"You're the worthless burden!" Before Zhu Yaya could even get angry, Zhu Jianjun flew into a rage and shot back without holding anything back.
Chen Zicheng's mother was already in a bad mood, and now she was even angrier, spitting out all kinds of ugly curses.
Zhu Jianjun's face turned red with anger. He pulled the homeroom teacher, Chang Wen, into the argument to condemn Chen Zicheng's mother.
Zhu Yaya was also furious. The things Chen Zicheng's mother was saying were simply too vile.
A pair of warm hands covered her ears. Zhu Yaya looked up and saw Yan Heng's clean, sharp jawline.
What in the world?
Her dad and her teacher were right here!
Zhu Yaya muttered in her heart, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she stood there, feeling a mix of sweetness and nervousness. Fortunately, the three adults in the office were entirely focused on their verbal sparring and didn't notice the intimate moment between Zhu Yaya and Yan Heng.
Chen Zicheng stared blankly at their sweet interaction, his heart churning like a stormy sea.
The three adults grew more and more agitated, with profanities constantly flying from Chen Zicheng's mother's mouth. The veins on Zhu Jianjun's forehead throbbed with his heavy breathing, but because of his profession, he forced down his anger, trying to reason with the woman. However, he had severely underestimated her capacity for causing a scene.
Yan Heng furrowed his brows and whispered into Zhu Yaya's ear, "Let's get out of here."
Zhu Yaya had wanted to leave ages ago. She didn't even know what she was supposed to do standing there—just listen to someone hurl insults at her?
Zhu Yaya nodded, and she and Yan Heng slipped away unnoticed.
Chen Zicheng watched their retreating figures as they sneaked out. Pressing his lips tightly together, he followed them.
Homeroom teacher Chang Wen was dealing with a massive headache. She noticed the three students leaving but didn't say anything. Instead, she continued trying to mediate between the two parents, reprimanding Chen Zicheng's mother for raising a hand against Zhu Yaya.
Once outside the office, Zhu Yaya took a deep breath. "Finally out. It was so exhausting in there!"
However, it was currently class time. Where should they go now? Head back to their respective classrooms?
After everything that had happened, Zhu Yaya had lost all desire to sit through a lesson. She thought for a moment, tilted her small head, and smiled at Yan Heng. "Yan Heng, let's go for a walk in the small garden on the first floor."
Because Zhu Yaya's face was injured, she tried to control her expressions, keeping her movements to a minimum. Even her smile was just a tiny upward curve of her lips. As a result, Yan Heng didn't even realize she was smiling. Seeing her stiff face, he assumed she was still upset because of Chen Zicheng's mother.
"Okay," Yan Heng replied, softening his voice.
It was nearly April, and the temperature was gradually rising. The dry, rough bushes of winter had long since sprouted tender green leaves. The leaves were so fresh and vibrant that Zhu Yaya almost suspected it was a fake tree. She reached out to touch a new leaf, leaning in with wide eyes for a closer look.
Yan Heng stood to her right, watching Zhu Yaya's somewhat childish actions. Standing beside her, he was like a steady, silent tree, guarding the delicate flower he cherished beneath his branches.
From the corner of his eye, Yan Heng cast a subtle glance toward the back right.
He knew Chen Zicheng had been following him and Zhu Yaya the entire time.
Chen Zicheng was standing behind and to the right of them. He felt the urge to step forward, but his inner pride held him back.
Chen Zicheng let out a self-deprecating laugh. Thanks to his mother's scene, all his pride had been shattered. By noon, the news would spread throughout Scott High School. Everyone in the school would be laughing at him. He wouldn't want to stay here any longer.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Zicheng steeled his resolve and walked toward Zhu Yaya.
Sensing Chen Zicheng's approach, Yan Heng's guard instantly went up. He shielded Zhu Yaya behind him, glaring at Chen Zicheng with a warning in his eyes.
Zhu Yaya, who had been studying the little green leaves, sensed the shift in the person beside her. She pulled her gaze away and peeked out from behind Yan Heng. Seeing Chen Zicheng approaching, she swallowed hard.
She was genuinely terrified of Chen Zicheng and his mother. The mother had called her a homewrecker and hit her; the son had glared at her coldly, mocking her as a loose woman.
Chen Zicheng noticed Zhu Yaya's resistance. When he saw the swelling still lingering on the left side of her face, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes vanished.
Yan Heng's eyes radiated a cold light. "Leave!" he demanded, short and to the point.
Chen Zicheng was somewhat intimidated by Yan Heng, but he didn't stop approaching. He halted when he was just over a meter away.
"I," Chen Zicheng began, his heart filled with bitterness, "I don't mean any harm. I just want to say a few words to Zhu Yaya."
Zhu Yaya thought to herself that he was probably just going to mock her again for being promiscuous and loose.
"Speak," Yan Heng said coldly.
Chen Zicheng looked at Yan Heng, who was blocking Zhu Yaya, and found himself unable to voice the words in his heart.
"Zhu Yaya, can I talk to you alone?" Chen Zicheng looked earnestly at Zhu Yaya behind Yan Heng.
"Who knows if you're just going to mock me again?" Zhu Yaya muttered softly from behind Yan Heng, her hand tightly gripping his cuff.
Chen Zicheng smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry, Zhu Yaya. I won't mock you anymore. Please give me this chance. I'll be leaving Scott High School soon."
Leaving Scott High School?
Zhu Yaya felt a bit hesitant. "Why... why are you leaving?"
"Wasn't the scene my mother caused today big enough?"
True. With his mother making such a fuss, there would definitely be a lot of people gossiping about him.
Zhu Yaya hesitated for a moment, tugging down on Yan Heng's cuff. "Yan Heng, I think..."
Yan Heng wanted to refuse, but seeing the dejected Chen Zicheng, he figured the guy posed no real threat and nodded.
After Zhu Yaya released his cuff, Yan Heng walked away, but not too far. He kept his eyes fixed intently on Zhu Yaya and Chen Zicheng, his entire body tense. If Chen Zicheng made any move to hurt her, he would rush over in an instant.
"Alright, Yan Heng has stepped away. Whatever you have to say, say it quickly!" Zhu Yaya was still somewhat traumatized by Chen Zicheng. Seeing him take several steps forward, she nervously called out to stop him, "Just stand where you were, don't move!"
Chen Zicheng's body instantly stiffened. "Okay."
After saying that, he took a few steps back.
Chen Zicheng looked at Zhu Yaya with a complex expression. "Zhu Yaya, do I really scare you that much? I really want to know, what kind of image do I have in your heart?"
"Uh, can I tell the truth?" Zhu Yaya asked cautiously, peeking at Chen Zicheng's expression.
Chen Zicheng nodded.
"Actually, it's not exactly fear," Zhu Yaya thought for a moment before speaking slowly. "I just really dislike you."
Chen Zicheng felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if he had been stabbed by a knife, but he forced a smile. "Why? Is it because my mother hit you?"
"No. Your mother is your mother, not you." Zhu Yaya shook her head and continued, "I hate you because you have never respected me. I don't understand why you mock me for being loose every time you see me. If I dress up nicely, you have something to say; if I smile, you have something to say. You act like some ancient prude who time-traveled to the present, harboring such malicious and harsh opinions of me."
Seeing that Chen Zicheng made no move to argue, Zhu Yaya felt safe to go on. "Besides, you always love to spread rumors about me two-timing guys and doing nothing but flirting around. I have never done any of that! Chen Zicheng, do you know the saying that a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth? Society is already prejudiced against women. If you keep doing this and people actually start believing it, what am I supposed to do?"
