Chapter 101 Becoming a Bodyguard
High school life was busier than Zhao Yidi had imagined.
The key classes at the Experimental Middle School have morning reading sessions starting at 6:30 every morning and evening self-study sessions ending at 9:30 every evening.
She gets half a day off on Saturday afternoons, and she usually finishes half of her homework in the classroom before going to the bathroom to wash her hair.
The school has a limited supply of hot water, so you have to go before dinner, otherwise there will only be cold water.
That afternoon, when Zhao Yidi carried the basin to the water room, there were already three or four girls inside.
She found an empty tap, mixed hot water from the thermos with cold water, tested the temperature, and began to bend over to wash her hair.
Foam blurred my vision, and all I could hear was the rushing water and the girls' laughter.
Halfway through washing, she vaguely sensed that someone was watching her.
I didn't pay attention at first.
The water room is open-plan, so it's normal for boys to occasionally pass by.
But that gaze lingered on her, making the back of her neck feel a little uneasy.
Zhao Yidi quickly rinsed off the foam, wrapped her hair in a towel, and straightened up.
Through her wet bangs, she saw a boy standing at the entrance of the washroom.
He was quite tall and thin, wearing a dark blue tracksuit, with his hands in his pockets.
When he saw her looking over, he not only didn't look away, but instead curled the corners of his mouth, his gaze so direct that it made her uncomfortable.
Zhao Yidi lowered her head and quickly wrung out her hair.
The boy was still standing there, and even moved forward half a step.
"Hey classmate," a girl next to me whispered, "that's a second-year high school student named Zhang Hao, he's famous... be careful."
Zhao Yidi's heart tightened.
As she passed by the door, the boy deliberately turned to the side, his arm brushing against the edge of her basin.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice tinged with laughter.
Zhao Yidi didn't say anything, lowered her head and quickly left.
Back in her dorm, she told her roommates about it.
One well-informed girl said, "Zhang Hao? I know him. He's arrogant because his family has connections. You should stay away from him."
In the following days, Zhao Yidi kept "bumping into" Zhang Hao.
He didn't do anything, just stared at her, sometimes whistling, his eyes lingering on her.
Zhao Yidi started to get scared.
On Friday afternoon, she couldn't take it anymore and found Xiao Junkai during break time.
Xiao Junkai was playing basketball when he saw her coming and quickly ran over: "What's wrong? You look terrible."
Zhao Yidi pulled him aside and whispered about what had happened in the past few days.
His voice trembled slightly as he finished speaking: "He kept staring at me... I was scared."
Xiao Junkai's face instantly darkened.
Which class are you in? What's your name?
"Zhang Hao is from Class 3, Grade 11."
"Okay, I got it." Xiao Junkai patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, I'll handle it."
"Don't fight..." Zhao Yidi pulled him back.
"No fighting." Xiao Junkai said this, but his eyes were frighteningly cold.
When the bell rang, the students poured out of the classroom.
Xiao Junkai blocked the corridor, waiting for Zhang Hao to come out.
"Zhang Hao?"
Zhang Hao looked up and sized him up: "Who are you?"
"Zhao Yidi's classmate." Xiao Junkai took a step forward. "I heard you've been staring at her a lot lately?"
Zhang Hao laughed, with a hint of disdain: "What business is it of yours who I am? Who are you to her?"
"I'm asking you, were you staring at her?" Xiao Junkai asked in a low voice.
"So what if I saw it?" Zhang Hao raised his chin defiantly. "Is she your girlfriend? Why are you being so nosy?"
The next second, a fist slammed into his face.
Xiao Junkai used all his strength in this move.
Caught off guard, Zhang Hao staggered back a few steps, and his nose started bleeding on the spot.
"Damn it—" Zhang Hao wiped his nose, saw the blood, and lunged forward to fight back.
Xiao Junkai had practiced basketball for several years, so he was physically strong and quick.
He dodged to the side, then punched Zhang Hao in the stomach again, before grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall.
“Listen carefully,” Xiao Junkai stared into his eyes, enunciating each word clearly, “Zhao Yidi is my classmate, my friend. If you dare to look at her again, or say another word to her, I’ll beat you up every time I see you. Understand?”
A crowd had already gathered in the corridor.
Zhang Hao tried to be brave, but the pain in his stomach was making him gasp for breath. He gritted his teeth and said, "You...you just wait!"
"I'll wait." Xiao Junkai let go of his hand and pushed him forward. "Now, go apologize to Zhao Yidi."
