Outside a small alley by the distant roadside.
Xie Shuting and the others had just arrived when they saw Zhang Yang strolling out at an unhurried pace, the ember at the tip of his cigarette flickering in the darkness amid curling smoke.
"Y-you're okay?" Xie Shuting froze slightly before asking in a low voice.
"I'm fine. What could possibly happen to me?" Zhang Yang smiled and pointed into the alley behind him. "I tried reasoning with them, but they wouldn't listen and insisted on getting physical. Well, what a coincidence—I'm much better with my hands than with my mouth."
The girls exchanged glances, disbelief in their eyes, then hurriedly jogged to the mouth of the alley.
Inside the pitch-black alley, the tall, lively men from moments ago were now sprawled all over the ground, doing nothing but groaning in pain.
The girls looked uneasy, but none of them dared go over to check on them at a time like this.
After all, if they went over now, wouldn't that give the whole thing away?
"Xie Shuting, it's getting late. We should probably head back. Want to go together?" Zhang Yang walked over and looked at Xie Shuting.
"Ah... oh, okay." Xie Shuting hastily nodded, concealing the flicker of guilt and panic in her eyes.
"And you girls should get back early too. Who knows if they'll call for reinforcements?" Zhang Yang glanced at the other girls and casually offered a word of concern.
But it was only a word of concern.
He wasn't their parent. He had no obligation to worry about them that much.
"Okay, okay. Then, handsome Zhang, we... we'll see you again sometime." The girls spoke in unison, all rushing to get their words out.
"Mm." Zhang Yang nodded, waved to Xie Shuting, and left without another