The turn of events caught everyone off guard. Song Wenyue had actually been suppressed? This was the breaking news of the semester at Axellonia Academy!
Mu Huaizhi let out a “wow” and stood up, his eyes widening. Was Song Xingqiu really this fierce? He thought he had already held a high opinion of Song Xingqiu, but it turned out he had not held it high enough.
Qin Xiushi’s gaze flickered, and a ripple of emotion appeared on his usually expressionless face. Xue Chengyi’s mouth formed an “O” shape. He stood by helplessly, unsure if he should step in to help. Logically, he should assist his boss, but he did not seem capable of defeating Song Xingqiu on his own. Being the closest, he was the first to witness Song Wenyue being beaten so badly that he had no room to fight back.
Compared to their usual one-sided bullying, Song Xingqiu was clearly several levels above them. Consequently, he glanced at Jiang Xing. Noticing Xue Chengyi’s gaze, Jiang Xing winked at him, signaling for them to attack together.
Compared to Xue Chengyi, Jiang Xing was somewhat mentally prepared and had planned to help Song Wenyue subdue Song Xingqiu. The moment Song Wenyue struck, Jiang Xing had been itching to move. Who would have thought Song Xingqiu would be so quick and clean that Jiang Xing would not even get the chance? He watched helplessly as Song Wenyue was defeated.
Song Xingqiu’s relaxed expression reminded him of the scene where he had been slammed earlier that morning. It was as if Song Xingqiu was a “beat-down manager.” He would slam you, then he would slam him, and then he would slam the next person. He could still control this situation.
Jiang Xing shuddered.
A breath was caught in Song Wenyue’s throat, neither going up nor down. After waiting for a while, he saw the other two members of the F4 watching from a distance, and then he saw Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing standing nearby. Anxious and furious, he roared, “What are you just standing there for? Do I have to teach you how to knock him to the ground?”
His eyes grew bloodshot. He never expected to lose face in front of the entire school. Song Wenyue would rather die than utter a pathetic sentence like “Someone save me!”
Jiang Xing hesitated and took a deep breath. At this point, he did not want to go forward and look for trouble. However, if he did nothing, he would be in deep trouble when Song Wenyue settled the score later.
So, Jiang Xing moved upon hearing the command. Yet, he only managed to cast a hesitant look at Song Xingqiu. Before he could even lift a hand, Song Xingqiu shot him a cold glance. Recalling the two slams Song Xingqiu gave him that morning, Jiang Xing instinctively retracted his hand. He immediately stood up straight and behaved himself.
Xue Chengyi was confused. He already sensed something was wrong with Jiang Xing. He finally seemed to understand why Jiang Xing was following Song Xingqiu around like a little lackey. It was not just like a lackey; he was a lackey!
But since Xue Chengyi had not personally experienced Song Xingqiu’s terror, he had not given up yet. He took a step forward, attempting to rescue his master. Song Xingqiu saw his movement and decisively kicked the back of Song Wenyue’s knee.
Song Wenyue was stunned. How could this person have no sense of “martial ethics”?
Everyone thought Song Xingqiu would deal with the challenging Xue Chengyi next. No one expected him to strike the already suppressed Song Wenyue again. Song Wenyue’s legs buckled, and with a “thud,” he fell to his knees.
Suppressed gasps echoed through the cafeteria once more. Being pinned down and being forced to your knees were two completely different levels of humiliation.
Mu Huaizhi wore an expression of “too painful to watch” and shifted slightly to the side. Otherwise, it would look like Song Wenyue was kneeling to him. He did not want to get involved in the Song family’s affairs for no reason. Song Wenyue’s young uncle was clearly different from how Song Wenyue had described him. If Mu Huaizhi did not help, Song Wenyue might let it slide. But if he accepted a bow from Song Wenyue, the incredibly prideful boy would not let him off easily.
Mu Huaizhi grumbled inwardly.
Taking advantage of the moment Song Wenyue was completely unable to steady himself, Song Xingqiu let go. With a faint smile on his face, he easily restrained the clumsy, brute-force-reliant Xue Chengyi. The surrounding students only heard two scalp-numbing “cracks,” followed by Xue Chengyi’s muffled groan of pain.
