Chapter 35: Cao Yue's Provocation

“Did you hear that? Finally, someone reasonable has arrived,” Xiao Yang’s eyes lit up. He snorted at the nurse, then turned away in smug satisfaction.

The person at the door was Gu Ci.

At that moment, Gu Ci was leaning lazily against the doorway, her cold gaze fixed unblinkingly on him.

The joy on Xiao Yang’s face faded away bit by bit, his previously proud expression cracking apart.

Gu Ci straightened up and walked toward Xiao Yang, her lips curled in a half-smile, “Now that someone reasonable is here, shall we remove your cast right now?”

Xiao Yang finally realized what was happening. All his arrogance vanished completely, and with a yelp, he slumped down, nearly breaking his leg again in fright.

Fortunately, he landed on the bed, sparing his injury from further harm.

Gu Ci was already close.

She reached out and gestured along his plastered leg, “Shall I start removing it from here?”

“Or perhaps it’s better to just cut the whole leg off?” She shifted her hand slightly, her smile growing even more radiant.

She glanced sideways at Xiao Yang, as if seriously considering his opinion on the proposal.

Xiao Yang shuddered involuntarily. He found Gu Ci’s current expression truly unsettling.

He curled up tightly, swallowing hard, “Ci—Sis Ci, let’s talk this out… My leg is fragile; it can’t take your handiwork…”

“Severe fracture, and you’re already thinking of removing the cast? Isn’t that just giving up on your leg?” Gu Ci gestured for the relieved nurse to leave the room, then continued, “Or do you want to take it off now, let it worsen and fester, and then end up paralyzed?”

At her words, cold sweat broke out down Xiao Yang’s back.

He knew he’d been impulsive and hung his head in shame.

But…

Gu Ci glanced at the bruise near his eye, “What happened?”

Xiao Yang kept his head down and said nothing.

“Will you tell me yourself, or shall I go ask around?” If it were just a simple beating, given Xiao Yang’s temperament, he would have already told her and planned his revenge. But now, he was refusing to speak at all.

Xiao Yang opened his mouth but looked dispirited.

His gaze darted away, and unable to bear Gu Ci’s eyes any longer, he pulled the blanket over his head.

Gu Ci let out a laugh, half amused, half exasperated, and turned to investigate the incident herself.

Just then, the ward door was kicked open.

A gang of sweaty, unruly boys burst in. “Xiao Yang, we’ve come to see you!”

Some held bouquets, others fruit baskets, all with the look of visitors.

But Gu Ci’s eyes turned icy cold in an instant. “No hands?”

“Oh, there’s a pretty little sister here!” The boys’ eyes lit up when they saw Gu Ci. The leader, grinning roguishly, spat grape skins into a fruit basket held by someone next to him, and offered a half-hearted apology, “Sorry, since we brought gifts for Xiao Yang, our hands were full, so we had to use our feet to open the door.”

He whistled, teasing Xiao Yang, “Big Boss Xiao really is lucky—even injured, you have such a pretty girl visiting you!”

Xiao Yang’s face darkened. “Cao Yue, you’re not welcome here. Get out!”

“Come on, don’t be so distant, Big Boss Xiao! We’re all friends here.” With that, Cao Yue strode up to Gu Ci, putting on a show of gallantry as he extended his hand, but his tone was frivolous, “Little sister, you’re so pretty. Why not get to know me? I’ll look after you from now on, how about it?”

“All right, let’s get acquainted,” Gu Ci stretched out her hand as well.

The boys behind Cao Yue burst out laughing, and Cao Yue’s eyes gleamed as he reached for Gu Ci’s hand.

But in the next instant, Gu Ci twisted his wrist back with a crack, and Cao Yue let out a piercing scream.

Looking at the white chrysanthemum bouquet in his other hand, Gu Ci’s eyes were colder than ever.

She finished her sentence slowly, “Get acquainted, so that next year on this day, I can bring you incense.”

Cao Yue’s face went ashen as he snatched his hand back, instinctively stepping away.

The pain was still sharp, but being humiliated by a woman in front of his lackeys made his expression contort with rage. He flung the bouquet to the ground. “You shameless woman, don’t push your luck!”

