere. He had no way to repay her, but he could at least invite her to dinner. What he didn't realize was that, watching him closely, Lo An—the soul inhabiting his body—was silently giving him a thumbs-up. The boy still had some intuition.
Seeing Tang Ke Yu hesitate for a moment, Dragon Kun added, "I may not be able to take you to a fancy restaurant, and I've spent most of my money on the medical fees, but I'd like to take you to Zhang Da Niang's little stir-fry shop outside the school. Don't worry, once I get my salary this month, I'll treat you to something better!"
Though he didn't realize it, his words resembled the promises many young men made to their future girlfriends, full of earnestness. Lo An quietly praised him, and Tang Ke Yu, noticing the hint of a blush on her face, found his sincerity unexpectedly touching.
Despite having been pursued by countless people throughout her life, none of their confessions had ever moved her. But Dragon Kun's simple, down-to-earth offer—unpretentious and sincere—left her unexpectedly touched. She wasn't falling for him yet, but his honesty made her want to encourage him. The hesitation she'd had before had been because of his difficult situation, but now his determination made her nod in agreement.
Today, not only had Dragon Kun gained a new perspective on her, but she also saw him in a new light. Whether it was his determination to face Wang Jun's parents, his protective instinct when she was in danger, or his insistence on paying the medical fees, she saw him as a person with responsibility—a quality that was rare and admirable.
The two of them returned to the classroom, feeling at ease. Little did they know, someone behind them was watching their harmonious backs with clenched teeth. Today's events had completely derailed Chen Yong's plans. Not only had Dragon Kun avoided trouble, but his relationship with his dream girl had also improved. This was something Chen Yong could not accept. His jealousy burned as he plotted his next move.
As they entered the classroom, Lu Zhongyu, a chubby classmate, approached with concern. "Are you alright? I heard Wang Jun's mother is really hard to deal with. Do you need help?"
Dragon Kun smiled and reassured him, "I'm fine. Thanks to the class monitor's help, everything worked out smoothly after I paid the medical fees." He didn't mention Tang Ke Yu's family connections, as she had never discussed them in class.
Lu Zhongyu's face softened with relief, but he quickly pulled out his wallet, "How much were the medical fees? Damn, I was planning to go beat that kid up yesterday, but you beat me to it. So, you handled the work, I'll handle the money. That bastard's medical fees are on me."
Dragon Kun was touched by his friend's offer to help lighten the burden, but he shook his head. "It's fine, Old Lu. I only gave them 3,000. I was the one who caused the damage, so I'm the one who should pay."
"Damn, I'd be just as satisfied as you," Lu Zhongyu said, "but after the fun, I can't let you pay alone. Let's split it evenly. No arguments, or you're not treating me like a friend."
The word "friend" felt strange to Dragon Kun, but hearing it from Lu Zhongyu made him feel warmth. His eyes welled up, and he
quietly accepted the 1,500 yuan. "Thanks, Old Lu." That "thank you" wasn't just for the money—it was for his friend's kindness.
Dragon Kun suddenly realized that, even though he had lost over a thousand yuan today, he had gained much more.