Rong Wangtian was pacing anxiously in circles.
Even the usually calm and composed Shen Lin wore a face full of worry.
Early in the morning, the teacher had called to say Rong Qing'an hadn’t shown up for school. She couldn’t reach her son, and even his smartwatch’s location couldn’t be traced.
At first, they thought he had skipped class to play at an internet café, but after checking the surveillance footage, they discovered Rong Qing'an had been led out of the school gates by Wei Xu, a classmate. After leaving the school, the two had deliberately avoided cameras, making it impossible to track their whereabouts.
From her son’s classmates, Shen Lin learned that Wei Xu and Rong Qing'an had a serious conflict. She was terrified something might happen.
Shen Lin pressed her fingers to her temples. "We can’t wait any longer. Let’s call the police."
She didn’t believe Rong Yu would care much about a younger brother with whom she had little emotional connection.
Rong Wangtian shook his head. "Whether or not we get through, Rong Yu will respond. Let’s wait a few more minutes."
Soon, Rong Yu called back: "Go to the back hill of the school. Keep walking straight in."
Rong Wangtian and Shen Lin rushed there immediately.
Behind Haicheng No. 1 High School was a wide road, with a low hill on one side. The hill wasn’t tall, but it was sprawling, covered in dense vegetation. While the outer areas had cycling paths, the deeper parts lacked even trails.
Rong Yu hadn’t contacted Ji Yanting. Instead, she called Qiu Sang directly, and the two of them hurried over together.
Qiu Sang’s hands trembled the entire drive.
The moment she stepped out of the car, she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
"Qiu-jie, don’t panic," Rong Yu reassured her.
From Yan Ting’s descriptions, Qiu Sang was a highly capable agent—calm under pressure and decisive. But right now, none of that composure was visible.
When Qiu Sang first received the news, her mind had been in chaos.
But as they made their way here, she gradually steadied herself.
The two had just entered the back hill when they ran into Rong Wangtian and Shen Lin. The four of them walked deeper into the woods, and after about twenty minutes, they heard a scream.
Shen Lin’s expression twisted in horror. "That’s Qing'an’s voice!"
She sprinted ahead.
In a clearing ahead, Rong Qing'an was curled up on the ground. Standing over him was a boy about his age—Wei Xu—with a cigarette dangling from his lips, one foot pressing down on Rong Qing'an’s face.
Rong Qing'an roared, "Wei Xu, if you don’t have the guts to kill me today, I swear I’ll make you pay for this later!"
"Still talking tough?" Wei Xu sneered. "Just admit you were wrong and promise not to mess with me again, and I’ll let you go. Do you really want to keep pushing your luck?"
He kicked Rong Qing'an away. "Take twenty minutes to rest. Then we’ll go again. I’ve got all day to waste on you—"
Before he could finish, a sudden gust of wind rushed toward him.
Instinctively, he moved to grab the attacker’s arm—only to see Qiu Sang. He hesitated, and in that split second, her palm struck his face with a sharp, stinging slap.
"Wei Xu, stop this!" Qiu Sang’s voice was icy, her eyes like daggers.
"Waaah—Dad! Mom! It hurts so much!" Rong Qing'an scrambled up from the ground and threw himself into Shen Lin’s arms, sobbing as he tattled. "He bullied me! Hit me! Wouldn’t let me leave! I almost died! You have to punish him!"
Shen Lin’s heart ached. She stroked her son’s head, then turned to Qiu Sang. "Ms. Qiu, this is a crime—a serious one. I’m calling the police."
Though she threatened it, she made no move to actually dial.
She was gambling—betting that Qiu Sang would refuse.
People in the entertainment industry dreaded dealing with the police. It always led to unnecessary complications.
If Qiu Sang objected, Shen Lin could leverage the situation to make a demand.
Her request was simple: she wanted Qiu Sang to persuade Yan Ting to increase Yaoyao’s screen time in that big-budget film…
Qiu Sang suppressed all her emotions.
"Before coming here," she said coolly, "I spoke with the homeroom teacher. From the day Wei Xu transferred here, Rong Qing'an has been tormenting him. If today’s incident is a crime, then what about when Rong Qing'an gathered a dozen people to beat Wei Xu? Was that not a crime? When he framed Wei Xu for theft—was that not a crime either?"
Wei Xu, standing under a tree, froze.
So… this woman could see things from his perspective?
She hadn’t completely abandoned him after all…
Shen Lin’s face was a mask of disbelief.
She couldn’t fathom that the offenses Qiu Sang listed were all committed by her own son.
She’d always known Rong Qing'an was unruly and disobedient—but only at home. Never had she imagined he’d bully classmates at school.
How had she raised such a monster?
Her hands shook, but her upbringing kept her from slapping her son in front of everyone.
"If Madam Rong wants to call the police, I have no objections," Qiu Sang said flatly. "In fact, a stint in juvenile detention might teach him a lesson."
Rong Wangtian quickly interjected, "They’re just kids. A police record would ruin his future. Both sides are at fault—let’s just drop it."
Qiu Sang’s voice was firm. "I’ll cover all medical expenses. Send me the bill later."
She pulled out her phone and added Shen Lin on WeChat.
Shen Lin gave a stiff nod, then dragged her still-whimpering son away.
Rong Wangtian glanced at Rong Yu, who had remained silent the whole time. His lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, he said nothing.
Once the family of three had left, the woods fell quiet.
Qiu Sang had been composed while facing Shen Lin, but the moment she turned to Wei Xu, her emotions surged back. Her expression darkened. "No matter what, violence is never the answer. This is the first time—and I hope the last. If it happens again, I’ll have no choice but to send you back to fend for yourself."
Wei Xu saw the disgust in her eyes. He turned away. "What I do is none of your business."
He bent to pick up his backpack—but it was the same tattered one he’d brought from his hometown. The moment he lifted it, books spilled out in a cascade.
A test paper fluttered to Rong Yu’s feet.
The essay title: My Mother.
"I don’t have a mother. To be precise, I was abandoned by her. I hate her so much…"
Rong Yu was a speed-reader. In seconds, she’d absorbed most of the essay. Her previously impassive face flickered with surprise.
A hand snatched the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and hurled it into the nearby lake.
Wei Xu grabbed his ruined backpack and stormed off.
Qiu Sang stood rooted in place, her lips twisting into a bitter smile.
"Qiu-jie," Rong Yu said, her gaze unreadable, "is he your brother? You don’t share a surname—cousins, then? Where are his parents? Why are you responsible for him?"
Qiu Sang forced a smile. "His mother passed away. His father remarried, and the stepmother refused to take him in. So he came to me. A teenager this age… so rebellious. I don’t even know how to handle him. Thank you for your help today, Ms. Rong. Let me drive you back."
