Seeing that Hao Leyun's friends weren't treating her any differently and listening to them chat and laugh, Li Yaxin gradually began to relax.
"Oh, isn't that what's-his-name? Wang Jiayao! Your girlfriend's here."
Hearing this, many people around them started teasing again.
"What girlfriend? It was just for fun."
Li Yaxin's mood, which had just started to improve, sank to the bottom again. She couldn't swallow the mouthful of food she was holding.
"Your mouth is so foul, did you eat shit for lunch instead of food?"
"Hao Leyun, what's it to you? Mind your own business. We're eating here, and you're talking about shit. How disgusting."
Hao Leyun scoffed. They dared to call her disgusting? She'd never seen anyone so despicable.
From today on, Hao Leyun decided she would see Li Yaxin's matters through to the end.
"So you do know how to say the word 'disgusting.' I thought you didn't know what it meant, since who could be more disgusting than you? If you knew what it meant, how could you bear to live with yourself?"
One of Wang Jiayao's little followers, upon hearing this, raised his fist at Hao Leyun and said, trying to sound menacing, "Don't think I won't hit a girl."
Hao Leyun was utterly speechless. She had grown up in a martial arts school, and if it came to a real fight, Wang Jiayao and his followers wouldn't even be enough to whet her appetite.
She didn't want to drag this out, so she simply kicked him aside, though she held back her strength to avoid seriously injuring him.
If the school called for a parent again, she'd have her grandfather come. The next time, her grandmother. Then her uncles, and after that, the countless martial arts uncles and aunts from the school. Hao Leyun calculated that these people would be enough for her to beat them up ten times over, with detours included.
"Let's go," Hao Leyun said, pulling Li Yaxin up to leave.
As they passed Wang Jiayao, Hao Leyun stopped and said to Li Yaxin, "Curse at him!"
"Huh?"
"Curse at him. Don't be afraid. If he dares to lay a hand on you, I'll kick him flying."
Wang Jiayao couldn't help but curse, "Hao Leyun, are you sick? What does this have to do with you?"
"How is it not related? Li Yaxin is from Class 3, so it has everything to do with me."
"That's right, it concerns us too!" Hao Leyun's girlfriends now glared at Wang Jiayao as well.
"It concerns us too."
Gu Zhijing and his friends had been eating upstairs and just came down to see this scene. He figured that since he was already the school bully, he might as well get involved in this drama.
"Oh, looks like Gu Zhijing is here to play the hero," someone nearby teased upon seeing Gu Zhijing approach.
Gu Zhijing glanced at him but didn't say anything. Being the school bully meant not fearing gossip!
"Bullying our Class 3 classmate concerns every one of us in Class 3."
The Class 3 students who had been watching from the sidelines were moved by this scene. Their blood began to boil, and they all stepped forward.
"Li Yaxin, our whole class is backing you up. Go ahead and curse at him!"
Li Yaxin looked at Hao Leyun who had spoken, then at her classmates around her. Though there were still tears in her eyes, her gaze gradually became more determined.
"Wang Jiayao, you bastard!"
Wang Jiayao was a bit shocked, as if he couldn't believe Li Yaxin actually dared to curse at him.
But the Class 3 students weren't satisfied.
Cao Shan, who had been eating with Li Yaxin earlier, said to her, "You call that cursing? Watch this."
"Wang Jiayao, you big-headed, short-necked, thick-throated fool! Not only are you stupid, but you're ugly too. Were you beaten up when you were born? One hit on the head, one on the face, is that why you turned out like this? Being ugly is one thing, but having such a nasty heart is another. You're wasting air by living and wasting soil by dying. Even the Three-Body aliens would judge you!"
Wang Jiayao had never been cursed at like this before. His face contorted with anger, and he threatened, "Li Yaxin, you think you're so great now that you have people backing you up? Do you believe that tonight I can have your dad fired? Your dad's lost a leg, it wasn't easy for him to find a job, was it?"
"Wang Jiayao, you're really shameless, resorting to threats now."
Hao Leyun finally understood why Li Yaxin didn't dare say anything. So this was the reason.
"What job does your dad do at his place?"
Li Yaxin replied softly, "He's a security guard at the factory his family owns."
"That's nothing. If he's fired, let him be a security guard at my grandfather's martial arts school!"
"Huh?" Li Yaxin wanted to ask if a martial arts school even needed security guards.
But Li Yaxin also realized that things had already come to this point. Even if her dad still worked for Wang's family, it wouldn't be peaceful, and Wang Jiayao would just use it to threaten her. At worst, he could quit. As long as their family stayed together, they could survive somehow.
"Wang Jiayao," Li Yaxin called out.
"What? Want to apologize to me?"
"Go to hell."
"What did you say?"
Li Yaxin clenched her fists. "Are you deaf? I said, go to hell!"
"What are you all gathered here for? Staging a rebellion?"
"The disciplinary teacher is coming! Run!"
Hao Leyun grabbed Li Yaxin and slipped out through the side door. They ran all the way to the teaching building before daring to stop and catch their breath.
"Hao Leyun, thank you."
"What for? Hurry back, or we'll be in trouble if the disciplinary teacher catches us."
"I'm sorry about what happened in the office earlier. I was too timid and weak, afraid to say anything, and I almost got you and Gu Zhijing in trouble. Don't worry, I'll go explain to the grade director that you were helping me."
Her mother had always worked odd jobs for others, and her father had become disabled in a car accident a few years ago. Since her father was at fault, there was no compensation. All their savings were used for her father's treatment. After her father recovered, he wanted to find another job, but no one wanted to hire him because of his disability. Her father had no education and couldn't do the physical labor he used to do after getting injured. Finally, after asking many people for help, he found his current job. She really didn't want to see her father sighing and lamenting again.
Hao Leyun waved her hand dismissively, "It's fine, it's all in the past now. The school hasn't given us any more trouble, and I didn't get scolded at home." Then she comforted her, saying, "Don't worry about the job either, come to my place."
"You really want her dad to be a security guard at your martial arts school?"
"How do you walk without making a sound? You scared me to death."
Gu Zhijing had appeared behind the two of them without them noticing.
"My dad has a factory with positions specifically for disabled people. I'll ask my dad if they're still hiring."
Li Yaxin's eyes lit up, and she said gratefully, "Thank you, Gu Zhijing."
Hao Leyun, not wanting to be outdone, said, "Yaxin, does your mom need a job? My grandfather's martial arts school needs a head chef. This time it's for real!"
Li Yaxin smiled, "Thank you too, Leyun."