Chapter 15 A Small Fry's Desperation

The slaps came too suddenly; none of the three reacted in time. One of the heavier-set ones even dribbled some pee because he hadn't finished.

After getting hit, the first reaction of the two was that they were done for.

Zheng Qi, true to his reputation as a gang leader, stubbornly glared at the dean.

That look was indeed a little scary, enough to make even an adult feel a chill.

However, Director Xu was an old hand at discipline.

He wouldn't be intimidated by some high school student, no matter how-called gang leader the guy was.

"You've got some nerve, huh? Daring to smoke in school, treating me like I'm nothing?" Even if Zheng Qi had some pride, it didn't stop Director Xu from slapping him on the head with a book.

"Don't touch me!" Zheng Qi pushed the other's hand away with considerable defiance.

"Touch you? Who do you think you are? Huh!"

Director Xu grabbed Zheng Qi's hand and dragged him straight out of the bathroom. Seeing the other two boys standing there dumbfounded, he yelled, "All of you, get over here!"

The two had long been scared out of their wits and hurriedly followed.

They were doomed; the school had just expelled a smoker!

They were dead this time, absolutely dead; there was no need to even think about it...

The two were filled with regret, but when they left the bathroom and saw that the classmate who was supposed to be on guard was gone and only a group of onlookers were there, their regret turned into anger.

Damn it, you were supposed to be guarding the door; where the hell were you?!

If you dared run, you were asking for a beating!

At that moment, the three had the same thought: they would definitely settle the score with the snitch, whether they got expelled or not!

...

Zhou Liang's legs were like jelly.

Sitting in the classroom, he felt like he was being pricked all over, and his body was burning hot.

Everyone knew what had happened that morning.

The three students in the class who had been caught smoking were taken directly to the academic affairs office and hadn't returned even now.

The first class in the afternoon was supposed to be the homeroom teacher's, but he didn't come to class either. In fact, no one had even seen him.

Zhou Liang knew he had definitely been called in by the school leaders for a talking-to.

This time, the matter wouldn't be handled lightly.

What would happen to Zheng Qi and the others...

The more severe their punishment, the more severe the beating he would receive.

That madman Zheng Qi would definitely beat him to death!

No, he had to shift the blame.

It was Chen Yuan who did it!

But even so, he wouldn't be let off; the beating he deserved was definitely unavoidable.

So, there was only one way: to sacrifice himself.

He had to do something wrong too to earn Zheng Qi's forgiveness.

After class, he went to the bathroom with cigarettes in his pocket, closed the door, dumped all the cigarettes into the toilet, and flushed them away. Then, he tore the cigarette box into tiny pieces, threw them into the toilet, and flushed them away again.

Oh, and the lighter.

He threw that down too.

After getting rid of these troublesome things that could get him expelled, Zhou Liang went straight to the door of Class 18 in the second year.

At that moment, his heart was especially uneasy.

After all, Class 18 wasn't a good class either, and Chen Yuan had a high reputation in the class, so charging in alone was very risky.

But this was a necessary sacrifice.

Only by getting involved himself and taking some of the blame could he divert Zheng Qi's anger.

That's right; he was deliberately trying to provoke a fight.

As long as Chen Yuan got angry with him and a conflict broke out, he would be sent to the academic affairs office for violating school rules and discipline.

Then, he would have a chance to explain to Zheng Qi that he had originally been on guard, but because Chen Yuan had dragged him away, insisting on reporting them, that the situation turned out like this.

This would basically shift the responsibility onto Chen Yuan, making him the target of Zheng Qi and the others.

As long as he didn't actually fight Chen Yuan, it would only be considered provocation, at most a few thousand words of self-criticism. It wouldn't be like Zheng Qi and the others, who would get a major demerit or even be expelled...

"Hey, can you call Chen Yuan out here?" Zhou Liang asked someone randomly.

"Who are you?" Zhou Yu asked coldly, looking at the unfamiliar boy and hearing that name.

"My name is Zhou Liang. I need to talk to him. Go call him out," Zhou Liang said.

"What's it about? Tell me clearly."

Zhou Yu knew that Chen Yuan had had a little run-in with Zheng Qi today, so he asked very vigilantly.

"What's it to you?" Zhou Liang snapped, annoyed.

"Okay, I'll call him for you."

Zhou Yu didn't show any timidity or anger after being snapped at. He calmly finished speaking and went back into the classroom.

Wait, what was this guy's reaction?

What were these second-year students up to?

Just as he was thinking this, a tall boy suddenly appeared from inside the classroom, directly pressing forward and standing right in front of him. "What do you want?"

