Jing Yi silently picked up the things they had thrown on the ground.
They didn’t seem satisfied. “There’s nothing decent here! No money, not even anything valuable!”
Finally, her backpack was tossed onto the ground as well.
A little boy stepped forward and kicked away the book Jing Yi was about to pick up. “Hey, liar!”
“Liar! Jing Yi is a liar!”
“The unwanted liar! The unwanted liar! The unwanted liar!”
Behind her, Jing Zeyou suddenly turned his gaze to the girl on the ground, his expression changing abruptly.
What did they just call her?
Jing Zeqian had initially thought to help the little girl being bullied, but when he heard them calling her “Jing Yi, the liar,” his mind went blank.
Instinctively, he pushed the surrounding kids aside and stood in front of Jing Yi. “What’s going on here?!”
Jing Zeyou quickly walked over, intending to help Jing Yi up, but she dodged his hand.
He crouched down, looking at Jing Yi’s young face, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Her eyes… they looked so much like Jing Yi’s.
Jing Zeyou’s throat felt dry. “What’s your name?”
Jing Yi studied the person in front of her. He was a very handsome older brother, but the wariness in her eyes didn’t fade, even though these two seemed to want to help her.
“…Jing Yi.”
Hearing this, Jing Zeqian’s face showed disbelief. He leaned in and asked urgently, “Which ‘Yi’?!”
Jing Yi found these two people a bit strange and instinctively took half a step back, whispering, “The ‘Yi’ from ‘the beginning.’”
‘Grandma named me Jing Yi, the ‘Yi’ from ‘the beginning,’ hoping I’d have a fresh start.’
‘Liar! Jing Yi is a liar! The unwanted liar!’
Jing Zeyou stared at Jing Yi, a dull ache spreading in his chest.
The moment he got his answer, Jing Zeqian’s expression turned icy. He turned and grabbed the two little boys who were cautiously hiding nearby.
“You were the ones bullying her, right?”
How dare they bully Jing Yi, his sister?!
The thought of such a thing happening to Jing Yi made Jing Zeqian’s anger almost uncontrollable.
“Let me go! Let me go!”
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
A school security guard ran over, demanding an explanation.
Jing Zeqian ignored him, still glaring at the group. “I’m asking, was it you who bullied her?!”
The boys were terrified, tears streaming down their faces as they sobbed, “We’re sorry, we’re sorry, we were just joking.”
The guard pointed his baton at Jing Zeqian, warning, “I’m telling you, let the kids go, or I’ll call the police!”
Jing Zeqian shot the man a furious look. “When they were bullying her, why didn’t you say anything about calling the police?”
The guard’s eyes shifted uneasily. Everyone at the school knew Jing Yi was an orphan. It was just a little teasing, and no parents would come to complain. Better to avoid trouble.
Jing Zeyou helped Jing Yi pick up her things from the ground, ignoring how Jing Zeqian was dealing with the situation. His eyes were gentle.
“I’m Jing Zeyou, your older brother. He’s Jing Zeqian, your second brother. Let me take you home, okay?”
Home?
Jing Yi stared blankly at the older brother in front of her, hesitating. “Are you trying to kidnap me?”
They were very handsome, but Grandma said that if someone wanted to take her away, they were probably kidnappers.
But he said he wanted to take her home…
Jing Zeyou was momentarily stunned, then smiled gently. “No, I can prove it to you later.” Jing Yi looked into his eyes and seemed to believe him.
“Are you going to adopt me, then?”
Jing Zeyou’s heart ached. He forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It’s not adoption. I’m your older brother, and you’re my sister. We’re already family.”
He didn’t like the word “adoption.” Not at all.
Jing Yi didn’t fully understand but obediently let him take her hand.
Jing Zeyou stood up, his expression darkening as he looked at the still-crying boys.
“Zeqian.”
Jing Zeqian issued a final warning. “This is the last time. If I ever see you bullying someone again!” He let go, and the two boys fell to the ground, scrambling to get away from him.
By then, the parent-teacher meeting had ended, and more people began to notice the commotion, including the parents of the boys.
They rushed over, shielding their children and angrily confronting Jing Zeqian.
Jing Yi felt uneasy. She had never been in a situation where parents came to complain.
What should she do? She couldn’t let Grandma have to deal with this!
Jing Zeyou noticed Jing Yi’s anxiety and leaned down to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Yiyi. Your brother will handle it.”
Perhaps it was the confidence in Jing Zeyou’s eyes that gave her strength. Jing Yi relaxed a little and stood quietly by his side.
“Who are you?! How dare you barge into our school?!”
“What kind of people are you, bullying children?!”
“Call the police! Call the police!”
Jing Zeqian wasn’t fazed. His sharp eyes gleamed with anger.
“Go ahead! Let’s see how your sons bullied our sister! Better yet, call some reporters and take pictures of these little brats. Let everyone see what a born troublemaker looks like!”
The parents hesitated. They knew their sons’ behavior, but usually, a quick apology was enough. Since when did this girl have someone backing her up?
“Who are you?”
Jing Zeyou stepped forward, still holding Jing Yi’s hand, his expression calm. “Jing Yi’s brothers.”
The parents exchanged glances. “Impossible. She’s an orphan. Where did these brothers come from?” One parent glanced at Jing Yi’s face and sneered, “Are you some brothers she picked up in an alley?”
Jing Zeyou’s cold gaze swept over them, and the parent involuntarily took a step back, trying to sound brave. “What? Can’t handle the truth?!”
Jing Zeqian rolled up his sleeves, ready to charge forward, but Jing Zeyou stopped him. Given their current situation, getting into a fight would only make things worse, especially with Jing Yi there.
The crowd around them grew larger, and the security guard, seeing the situation was out of control, quickly contacted the school administration. Even the principal arrived.
He was slightly out of breath but before he could ask what was happening, he caught sight of Jing Zeyou’s face.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and he rubbed them as if to confirm what he was seeing.
“Are you Jing Zeyou?” he asked, his voice tinged with excitement and disbelief.
The principal’s voice stood out, and Jing Zeyou frowned, looking in the direction of the sound.
Someone here recognized him?
“Yes, I am.”
Hearing the confirmation, the principal’s face lit up with excitement. He pushed through the crowd and hurried over.
He looked thrilled, wanting to shake Jing Zeyou’s hand, but the latter was holding Jing Yi’s hand in one hand and her backpack in the other.
The principal didn’t mind and retracted his hand.
“I never thought I’d see Mr. Jing here. What an honor! What an honor!”
