Chapter 15: A bunch of unwanted flies
" Things got out of hand and Some people.....tried to pick a fight with me."
"And you fought back," Chen Hua guessed.
Lin Mu nodded, his grip on the cup tightening. "I just wanted to push them back..., you know, scare them off a little.."
" Huh?, I'm confused, weren't you the victim?.
" Well...no, not really." Lin Mu gave an innocent smile that made Chen Hua feel confused. She couldn't help wondering what group of imbeciles would pick a fight with Lin Mu and actually lose?. Either their abilities were a complete waste or that a kind Samaritan came along and intervened.
Though she hated the thought, she found the first and second ideas far to unbelievable, leaving her with only one thought. Could Lin Mu actually have gotten the upper hand somehow and defeated people with abilities while he had non.
Before she could delve into her thoughts, Lin Mu spoke up again." Well you see...I—" He hesitated, the memory of his cold, detached movements flashing in his mind brought him to a brief pause.
"I hurt them. Badly. Too badly actually..., I think I might've even broken a few of their bones?.... maybe several ribs and possibly a dislocated jaw?." Lin Mu revealed a small smile.
" How'd you know?." Chen Hua tilted her head and asked.
' is she stupid?.'
" I think I know what it feels like for my own leg to smash against someone's jaw...." Lin Mu said deadpanned. He couldn't help wondering whether Chen Hua might just be dumber than she actually looked.
Chen Hua frowned, her brows knitting together. "Ok?, But you were just defending yourself, right?, It's not your fault they underestimated you."
"Maybe," Lin Mu said quietly. "But it still doesn't sit right with me."
Before Chen Hua could respond, the café door swung open, and a group of teenagers walked in, their laughter filling the room. Lin Mu's gaze shifted briefly, and his stomach sank as he recognized one of them, Zhao Lin.
The group took a table not far from Lin Mu and Chen Hua, their conversation lively as they browsed the menu. Lin Mu turned back to his coffee, hoping they wouldn't notice him.
Unfortunately, fate wasn't on his side. One of Zhao Lin's friends, a tall girl with a sharp tongue, spotted him and leaned closer to Zhao Lin, whispering something with a smirk.
Zhao Lin turned her head, her eyes narrowing as they landed on Lin Mu. Like a natural reaction, Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Lin Mu," she called out, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Lin Mu froze, his grip on the cup tightening. Chen Hua glanced between him and Zhao Lin, her brow furrowing.
"Why is she here" Chen Hua muttered underneath her breath.
"If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask" Lin Mu muttered with a bit of gloom.
Zhao Lin's friends giggled, clearly enjoying the moment. One of them chimed in, "What are you doing here, Lin Mu?, Trying to act normal for once?, Or are you just here to scare off the customers?"
Lin Mu clenched his jaw, willing himself to stay calm. He took a deep breath and glanced at Chen Hua, who was watching him carefully.
"Ignore them," she said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "They're not worth it."
Lin Mu nodded, though his hands still trembled slightly. "Yeah. Not worth it. Definitely not worth it."
Zhao Lin and her friends continued to whisper and giggle, but Lin Mu forced himself to tune them out. For now, his focus was on the only person who seemed to genuinely care about him.
Chen Hua smiled at him, her voice warm and steady. "See?, You're stronger than they'll ever be, Lin Mu. Don't let them get to you."
Lin Mu managed a small smile in return, the storm inside him quieting just a little.
The cozy atmosphere of the café briefly returned to normal as Lin Mu ignored Zhao Lin and her friends.
He kept his gaze fixed on his coffee, pretending not to hear the whispers and giggles coming from Zhao Lin's table. But Chen Hua though trying her best to look ok, wasn't so adept at hiding her discomfort. She fidgeted with her teacup, her usually cheerful demeanor dampened by the mocking gazes aimed at their corner booth.
"Chen Hua what's wrong.., if you're uncomfortable, maybe we should just leave before they ruin your mood." Lin Mu tried getting up.
" N-No." Chen Hua reached for his hand before he could get up. " I brought you here so that you would feel better remember, besides, I'm sure they'll leave once they get tired" Chen Hua whispered to Lin Mu.
He forced a small smile, nodding in agreement. But just as the tension seemed to settle, one of Zhao Lin's friends, a lanky Asian boy, with gelled hair and a smug grin, pushed back his chair and strolled toward their table.
"Well, well, isn't this cozy," he sneered, stopping a few feet from them. "Lin Mu, I didn't take you for the dating type. I guess even outcasts like you can find someone desperate enough."
Lin Mu didn't look up, but Chen Hua fingers tightened around her cup. She glanced between the two, her brows furrowing as if she'd finally reached her breaking point.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice polite but firm. "If you don't have anything nice to say, maybe you should just leave us alone."
The boy's grin widened, his eyes flicking to Chen Hua. "Oh, and who's this?, Your girlfriend?."
" Wow, Lin Mu, you've really gone all out. I'm guessing you must've promised her something in return, like cold hard cash, since it's obvious no one would be willing to stand so close to you, not to mention dating you without any real insensitive."
At that, the rest of Zhao Lin's table erupted into laughter. Even Zhao Lin herself, the self-proclaimed queen of the group, smirked as she sipped her drink.
Chen Hua's face turned red, but not from embarrassment but irritation. She opened her mouth to retort, but the boy, Lu Sheng, raised a hand, cutting her off.