I publicly challenged John to a one-on-one fight, and the surrounding classmates all changed their expressions. No one expected that the usually bullied guy, who had been pushed around by John for so long, would suddenly grow bold after a few days of absence and dare to challenge the class bully.
A flicker of hostility flashed in John's eyes, and he looked at me like a sword unsheathed, saying, "You want to challenge me?"
"Are you afraid?"
For the first time, I looked him straight in the eye without fear. My mindset had been growing stronger day by day. What I overheard from a gang leader in the hospital made me realize that to command respect, one must be ruthless, and my father-in-law, Zhang Dagui, had taught me to be a man who charges forward without compromise. As my body grew stronger through training, my confidence began to grow as well.
John often carried himself as the leader of Class 163, and his classmates respected him. My challenge clearly irritated him. His face turned red with anger, and he opened his mouth to accept the challenge. However, just as he was about to speak, Da Tou Fo suddenly grabbed his arm and whispered something in his ear.
Seeing Da Tou Fo stop John, I knew my provocation had been seen through. It seemed like Da Tou Fo was advising John not to fall for my trick. My plan was likely going to fail.
Sure enough, after hearing what Da Tou Fo said, John's rage subsided. His angry expression disappeared, replaced by a cold, mocking smile. He sized me up and said, "Good kid, after a few days, you've not only grown bolder, but now you're trying to provoke me into a duel with some reverse psychology?"
I shrugged and said, "Didn't you call me a coward? I just want to show you who the real coward is. If you don't want to fight me, then forget it."
Da Tou Fo spat and cursed, "What is this, man? We're in a time like this, and you want to do a one-on-one fight? We're a group, and we'll bully you, you little punk. What's the matter with that?"
I ignored Da Tou Fo and kept my eyes locked on John's, waiting for his response. Based on what I knew about John, he was a proud guy, always flaunting his position as the leader of the class. He cared a lot about his face. If he refused my challenge, his classmates would likely think he was scared. So, even though he knew I was using reverse psychology, he would probably jump into the trap to maintain his pride.
Sure enough, after a few seconds of silent eye contact, John suddenly smiled. "Da Tou's right. I have a lot of brothers here at the school. One word from them, and they could drown you in spit. But if I don't accept your challenge, everyone will think I'm scared. So, I'll accept. But, since you've attacked me twice already and hurt me, winning a fight with you won't be enough to calm my anger. So I have a proposal—"
I frowned slightly and asked, "What proposal?"
John raised his chin and said, "Let's add a little more to the stakes of this one-on-one."
I froze for a moment and exchanged glances with Mia, Daluo, and Xiaoluo, then cautiously asked John, "What do you want to add?"
John sneered, "If you win the duel, I'll stop bothering you. But if I beat you, you'll have to withdraw from the school. I don't ever want to see you at this school again."
Mia immediately stood up, furious. "What kind of bet is this? It's not fair! If Andrew loses, he has to leave the school. But if John loses, nothing happens to him!"
Da Tou Fo pointed at Mia and said, "Mia, do you have something to say? Last night you got beat up, and now you're talking back? Shut up and get out of the way, or I'll make you regret it."
John crossed his arms and looked at me, calm and collected. I knew he wasn't a fool. Though I had forced him into this challenge with reverse psychology, he was savvy enough to flip the situation. By accepting my challenge, he turned the tables and made me put my future at risk with the new bet. If I lost, I'd be forced to leave the school.
The entire class had been watching John's decision, and now, they all turned their attention to me, waiting for me to decide.
This was my challenge, and if I backed down now, I'd not only be ridiculed by the class but also further humiliated by John and his gang. I had no choice but to grit my teeth and say, "Fine, it's a deal."
John raised an eyebrow, a cold smirk appearing on his face. "After school on Friday, I'll be waiting for you on the rooftop of the teaching building. Let's see who's the real coward."
"Alright!"
