No need for your thanks.

"About what happened earlier... thank you."

After the flamboyant guy left, the two of them fell into a long silence before Guo Jingyuan finally calmed down enough to quietly thank Chen Ruowen.

The moment Guo Jingyuan realized her cigarette butt had actually landed on that school tyrant, she nearly thought she was done for.

Although the cigarette had been thrown by Chen Ruowen, Guo Jingyuan hadn’t forgotten that it originally came from her own hand. If someone was to be blamed, she would undoubtedly be the main culprit, with Chen Ruowen a distant second.

But just as Guo Jingyuan was prepared to own up and face the worst consequences, Chen Ruowen had unexpectedly taken responsibility for the incident, and her tone had remained as casual as ever, as if she wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

What surprised her even more was that the infamous, unreasonable bully of their school, after hearing Chen Ruowen’s answer, only asked her a few questions with interest—questions Chen Ruowen barely bothered answering—then sized them both up and left without even demanding compensation.

Was this the benefit of being bold and unyielding?

“You don’t need to thank me.”

Chen Ruowen’s reply was just as brusque, her demeanor carelessly indifferent. The cigarette butt might have been hers, but Chen Ruowen had never developed the habit of admitting fault. If Guo Jingyuan hadn’t spoken up first, she probably would’ve just stood by and watched the show.

But even though Guo Jingyuan was so scared she could barely stand, she had still bravely admitted the cigarette was hers. Chen Ruowen felt she couldn’t bully someone so weak.

Seeing her gratitude rejected, Guo Jingyuan grew flustered again, standing awkwardly to the side, not knowing whether to stay or leave. Her anxious, cautious appearance was enough to sap even Chen Ruowen’s patience for anger.

“Why are you still standing there? Aren’t you going back to study?”

During the lunch break, nearly eighty percent of the senior students were busy revising or tackling practice questions. Since college entrance exams were so important for Guo Jingyuan, Chen Ruowen didn’t understand why she was wasting time here with her.

But at Chen Ruowen’s words, Guo Jingyuan only gave a bitter smile and leaned back against the railing, looking lost.

“What’s the point? I can’t do any of the things you said. No matter how hard I try, I can’t escape their clutches. Even if I get into a top university and a good company, it won’t make a difference.”

“So you’re giving up already?” Chen Ruowen shot her a look of disdain.

“You let a random stranger’s words make you abandon all your efforts? You really are hopeless—why not just drop out and get married?”

Guo Jingyuan didn’t argue back, nor did she glare at Chen Ruowen as so many others had when faced with her sharp tongue. She simply leaned against the railing, her expression confused and lost, but her eyes were red. Tears fell silently down her cheeks, each one etched with helplessness and despair.

Chen Ruowen had always hated to see others cry, especially when a beautiful girl wept silently before her, tears glistening on her delicate face. With a slightly rough motion, she nudged Guo Jingyuan, her voice impatient.

“Enough already. What’s there to cry about? I already warned the principal last time—if there’s any more bullying on campus, I’ll put him in the national spotlight. I can’t guarantee no one will ever bother you again, but what happened last time—physical violence—will not happen again.”

Guo Jingyuan was stunned, unable to count how many times she’d been caught off guard that day.

The past few days, no one had troubled her, and she’d assumed it was because people were keeping a low profile after the last incident. She hadn’t realized it was because this girl beside her had already intervened.

But they had nothing to do with each other! Why would she...

“Why... why are you helping me?”

Still wearing her air of impatient authority, Chen Ruowen nearly rolled her eyes.

“Because I want to. Why do you care?”

Guo Jingyuan couldn’t help but laugh through her tears, which now fell onto the corners of her smiling mouth. Her expression softened, and she looked at Chen Ruowen with less fear and more warmth.

“Thank you.”

“No need.”

Chen Ruowen snorted, completely unmoved.

“I do things according to my own mood. I don’t need anyone’s gratitude, and you can’t thank me enough anyway.”

“I know.” Guo Jingyuan wiped her tears and nodded earnestly with a smile. “Thank you.”

“I said I don’t need your gratitude—can’t you let it go?”

***************************************************************

At the next week’s flag-raising ceremony, the skinny, dark girl who had started the fight apologized with tears and snot running down her face. Her written apology, just as Chen Ruowen had demanded, was at least eight hundred words long.

Then, Principal Xiong Benchang, the highest authority at the school, solemnly condemned the “student fight” and one by one publicly criticized each student involved.

After that, just as Chen Ruowen had promised, even those who had previously enjoyed picking on Guo Jingyuan now steered clear.

Likewise, after witnessing Chen Ruowen stand up for Guo Jingyuan, the seniors in Class One changed their view of her.

She was no longer just the “arrogant transfer student,” but “Sister Wen the Bold.”

“Sister Wen, would you honor us by joining for lunch?”

No sooner had the second class ended than Ma Yunan flopped into the seat in front of Chen Ruowen and issued the invitation.

“No honor.”

Chen Ruowen lazily flipped through an English novel she was halfway through, not even looking up.

Ma Yunan, already expecting this, chuckled, glanced back, and continued, “Actually, I’m here on Yan’s behalf. You’ve been ignoring him all week—he’s looking haggard.”

Chen Ruowen paused at this, but still didn’t look up. “I don’t see it.”

“Want me to bring him over so you can see for yourself?”

With that, Ma Yunan turned and called out loudly, waving to Bai Jinyan. “Yan, come here!”

“Ma Yunan!”

Chen Ruowen slammed her book at Ma Yunan, but he was quick, catching the book easily and passing it to Bai Jinyan, who was already walking over.

Bai Jinyan neatly placed the book back on Chen Ruowen’s desk, then sat down in the seat Ma Yunan had vacated.

“Still mad at me?”

Chen Ruowen folded her arms and leaned back, ignoring him.

“You didn’t go after those people—so why are you still angry?”

“That’s exactly why I’m angry!” Chen Ruowen grumbled, kicking the leg of the desk. “It’s not like me at all.”

“You’ll have to pay for damaging school property,” Bai Jinyan said, glancing at the desk leg. He caught the second English book she threw at him as if he had eyes in the back of his head. “Can’t you do something about your temper?”

That nearly sent Chen Ruowen over the edge. She furiously gathered all her books and papers and dumped them on Bai Jinyan, snapping, “I swallowed my pride for you, and you still complain about my temper!”

Bai Jinyan silently gathered up the scattered books, stacking them neatly back on her desk. Then he reached out and ruffled her hair in a comforting gesture, a faint smile on his lips.

“I know.”

For some reason, Chen Ruowen’s cheeks flushed a rosy red.

He said he knew—but what did he really mean?