Song Xingqiu did not hold back. With fluid motions, he repeated his previous maneuver, pinning Xue Chengyi to the ground to join his beloved Song Wenyue.
Xue Chengyi did not even understand how he had been taken down. The world spun before his eyes, and then Song Wenyue’s enlarged face appeared beside him. Lying on the ground, Xue Chengyi gave Song Wenyue an awkward but polite smile. He had followed Song Wenyue for many years, but this was the first time he had seen him from this angle.
He thought that even though their boss was knocked down, he was still quite handsome. It would be even better if he did not take his anger out on him later.
After dealing with the two, Song Xingqiu glanced at Jiang Xing. Jiang Xing flinched and immediately offered a flattering smile, trying to soothe Song Xingqiu’s temper. Without a word, Jiang Xing laid himself down on the floor. Neither Song Wenyue nor Xue Chengyi were his match. Jiang Xing was completely sold. The lackey and the masters are a family, and they should all stay together.
Mu Huaizhi finally could not hold it back anymore. He burst into hearty laughter, only to receive a warning, furious glare from Song Wenyue, who was struggling through the pain to prop up half his body. Mu Huaizhi coughed, turned his head, and changed his blatant laughter into a secret chuckle.
A faint smile also appeared on the perennially cold face of Qin Xiushi. His indifferent eyes, which usually seemed detached from everything, now held a hint of interest as he sized up Song Xingqiu.
Song Xingqiu did not have time to bother with those two F4 members who were still acting cool.
“This time, I didn’t just use my mouth; I used my hands. You should be satisfied now, right?” Song Xingqiu looked down at Song Wenyue on the ground, his tone still calm. Yet, the calmer he was, the more one could sense the superiority in his words. It was like an elder facing a disobedient child. Then again, he was technically the elder.
Song Wenyue’s face was dark as he remained silent, struggling to crawl up. Every muscle in his body was tensed, gathering strength while his back was still turned to Song Xingqiu.
Song Xingqiu sneered. He really thought he didn’t know what he was planning. He did not know where Song Wenyue got the courage to try something while his back was turned. The young master had clearly never suffered a day in his life. The only reason he could dominate the academy was due to the Song family’s influence and the submissiveness of the scholarship students.
Song Wenyue did not even get a chance to turn around. In the next second, Song Xingqiu’s foot connected with the small of his back. Song Wenyue lost his balance and nearly fell to his knees again. Fortunately, Song Xingqiu was quick. He grabbed a handful of the hair on the back of Song Wenyue’s head to steady him. Song Wenyue immediately hissed in pain, his face contorting.
The smile on Mu Huaizhi’s face faded as he took a step forward. Song Wenyue barked at him, “Don’t come over!” He stubbornly refused to let Mu Huaizhi save him.
Song Xingqiu found it hilarious. What a strange sense of pride. He had just asked Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing to help him. Did that not hurt his pride? Were Xue Chengyi and Jiang Xing just tools to him, not people?
“Take a rest, unless you want to spend the rest of your life kneeling in the cafeteria.” Song Xingqiu gave a firm shove to the hair he was holding, surprisingly not kicking the boy back to the ground.
Mu Huaizhi’s gaze sharpened, and the smile vanished from his face entirely. It would have been one thing if Song Xingqiu continued to suppress Song Wenyue, but he had let him go. He did not show any signs of backing down or being afraid. On the contrary, it was a display of absolute confidence and composure. Song Xingqiu was telling them that if he could take Song Wenyue down once, he could do it again. It was not a fluke or luck; it was pure skill.
It all depended on what Song Wenyue chose to do next. Song Wenyue stumbled forward a couple of steps, barely managing to steady himself. He turned around and glared at Song Xingqiu, but he did not strike again. He was not entirely stupid; he understood the hidden meaning behind Song Xingqiu’s actions.
