Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The first day of school was a bit chaotic. Without the homeroom teacher around yet, classmates who hadn't seen each other all summer were excitedly chattering non-stop, while a few at the back were arguing fiercely over copying Cheng Nanyi's summer homework.

Cheng Nanyi sat by the window, engrossed in a book, in a world of his own, detached from the bustle around him, until a sudden outburst broke the peace: "Cheng Nanyi, that little brat from your house is getting into a fight."

The familiar voice belonged to Mo Yikai, and by 'little brat'...

Cheng Nanyi's head shot up to see Mo Yikai hanging at the classroom door, wildly gesticulating and excitedly shouting, "There's blood all over his face..."

Before Mo Yikai could finish, Cheng Nanyi was already in front of him: "Who hit him?"

As he spoke, Cheng Nanyi was already racing out of the classroom and down the stairs, with Mo Yikai hurrying after him: "I don't know who he's fighting with. When I saw them, they were rolling on the ground together. I came to get you right away."

"You didn't help?" Cheng Nanyi glanced sharply at Mo Yikai as they ran.

"No need for me." Mo Yikai, struggling to keep up and panting, said, "The teacher's already there."

It was indeed a coincidence. Mo Yikai, as the leader of the school's health committee, was busy with his team inspecting the hygiene of the lower grades on the first day of school, and just happened to witness the fight.

A fight on the first day of school, such bravery. Mo Yikai squeezed through the crowd to get a better view, only to spot a little blond-haired kid amidst the fray.

"Uh-oh, isn't that the kid who, in his past life, witnessed a murder and now, in this life, has come to annoy the perpetrator?"

Mo Yikai really wanted to sneak in a few kicks on the little rascal, but ultimately his conscience prevailed, and he ran to inform Cheng Nanyi.

"It's a shame I missed the whole scene. I'm just too kind-hearted, alas..."

"The kind-hearted always miss out on so much fun."

As Cheng Nanyi rushed towards Building No. 2, intending to go upstairs, Mo Yikai shouted from behind, "Not here, there was blood. They've gone to the infirmary."

Cheng Nanyi frowned, quickening his pace without stopping. He had thought Mo Yikai was exaggerating, but could the kid really have been hurt that badly?

Before reaching the infirmary, Cheng Nanyi could hear wailing and crying from afar and sped up, pushing open the infirmary door.

The infirmary wasn't crowded, and Cheng Nanyi's gaze quickly found Yuan Ting standing in a corner.

The child's clothes and hair were disheveled, his white shirt stained with blood, his curly hair messy, some tufts standing up, looking very disheveled.

Fortunately, he was standing, and though his face was dirty, there were no visible wounds.

Cheng Nanyi strode over, suppressing the panic in his heart, and asked softly, "Where did he hit you? Where is the wound?"

Yuan Ting, not expecting Cheng Nanyi to come, was tiptoeing, hands behind his back, shifting uncomfortably, his eyes darting around, avoiding Cheng Nanyi’s gaze, and then his eyes landed on Mo Yikai, who looked excited.

"Why is he everywhere?"

Cheng Nanyi found his behavior odd and couldn't help but reach out to pat Yuan Ting’s head. "Could his head have been injured?"

Yuan Ting leaned his head back and let out a dry laugh…

"Cheng Nanyi," Teacher Zhao called out from the side.

Cheng Nanyi turned around, his face expressionless, as he addressed Teacher Zhao: "Teacher, my brother was attacked on the first day of school. We demand an explanation from the other party. We will not accept a settlement."

Teacher Zhao appeared somewhat embarrassed, "Well… Cheng Nanyi, about your brother… he's fine, actually. It was he who… knocked out Duan Wenze's tooth."

The room fell silent for a moment before the crying intensified, filled with anguish: "My tooth… I'm bleeding… Ahhh, I'm going to die…"

Only then did Cheng Nanyi remember the other party involved and turned his gaze in that direction.

At that moment, Duan Wenze was a mess of tears and snot, his hair as disheveled as a bird's nest, his mouth wide open revealing a dark gap, and his white shirt covered in blood, looking even more pitiful than Yuan Ting.

Cheng Nanyi stepped back and then looked at Yuan Ting.

Yuan Ting: "..." He was almost embarrassed on behalf of Cheng Nanyi…

Yuan Ting lowered his head, looking around but avoiding Cheng Nanyi’s gaze.

This situation was just... indescribable.

In his past life, a seven-year-old Yuan Ting definitely couldn't have bested Duan Wenze, given the latter's considerable heft.

Even though Yuan Ting called him a 'little chubby boy,' he himself was a shorter and thinner kid…

Yuan Ting, with the mindset of an adult, had learned Sanda and Taekwondo. Despite being physically smaller, he knew how to use his strength cleverly. His intention was just to give Duan Wenze a slight pain and then subdue him, asserting who was in charge.

