Chapter 64 Kneel!

A body nearly one meter eighty tall was effortlessly thrown over a shoulder, crashing unceremoniously onto four or five people—a move that was both beautiful and crisp, embodying true leadership.

The entire crowd was stunned.

Su Yi pulled a wallet from her school uniform pocket, took out a few bills, and placed them on Zhang Yang. “The competition is in seven days. I hope this won’t affect your performance… However—”

She lifted her gaze to Han Yuanzhong. “Your family has suffered great upheaval, yet you haven’t improved at all. You even bribed others to take ambiguous photos and post them online, then spread rumors in the group chat. Do you find such tactics interesting?”

Han Yuanzhong’s face changed, and he was about to speak—

“I’ve never had a real home—I come and go as I please. Other people’s rumors have no effect on me whatsoever. Unless you have the power to get the school to expel me, I may one day consider sparring with you…”

Su Yi’s eyes glimmered with a subtle melancholy, shadows flickered in her gaze, and a faint, lingering fragrance seemed to drift around her.

“But the truth is, you don’t have that kind of power. And your cousin here, clearly, doesn’t either.”

“Otherwise, your father would have already been bailed out…”

With these words, spoken in measured tones, Su Yi had already walked through the crowd with Yan Qingwu, leaving at a leisurely pace.

Behind them were two cousins, their faces ashen with rage.

And the school gate, now enveloped in utter silence.

———

“Is something wrong?” Yan Qingwu asked Su Yi in the parking lot. Even though Su Yi had just handled everything with composure, the moment she answered her phone, the furrow in her brow betrayed a flash of worry.

“Yes… It’s a bit troublesome,” Su Yi nodded. “You should head back—take care on the road.”

She had already noticed a sedan waiting at the corner.

Perhaps the recent unrest at No. 2 High School had prompted Tang Hanyan to arrange a driver.

So cautious, as expected.

Watching Zuo Wei pedal away on her bicycle, Yan Qingwu got into the car, eyes lowered. “Uncle Wang, help me look into Han Yuanzhong’s family background. Especially his cousin…”

“Yes, Miss.”

———

The call Su Yi had just received was from Aunt Wang. She had thought something had happened in the village, but the first thing Aunt Wang said, voice trembling with tears, was: “A-Yi, Auntie is begging you, please save us…”

Save them?

For Aunt Wang to beg for her life in tears, it could only mean something had happened to her only son.

Wang Pu was in trouble.

———

No. 1 and No. 2 High Schools were considered decent in this small town. Each year, the number of students who made it to top universities could be counted on two hands. By comparison, No. 3 High was mediocre at best—even its passing rate for second-tier universities was abysmal. The school was full of rich kids who’d paid extra fees to get in, romances were commonplace, and fights were even more so. The school itself was powerless to do anything about it.

No one even knew how many girls ended up getting abortions every year.

In such an environment, the fact that Wang Pu hadn’t gone astray already seemed like a miracle—a testament to the family’s good fortune.

But honest people are easily bullied.

And now, it seemed he was being bullied severely.

———

In front of No. 3 High School, Su Yi’s bicycle tire skidded to a stop, her different uniform drawing attention. It was dismissal time, but not many students had left yet. Su Yi grabbed someone at random to ask for directions and was soon pointed toward the academic office.

The academic office was in an uproar.

Wang Pu, his face bruised and swollen, was clutching his mother, preventing her from kneeling before the group, protesting angrily, “Mom, don’t do this. It’s not my fault. You don’t have to apologize…”

Aunt Wang knew full well this wasn’t her son’s fault, but—

Who was right and who was wrong—did it matter?

Before her stood a group dressed in fine clothes, speaking with arrogance. Even the school principal took their side…

If she didn’t beg, would her son be expelled?

“It’s our fault… Son, apologize quickly…”

Seeing his mother, normally so sharp and capable in the village, now panicking and ready to kneel, Wang Pu felt his heart ache.

The pain cut deep, but no tears would come. Only a dryness remained—like the parched, cracked earth of their home village, splitting wider and wider, the cold wind whistling through.

No way to mend it.

“Mom? What era is this, still calling like that? Rural people will always be rural… Principal Zhang, my son was beaten by this uncultured brat… Look, his face is swollen! You must expel him!”

The bejeweled woman grabbed her son’s hand, face filled with contempt, bossily pointing at Wang Pu and his mother.

A pair of country bumpkins, she thought. Surely expulsion would force them to bow their heads, especially that boy who refused to admit fault!

