"Jiang Chen, you bastard, let go of Teacher Chen right now!"
Startled, both Jiang Chen and Chen Weiwei turned their heads in shock. Standing at the doorway was Lin Yuechan, her eyes burning with fury.
"Yuechan, wait! You misunderstood!" Jiang Chen tried to explain.
But before he could finish, Lin Yuechan strode up and slapped him hard across the face.
Smack!
"You think I'm a child? I saw it with my own eyes, and you still dare say it was a misunderstanding?" she snapped. Arms crossed, she stared him down. "Go ahead then, explain yourself. I want to hear the lies you come up with."
Jiang Chen rubbed his cheek and gave her a cold glance. "Believe what you want."
He turned and walked away without another word.
Seeing the tension skyrocket, Chen Weiwei rushed to stop the damage.
"Yuechan, seriously—it wasn't what it looked like! Jiang Chen was just... helping me. I felt faint, and he treated me. That's all."
"Treated you?" Lin Yuechan blinked in disbelief.
Chen Weiwei nodded and recounted everything—how she nearly collapsed and how Jiang Chen stabilized her with pressure point techniques.
Lin Yuechan listened in stunned silence. When it was over, she lowered her gaze to her own hand, clearly regretting the slap.
"Hmph. If he knew it was a misunderstanding, why didn't he explain it earlier?" she mumbled.
Chen Weiwei looked embarrassed. "Honestly... he didn't even get the chance. You hit him before he could say anything."
Then, after a pause, she asked, "Yuechan, do you... like Jiang Chen?"
"What?! No! Of course not! He's arrogant, full of himself, and always acting like he's the center of the universe. I'm not blind, you know!" Lin Yuechan blurted out, clearly flustered.
Chen Weiwei raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you blushing?"
"I—I'm not!"
She quickly covered her cheeks with both hands, realizing too late that they were indeed burning.
Chen Weiwei gave a soft sigh. First love really was something delicate.
But for some reason, as she looked at Lin Yuechan's expression, she felt a strange, empty breeze pass through her own heart.
...
When Lin Yuechan returned to the classroom, she saw Jiang Chen with his head down, eyes closed.
She walked up quietly and nudged him gently.
"Jiang Chen, I'm sorry… I misunderstood you. I shouldn't have hit you. Will you forgive me?"
He didn't respond.
She pouted. "Still pretending to sleep? Fine! If it makes you feel better, you can slap me back!"
Jiang Chen opened one eye and grinned. "Oh? Did I hear that right? You're offering to be punished?"
"Hey! I didn't say you could actually hit me!" she said, flustered. "A real man knows how to treat women gently!"
He reached out and flicked her forehead. "Next time, think before acting. Or I'll really spank you."
Lin Yuechan blushed deep red. "W-We're in class! Don't tease me!"
Despite her words, she didn't pull away.
...
At the back of the room, Cheng Du saw the interaction and seethed.
"Damn you, Jiang Chen," he muttered. He pulled out his phone and typed out a message to Zhang Chao, a notorious hothead from the school's Taekwondo club.
Get over to Class 7. Teach someone a lesson.
...
Five minutes later, three towering boys stood at the door.
The one in front, Zhang Chao, scanned the classroom.
"Who's Jiang Chen? Come out!"
Lin Yuechan stood immediately. "Why do you want him?!"
Zhang Chao grinned, his eyes lingering a bit too long. "Relax, Miss Lin. This doesn't concern you. Just need a quick word with your classmate."
Cheng Du snorted. "What's wrong, Jiang Chen? Hiding behind a girl? What a disgrace."
A few students chuckled.
Jiang Chen stood slowly, yawning.
Lin Yuechan grabbed his arm. "Don't go. Zhang Chao is trained in martial arts—you'll get hurt."
He smiled and leaned in, whispering, "If I win, will you give me a kiss?"
Her face exploded into crimson.
He took her silence as consent. "No answer means yes!"
Then he strolled toward the door.
Zhang Chao sized him up. "You Jiang Chen?"
"That's me. You got a problem?"
Zhang Chao pointed at Lin Yuechan. "She belongs to my bro Cheng Du. Back off."
Jiang Chen turned toward Cheng Du. "Why don't you come out too?"
Cheng Du strutted forward, puffing out his chest.
"Jiang Chen, I told you not to mess with me!"
Jiang Chen's smirk deepened. "And I told you—you have a rotten mouth."
"You—"
Smack!
"Didn't like that?"
Smack!
"Still don't agree?"
Smack! Smack! Smack!
"Now do you agree?!"
The classroom was frozen in stunned silence.
Zhang Chao just stood there, dumbfounded, as Cheng Du's swollen face twisted in rage.
"Zhang Chao! What are you waiting for?! Beat him up! If anything happens, I'll take the blame!"