The corners of Lei Qiu’s mouth forced themselves up into a rigid smile. 

“What are you talking about?”asked Bai Huiliang, turning towards the group.

Long Guowei frowned and leaned forward, looking down at the small boy. The two behind him laughed almost in unison upon seeing the grin forming on their leader's face. 

“Oh?” Raising his head, Long Guowei stepped closer to Bai Huiliang. “Don’t you know-”

Had Long Guowei not been so caught up in himself, he might have been able to see the hand coming his way. Had he not been so vigorously entranced in his pompous demeanor and outlook on life, he may have just seen the figure making its way to him. Had he not been himself, he could have avoided the disaster that he would later meet. This was not the case. 

A hand firmly met the side of Long Guowei’s face and covered his mouth, not before leaving a blaring red mark on his cheek. 

“Xiao Bai, he’s just talking about the exercises we had to do for Shixiong* yesterday.”

The bewildered child snapped out of his stupor and looked at Lei Qiu with the fiery rage that one may have after having been slapped in such a way. He attempted to claw his way out of Lei Qiu’s hold though his (LQ) hands remained firm and smile still held. 

“Oh. Is that what happened then Gege?” Bai Huiliang looked up to Lei Qiu for confirmation. 

“Mhm. The exercises were just really difficult, isn’t that right apprentice brothers?” 

Looking confused, the two lackeys standing near the doorway looked down at their pained leader and nodded their heads vigorously in agreement. Turning back to little Bai, Lei Qiu smiled. 

“I have some more things to talk to them about so you should head on to class ok?” 

Bai Huiliang furrowed his brows in obvious reluctance but he complied, nodding and saying his goodbyes before leaving the cabin. Only once the boy was gone and out of sight did Lei Qiu let go of the poor child in his grasp. 

“You ingrate! You-you…I’ll have you pay for this! Was that beast not enough to teach you a lesson?! Perhaps a hundred lashes from my grandfather would do better in teaching you some obedience??” Standing up, Long Guowei straightened his clothes before glaring angrily at the bored-looking Lei Qiu. He (LG) scoffed aloud, “Are you not taking this seriously?!” The boy snapped his fingers and motioned forward, “Huang, Shao. Hold him for me.” The two disciples standing quietly behind him perked up upon hearing their names and began moving towards Lei Qiu. 

Sighing to himself, Lei Qiu was anything but amused. “Aren’t we done here? Haven’t you had enough yet Xiao Weiwei?” The two boys firmly grabbed his arms, holding him in place. Anger fumed in Long Guowei’s face as he heard that name. His palm met the side of Lei Qiu’s face in an instant causing the sound to reverberate across the room. As it did again and again and again until the other boy’s face looked ten times worse than his own. Puffy red cheeks and all, Lei Qiu looked up at Long Guowei and spoke once more. 

“Are you done now, Little Weiwei?” 

“You little-!” 

Long Guowei couldn’t understand. He couldn’t. He had never seen someone be so unfazed by his actions before. So unafraid of just everything he could do to ruin their life. It angered him to an extent he hadn’t even realized was possible. It felt as if this kid not much older than himself was looking down on him even as he kneeled, beaten and bruised below him. 

A smile formed between the redness on his battered face.

“...”

“...”

“...You…”

The thoughts swirling in Long Guowei’s head went haywire. This person was actually looking down at him. HIM. 

His hand mindlessly felt around for the sword attached to his waist. 

“Xiaogongzi…” Said the disciple on his left. 

“W-What are you…” 

Taking out the sword, Long Guowei yelled, “Shut up and just hold him!” The disciples stood there shaking in disbelief. They had known their leader to be a bit cruel at times but it had never gone this far. Not by his own hand at least. 

Bringing the blade up to Lei Qiu’s face, Long Guowei’s hand began to quiver. Lei Qiu raised a brow before tilting his head with a smile. 

“Why hesitate now of all times? Can’t do it yourself, Xiao Weiwei?”

“SHUT UP!” The blade forcefully came down and cut the side of his face, drawing blood. 

The room stood still as if the time inside it had stopped. Long Guowei’s hand tightened around the blood stained weapon as he grinned from ear to ear. 

“Was that good enough for you?! You just-”

“Are you done yet?”

“...What?”

Raising his head, blood dripped down Lei Qiu’s chin as he reiterated himself. 

“I said, are you done yet? Because I am.”

Vocab:

Shixiong: senior male fellow student or apprentice son (older than oneself) of one's teacher