Principal Zhang’s face hardened. He glared at Wang Pu and said coldly, “Wang Pu, you’re utterly lacking in character! Incorrigible! Apologize at once!”

Apologize…

Wang Pu gritted his teeth, hearing the commotion from the students peeking through the windows…

Did everyone see them as a joke? Was his mother’s kneeling only natural?

Because they were poor, because they came from the countryside…

Suddenly, he was grateful his father wasn’t here, or else…

A surge of strength welled up in Wang Pu. He grabbed his mother’s arm. “Mom, get up. I’ll kneel.”

Aunt Wang was stunned.

The boy with a red, swollen patch on his face sneered, “Let him kneel, then!”

“Son… you can’t kneel, let me…”

But it was too late. Wang Pu bent his knees. In that moment, he thought he wasn’t just bending his knees, but bowing down his entire life.

A life full of the scent of yellow earth.

Kneeling before someone he once thought a friend…

His nose filled with the dust and sweat of his parents returning at dusk.

Kneel, then.

Thud!

His knees struck the marble, neither hard nor soft, and Aunt Wang nearly collapsed…

Her son had knelt to others…

If his father found out, would he cough up blood in rage?

The door creaked open.

A gap appeared, growing wider until the door stood open. In the doorway stood Su Yi.

Behind her, the crowded corridor of students fell silent.

Someone was kneeling.

They’d seen plenty of parents kneel to teachers and principals, but never a student kneel themselves…

Especially not the honest yet proud Wang Pu.

———

Su Yi took in the scene, her grip on the doorknob tightening slightly.

“A-Yi…” Aunt Wang finally lost her strength but still rushed toward Su Yi. Wang Pu, still on the ground, muttered in a daze, his face ashen, “Su Yi… why are you here!”

Meeting Su Yi’s calm gaze, Wang Pu felt utterly humiliated, unwilling for her to see him in such a sorry state.

Yet his legs felt weighted, impossible to rise.

“Who are you? What school are you from? Why are you here?” The principal’s face twitched with irritation; letting students see this was bad enough, and this girl wasn’t even from this school…

Principal Zhang tried to shoo Su Yi out, but she sidestepped him and walked inside, coming to stand beside Wang Pu, facing the wealthy woman and her son.

The boy’s expression shifted uncertainly.

“Can we go now?” she asked.

At first, the wealthy woman scrutinized Su Yi’s uniform and her person, frowning—who was this girl? But seeing she was just a girl, she wasn’t afraid, and shrilled, “You think kneeling solves everything? Is expulsion so cheap? Expel him!”

Now Aunt Wang was furious. She lunged, shouting, “How can you be so heartless! What did my son ever do to you? He’s been beaten by your son… He’s kneeled, and you still… I’ll fight you!”

“Ahh!!”

“She’s hitting me!!”

The wealthy woman was no match for the fierce, hardworking Aunt Wang and was soon being pummeled amid wails and screams.

Principal Zhang was dumbfounded—was his office a slaughterhouse now?

“Stop! Stop at once!” He tried to pull Aunt Wang away, but Wang Pu, desperate and reckless, blocked him.

The boy wanted to rush to help his mother but didn’t dare move with Su Yi standing in his way.

Having seen Su Yi’s skills with his own eyes, and knowing how even the most vicious thugs feared her, the boy felt his limbs go cold.

“I remember your name is Zhang Yang.”

Su Yi’s icy voice stilled the chaos in the office for a moment, and the students outside stared wide-eyed—especially Zhao Yue and her friends, who all drew in sharp breaths.

They remembered the last time she spoke in that tone, several thugs had their limbs broken…

“Y-yes…” Zhang Yang stammered.

“You took photos of me, didn’t you?”

Zhang Yang’s face changed. Suddenly emboldened, he said, “Taking your picture is my right, it’s not illegal…”

The wealthy woman seemed to realize what was happening and shouted, “So what if my son took your picture, you little tramp—”

Su Yi shot her a cold, piercing look. The woman shivered and Zhang Yang quickly covered his mother’s mouth.

“I’m not famous, so infringement of portrait rights isn’t much of a crime. But you sold those photos to Han Yuanzhong and others. Now those photos are posted on public websites, causing me serious harm. Your school’s politics class should’ve covered this, shouldn’t it?”

Zhang Yang’s face turned ashen, fear gripping him. He wanted to deny it, but under Su Yi’s icy gaze, he trembled. “I… I didn’t know what they’d do with them—I just sold them, the rest has nothing to do with me!”

Zhao Yue and her friends were stunned. What? Selling photos?

Those photos… (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please support it on Qidian with your votes and recommendations. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.reading.)