Before Gu Yue could finish her sentence, she received another vicious slap from the irate delinquent with bloodshot eyes. Triggered by her repeated rejections and respectful reference to 'Brother Long,' he was on the verge of losing his mind, bellowing angrily:

"Screw your 'Brother Long'! Screw your uncle! I'm leaving for out-of-state school in three days, I don’t give a damn about any goddamn uncle!"

The alley fell into an eerie silence after his furious roar. Gu Yue's lips trembled in shock; she had never imagined he would just hit and run. If he could simply walk away after messing with Tang Manman, what would happen to her? Lin Yu, unable to catch the true culprit, would surely turn all his rage onto her.

Recalling Lin Yu's reputation, Gu Yue’s lips quivered with fear.

The purple-haired youth realized he’d let his plan slip and glared sinisterly at Gu Yue. Eventually, he stopped pretending and blurted out, "Let me tell you straight, Gu Yue. In these three days before I leave, you HAVE to bring Tang Manman to me."

"Lin Yu thinks he's so tough, protecting her? Well, I want a taste of Tang Manman myself. I'll make her wear the green hat for Lin Yu, show him I, Mao, am not to be messed with!"

Gu Yue, slapped again before she could defend herself, let the tears she’d been holding back finally fall. In between sobs, she whimpered, "Brother Mao, Lin Yu doesn't like Tang Manman. At school, he won't even let others call Tang Manman 'sister-in-law.' They're not what you think."

"Who do you think you're lying to?" The delinquent wasn’t convinced and slapped Gu Yue once more, snarling viciously.

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"No, Brother Mao, I'm not lying. Everyone at school knows, you could ask anybody, they'll tell you I’m telling the truth,” Gu Yue sobbed through her explanation.

The fuming youth finally paused and smirked after scrutinizing Gu Yue and seemed convinced she wasn't lying. Draping an arm around her shoulders, he turned to the henchmen he brought, chuckling, "Why don't you lot give her a once-over?"

Though her makeup was tear-streaked and ruined, the thugs could tell she was a catch—after all, the girlfriend of a school bully couldn’t be ugly.

Nodding in approval, a tall and beefy older man with stained clothing smiled, revealing yellowed teeth, "She looks fine. Clean her up, and she'll do."

Pleased with the response, Mao tightened his grip on Gu Yue and whispered sinisterly, "I'll tell you, Gu Yue, they're queued up to have a go at Tang Manman. If you don't deliver within three days, I’ll have them turn on you instead!"

Gu Yue shook, tears rolling down her cheeks. Before she had a chance to plead, a lazy voice with a hint of humor rang out from the entrance of the alley, halting everyone.

"Why go to all that trouble with her?"

"You want to get back at me, right?"

"I find that B-word so repulsive; I’d be happy if you put her through that."

Lin Yu's mocking tone filled the alley, tension knotting in the delinquent's scalp. He turned, his face reflecting the dread he felt to see Lin Yu, with a forced, twisted smile, approaching them.

Lin Yu, unable to contain his rage at these animals targeting Tang Manman and attempting to drag him into their vile plans, squared off against them. As he was contemplating their fate, the delinquent tried intimidating him: "Watch it, Lin Yu, and see how many of us there are!"

Emboldened suddenly, the delinquent realized he had the numbers—five to one, all adults. What could Lin Yu really do? Even if he were skilled, was he Bruce Lee? Could he go one against six?

The prospect bolstered the delinquent's confidence, and he sneered smugly until, without finishing his taunt, Lin Yu landed a punch on the inflated belly of the tall, fat man.

"Keep quiet for now; your turn to talk will come," Lin Yu said icy cold, then turned to Mao brother, "What did you just call me again?"