Chapter 93: The Embrace of Attachment
Just as Song Jia, like a small boat in a raging storm, braced for what she thought would be the most painful moment of her life, the blow never landed.
Instead, she found herself in an extremely warm and safe embrace. A tall boy was shielding her, holding her tightly in his arms. The feeling of protection was startlingly similar to the way her father used to hold her, though this embrace was younger, more energetic. For some inexplicable reason, Song Jia felt deeply attached to this hold and wished she could stay there longer.
But just as disappointment began to set in, the figure slowly pulled away. Only then could Song Jia clearly see the face of her rescuer. It was Liu Shang.
Coincidentally, Liu Shang had just dropped Jiang Ruolin off at home and was on his way back when he stumbled upon the scene. Without a moment's hesitation, he had thrown himself in front of Song Jia.
The stick connected with a solid thud, and a surge of fury shot through Liu Shang. He retaliated instantly, landing a hard kick to the chest of the guy who had swung the weapon, sending him sprawling to the ground.
As Yuan Hui and the others snapped out of their shock, their anger rising at seeing their friend taken down, Liu Shang strode toward the fallen youth with an aura so oppressive it seemed to weigh on everyone present. He grabbed the boy by the collar and hauled him up.
"You dare to hit a girl?" Liu Shang's voice was low and menacing. "I should beat the hell out of you right now."
Under Liu Shang's terrifying presence, which felt far beyond that of a typical peer, no one dared to make a move. After a tense moment, Yuan Hui, his heart heavy with apprehension, took a deep breath and asked with a frown, "Who are you? What's your business here?"
Liu Shang reined in his anger and gave Yuan Hui a long, hard look. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is you. How old are you guys? Still fighting like this? Do you find it interesting? Isn't it childish?"
Yuan Hui bristled at Liu Shang's words and tone. "Hey, I asked who you are! That bastard Lu Kai blocked one of our guys first. What's wrong with us coming here to settle the score? And yeah, I admit we almost hit Jiajia by mistake. That was our fault, and I'll apologize for it. But where the hell did you spring from? This is none of your business."
Hearing this, Liu Shang snorted. "Settle the score? Have you been watching too many gangster movies? This is a society governed by law. If a fight like this goes wrong and someone gets killed or maimed, you think you won't do time for it? Or is your family so rich and powerful that you can beat someone to death without facing criminal charges? I highly doubt your family is at that level."
Liu Shang's pointed questions silenced everyone, including Yuan Hui. They couldn't refute his words, but the defiant looks on their faces made it clear they weren't convinced.
Liu Shang sighed again, then pointed at Lu Kai, who was standing behind him. "You're all adults now," he said, his gaze fixed on Yuan Hui. "You're in university, which is the first step into the real world. If you really want to compete, to prove you're better, then please, do it like an adult. Be more successful than Lu Kai. Be more powerful. Have better connections. Use your own abilities to put him in his place, so much so that one day he'll be the one trying to curry favor with you. That's how you win. A real man—a mature, outstanding, successful man—doesn't resort to childish brawls. And he certainly doesn't have a foul mouth and raise his hand to a girl."
It had to be said, Liu Shang's final words struck a deep chord with Yuan Hui. It was as if a door had been kicked open in his mind, revealing a new and different world. After about thirty seconds of silence, Yuan Hui let out a soft breath. "We're done for today. Let's go."
He then turned to Song Jia to offer his condolences and an apology, but was met with cold indifference. Feeling awkward, Yuan Hui turned and left with his friends.
With the confrontation over, Liu Shang, who was now in considerable pain and a foul mood, frowned and turned to leave as well. But at that moment, his hand was caught by another—one that was cold, yet very soft.
"Liu... Liu Shang, are you okay?"
Seeing him about to leave so abruptly, Song Jia, still reeling from the shock and emotional upheaval, had instinctively reached out to stop him. The instant their hands touched, she felt her heart leap, as if she had grabbed a red-hot piece of iron. But at the same time, her hand felt stuck, unable to pull away.
Seeing her face, still pale with fright, Liu Shang managed a small smile. Then, as if comforting a scared child, he gently patted her head. "I'm fine. It's all over. You should go back to your dorm. And don't run around so late at night anymore."
Feeling his touch and hearing his comforting words, tinged with a bit of a lecture, the normally independent and rebellious Song Jia nodded meekly and mumbled, "Mm-hmm." She suddenly felt a surge of grievance, like a frightened, helpless child who finally sees a trusted adult and is on the verge of tears.
Not long after Liu Shang left, Tan Feng, Zhou Liang, and the others finally arrived, sweating and anxious.
"Lu Kai, are you okay?!"
"Where are Yuan Hui and his crew?"
They all breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Lu Kai was unharmed, but the tense, somber atmosphere prevented them from fully relaxing.
At that moment, Lu Kai slapped himself hard across the face, twice. "I'm such a waste! I almost got Jiajia killed!"
Seeing this, Tan Feng and the others were utterly confused. Song Jia rushed forward, forcefully grabbing his arm and pulling it down.
"Lu Kai, stop punishing yourself like this!" she said, her voice sharp. "If you're really that angry and dissatisfied with yourself, then you should take what he said just now to heart. This back-and-forth fighting of yours is truly naive!"
After speaking, Song Jia turned, flagged down a taxi, and headed home.
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