His eyes had been fixed on Song Xingqiu from the start. This was not because he wanted to look at him, but because he was terrified that if he turned his head, he would see the mocking expressions on everyone else’s faces. He had been beaten in front of the whole school, rendered helpless, and forced to lie on the ground like a dog! This humiliation would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Song Wenyue could not imagine how others would laugh at him behind his back from now on. Even after leaving school, this shadow would follow him. He would never be able to escape this dark chapter of his history.
The scholarship students, needless to say, hated him to the bone and were dying to see him make a fool of himself. He was certain they were overjoyed right now, unable to stop smiling. As for the noble students, envy is human nature. He had always acted arrogantly. While everyone feared him on the surface, many spoke ill of him in private. He knew many people envied and hated him but could do nothing about it. Now that he was down, they were surely delighted.
Just thinking about it made Song Wenyue’s blood boil. In this regard, Song Wenyue and Jiang Xing truly were master and servant. They both thought of the same things after being taken down by Song Xingqiu.
Song Wenyue finally managed to get up. He did not dare to fight anymore, but he glared fiercely at Song Xingqiu, his mouth opening and closing. He wanted to say something threatening, but he did not know what. The scene fell into a stalemate.
Song Xingqiu knew that was enough. He found a nearby seat and sat down casually. He picked up the tablet on the table and began to check what was for lunch today. The cafeteria had a dedicated app where the daily menu was uploaded, and students could order through it. However, the scholarship students, who ate the cheapest meals, did not have this privilege. They had to line up at the window.
The entire cafeteria was silent. Students exchanged glances, their eyes wide with shock. Heavens, the academy was about to change! Song Xingqiu was way too powerful. Did he specifically study Sanda in the Federation before coming back?
Regardless of anything else, his combat prowess alone was enough to make the whole school look at him in a new light. Although the school was full of bullying incidents against scholarship students, it was mostly verbal. The noble young masters and ladies used psychological warfare. At most, they would damage lockers, break chairs, vandalize desks, or order them around. It was just like the mess Song Xingqiu encountered today.
Physical altercations were not that common. In public spaces, they would not openly hit people. When the two sides clashed, it was less of a fight and more of a one-sided humiliation. The reason for the lopsidedness was not only the cruel methods of the noble students, but also the fact that the scholarship students lacked the spirit and the means to fight back.
Even if noble students did get physical in private, they were not as brutal as Song Xingqiu, who could floor someone instantly. In cases where scholarship students resisted, it would take several people a long time just to pin them down. Compared to Song Xingqiu, they were on completely different levels.
Song Xingqiu was like an eagle that had dropped into a chicken coop. The little chicks had never seen anything like this. Specifically, in terms of aura and presence, Song Xingqiu did not just hold his own against Song Wenyue; he actually overpowered him. Despite looking so harmless and thin, his methods were ruthless and decisive. Judging by those moves, Song Xingqiu had clearly been trained. They were primitive by comparison.
Many people were grumbling to themselves. Is Song Xingqiu really the exiled waste the rumors say he is? They had never seen a waste this arrogant, confident, and powerful. No one dared to speak, fearing that even a tiny sound would cause the humiliated Song Wenyue to pick a fight with them. Song Wenyue could not beat Song Xingqiu, but he was more than capable of ostracizing them.
Song Wenyue looked at the quiet cafeteria. He knew everyone was laughing at his expense, but they all remained silent, acting obedient. He had nowhere to vent his anger.
Just then, in the lower-class section on the left side of the first-floor cafeteria, someone finished their lunch, picked up their tray, and headed to the return station. They ignored the commotion upstairs and simply walked away. Because this behavior was so conspicuous among the group of onlookers, even Song Xingqiu could not help but take a second look.
Seeing that thin back, a name immediately popped into his head: Shen Qianyan. He was the protagonist of the book.
Song Xingqiu had checked his profile before coming here. Shen Qianyan should be in his second year now. In the year since he enrolled, he had endured bullying and abuse from Song Wenyue, yet he never gave up and continued to resist.
Song Xingqiu felt no ill will toward him. Although he had reservations about Shen’s methods, he did not think the boy was a fool. To be a fool, Shen Qianyan was not qualified enough. An idiot had to at least reach the level of someone like Song Wenyue.