"You're Gu Ning, right?" Hao Ran walked to Gu Ning and asked with certainty.
"Yes. What's up?" Gu Ning answered calmly with confidence. She wasn't afraid at all.
"Hao Ran, what do you want to do?" Seeing Hao Ran being here, Mu Ke, who followed Gu Ning, felt something must be wrong. He immediately stepped forward to protect Gu Ning.
He had no idea why Hao Ran was here for Gu Ning, but he did know Hao Ran was here not because of Chen Ziyao.
Hao Ran was surprised that Mu Ke would protect Gu Ning, but he still continued, "I saw the video about what had happened in the canteen on our school's forum. Everyone says Gu Ning is powerful. I disagree though. Thus, I'm here to challenge Gu Ning to have a fight with me. Does she dare to accept my challenge?"
"What?"
Hearing that, Mu Ke and Yu Mixi was shocked. They all looked at Gu Ning with worry at once. Gu Ning, instead, remained calm. The boy was here to challenge her! Gu Ning even assumed he was here because of Chen Ziyao.
Mu Ke quietly swore at the person who had uploaded the video. The person apparently wanted to cause Gu Ning trouble! Gu Ning was displeased as well, but she was more interested than terrified in Hao Ran's challenge.
Gu Ning was very familiar with Hao Ran's name, because Hao Ran was as notorious as Chu Peihan in their school. He was often involved in fights and riots, and always absent in classes. Hao Ran had received as many punishments as Chu Peihan.
But, he couldn't have a high score like Chu Peihan. He was terrible at studying.
Hao Ran was from a super rich family. His family was the third richest family with dozens of millions of assets in City F.
Hao Ran, Qin Zixun and Zhang Tianping, the three of them was a famous gang in their school.
Gu Ning had also heard something about Qin Zixun's and Zhang Tianping's background. Qin Zixun was a son of the authorities, but Gu Ning didn't know his father's position. As for Zhang Tianping, it was said that he was an orphan. Those three boys had become good friends in a fight.
Though they had very different background, they were truly intimate friends.
Gu Ning had plan in her mind after she found out who those boys were.
"Hao Ran, how can you even beat a girl." Mu Ke was extremely annoyed. Though he believed Gu Ning's ability, these three boys weren't easy to handle.
"If she were an ordinary girl, it may look like I'm beating her, but since she does kung fu, we can learn from each other," Hao Ran didn't think there was anything wrong with that.
Yes, if Gu Ning had been a common girl, he would never beat her, but the video had proved that she wasn't weak at all.
"You…" Mu Ke was mad. Before he could continue, Gu Ning interrupted.
"What if I win, and what if I lose?" Gu Ning asked.
"If you can win, I can do a thing for you, but if I win, you must do a thing for us. Relax, I won't let you do something immoral," Hao Ran replied.
Hao Ran was a boy with principles.
"Sure, challenge accepted, but I want more than just a thing," Gu Ning said.
The crowd was amazed by the result that Gu Ning accepted the challenge and even wanted to add chips.
Although everyone believed Gu Ning was quite someone in the video, Hao Ran was well-known for his outstanding ability in a fight. No one thought Gu Ning would win.
Was Gu Ning being confident, or was she thinking too highly of herself?
"Boss…" Mu Ke called her with worry, but Gu Ning stopped him by a glance.
"Tell me what do you want?" Hao Ran was surprised Gu Ning would accept his challenge without hesitation. He now was more curious than surprised about Gu Ning's condition.
He didn't know whether Gu Ning was being confident or arrogant, but he appreciated her attitude.
"One vs. three, if I lose, I'll do three things for you, but if I win, three of you must call me boss, and be loyal to me afterwards till the entrance exam is over," Gu Ning said airily while others were all in shock.
What? One vs. three? The losers must call her boss?
Gu Ning was so confident!
After the shock, Hao Ran and his friends were irritated by Gu Ning's words. It was a humiliation to them. How could he call a girl boss!
"You want to be our boss? Interesting," Hao Ran sneered.
"Exactly, what the hell are you?"
"Gu Ning, being confident is good, but don't be too over."
Qin Zixun and Zhang Tianping added in anger.