"Why should I!"
"Are you going or not?" Xiao Junkai took another step forward.
Seeing his posture, Zhang Hao chickened out.
Under the watchful eyes of his classmates, he gritted his teeth and mumbled to Zhao Yidi, "...I'm sorry."
Xiao Junkai stood to the side and shouted, "Louder!"
"Sorry, okay!" Zhang Hao yelled, pushing through the crowd and running away.
Things have blown up.
Zhang Hao went directly to the academic affairs office, bruised and battered, to complain.
When Xiao Junkai was called to the office, he readily admitted, "I did it."
"Why did you hit someone?" The head of the teaching department was a female teacher in her fifties, wearing glasses, with a livid face.
“He harassed my classmate.” Xiao Junkai stood straight. “He stared at her for a week, scaring her so much that she was afraid to walk alone. I asked him to apologize, but he refused and even cursed at me, so I took action.”
"That doesn't mean you can hit people!" The head of student affairs slammed his fist on the table in anger. "If there's a problem, go to the teacher or the school! Hitting someone is wrong!"
Xiao Junkai stopped talking, but his neck was stiff and he looked defiant.
The academic affairs office called the three families.
Zhao Fei and Wen Xiaoxiao were the first to arrive.
"What happened?" Zhao Fei asked as soon as he entered the office.
The head of the teaching department explained what had happened.
After hearing this, Wen Xiaoxiao looked at Xiao Junkai and asked, "Xiao Kai, did you really hit someone?"
"I hit her." Xiao Junkai lowered his head. "I was wrong, Auntie. But I don't regret it."
Wen Fuyunrou was the second to arrive.
She was wearing a beige trench coat today, and her hair was neatly combed. As soon as she entered, she shook hands with the head of the teaching department: "Director Li, I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"Mrs. Xiao." The head of the teaching department was noticeably more polite.
Just then, Zhang Hao's parents arrived.
The father was a short, stout middle-aged man in a suit. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted, "Who hit my son? They've gone too far!"
The mother, a woman with curly hair, burst into tears upon seeing the injury on her son's face: "Haohao, does it hurt? Let me see..."
The scene became chaotic for a moment.
The head of the teaching department explained the situation again.
After hearing this, Zhang Hao's father pointed at Xiao Junkai and said, "Such a ruthless act at such a young age! He must be punished! Expelled!"
Zhao Fei wanted to argue, but Fu Yunrou gestured for him to remain silent.
“Mr. Zhang, calm down,” Fu Yunrou said, her voice gentle yet firm. “Both sides are at fault. Zhang Hao harassed the female student first, and Xiao Junkai then physically assaulted her. As parents, we should first clarify who is right and who is wrong.”
"What harassment? My son only glanced at us a few times! Is that a crime? He's not going to lose a piece of his flesh!" Zhang Hao's mother shrieked. "Hitting someone is wrong! They must pay compensation! They must apologize!"
Zhao Fei frowned and took out his wallet from his pocket: "We'll pay for the medical expenses. It was wrong for the child to hit someone, so we'll pay whatever compensation is due."
“No.” Fu Yunrou stopped him. “Boss Zhao, I’ll handle this.”
She turned to Zhang Hao's parents, a polite smile on her face: "Mr. Zhang, Mrs. Zhang, how about this? We will take full responsibility for Zhang Hao's medical and nutritional expenses. As for Xiao Junkai's assault, we will accept whatever disciplinary action the school takes. However..."
She paused, her smile fading slightly: "Shouldn't we also get an explanation for Zhang Hao's harassment of the female student? Shouldn't we ask that female student how she spent this week? Shouldn't we investigate whether this is the first time Zhang Hao has acted this way?"
Zhang Hao's parents' expressions changed.
"What do you mean?" Zhang Hao's father asked in a low voice.
“What I mean is,” Fu Yunrou said calmly, “if we really want to pursue this, we can ask the other students what kind of behavior Zhang Hao usually has. Of course, if you think it’s unnecessary, then let’s stick to the facts today. We’ll pay for the medical expenses, and each of the two children will receive a demerit. How about that?”
The office was silent for a few seconds.
Zhang Hao's father glanced at his son's evasive eyes, then at Fu Yunrou's composed expression, and gritted his teeth: "...Fine. Medical expenses and nutrition expenses, one thousand yuan."
“Okay.” Fu Yunrou took out a thousand yuan in cash from her purse on the spot.