Everything had seemed perfect, dealing with a seven-year-old seemed so easy…

It was supposed to be a harmless confrontation, but he hadn't expected that Duan Wenze still had baby teeth. In the chaos, one of Duan Wenze's teeth got knocked out…

The tooth was gone… and then there was blood… As Duan Wenze cried with his mouth wide open, it was as if he had lost an arm, the scene tumultuous and dramatic.

To be honest, Yuan Ting did feel a bit guilty for bullying a child as an adult.

Sighing, Yuan Ting thought, "Bad start to my mission... It must be because I shared a ride with Mo Yikai this morning." He glanced up and shot Mo Yikai a glare.

Mo Yikai met Yuan Ting's gaze and gave him a thumbs-up, impressed!

Knocking out a tooth on the first day of school was an achievement he could boast about for years.

"I've already called Duan Wenze's parents, and his father should be arriving soon. But I can't seem to reach Yuan Ting's father..." Normally, such a scuffle wouldn’t warrant notifying the parents, but losing a tooth and bleeding made it a serious matter requiring parental presence.

Yuan Ting's eyes flickered: "Then call my grandfather." Let the old man experience the challenge of raising a child and see the result of Shu Zhilan's failed education.

"No need, I can handle this," Cheng Nanyi said calmly, without the embarrassment Yuan Ting expected, "There's no need to inform my uncle or grandfather."

Thinking Yuan Ting was scared, Cheng Nanyi patted his head again, lowering his voice, "Don't worry, your brother is here."

Yuan Ting looked up at him. The teenager's features were sharp and clear, and despite his growing height making him appear somewhat lanky and frail, his gaze was calm, showing no sign of panic or confusion.

Yuan Ting couldn't help but admire, "The scion of a noble family truly lives up to the name. Such a presence, it leaves one speechless: unparalleled!"

"You can... handle it?" Before Teacher Zhao could express her doubts, Duan Wenze's father had arrived.

"Who hit my son?" A burly man about 1.9 meters tall, decked in gold chains, a flashy belt, a patterned shirt, and carrying a briefcase, stomped in, shaking the ground as he moved.

"Daddy..." Duan Wenze rushed to him, wailing, "Look at my tooth, Daddy, someone knocked it out..."

Yuan Ting: "..."

There's no need to stress he's your real dad; you two clearly look like father and son.

"Let me see." The sturdy man crouched down, opened his son's mouth to inspect the gap, and upon seeing it, he erupted in anger, "Who did this? Come forward now."

Yuan Ting quietly hid behind Cheng Nanyi, fearing the burly man might kick him away in anger.

"Mr. Duan, please calm down," Teacher Zhao urgently stepped in front of Yuan Ting and Cheng Nanyi, also wary of the man’s temper. "Let's understand what happened first."

"Understand what? My son's tooth is gone, what if it doesn't grow back?"

"Well, that's unlikely..." Teacher Zhao said with a forced smile. "He's probably just losing his baby teeth, and they'll grow back. The doctor has already examined both children, and they're fine. If you're still worried, why don't we all go to the hospital to check?"

"Of course, we're going to the hospital." Duan Zhen Shan stood up, scanning the room, "Where's the kid who hit my son?"

His gaze fell on Cheng Nanyi.

Mainly because Cheng Nanyi was already about 1.7 meters tall, towering over Teacher Zhao who was under 1.6 meters... she couldn’t shield him.

However, Cheng Nanyi was effectively shielding Yuan Ting.

"You?" Duan Zhen Shan pointed at Cheng Nanyi. "Where are your parents? Come and apologize to my son."

"It wasn't him, it was me." Yuan Ting, clutching Cheng Nanyi's clothes, peeked out from behind, "Your son started the trouble with me." He was hiding because he feared Duan Zhen Shan's uncontrollable rage, not because he was a coward.

"Started trouble with you? And that justifies knocking his tooth out?" Duan Zhen Shan looked disbelievingly at the smaller, thinner Yuan Ting, who managed to knock out his son's tooth despite looking so frail.

Duan Wenze, still grieving over his lost tooth, froze when he caught his father’s stern gaze, letting out a gurgling hiccup.

"He started it," Yuan Ting reiterated.

"Even if he started it, you had no right to knock out his tooth."

Yuan Ting: "..."

"Hey, with my temper, do you really think being the weaker one makes you right?"

"Who's the actual victim here? Just because he lost a tooth, he's suddenly the aggrieved party?"

Yuan Ting took a deep breath, thinking, "It's just a misery competition, right? Now my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys all hurt. I need to make a trip to the hospital."

