By the time they reached the alley, the air was thick with shouting. Around ten or twelve boys had formed a rough circle, jeering and circling like wolves. In the middle of the chaos stood two boys—one crouched low, trembling and shielding his head, while the other stood in front of him protectively, arms outstretched. His lip was bleeding, his uniform torn at the shoulder, but he didn't move. His eyes were sharp, focused, and furious.
"That's enough!" the older boy barked. "If you've got a problem, take it out on me! He's just a kid!"
"Too late to act noble now, isn't it?" one of the boys in the crowd laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You should've thought of that before sticking your nose in."
Xu Lingwei skidded to a stop just at the edge of the scene, panting. "Great," he muttered. "This is exactly how I imagined spending my afternoon—getting murdered by a pack of angry teenagers."
Hua Rong didn't even pause to catch her breath. "We have to do something!"
Xu hesitated, glancing back at the group. "There are like, twelve of them. I'm pretty, not stupid."
She grabbed his arm, turning him to face her. "Xu Lingwei. They're just two kids. You're not gonna stand here and watch them get torn apart, are you?"
He opened his mouth to argue—something logical, something safe—but all he managed was a groan. "Why do I always end up in these messes with you?"
"Because you're a good person deep down," she shot back, already stepping forward.
"Debatable," he muttered, trailing after her.
As they got closer, Hua Rong's temper flared, her voice rising. "Hey! What the hell is going on here?!"
Xu quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back a step. "Rong," he said seriously, "don't lose your temper. Not now."
Her eyes flashed, her chest rising with angry breath—but she nodded.
Xu Lingwei sighed, straightening his posture. He was a decent shot with a bow, a better dancer than fighter, and definitely not a street brawler—but still, he stepped into the ring.
"Alright, gentlemen," he said, forcing his voice steady. "If this is about unpaid lunch money or someone calling someone's mom ugly, let's all just breathe and try not to commit felonies today."
The boys turned toward him, confused. Xu Lingwei raised his hands slowly. He was scared, sure—but he wasn't going to back down.
Not when someone needed hel
The alley rang with the sounds of chaos—grunts, fists connecting with flesh, shoes scraping against concrete. Hua Rong ducked a flying punch and twisted around to slam her elbow into someone's gut. The boy doubled over, but before he could fall, she kicked him backward into a trash bin. Metal clanged and echoed.
Across from her, Xu Lingwei was fighting with controlled precision. He'd already dropped two boys and was grappling with a third, shoving him into the wall before landing a clean uppercut.
But amid the mess, two figures stood their ground—shoulder to shoulder, bruised and breathless.
The older brother, a tall, broad-shouldered teen with a gash on his brow, kept pushing boys away from the smaller one behind him. "Stay behind me, Xun!" he yelled as he blocked a blow with his arm.
"I'm not a kid, Yao!" the younger one, Xun, yelled back before swinging wildly and landing a slap to someone's jaw. It didn't do much damage, but it bought his brother a moment to throw a hard punch that dropped the attacker.
"We don't have time for your pride!" Yao hissed through his teeth, blocking another strike. "Just keep them off your back!"
"Then stop treating me like I'm fragile!"
"Both of you shut up and HIT!" Hua Rong shouted, kicking another guy who came too close to the brothers.
The numbers were thinning, but their own strength was too. Everyone was gasping now, sweat streaking down faces, bruises forming like ink blots.
Then it happened.
A boy they hadn't noticed—the one with silver chains on his wrist and a twisted smirk—stepped forward from the chaos, fixing his bloodied gaze on Hua Rong.
"Thought you were some schoolgirl playing hero," he spat, wiping his split lip. "But I bet without the backup, you're just another scared little princess."
She froze.
That look in her eyes—it changed.
Something wild flickered there. Her body tensed like a wire ready to snap. She didn't answer. She didn't blink. She took one slow step forward.
"Rong…" Xu Lingwei's voice came from behind.
Her fists clenched. Her expression darkened. "What did you say?" she whispered. The air around her practically trembled.
The boy snickered. "Oh, hit a nerve? What, daddy never hugged you or—?"
She moved.
Faster than she had all night.
Her leg swept forward, knocking his balance. She lunged for him like she meant to do real damage—her fist aiming straight for his jaw with fury in her eyes.
But she never reached him.
A hand wrapped tightly around her waist and pulled her back.
Xu Lingwei's arm locked around her middle, yanking her close, his other hand catching her wrist mid-swing.
"Enough!" he said, breathless.
She struggled for a second, seething. Her chest rose and fell with ragged, heated breath. "Let go."
"No," he said firmly, pulling her back against him. "That's not you."