She then looked at the head of the teaching department: "Director Li, I'm sorry to have troubled you. We accept Xiao Junkai's punishment."
Finally, Xiao Junkai and Zhang Hao each received a demerit and were placed on probation at school.
Xiao Junkai needs to write a 1,000-word self-criticism, which he will read aloud during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday.
It was already evening when I came out of the Academic Affairs Office.
Zhao Fei patted Xiao Junkai on the shoulder: "Kid, you've got guts. But don't be so impulsive in the future. If you have any problems, go find an adult."
Xiao Junkai nodded and glanced at Zhao Yidi standing next to Wen Xiaoxiao.
Zhao Yidi's eyes were red, and she whispered, "I'm sorry, it's all because of me..."
"It has nothing to do with you." Xiao Junkai grinned. "I just don't like him."
Fu Yunrou walked over and said to Wen Xiaoxiao, "Xiaoxiao, Junkai was wrong today, but his intentions were good. Don't worry about the money; we'll pay for what's owed."
"Sister Fu, I can't accept this..."
"Of course," Fu Yunrou waved her hand. "Our two families don't need to talk about these things."
She then looked at Xiao Junkai, her eyes serious: "Go home and write a self-criticism. A thousand words, not a single word less."
"Okay, Mom."
The two families parted ways at the school gate.
Zhao Yidi suddenly whispered, "Dad, Mom, I won't let Xiao Junkai stand up for me anymore."
Wen Xiaoxiao turned around and patted her head: "Yidi, it's good that someone is protecting you. But you also need to learn to protect yourself. If something happens, tell your teacher and your parents first, okay?"
"Um."
“That kid Xiao Junkai…” Zhao Fei suddenly smiled, “He doesn’t look like his dad at all. That’s good.”
From then on, Zhao Yidi's gaze towards Xiao Junkai subtly changed.
Xiao Junkai truly became her "bodyguard" throughout her three years of high school.
Time passed by day by day.
It's another Saturday, and Zhao Yidi is off work and going home.
Wen Xiaogai had been waiting at the door for a while. As soon as she saw her older sister, she rushed over to complain, "Sister! Yibao hit me again!"
Yi Bao came out of the house, hands on his hips: "Was I hitting you? I was disciplining you! Who told you to spill ink on my homework?"
"I didn't mean to..." Wen Xiaogai hid behind Zhao Yidi.
Yizhen also came out and said gently, "Xiaogai, apologize to Yibao and be more careful in the future."
Zhao Yidi looked at her three younger siblings and smiled. She pulled Wen Xiaogai out from behind her: "Come on, tell your sister what happened?"
Wen Xiaogai embellished the story, emphasizing that Yi Bao was "fierce and menacing" and "would hit people at the drop of a hat." Yi Bao rolled his eyes, while Yi Zhen smiled helplessly.
After Wen Xiaogai finished speaking, Zhao Yidi squatted down and looked him in the eye: "Xiaogai, it was wrong of Yibao to hit you, and I scolded her. But you also messed up my homework, wasn't that wrong too?"
Wen Xiaogai pouted: "...Hmm."
"So, do you want to apologize?"
"……want."
"Good boy." Zhao Yidi ruffled his hair. "Come on, let me teach you to write. Mom said the characters you wrote last time looked like a puppy crawling. I'll teach you to write nicely."
"Really?" Wen Xiaogai's eyes lit up.
"real."
The siblings went inside. Zhao Yidi took out a grid notebook and a pencil, and holding Wen Xiaogai's hand, she taught him stroke by stroke: "Horizontal strokes must be flat, vertical strokes must be straight, and dots must be paused..."
Wen Xiaogai studied very diligently.
As dusk fell, the distant sky was tinged with a faint orange-red hue.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Xiao Junkai was at home writing his 1,000-word self-criticism.
He bit the pen tip, racking his brains, writing and erasing, erasing and writing.
Fu Yunrou brought in fruit, glanced at it, and said, "Write it well. When you're done, go apologize to Yidi tomorrow. Not for hitting someone, but for making her worry."
Xiao Junkai looked up: "Mom, how did you know..."
"I'm your mother." Fu Yunrou placed the fruit on the table. "Do you think I can't see through your little scheme?"
Xiao Junkai blushed and lowered his head to continue writing.
Fu Yunrou looked at him, her eyes filled with both smiles and emotions.
Time flies! In the blink of an eye, my son has grown up so much and can protect the girl he likes now.
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