The Expected Ending.

"Why?! It was their fault—why should my brother take the blame?" Yingning glared furiously at Liu Li. "They insulted and bullied classmates! Teacher, check Wu Ming—he’s covered in bruises from Xiang Ling! That’s evidence!"

"Enough. Let it go, Yingning. Teacher cares for you—I hate seeing your studies ruined…" Liu Li sighed, rubbing her temples, and waved us off. "Return to class. I’ll handle this."

Handle it… Probably by expelling me.

"Handle it?" Yingning was innocent but not naive. She caught the lie instantly. Her gaze cooled. "Teacher, justice still exists. The law will give us justice."

Liu Li nodded vaguely. "Hmm… Go back now."

After leaving the office, little Yatou didn’t head to class. I followed her to the playground’s edge. We sat on the grass.

"Sorry… bro…" Little Yatou hung her head, dejected.

I patted her back lightly. "The school board is the Retired Emperor here. They control the money—the school’s lifeline. They decide every job, including firing people. Liu Li… Teacher Liu is just a homeroom teacher. She has a family to feed. Her job keeps them alive. Between us and her kids, who would she choose?"

Little Yatou wasn’t dumb, but she was too young to see society’s darkness. She was only seventeen. Other girls her age obsessed over drama like Xiang Ling.

"Don’t blame yourself. You did great." I smiled.

"I know all that," little Yatou clenched her fists. "I thought Teacher Liu, at a law school, would have options. This place trains legal talent for the nation—oversight should be strict. It shouldn’t buckle like ordinary schools. If she fails, there’s the dean, the principal… If they’re powerless, we’ll sue for Wu Ming! Take it to court! I refuse to believe nowhere upholds justice! However powerful the Xiangs are, they can’t bury truth forever!"

Her fire came from me taking the fall unfairly.

I plucked a grass blade, stuck it in my mouth. "This is just student squabbles. Courts might not even accept it… And how do you know Wu Ming wants to sue?"

"This is severe school violence! The culprits struck multiple times! Xiang Ling and Xiang Renhe are over fourteen—they must face criminal charges!" Yingning said gravely. "They’ve gone too far. Law will give Wu Ming justice and clear your name! Bullies won’t escape! Bro, we’re powerless—but we know the law. It’s our only path…"

I knew Yingning was justice-driven, but risking lawsuits for others? Court battles ran deeper than school politics. I wanted little Yatou to keep her pure heart—I loved this sister, not some gold-digging hag. But she’d get hurt.

I stared dead-serious into her eyes. "Or… we hire an assassin." That should be fine, right?

Yingning’s face shifted fast. Her mouth parted slightly. Her eyes widened slowly. She sucked in a sharp breath, voice rising with worry. "Bro! How could you think that?!"

"Our goal’s to fix trouble, right?" I said casually, grass dangling. "Dead trouble means no trouble. Simple… I’ll make sure no one traces us."

Yingning grabbed my waist, twisting hard. "Ow—ah! That hurts!" I gasped.

"Never think that! It might work short-term… but if caught, you die! You’re no movie assassin or kingpin—don’t call it easy!" She sighed, worried. "I still want to try court… Bro, remember how Mom and Dad died?"

"Past is past," I cut in fast. "We’ll just transfer schools…"

"No!" Yingning’s brows shot up, face set with resolve. "We can’t run. For you, for bullied Wu Ming, for all suffering violence… If everyone avoids trouble to keep dignity, and I don’t act—who will? How many more will Xiang Ling and Xiang Renhe crush? How many suffer right now?"

Yingning stood, smiling wryly. "I know I’m paranoid, too goody-two-shoes… it sounds silly. But I’ll fight every injustice. That’s my vow since choosing law school."

A breeze rustled the grass into waves, lifting her hair. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but her gaze blazed like stars.

That’s why I call her the Justice Envoy. I sighed. "Su Nu Xia, hero games aren’t fun."

"It’s not a game!" Little Yatou glared. "We’re weak—the law’s our only weapon!"

She was right. Law is the weak’s last straw. But just a straw… It can’t save anyone. Only comforts.

"Alright." I stood, patting her shoulder. "I have three solutions. Hear them?" She nodded, surprised. "First: hire an assassin."