"I know who I am. Whether I'm being confident or arrogant, it's none of your business. At least, I'm not afraid. If you're cowards and don't dare to accept the challenge, then you lose!" Gu Ning glanced through Hao Ran and his friends with obvious provocation.
"You…"
Hao Ran and his friends felt shamed after that. Their dignity didn't allow them to be hesitated.
"Cowards? We've never ever been cowards. Challenge accepted!" Hao Ran answered with anger.
Hao Ran was always the decision-maker among them. Since Hao Ran accepted, the other two all agreed. Besides, they didn't want to be cowards neither!
"Very well. Then I'll see you at 1 pm tomorrow in the small forest." Gu Ning said with satisfaction, which made Mu Ke feel that she had everything in control.
Well, he should believe in Gu Ning. Since Gu Ning was willing to accept the challenge, she must be confident to win.
After what had happened during the past days, Yu Mixi knew Gu Ning would never change her mind once she had made her decision. Yu Mixi also remained quiet. She only needed to believe her friend.
Then, Gu Ning directly turned around, and went inside her classroom, leaving everyone behind.
Hao Ran and his friends snorted, then were gone as well.
The crowd dispersed afterwards since the major roles had all gone.
There was a glance of viciousness in Chen Ziyao's eyes when she watched Gu Ning walking away. She felt disappointed when Gu Ning stayed calm. Thus she hoped more that Gu Ning would lose tomorrow. The worse, the better.
Zhang Yiming and Fu Mingliang had the same thought, while Qin Zheng's feelings were complicated. He wanted to see Gu Ning learn her lesson, but he also felt concerned for her.
When Gu Ning entered the classroom, her classmates looked at her with worry, anticipation, but more with unkindness, especially Shao Feifei and her friends.
Shao Feifei wanted to mock her, but the bell rang. Thus she had to close her mouth.
"Gu Ning, come out here for a moment."
The head teacher asked Gu Ning to come out the minute she arrived. Gu Ning knew it must be because of what had happened tonight.
The minute Gu Ning walked out of the classroom, the head teacher asked her in anger, "Why did you do that in the canteen? Why did you hit another schoolmate? And why did you accept the challenge of Hao Ran, Qin Zixun and Zhang Tianping, who're from the seventh classroom? Do you know this is a big deal now, which has a bad impact on both you and our class?"
Facing the head teacher's questions and anger, Gu Ning wasn't mad at all. She explained with patience instead, "Professor Zhang, it was because Gu Xiaoxiao has humiliated me and my mother first, then I hit her in the canteen. How can I be able to tolerate the humiliation like that? As for Hao Ran and his friends, they will never leave me alone if I didn't accept the challenge. I would rather face the trouble at the very beginning."
Zhang Qiuhua actually knew Gu Ning's condition. She knew other students always bullied Gu Ning. However, since nothing severe had happened, she ignored all of them.
It was understandable that Gu Ning would fight back.
Though she believed it had been too over, Gu Ning had made the right choice for herself. Zhang Qiuhua didn't know what to say.
But, she still couldn't accept the fact that Gu Ning had accepted the challenge of Hao Ran. "Gu Ning, can you, a girl win over the three boys? Besides, the school won't allow students to fight. You'll be punished for that, and our class also will be criticized," Zhang Qiuhua said.
Hearing that, Gu Ning was a little shocked. She totally forgot she would be punished for fighting, and her class would also be criticized for her behavior.
"But I've promised them already. If I regret, Hao Ran will revenge on me." Gu Ning felt she had been cornered.
"You, my blood is boiling now." Gu Ning really pissed Zhang Qiuhua off. Although Gu Ning was the reason of all these troubles, Hao Ran was the major cause, Zhang Qiuhua couldn't blame Gu Ning for all.
She also wasn't that cold-blooded to see Gu Ning revenged by Hao Ran only because Gu Ning regretted.
If Hao Ran was going to take revenge on Gu Ning, even the school couldn't stop him.
"How about this? I can go have the fight with Hao Ran outside the school, then no one will be punished," Gu Ning said.
"You…" Zhang Qiuhua was still displeased. "Gu Ning, how could you be so dumb! How can you be so sure that you can win Hao Ran and his friends? What if you're hurt, and your mother will be worried? Can your family afford the medical treatment?"