"..." Zhou Liang's momentum vanished immediately after Liu Yan asked this. He looked up in surprise. He knew this person clearly wasn't Chen Yuan.

Moreover, there was more than just him.

Four or five more boys appeared one after another, gradually surrounding Zhou Liang.

Zhang Chao didn't understand what was happening, so he told everyone to calm down first, then asked the person, "What's your business?"

"I'm looking for Chen Yuan. What do you guys want?" Zhou Liang said forcefully, feeling he was in the right.

This kind of forcefulness made Zhang Chao see the problem. Therefore, he didn't indulge him and said, "I'm the class monitor. What do you want with Chen Yuan? He's not here right now. I can pass on the message for you."

"Then I'll wait for him."

"Okay, then I'll wait with you," Zhang Chao said calmly.

"..." Zhou Liang suddenly felt humiliated looking at these people.

As the girls in the class also came out to watch the commotion, he couldn't hold back and decided to run. "Never mind, if Chen Yuan isn't here."

"He's here, he's here."

Just then, Chen Yuan appeared, coming from the hallway, squeezing into the crowd, and saying with a smile, "What's up, senior?"

"..."

There were people everywhere.

Chen Yuan seemed to be the leader of this class. As soon as he spoke, the others stood up for him.

There was no doubt that Zheng Qi was the gang leader of the school.

But Zhou Liang, as Zheng Qi's classmate, wasn't even considered a core member of the gang. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been the one on guard outside when they were smoking.

So, it was normal that no one was afraid of him.

It was also normal that no one knew him.

If he tried to cause trouble for Chen Yuan now, it would be perfectly normal for him to get beaten up.

"What's going on?" Seeing so many students, Zhou Fu wanted to get closer, then, realizing that Chen Yuan was confronting a senior, she immediately thought of something and prepared to find a teacher.

"Wait, what are you doing, Sister Fu?" Chen Yuan suddenly asked.

"I'm going to get a teacher. Don't be impulsive," Zhou Fu replied.

Good thing she was getting a teacher!

Just take me to the disciplinary office!

Zhou Liang desperately wanted to take some of the blame.

"What are you calling a teacher for? He's my senior. We know each other," Chen Yuan said quickly, stopping Zhou Fu. Then, he said to Zhang Chao, "It's a misunderstanding. He really needs to talk to me. Everyone, go back to what you were doing."

Just like that, Zhang Chao led the others away.

Zhou Yu was a little confused, but he didn't continue to take sides and returned to the classroom.

"Right, so what's up, Senior What's-his-name?" Chen Yuan asked.

"..." Zhou Liang.

You don't even know my name; how the hell are we familiar!

"You're not trying to start a fight with me so you can get taken away by the disciplinary office and shift the blame onto me to avoid getting beaten by Zheng Qi, are you?" Chen Yuan asked curiously.

"..."

These words silenced Zhou Liang again.

How the hell did he know?!

You can even think of this? Are you a god?

A god could think of you having such a brain-dead tactic? I heard it in your thoughts.

However, it really might work.

This way, at least all of Zheng Qi's anger would be concentrated on me alone.

"Then come on, give me a slap," Chen Yuan said, pointing to his face, indicating that he could cooperate.

"Are you sick... Are you asking for a beating?" Exposed, Zhou Liang was only anxious, his mentality anxious, and his words hurried.

"Then I'll hit you, and you can hit me back."

Chen Yuan raised his hand, pretending to hit Zhou Liang. Just when the other was expecting it, he patted Zhou Liang's face, like patting a dog, very gently, a very ambiguous action.

But especially humiliating.

Because these slaps did indeed land on the senior's face.

The students nearby could tell they were just messing around, so they weren't surprised. However, they still felt that this was a bit of bullying.

You damn it, you're going too far!

Zhou Liang, unable to bear the humiliation, raised his fist and prepared to swing.

Then, a palm directly wrapped around his fist.

"Don't get angry, Senior," Chen Yuan said kindly.

It was like a fist hitting cotton; Zhou Liang's desired conflict couldn't unfold.

Damn it.

Someone come and tell the teacher!

Just then, the bell rang for class.

And as the students all returned to the classroom, Chen Yuan's face darkened, and the smile on his face gradually turned into a sneer. "You think you won't get beaten by Zheng Qi, so you won't get beaten by me?"

"..." Zhou Liang knew that he couldn't beat Chen Yuan.

So what the other said was extremely likely.

"Senior, being Zheng Qi's dog is not as good as being my dog," Chen Yuan continued to humiliate, his tone extremely contemptuous.

He looked down on the bullying Fat Tiger, but even more so on the Jia Fu who acted as his accomplice. (Doraemon reference)

This thing was no different from a dog.