I nodded in agreement. As soon as the date and location for the duel were set, a heavy feeling began to settle in my chest. Though I was initially confident about beating Chen Yong in a one-on-one, the stakes were now too high. If I lost, I'd have to leave the school.
After John and his gang finished speaking, they left the classroom. It seemed they were taking the challenge seriously and probably planned to meet with their friends to strategize about how to defeat me.
Mia, Daluo, and Xiaoluo all complained that I was being too rash and that the bet was too high. I shouldn't have agreed to it.
Even Harper was angry when she said, "Andrew, why do you have to fight with Chen Yong and add such a bet on top of it? What happens if you lose?"
I bit my lip and said, "What can I do? If I lose, I'll just have to leave the school."
"I don't understand boys, always fighting like this," Harper said, angrily turning away to grab her textbooks. I couldn't help but smile bitterly. This wasn't what I wanted. If I didn't find a way to settle things with John, he would keep bothering me like a persistent fly. This was the only way to end things: a fight. Either I leave the school, or he stops tormenting me.
The whole morning, Harper didn't talk to me again, even deliberately giving me the cold shoulder. I didn't understand why she was angry about the bet between John and me. Maybe she thought of me as a friend.
After lunch, I packed up my textbooks and was about to head to the cafeteria with Mia, Daluo, and Xiaoluo when Harper suddenly said to me, "Don't forget to come back to class after lunch. I'm going to help you catch up on your studies."
I was taken aback, then quickly nodded, "Okay, I got it."
I suddenly realized that Harper was quite interesting. She came from a good family, was beautiful, and had excellent grades. Yet, unlike many rich girls, she wasn't arrogant. Though she got angry easily at times, she had a kind heart.
After lunch, Mia and the others went back to the dorm for a nap, while I went back to the classroom for tutoring.
When I arrived, Harper was already there. As soon as she saw me, she scolded, "What took you so long? I've been waiting for you forever."
"Sorry, there was a long line at the cafeteria."
"No worries," she said, then motioned for me to sit at her desk. She opened the textbook and started helping me catch up on the lessons I'd missed. Harper was like a dedicated teacher, explaining each text and each question thoroughly, helping me quickly grasp the key points.
I also noticed something odd—Harper had been taking exceptionally detailed notes over the past few days, much more detailed than usual. I began to suspect that she had started preparing to tutor me the moment I missed my first class, which was why her notes were so thorough.
This realization made me feel quite touched. I couldn't help but glance at her again.
Harper sat close to me, explaining the lessons. Her long lashes, clear eyes, and fair neck made her look like a beautiful swan from a fairy tale.
As she was speaking, she suddenly noticed I was staring at her and blushed. "Andrew, focus on the lesson. Why are you staring at me like that?"
I felt embarrassed and laughed awkwardly. "It's nothing. You're just so pretty, I lost focus for a second."
Harper blushed even more and playfully tapped my head with her textbook. "Andrew, how dare you tease me like that? I'll get you for this!"
I quickly covered my head, pretending it hurt, and begged for mercy, making Harper giggle.
After a few moments of joking, Harper packed up her books. "Alright, the lesson is over for now. After evening self-study, I'll find time to continue tutoring you. You're doing great, and you'll catch up quickly."
I couldn't help but say, "Thank you, class monitor."
Harper hummed lightly, "Don't thank me just yet. You'd better start thinking about how you're going to handle John on Friday. Don't let the exam come around and have you get kicked out of the school first."
I blurted out, "Don't worry, class monitor. I'll fight John with everything I've got, just for you. I'm staying in this school."
When Harper heard my words, her face instantly turned as red as an apple. She stomped her foot and said shyly, "Andrew, you're talking nonsense again. I'm not talking to you anymore."
After saying that, she quickly ran out of the classroom, leaving me standing there, stunned. Only then did I realize how my words might have been misunderstood. I swear, I wasn't trying to flirt with her. I just felt that having someone like Harper, a friend and a study rival, was a great feeling!