Chapter 99: I’m a Rogue—Who Do I Have to Fear?

It was bitterly cold outside. After locking their bicycles, the two of them hurriedly rubbed their hands together, laughing through chattering teeth as they ran into the academic building, heading straight for their second-floor classroom. Inside, only Jiang Fan, Liu Ying, and a few others were hunched over their books, already deep into revision. At this hour, many students were still catching up on sleep.

Returning to her seat, Dong Yanyan unwound her scarf and sighed, “This cold is truly out of the ordinary. I really prefer a mild winter.”

“When it gets warm, you’ll just complain there’s no snow,” Song Mingcheng retorted, pulling a hot-water bottle from his desk and hugging it to his chest for warmth. Dong Yanyan reached over to touch it; it was still hot, which surprised her. “When did you fill this? It’s still so warm! Let me use it for a while!” She reached out to snatch it, but Song Mingcheng dodged, clutching the bottle tightly. “I have no idea who leaves it here, but every morning it’s here, so I just use it!” he replied smugly.

Dong Yanyan rolled her eyes at his self-satisfied tone, puzzled as to which well-meaning but anonymous girl was playing the good Samaritan—some self-appointed Lei Feng, perhaps.

From next door, the broadcasting class erupted again with their daily chorus of vocal exercises. Dong Yanyan was used to it; each morning, a few diligent seniors would come early to the classroom to warm up their voices. After a round of shouting, it would be time for everyone else to get up.

She pulled out her advanced mathematics notebook and began her homework. There were only three weeks left until final exams, and suddenly she realized just how much she needed to review. The teachers kept assigning endless practice questions, and the mountain of homework left her dizzy, her hand aching from writing.

“I wonder how much the first-class scholarship is? If it’s a thousand or eight hundred, that’d give me something to look forward to,” she muttered to herself as she scribbled formulas on scrap paper.

“It doesn’t matter how much—it’s not like you’ll get it. At best, I’ll get second-class, which is eight hundred yuan. The first-class will definitely go to Liu Ying,” Song Mingcheng replied with a faint, dismissive smile.

Fine, Dong Yanyan admitted to herself. She’d never even cracked the top ten back in the day, and had no idea what a scholarship even looked like.

“I don’t believe it! Just because I didn’t get one before doesn’t mean I can’t now. Just you wait—when I get a scholarship, I’ll buy you candy,” she declared with grand ambition.

Song Mingcheng just smiled, saying nothing, and leisurely opened his English book.

Dong Yanyan was still struggling in the sea of problems, feeling on the verge of collapse. “I used to get cramps from typing too much; now I get cramps from writing too much. Is my right hand destined for nothing but cramps?!”

Song Mingcheng glanced at her right hand, still silent but smiling.

Seeing him play it cool again, Dong Yanyan suddenly felt mischievous. “Oh, I forgot—you’ve been single for so many years. Your right hand must have it even worse.” She covered her mouth, snickering.

Song Mingcheng hadn’t thought much of it at first, but seeing her suspicious laughter, he finally caught on to her innuendo. His face darkened, and he glared at her for a long moment before muttering, “What am I going to do with you? It’s fine if you say these things to me, but if you let them slip in front of others, what will people think?”

Dong Yanyan was suddenly touched—she really felt cared for. Maybe she could forgive him for last night. Losing a romance but gaining a friend—she wasn’t coming out empty-handed after all.

Voices and footsteps echoed in the corridor. Dong Yanyan’s heart skipped when she heard that familiar sound. As she struggled to compose herself, the back door of the classroom opened. She turned: Ren Jiaxuan stood in the doorway, sporting a flashy knit hat and holding a bouquet of flowers. Beside him was He Jingxuan. Dong Yanyan shot them a cold glare, then looked away as if she hadn’t seen them.

Ren Jiaxuan walked straight in and set the flowers down in front of her, offering a chilly smile. “These are for you. Stop being mad, okay?”

Seeing his expression, Dong Yanyan’s heart went cold. She stood, pushing the flowers back at him. “I’m just a shabby little place—can’t afford to keep your precious blooms. Take them away!”

Caught off guard by her rejection and her biting words, Ren Jiaxuan’s face fell. He slammed the flowers to the floor and jabbed a finger at her. “Dong Yanyan, don’t take my kindness for granted!”

She snorted, meeting his gaze with slow, deliberate disdain. “Just because you offer it, I have to accept? Even if you’re willing to throw away your face, I’m not about to do the same. Now get lost!”

“Say that again!” Ren Jiaxuan’s voice shook with fury, and he raised his hand as if to hit her. Dong Yanyan met his eyes, unflinching. “Go ahead—hit me if you dare.”

Red-eyed, Ren Jiaxuan’s hand hovered in the air but didn’t come down. After a moment, he spun on his heel and stormed out. Dong Yanyan kicked the bouquet after him, landing it right at his feet.

