Tim gave Lia a polite smile.
"Yes, I saw."
Anders Academy had plenty of students. There were hulking idiots like John Elliott, who thought that because Miaomiao was merely the Wayne Family's adopted daughter, he could bully her as he pleased. Naturally, there were also those who believed that even if the adoption was a publicity stunt, the family would at least look after her outwardly to maintain its image.
So after John Elliott approached Miaomiao and coaxed her into accepting his challenge, someone found out what had happened, had a friend cover for them while the teacher wasn't looking, and slipped away to find Tim.
That student was quick-witted. They told the teacher that Miaomiao Wayne needed to see Tim Drake, then quietly explained what had happened only after Tim came out of the classroom.
Tim knew that with Miaomiao's fighting ability, John Elliott wouldn't get the better of her. But he still worried. His Little Merfolk had hardly ever faced this kind of provocation alone. Would she end up hurt?
Physical injury wasn't the only kind of harm. Sometimes, human words and inexplicable malice cut deeper than bodily wounds.
So Tim skipped the second half of his class and hurried to the Gymnasium.
On the way, Tim imagined countless scenarios, including Miaomiao losing her temper, pinning John to the ground, and pummeling him. Or perhaps she would worry that he couldn't withstand a single punch, have no idea how to fight back with words, and could only quietly feel hurt and upset.
Fortunately, none of the scenes he imagined had happened.
His Little Girl hadn't cried or made a fuss. She had accepted the challenge, and whenever she lost a point, she simply reflected on it and learned from the experience, improving at an astonishing pace. She had