Chapter 8 (2/2) : He Resolutely Entered Her World

During math class, the teacher announced a quiz for next week, but it didn’t cause a stir.

Because Zhang Wei’s mother had arrived.

Dressed in a designer suit and carrying an Hermès bag, the sound of her high heels hitting the floor was like a war drum.

She stormed into the office next door, her voice loud enough for the entire floor to hear.

“Mr. Wang, my daughter was bullied in your class! You have to do something about this!”

On the podium, the teacher was talking, but no one was listening. Every student had their ears perked up.

“Mrs. Zhang, please, try to stay calm,” Mr. Wang’s voice drifted over. “What exactly happened?”

“A girl named Su Ran publicly humiliated my daughter and violated her privacy!”

Zhang Wei’s mother got louder and louder, her voice like a shrew trying to drown someone out—a perfect match for her superficial appearance.

“How can a student like that stay in the honors class?”

“I want a public apology, or I’m going to the principal and the Board of Education!”

Lin Mo frowned and looked at Su Ran.

She sat in her seat, her slender back as straight as ever.

If it weren’t for her fingers gripping her pen so tightly that her knuckles were white, Lin Mo wouldn’t have been able to tell she was upset.

‘She must be panicking.’

‘After all, she’s only my warrior, not her own.’

Lin Mo sighed inwardly. Right in front of the math teacher, he stood up and walked toward the office.

“Lin Mo!” Chen Yu tried to grab him but missed.

In the office, Zhang Wei’s mother was still venting. “…My daughter went home and cried all night! She says she doesn’t want to go to school anymore! Who’s going to take responsibility for this psychological trauma?”

Mr. Wang looked troubled. “Su Ran is usually such a quiet child. Could there be a misunderstanding…?”

“Misunderstanding? The whole class saw it!” Mrs. Zhang slammed her hand on the desk.

Lin Mo knocked on the door and said clearly, “Mr. Wang, it’s Lin Mo. I know what happened yesterday.”

Mr. Wang looked like he’d been granted a pardon and quickly beckoned. “Come in.”

Lin Mo opened the door and walked into the office with a calm expression.

Zhang Wei’s mother looked him up and down. “You’re Lin Mo?”

“Yes.”

“Good. You’re here at the right time.”

Mrs. Zhang sneered. “I heard this involves you too. Tell me, what did you say to my daughter? Why did you make her so sad?”

Lin Mo didn’t even look at her. He spoke to Mr. Wang. “I simply declined her invitation and suggested she respect other people’s wishes.”

“Declined? In what way is my daughter not good enough for you?”

Mrs. Zhang’s voice suddenly spiked, and her once-pretty face instantly turned ugly. “Everyone knows our family’s status. Zhang Wei is beautiful; boys are lined up to date her. And then you…”

“Mom!”

Zhang Wei burst in, her face bright red. “Please, stop talking!”

“Why should I stop? My daughter was bullied! Am I not allowed to speak up?”

Mrs. Zhang grew even more agitated, completely missing the look of distaste in Mr. Wang’s eyes.

As a woman herself, Mr. Wang could clearly see through Mrs. Zhang’s behavior. However, as a teacher, she was in a difficult position—even if she knew right from wrong, she couldn’t say it outright.

Seeing the teacher’s dilemma, Lin Mo finally looked at Zhang Wei’s mother. “Mrs. Zhang, here is what happened.”

“Zhang Wei has repeatedly invited me to events. I clearly stated I wasn’t interested, but she continued to harass me and spread false rumors about me to the class. Su Ran couldn’t stand by and watch, so she stepped in to stop it.”

Mrs. Zhang frowned. “What do you mean ‘false rumors’? What did my daughter say?”

Lin Mo turned his head to look at Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei’s face was deathly pale. She shook her head frantically.

Since she didn’t dare say it, Lin Mo said it for her. “She said she would make me go soft—the kind that’s both physical and physiological. She said there isn’t a guy she can’t handle.”

“She’s said these things to several classmates. If you don’t believe me, we can call in witnesses.”

Mrs. Zhang froze and looked at her daughter. “Did you really say that?”

Zhang Wei glared hatefully at Lin Mo, biting her lip and looking down in silence.

“Even if my daughter was inconsiderate with her words, does that give that Su Ran girl the right to look through her phone?”

Mrs. Zhang was still trying to hold her ground, raising her voice again. “That is illegal!”

“Regarding that, Su Ran was indeed in the wrong.”

Lin Mo couldn’t argue that point, so he decided to roll with it. “She realizes her mistake and is willing to apologize, provided… that Zhang Wei also apologizes for her behavior.”

Before Mrs. Zhang could fly into another rage, Lin Mo raised a hand to cut her off. “Your daughter wasn’t just targeting me. She’s not only harassing students, but she’s also involved in spreading rumors about teachers. Su Ran was wrong, but if we take this all the way, your daughter’s faults will only be seen as greater.”

“I think it’s best if both sides take a step back. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Zhang?”

His words were forceful—an “if we go down, we go down together” ultimatum.

Mrs. Zhang opened her mouth but found nothing to say.

She clearly hadn’t expected a high school student to be this sharp.

Crucially, her daughter hadn’t mentioned any of this to her, leaving her with no cards left to play.

