"Do you even know who I am?" Ning Weiwei spat, one hand pressed against her stinging cheek, the other pointing accusingly at Bai Hao. The fury in her eyes blazed like an erupting volcano.
The short-haired and tall girls flanking Ning Weiwei, still supporting her, eyed the ordinary-looking man before them with wary apprehension. Though they had the powerful Ning family as their backing, their earlier arrogance in bullying Ye Xiangyi had vanished. After all, this man had dared to strike the Ning family's young lady; dealing with minor characters like them would be nothing.
Bai Hao's brows furrowed slightly, a flash of cold light suddenly appearing in his eyes. His tone carried a chill as he stated firmly, "I don't care who you are. If you dare bully her again, I won't be polite."
"You... you..." Ning Weiwei was momentarily stunned, her rage intensifying. For a moment, she was so furious she could barely speak.
The short-haired girl looked somewhat nervous. Hearing Bai Hao's icy words, she feared he might attack the Ning family young lady again. The previous slap had drawn blood; with Ning Weiwei's frame, she wouldn't withstand another blow. Hurriedly, she whispered, "Weiwei-jie, don't be angry. We should get your injury checked at the hospital right away."
"Yes, Weiwei-jie, your injury is the priority," the tall girl chimed in anxiously.
Bai Hao's expression remained calm as he stared directly at Ning Weiwei. Though his demeanor seemed placid, his imposing presence was undiminished.
After glaring for several seconds, Ning Weiwei seemed to realize she was now in the weaker position. If this man before her went berserk again, she would undoubtedly suffer. However, accustomed to being spoiled and domineering, she showed no trace of fear. Baring her teeth, she hissed, "You remember this. I will notlet you off. I'll make you regret what you did today for the rest of your life."
Bai Hao's brow furrowed again. Inwardly, he sighed. It seemed he had stirred up trouble once more. Yet, he felt no regret. Even if it happened again, he would still step forward to protect Ye Xiangyi.
Supported by the short-haired and tall girls, Ning Weiwei left. Most of the onlookers had also dispersed, leaving only a few who still regarded Bai Hao with curious, mixed expressions—some appreciative, some sympathetic...
"Xiangyi, how's your face?" Only after Ning Weiwei and her companions had vanished did Bai Hao turn back to Ye Xiangyi, who still held her flushed cheek. Seeing the unshed tears glistening in her eyes, a pang of tenderness stirred within him.
Ye Xiangyi collected herself slightly, a hint of awkwardness on her face. "I'm fine," she murmured.
"Let me see. Take your hand away," Bai Hao insisted, still concerned. Though her hand covered most of her cheek, the faint outline of the slap was visible.
Ye Xiangyi hesitated. Ning Weiwei's strike had indeed been heavy; her cheek still throbbed with pain. But under Bai Hao's earnest, unwavering gaze, she slowly lowered her hand.
Seeing the distinct red handprint on her fair skin, Bai Hao's heart ached. "Does it hurt?"
"A little," Ye Xiangyi replied, a slight flush coloring her face.
Bai Hao was momentarily taken aback, realizing his tone might have been overly familiar. At most, they were casual acquaintances, though she called him "Bai Hao-gege." He had instinctively begun to see her as a younger sister. Seeing that clear handprint on her face, how could he not feel distressed?
"Xiangyi, let's find a place to sit first," Bai Hao said, masking his slight awkwardness with a change of subject.
Ye Xiangyi nodded obediently.
Soon, they were seated on a bench beneath the shade of some trees. The last rays of the setting sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light.
"Xiangyi, why was that girl bullying you?" Bai Hao asked, his tone casual as he gazed up at the evening sky where twilight hues were beginning to bloom.
Ye Xiangyi placed the thick book she was carrying beside her. A flicker of worry crossed her face as she turned to look at Bai Hao, her dark eyes holding a complex mix of emotions.
"What's wrong? I was just asking casually. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Bai Hao said with a light smile, thinking he might have touched on a sensitive topic.
Ye Xiangyi shook her head. "It should just be a misunderstanding between us. But you... I've caused you trouble."
"Caused me trouble?" Bai Hao frowned, wondering what she meant.
Indeed, Ye Xiangyi was worried—for Bai Hao. Ning Weiwei had left with a vicious threat. Given her status as the Ning family's young lady, making life difficult for Bai Hao would be as easy as turning over her hand.
"That girl?" A moment later, Bai Hao seemed to grasp her meaning. What could worry Ye Xiangyi was likely the blonde girl he had slapped, the one who vowed to make him regret it for life.
Ye Xiangyi nodded. "Bai Hao-gege, have you heard of the Ning family of Baoli City?"
"No. Why?"
For the past six months, Bai Hao had been almost entirely immersed in Baoli Corporation, focusing on work, study, and simulation training. He truly knew little about the prominent families of Baoli City.
Ye Xiangyi looked slightly astonished. She hadn't expected Bai Hao to be unaware of the prestigious Ning family of Baoli. This genuinely surprised her. So, she began to explain slowly.
It turned out the Ning family was the foremost of the four great clans in Baoli City, with a legacy of nearly a century. They covertly controlled nearly one-third of the city's interests, with many key positions in government departments held by family members. Rumor had it they also had significant connections with the Yan family, one of the Empire's five great clans.
After listening to Ye Xiangyi's explanation about the Ning family, Bai Hao frowned, puzzled. "You've told me all this about the Ning family, but it doesn't seem related to me."
"It is related," Ye Xiangyi said, a trace of helplessness in her expression. "Bai Hao-gege, do you know the name of the girl you just hit?"
