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墨書 Inktalez
Meng Taoyu had just watched Feng Ning draw on a sticky note in the classroom: first, she sketched the outline with a pencil, then traced it with a water-based pen, finishing in less than ten minutes. Curiously, she asked, "Feng Ning, how are you so good at drawing?"
They stood by the sidelines. Feng Ning watched others play badminton and recalled, "I think it was in fifth grade when I signed up for an Art Interest Class. The old man who taught drawing really liked me, but I stopped going after a while."
"Why?"
"Because I thought the kids in my class were too bad and didn't deserve to be in the same class as someone as talented as me." Feng Ning counted on her fingers, "Then in junior high school, I started painting graffiti walls for money, like at small restaurants or game shops. There were also outdoor jobs, but those were more troublesome because you might get chased by security or city management. If they caught you, you'd have to pay fines or do community service."
She kept talking until she seemed to sense something and stopped, tilting her head to glance behind her.
Not far from them, a few girls stood with their arms crossed, pointing and whispering towards this side with a hint of hostility.
One of them had a bob cut, someone Feng Ning found oddly familiar. Just as she was trying to figure out who it was, that person walked over.
With an air of arrogance, she asked, "Do you know who I am?"
Feng Ning pondered for a moment before replying, "Not really."
"You!" The girl with the bob cut displayed an incredulous expression. "Don't play dumb here."
Feng Ning exclaimed softly as she finally recognized her. "You're that one... the Lobelia Hairstyle?"
Duan Yuwei sneered. "As long as you remember me. Weren't you quite arrogant before? Always stepping up for Meng Taoyu." Then she made a shocking statement, "Don't leave after school this afternoon; I'll be waiting for you at the school gate."
Feng Ning almost burst out laughing at her line, feeling like she had stepped into some over-the-top shonen manga. She slowly replied with a smirk, "Sure, what time?"
"I said after school! Are you deaf?" Bob Cut declared her challenge with disdain before linking arms with her friend and walking away.
Meng Taoyu looked worried and said anxiously, "What should we do? Should we tell the teacher? Or call the police? It's all my fault for dragging you into this. I’ll go with you."
"Ugh, no need for that. Why are you so anxious? Your little darling from Qide usually doesn’t interact with anyone serious; it’s probably just some random thug they hired to put on a show," replied Feng Ning.
It was easy to guess that someone like Bob Cut, born with a silver spoon, lived a sheltered life and had no real exposure to the darker sides of society. The extent of her bullying tactics was likely limited to petty exclusion, tearing up a few books, or tossing a backpack around.
In recent years, South City had intensified its crackdown on crime, leading many gang leaders to end up behind bars. East Street had also seen a decrease in violent incidents.
Feng Ning had experienced a chaotic time in East Street when Meng Hanmo hadn’t yet "reformed," following him through battles for territory.
The thugs there were serious about their fights, often scheduling brawls every few days. Meng Hanmo would lead a few people into reckless confrontations, resulting in bloodshed each time. Eventually, not many dared to provoke them lightly.
Feng Ning remained calm and sighed, "This Bob Cut really thinks highly of herself. She doesn’t even know her own limits. I’m curious to see what tricks she’ll pull."
"No, you really can’t take that risk. It’s too dangerous; I can’t let you go alone. I’ll accompany you," Meng Taoyu insisted.
Though she appeared delicate, Meng Taoyu was quite stubborn. Her greatest fear was causing trouble for others, especially those who cared for her, which made her feel even worse.
Seeing Meng Taoyu on the verge of tears made Feng Ning both amused and helpless. She pinched her cheek and said, "Alright, don’t cry; I hate it when people cry. Are you trying to act in a melodrama?"
With a slight choke in her voice, Meng Taoyu replied, "No, I’m really worried about you."
Feng Ning remained composed: "Then you can secretly follow me from behind. If they really get serious, just go find a patrolling teacher at the school gate while I run away. How does that sound?"
Meng Taoyu nodded repeatedly.
The first thing upon returning to the classroom.
Feng Ning strolled over to someone, her eyes curving gently as she asked, "So, Prince Little, are you satisfied with my apology?"
Jiang Wen stiffened, his forehead twitching, momentarily at a loss for words.
As she leaned in, the girl's ponytail fell down and lightly brushed against his shoulder. Her sudden closeness made Jiang Wen shift away slightly. "What do you want?"
"Just checking to see if your face is better," Feng Ning said, slightly bending forward with her hands behind her back, observing him intently. Jiang Wen's skin was naturally delicate and fair; even after two days, faint traces were still visible.
Being so close, he could even catch a hint of lemon soap's fragrance.
Jiang Wen held a pen in his right hand while raising his other hand to shield his face from her view. He suddenly glanced at Feng Ning and asked, "What did you mean by drawing a peacock?"
"The king of birds, highlighting your noble status," Feng Ning replied seriously before straightening up and waving her hand. "By the way, where's my drawing?"
He furrowed his brow tightly before relaxing it again, lowering his gaze as his long black eyelashes cast a shadow over his eyelids. "I lost it."
Feng Ning chuckled, taking a step back to return to her seat. Without holding back, she pointed out, "You didn't hide it away to secretly enjoy it when it's late at night, did you?"
Jiang Wen's expression changed. Her words distracted him for quite a while. Once his mind settled down a bit, he couldn't help but feel irritated.
He didn't understand why every time she appeared and got close, he felt a tightness and unease in his chest.
He subconsciously refused to think any further.
