Volume One: High School Days Chapter 24: A Minor Interlude
After school that evening, Yagyu came alone to Xiaoya’s apartment. As soon as Xiaoya knew he had arrived, she quickly came downstairs. Yagyu took out the watch he had bought for her and personally fastened it around her wrist. Xiaoya studied it for a moment and then said, “You really have money.”
Looking at Xiaoya, who was four years older than himself, Yagyu said, “I’ll never let you suffer in the future.” Xiaoya didn’t reply. She kissed Yagyu and said, “I won’t go out for dinner with you tonight. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I need a good rest.”
After watching Xiaoya go upstairs, Yagyu returned home.
He had just arrived when Ren Xiaodong called.
Yagyu answered, “Hello?”
“Come to No. 21 High School. My girlfriend has been bullied!” Ren Xiaodong said angrily.
Upon hearing this, Yagyu didn’t dare delay. He left immediately, hailed a cab, and arrived at the school gate.
Once there, Yagyu learned that a boy in Ren Jing’s class had taken a fancy to her and kept pestering her. The boy already had a girlfriend. When his girlfriend found out, she called several people from outside the school to teach Ren Jing a lesson. Ren Jing, frightened, told Ren Xiaodong, which led to him calling Yagyu.
After understanding the situation, Yagyu said, “Are kids these days really so wild? How is it that I’ve never noticed?”
Ren Xiaodong was extremely worried about Ren Jing and said anxiously, “I don’t know either, but if anyone tries to hurt Ren Jing, we’ll fight them to the end!”
Just then, four girls arrived, dressed like nonconformists—bleached hair, big earrings, smoking cigarettes, and standing at the school gate.
Yagyu remarked to Ren Xiaodong, “If it’s this group, I want no part of it. I’m afraid they’ll scratch me—look at those long nails.”
Ren Xiaodong glanced at them and said, “I don’t care. Even if it’s them bullying Ren Jing, I’ll fight them all the same!”
Soon, Ren Jing slowly walked to the school gate, looking around nervously. When she spotted Ren Xiaodong, she hurried over, followed by another girl. That girl went up to the nonconformists and exchanged a few words. The four girls then walked over.
“Oh, so you’ve got a guy to protect you now!” one of them sneered.
Ren Xiaodong said, “Touch her and you’ll regret it!”
The leader of the group tried to grab Ren Jing, but Ren Xiaodong shoved her away forcefully.
The leader, seeing the situation, made a phone call and announced, “My boyfriend will be here soon! Just you wait!”
It wasn’t long before seven or eight street thugs showed up. Yagyu narrowed his eyes and muttered, “How is it that you’re everywhere?”
The newcomer was none other than Zhao Bin, the notorious gangster.
Zhao Bin smiled at Yagyu and said, “Little boss, I was wondering myself—how is it always you? You tell me, how should we settle this? You decide.”
Yagyu waved to Ren Xiaodong and said, “You handle it.”
The leader of the group, seeing Zhao Bin unwilling to get involved, turned to him and said, “Zhao Bin! I’m your girlfriend! If you won’t help me, fine, but are you seriously siding with others?”
Ren Xiaodong laughed loudly, “Big brother, you have some unique taste, huh? Even this hedgehog-haired one?”
Zhao Bin, a bit embarrassed, replied, “It’s mostly because she’s young, really young.”
The leader strode up and slapped Zhao Bin across the face. “I’m with you, not so you can make fun of me! Aren’t you always boasting that no one dares cross you? Is this how you protect your woman?”
Humiliated in front of his own crew, Zhao Bin slapped her back and said, “Get lost! I’m only with you for the sex. Don’t flatter yourself. Let me tell you, everyone here is my brother. Today, apologize to my brother Yagyu, and nothing else will happen!”
The nonconformist girls knew Zhao Bin was the big gangster in the area and not someone to trifle with. That he would hit his own girlfriend for this boy meant the boy wasn’t to be messed with.
But the leader couldn’t swallow her pride. She glared at Yagyu and said, “So you think you’re tough, huh? The humiliation you made me suffer today, I’ll repay double in the future! This isn’t over. One day, when you’re not around, I’ll make sure Ren Jing suffers!”
She then looked at Zhao Bin and said, “You think just because I leave you, nobody else will want me? Wait and see—my next man will be way more capable than you! Just you wait!”
With that, the four girls stormed off without a backward glance. Zhao Bin hurried to Yagyu and said, “I’ll handle this. Leave it to me.”
Ren Jing was so frightened she couldn’t speak. Ren Xiaodong wanted to chase after and punish them, but Yagyu stopped him, saying, “They’re right. We can’t always watch over Ren Jing. We need to think carefully. Let me figure this out.”
After exchanging a few words with Zhao Bin, Yagyu left with Ren Jing and Ren Xiaodong.
“Where are we going?” Ren Xiaodong asked Yagyu.
Walking ahead, Yagyu turned to Ren Jing and asked, “Do you know where the boy who’s been pestering you is now?”
