"Tang Yuan, what are you doing here?" Guyen strode to the door in a few long steps, looking curiously at the girl who kept her head bowed in silence.

"Brother Gu, um, I need to talk to you about something." Classmates' gazes kept darting toward them. The girl seemed intensely shy, her voice faltering as she refused to lift her head.

Guyen frowned slightly, glanced back at the class, then said, "Alright, let's talk outside."

"What's Tang Yuan here for?" Zhang Ning slid into Guyen's seat and turned to Zhao Zhuoyang.

Zhao Zhuoyang's eyes followed the pair until they vanished from sight. Only then did he murmur slowly, "Dunno." He buried his head in his arms and went back to sleep.

---

"What happened?" Guyen led the girl to an empty corridor spot and got straight to the point.

She lifted her head. Her oval face and almond-shaped eyes radiated gentle harmlessness.

"Brother Gu, I..." Her hesitant, words-stuck-in-throat manner gave Guyen a headache.

"Just spit it out. We've known each other since kids. I'll help you."

Tang Yuan had been timid as a child, often bullied. Later, placed in the same class as Guyen and his two friends, she received his care—they shared single-parent backgrounds. Only after high school streaming, when she chose a Chinese university, did they part ways.

"I... some off-campus students keep bothering me. And..." Tang Yuan paused again, lightly biting her lower lip as if struggling to continue.

Watching her drag out words like squeezing toothpaste, Guyen snapped impatiently, "And what? Out with it!"

Startled by his raised voice, Tang Yuan stammered, "Th-their boss said he wants me as his girlfriend. He’ll wait at the school gate tomorrow—it’s a day off."

Guyen’s brows knotted tightly, his tone sharp. "What century is this? Still pulling this crap? Read too many novels."

Tang Yuan seemed drained of all strength. She lowered her eyes and stayed silent.

"You haven’t told your mom, right?" Guyen asked, as if recalling something, his gaze fixed on her.

Her body gave an almost imperceptible tremble. She buried her head deeper. "No."

"Good. Don’t tell her. Leave it to me. After school tomorrow, stay on campus. I’ll call once it’s handled."

"Okay, thanks, Brother Gu."

"Go now. Don’t leave school grounds these two days. Focus on class." Guyen nodded, signaling her to leave.

Watching Tang Yuan’s retreating back, Guyen stood motionless in the corridor. After a moment, he rubbed his temples. "Tch. Worst timing."

Back in class, lessons were about to start. Zhang Ning still occupied Guyen’s seat. Spotting him, Zhang Ning called out, "What’s up with little Tang Yuan? Some idiot from her class messing with her?"

Zhao Zhuoyang lifted his head and turned to Guyen.

"Not our school. An outsider’s got his eye on Tang Yuan, causing trouble." Guyen perched on a desk, twirling a pen as he summarized the talk.

"Damn. Still playing bully? How old are they—no shame?"

"What’s your plan?" Zhao Zhuoyang asked evenly, watching Guyen.

"Plan? We can’t let them harass our sister." Guyen raised an eyebrow slightly and tossed the pen aside.

"Terrible timing. Days ago, we’d call Hu Junjie, block those brats at the gate, and make them explain what ‘girlfriend’ really means." Zhang Ning scratched his head irritably. He remembered their recent clash with Wang Hao—the self-styled "Minister of Punishments"—who now waited to catch them slipping.

"Call more people? Scare them off," Zhao Zhuoyang suggested.

"Pointless. They’re likely from that nearby vocational high school. Calling backups usually sparks fights. And you know Tang Yuan’s home situation." Guyen hopped off the desk and stepped toward Zhang Ning.

"Move. Back to your seat." He lightly kicked the chair leg.

"We haven’t finished!" Zhang Ning stood up, protesting.

"Nothing to discuss. Just us three. They wouldn’t dare disrespect me—the Jiayuan School Bully." Guyen settled into his chair, stretched his long legs, and flashed a cool, confident smile.