Chapter 20: A Straight-A Genius Appears

Outside the classroom, many students were playing, but I couldn't find any joy. Zhengtai's father was still in the hospital, and I didn't know if his mother had managed to find the money. I took out my phone, found Mo Liping's number in my contacts, and dialed. A moment later, her sugary voice came through: "Darling? What's wrong? Did you miss me?"

She was so hard to reach! I had called countless times last night, but the damn woman never picked up, so I couldn't help but complain: "Where the hell have you been?"

Mo Liping sounded completely unconcerned. "You know how it is. I was out with my husband meeting business associates. I thought it was going to be a big party, but it turned out to be at a hotel. Aside from talking business, they just kept complimenting how beautiful I looked! My husband even boasted about finding such a true beauty, and the others looked on with envy, saying they wished they could find someone like me to keep as a mistress."

I didn't want to hear her bragging. With Zhengtai's father in the hospital and money needed, I had to say, "You probably don't know this, but I haven't slept all night. Something happened at home."

Mo Liping was eager to hear this and asked anxiously, "What happened?"

I seized the opportunity to explain the situation and tentatively asked, "Could you lend me some money?"

Money always ruins relationships. Mo Liping hesitated for a long time before asking, "How much?"

My needs were modest—just enough for the medical bills—but since money is hard to come by, I whispered, "One hundred thousand."

She gasped, her voice rising: "One hundred thousand? What do you need that much for? You’re a family, don't you have any savings at all?"

I had no choice but to recount the events at the hospital last night: "One hundred thousand might not even be enough!"

Mo Liping’s sugary voice returned: "No way. You were the one who hit someone, and now you want me to pay for it? That’s so unreasonable! Who ever heard of such a thing?"

I had to play my last card: "Think about it! I’m still in pain. Didn't you say you loved me? Didn't you say you’d hold me in the palm of your hand like a treasure?"

Mo Liping hesitated for a long time, then went silent...

The bell rang, forcing me to hang up and turn off my phone. I slipped into the classroom and sat at my desk, feeling utterly miserable.

That’s how it always goes—people change the moment things get critical. If his mother couldn't borrow the money either, the surgery might...

I didn't know what the next class was about, nor did I listen; my mind was a chaotic mess.

When the final bell rang, the students grew restless. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor was deafening as everyone stuffed their books into their bags and headed out.

Jiang Meili gripped my hand tightly, terrified. She hid to my left, whispering, "Some of the school bullies from the third year are coming this way. They’re always giving me trouble!"

I found it strange. Just a moment ago at the school gate, she had been shouting loudly, and those bullies had been frightened away; I couldn't understand why she was so scared now.

"Do they want to assault you?" I asked tentatively.

Jiang Meili had a different take: "They haven't had the chance yet, but they always stop us to demand money."

I looked around carefully, but the school gate was swarming with students, and I couldn't spot the bullies she mentioned. After leaving the school, Zhengtai's mother didn't show up, and no one came to pick up Jiang Meili, so we had to walk.

We soon lost track of the other students. I didn't know the area, so I relied on Jiang Meili to lead the way. As we rounded a corner shielded by walls on both sides, four tall boys suddenly appeared, blocking our path.

We were both girls, the perfect targets for bullies. I didn't know what Jiang Meili had gone through before, but the problem was right in front of us now.

The bullies were wearing school uniforms. Although they were tall, they were all shorter than me, and their faces were completely unfamiliar.

I wasn't a stranger to bullies. When my younger sister was in school, she was often stopped and robbed. Because of that, I used to teach her martial arts by my bedside every morning, and in the end, she managed to beat them off...

Jiang Meili was terrified. She had wet her pants, looking incredibly embarrassed as she gripped my hand tightly and cowered behind me.

I didn't want to fight, but with Zhengtai's father in the hospital and no money to be found, I was backed into a corner. I had to step up.

"What's the meaning of this?"

One of the four, a boy with a frog-like face, stepped forward with a sullen look and said, "Don't play dumb! You know the drill. Hand over the money!"

I had eight yuan left from the ten my mother gave me for water, so I handed it over without hesitation, thinking that would be the end of it. However, another bully cursed, "Damn it, what can we do with eight yuan? We want to feel you up..."

The more you give in, the more they bully you. Anything else I could handle, but that was out of the question! I felt a surge of rage and roared, glaring at them: "If you've got the guts, come and try!"

The four male bullies were ganging up on two girls. The tallest one, who had a horse-like face, charged at me.

I threw a punch, hitting him square in the bridge of his nose. The guy looked stunned, clutching his face as blood leaked through his fingers and dripped everywhere. He hung his head and retreated to the side, clearly in agony.

Seeing their companion injured, the other three bullies swarmed in, attacking from the front, back, and sides.

With a "swish," two wooden staves appeared in my hands. I was stunned—I had been looking for them everywhere and couldn't find them, so how had they just appeared out of nowhere? I had no time to wonder...

Jiang Meili was hugging my waist tightly, restricting my movement and making it impossible to perform any real martial arts. When the bully on the left kicked at me, I had to use the staff to deflect it, using his own force against him. He tumbled to the ground, rolled over, and scrambled back up. Then, the bully behind me started throwing punches and kicks—Jiang Meili was hit several times, screaming as she clung to my back.

There were many onlookers on the roadside, but no one stepped in to help. If this continued, Jiang Meili would be the one to suffer. I wanted to pull her hands away and fight for my life, but she clung to my legs and wouldn't let go.

The punches from the three sides rained down on me. I took a few hits to the head, so I had to use the staves to parry. I dodged and struck the bully’s wrist with a heavy blow; a crisp "snap" signaled a fracture.

He staggered away, clutching his arm and gritting his teeth in pain.

I spun around and faced the bully on the left. I struck his incoming hand; he recoiled with a grimace, then took another blow to the arm. He hopped around in pain, retreated, and was effectively out of the fight.

Only one bully remained behind me. I turned, and he backed away in fear. I didn't want to fight him anymore; the two staves vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared. I grabbed Jiang Meili and prepared to leave...

He picked up a large rock and hurled it at my head with all his might. I tilted my head, and with a "whoosh," the rock grazed my ear. This act infuriated me. I pushed Jiang Meili aside and charged at him, scaring him into running for his life.

The other three were all injured and no longer capable of robbery. I decided that if they caused any more trouble, a single phone call would surely get them arrested.

The three injured bullies glared at Jiang Meili and me with gritted teeth as we walked past, but they were powerless to do anything.

What puzzled me most were the two staves—how had they suddenly disappeared? Where did they come from, and where did they go? It was all so strange. Was I cursed?

My heart was in chaos. The hospital, the school gate, the bullies—and most annoying of all, Mo Liping. She always disappeared at the most critical moment. I had so much bitterness inside, and I didn't know who to tell.

We reached the bus stop, and Jiang Meili left by bus, leaving me alone. I really wanted to go to the hospital to check on things.

My phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and answered: "Hello?"

His mother’s voice came through: "Zhengtai, don't come to the hospital. Go home, read your books, and get yourself something to eat. I still have to go borrow money. I’ve already told you several times, I don't have time to look after you."

Hearing that it was still about money made me feel incredibly frustrated, and I replied moodily, "I know!"

Now I was in a real bind. The eight yuan had been taken by the bullies, and I was penniless; I couldn't even buy anything to eat. Just as I was about to speak, the call disconnected. I thought about it and dialed Mo Liping’s number again, but it hung up after less than a minute. I tried several more times, but the result was the same.

"That shameless woman! She took advantage of me and won't contribute a cent. It’s infuriating! When I get the chance, I’m going to give her a real beating!"