The corridor’s fluorescent lights cast cold, white bands across the tiled floor.
My footsteps as I walked toward the Intermediary Office didn’t attract anyone’s attention.
Even as I neared the glass door, I could still faintly hear the wanton laughter and conversation from inside the room: “Girls like that—timid and poor—have to be handled just like this. Watch how I get her into bed later. That girl’s voice is so soft it could drip water, and judging by her legs, she’s definitely a virgin…”
The dull thud of knuckles rapping on tempered glass instantly silenced the room.
Standing outside, I stared expressionlessly at the tear-shaped mole at the corner of my right eye, reflected in the glass.
The cheap Jasmine Scent slid down my hair onto my shoulder, the Red Ribbon tied at the end of my hair swaying gently with each breath.
“Please come in.”
When I pushed open the door and entered the Meeting Room, Professor Li and Professor Zheng, who had already stopped chatting, exchanged glances.
Professor Zheng smiled as he walked over to me, even giving my shoulder a deliberately affectionate pat as he stopped in front of me.
“Lin Yunxia, you really are a sensible child.”
As for Professor Li, he stretched lazily.
After Professor Zheng left and closed the door behind him, Professor Li carelessly put his phone—still displaying a private photo of a beautiful woman—onto the table.
“Have you made your decision, Lin Yunxia?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s sign the contract.”
“Alright.”
“This is the contract, take a look.”
He pushed the contract toward me.
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, I’ll guide you.”
Sitting in the chair, I absentmindedly skimmed through the contract, which was clearly flawless on the surface.
Out of the corner of my eye, I searched for the Surveillance camera.
To be fair, this agency was quite sly in this regard.
The only spot visible to Surveillance was near the entrance; where I sat was a complete blind spot.
Sure enough, as the rubber soles of his leather shoes creaked softly on the floor, he sidled up behind me under the guise of “guidance” without my permission.
“How is it? Is there anything in the contract you find difficult to understand?”
The moment his breath, thick with cigarette smoke, enveloped me, my brows furrowed tightly.
“Professor Li, I’d like to confirm—are there any requirements for the length of the skirt during tutoring?”
“Lin Yunxia, you really know how things work.”
His voice was sticky, like melting tar. As he chuckled, his hand landed on my shoulder.
“The skirt can’t cover the knees, that’s the basic requirement. For every 10cm shorter…”
As he joked, his fingertips slowly traced along my shoulder to my neck, his sharp nails starting to dig in harder.
“The hourly wage goes up by 200.”
“Understood. Professor Li, could you please move your hand off my shoulder? It hurts.”
He didn’t move his hand as I asked. Instead, he probed toward my chest, his rough knuckles pressing against my smooth skin and sending chills down my back.
For some reason, a memory flashed in my mind—a pair of fingers scented with cedar, gently tying my hair with a ribbon one afternoon.
But now, the only thing filling my nose was the nauseating stench of smoke.
“Oh, Lin Yunxia, don’t be so guarded with your teacher. Wearing a camisole is so cold this season. Teacher’s just trying to warm you up in advance.”
The knuckles of my left hand, clutching the contract, had turned slightly white, and even my breathing had grown heavier.
My right hand, hanging at my side, was already clenched into a fist.
But these small, subtle movements were completely ignored by Professor Li, whose gaze remained fixed on my face.
He merely bent down a little to sniff the Jasmine Scent drifting from my hair.
“We’re a legitimate agency. Normally, the intermediary fee would be 3,000. However…”
Seeing that I still didn’t react, he chuckled and leaned in, his face almost touching mine.
“Considering your financial difficulties, I’ve applied for special After-school Guidance for you. It can be provided for free.”
“That’s very kind of you, Professor. May I ask—what exactly does this After-school Guidance refer to, since it’s not specified in the contract?”
I nodded coldly, my face expressionless, and pointed at the vague clause in the contract.
A smile curled at the corner of Professor Li’s mouth, and his other hand landed on my opposite shoulder.
Without warning, he stretched his neck closer.
“Let me see. Ah, After-school Guidance refers to this kind of in-depth communication, of course. Come to my place tonight and…”
Before he could finish, my right fist, which I’d been clenching, shot up, swinging with all my strength at his Adam’s apple.
The dull thud of my knuckles slamming into his soft throat echoed through the quiet Meeting Room, forcing him two steps back and onto the floor, where he fell coughing violently.
As he clutched his neck, face flushed red and struggling to get up, I pushed back my chair, stood, and strode over.
Without hesitation, I kicked him viciously between the legs, then quickly retreated to the door, pulled out my phone, and started recording his tear-streaked, contorted face.
“Professor Li, what I just exercised was my limited right of self-defense, based on Criminal Law Article 20, Section 3. I hope you understand.”
My voice trembled slightly from the adrenaline, but the thought of being mocked by Yan Dong if I screwed this up made me swallow hard and steady myself.
“Also, I’ve recorded all your statements of sexual harassment. My friend has already called the Police. We’ll have a good talk at the station later.”
“You… damn it! Who do you think you are?!!!”
His hoarse curses, mixed with coughs, squeezed out from his throat.
His face, red as over-fermented dough, was twisted with rage as he lunged at me, ignoring my threat.
I might be powerless before someone like Qian Jiangche, but against this shaky middle-aged man, I wasn’t so easy to take down.
As he charged, I swung my phone hard at his nose.
As he howled, clutching his face, I followed up with a merciless kick to his kneecap, sending him crashing to his knees.
The screech of my shoe sole dragging across the floor made my teeth ache.
Expression cold, I raised my foot and ground it down on his right hand as he tried to push himself up.
Brushing aside the stray hair that had fallen in front of my eyes, I looked down at the man curled up on the floor in pain, a cold laugh escaping my throat.
“If you can’t remember my name, Professor, I can repeat it for you. Listen carefully, I’m—”
With a sudden stomp, the crack of his dislocating knuckles and his scream mingled with the icy fury in my voice.
“Lin! Yun! Xia!”
As the hurried footsteps of the Police approached, I sat in a chair, considering what to say in my statement.
The dull pain in my trembling knuckles and the bloodstain on my palm reminded me that what had just happened was no joke.
“Tsk, my little maid really has a ruthless streak.”
Yan Dong arrived, raising an eyebrow at Professor Li, who was slumped against the wall, his face covered in blood. He shook his head at me.
“If this doesn’t count as legitimate self-defense, you’re in for a rough time.”
I glanced at the red marks left by fingernails on his palm, took a deep breath, and looked up helplessly.
“In this situation, compensation should be borne by the instigator.”
“Well, I guess I won’t be able to spend any money on games for a while.”
After a brief exchange, a Police officer approached us.
“Miss Lin Yunxia, please come with us to the station to make a statement.”
“Officer, can family accompany her?”
Yan Dong suddenly interrupted, cutting in before I could respond. Before I could react, he had already placed his hand gently on my shoulder.
“I can’t let my wife go alone.”