Chapter 43: Will you hold my hand then?

Bai Wanqing stared blankly at Lu Liang.

At this very moment, she hadn’t realized the deeper meaning behind Lu Liang’s words, but she was suddenly so moved she felt like crying.

Today, Bai Wanqing’s mood had been like riding a roller coaster.

At School, she had been deliberately targeted and insulted by several girls she barely knew—that was sadness.

When she called her parents and found she had no one to confide in—that was grievance.

Then, when Lu Liang came outside, yelling nonsense and blurting out those words of encouragement, it all turned into gratitude.

A surge of warmth welled up in Bai Wanqing’s heart, thawing her frozen limbs.

Bai Wanqing gazed at Lu Liang in a daze, seeing him suddenly stretch his hand out toward her again.

This time, Bai Wanqing didn’t dodge.

She closed her eyes, quietly waiting for Big Tyrant Lü to pinch her rosy cheeks.

But what she expected didn’t happen. Instead, something unexpected occurred—Bai Wanqing felt the remnants of tears in her eyes being gently wiped away.

She opened her eyes in bewilderment, staring fixedly at Lu Liang.

He curled his lip and said:

“Bai Hanhang, you really are a little crybaby.”

“……”

Lu Liang’s words were so powerful, even Bai Wanqing found them inexplicable.

She felt as if all her grievances and sorrow from today vanished with those words.

Her nose tingled, her Fairy-Eyed gaze trembled, and she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

But unwilling to let Lu Liang see her fragile side, she did something even Lu Liang didn’t expect.

She suddenly hugged Lu Liang through the window, pressing her delicate face against his body.

Her tears quickly soaked Lu Liang’s shoulder.

“Lu, Lu Liang, don’t look at me… I’m begging you.”

To this, Lu Liang had no objection.

Lending a shoulder for a beautiful girl to cry on was, after all, a basic skill every gentleman should master.

He let Bai Wanqing sob quietly on his shoulder.

Lu Liang sighed in his heart.

Girls like Bai Wanqing were the typical well-behaved type—very strong, yet, because their parents weren’t often home, when bullied at School, they had no one to vent to and could only endure the pain alone.

At such times, if a Hooligan came by with a little comfort and care, it was easy to win her over—and she’d be loyal to the end.

Luckily, Bai Wanqing’s luck was good.

She’d met someone like him, a trustworthy big brother.

Otherwise, who knew which blond troublemaker would have run off with her.

Lu Liang shamelessly mused to himself.

After a while, Bai Wanqing finally calmed her mood.

She lifted her moist eyes, her cheeks flushed with a shy blush, looking a bit embarrassed:

“S-sorry, Lu Liang, I got your clothes dirty.”

“It’s fine, we’re all buddies here.”

Lu Liang waved his hand, indicating it was nothing.

“If you ever feel like crying, just come find me. My shoulder’s always here for you.”

“I-I didn’t cry.”

Bai Hanhang’s voice rose a pitch, her face blushing even deeper.

It seemed she was truly flustered.

After a few seconds, she said to Lu Liang again:

“Lu Liang, take off your clothes. I-I’ll wash them for you.”

Lu Liang blinked and didn’t refuse.

He simply took off the outer layer that Bai Wanqing had soaked with tears.

“Sure, if a pretty girl’s delicate hands touch my clothes, they’re bound to be fragrant.”

Bai Wanqing’s little face reddened further. She mumbled something softly, but it was hard to catch.

But thanks to Lu Liang’s teasing, the previously tense and awkward atmosphere immediately lightened up.

“Let’s go! Bai Hanhang! Don’t forget what I told you.”

Seeing that it was getting late and Bai Wanqing’s sorrow had faded, Lu Liang no longer intended to linger.

He’d always done good deeds without expecting anything in return.

Besides, the Dujing Group had just been established—there was still a lot for him to do.

But just as Lu Liang was leaving, he suddenly heard Bai Wanqing’s voice behind him.

“Lu-Lu Liang! Can I call you Xiao Liang from now on?”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but for Bai Wanqing, it was already a lot.

To say such words, for someone as naturally reserved as her, took tremendous courage.

Lu Liang’s answer was:

“Sure, we’re all buddies!”

With his back to Bai Wanqing, he waved under the moonlight:

“See you next time! Bai Hanhang!”

“O-okay, then…”

Bai Wanqing hugged Lu Liang’s discarded clothing tightly, softly murmuring, her voice as weak as a mosquito’s buzz:

“See you next time, Xiao Liang.”

The next day, when Bai Wanqing returned to School, she entered her Classroom and could sense, at the very instant she stepped through the door, that all the noise vanished.

It was replaced by faint, unsightly whispers.

“Xiao Bai is so pretty, what a pity. Why’d she lower herself and get involved with a Hooligan? I tried so hard to persuade her the other day, but she wouldn’t listen—she really let my good intentions go to waste.”

From the boys’ side, it was Squad Leader Xu Qing who took the lead, making vile comments about Bai Wanqing’s body.

“Tch, if I see my dream guy talking to her again, I’ll have to teach that little vixen a lesson.”

From the girls’ side, it was Chuya who led the slander and insults against Bai Wanqing.

Yet, she’d done nothing at all…

Listening to those unsightly words, Bai Wanqing lowered her head, gently rubbing her chest.

She didn’t understand why she was being treated this way.

But that’s the thing about School Bullying.

There’s rarely any reason to it.

The Perpetrators, driven by jealousy or twisted love that turns to hate, all join in the bullying frenzy.

They never think there’s anything wrong with their behavior.

Being a student gives these bullies the boldness to fear nothing.

And yet, they’re cowards who only pick on the weak.

If they run into someone with Lu Liang’s devil-may-care attitude, they wouldn’t even dare make a peep.

But when facing Bai Wanqing, they act like tyrants.

Under the influence of these self-styled devils, even the students who might want to comfort Bai Wanqing don’t dare step forward, too afraid to draw attention to themselves.

It’s okay, it’s okay.

Bai Wanqing consoled herself in her heart, telling herself to stay strong.

Don’t forget the words Xiao Liang said to her that day—close your eyes, keep moving forward, don’t look back. No amount of darkness can block your future.

But, but… there’s so much darkness—what if, what if I fall?

Bai Wanqing thought of Lu Liang’s face again.

When that happens, will you hold my hand, Xiao Liang?

Just as Bai Wanqing was lost in these thoughts, a tall figure appeared at the entrance of their Classroom—standing at 1.9 meters, broad-shouldered, with a buzz cut and a fearless look.

The newcomer was a member of the School’s Sports Team.

Because his surname was Chen, everyone called him Chen Monk. The moment he reached the Classroom door, he shouted loudly:

“Which one of you is Xu Qing? Get out here now!”