Xia Yue Shan soon appeared at the school entrance, backpack slung casually over his shoulder.

Spotting his target, Lin Yu waved to get his attention, motioning for him to come over. Xia Yue Shan halted abruptly, seemingly uncertain for a few seconds before turning around without a word and heading back into the school.

Watching Xia Yue Shan's retreat, Lin Yu was taken aback but quickly understood the boy might have mistaken him for one of the thugs sent to bully him.

Damn it! Do I really look that much like a villain?

...

Well, considering his looks and current relations, Lin Yu had to admit, his appearance didn't exactly scream 'friendly.'

Rubbing his forehead in slight annoyance, Lin Yu pulled out his phone and dialed the number he had gotten from Xia Mu Zhu the night before. The phone was answered after just two rings.

"Xia Yue Shan, right?" Lin Yu didn't beat around the bush. "I'm the guy your sister sent to back you up. Stop hiding in the school and come out here!"

There was silence on the other end of the phone for more than ten seconds after Lin Yu spoke. Just as Lin Yu was about to ask if Xia Yue Shan had heard him, the call was abruptly disconnected.

Staring at the contact list that lit up on his phone screen, Lin Yu's brow furrowed in confusion. What was this kid playing at? He had made a special effort to dress in a way that would impress middle schoolers to come find him, to help him take revenge.

The ingratitude was one thing, but to not say a single word and just hang up on him? What did that mean?

Swiping his finger across the phone screen, Lin Yu was about to redial when Xia Yue Shan reappeared at the school gate.

This time he wore a scowl that Lin Yu found all too familiar. It oddly resembled his own frustrated expression when he first encountered Tang Manman.

Ignoring Xia Yue Shan's mood, Lin Yu spoke up as the boy approached him:

"Get on..."

But Xia Yue Shan just walked right past Lin Yu without so much as a glance.

Dude, I'm here to help you, not to beg you. What's with the attitude?

As Xia Yue Shan was about to walk away, Lin Yu leaned forward and reached out to grab his shoulder.

Like a girl triggered into a state of frenzy, Xia Yue Shan attempted to shrug off Lin Yu's touch with a defensive movement.

Observing Xia Yue Shan's reaction, Lin Yu inwardly smirked. If he was so easily shrugged away, would his years of hard training mean nothing?

Lin Yu didn't forcibly grip Xia Yue Shan's shoulder but instead let go as the boy tried to pull away. His hand slid down Xia Yue Shan's arm until he grasped the wrist and pulled it back.

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Using the momentum, Lin Yu twisted it skillfully. The forceful twist, combined with the reversal of the wrist, twisted Xia Yue Shan's slender arm, and he instantly lost the power to resist.

Constrained by Lin Yu's grip, Xia Yue Shan didn't dare move any further and insisted with false bravado:

"Let go of me!"

"I don't need your help!"

Lin Yu wasn't polite with his retort:

"Think I want to meddle in your business?"

"I'm your sister's hired hand, not yours."

"I don't take orders from you."

"And another thing,"

"I warn you."

"Do not use that same tone with me as you do with your sister!"

"She may indulge you, but I have no such obligation!"

"If you dare give me that attitude again, I'll knock you out cold!"

His warning included a slight pulling of Xia Yue Shan's arm, indicating that he better behave.

Lin Yu understood all too well how to deal with rebellious middle schoolers like Xia Yue Shan. Now was precisely the time for his rebellion, and nice words would not sway him – especially regarding his family. This sort of guy was just unreasonably stubborn.

At first, seeing Lin Yu, he was scared enough to run back into the school. But now, realizing Lin Yu was sent by his sister, he assumed he'd be coddled as well.

He even dared to ignore Lin Yu's presence, giving him the cold shoulder.

So, with these clueless middle schoolers, if they showed a bad attitude, you had to be even worse.

You just need to be tougher than them, and they'll naturally become more compliant.

As expected, after a little pull on the arm, Xia Yue Shan yelped and fell in line.

He stopped flashing that sullen look, and his speech became free of vulgarity.

"Get on the bike!" Lin Yu commanded, gesturing coolly for Xia Yue Shan to join him.

Once Xia Yue Shan obliged, Lin Yu revved the throttle and took him to a nearby McDonald's. After ordering some tasty food, Lin Yu chose a window seat and settled in with him.

"Spill it," Lin Yu leaned back, scrutinizing Xia Yue Shan. "What's going on?"

"Spill what?" Xia Yue Shan glared back defiantly at Lin Yu.

"Tch," Lin Yu clicked his tongue in frustration and leaned forward, gesturing as though he was about to strike.

"Don't— don't hit me!" Xia Yue Shan jolted back, his prior aggression dissipating, now unsure of what he was being questioned about.

Hearing this, Lin Yu realized his question might have been poorly phrased, but no matter, missteps by elders often shift onto issues about attitude. Although rather underhanded, this tactic usually worked quite effectively.

"Watch your tone!" Lin Yu pointed mockingly at Xia Yue Shan's nose, speaking harshly.

Seeing Xia Yue Shan grudgingly accept his position, Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction and instructed:

"Start from the first day of school. You got into a fight that afternoon; walk me through the entire incident."

Xia Yue Shan lifted his gaze slightly, caught off guard that Lin Yu knew about the incident. After a brief pause, he explained:

"That morning when I parked my bike, I encountered a guy who cursed at me."

"He said my head looked like a steamed egg, so I retorted that I must have gotten my haircut like his father."

"Then in the afternoon, he showed up with a bunch of guys and told me to stick around after school."

"That sounded like a textbook plan to corner me for a fight afterward, right?"

"I thought, why wait until after school to fight?"

"If you want to fight, just fight."

"So I went up and got it started."

Xia Yue Shan relayed the series of events nonchalantly. Even though he kept his head bowed, not revealing the emotions in his eyes, Lin Yu could sense the boy's feeling of unfair treatment through his words.

Indeed.

What had he done wrong?

He was the one provoked, yet in the eyes of most students and teachers at the school, he'd been labeled as the bully.

How pitiful.

Yet, also quite spirited.

Lin Yu showed a glint of admiration in his eyes.

And smart, too.

If he couldn't call a group of friends to his side to confront the others in a fight after school, then taking immediate action was indeed the best choice.

Firstly, it told the others he wasn't someone they could easily mess with.

Secondly, with the teachers' intervention, the aggressors wouldn't dare go too far, at least not openly.

And in such a scenario,

If Xia Yue Shan had complied and waited passively after school to be pummeled, it wouldn't have solved anything, and he would've been subjected to further bullying due to his perceived cowardice.

Worse yet, he might have lived the next three years of middle school life without dignity, becoming a punching bag to bullies