Chapter 11: No More Friendship Among Classmates

"What?" Chen Hanfei and the others were shocked.

Why on earth would Yi Xiaoyan want to go to Yancheng? Wasn't she doing perfectly well at school right now?

"Xiaoyan, is someone bullying you? Tell me. I won't say much about other places, but here in Qingshan City, my word still carries some weight." Chen Hanfei thumped his chest as he spoke.

If he stepped in, the school leadership would definitely have to listen to him.

Yi Xiaoyan shook her head. "No one is bullying me. I just don't want to stay in Qingshan City any longer. Once this semester ends, I'll leave."

As she said this, she inadvertently glanced up at He Haoxuan, her eyes filled with sorrow and resentment.

Cao Dawei burped and whispered to He Haoxuan, "Haoxuan, do you think Yi Xiaoyan is leaving Qingshan City because of you?"

He Haoxuan nodded. "Most likely. She doesn't want to see me."

Yi Xiaoyan seemed to have drunk quite a bit as well. Since there was only one restroom in the private room and it wasn't enough, she simply got up and walked outside.

As soon as she pushed the door open, a pot-bellied, bald man came swaggering toward her. When he saw Yi Xiaoyan, his eyes lit up and he whistled. "Hey, beautiful, want to come sing with me tonight?"

"No." Yi Xiaoyan shook her head.

Seeing this, Xu Jipeng behind her was angered and cursed, "Get lost!"

"You little punk, did you just insult me?" The bald man, tipsy himself, felt he couldn't let it go after being shouted at. He charged at Xu Jipeng, beating and kicking him.

Xu Jipeng was no match for the bald man. He was knocked to the ground, his face swelling grotesquely.

The other male classmates, seeing Xu Jipeng getting beaten, rushed over to help.

Since they outnumbered him, the bald man was eventually thrown out.

Xu Jipeng struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from his mouth, and fumed, "Damn it, I was already walking tall in Qingshan City before he was even born! How dare he hit me?"

But just as Xu Jipeng was thinking of playing the hero in front of Yi Xiaoyan, Chen Hanfei scolded angrily from the side, "Xu Jipeng, I was about to step in and help Xiaoyan. Why did you have to jump the gun?"

Hearing this, Xu Jipeng could only shrink back, cursing his bad luck.

Incidents like playing the hero to rescue a beauty were the best way to win over Yi Xiaoyan. If he could make her laugh, he'd have struck it big.

Still, he had to rely on Chen Hanfei, so he didn't dare provoke him.

At that moment, their private room door was thrown open. The bald man, now accompanied by a few tough-looking thugs, stormed in.

"Boss, who hit you just now?" the thugs shouted.

Seeing things take a turn for the worse, Xu Jipeng immediately turned to Chen Hanfei and called, "Class monitor, here's your chance to shine. You go!"

Like hell he would. Chen Hanfei shrank back in terror.

Although there were more than a dozen boys on their side, they were all bookish types, not a match for these streetwise gangsters.

"Xu Jipeng, didn't I tell you not to get in fights? You never listen to me!" Chen Hanfei, afraid the bald man would target the wrong person, immediately pointed at Xu Jipeng and shouted.

The thugs instantly turned their attention to Xu Jipeng.

"Yeah, that was him who hit me just now," the bald man affirmed.

"You little punk, you dared hit our boss? We'll beat you to a pulp!" The thugs lunged at Xu Jipeng, raining blows on him.

He Haoxuan sat quietly in the corner, making no move to help. These people had just been mocking him, looking down on him, disregarding their former classmate bond—he saw no reason to intervene.

"Please, sirs, stop hitting me! I wasn't talking about your boss when I said 'get lost,' I meant someone else. And I wasn't the only one who hit your boss, there were others too," Xu Jipeng pleaded, desperate to save himself.

"What?" The classmates who had helped him earlier all turned pale.

The bald man sneered. "Point them out. Who else hit me just now?"

Xu Jipeng immediately identified the other male classmates who had intervened. Outraged, they cursed, "Xu Jipeng, who knew you were this kind of person? If we'd known, we wouldn't have helped you earlier."

"I was helping Yi Xiaoyan," Xu Jipeng said miserably. "Xiaoyan, tell them to stop hitting me."

As the thugs began beating up those classmates, Yi Xiaoyan hurried forward. "Please, stop!"

"Beautiful, we might stop, but only if you come have a drink with me. If you make me happy, I'll let them go. Otherwise, I'll break their arms and legs," the bald man threatened with a cold smile.

Xu Jipeng tried to negotiate. "Brother, I know Director Li from Baili Group. Let's just let this go today, alright?"

"Baili Group? That's nothing. My boss is Young Master Yang from Ruhua Group," the bald man scoffed.

Xu Jipeng sucked in a breath. Ruhua Group was powerful—he couldn't afford to cross them.

Chen Hanfei, who had been about to claim he knew some people too, fell silent. He was just a small fry—he couldn't afford to mess with people like that. All his bravado earlier was just for show in front of his classmates.

"I'm not going to drink with you," Yi Xiaoyan refused, shaking her head.

These men were obviously trouble, and if she went over alone, she'd be in serious danger.

Xu Jipeng, furious, shouted, "Yi Xiaoyan, do you want them to beat us to death? We were standing up for you! Have a conscience!"

"Fine, I'll go have a drink," Yi Xiaoyan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and started to walk out.

Though she hadn't insulted the bald man, and it was Xu Jipeng's arrogance that had provoked him, this whole incident had started because of her—she couldn't just abandon her classmates.

Judging from Chen Hanfei and Xu Jipeng's expressions, these men were clearly not to be trifled with.

Those classmates were already battered and bruised; if it continued, things could get out of hand.

"Yi Xiaoyan, this wasn't your fault—it was Xu Jipeng trying to show off. Why should you take the blame for him?" He Haoxuan finally couldn't stand it anymore and stood up.

Xu Jipeng, furious, pointed at He Haoxuan. "That guy also hit the boss just now!"

"Don't talk nonsense, Xu Jipeng! Haoxuan has been here drinking with me the whole time—he never touched anyone!" Cao Dawei stood up, flustered.

"And him! He was in on it too!" Xu Jipeng, feeling powerful, realized that he could simply point at anyone and the thugs would attack them.

The thugs, already tipsy and emboldened, charged forward.

Cao Dawei, though brave, knew this was not the time to play the hero. He grabbed He Haoxuan and tried to retreat.

But the thugs, itching for a fight, wouldn't let them go.

In an instant, He Haoxuan and his group were surrounded.