Without Zheng Qi, in that kind of bad class, he might still be the one being bullied.

It could only be said that people who bullied the weak were themselves weak.

Like himself, who bullied the strong, was truly strong.

Of course, this strength didn't refer to the person in front of him.

Because he knew that in the end, he would still have to face that school bully.

So Zhou Liang's choice was to flush red in the face: "You damn..."

"After Zheng Qi beats you, I'll beat you too. Think carefully before you speak."

Zhou Liang's 'Mom' word was stuck in his throat, unable to be said.

Then, Chen Yuan returned to the classroom.

With the teacher about to come, Zhou Liang could only slink away.

I'm so done for, I'm definitely done for.

I'm dead, absolutely dead!

Zhou Liang was filled with despair.

He had already seen his future.

And sure enough, the future arrived as scheduled.

In the second-to-last class of the afternoon, the three finally returned to the classroom.

Each of them had a gloomy face, wishing they could skin him alive.

"Listen to me, I..." Zhou Liang stood up, just as he was about to explain something, Zheng Qi coldly passed by him.

Then, he went to his seat and picked up his backpack.

The remaining two did the same, going to get their backpacks.

That is to say, they should have been suspended from school, not expelled.

Expulsions usually involve parents being called in...

Also, expelling another three students after just expelling one would not be a good look.

Moreover, Zheng Qi seemed to have a relationship with a very high-ranking leader in the school, maybe it was for that person's sake that it was just a suspension.

But even if suspension wasn't much of a punishment for them, that expression just now...

"Come here."

When Zheng Qi picked up his backpack and passed by Zhou Liang, this one sentence scared him breathless.

Then, he could only follow behind them tremblingly.

Just like that, they went all the way to the bathroom.

"I was pulled away by that Chen Yuan, it was him..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zheng Qi slapped him in the mouth, making a crisp '啪' sound.

His cheek instantly became hot, and his ears were ringing from the slap.

Zhou Liang didn't dare to make a sound and lowered his head.

His timid appearance didn't elicit any sympathy.

But what he said just now contained a very crucial piece of information.

Chen Yuan dragged him away.

That is to say, Chen Yuan snitched.

Zheng Qi wasn't surprised, because when the two confronted each other in the bathroom in the morning, there wasn't fear in the other's eyes. And now that he thought about it, it was obvious that he was planning it at that time.

Of course, Chen Yuan had to be found; he couldn't let this person go unpunished.

But there was something more important to do now.

Zheng Qi opened a bathroom stall and glanced at Zhou Liang.

"No, listen to me, I even went to their class later to fight him, but that guy had a few too many people around..."

Before Zhou Liang could finish speaking, Zheng Qi dragged him into the bathroom. With a bang, he hit the wall and sat painfully on the ground.

Then, the three of them frantically kicked Zhou Liang, who had almost fallen into the toilet, with considerable force with each kick. Zhou Liang could only hug his head and scream miserably, "Don't hit me, don't hit me, bro..."

"Shut up, what are you yelling for? Do you want to attract the teachers?" One of the fat boys couldn't hold back his anger and pressed his head directly into the toilet, then stepped on the flush pedal.

Just like that, the toilet water with white splashes quickly washed over his face, and the bangs on his forehead were also wet and stuck together.

After about ten seconds, the flushing stopped.

Then, this embarrassed boy was also pulled up and looked at Zheng Qi, scared and wanting to cry.

"You're such a waste. Why didn't you call us when you were being dragged away?"

"If it weren't for Zheng Qi having some relationship with Old Han, the three of us would have been expelled, you damn it!"

The two were still angry and wanted to continue teaching him a lesson. Then, Zheng Qi raised his hand, telling them to stop. Then, he straightened Zhou Liang's collar, pulled him up, stared at him, and said, "You almost killed us, but now you haven't taken any punishment. Isn't that a little unfair?"

"Chen Yuan is too..." Zhou Liang wanted to explain.

"It was the four of us who smoked, and the three of us who were suspended," Zheng Qi interrupted him and continued, "You now have one last chance to mess things up."

"I already went to the second grade to find him today, and I almost... fought him," Zhou Liang said aggrieved.

"Good. Then, after school, you hold him back and take him to the billiards room behind the school," Zheng Qi gave Zhou Liang his task, his tone calm.

But Zhou Liang knew that this madman could change his face faster than anyone.

The next second, he might get beaten up.

If he refused.

But this was undoubtedly asking him to deal with Tang Sanzang and his disciples alone. How could he dare...

"Then I'll take that as a yes."

