Chapter 46: PAST-EIGHT.
By the time they reached the alley, the air was thick with shouting. Around ten or twelve boys had formed a rough circle, jeering and circling like wolves. In the middle of the chaos stood two boys—one crouched low, trembling and shielding his head, while the other stood in front of him protectively, arms outstretched. His lip was bleeding, his uniform torn at the shoulder, but he didn't move. His eyes were sharp, focused, and furious.
"That's enough!" the older boy barked. "If you've got a problem, take it out on me! He's just a kid!"
"Too late to act noble now, isn't it?" one of the boys in the crowd laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You should've thought of that before sticking your nose in."
Xu Lingwei skidded to a stop just at the edge of the scene, panting. "Great," he muttered. "This is exactly how I imagined spending my afternoon—getting murdered by a pack of angry teenagers."
Hua Rong didn't even pause to catch her breath. "We have to do something!"
Xu hesitated, glancing back at the group. "There are like, twelve of them. I'm pretty, not stupid."
She grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. "Xu Lingwei. They're just two kids. You're not gonna stand here and watch them get torn apart, are you?"
He opened his mouth to argue—something logical, something safe—but all he managed was a groan. "Why do I always end up in these messes with you?"
"Because you're a good person deep down," she shot back, already stepping forward.
"Debatable," he muttered, trailing after her.
As they got closer, Hua Rong's temper flared, her voice rising. "Hey! What the hell is going on here?!"