After school, the alley behind Mingde High School was unusually quiet.
Ming Ye leaned against the brick wall, a lollipop resting loosely between his lips. The sweet taste was faint, almost dull. He rolled it idly with his tongue, his eyes half-lidded, his posture lazy as usual.
Lu Qian paced a few steps away, his blond hair catching the fading light. He glanced at the alley entrance again, irritation creeping into his expression.
"Shen Chu's really got guts this time," he said. "I heard he brought actual gang members. Looks like he's planning to go all out."
Ming Ye didn't respond.
Lu Qian turned to him. "Aren't you going to call reinforcements? This isn't like before."
Ming Ye finally shifted, pushing himself off the wall. He removed the lollipop from his mouth and smiled faintly.
"No need."
He stretched his arm slowly, his joints cracking softly. "I've been feeling a bit rusty anyway."
Lu Qian stared at him.
"You've been feeling rusty."
"Mm."
"Ming-ge. There are going to be multiple of them."
"Good."
Lu Qian frowned. "You're insane."
Footsteps echoed from the alley entrance.
Shen Chu appeared first, his face still bearing faint traces of swelling. Behind him were several men. They were older and had broad muscles; their gazes were sharp and unfriendly. The atmosphere changed instantly.
Shen Chu pointed straight at Ming Ye. "Ge, it's him. He's the one who beat me up."
The man at the front of the group, the so-called Big Brother, who was built like a giant building, with a scar through his left eyebrow, looked Ming Ye up and down and sneered. "You did this?"
Ming Ye tilted his head slightly. "I did. So?"
The Big Brother's expression darkened. "Then it's only fair if things are even."
Ming Ye chuckled softly. "Revenge?" His smile widened, making it more eerie. "Are you even capable?"
Lu Qian stepped forward angrily. "Don't twist things. Shen Chu attacked us first on the field."
Shen Chu's face twisted. "Ming Ye stole my girl!"
Ming Ye blinked, genuinely puzzled. "I've got too many people chasing after me. Which one are you talking about?"
The gang members' expressions soured instantly.
Lu Qian covered his mouth with his hand. This was not the time. He was not going to laugh. He was a serious person in a serious situation.
"Don't be so smug!" Shen Chu snapped. "Ge, see how he humiliated us. Teach him a lesson!"
Ming Ye took the lollipop from his mouth and bit down.
Crack.
The candy shattered between his teeth.
He casually spat the broken stick aside, an eccentric smile curling on his lips. Just as he was about to move, several of the gang members stepped forward, pulling out knives.
Lu Qian's pupils shrank. "That's unfair!"
Ming Ye's smile didn't fade. "So you want to make it bloody?" His tone was light, amused even. "I don't mind." He paused, his eyes darkening. "It just won't be my blood."
The Big Brother paused for a bit, reassessing Ming Ye. In all his years as a gang member, he had met all kinds of people; weak, strong, and insane. The look on this eighteen-year-old boy clearly showed he was in the third category. But at the end of the day, he was just one person; they were six.
The gang members rushed toward Ming Ye, killing intent in their eyes.
"Are you not ashamed?" A clear, crisp voice rang out from the alley entrance.
Everyone froze.
"Ganging up on someone like this," the voice continued calmly, "do you really think that's impressive?"
Ming Ye turned his head.
Zi Han stood there, her phone held tightly in her hand. Her expression was stoic, and her voice was seemingly courageous, but he could sense the fear in them.
"I've already called the police."
The gang members exchanged looks. The girl looked really serious. If the police did come, they might have to spend their night in a cell.
"Ge, what should we do?" one of them asked.
The Big Brother cursed under his breath and replied between gritted teeth, "Let's go. We'll get him later."
Within seconds, they scattered, disappearing like little chicks at the sight of a hawk. The place looked as though they had never been there in the first place.
The silence that followed felt unreal.
Lu Qian stared. "Did she… actually do it?" He recognized this girl; she was the cute one he had seen at the café.
Ming Ye didn't answer. He was looking at this stepsister of his. He didn't know whether to feel angry or impressed. He had, after all, been looking forward to the fight.
Zi Han lowered her phone slightly. Only then did she realize who was standing at the center of the alley.
Her eyes widened in fear.
Ming Ye!!! What terrible luck did she have that the person she thought was being bullied was Ming Ye?!
She had only been passing by and saw them surrounding a figure. As a good citizen, she had faked a call to the police. Who knew this would backfire?! If she had known, she would have just minded her own damn business.
Her and Ming Ye's gazes met, and for a moment, Zi Han felt her heart sink.
It had been barely one week since she created her Risk Avoidance Protocol, and yet she had already broken it twice!!!
Ming Ye looked at her quietly for a long time, which made her skin crawl.
Then he walked past her toward the alley exit, close enough that she had to press herself back against the wall.
He didn't look at her as he passed, but he whispered loudly enough for her to hear.
"See you at home, sister."
As sweet as it sounded, it didn't bring any semblance of comfort to her. Rather, it sounded like a threat.
She watched him turn back slightly and say, "Lu Qian, aren't you coming?"
Lu Qian, who had quietly been watching both of them, walked briskly to Ming Ye and then turned back to wave at Zi Han with a wide grin. "See you later, our savior!"
Zi Han: -_-
I definitely do not want to see you another time.