He Jingxuan, who’d been watching from the doorway, finally lost his temper. He pointed at Dong Yanyan, shouting, “You’d better apologize to him, or I’ll have you thrown out of this school tomorrow!”

That did it. Dong Yanyan kicked her chair aside and strode over, jabbing her finger at his nose with a cold laugh. “I’m really not afraid of that! You think you can drive me out? Believe me, I could have him in so much trouble today that he couldn’t clear his name in the Yellow River! When I was running rings around bullies like you, you three were still playing in the sandbox! Your petty tricks are nothing to me. The only reason I haven’t stooped to your level is because I’m generous—but don’t push your luck! If I decide to get ugly, you’ll have no one but yourselves to blame.”

“Let’s take this outside, shall we? Don’t scare the good students,” Song Mingcheng interjected, shepherding everyone out of the classroom and closing the door behind them.

Leaning against the door, Dong Yanyan was still fuming. Song Mingcheng stood beside her, calm and unbothered as he faced the two across from them.

“Dong Yanyan, don’t get too full of yourself. Jiaxuan doesn’t hold it against you because he likes you. If it were me, I’d have slapped you already. Show you a little respect and you forget your place! I’m warning you—cross me and you’ll regret it!” He Jingxuan sneered, looking down his nose at her.

Dong Yanyan leaned forward, matching his glare with a mocking smile. “Is that a threat? You know, there’s nothing more contemptible than a man who bullies women. But it’s fine—when I fight, I don’t care about age or gender. Equal treatment for all! As for yesterday, I said I’d let it go, and I meant it. But if you really want to keep this up, I’m game. I’ve got the truth on my side—don’t let me get the upper hand, because I’ll fight you with reason, with strength, and with style, until you’re the ones forced out of this school. Let me make this clear: if you want to mess with me, do it openly. If you try to play tough, I’ll go all out. The more shameless you get, the more fun I’ll have. Who knows—maybe I’ll even uproot all the weeds in your class, and turn it into a battalion of roses. Then your class beauty Yang will be promoted to Head Abbess Yang, and when she dominates the scene, she’ll have me to thank for making her famous. Don’t mistake my restraint for weakness—I’m not Hello Kitty. Ren Jiaxuan, threaten me again and I’ll turn you into a laughingstock!”

Her last words were directed straight at Ren Jiaxuan.

He stared at her in astonishment, his face a tangle of emotions. Song Mingcheng burst out laughing on the spot.

He Jingxuan was left gaping, at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Dong Yanyan sighed, glanced helplessly at Song Mingcheng, and said, “What’s the use of you? You didn’t even say a word for me—all you did was laugh.”

He smiled at her, almost indulgently. “I’m right behind you, supporting you.”

Ren Jiaxuan’s eyes flashed with fury as he jabbed a finger at Song Mingcheng, gritting out, “Just you wait—”

“You try laying a finger on him!” Dong Yanyan cut in, her tone steely, eyes cold and unyielding.

Ren Jiaxuan’s face darkened further.

Li Zhe had been watching from the broadcasting classroom doorway for some time. Seeing the four about to come to blows again, he hurried over to intervene. “Yanyan, let’s all calm down—it’s just a misunderstanding! Haven’t you always known how Jiaxuan is? He just got up early and is in a bad mood. Don’t be angry!”

Dong Yanyan gave him a scornful smile. “Li Zhe, you’re supposed to be the class monitor—usually you strike me as courteous and easygoing. But look at you now: your buddy’s bullying someone and you’re standing guard at the door. What am I supposed to think? If I called you all a den of snakes and rats, it’d be unkind, but what else are you? Three against one—ganging up on a girl. Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?”

With that, she turned back to gather her things. Li Zhe hurried after her, trying to explain, “Yanyan, you’ve got me wrong. I wasn’t standing guard for him—I just happened to be passing by. You have to believe me! Otherwise, no matter what I say, I couldn’t clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River.”

“You don’t need to explain to me. You heard them—they want me gone, and I’m just a girl with no one to rely on. What can I do? Is this a school or a den of wolves and tigers? I can’t stay here, and I can’t go home—my dad would break my legs! I’ve made up my mind: tonight, I’ll just hang myself outside your dorm. Simple and convenient.”

She spoke with dramatic despair as she packed her books.

“No! Don’t even think about that! Life is beautiful—don’t do anything rash! I promise you, if anyone tries to kick you out, I’ll make sure they go first!” Li Zhe swore solemnly.

“You said it! I’ll hold you to that,” Dong Yanyan replied coolly.

“Absolutely! Want to pinky swear?” Li Zhe grinned.

“No need. Your word’s enough. Go back now,” she said magnanimously.

“Alright then, I’m leaving. Don’t be upset,” Li Zhe said, relieved, as he left. Seeing He Jingxuan still standing in the corridor, his face darkened as he thumped his shoulder. “Let’s go! Just look at what you’ve done—driven a girl to this!”