Bai Hao shook his head, inwardly wondering what point Ye Xiangyi was trying to make.
"Her name is Ning Weiwei," Ye Xiangyi sighed softly.
"Ning Weiwei?" Bai Hao was confused. A moment later, understanding dawned. His tone shifted slightly. "She's from the Ning family?"
Ye Xiangyi nodded, continuing, "Not just from the Ning family. She is the daughter of the current head of the Ning family, Ning Zhongtian. The beloved and doted-upon young lady of the Ning clan."
Hearing this, Bai Hao was slightly taken aback. From Ye Xiangyi's description, he now understood the Ning family's power—they were local magnates, a colossal family that could make Baoli City tremble with a flick of their finger. And the blonde girl he had slapped to the ground was precisely this Ning family young lady.
"This is big trouble."
A wave of bitterness washed over Bai Hao. Recalling the blonde girl's snarling threat as she left, as if she wanted to devour him alive, he guessed she wouldn't let him off easily.
"My fate is just too wretched, isn't it? On the starliner, I was mistaken for a hijacker. On my first day on S3, I ended up in a detention center. Just as life quieted down for half a year, I offend the young lady of the Ning family. Can't a guy catch a break..."
Bai Hao mentally mocked himself, still looking up at the twilight stained red by the setting sun. Though a trace of distress flickered across his face, it was quickly concealed.
Ye Xiangyi happened to catch that fleeting glimpse of bitterness on Bai Hao's face. A fresh wave of self-reproach washed over her. Like a little girl who had done something wrong, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Bai Hao-gege."
"Hmm?" Bai Hao's brow furrowed again. He withdrew his gaze from the sky and looked at the guilt-ridden Ye Xiangyi. His heartstrings tugged. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke slowly, word by word, with conviction. "Xiangyi, this isn't your fault. No matter who bullies you, I will stand up. Even if she is the Ning family's young lady, I would still step in to stop it."
Seeing Bai Hao's utterly serious expression, a faint blush unconsciously rose to Ye Xiangyi's cheeks. Tears seemed to shimmer in her eyes again as she said with slight emotion, "Thank you, Bai Hao-gege."
Bai Hao didn't think much of it. His words were sincere. Anyone who dared bully someone he considered family would face his intervention without hesitation, even if it meant facing dire consequences. Some might doubt it, but Bai Hao firmly believed he was that kind of person—a steadfast protector.
"By the way, how is Uncle Jin? Is he doing well?" Bai Hao let out a light sigh, seemingly putting the matter of Ning Weiwei aside for the moment, shifting the topic to the kind-hearted man from B5 Mining Planet who had taken him in.
At the mention of this, a shadow of worry immediately crossed Ye Xiangyi's face.
"What's wrong?" Seeing her expression, Bai Hao's heart sank slightly. He asked with some urgency, "Is something the matter?"
Ye Xiangyi hesitated for a few breaths before slowly uttering a few words. "Dad... hasn't been well lately."
"Not well?" Bai Hao's expression changed.
Ye Xiangyi nodded, continuing, "A couple of days ago, during my break, when I went home, he was coughing non-stop, and there were traces of blood in his cough. I urged him to go to the hospital, but he refused and even argued with me. Dad was never like that before."
Bai Hao's face grew solemn. During his ten days with Wu Jin, the man had been incredibly warm and gentle, especially doting on his daughter. He found it hard to believe Wu Jin would argue with Ye Xiangyi. Could something really be wrong?
"Xiangyi, don't worry. I'll make time to visit Uncle Jin this weekend," Bai Hao comforted her.
Ye Xiangyi gave a soft acknowledgment, the worry on her face easing slightly. Changing the subject, she asked with a touch of curiosity, "Bai Hao-gege, how come you're here at Qin Yuan Academy? Are you studying here too?"
Bai Hao nodded. "Yes, but I'm only an auditing student. Not a regular student of Qin Yuan."
"An auditing student?" Ye Xiangyi registered a flicker of surprise. She had heard of auditing students and occasionally saw them, but the fees were exorbitant. Besides the regular tuition, she'd heard they had to pay substantial sponsorship fees.
"Mhm, my company arranged it. I'm currently in Class 2, Year 1 of the Mecha Design Department. I'm at the academy during the day and return to the company where I work at night," Bai Hao explained.
Ye Xiangyi was slightly taken aback. "Mecha Design Department? Is your job related to mecha design?"
Bai Hao nodded. "Yes, I'm at Baoli Corporation now. You've probably heard of it, right?"
"Ah..." Ye Xiangyi's face was full of astonishment. As a mecha department student, she was, of course, familiar with Baoli Corporation's reputation—one of the top three premier mecha design companies. Many of the mechas used in her training courses were produced by Baoli. Working for Baoli was a dream for many. She never imagined the Bai Hao before her was actually a Baoli employee.
"Of course I've heard of it! I never imagined you were working for Baoli, Bai Hao-gege. Back then..." Her shock gave way to confusion. Six months ago, Bai Hao had been someone without a place to stay. The contrast seemed too stark.
Bai Hao understood her unspoken question and offered an awkward smile. "Back when I first came to Baoli City, I hadn't joined Baoli Corporation yet..."
As the sun gradually sank, the two chatted for a while longer before slowly leaving the bench under the trees. Bai Hao treated Ye Xiangyi to dinner at a small restaurant not far from the Qin Yuan Academy gate. Afterwards, he boarded the maglev train back to Baoli Corporation to begin his night shift at the Second Research Institute.