Zhang Qiuhua had told the plain truth. She had no intention to insult Gu Ning, but it's for Gu Ning's good.
Gu Ning understood her teacher cared about her, so she wasn't annoyed. Gu Ning replied with pure confidence, "Please don't worry about that. I am going to win them, really."
It was hard for Zhang Qiuhua to believe, but she knew it was meaningless to continue this topic, so she said, "Good luck."
After that Zhang Qiuhua stopped talking to Gu Ning, and left in anger.
Gu Ning shrugged her shoulders resignedly and went back to her classroom.
Although everyone in the classroom was all ears to listen to Zhang Qiuhua criticizing Gu Ning, Zhang Qiuhua kept her voice low and no one actually heard anything. They only saw Zhang Qiuhua leave in anger.
Gu Ning, instead, was super calm from the very beginning to the end, and wasn't sad or scared of being criticized at all. Everyone was puzzled.
When Gu Ning walked inside, most of the students focused on her face wanting to figure out what had happened.
Because the head teacher was gone, the classroom wasn't that quiet any longer. It wasn't one of the top classes, thus those students didn't enjoy studying very much.
"Hey, Gu Ning, are you sure you're going to win them?" A male student sat in front of Gu Ning turning back to ask her in doubt.
"Exactly! one vs. three, that's really something!" Another male student added with admiration.
"You have the great gesture. Do you have the same great ability?" Someone poured cold water on Gu Ning.
"Exactly, I'm not positive about that," another one agreed.
…
Most of the students didn't believe Gu Ning would succeed. Gu Ning ignored them, but Yu Mixi couldn't stay quiet any more. She retorted for the first time, "I believe in Gu Ning. I think she'll win."
Gu Ning smiled a little. Yu Mixi made her progress.
"So what? You believe in her doesn't mean she'll win," a classmate argued.
"Exactly, I don't believe," someone said.
"We'll all find out tomorrow noon. It's too early to deny Gu Ning's ability now! Let's wait and see!" Yu Mixi argued.
Those who weren't positive turned quiet gradually. Some still wanted to pour cold water, but the head teacher returned. They had to close their mouth.
In the house of the Gu family, a room was decorated in a dreamy way like it was a princess's room. Gu Xiaoxiao was in a pink nightgown, lying on a big pink bed with a phone in her hands. She was watching the video sent by Chen Ziyao, and felt it was a pity that she hadn't been there herself.
Gu Xiaoxiao had the same reaction as Chen Ziyao. She felt extremely unhappy about Gu Ning's confidence, and didn't believe Gu Ning could win Hao Ran and his friends. She was gloating now.
She couldn't wait to see Gu Ning beaten down on the ground tomorrow noon.
Moreover, she was waiting for the apologies from Gu Ning. Gu Xiaoxiao decided to spare no effort to pick on Gu Ning. If Gu Ning wouldn't apologize, or she wasn't satisfied, she would persuade her grandma to kick Gu Ning and her mother out of the old house.
The next morning, Gu Xiaoxiao waited at the stairs for Gu Ning. She wanted to seize the chance to make fun of Gu Ning. After a long time, Gu Ning was still absent. Gu Xiaoxiao was losing her patience.
"The morning class is about to begin. Is Gu Ning terrified to come to school today?" Gu Xiaoxiao assumed.
"Who knows!" Chen Ziyao was sure.
It was two minutes away from the morning class, Gu Ning appeared with Mu Ke and Yu Mixi.
Seeing Mu Ke, Gu Xiaoxiao and Chen Ziyao was more jealous of Gu Ning now. Mu Ke had been their friend before, but now he chose Gu Ning over them.
Besides, Mu Ke was from a better family than them. They wanted to cooperate with Mu Ke. Unexpectedly, Mu Ke would stand up for Gu Ning against them.
Mu Ke and Yu Mixi felt unpleasant when they noticed Gu Xiaoxiao and Chen Ziyao were here. Gu Ning stayed calm as usual.
"Gu Ning, I've heard that you're going to fight with those three boys this noon. One vs. three even. You're bold and confident enough to do so, but are you really being confident, or you're simply arrogant?" Gu Xiaoxiao said unkindly.