"Having lived over two decades, if there's one thing I've learned, it's from watching too many short videos. Say one more word, and I'll immediately lie down."

Just as Yuan Ting was about to burst, Cheng Nanyi spoke up, "I'm his guardian. Talk to me about the issue. Don't scare the child."

Yuan Ting choked, coughing uncontrollably. Cheng Nanyi patted his back, and Teacher Zhao, startled, hurried to get him water. Didn't the school doctor say it was nothing serious? Why this sudden cough?

"You?" Duan Zhen Shan stepped forward. Cheng Nanyi was taller than his peers, but still looked slender compared to the 1.9-meter-tall Duan Zhen Shan.

Duan Zhen Shan crossed his arms, tilting his chin at Cheng Nanyi, "You're the guardian, huh? Fine, tell me how we’re going to deal with this."

Seeing the tension rise, Teacher Zhao intervened, "Mr. Duan, here's what happened."

Teacher Zhao explained the situation, "Duan Wenze wanted to be desk mates with Gu Yuqi, but Gu Yuqi's desk mate was Yuan Ting. So, Duan Wenze approached Yuan Ting about switching seats. They had a verbal altercation, and Duan Wenze struck first, leading to a physical fight."

"You struck first?" Duan Zhen Shan, adept at identifying key points, turned to his son.

"Hmph." Duan Wenze scowled, pointing at Yuan Ting with his chubby finger, "He spat at me first."

"You were the one pointing at me first," Yuan Ting retorted, not backing down. "You were insulting me."

Cheng Nanyi: "???"

Retaliating with spit because of an insult? Isn't saliva supposed to be for disinfection?

"What, you spat at my son?" Duan Zhen Shan's eyes widened fiercely, looking threatening. Teacher Zhao tensed up and protectively reached out to shield Yuan Ting.

But Duan Zhen Shan just glared, then waved it off, "Let it go, they're just kids. A little roughhousing is normal. I won't pursue it this time, but be more careful in the future."

Teacher Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, surprised that the intimidating man was actually quite reasonable.

As long as Duan Zhen Shan didn't press the matter, it would likely be resolved. However, she didn't immediately agree, instead telling him, "I still need to contact Yuan Ting’s parents." After all, it was Duan Wenze who had started the trouble.

"Then hurry up with that. I need to take this brat to the hospital to check his teeth. So clumsy, why didn't he knock out all your teeth? Embarrassing. Can’t even handle a skinny little blond kid after eating so much.”

"Skinny little blond kid?"

Yuan Ting was about to explode, but then a melodious, youthful voice spoke up, "We don’t accept this resolution."

Duan Zhen Shan turned to Cheng Nanyi in shock, "What, you want compensation from us?"

Yuan Ting too looked at Cheng Nanyi in surprise.

He had the mind of an adult. The scuffle with Duan Wenze would be considered mutual assault at a police station. If Duan Wenze had been more seriously injured, he might even have to pay compensation. Thus, a mutual settlement seemed like a good outcome.

Besides, he felt a bit guilty for instigating the fight and knocking out Duan Wenze's tooth, causing quite a bit of bleeding, especially since Duan Wenze had once climbed a wall for him.

"Cheng Nanyi, this matter should really involve Yuan Ting’s parents..."

"No need," Cheng Nanyi interrupted Teacher Zhao, looking at Duan Zhen Shan, "I demand your son apologize to Yuan Ting and provide us with compensation."

"Ah, what?" Duan Zhen Shan's speech was jumbled in his shock, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, "You want my son, who just lost a tooth, to apologize to you? Forget it, I won’t stoop to arguing with kids. Where’s his dad? Why hasn’t he shown up?"

"Indeed, your understanding is quite ordinary," said Cheng Nanyi.

！！！

Yuan Ting almost clapped for Cheng Nanyi. His use of the idiom was explosively perfect.

"Today is my brother’s first day of school, a day that should have been happy and safe. It was your son who caused him unwarranted harm."

"Your son, lacking in manners, instigated trouble, and the injury and lost tooth are his own doing."

"Right on," Yuan Ting nodded vigorously. The logic was sound.

His own doing?

There was some truth in that...

Duan Zhen Shan's mouth twitched a few times, "You need to understand, it was your brother who spat first. Who would tolerate that? In his place, I would have knocked the sense out of him."

"But it was your son who provoked first."

"My son only spoke. Your brother spat. Are these harms equivalent?"

"In terms of harm, they are the same since neither was physically injured. My brother was acting in self-defense."

Yuan Ting nodded vehemently in agreement.

Duan Zhen Shan was left speechless by the child's retort.

After glaring at Cheng Nanyi for a while, Duan Zhen Shan reiterated, "My son lost a tooth."

