After school in the afternoon and again after evening self-study, Harper continued to tutor me. However, she no longer sat as close as she did during lunch; now, there was a seat between us. When she tutored me, her expression seemed a little awkward, and she was no longer as serious as the small teacher-like figure she was earlier in the day.
I also felt a bit awkward. I sensed that she might have misunderstood something I said at lunch. I wanted to explain, but I didn't know how to start. I couldn't just say, "Class monitor, I didn't mean to like you. Please don't misunderstand me!"
The next day, Friday, arrived. According to the agreement with John, this afternoon after school, we were to have our one-on-one fight on the rooftop of the teaching building to settle our previous grievances. No matter the result—whether he was defeated by me or I was expelled from the school—we would resolve everything.
At lunchtime, Harper still tutored me. After the lesson, it was already 12:30, and afternoon classes didn't start until 2 PM. I had over an hour to spare, so I decided to head to the dorm for a quick nap.
However, as soon as I left the teaching building and walked to the playground, I was blocked by John's subordinates. Leading the group was Wang Haifeng, the closest person to John, followed by Zhuzi, Pihou, and a few others.
It was naptime, and the campus was empty. I looked at the menacing faces of Wang Haifeng and the others and immediately became alert. "Wang Haifeng, what do you want?"
Wang Haifeng sneered, "What do you think? Of course, I'm here to take care of you. Do you think I came here to catch up with you?"
They had clearly been waiting for me, knowing I was tutoring in the classroom. They had positioned themselves to surround me, and I couldn't escape if I tried.
My anger flared, and I glared at Wang Haifeng. "Today is the day of my one-on-one with John. You guys are here to mess with me, right? John must have sent you!"
Wang Haifeng spat. "I'm doing this on my own. John doesn't know. I can't stand you forcing our boss into a one-on-one with your little games. Let me handle you first and see how you plan to beat our boss, John."
I was shocked and angry. I opened my mouth to call him a coward, but before I could say anything, Wang Haifeng wasn't in the mood to talk. He raised his hand and ordered, "Beat him up!"
Zhuzi, a tall, burly guy, immediately threw a punch at my face. I ducked and slipped under his arm, landing a solid punch to his right rib, using a move from the Eight Gate Cannon Fist called "Kaishan Pao," a swift and powerful technique meant to strike hard and overwhelm the opponent.
But since I had only recently started practicing, my body wasn't strong enough yet. My punch didn't land as cleanly as I hoped. Zhuzi groaned and staggered back a few steps.
"Ugh—"
Suddenly, Pihou, a smaller guy, leaped onto my back, his hands gripping me tightly. I was about to throw him off when Wang Haifeng charged forward, his fist landing squarely on my face. With a resounding thud, my head spun, and I felt dizzy.
The others took the opportunity to rush in, and soon I was surrounded by fists and kicks raining down on me. It didn't take long before I was knocked to the ground.
I had lost count of how many times I'd been beaten like this. I curled up on the ground, covering my head with my hands, trying to protect my vital areas.
Unlike the previous times, where they stopped after a quick beating, Wang Haifeng was intent on taking me out for good. He wasn't going to let me have any chance of winning the duel with John later that day. He shouted coldly, "Zhuzi, Pihou, step back."
The crowd parted, and I managed to push myself up with my hands, shaking my head to clear the fog. I tried to stand, but before I could, Wang Haifeng appeared in front of me, holding a thick wooden stick in his hand. With a cruel grin, he marched toward me.
As I struggled to get up, Wang Haifeng swung the stick with all his might, aiming for my left leg. The sharp pain that followed was unbearable. "Crack!" The sound of the blow hitting my shin made me scream out in agony. "Ah—"
I fell to the ground, clutching my left leg, writhing in pain. Wang Haifeng dropped the stick and sneered, "Let's see how you win against our boss, John, now. Zhuzi, Pihou, we're leaving."
With that, they swaggered off.
I was far from the dorm, and there were no security guards around. After lying there in pain for a few minutes, I heard footsteps approaching. Then, I heard a surprised female voice, "Ah, Andrew, what happened to you?"
It was Harper, who had just returned from the classroom. Seeing my battered condition, she quickly rushed over to help me up. I winced and shakily said, "Be careful, don't touch my left leg. I took a hit there; I don't know if it's broken."
"What? Who did this to you?"
"It was Wang Haifeng and his group. They're close with John and know that John isn't really that strong in a duel. So, they came to deal with me first, to make sure I couldn't win this afternoon's duel with him."
"Despicable!"
Harper's shock and anger were evident. She helped me sit down by a flowerbed and carefully rolled up my pant leg. The sight of the large bruise on my calf was horrifying. The skin had broken open, and blood was seeping out. The swelling was so severe it looked like a pigeon's egg, an appalling sight.
