He ignored Sun Hao, his gaze sweeping past him to land on Liu Hanyan, whose face was ashen white; the mockery in his eyes was more painful to her than direct insult.
"Teacher Liu," Lu Xuan said, "Look, this teacher is so righteous. Didn't you say you didn't recognize the person in this photo? Then let him call the police, and let the police comrades judge what crime I have committed."
Lu Xuan slowly sat back down in his chair, leisurely crossing his legs. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled.
Pale smoke curled up in front of him, blurring his smiling face, but making his eyes appear even more profound.
"Come on, teacher, call them," he said, tilting his chin towards Sun Hao, his tone as relaxed as if inviting a friend to dinner. "I'm right here, I won't run. Whoever runs is a coward."
A 'buzz' went off in Sun Hao's mind, and his thoughts completely unraveled.
What was going on? Was this kid crazy? Or did he have some trump card he didn't know about?
But Liu Hanyan's reaction instantly made him cast all doubts aside.
Liu Hanyan trembled all over, as if she had heard the call of death. Her beautiful eyes were filled with terror and pleading as she stared fixedly at Sun Hao.
"Sun Hao! Don't listen to him! Don't call the police!" Her voice became shrill with fear. "This is just a small misunderstanding between us, teacher and student, I can handle it myself! Calling the police... calling the police will ruin this child's entire life!"
When Sun Hao heard this, the slight doubt that had just arisen in his heart instantly vanished, replaced by a burning desire for protection and a sense of righteousness.
"Hanyan! At a time like this, you're still thinking of this beast! You're just too kind!"
He was moved beyond words, his gaze towards Liu Hanyan filled with pity. When he looked at Lu Xuan again, it was with an expression of unwavering integrity and hatred for evil.
"Hanyan, don't be afraid! You're just too soft-hearted! If this kind of scum isn't taught a lesson, he'll never know his place! I must call the police today!"
As he spoke, he clutched his throbbing wrist with one hand, while the other trembled as he reached for his phone. "Not only am I calling the police, I'm also calling 120! I feel like my wrist is broken! This isn't over!"
Liu Hanyan watched as Sun Hao's finger was about to touch the phone screen, and the last thread of rationality in her mind snapped.
She lunged forward almost instinctively, raising her hand and putting all her strength into it!
"Slap!"
A resounding slap landed squarely on Sun Hao's face.
His gold-rimmed glasses flew off, tracing a pathetic arc in the air before falling to the ground and breaking into two halves.
Sun Hao was completely stunned by the blow, clutching his stinging face and staring in disbelief at the woman before him, who looked as if she had gone mad.
His goddess... hit him?
"I said it! You don't need to interfere! Get out!" Liu Hanyan's eyes were bloodshot, her chest heaving violently, and her beautiful face was contorted with anger and fear.
Sun Hao's thought process took a strange turn at this moment.
He suddenly "understood"!
Hanyan... she hit me, not because she's unreasonable! It's because she cares about me too much!
She's afraid that I'll suffer if I clash head-on with this lawless student; she's protecting me in this way!
Thinking this, not only did Sun Hao feel no resentment, but an indescribable sense of tragic heroism and emotion surged within him.
"Hanyan! Don't be afraid! I'm here! He can't bully you! We must call the police! Only then can..."
"Slap! Slap! Slap!"
Liu Hanyan completely lost it; she was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, raising her hand and delivering a rapid succession of slaps, raining down on Sun Hao's other cheek.
"Get out! Get out! Get out! Are you the police of the Pacific Ocean? So nosy! What does my business have to do with you! Get out of here!"
Sun Hao was dizzy from the slaps, and his pathetic heroic complex, along with his remaining dignity, was utterly shattered.
He finally realized that Liu Hanyan wasn't acting; she was truly insane.
If he stayed any longer, his other hand would probably be gone too.
"I... I'm leaving! I'm leaving right now!" Sun Hao was scared out of his wits, scrambling to his feet and limping towards the door.
The office door was right in front of him, and the light of freedom was ahead!
However, a hand, like an iron clamp, gently pressed against the door, blocking his path.
Lu Xuan's face, with its chilling smile, appeared before him like a devil.
"Teacher, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Lu Xuan's voice was as soft as a lover's whisper. "Aren't you calling the police anymore?"
"No... no more! I was wrong! I was really wrong!" Sun Hao looked into Lu Xuan's eyes and felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. His legs went weak, and he almost knelt down again. "Big brother! My leg is broken, my hand is broken, I need to go to the hospital, please let me go!"
As he spoke, he uncontrollably bowed and scraped to Lu Xuan, looking more respectful than if he were meeting his own father.
Lu Xuan merely smiled faintly, raised his foot, and seemingly casually gave Sun Hao's other knee a light kick.
The force wasn't great, but it was incredibly precise.
"Click."
"Aow—!"
Sun Hao let out a scream that was not human, clutching his two legs and writhing in pain on the ground like a shrimp whose tendons had been pulled.
His pig-like wails echoed throughout the entire office.
Lu Xuan did this precisely so that Liu Hanyan, who was already dumbfounded, could see it clearly.
This was killing the chicken to warn the monkey.
He bent down and easily lifted Sun Hao by the back of his collar, like a small chick, dragging him towards the door.
"Teacher," Lu Xuan whispered into his ear, in a voice only they could hear, "If you dare to utter a single word about what happened here today, I will break both your legs. I don't care if your dad is a dean or a principal, I mean what I say."
He opened the door and threw Sun Hao into the hallway like trash.
Then, he straightened up, his harmless smile returning to his face, and said gently to the wailing Sun Hao on the ground:
"So, teacher, you should hurry to the hospital, don't delay."
After speaking, he turned and went back into the office, closing the door with a "bang."
"Click."
The sound of the lock falling into place was exceptionally clear in the dead silence of the office.
That sound also seemed to lock away Liu Hanyan's last shred of hope.