Niu Caijie’s lips twisted in a smirk. “Whatever you say. Both of you still have to compensate me. Remember this, Xie Qingqing, the next time you think of raising a hand to me.”
Xie Qingqing turned to Tang Qiu, suddenly–eerily–calm. “Stay out of the way.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to kill this shameless woman, and I don’t want you to be covered in blood.”
Trust me, Tang Qiu wanted to say, if murder wasn’t a crime, I’d help you.
As if on cue, tears began streaming down Niu Caijie’s face. “Will they attack me once I leave, Professor? What if I have nightmares about them? I don’t have the money for a psychiatrist…”
The professor fixed the two of them with a scathing look. “You hit her, then threaten her. Your arrogance is too much. Refuse to compensate her, and you’ll be expelled.”
“Expelled?” Niu Caijie echoed, pouncing on the professor’s support for her. She arched a taunting brow at Tang Qiu. “There’s no need for that, Professor. What would happen to them? Their lives would be ruined…”
“You’re too softhearted, Niu Caijie,” he lectured her. “It’s only right that they compensate you–otherwise, they might get ideas about bullying you in the future.”
“Since she’s so magnanimous…” A male voice rang out from the doorway, “… why is she demanding money from my wife?” The words were even, but they struck true, like an arrow sailing through the air and finding its target in their hearts.
Everyone’s eyes darted to the source of the voice.
It was a man seated in a wheelchair. His lower visage was concealed by a mask, but his eyes were searing cold. Even wheelchair-ridden, he carried himself with all the contempt and power of an emperor looking down on his subjects.
“Dear?” Tang Qiu blurted out. She pushed back her seat and crossed the room, squatting down in front of him. “What are you doing here? Where’s He Lei?”
Jiang Shaocheng stroked her head. “My wife is being mistreated. How could I not come?” Her money was meant for his treatment–he wouldn’t let anyone take it from her.
“It’s nothing,” she insisted helplessly. “I can handle it.”
“Even so, I can’t just leave you like this.”
She had no choice but to push him in. The professor studied the newcomer: a cripple, hiding who-knows-what under his mask. “Tang Qiu beat up and threatened a fellow student,” he declared. “She deserves to be punished–regardless of whoever you are.”
“And have you found out why Tang Qiu attacked her in the first place? There’s a winner and loser in every fight–why should the loser receive money? It’s called survival of the fittest. Or aren’t you smart enough to understand that, Professor?”
He spoke so unflinchingly, Xie Qingqing nearly applauded him. A sickly cripple he may be, but even from the wheelchair, he projected a dominance that made him seem twice as physically imposing. Not bad. “Exactly,” she echoed. “You shouldn’t get into fights you can’t win. What’s the point of crying now? Shameless thing.”
“You ganged up on me!” Niu Caijie screeched.
“I witnessed Tang Qiu and Xie Qingqing bullying Niu Caijie.” The professor was disgusted by Jiang Shaocheng’s words. “We are an institution that takes pride in our learning. No matter the reason, such disgraceful behavior will not be tolerated. Who are you, anyway, to barge in like this?”
Jiang Shaocheng looked at Tang Qiu expectantly. She couldn’t bear for them to treat him like this, so she said coldly, “He’s my husband, Jiang Shaocheng. You didn’t even try and find out why we were fighting, Professor. You just assumed it was our fault. How is that fair? We were willing to let it go, but to compensate her? No. We can’t, and we won’t.”
“You attacked me. I deserve to be compensated!” Niu Caijie studied the man in the wheelchair. She recalled what Feng Yao had said, that Tang Qiu had married a rich man. Indeed, the cripple’s suit was an expensive one, as was the watch displayed on his wrist. Already, her head was swimming with calculations of how much money she could extort from him.
“Compensated for a slap?” Jiang Shaocheng sneered. “Are you certain?”
“Of course. Why? Are you going to pay up?”
“No!” Tang Qiu grabbed his hand. “We didn’t do anything wrong–if she hadn’t hit Qingqing first, I wouldn’t have attacked her. Even Qingqing’s own parents have never slapped her like that. What right did Niu Caijie have?”
“I know.” He met her gaze. “I won’t waste my money on her.”
Tang Qiu nodded in understanding. Xie Qingqing’s eyes wandered to their intertwined hands. They seemed… comfortable together. There was a synergy, a trust, almost, that could have passed for compatibility. She shook off the thought. “Tang Qiu’s right. We won’t pay her a cent.”