Chapter 31: No Progress at All

That day, Shen Qing rose earlier than usual. When she arrived at school, she was two full minutes earlier than last week; the bell for the first period had not yet rung. She entered the classroom through the back door. The seats at the back of the room were quite empty, and Nie Huan was nowhere to be seen.

“Shen Qing, you’re finally here.” Yao Panpan sat at her desk, craning her neck toward the back entrance, and at last caught sight of her.

Seeing Yao Panpan approaching anxiously, Shen Qing’s brows knitted slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Chu Yu and his friends got into a fight with the thugs from Eighth High. Huan went out during morning reading to help, and she hasn’t come back yet.” Yao Panpan’s face was filled with worry—it had already been over an hour. Could something have really happened?

Shen Qing narrowed her eyes, the aura she exuded making Yao Panpan tremble involuntarily.

“Where did they go?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll help you find them.” Yao Panpan asked her desk mate to cover for her, then pulled Shen Qing out through the back door.

They flagged down a car on the street, and finally found the group in a small alley near Eighth High.

*

A dozen young men, their hair dyed in dazzling colors, stood around lighting cigarettes, filling the alley with swirling smoke.

Wang Minghui was the leader among them. He used to be a student at Eighth High. After injuring someone in a fight, he’d spent time in detention, and never returned to school after that.

“Wang Minghui, beating up women—what kind of man are you?” Chu Yu glared fiercely at them, shielding Nie Huan behind him. His face and body were bruised, and he looked battered.

“You little bastard, you sure care about women.” Wang Minghui spat his cigarette butt onto the ground, his gaze toward Nie Huan full of ill intent.

“If you let her stay with me for a few days, I’ll let you all go,” he said.

The men behind him protested, “Brother Hui, that’s not fair! What about the rest of us?”

Nie Huan was a beauty, after all.

“Bastard, shameless.” Little Fatty lay on the ground, blood still flowing from his head, a large patch of skin torn from his forehead.

Nie Huan’s face remained icy throughout, her expression unchanged, even though her hand had been broken. Not a single cry of pain escaped her lips.

Wang Minghui looked at her cold, beautiful face and grinned wickedly. “I can be even more shameless.”

With that, he strode toward Nie Huan, his gang jeering behind him.

Chu Yu stepped forward, fixing Wang Minghui with a steely gaze. Even if he died today, he would protect her!

“Nie Huan, come with me, and I’ll let them go,” Wang Minghui said.

“Pah!” Chu Yu spat in contempt.

Nie Huan lifted her eyelids, her body covered in wounds, her left hand hanging limp. Looking at Wang Minghui with his yellow hair, she said coldly, “Who do you think you are?”

Wang Minghui’s face darkened. “You—”

“Who do you think you are?” A clear, cold female voice sounded from the mouth of the alley, cutting him off.

Everyone turned to see Shen Qing and Yao Panpan walking toward them.

Chu Yu frowned. How did those two get here? Were they just walking into danger?

Little Fatty and several other boys in the class almost fainted on the spot. The other side was armed with knives and clubs, and even Huan couldn’t handle them—yet these two girls had come alone!

Yao Panpan had thought it was just a schoolyard scuffle, but now realized the other side was full of hardened men, all carrying weapons.

Her heart chilled. Was it too late to run?

Wang Minghui’s underlings moved to surround them, blocking any escape. Yao Panpan had no chance to flee now.

Yao Panpan: …

“Brother Hui, this girl’s a knockout!” A lanky man looked at Shen Qing with burning eyes.

Wang Minghui licked his lips, surprised to see someone even more beautiful than Nie Huan.

“Hey! If you’ve got guts, fight us men—leave the others out of it!” Chu Yu felt frozen inside. Wang Minghui and his gang would not spare Shen Qing.

All he could do was stall them and hope the police arrived soon.

Yao Panpan shrank behind Shen Qing, her voice trembling. “We… we’ve already called the police, you…”

“Hahaha…” The thugs burst out laughing.

“Little girl, I’ve got connections at the station—I’m not afraid.”

Shen Qing glanced at them, said nothing, and walked straight toward Nie Huan. The thugs didn't stop her, letting them pass, their eyes smoldering as they watched Shen Qing.

Yao Panpan clung tightly to Shen Qing’s school uniform jacket, following her closely.

“Shen Qing, you…” Chu Yu started to scold her, but remembering their dangerous situation, held his tongue.

Shen Qing ignored him, her gaze settling on Nie Huan’s lifeless left arm.

“Broken?”

Nie Huan nodded. “Yes.”

Like a child admitting to a mistake.

Little Fatty was on the verge of tears—wasn’t this delinquent girl aware of the situation?

“Shen Qing, we boys will hold them off. You and Yao Panpan take Huan and get out of here,” said another boy.

The others nodded.

Shen Qing didn’t move, looking Nie Huan in the eyes. “No progress at all—embarrassing.”

Chu Yu exploded in anger. “Shen Qing, what the hell are you saying!”

Still bickering at a time like this!

“Chu Yu, don’t turn on each other,” Yao Panpan said meekly.

Wang Minghui picked up a long club, pressing his tongue to his cheek. “Both of you girls are staying.”