"Your son’s tooth wasn’t knocked out by my brother."

Duan Zhen Shan, now laughing in frustration: "So if not by your brother, did my son knock out his own tooth?"

Cheng Nanyi, turning slightly, grasped Yuan Ting’s forearm and presented it forward, "There’s a bite mark on his arm."

"It was your son who bit Yuan Ting first. His tooth was already loose, and it got knocked out in the process."

Duan Zhen Shan and Teacher Zhao both bent down to look.

"He bit you?" Teacher Zhao asked Yuan Ting.

Yuan Ting nodded: "Yes..." but he wasn't sure if that's when the tooth fell out.

Cheng Nanyi spoke calmly, "If your son’s teeth were intact, it’s likely my brother’s arm would have been bitten and bleeding instead. Then, it would be my brother who’s injured."

"My brother hasn't done anything wrong from beginning to end. Why is he the one who needs forgiveness instead of being pursued for justice?"

Duan Zhen Shan: "..."

Yuan Ting: "..." Is this really the thought process of a ten-year-old kid?

Today, he truly witnessed what it means to be a debate prodigy!

Teacher Zhao was also convinced, her mind somewhat in disarray: "Student Cheng Nan Yi..."

"Teacher, like I said at the beginning, we will not accept a settlement.

Teacher Zhao: "..."

Teacher Zhao turned to look at Duan Zhen Shan.

Duan Zhen Shan: "..." Don't look at him; he's also in distress, feeling unexpectedly persuaded by a child...

This shouldn't be the case, the injured one is his son, with the obvious wound glaring right there.

Seeing him silent, Cheng Nan Yi added: "If today my brother had been bitten and bled, he might have needed a rabies vaccine."

"Rabies vaccine?" Duan Zhen Shan puzzled, "Why a rabies vaccine?"

"Because we're not sure if your son's saliva carries the rabies virus."

Duan Zhen Shan: "???"

He was somewhat slow to react; why would his son's saliva contain the rabies vaccine?

Yuan Ting: "..."

"Cheng Nan Yi, have you elevated the art of insulting to such a high level now?"

"Considering that student Duan Wen Ze lost a tooth, we'll let this go. We won't ask for compensation for the dirt on Yuan Ting's clothes either. Just apologize to Yuan Ting, and that's it," summarized Cheng Nan Yi in his concluding statement.

Yuan Ting was utterly speechless in shock.

After hearing Cheng Nan Yi's words, the last bit of his guilt completely vanished.

What, he deliberately spit to provoke Duan Wen Ze?

Nonsense, that was just self-defense against Duan Wen Ze's outrageous remarks.

What, Duan Wen Ze lost a tooth?

If his tooth hadn't come out, he might have contracted rabies from the bite!

That was a close call!!!

In conclusion, he, Yuan Ting, was the clear victim here, no arguments accepted.

Yuan Ting stood in front of Cheng Nan Yi, hands on hips and brimming with indignation, pointing at Duan Wen Ze: "You, apologize to me."

Duan Zhen Shan coughed lightly, unable to maintain his composure: "Well, let your parents come; I don’t want to argue with you kids." He couldn't accept that his son had to apologize after losing a tooth, still trying to make sense of how things had escalated to this point.

Yuan Ting looked up at Cheng Nan Yi: "Nan Yi brother, what if he doesn't apologize?"

Cheng Nan Yi gently patted his head, speaking softly: "Don’t worry, our family has a team of lawyers; we’ll take them to court if needed."

Duan Zhen Shan: "???"

Teacher Zhao: "Well, Cheng Nan Yi, that might be taking things a bit too far..."

"Mr. Duan," Cheng Nan Yi looked up at the towering figure, "My grandfather is Cheng He Zhang."

……

Duan Wen Ze was dumbfounded when he was forced to bow and apologize to Yuan Ting. Why should he apologize when he was the one who lost a tooth?

It was bad enough to apologize, but why did his father tell him to wait?

Usually, when his dad said that, it meant a scolding was waiting for him at home.

Duan Wen Ze glared resentfully at Yuan Ting, who quietly gestured a fist at him, whispering, "Keep staring, and I'll knock out the rest of your teeth."

"Wah..." Duan Wen Ze burst into tears.

Oh heavens, what has this world come to...

Author’s note:

Thanks to the angels who cast their mighty votes or nourished me with nutrient solution from 2023-07-09 18:08:40 to 2023-07-11 17:01:27~

Thanks to the angel who dropped a mine: Ping Xuan, 1;

Thanks to the angels who watered with nutrient solution: Xi Xi, 20 bottles; Hao Hen De Xin, 2 bottles; Ping Xuan, 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!