Saturday morning.

I arrived at school to find a huge crowd gathered in front of the teaching building—guys and girls alike. Among them were the burly seniors I’d beaten up last time.

“That’s the guy,” the burly senior pointed at me.

“Hey, kid, stop right there!”

“That’s you—don’t run!”

They instantly surrounded me in front of the arts building.

“Brat, do you even know who we are?”

“So you’re the one who harassed our department head?”

“How dare you bully the Education Department’s campus flower? Looking for trouble?”

“Senior Yeping belongs to everyone, not just you!”

Before I could reply, they all started shouting over each other. Heh. I just watched them coldly, like it was a monkey show.

“Everyone, quiet down!” A similarly burly but handsome senior beside the first one waved his hand. He turned to me, looking refined but radiating disdain. “Do you know who I am?”

“No,” I said flatly, staring at him with dead fish eyes.

“Heh, you don’t even know me? I’m Luo Dongba, vice president of the student council alongside little Ying, and deputy head of the karate club.” He spoke with proud confidence.

“Oh.” I didn’t care. “Can I leave now?”

“Hey! What tone are you using with Senior Luo?” A girl beside Luo Dongba shrieked.

I glared at her—a killing look.

“Ah!” She yelped and ducked behind others.

“Hey, brat, what’s your problem?”

“Stay away from Senior Yeping!”

“Piss off…” I muttered. My mood had been foul all week, and I had zero patience for this nonsense. My voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard it.

“Looking for death!” Some hot-headed guys lunged forward.

“Calm down!” Luo Dongba soothed the crowd, then smirked at me. “Heh, junior, you’re quite arrogant. How about a bet?”

“Hmm, what bet?” That wasn’t me speaking.

“Ah, Senior Yeping!”

“Department head!”

“Senior!”

“Little Ying, what brings you here?” Luo Dongba forced a grin.

“I don’t know what you’re planning here,” Yeping said, appearing behind me out of nowhere. “But let me be clear: Xiaobai never harassed or teased me. We’re good friends.”

“Senior…”

“Department head…”

“Oh, I see,” Luo Dongba said with a sunny smile, ignoring me completely. “What was this bet about?” Yeping asked.

“Nothing, nothing—just fooling around.”

“Good. Xiaobai, you can go,” Yeping told me.

“…” I stayed silent. I didn’t want this to end so easily. I’d been running away lately, but now they’d come to my door. I was done running.

“Senior Yeping, you haven’t forgotten our date tonight, right?” I whispered in her ear—quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What?!”

“Kid, are you crazy?!”

“You—don’t make things up!”

“Huh?!” Even Yeping looked stunned.

“Is… is this true?” Luo Dongba’s sunny smile shattered. His eyes widened, voice trembling. The blow hit him hard.

“Well… it’s not exactly a date. I just have some business with him…” Yeping stammered, flustered.

“Li Xiaobai! Do you dare bet with me?” Luo Dongba roared at me, his handsome image gone.

“What’s the bet?”

“If I win, you stay away from little Ying. Don’t let us see you again!”

“And if I win?”

“I’ll leave her and quit the karate club!”

“Heh, that doesn’t affect me. Just pay me and stop bothering me.”

“You vulgar guy! If you win, I’ll give you five thousand!”

“Deal. How do we bet?”

“Heard you’re good at fighting. 1 PM today, at the karate club arena.”

“Fine.” I pushed past the crowd and headed for the teaching building.

I was so full of myself, even I was scared.

Back in the classroom, few students were around, but all stared at me—they’d seen the scene outside. I took a seat near the back.

“Xiaobai! Heard you challenged Luo Dongba, the karate deputy head?” Lin Xiaopang rushed in before I’d even settled.

“News travels fast,” I muttered.

“Hey! Xiaobai, talk!” Lin Xiaopang leaned on my desk. Zhao Jianwen and Qin Hui followed him over.

Zhao Jianwen… Zhao Jiansheng…

“Jianwen, do you know someone named Zhao Jiansheng?” I ignored Lin Xiaopang and asked Jianwen.

“Zhao Jiansheng? Never heard of him.”

