chapter 56
“Zheng Bin.”
The few boys accompanying him were taken aback. Duan Yuxuan narrowed his eyes, sizing up the girl in front of him. She was nothing like the frail figure he remembered.
Gu Qingning leaned down and grabbed Zheng Bin’s collar with her long fingers. The rough motion carried a kind of harsh, yet strangely pleasing, coolness.
She curled her lips slightly, her icy gaze making hearts skip a beat. “Let me think… how many words did you just say?”
Zheng Bin’s face darkened, embarrassed at being hit by a girl in front of so many people.
In a flash of anger, he recklessly fought back, clenching his fist and swinging toward the girl’s delicate face.
The punch was thrown with full force and pure rage.
The students from Class C were startled. Sun Qiaoqiao, who was close by, turned pale. “Qingning, get out of the way!”
Even Chu Xu was shocked for a few seconds, seemingly unable to believe Zheng Bin would actually hit a girl.
He panicked. “Zheng Bin, stop it!”
Before he could finish, the situation suddenly reversed.
As the vicious punch came closer, Gu Qingning’s hand shot out, gripping his wrist with lightning speed.
Almost simultaneously, she kicked his abdomen.
Zheng Bin’s face went pale, his features contorting as he flew backward.
Everyone around scrambled back, afraid of being hit.
Bang—
The nearly 1.8-meter-tall boy hit the ground. Just the sound alone made everyone flinch.
“Whoa…”
Gasps echoed through the cafeteria. The students looked at the girl in shock and fear.
That was way too violent.
Chu Xu swallowed nervously, grateful he hadn’t provoked Gu Qingning himself.
She had almost supernatural strength. A single kick had sent a nearly 1.8-meter-tall guy flying. Terrifying.
Gu Qingning calmly rolled up her sleeves, her cold eyebrows showing a hint of impatience.
She took long strides toward the curled-up figure on the ground.
At that moment, a shadow blocked her path.
The voice was calm but commanding. “Enough.”
Gu Qingning stopped, glancing coldly at the boy blocking her way. “Move.”
Duan Yuxuan was momentarily stunned by her impatient glare. He hid the complexity in his eyes and said, “You already hit him. This is school—if this escalates, it won’t do you any favors.”
Gu Qingning snorted lightly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. “And now you remember it’s school?”
“When he provoked trouble just now, why didn’t you say this? You didn’t stop him then, and now you want to play the savior? Isn’t that a bit late?”
Duan Yuxuan was momentarily speechless.
“So… what will it take for you to stop?”
Gu Qingning twisted her lips, cold and defiant. “Didn’t your teacher ever tell you that if you do something wrong, you should apologize?”
Chu Xu ran over, backing her up. “Qingning’s right. Zheng Bin provoked first. He’s the one who’s wrong, so he should apologize.”
He then looked at Duan Yuxuan, smirking teasingly. “Duan Yuxuan, why don’t you apologize for him?”
Everyone knew Duan Yuxuan was extremely proud—like a peacock. Getting him to admit fault would be almost impossible.
The surrounding students turned their attention between the two, anticipating a show.
Chu Xu and Duan Yuxuan always clashed; they disliked each other intensely. Now that they were confronting each other, it promised to be entertaining.
Noticing more and more eyes on them, Duan Yuxuan frowned and warned in a low voice, “Chu Xu, this has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business.”
“Who says it doesn’t concern me? Qingning is from Class C. That alone gives me the right to step in,” Chu Xu replied cheekily.
“Duan Yuxuan, if you can’t bring yourself to apologize, just step aside and don’t play the hero.”
Duan Yuxuan’s face darkened as he glared at him.
He turned to Gu Qingning, hesitated, and lowered his voice. “Sorry… I didn’t stop Zheng Bin in time…”
Gu Qingning cut him off, her tone icy. “Whoever starts it, apologizes.”
Upon hearing that, Duan Yuxuan’s face darkened further. Meeting her cold, ink-black eyes, he finally gave in.
Meanwhile, the few boys who accompanied him helped Zheng Bin up. He had been beaten badly and could barely walk.
Clutching his injured abdomen, he staggered to Duan Yuxuan’s side. “Yuxuan, I brought this on myself. It’s not your fault, you don’t need to apologize for me.”
Then he looked at Gu Qingning, eyes flashing with anger. “Gu Qingning, don’t pretend you never secretly sent Yuxuan a love letter. I saw it all. If you have a crush, at least admit it.”
“A crush?”
Gu Qingning glanced at Duan Yuxuan, sneering. “Him?”
Duan Yuxuan’s face turned coal-black, reading disdain in her gaze.
“Whether you believe it or not, that letter wasn’t mine. I was just running an errand,” Gu Qingning said calmly.
Zheng Bin, his voice hoarse, retorted, “You’re lying! You sent it, and now you’re denying it.”
Gu Qingning remained unflustered. “If you don’t believe me, go check with him. Look at the signature and see for yourself.”
“The signature could be faked too. Maybe you’re just trying to hide it and used someone else’s name,” Zheng Bin argued relentlessly.
“That’s simple. You can fake a name, but not handwriting,” Chu Xu interjected.
“Qingning’s handwriting is unique in the whole school. Even her scribbles are neater than most. We have examples on our classroom blackboard; compare them if you want.”
Everyone in Class C could attest to that.
Her writing was… so bad, it could blind you if you stared too long.
Even her scribbles were better than her actual handwriting?
Gu Qingning raised an eyebrow, half-smiling at Chu Xu, who realized he’d spoken too quickly.
He chuckled awkwardly, trying to smooth things over.
Zheng Bin, having seen Gu Qingning deliver the letter, was convinced she wrote it.
Still angry, he shouted, “If you really wrote that letter, you must apologize to me in front of the whole school!”
Gu Qingning arched a brow, accepting the challenge. “And if I didn’t write it, what will you do?”
“If you didn’t write it, I’ll treat you as my boss from now on. Whatever you say, I won’t argue—I’ll follow your orders.” The young boy spoke with the intensity of youth, sounding like a hero from a martial arts tale.
Chu Xu joked casually, “If you tell him to walk the dog, he won’t fight the rooster,” causing the crowd to laugh.
The tense atmosphere eased slightly.
Gu Qingning smiled, her eyes bright. “Fine, it’s settled.”
Zheng Bin glared at Gu Qingning. “Wait here, I’m going to get it.”
Duan Yuxuan had handled those letters for her before. Recently, busy with other matters, the letters had piled up in his desk drawer, including Gu Qingning’s letter.
Wails—the second round of PK didn’t happen; defeat… sigh… no extra update today.
