Chapter 95: Xingxing, are you okay?

That’s right, the one who got into a fight was Gu Cheng.

Here’s what happened.

As the leader among the group of kids, Gu Cheng had always played the role of protector.

After all, at over seven years old, he had already been helping Director Wu take care of the little ones for two or three years.

It’s no exaggeration to say he was better than some grown men after marriage.

He knew how to soothe crying babies, how to mix formula, cook porridge, wash cloth diapers, and change disposable ones.

He knew it all.

And he was very good at it.

In his eyes, all the little kids in the orphanage were his younger brothers and sisters.

Director Wu had told him many times that he was older, responsible, and a truly good child.

Life in the orphanage wasn’t easy, and though no one liked the reality, they had to accept it.

Even though they didn’t have the love of biological parents, they could still rely on each other like siblings.

Everyone here was family.

Director Wu never allowed the children to scheme or fight in private.

She was especially strict about this, and she did a fantastic job.

She also taught Gu Cheng very well.

But no matter how mature he was, Gu Cheng was still a child.

So back then, Director Wu would teach him how to grow up, how to get along with others, how to take care of everyone.

At the same time, she constantly encouraged and praised him, secretly giving him little treats.

As the kids younger than Gu Cheng grew up, they would follow his example and start taking care of the even younger ones.

There was no other way. For years, Director Wu had been holding the orphanage together on her own.

It was incredibly hard for her.

Thankfully, children like Gu Cheng were growing up day by day.

They were sensible and began helping Director Wu with all kinds of tasks.

Among them, little Gu Cheng was the most hardworking and caring of all.

Just now, he had been organizing everyone to play in their favorite areas when he suddenly heard Su Zhixing cry out from not far behind.

Su Zhixing, like Su Tao, was not yet four years old. She was a very pretty little girl.

Her birthday was two months earlier than Su Tao’s.

Usually, aside from loving cleanliness and having a bit of a neat freak streak, she was easy to get along with.

When Gu Cheng turned around, he saw the neatly dressed Su Zhixing lying on the ground.

Her elbows and knees had hit the hard surface.

Her delicate little face was full of pain and grievance.

The one playing with her had been Zhou Yang, another child from the orphanage.

When Zhou Yang saw his playmate pushed to the ground, he immediately rushed over to help Su Zhixing up.

Then he stepped in front of her protectively, glaring righteously at the chubby boy several years older than him.

“You’re not allowed to bully Su Zhixing.”

“Who’s bullying her? I just thought she was pretty, like my sister’s doll,” the chubby boy said. “So I wanted her to play with me.”

“But she didn’t give me any face. She didn’t want to play with me and even glared at me.”

“At my house, even my sister doesn’t dare glare at me. Who does she think she is, glaring at me?”

The chubby boy was clearly spoiled, acting like he feared nothing and was king of the world.

“If Su Zhixing doesn’t want to play with you, then go play by yourself.”

“Didn’t your teacher ever teach you not to touch girls without asking?” Zhou Yang said.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the chubby boy picked up a small metal shovel from the sandbox nearby and swung it at Zhou Yang.

As he hit him, he shouted, “Mind your own business! Get lost!”

Zhou Yang hadn’t expected the chubby kid to be so unreasonable, let alone resort to violence.

Caught off guard, he got hit on the arm.

But he quickly fought back.

After all, he had been learning boxing from Yan Fang and Zhang Qiang for a couple of months.

Plus, he did chores regularly and had even drunk water mixed with strength-boosting pills.

His punches were fast and heavy, and in just a few moves, he knocked the chubby kid to the ground.

The chubby boy fell and started wailing, flailing on the ground like a turtle flipped on its back.

That was when Gu Cheng came over.

“Zhou Yang, Xingxing, are you okay?”

“Brother Chengzi, that chubby kid pushed Xingxing because she didn’t want to play with him.”

“I tried to reason with him, but he hit me with a shovel.”

“So I knocked him down.”

“How was that, Brother Chengzi? Pretty awesome, right?” Zhou Yang said proudly.

“Yeah, very impressive. How’s your arm? Did you get hurt?” Gu Cheng asked with concern.

“Hiss… Ah! Now that you mention it, Brother Chengzi, my arm really does hurt.”

“Can you take a look? Is it cut? Is it bleeding? Ugh, I’m scared of blood.” Zhou Yang immediately frowned.

Gu Cheng gently rolled up Zhou Yang’s sleeve and saw that the spot where he had been hit was not only bruised but also scraped and bleeding.

A wave of anger surged in Gu Cheng’s chest.

But just as they were focused on checking Zhou Yang’s injury, the chubby boy who had been wailing on the ground suddenly sprang up.

He darted behind Su Zhixing and slapped her on the butt.

Then, with tears still on his face, he burst into laughter.

“You smug little girl, what’s the big deal about being pretty?”

“Didn’t I still slap your butt?”

“How was it, did it feel good?”

Su Zhixing’s face flushed red. Then, tears streaming down her cheeks, she clenched her tiny fists and started punching the chubby boy.

“Mama Wu, Mama Lu, and Teacher Yuan all said that girls’ bodies shouldn’t be touched or looked at by boys.”

“You’re disgusting! First you tried to touch my face, and when I dodged, you pushed me.”

“I even changed into new clothes just to come out and play.”

“Now they’re dirty. You made them dirty.”

“And you touched me again. You’re not even human.”

“I’ll beat you up, beat you up, beat you up!”

Crying and furious, Su Zhixing exploded with unexpected strength.

Even though she was much shorter and thinner than the chubby boy, her rage and energy far surpassed his.

Hearing her words, Zhou Yang and Gu Cheng’s expressions changed as well.

Without another word, they joined in the beating.

As Zhou Yang hit him, he shouted, “Someone come! Xingxing’s being bullied!”

That did it. Kids from all over the orphanage came running.

Seventeen against one.

Punches flew, kicks landed.

Some even spat at the chubby boy.

Very quickly, he was utterly defeated.

His face was swollen like a pig’s head.

He cried so hard it was heartbreaking, filled with despair.

Snot and tears streamed down his face.

Every time they ran, he sniffled hard and sucked the snot back in.

Then it would run again, and he’d sniff again.

It made Su Zhixing sick to her stomach.

She covered her face, lifted her leg, and gave him one more kick.

And just then, the chubby boy’s mother suddenly stormed in.