She thought she held the moral high ground; how had she suddenly been cornered?

Seeing the timing was right, Mr. Wang quickly played the mediator. “Alright, alright. Lin Mo is right. Both parties were out of line. How about this? Both students will apologize to each other, and we’ll consider the matter settled. Is that okay?”

Mrs. Zhang wanted to say more, but Zhang Wei pulled on her sleeve. “Mom, forget it.”

The final result was this: Su Ran had to apologize for looking at the phone, and Zhang Wei had to apologize for the harassment and rumor-mongering. The matter was closed.

Walking out of the office, Zhang Wei gave Lin Mo a complex look.

“Did you have to be so heartless?” she whispered.

Lin Mo sighed. “If your mom hadn’t come, this wouldn’t have happened. It has nothing to do with me being heartless. Besides, I think it’s fair. You were unfair to me, Su Ran was unfair to you, so you both apologize. That’s perfectly fair.”

Zhang Wei bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears as she turned and ran away.

Class had ended by the time Lin Mo returned to the hallway. Su Ran was standing by the window.

She was looking outside, her profile tense.

“Hey, it’s settled.”

Lin Mo walked up to her side with a casual air and a small grin.

“…Thank you,” Su Ran said softly.

“Don’t thank me. You did well yourself.”

Lin Mo leaned against the windowsill to look at her, giving a gentle reminder, “Your methods just need a little improvement.”

Yesterday’s Su Ran might not have wanted to talk about this. She thought she could handle the consequences alone, but she hadn’t expected to drag Lin Mo into it.

Su Ran turned to look at him. “If… if something like this happens again, what should I do?”

“Step one: give a clear warning. Step two: tell a teacher. Step three…”

Lin Mo paused, flashing a mysterious, mischievous smile. “Then you consider other methods.”

“Other methods?”

“For example, gathering legal evidence and reporting it to the school.”

Lin Mo leaned closer to Su Ran and whispered, “Looking at a phone is wrong. But if no one knows about it, there is no right or wrong. Similarly, a public report is likely to face retaliation, but an anonymous report is much safer. Do you understand the difference?”

This was the explanation Lin Mo had spent the night crafting.

He didn’t dare tell Su Ran to quit using the skills she relied on for survival. Being too forceful might make her think he detested her actions. It was better to shield her for now while raising her awareness of personal safety.

Su Ran thought for a moment and nodded. “I understand.”

Seeing her serious expression, the corners of Lin Mo’s mouth curled up, his eyes softening with a hint of doting.

It was a strange feeling.

‘It feels a bit like taming a cat.’

He suddenly asked as if launching a surprise attack, “So, what should you do now?”

Su Ran blinked, startled, and then Lin Mo flicked her forehead.

“Go prepare your apology script. Even though it’s a mutual apology, your part needs to be sincere.”

Lin Mo hadn’t used any force with the flick, but Su Ran recoiled two full steps with her head tilted back.

Her whole body was stiff, her pupils shrinking into tiny dots. It took a long moment before she lowered her head and asked nervously, “What counts as… sincere?”

Lin Mo was in a lighthearted mood and didn’t notice Su Ran watching him from behind, her eyes full of expectation.

Clearly, she wasn’t asking about sincerity for the apology to Zhang Wei—she was asking what would make him feel her sincerity toward him.

“Admit the mistake, promise to change, but stay composed.”

Lin Mo leaned on the natural maturity of someone who had lived 40-some years across two lifetimes, speaking like a strategist. “Just say, ‘My action of looking through the phone was wrong. I apologize for it. In the future, I will handle problems in a more appropriate manner.'”

“Don’t say anything more. Don’t explain, and don’t try to shift the blame. At this stage, as a student, saying you’re wrong won’t kill you. Instead, it gives you a ‘brave enough to admit fault’ halo.”

As for once she entered society later… there wouldn’t actually be many chances to apologize then.

During student years, except for matters of the heart, the margin for error was actually quite high.

Before he realized it, Su Ran had pulled out a notebook. She was taking down every word Lin Mo said, even more diligently than her classroom notes.

Seeing Lin Mo dazing off out the window, Su Ran asked on a whim, “Why… why are you helping me so much?”

As she asked, she was visibly nervous, her notebook crinkling under her grip.

Lin Mo turned to look into her eyes.

Sunlight streamed through the window, reflecting tiny points of light in Su Ran’s pupils.

“What about you? Why did you help me yesterday?”

Su Ran’s eyelashes fluttered. She lowered her head and stayed silent for a long time.

She had always wanted to say it, but she never knew how.

Just then, the bell for class rang. Lin Mo didn’t press her for an answer. “Let’s go.”

They walked back to the classroom together.

Before entering, Su Ran suddenly whispered, “Did you listen to the playlist?”

Lin Mo turned back, curious. “I did. They’re all songs I love. How did you know so much? Some of those songs I’ve only heard once.”

The tips of Su Ran’s ears turned red again. She said with a hint of panic, “I… I have my ways.”

She didn’t dare say it, but Lin Mo had already guessed most of it.

“Just ask me directly next time. I’ll tell you what I like. You don’t have to go through all that trouble.”

“…Okay.”