“…Good,” I said quietly.

“Hey, don’t ignore me! Xiaobai, explain what’s going on!” Lin Xiaopang whined.

“Pretty much what you think,” I sighed. This fatty probably knew more than I did.

“Do you even know who Luo Dongba is?”

“Karate deputy head…”

“Heir to Luo Dong Tech, student council vice president, one of our campus heartthrobs, deputy head of the karate club—he only stepped down from head because he admires Senior Yeping! He’s also the Dongchuan Guang University karate champion. Super popular. One of the richest, tallest, handsomest guys here!” Lin Xiaopang rattled it all off without pausing.

“Oh.”

“Oh what? Didn’t you hear? You’re fighting him—he’s got home advantage, crowd support, everything! You’re doomed!” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

“Yeah, Xiaobai, think carefully. I’m in the student council—I can help mediate,” Zhao Jianwen added.

“I’ll bet on you,” Qin Hui suddenly said out of nowhere.

“Stop! Can’t you two support me like Qin Hui?” I shook off Lin Xiaopang.

“Qin Hui lives in his own world like you. He doesn’t know reality,” Lin Xiaopang sighed.

“Class is starting. Shut up,” I said as the teacher entered.

“But no matter what, we’re behind you.”

“Thanks.” Hmm… Professor’s literature class. Time for my usual nap.

I don’t know how many classes I slept through before someone tapped my desk.

“Xiaobai, class is over,” Lin Xiaopang said.

“Xiaobai, let’s grab lunch first. Then we’ll go with you to the karate club,” Zhao Jianwen suggested.

“Okay… yeah, let’s go.” I stood up and followed Lin Xiaopang, Zhao Jianwen, and Qin Hui to the cafeteria.

“Auntie, one large Yangzhou fried rice!” Lin Xiaopang yelled.

“Char siu noodles…” Qin Hui ordered.

“Roast duck rice for me,” Zhao Jianwen said.

“Four chicken cutlets for me…”

“What is this? You’re so weird,” Lin Xiaopang complained as he got his tray.

“Mind your own business. It’s past noon—eat fast. I’ve got a date to keep,” I teased back.

We finished quickly. I checked my phone: 12:30 PM. Time to go.

“Xiaobai, are you really going?”

“Duh. Not going would make me less of a man. Jianwen, lead the way to that karate place.”

“Sigh… alright.”

We followed Zhao Jianwen—the only one who knew the route. The karate club was behind the school buildings, a quiet, wealthy-looking spot. Usually empty back here, except during club events. But now? A sea of people.

We reached the lavish dojo entrance, packed solid.

“Hey! Let me in! I wanna see the fight!”

“Yeah, let us through!”

“Sorry, it’s full inside,” two students in karate uniforms blocked the door.

“Excuse me,” I said, trying to squeeze past with my trio.

“Hey, who are you? Stop pushing!”

“Wait, it’s full. Only club members allowed,” they stopped us at the door.

“Don’t you know who I am?” The guard looked like a freshman—didn’t even recognize his club’s sworn enemy?

“I’m Li Xiaobai.”

“Sorry, never heard of you,” he sneered.

“Don’t know me? I’m here to teach your deputy head a lesson!” Fed up, I shoved him aside and pushed in with Lin Xiaopang.

“Wait—you can enter, but they can’t,” the guard stepped forward again.

“Piss off…” I glared at him with dead fish eyes, radiating killing intent.

“Uh…” Like that girl earlier, he flinched and stepped back.

I seized the moment and slipped inside.

“Huh? He’s so handsome, Xia—” Lin Xiaopang started, but froze at the atmosphere inside.

The dojo was huge, yet packed. Luo Dongba stood alone in the center, striking a cool, enigmatic pose. Karate club members in uniforms sat in a perfect square around him. Behind them, over 200 people—likely Education Department students—all glaring at me with ill intent.

I also spotted Yeping chatting with a group of girls. They stopped when they saw me, all staring. Yeping’s eyes held worry.

Worried? What an act. She probably wanted to beat me up herself.

“I thought you’d chicken out…”