Zheng Qi let go of him and left the bathroom with the other two. As he was about to leave, he turned his head, looked at Zhou Liang, and reminded him fiercely, "Remember, you must bring him here. Otherwise, I'll kill you even if I get expelled!"

...

Chen Yuan heard that three high school seniors who smoked had been suspended for a week and each received a major demerit.

It seemed that his report was very useful.

But unfortunately, they weren't expelled.

But this was also reasonable; expelling one student and then directly expelling three would create a negative impact.

And these students who were registered at other schools and were just borrowing a spot here all had some connections, more or less. Even if the connection wasn't very strong, if it involved someone high-ranking and powerful, the academic affairs office would have to consider it.

This was also reasonable.

To demand fairness in everything, where would you find so much fairness in this world?

"That Zheng Qi was actually suspended. Scary."

"I heard people say that when the dean went in, he was like a god of war, slapping them in the face like crazy with a book."

"It's a bit satisfying. These kinds of students should be expelled."

While the classmates in the class were discussing, Zhou Fu was a little flustered. Looking at Chen Yuan, this man who wore glasses and looked very much like an honest, good student, she asked in a low voice, "It's not... It's not related to you, is it?"

"Of course not. How would I dare offend the school bully?" Chen Yuan said.

"Then today, you won't leave me behind and try to leave alone again, will you?" Zhou Fu asked tentatively.

"Together, together. Is that okay?"

It had to be said that Zhou Fu was very sensitive and quickly connected this matter to herself.

But this matter was something he really wanted to resolve without her.

Because this matter was too ambiguous.

Zhou Fu had been added to the school bully's QQ and was being harassed, and he was standing up for her and reporting their smoking. No matter how you looked at it, there was a strong element of a hero saving the beauty.

If he let it continue like this, wouldn't her motherly love become something else?

No, motherly love is not right either!

Friendship, what I want is pure friendship like pure milk.

Also, in fact, the reason I reported those bastards was more to help that 'Young Luo'.

His idea that once all these people graduated, he could live a peaceful life was really a little pitiful.

In reality, if you were easy to bully, bullying you could bring benefits and was extremely low risk.

Even if those people graduated, they wouldn't forget you.

There had to be risk for there to be consideration.

Similarly, Chen Yuan's reason for agreeing to go back with Zhou Fu was also because he felt that causing trouble on the first day of suspension was extremely risky.

Even if it was a moron like Zheng Qi, he wouldn't be so arrogant to that extent.

He wouldn't dare.

Thinking this, Chen Yuan left the school gate with Zhou Fu after school.

And at this time, a familiar senior was already waiting for him.

At the school gate, Zhou Liang stopped Chen Yuan and said with some struggle, "Come with me for a moment. I need to talk to you."

"What is it? Tell me straight," Chen Yuan said calmly.

But Zhou Fu wasn't calm. She had seen this scene before.

Waiting at the school gate, then taking him to a place with fewer people!

Sure enough, it was Chen Yuan who snitched.

"Go home... Let's go home." Zhou Fu tugged at Chen Yuan's arm, reminding him in a low voice not to do what he did before.

"It's okay, don't worry."

Chen Yuan also replied in a low voice, then looked at Zhou Liang and asked, "Did you get beaten by Zheng Qi?"

"None of your business."

"Then why are you still his dog?"

"..."

Zhou Liang now painfully wanted to cry. This Chen Yuan looked down on him completely and wouldn't listen obediently. But if he didn't complete the task Zheng Qi gave him, he would really be in trouble. So, he said almost pleadingly, "If you have a grudge with Zheng Qi, can you resolve it with him? I haven't offended you, have I, God Yuan?"

I'm just a shrimp, I just follow Zheng Qi, so I seem like a hooligan.

I was the one being bullied in junior high school!

Let me go, please.

What was going on?

Zhou Fu didn't understand at all now.

But she knew that it didn't have much to do with her now.

The conflict between Zheng Qi and Chen Yuan had reached an irreconcilable point, even more serious than the time with Xu Chen.

No matter how annoying Xu Chen was, the basketball thing was still about basketball.

But Zheng Qi wouldn't listen to reason.

She couldn't leave Chen Yuan. She had to watch him and call the police if necessary!

She had made someone who cared about her worry again.

Chen Yuan was very sorry.

So, he planned to solve it once and for all.

Facing the school gate, he activated his future vision.

That's right, he decided to let the school solve it, to let the school protect him.

Any leader from the academic affairs office could take care of these things properly.

But the pleasant surprise was that in ten minutes, the people and car of the He Zongzhu would pass by here.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and Chen Yuan said very easily, "Alright, have Zheng Qi come, and then I'll go with him."

(End of Chapter)