Xu Ze ignored the man’s words, simply taking out a box, opening it, and placing it in front of Zhang Linyun. Gazing into her charming eyes, he said calmly, “This is what you’ve always wanted. Happy birthday!”
Zhang Linyun instinctively looked at the box in Xu Ze’s hand. When she saw the jade Buddha inside, a complex expression flashed in her eyes. She never expected Xu Ze to buy such an expensive gift for her.
Meanwhile, the others also noticed the box in Xu Ze’s hand and the translucent jade Buddha inside. Their eyes couldn’t help but drift to Zhang Linyun’s chest, where a light green jade Buddha pendant hung. However, the quality of this green jade Buddha seemed noticeably inferior to the white one in the box.
Following the crowd’s gaze, Xu Ze also noticed the green jade Buddha. His pupils slightly contracted as he realized that the two of them had been standing together earlier, wearing matching pendants.
Just as Xu Ze’s lips twitched, preparing to speak, a sudden force struck him from the side. “You’re asking for trouble, kid!” It was the boy next to him, who, upon seeing the superior quality of Xu Ze’s white jade Buddha, flew into a rage and slapped him.
With a loud smack, Xu Ze, caught off guard, had his hand knocked aside, and the box was sent flying.
Amidst the gasps of the onlookers, the box hit the ground with a sharp crack, and the white jade Buddha inside bounced once before breaking into two pieces.
Xu Ze glanced at the shattered jade Buddha on the ground, his eyes narrowing instantly. The anger he had been suppressing erupted, and without thinking, he swung a fist.
With a dull thud, the boy was caught off guard and took the punch to his chin, blood splattering as he stumbled back and fell to the ground.
The punch stunned everyone. Xu Ze was about to step forward and deliver a few more kicks when Zhang Linyun, pale with fear, grabbed his arm. “Xu Ze, stop! Don’t do anything reckless!”
Zhang Linyun was nearly paralyzed with fear. She had been dating Xu Ze for a few months, and he had always been gentle, rarely raising his voice and always accommodating her. She had never seen this fierce side of him.
Though initially shocked, Zhang Linyun quickly regained her senses and grabbed Xu Ze to stop him from escalating the fight.
However, her intervention gave the other boys time to react. One of them kicked Xu Ze in the backside, causing him to stagger forward. The three boys then surrounded Xu Ze, launching a coordinated attack.
Xu Ze, fueled by frustration and anger, hadn’t been in a fight since middle school. Despite being outnumbered, he didn’t back down. With a cold snort, he fought back, blocking punches and kicking out, managing to hold his own for a while.
But one man against three was a losing battle. Soon, Xu Ze took several hits, but he was too enraged to care. He continued to fight back fiercely, ignoring the blows raining down on him.
Meanwhile, the four girls watching the scene panicked. Except for Xuanzi, who remained relatively calm and tried to call for help, the other three could only scream in fear.
As the fight dragged on, Xu Ze began to feel overwhelmed. His mind gradually cleared, and he realized that if this continued, he would be in serious trouble.
The boy he had knocked down earlier was starting to get up. If he joined the fight, Xu Ze would be outnumbered four to one. Suppressing his anger, Xu Ze decided it was time to retreat.
The boy Xu Ze had knocked down finally stood up, still dazed but glaring at Xu Ze with a fierce look, ready to join the fight once he regained his senses.
Seeing the situation turning against him, Xu Ze prepared to make a break for it, even if it meant taking a few more hits. But just as he was about to move, he froze. From the crowd, a beautiful girl charged forward with a fierce cry.
Xu Ze glanced at her, feeling a faint sense of familiarity. She was tall and slender, with long legs and a striking face. Her delicate eyebrows arched slightly, giving her an air of both beauty and determination.
Her face was filled with righteous anger, her sleeves rolled up high, and she charged forward like an angry lioness.
She swiftly entered the fray, her high ponytail swaying as her long legs, clad in tight jeans, moved quickly. With a sharp kick, a knee strike, and a spinning back kick, she effortlessly knocked down the three boys attacking Xu Ze.
The three boys cried out in pain, scrambling to their feet, but upon seeing who had attacked them, they backed away in fear, not daring to fight back.
Xu Ze was puzzled. The boy he had knocked down earlier, now regaining his senses, also showed a flicker of fear upon seeing the girl. However, noticing Zhang Linyun supporting him, he quickly masked his fear and shouted angrily, “Sun Lingfei, what are you doing? This has nothing to do with you!”
“Sun Lingfei?” Xu Ze was stunned. Was this the famous Sun Lingfei, the vice-captain of the sports department, the head of the taekwondo club, and the beauty of the performing arts department?
“Nothing to do with me? Four against one, and you say it’s none of my business? I can’t stand bullies!” Sun Lingfei’s eyes flashed with disdain as she coldly retorted, “If you have the guts, fight him one-on-one. I won’t interfere!”
“You…” Clearly sensing the contempt in Sun Lingfei’s eyes, the boy trembled with anger. But he knew better than to provoke her. Those who crossed her never fared well.
“Fine, I’ll fight him one-on-one!” The boy’s eyes gleamed with malice. Though he was somewhat intimidated by Xu Ze’s fighting skills, he felt compelled to save face.
Hearing this, Sun Lingfei sneered, “How brave of you! After ganging up on him, now you want a fair fight? I’ve never seen such a shameless man!”
With that, she glared at him and shouted, “Get lost! If I see you causing trouble again, I’ll beat you up every time I see you!”
The boy’s face turned red with humiliation, but he knew better than to argue. He gritted his teeth, grabbed Zhang Linyun, and stormed off, his three lackeys scurrying after him amidst the jeers of the crowd.
Watching the satisfying scene, Xu Ze couldn’t help but feel a pang of self-mockery. He never thought he’d need a junior to stand up for him.
Still, he owed her his thanks. He wiped the blood from his lips and looked up at Sun Lingfei, saying solemnly, “I’m Xu Ze. I’ll remember that I owe you one.”
With that, Xu Ze glanced at Zhang Linyun, who was carefully helping the boy into a car. His heart ached, and he couldn’t bear to stay any longer. Nodding at Sun Lingfei, he turned and walked away.
As Xu Ze left, Sun Lingfei looked at Zhang Linyun, then at Xu Ze’s lonely, sorrowful figure, and finally at the broken jade Buddha glinting in the sunlight. She blinked her long lashes and smiled softly. “Xu Ze, huh? Seems interesting…”