Ye Fei stood in front of Tang Rou, staring at her with a determined gaze. Tang Rou, already irritated, raised her voice, "Ye Fei, why didn't you attend class last week?"
Though he knew Tang Rou was deliberately provoking him—after all, his family matters had become widely known across Wanghai—Ye Fei calmly responded, "I had some family issues to handle last week, so I couldn't come."
"Family issues aren't a valid excuse. You skipped class without proper permission. Tell me, how should I punish you?" Tang Rou's voice remained icy.
Though Ye Fei had been patient, Tang Rou's repeated attempts to find fault with him began to test his limits. With a cold tone, he replied, "I informed Teacher Yu. I didn't skip class without a reason."
Tang Rou, now visibly angered, snapped back, "Then why wasn't I informed?"
"Why would I need to tell you?" Ye Fei scoffed, his frustration rising. "I only needed to inform my class teacher."
"You..." Tang Rou was so furious that she was left momentarily speechless. She couldn't argue, knowing Ye Fei was right. The protocol required him to inform the class teacher, not her, a P.E. teacher.
Seeing Tang Rou fuming in silence, the students who had gathered dared not speak. They had all witnessed how harshly she could scold people. Ye Yunqi, however, discreetly flashed Ye Fei a thumbs-up, proud of him for standing his ground.
While her words were meant to show concern, Ye Fei felt his irritation grow. Keeping his composure, he asked, "Then what exactly have I done that bothers you so much? Is it because I used to be weak?"
"Of course not," Tang Rou responded, her tone softening slightly. "I know from the last time you helped that you have a good heart." Her words calmed Ye Fei for a moment, but her next sentence reignited his frustration. "But I never expected you to take credit for someone else's accomplishments and then parade it around the city.
As someone who's known you for so long, I feel obligated to tell you—you're not acting like a man."
Tang Rou's intentions were pure, but her words stung. She wasn't aware that, despite being in her twenties, her straightforward nature and lack of experience with the nuances of the world often led her to speak too bluntly.
After delivering her harsh critique, Tang Rou turned away from him and squatted down to pick up a mat from the floor. Unintentionally, this movement showcased her full, curvaceous figure, her hips swaying gently as she moved. The sight of her body, combined with the lingering frustration from her last words and the feelings ignited earlier that morning by Yu Wuxia, stirred something in Ye Fei.
His temper, mixed with a sudden surge of desire, overcame him.
Before he could think, Ye Fei , rushed forward, and grabbed Tang Rou, pinning her down onto the mat.
Tang Rou, completely taken by surprise, shouted, "What are you doing?" She struggled to break free, but despite always viewing Ye Fei as weak, she now found herself unable to overpower him. His grip was far too strong.