Ren Jing thought for a moment. “They always go to the internet café after school—it’s nearby.”
Yagyu took Ren Jing to the café. She pointed out a boy in school uniform. Yagyu said, “Go home now. Ren Xiaodong and I will handle this. Go to school tomorrow with peace of mind.”
After Ren Jing left, Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong went up behind the boy, who was playing games. Ren Xiaodong slapped him on the head, knocking his headphones onto the desk.
The boy’s classmates were all around. Seeing their friend get slapped, they stood up in unison.
Yagyu ignored them, grabbed the boy, and dragged him outside. As the others started to step forward, Yagyu said, “Do you know Zhao Bin? He’s my big brother. If you don’t want trouble, sit the hell down!”
The moment they heard Zhao Bin was Yagyu’s big brother, everyone obediently sat down and resumed their games. Yagyu thought to himself, “Turns out Zhao Bin’s name is quite useful. It’s not students I fear, but students who have gangsters backing them.”
Dragging the boy outside, Yagyu didn’t waste words. “Call your girlfriend over!”
The boy was scared, having heard Yagyu claim Zhao Bin as his big brother. Zhao Bin was infamous in the area, not someone students could afford to cross.
As the boy hesitated, Yagyu slapped him across the face and repeated, “Call her!”
The boy, frightened, quickly took out his phone and called his girlfriend. Shortly after, a girl arrived on a bicycle and stopped nearby. Seeing her boyfriend cowering before Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong, she was timid and didn’t dare approach.
Yagyu asked the boy, “Is that her?” He had seen her at the school gate but hadn’t looked closely. The boy nodded. Yagyu waved energetically, signaling the girl to come over. She pushed her bike closer, head lowered, silent.
“Did you see the two of us earlier?” Yagyu asked. The girl nodded. Yagyu continued, “I won’t repeat myself. The one next to me is Ren Jing’s boyfriend. I heard you wanted to bully Ren Jing because of your boyfriend. Today, I taught him a lesson. If Ren Jing ever faces danger again, we’ll come after him first. So be friendly to her at school!”
Afterward, Yagyu had the girl contact the four nonconformists and find out where they were. Once he learned their location, he and Ren Xiaodong headed over.
On a street in Xinghai City, in a small restaurant—
“Ya-jie, don’t be upset. Zhao Bin is just a scumbag. He said himself he was only after your looks. Why be heartbroken over a jerk like that?”
“That’s right, Ya-jie. Have a drink. Once you finish, don’t think about anything else.”
While the four girls were drinking, Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong suddenly sat beside them. Yagyu called out loudly, “Waiter, bring two more sets of dishes, the menu, and two cases of beer!”
The four girls were stunned—how had they found them?
The leader, Ya-jie, said, “What! Looking for a fight? You dare come here!” In truth, Ya-jie was scared. With two boys, a real fight wouldn’t end well, and Zhao Bin wouldn’t help her now.
“We just heard you’ve been dumped and came to drink with you.”
Noticing the meager food on the table, Yagyu realized they probably had little money but wanted to drink their sorrows away. So he added, “It’s on me!”
Soon, the table was laden with all kinds of dishes. Yagyu raised his glass, downed a beer, and said, “I came today to tell you: Ren Jing is with us. If anything happens to her, none of you will be spared.”
Ren Xiaodong added, “She’s my girl. If any of you dare touch her, I’ll ruin you.”
Ya-jie ignored their words, gulped down her drink, and burst into tears. Yagyu glanced around anxiously; all the diners were watching their table. Worried they’d think he had made her cry, he quickly said loudly to Ren Xiaodong, “Why are you so fierce! How can a grown man be so harsh to a girl? Look, you’ve made her cry!”
Ren Xiaodong couldn’t get a word out, but in his mind he was slapping Yagyu over and over.
Ya-jie’s makeup was smeared, her eyes ringed in black. Crying, she pulled off her messy wig. Her real hair was short, black, just reaching her shoulders, parted in the middle. After taking off the wig, Ya-jie went to the restroom.
When she returned, Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong were stunned. Without the nonconformist get-up, Ya-jie had become a pure, innocent girl.
Ya-jie picked up her glass and said, “I always knew Zhao Bin was only after me for my looks, but I liked men like him. I dressed like this to make myself look less easy to bully.”
After she spoke, the other three girls took off their wigs as well. Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong were speechless; all four nonconformists had transformed into pure, innocent girls.
“In honor of your treating me to dinner, let’s forget about Ren Jing’s matter. But let me warn you two: I’m not easy to bully either. If I see you again, I’ll pull out your teeth,” Ya-jie said.
Yagyu and Ren Xiaodong shared a trait—they could never act tough in front of beautiful girls.
During the meal, they learned Ya-jie’s full name was Liu Yanan. She disliked being called ‘Nan-jie’ because it sounded too feminine. She’d been out in society since graduating middle school and was now a manager at Nightfall KTV.
When the meal ended, Ren Xiaodong sent Ren Jing a message: “It’s all settled. With me here, you can relax.”