Jiang Fan stood where he was, completely unmoved, without the slightest trace of fear on his face after being threatened.
He called out in a random direction, "Principal, I think you'd better come out. They said they'd attack me again."
"You win!" Wei Qi nearly ground his teeth to pieces. He waved his hand and fled in a hurry with Zhou Qiang and the other two.
"Heh." Jiang Fan sneered in the direction they had fled, his voice neither loud nor soft, but still loud enough for them to hear.
Already seething with anger, Wei Qi heard that mocking scoff and truly wanted to throw all caution to the wind, turn around, and hammer his iron fists into Jiang Fan, punch after punch.
Jiang Fan withdrew his gaze and returned to the classroom. Only after packing all of Lan Shengxue's notebooks into his schoolbag did he leave.
But before he even reached the school gates, he heard a familiar voice coming from the grove.
"Youtian, I'm begging you. Please help Xiao Fan. Xiao Fan is the Jiang Family's biological son. If we hadn't mixed you up at the hospital back then, he wouldn't have grown up in the slums or suffered all those years. He finally made it back to the Jiang Family. He can't go back to the slums!"
Dad?
Jiang Fan frowned and walked over, lightening his footsteps.
Soon, Jiang Youtian's angry voice rang out. "What do you mean, Jiang Fan is the Jiang Family's son? What are you trying to say? That I was born lowly and deserved to grow up in the slums?"
"Don't misunderstand, Youtian. That's not what I meant. I just wanted you to plead with the Jiang Family head to let Xiao Fan return. His health is poor, and our family's circumstances are so bad. I'm afraid he'll suffer."
"My pleading won't help. Besides, my dad has already said that as long as Jiang Fan kneels in public, kowtows to me, and apologizes, he can return to the Jiang Family."
"But-but-isn't there any other way?" Tang Fugui caught Jiang Youtian's sleeve. "Kneeling to apologize is too humiliating. Youtian, consider this your biological father begging you."
"Biological father? Are you worthy? Tang Fugui, I'm warning you. I'm the Jiang Family's son, and I'm an early-stage martial apprentice, about to break through to middle-stage martial apprentice. If you ever dare tell anyone I'm your son, don't blame me for getting rough with you!"
Tang Fugui knew his status was lowly and did not want to affect Jiang Youtian's future, so he immediately promised, "Don't worry, don't worry! I'll never mention it in front of anyone."
"Hmph!"
At this point, Jiang Fan could no longer bear to listen and stepped out.
"Jiang Youtian, are you even human? He's your biological father, yet you speak to him like that. Jiang Qifeng calls me a little beast all day long, but I think you're the little beast."
"Jiang Fan!" Jiang Youtian roared through gritted teeth. "You're a prisoner cast out of the family. What right do you have to talk to me like that? I'm telling you, if you still want to crawl back to the Jiang Family, kneel and apologize to me right this instant. If I'm in a good mood, I might put in a good word or two with Dad."
"Heh." Jiang Fan looked at Jiang Youtian with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "You want me to kneel and apologize? Why don't you piss yourself a mirror and see if you're worthy?"
"Fine, Jiang Fan. You're still talking tough even now. Just you wait. You can forget about returning to the Jiang Family for the rest of your life."
Hearing this, Tang Fugui was like an ant on a hot pan.
"Youtian, don't be like this. Xiao Fan-ah, I-" Tang Fugui sighed as he spoke. A few seconds later, he pressed his lips together and gritted his teeth, as though making some decision.
"I'll kneel to you! Please ask Family Head Jiang to let Xiao Fan return."
With that, Tang Fugui bent his knees and sank toward the ground before Jiang Youtian.
"Dad!" Jiang Fan grabbed Tang Fugui, a hundred emotions welling up inside him. He whipped his gaze toward Jiang Youtian, only to find him acting as though nothing had happened, completely unmoved.
At the sight, Jiang Fan clenched his fist, fury blazing within him. He raised his hand and slapped Jiang Youtian across the face.
"He's your biological father! And you didn't react at all!"
Jiang Youtian touched his face. Although it did not hurt much, he had suffered humiliation unlike any before.
"Jiang! Fan! You dare hit me?"
"Why wouldn't I dare hit a beast like you? That slap was on Dad's behalf, and on my own."
Truthfully, Jiang Fan's hand hurt badly.
After all, his blood qi was only 30 N, while Jiang Youtian was about to become a middle-stage martial apprentice. Naturally, his skin was considerably thicker than an ordinary person's.
"You hit me and insult me? I'll kill you!" Jiang Youtian raised his fist and swung at Jiang Fan's face.
Jiang Fan's pupils shifted slightly, and a pebble nearby slowly floated into the air.
Just then, Tang Fugui abruptly appeared between him and Jiang Youtian.
"Youtian! You can't hit him!"
"You stinking old man, quit your yapping and get out of my way, or I'll beat you too!" Jiang Youtian roared, his fist raised.
"If you want to hit Xiao Fan, you'll have to hit me first!"
"Don't think I wouldn't!"
As the tension threatened to erupt, Jiang Fan continued manipulating the pebble. Just as he prepared to attack, two girls happened to pass along the path through the grove.
"Shengxue, look! It's Jiang Youtian, your suitor," one of the girls said with a giggle.
Lan Shengxue did not even glance their way. "Don't talk nonsense. Come on, didn't you want to buy the newly released merch?"
Lan Shengxue!
Jiang Youtian's face lit up with excitement when he saw Lan Shengxue.
Not wanting to ruin his image in front of his goddess, he hurriedly lowered his fist.
He looked at Jiang Fan. "You're lucky today. I'll let you off for now. And here's a friendly reminder: tomorrow is the last day. If you don't obediently come kneel and apologize to me, you'll never be allowed back into the Jiang Family! I hope you keep being this tough. Then no one will fight me for the position of the Jiang Family's young master."
With that, Jiang Youtian wasted no time and immediately chased after Lan Shengxue.
"Lan Shengxue, what a coincidence! Where are you going? I happen to be free, so I'll come along. It's dangerous outside. You'll be much safer with me protecting you."
Lan Shengxue knitted her delicate brows in displeasure, a measure of impatience showing in her lovely eyes.
"How strong are you?"
Huh? Jiang Youtian froze for a moment. He was rather surprised by Lan Shengxue's question, but still answered honestly.
"I'm an early-stage martial apprentice right now, but my blood qi is already at 99 N. It'll reach 100 N soon, and I'll officially become a middle-stage martial apprentice."
"Oh." Lan Shengxue nodded indifferently. "Do you know how strong I am?"
"Of course. You're a late-stage martial apprentice, and I heard you'll soon become a martial artist. Let me congratulate you in advance!"
Lan Shengxue looked at Jiang Youtian as though he were an idiot. "So why would I need an early-stage martial apprentice like you to protect me?"