"Andrew, what should we do?"
Harper, despite being an excellent student, looked panicked and didn't know what to do.
I gritted my teeth and said, "This hit on my shin might have injured the bone. Do you think you can help me to the school's clinic?"
"Oh, I'll help you there right away."
Harper supported me as I limped, using my left leg as little as possible. We made our way to the school clinic.
When we arrived, the school doctor, Old Zhao, was dozing at his desk. He looked up when he heard us and asked, "What's going on?"
Harper anxiously said, "Doctor, his leg was hit with a stick, and it's really bad. Please take a look."
With over 3,000 students in the school and having worked there for many years, Dr. Zhao was used to seeing fights. He calmly asked me to sit in a chair and, with a slight frown, said, "Another fight, huh? You kids are getting more rebellious by the day."
He rambled on while examining my left leg, even pressing gently on the swollen area. The pain made me nearly gasp.
Harper, clearly worried, asked, "Doctor, how's Andrew's leg?"
Dr. Zhao set my leg down and said calmly, "It's a bad bruise from being struck with something heavy. Based on my experience, the bone's not broken, but there's significant muscle damage and a large bruise. You should probably get an X-ray just to be sure."
After that, he treated my wound briefly and had Harper go to the school store to buy some ice pops to apply to the bruise. He advised us to use ice within the first 24 hours and then switch to warm towels, and to get an X-ray to be safe.
Since our homeroom teacher, Linda, wasn't at school at the time, Harper got a leave note from the duty teacher and helped me leave the school. As we reached the gate, a black Audi was waiting for us. It seemed Harper had called her family's driver to pick us up and take us to the hospital.
The driver, a middle-aged man in a suit, didn't speak much during the ride. He didn't ask about the situation, which made me realize how disciplined Harper's family was. It also made me realize that Harper's family background was likely much more influential than I initially thought, which explained why even someone like John didn't dare cross her.
At the hospital, the doctor confirmed that my leg wasn't fractured, but there was some mild injury to the bone and severe muscle damage. He said it would take at least ten days to recover and advised me to avoid strenuous activities.
As we left the hospital, I was still limping with my left leg. Harper, noticing my pale face, assumed I was upset and tried to comfort me. "Andrew, don't be mad. We'll report this to the teachers, and Wang Haifeng will be punished."
I shook my head. "What else can I do? If I lose, I'll have to leave the school."
"You boys—always fighting," Harper said, frustrated. She turned away, grabbing her books, and muttered under her breath. I couldn't help but smile bitterly. I didn't want this, but if I didn't settle things with John, he would keep bothering me like a fly. This was the only way to put an end to it—a fight. Either I win and stay, or I lose and leave.
The rest of the afternoon, Harper didn't speak to me much, even purposely giving me the cold shoulder. I didn't understand why she was upset about the bet, or maybe she was just worried because she considered me a friend.
After school, I gathered my books, ready to go eat with Mia, Daluo, and Xiaoluo. As we passed by Harper, she suddenly turned to me, clearly frustrated. "Remember to come back after lunch. I'll tutor you."
I paused, surprised. "Okay, I'll be back soon."
I suddenly realized that Harper was an interesting person. She came from a good family, was beautiful, and had excellent grades, yet she wasn't the arrogant type. Though she got upset sometimes, she had a kind heart.
After lunch, Mia and the others went back to the dorm for a nap, but I went back to the classroom for tutoring.
When I arrived, Harper was already there, looking annoyed. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for you."
"Sorry, there was a long line at the cafeteria."
"It's okay," she said, and then motioned for me to sit at her desk. She began tutoring me on the lessons I'd missed. Harper was like a serious little teacher, explaining everything in great detail, helping me catch up quickly.
As she helped me, I noticed something strange. Over the past few days, Harper's notes had been incredibly detailed—much more so than usual. I began to suspect that she had started preparing to tutor me the moment I missed class. That's why her notes were so thorough.
This realization made me feel really touched, and I couldn't help but glance at her a little more.
Harper, sitting close to me, was 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 me staring at her, and her face flushed. "Andrew, focus on the lesson. Why are you staring at me?"
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. Harper laughed in delight.
After some teasing, Harper began packing up her books. "Alright, that's enough tutoring for today. After the evening study period, I'll continue helping you catch up. You're doing great, and you'll be able to catch up in no time."
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 deal with John on Friday. Don't let the exam come around, and you end up being 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."
Harper's face turned bright red, and she stomped her foot shyly. "Andrew, you're talking nonsense again. I'm not talking to you anymore."
With that, she quickly ran out of the classroom, leaving me standing there, stunned. I suddenly realized how my words could be misunderstood. I swore to myself that I was just trying to be a good friend to Harper and nothing more!