Gu Ci arched an eyebrow, her voice indifferent, “Don’t care for your other hand, either?”

Cao Yue was so furious he laughed, his eyes glinting with malice. “Tired of living, are you?”

He told himself his earlier failure was just a fluke—how could someone like him be subdued by a frail woman? Yet deep down, a trace of fear lingered.

Gu Ci flexed her fingers, slowly rolling up her sleeves. “Shall we try now?”

“Hmph, I’m not about to lower myself to fight a little girl!” Cao Yue’s eyes darted, and after steadying his nerves, he forced a smile.

But even as he spoke, he instinctively hid his other hand behind his back, continuing to banter, “But little sister, you sure have a strong grip. You really hurt me!”

Xiao Yang, who had been worried, relaxed after seeing Gu Ci’s prowess. Watching Cao Yue’s sullen expression, he couldn’t help but laugh, regaining some of his earlier spirit. “Cao Yue, what are you doing here with this bunch of weirdos? Don’t come here and scare my Sis Ci!”

“Xiao Yang, you only know how to hide behind a woman now? Is that all you’re good for?” Cao Yue redirected his attention to Xiao Yang, hoping to provoke him.

But he miscalculated. Xiao Yang showed no sign of anger. Instead, he wore a look that said, “Yes, I’m hiding behind her—what can you do about it?” “What, you don’t like it? Then beat my Sis Ci first. What, you don’t dare?”

His expression turned severe as he barked at Cao Yue, “If you don’t dare, then keep quiet! Don’t come here trying to make yourself look important!”

Cao Yue’s face shifted from green to white and back again. He glared maliciously at Xiao Yang, coldly laughing, “Xiao Yang, I’m not here to bicker. I just came to remind you not to forget about this weekend’s game.”

He cast a meaningful glance at Xiao Yang’s leg, heavily encased in plaster. “But… can you even play basketball with that leg now?”

Even if he had another month, Xiao Yang’s leg probably wouldn’t be ready for the game.

At the mention of basketball, Xiao Yang’s fist clenched tight, but he pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Seeing this, Cao Yue and his lackeys grew louder in their mockery.

Veins bulged on Xiao Yang’s forehead, but he remained silent.

At that moment, a calm voice sounded in his ear. “He can.”

Cao Yue and his followers burst out laughing.

“Boss, did you hear what that little girl just said? She said Xiao Yang can play!”

“Hahahaha!”

Cao Yue grinned at Gu Ci, “Little sister, are you still half asleep? Do you even know what ‘a hundred days for bones to heal’ means? He broke a bone, not just scratched his skin.”

But Xiao Yang suddenly looked up at Gu Ci in astonishment.

Gu Ci stood before him in the light, her slender figure shielding him from all of Cao Yue’s taunts.

In that moment, he was filled with strength. Since even Gu Ci was speaking up for him, how could he, the one involved, hide behind others?

He gritted his teeth and said coldly to Cao Yue and the others, “Fine, let’s compete. Cao Yue, unlike you, who only knows how to play dirty in the shadows, I, Xiao Yang, gave my word and will not break it!”

Cao Yue was surprised, then sneered, convinced Xiao Yang was only bluffing.

He looked down on Xiao Yang and said in a patronizing tone, “It’s not too late to admit defeat now, Xiao Yang. I’ll allow you to surrender so you won’t lose miserably or become a cripple for life!”

He and his followers laughed arrogantly.

“But…” Cao Yue paused, his damp gaze sliding over Gu Ci with a wicked grin, “Since little sister here hurt me, shouldn’t she do something to make up for it?”

“Make up for it?” Gu Ci turned her gaze.

Cao Yue licked his lips, grinning as he raised his injured hand, openly threatening, “Your Xiao Yang will have to apologize soon and be at my beck and call for a whole month. If you don’t want him to suffer too much, be a good girl and come with me. Maybe I’ll go easy on him for your sake!”

His lackeys laughed as well, their sneers unending. “Xiao Yang, just admit defeat to our boss!”

