Chapter Nine: Conflicts Among Children Are Nothing to Worry About-Após ter sua máscara de oxigênio retirada, renasci e não serei mais um saco de sangue, viverei só para mim(O som da flauta é suave e prolongado.)

Xiang Yu stood tall, her spine straight, refusing to shrink back. If she were to retreat from a mere threat like this, then her previous life would have been lived in vain.

She cast a cold, hardened gaze upon Ye Fen and her companions, her inner defenses raised high.

Ye Fen’s pupils contracted slightly. It seemed Ye Kun and Nuan Xin were right; this wretched girl had become a completely different person. Had this happened in the past, she would have been trembling in her boots at the mere sight of such a confrontation. Perhaps some wandering ghost had possessed her.

Ye Fen was a head shorter than Xiang Yu, slight and lean, with a sallow complexion, thin lips, and a flat nose. Her triangular eyes, fueled by anger and calculated malice, were particularly piercing. Ye Nuan Xin had inherited her mother’s looks and skin tone, being only a few centimeters taller.

Seeing that Xiang Yu would not be easily manipulated, Ye Fen turned her attention to Xiang Yu’s mother, Li Meilan, who stood to the side, slightly breathless.

"Hmph, your daughter Xiang Yu has certainly grown bold. Because of a single mistake by our Nuan Xin, she wants to ruin her reputation entirely and make it impossible for her to continue her studies! This is truly heartless and wicked. Let’s see who would dare to marry her, or who would dare to associate with your family in the future!"

Li Meilan and Xiang Fuqiang turned pale. After exchanging a look, Li Meilan turned and grabbed Xiang Yu with a vicious force.

If it had been Ye Fen who laid hands on her, Xiang Yu would have retaliated without hesitation. But the one doing it was her own mother.

Staggering from the pull, Xiang Yu felt her face flush with heat. She glared at her mother in fury.

Li Meilan, who looked younger than she had in Xiang Yu's previous life, ignored her daughter’s rage. She struck her daughter’s back and hissed, "You wretched girl, go tell the teacher immediately that you won't hold Ye Nuan Xin accountable anymore. We all live in the same village and see each other every day; if you really do this, how are we supposed to hold our heads up?"

Xiang Yu wrenched herself free from her mother’s grip and retreated to a position where she could easily escape. Only then did she speak with a cold face, "Ye Nuan Xin used my name to swindle money from classmates and insulted the teacher. Even if I don't pursue it, the teachers and the students will."

Li Qiang, who had been watching the scene, interjected to curry favor with Xiang Yu, "Exactly! We won't just let this go either. Ye Nuan Xin is completely shameless."

Ye Nuan Xin, not daring to talk back to Li Qiang, covered her face and began to whimper.

Ye Fen immediately pointed at Li Qiang like a ferocious old hen, spewing insults, "Whose child are you? Which village are you from? Don't think I won't track down your family. You’re not even out of school yet and you’re already flirting with Xiang Yu. I wonder if your parents have any shame left?"

Spittle sprayed onto Li Qiang’s face.

She began demanding to see his parents, twisting the facts so blatantly that even a school bully like Li Qiang was caught off guard. He stepped back, saying, "I can’t be bothered to argue with an unreasonable shrew like you. Truly, like mother, like daughter."

Hmph, even a good-for-nothing school bully was being forced to act like a scholar. It showed just how potent Ye Fen’s "skills" were.

Xiang Yu frowned. If this bickering continued, the situation would turn heavily against her. By now, the teachers had all gone off to eat and rest.

Li Meilan’s face darkened at Ye Fen’s remark about them "flirting before graduation." Her daughter was not to be snatched away by just any low-life; without a sufficient dowry, no one was going to marry her daughter. Irritated, Li Meilan became even more determined to suppress her daughter quickly.

She reached out to grab Xiang Yu again.

Xiang Yu dodged. "No matter what you want, you’ll have to wait until the teachers finish their lunch and return from their break to handle this."

Ye Fen retorted fiercely, "No need. We’ll just have Ye Kun call your teacher."

Xiang Yu said nothing, too indifferent to acknowledge her arrogant "I have connections" posturing. Li Meilan, assuming her daughter had agreed to a reconciliation, looked at Ye Fen and said, "Then hurry and call. I have things to take care of at home this afternoon."

When Teacher Zhang received the call from Ye Kun and heard that the parents of both Xiang Yu and Ye Nuan Xin were present, and that Xiang Yu was no longer pursuing the matter, he sighed and finished his meal quickly before heading over. He hoped to resolve the issue early so it wouldn't interfere with his afternoon classes; with the high school entrance exams approaching, his time was precious.

Once they were all in the office, Ye Fen changed her demeanor, looking at Teacher Zhang with a fawning expression. "Teacher Zhang, I am so sorry. Our Nuan Xin was too ignorant, thinking that since she was close with Xiang Yu, she could receive gifts on her behalf. We have already apologized to Xiang Yu and will make amends."

Teacher Zhang’s eyes flickered, and he instinctively glanced at Xiang Yu, confirming whether she had truly changed her mind.

Before Xiang Yu could speak, Li Meilan stepped forward and offered a sheepish smile. "Teacher Zhang, it’s our Xiang Yu who was ignorant and caused you trouble. It’s just a small conflict between children, it doesn't matter."