*
The last class was self-study, and Feng Ning lay on the desk and took a nice nap. The ringing of the bell, like a piano playing, woke her from her dreams.
Feng Ning stretched lazily, bleary-eyed as she went downstairs to find Bob Cut at the school gate.
The weather was gloomy, as if it were about to rain.
Following behind Bob Cut, just as they stepped into a small alley, a few people vaguely surrounded them.
Suddenly, someone grabbed the back of her collar. "Are you the one bullying my sister?" Feng Ning turned to see a burly man in a tight black outfit with a face full of flesh and a thick gold chain around his neck.
This man with the thick gold chain had a face that suggested he could drag you into an alley and beat you up if you dared to retort.
There was an abandoned cardboard box stacked against the wall. Feng Ning pulled her collar free. In front of everyone, she calmly walked over, brushed off the dust on the box, sat down, and looked up with a charming smile. "Uncle, since you seem to be someone who knows the ways of the world, we can't just ignore reason while drifting in this world, right?"
"You?" The burly man initially wore a fierce expression but was amused by her respectful address. "Oh, tell me what reason you have? Also, I just turned twenty; I can't possibly accept being called 'uncle' by you."
Duan Yuwei stood nearby and impatiently said, "What nonsense are you two talking? Just finish educating her already."
Feng Ning was already skilled at acting and had excellent psychological resilience; she remained unfazed. "Since you just turned twenty, I should call you 'brother.' Here's the thing: don't rush. You just said I bullied your sister. But in fact, she bullied others first. This leads us to a philosophical question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? You bullied me, and I bullied you; so who really bullied whom?"
A few people burst out laughing, completely breaking the tense atmosphere. Duan Yuwei stepped over in a few strides and poked her shoulder angrily. "What are you being so pretentious about now? Are you trying to act cultured again? Haven't you had enough of your speeches under the national flag? Who wants to hear your nonsensical talk? You were so eager to scold me before; now you're acting like a little white rabbit? Who do you think you are?"
Feng Ning slightly raised her chin, her expression suddenly turning defiant. "Who am I? I am the messenger of justice, the representative of brilliance, a fairy descended from the heavens! How old are you to have such a venomous heart? Not only engaging in school violence but also hiring gangsters to beat up alumni. Do you know what Article 234 of the Criminal Law is? Intentional injury can lead to imprisonment for up to three years. Look at your head—do you see it? If not, take a closer look; the cameras are recording. I can report you to the education bureau and the police in a heartbeat, do you believe me?"
Duan Yuwei was clearly taken aback by the scolding.
A rough-looking guy with a thick gold chain pretended to slap Feng Ning on the head, threateningly saying, "What are you being so arrogant for?"
Duan Yuwei quickly regained her composure; she had the numbers on her side and couldn't let her momentum falter. She kicked Feng Ning hard, saying, "Yeah, what are you being so arrogant for? Who are you trying to scare? If you have the guts, go ahead and report us."
"I started off calmly trying to reason with you, but since you don't want to listen, I have no choice but to change my approach."
Feng Ning leaned against the wall behind her, pursing her lips as she continued negotiating. "You might not believe me, but I actually have videos of you bullying Meng Taoyu on my phone. They were taken on the first day of school. And there are cameras—didn't you see them? Am I just bluffing? Anyway, I'm not afraid of anything; wherever I study is where I study. Worst case scenario, we all drop out together. I'm here today to resolve this matter. If you're unwilling, then we'll see how this plays out."
As they were engrossed in their conversation, a furious shout suddenly pierced through: "Stop!"
Feng Ning's expression changed as she turned to search for the source of the commotion. Her mouth fell open in shock.
Zhao Binlin rushed over like a whirlwind, kicking one of the small thugs at the edge of the group while cursing loudly.
Xi Gaoyuan followed closely behind. "Wow, Feng Ning, is that really you? Are you okay?"
The group had just been looking for a place to eat when they passed by and saw Meng Taoyu squatting at the alley entrance, frantically wiping away tears. After asking a few questions, they learned that Feng Ning was in trouble.
The thug who had been kicked lay on the ground, grimacing in pain as he clutched his groin and rolled around. Suddenly, a pair of athletic shoes with hooks appeared in his line of sight, casually stepping over his hand as their owner walked past with an air of refined elegance.
The rough-looking guy with the gold chain raised his voice and shouted angrily, "Who’s this idiot popping up out of nowhere? Looking for trouble?"
Zhao Binlin usually acted quite casually, without any airs of a wealthy young master. However, once provoked, he could be fiercely uncontrollable. And then there was Xi Gaoyuan, who had a notoriously short temper and could ignite at the slightest spark.
Zhao Binlin shouted, "You dare to insult me again?"
Xi Gaoyuan retorted, "What are you looking at? You all better keep your eyes to yourselves!"
Feng Ning stood by, silent.
A blonde-haired guy stepped in front of Jiang Wen.
Jiang Wen coldly said, "Get lost."
Provoked by his icy and disdainful expression, the blonde spat his cigarette butt onto the ground. "What the hell? Are these little punks getting so arrogant nowadays?"
With that, he pushed Jiang Wen.
Jiang Wen steadied himself and warned, "Try touching me again."
The blonde switched hands to push him again, tauntingly saying, "What's wrong with touching you? I'll touch you." But as he did so, he stumbled back. Just as he was about to unleash another round of curses, "You—"
In the next moment, he was kicked to the ground.
Jiang Wen took off his watch and tossed it aside. Then he delivered a fierce kick to the blonde's stomach.
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