“Hahaha, Xiao Yang, surrender! Our boss is merciful—he’ll spare you!”

“Little sister, Xiao Yang is useless now. You’d be better off with our boss. He’ll treat you well!”

Xiao Yang’s face turned ashen in an instant.

Veins bulged on his arm. Unable to bear it any longer, he grabbed a vase and hurled it at Cao Yue!

“Cao Yue, let me warn you—don’t you dare look at my Sis Ci like that! Fine, the match is on this weekend—just wait! But right now, get out of my ward, immediately!”

Cao Yue narrowly dodged the vase aimed at his head, but was still drenched in water.

Disheveled and furious, his malice was laid bare. He pointed at Xiao Yang and threatened, “Fine! Xiao Yang, I’ll be waiting for you! Just don’t come crying when the time comes!”

Xiao Yang shot back, “It’s still up in the air who’ll be laughing and who’ll be crying!”

With that, they all tossed their fruits and bouquets to the floor, preparing to leave in a huff.

But just as Cao Yue reached the door, a silver fruit knife flashed past his throat, embedding itself deep in the door in front of him.

It sunk in to the hilt!

Cao Yue froze, drenched in cold sweat.

Just a hair’s breadth more, and the knife would have sliced into his neck instead of the door, severing his artery!

His throat burned, and he could feel warm blood trickling down…

The brush with death sent chills through his body—never before had he felt so close to dying.

Gu Ci’s icy voice sounded behind him, “Take all the trash you brought with you.”

Earlier, Cao Yue had been dismissive of Gu Ci, but now her voice struck him like a hailstorm, chilling him to the bone.

His lackeys exchanged nervous glances. If they still couldn’t tell that this seemingly gentle girl was actually not to be trifled with, they really were fools.

But if they picked up the things they’d thrown down just to show off, it would be humiliating…

And there were so many of them—were they really going to be cowed by one girl?

They thought for sure Cao Yue would ignore Gu Ci and mock her instead. But to their shock, he barked out, “Pick it up.”

His lackeys were stunned. “B-boss, are you serious?”

Cao Yue, ignoring their gaping stares, kicked the one who’d spoken and yelled, “Serious as a heart attack! Didn’t you hear me? Pick it up—now!”

Startled by his outburst, the lackeys finally realized he wasn’t joking and scrambled to gather everything.

Seeing this, Xiao Yang swung his good leg and waved as they left, “Take your trash with you—oh, and you, too! Goodbye, don’t come back!”

Once Cao Yue and his crew had left, Gu Ci pulled up a chair and sat beside Xiao Yang, leisurely asking, “So, are you going to tell me what happened now?”

The bright smile faded from Xiao Yang’s face, and he visibly wilted.

He burrowed under his covers again, his muffled voice drifting out, “Sis Ci, just let it go. I can handle it myself…”

“Handle it by threatening the doctor to remove your cast, or by dragging your leg onto the basketball court against Cao Yue?” From their conversation, Gu Ci had already guessed most of it, but she wanted Xiao Yang to tell her himself how he’d gotten hurt.

Xiao Yang grew even more embarrassed. Realizing he couldn’t escape, he recounted everything to Gu Ci, including the details of his injury.

It turned out that on Friday, Xiao Yang had arranged to play basketball with some friends, only to find Cao Yue and his group using their reserved court. Cao Yue’s group were students from the neighboring vocational school, and the two sides had long-standing grudges from frequent games.

To be precise, it was Cao Yue’s group who resented Xiao Yang’s group—after all, no matter how often they played, it was always Xiao Yang’s team crushing them.

In the past, Cao Yue and his crew would avoid Xiao Yang, but this time they boldly occupied the court. Xiao Yang and his friends couldn’t tolerate it, leading to a fight.

Somehow, during the scuffle, they were goaded by Cao Yue into agreeing to a match that weekend: the losers would be at the winners’ mercy for a month and forbidden from touching a basketball.

Afterward, on their way home, they were ambushed—thrown into sacks and beaten. The others suffered only minor injuries, but Xiao Yang was struck hard on the leg.

It was only then that Xiao Yang realized he’d fallen into Cao Yue’s trap.