"School’s out…"


    Yun Yi stretched, loosened up his body, and then packed his things before heading out of the school.


    The first day of classes didn’t cover any substantive material. Instead, several teachers gave the new students an overview of the school’s history, notable alumni, and various life ideals. Some students seemed to listen intently, but Yun Yi wasn’t particularly interested.


    In his opinion, listening to such things was a waste of time that could be better spent learning something useful.


    Most students lived on campus, so after classes ended in the afternoon, they could participate in various school clubs or spend time reading.


    For Yun Yi, however, after school, he had to rush to Swift Mechanics. His love for mechs was something he couldn’t give up, even after starting school. After negotiating with the company, they agreed to halve his base salary, allowing him to work only three hours a day after school. Of course, he also worked during the two-day weekend.


    At the school gate, only a handful of people, like him, were heading out. Presumably, they were also students who had received special permission from the principal to live off-campus.


    From their attire, most of these students appeared to be upperclassmen. There were only a few freshmen, and Yun Yi didn’t recognize any of them. After all, it was only the first day of school, and he probably hadn’t even memorized all his classmates’ names yet.


    "Hey, already living off-campus just after school started?" A mocking voice reached Yun Yi’s ears. The few off-campus students nearby glanced at the speaker but ignored him.


    Yun Yi also looked over and saw a young man with brown hair and pale skin. From his brand-new uniform, it was clear he was also a freshman this year.


    However, Yun Yi couldn’t shake the feeling that the guy looked familiar, as if he’d seen him somewhere before.


    "What a disgrace to the school. The reason our school ranks last among the top ten is because of people like you, living off-campus and ruining the school’s reputation. Right, little girl?"


    Hearing this, Yun Yi, who had already taken a few steps forward, turned around angrily, only to see the guy blocking a girl’s path with a lecherous expression.


    "Huh? I… I don’t know…"


    The girl seemed timid, her head lowered as she waved her hands in panic.


    Yun Yi sighed inwardly. Dealing with bullies like this required showing more strength than them to make them back off. If you appeared timid, it would only embolden them, making them more aggressive.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Hahaha, hey classmate, why don’t you tell the security guard that I’m your brother, and we’re going home together? How about it?"


    The girl seemed even more frightened, her head still lowered as she repeated, "I don’t know… I don’t know…"


    "Come on, let’s go out together and have some fun. Hey, I’ll tell you the truth—my dad’s the chairman of the Xiagal Group. After you graduate, I’ll make sure my dad gets you a great job. Hmm… how about being my secretary?"


    "I… I don’t know…"


    Seeing the girl’s timid demeanor, the guy laughed arrogantly.


    Watching the girl being frightened and helpless, Yun Yi suddenly thought of his younger sister.


    "…Wah, big brother is mean, I hate caterpillars…"


    That same timid younger sister, who would cry when he teased her with caterpillars—if she had lived, would she have grown up to be this timid?


    If she had grown up and gone to school, would she have been bullied by her classmates?


    Staring at the panicked girl, Yun Yi’s eyes glazed over for a moment.


    "…Little sister…"


    Several upperclassmen nearby, who had initially looked ready to step in and help the girl, suddenly stopped when they heard the guy mention the "Xiagal Group." While they knew the guy’s offer of a job was just a ploy to deceive the girl, most off-campus students came from poor families, working part-time to make ends meet. How could they dare to provoke the son of the Xiagal Group?


    "So, what do you think? Take me out with you. Hmm, where do you want to go? A bar? I have a friend who runs a great bar nearby. Want to check it out?"


    As he spoke, the guy actually reached out, as if trying to lift the girl’s chin to see what she looked like.


    "I said… that’s enough."


    A low voice suddenly rang out. The pale-skinned young man stopped his hand and turned his head.


    "Thud…"


    Before he could understand what was happening, a foot rapidly filled his vision, and then the scene before him changed as a sharp pain spread throughout his body.


    "Having fun bullying girls?"


    Yun Yi stood with his arms crossed, his low voice speaking word by word, "I can’t believe the school let trash like you in. I wonder how you even got admitted."


    "Hahaha…" The guy wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up with a sneer. "You actually hit me? Do you know my dad’s the chairman of the Xiagal Group? Let me tell you, kid, you’re finished. Hernad Xiagal isn’t going to let you off!"


    "Xiagal? Never heard of them."


    Yun Yi coldly replied, then kicked the guy again, sending him flying. He then walked over to the girl and said gently, "Are you okay?"


    "Huh? I… I don’t know…"


    The girl seemed even more panicked, waving her delicate hands.


    "Sigh." Yun Yi couldn’t believe there could be such a timid girl in the world. After thinking for a moment, he realized his younger sister might have been slightly braver than her. Sadly, his sister… Yun Yi forced a bitter smile and said gently, "Come on, that guy won’t dare to bully you anymore. I’ll walk you out of the school."


    "Oh? Okay." The girl softly agreed, her head still lowered as she followed Yun Yi out.


    The guy named Hernad got up from the ground, glaring at Yun Yi with a mix of hatred and fear. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he pointed at Yun Yi and shouted while jumping up and down:


    "Hahaha… I remember now! You’re the guy who works at the mech company! Yun Yi, right? I didn’t have time to deal with you last time, but now you’re finished. My dad can get you kicked out of this school with just one word!"


    Yun Yi turned his head, looking at the guy with pity, and sighed, "Ah, such a good kid. How did he end up like this?"


    After walking the timid girl out of the school gate, she finally lowered her head and whispered, "Um… thank you."


    "It’s nothing. We’re classmates, so we should help each other. Alright, I’ve got to go. See you!"


    With that, Yun Yi headed toward the nearby bus stop. Unfortunately, he never got a clear look at the girl’s face.


    Sitting on the bus, Yun Yi couldn’t help but think about Hernad’s words.


    "How does he know me? He does look familiar… Ah, I remember now. It’s that guy."