12 – The girl is awesome
Her pale, slender fingers formed a stark contrast against the redhead’s neck.
Everyone present was stunned.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The girl was a full head shorter than the redhead, yet she was pinning him down, forcing him to bend.
Her face was beautiful and innocent, but the words she spoke were wild and unrestrained: “Are you fucking sick, huh?”
The last syllable rose slightly, carrying a hint of danger.
Utterly humiliated, the redhead tried to break free from Lin Yaojia’s grip, but it was as if this girl had taken some kind of super-strength pill or eaten Popeye’s spinach.
Her strength was terrifying.
Lin Yaojia wasn’t done yet. With a swift shoulder throw, she slammed the redhead to the ground.
“Fuck…”
A dull thud echoed as the redhead lay on the floor, his face contorted in pain.
The rest of the punk crew—some lying down, some standing—watched silently as their boss was taken down by a girl.
The room fell into complete silence.
A crisp clapping sound broke the stillness.
Huo Songjin curled his lips, his dark eyes fixed on Lin Yaojia with a flicker of amusement.
“Impressive, little sister.”
Lin Yaojia showed no joy at receiving praise from the formidable Huo.
She stared at the shattered remains of her skateboard, heartbroken.
Kneeling beside the redhead, she asked unhappily, “Do you know how much this skateboard cost me?”
The redhead grimaced in pain. He had a handsome face—narrow double eyelids, upturned corners of his eyes, a tall nose with a rounded tip.
Sucking in a sharp breath, he replied uncooperatively, “No idea!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yaojia picked up one of the broken skateboard pieces and, without another word, swung it at the redhead.
She still had some sense left, avoiding his head.
“You didn’t know, yet you smashed my skateboard?” Lin Yaojia fumed. After throwing down the skateboard piece, she slapped the redhead on the head.
The redhead was furious. Covering his head, he roared, “How dare you hit me on the head?! Only my brother dares to hit me like that.”
He didn’t say it out loud, but there was something strangely familiar about the way this girl hit him.
It was downright eerie.
“That’s exactly why I hit you,” Lin Yaojia said, propping her chin on her hand. “Pay me back.”
The redhead sneered, “How much?”
Lin Yaojia held up three fingers.
The redhead scoffed, “Thirty thousand, right?”
Lin Yaojia wagged her index finger. “No, three thousand.”
The redhead was stunned.
After a moment, he exploded in anger, cursing, “You beat me up like this over three fucking thousand?!”
“Is three thousand not money?” Lin Yaojia narrowed her eyes.
The redhead flinched. “I’ll give you thirty thousand!”
“Really?” Lin Yaojia tilted her head.
“Ask them if you don’t believe me,” the redhead said, pointing at his lackeys.
His lackeys all took a step back.
Such a fierce little girl was a rare sight.
They chimed in one after another:
“Our Ci-ge is loaded.”
“Yeah, yeah, Ci-ge never lacks money.”
“Ci-ge is handsome and rich.”
The more they talked, the weirder it got.
Just as Lin Yaojia was about to interrupt, a melodious sound echoed in the distance.
It was unmistakably the siren of a police car.
She stiffened slightly and turned to Huo Songjin. “Are there criminals around here?”
Huo Songjin smiled, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly, the cold, aloof aura around him softening a bit.
He asked sincerely, “Don’t you think they might be here for us?”
“…”
Before Lin Yaojia could turn around, she heard the door being pulled open.
“Police, don’t move.”
As the group was being led into the police car, Lin Yaojia followed beside Huo Songjin, puzzled. “Did you call the police?”
“I wouldn’t stoop to something so low-class.”
“Then who did?”
“Probably the old lady next door who sells baozi.”
Huo Songjin’s tone was matter-of-fact. He ruffled his silver hair, looking slightly irritated as he got into the police car.
Lin Yaojia sat by the window. Before the door closed, she caught sight of the person Huo Songjin had mentioned.
Grandma Wang’s Baozi Shop.
An elderly woman with graying hair was holding a radio, pointing at the police car, beaming with delight as she shared her heroic feat with passersby.
Grandma Wang was missing several teeth, and her spit flew everywhere.
“…”
Lin Yaojia sighed.
Never could she have imagined that within less than a week of transmigrating into a book, she’d already visited the police station twice.
“You again?”
Those were the first words from the officer who walked into the mediation room with a notebook in hand.
Lin Yaojia glanced around at everyone present.
Huo Songjin noticed her gaze. “What is it?”
“So you’re regulars here,” she said with a slight smile, her deer-like eyes brimming with amusement.
Her freshly cut hair was fluffy and smooth, falling gently over her shoulders, making them appear slender and delicate.
A light blue camisole paired with a white shirt gave off a distinctly summery vibe.
She was the kind of pretty girl who would get approached by strangers on the street.
Carrying the unique blend of youthfulness and innocence of her age, she was vibrant and lively.
If he hadn’t just witnessed her beating someone up firsthand, Huo Songjin truly wouldn’t have imagined she had such a cool, tough side.
Huo Songjin was inexplicably taken aback.
He turned his head away.
Somewhat flustered, he averted his gaze.
Even the tips of his ears were red.
Cheng Yan asked bluntly, “Er Gou, why are your ears red?”
His voice was low, audible only to Huo Songjin.
Huo Songjin pinched Cheng Yan. “Shut up. Don’t call me that name anymore.”
When Cheng Yan was born, he wasn’t in the best health.
It was said that humble names were easier to raise, so Cheng Yan’s mother gave him a humble name.
Stinky Dog.
At the time, Huo Songjin didn’t have a nickname either. He watched eagerly, pestering Cheng Yan’s mother for half a month.
Finally, he got a humble name of his own.
Back then, Cheng Yan’s mother carefully instructed him, “You can only use this name in front of Aunt Cheng and Uncle Cheng, understand?”
Little Huo Songjin, with his serious, round face, nodded earnestly.
And thus, he received a name he would regret for over a decade.
—Er Gou.
After the police had everyone give their statements, they had each person fill in their parents’ contact information.
They were waiting for their parents to come pick them up.
Lin Yaojia thought for a moment and finally wrote down Lin Jingbei’s phone number.
At the Lin Group headquarters building, in the CEO’s office on the top floor.
Lin Jingbei had just finished a meeting and stepped out of the conference room.
His secretary’s eyes lit up as she quickly said, “Sir, there’s a new call for you.”
Lin Jingbei handed the documents in his hand directly to the secretary, then took the phone, loosening his tie as he answered.
“Hello?”
“Hello, this is the Yuewan District Police Station. Are you Lin Ci’s parent?”
That familiar opening line.
Anger gradually welled up inside him. Lin Jingbei gritted his teeth, feeling the urge to beat Lin Ci to death.
“I am.”
“Lin Ci was involved in a group fight and is currently detained. Someone needs to come pick him up…”
After hanging up, Lin Jingbei rubbed his temples and called his secretary.
“Prepare the car. We’re going to the police station.”
Secretary: “Yes, sir.”
After getting into the car, Lin Jingbei received another call.
“Is there anything else?”
There was a pause on the other end, then the voice said, “Is Lin Yaojia your sister?”
Lin Jingbei abruptly straightened up. “Yes, what about it?”
“It’s like this—she was also involved in this group fight.”
Lin Jingbei: “…”