"Did you hear what he—"
"Yes. And if you hit him like that, you'll break more than his nose," he said quietly, eyes meeting hers. "And I know you'll regret that later."
For a moment, she just stared at him, wide-eyed, the fury still pulsing in her blood. Then, slowly, her shoulders dropped. She closed her eyes and exhaled.
"Fine," she whispered.
Behind them, the boy scrambled to his feet, but he looked rattled. No more mocking now—just fear.
Then—footsteps.
Six more boys appeared from the far end of the alley, shadows stretching long behind them as they walked in, shoulders squared.
Xu Lingwei turned his head slowly.
"You've got to be kidding me."
The previously knocked-down gang members, seeing their reinforcements, began standing up again.
"Rong," Xu said, backing up. "I know you're mad, but can we not die today?"
"Agreed," she said.
"Boys!" Yao barked, dragging his brother by the arm. "Time to move!"
"No fair! I was just getting good!" Xun complained.
"MOVE!"
The four of them—bloodied, bruised, and very done with this nonsense—took off down the alley, slipping through gaps, scaling a short wall, and laughing breathlessly as angry voices echoed behind them
They ran.
Their footsteps pounded against the pavement, breath heaving in their chests, the sounds of angry shouting growing fainter behind them. But the chaos still chased them like a ghost.
Xun, the younger brother, began to slow down. His legs buckled slightly and his breaths came in sharp gasps.
"Yao... I can't—my leg—"
Without a word, Yao turned around, crouched, and jerked his head.
"On my back."
"But—"
"Now, Xun!"
Xun hesitated for only a second before climbing onto his brother's back, arms flung around his shoulders. Yao groaned at the added weight, but didn't stop. He broke into a full sprint again, carrying his brother with sheer force of will.
Xu Lingwei glanced behind, then grabbed Hua Rong's hand as they veered off into a narrower alley. She stumbled slightly, still catching her breath, but her grip was strong. They followed Yao through the maze of backstreets and stairwells, ducking under hanging laundry and leaping over a toppled fence.
Only when the shouting had faded completely, when their legs burned and their lungs screamed, did they finally stop—hiding behind an old, rusted vending machine behind a convenience store.
For a long moment, none of them said a word. Just heavy, breathless silence
Yao set his brother down gently, his arms still trembling from the strain. "You okay?" he asked, brushing a hand over Xun's head.
"I'm fine," Xun muttered, cheeks flushed with leftover panic. "Thanks… ge."
Yao exhaled, finally letting the tension drain from his shoulders. Then he turned to Hua Rong and Xu Lingwei. His eyes, filled with a complicated mix of gratitude and disbelief, locked onto them.
"I don't even know your names," he said, voice low but sincere. "But thank you. You didn't have to do any of that… You really saved us back there."
Hua Rong gave a casual wave of her hand, grinning. "We're used to jumping into chaos. It keeps life interesting."
Xu Lingwei scoffed. "You are used to jumping in. I was dragged."
Yao looked between them and quirked a brow. "Are you two, like, a thing?"
They both froze.
Neither spoke for a second. Hua Rong turned her head slightly. Xu Lingwei stared at the ground.
They exchanged a glance.
Not a word was said, but the air between them shifted—subtle, uncertain. Neither confirmed, nor denied. As if each waited for the other to speak first.
"I knew it," Xun muttered from where he sat, grinning despite his bruised lip.
Before anything else could be said, Xu Lingwei's phone buzzed in his pocket.
One look at the screen, and his eyes narrowed. "…It's Yueming."
Hua Rong stiffened instinctively.
He answered, stepping a bit away as he spoke into the phone. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'll be there soon. Just got caught up in something."
A pause. Then a grunt of acknowledgment. He ended the call and turned back toward Hua Rong, his usual calm expression softening into something more serious.
He took a breath, walking closer, eyes never leaving hers. "Before I go…"
She tilted her head. "What?"
His voice lowered, quiet but firm. "Don't get into fights like this again. Don't let your anger pull you in."
Hua Rong blinked, surprised by the tone. She opened her mouth to reply with some snark, but the words didn't come. Instead, she looked at him—really looked at him—and saw the concern hiding beneath his calm exterior.
She hated being told what to do, hated the idea of backing down… but somehow, this time, she couldn't say no.
"…Fine," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "I promise."
Xu Lingwei gave a small nod, the tension in his shoulders easing. "Good."
He turned, walking away with his hands in his pockets, but just before he disappeared around the corner, he looked back over his shoulder.
"I'll text you later."
Hua Rong stood there for a second longer, arms crossed and a strange warmth in her chest.
Xun elbowed Yao quietly. "He definitely likes her."
Yao smirked. "Yeah. And she definitely doesn't know what to do with that."
She glared at them both. "I can hear you."
They just laughed.