Chapter 54: Beatings

The time had not yet come.
Following that, several more people stepped forward against the backdrop of the peach blossoms, reciting their own poems aloud.
Some raised their hands in appreciation, while others cheered.
However, compared to the piece by Sun Yan'er, they all fell somewhat short.
The outcome was without a single suspense.
Sun Yan'er won first place in this competition.
With a face full of smiles, Huang Beichen first offered his congratulations and then generously covered all the expenses for Sun Yan'er's outing.
Amidst the praises of the crowd, Sun Yan'er's cheeks flushed like peach blossoms as she offered a modest and gentle smile.
Mei Yanqiu smiled again and said, "Yan'er, don't forget, there is still a reward. Would you like to go over to the other side and choose a handsome young gentleman to accompany you on your stroll?"
At these words, the young women covered their mouths and giggled.
Sun Yan'er's face turned completely crimson.
As for the young men, they began to secretly adjust their attire one by one, puffing out their chests and standing tall.
Those with folding fans took them out and began to fan themselves; those wearing jade pendants at their waists deliberately fiddled with them.
Each and every one of them looked like a peacock spreading its tail.
Wang Dafu was even more flamboyant.
Not only did he sway the jade pendant at his waist, but he also deliberately raised his hand to wipe non-existent sweat from his brow, revealing the jade thumb ring and the gold bracelet on his wrist.
He even furrowed his brows slightly, putting on the profound expression of a mature man.
Huang Zhaodi on the opposite side was doubled over with laughter.
Even Luo Zijun found the scene awkward.
Suddenly, however, he noticed that Sun Yan'er's gaze on the other side seemed to be directed straight at him.
Oh no!
A sudden wave of ominous premonition rose in his heart!
"Luo Zijun! Would you be willing to accompany me on a stroll?"
At that moment, Sun Yan'er spoke up abruptly.
Although her cheeks were flushed with a deep red and she looked very shy, her voice was loud and clear, projecting a natural and calm demeanor.
She made it look as though it were merely a temporary game.
At this, everyone's gazes shifted in unison to the young man standing beside Su Bie.
"I have something to ask you."
Sun Yan'er suddenly added another sentence.
With this, it seemed even more as though she harbored no other intentions.
Huang Beichen smiled and was just about to speak when Luo Zijun suddenly said, "I am not willing."
Everyone froze.
The smile on Huang Beichen's face also stiffened. "Zijun, you..."
"I won't take up too much of your time."
Having been rejected in public, Sun Yan'er's cheeks turned even redder, and the fists inside her sleeves clenched tightly. Yet, the expression on her face and the tone of her voice remained calm. "I just want to say a few words to you and ask you something."
"I said it before, I am not willing."
Luo Zijun refused once more.
Everything between the two of them was already in the past; what was left to talk about?
He had no desire to have any further entanglements with this person.
Sun Yan'er's face instantly turned pale.
Mei Yanqiu frowned. "Young Master Luo, everyone came out to enjoy the outing and have a good time. We already agreed on the rules before composing our poems; you cannot act like this."
Huang Beichen also persuaded, "Zijun, it's just taking a walk and chatting together, nobody will gossip. We always do this when we come out to play."
Luo Zijun refused to yield an inch. "And yet I simply am not willing. Weren't things supposed to be voluntary?"
At these words, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.
The young men looked at him with very strange expressions. Was this fellow out of his mind? Other people would kill for such an opportunity, and yet he was actually unwilling?
As for the young women, they were filled with righteous indignation.
"Luo Zijun! It was clearly agreed upon beforehand. Since you are a student of the academy and came along on this outing, you should follow the rules!"
"Exactly, who acts like this?"
"Yan'er chose you, you should consider yourself lucky! What's with the arrogant attitude? Hmph!"
Luo Zijun retorted, "I'm arrogant, come and bite me if you can!"
Everyone: "..."
At this point, the male students nearby also began to chime in with criticisms.
"How can this fellow speak to a young lady like that?"
"If you can't afford to play, don't come. Since you came and won't follow the rules, who are you putting on airs for? If you've got the guts, compose a poem better than Miss Sun's!"
"Indeed, utterly rude and completely devoid of refinement!"
Seeing that Luo Zijun had provoked public outrage, Su Bie hurriedly lowered his voice to advise, "Zijun, don't be like this. You just arrived at the academy, don't offend everyone. Since Miss Sun won, just go talk to her, nobody will gossip about you two."
Zhang Yitian also chimed in with persuasion.
Wang Dafu, consumed with jealousy, remarked, "Brother Luo, you don't know when you're well off! If you aren't going, I'll gladly step in!"
Luo Zijun immediately called out, "Miss Sun, Wang Dafu says he wants to go talk to you."
Wang Dafu panicked instantly. "I... I didn't say that..."
For all his flamboyant posturing, this fellow turned out to be spineless, shrinking back the moment things came to a head.
The calm that Sun Yan'er had tried so hard to maintain on her face finally shattered completely. With a frosty expression, she said, "Luo Zijun! Just what grievance do you hold against me? Spit it out!"
Luo Zijun replied, "I have no grievances, I simply don't want to talk to you."
Huang Zhaodi flew into a rage. "Luo Zijun, you are going too far!"
"None of your damn business! Mind your own business or eat dirt!"
Luo Zijun shot back directly.
"You—"
Huang Zhaodi was driven to fury. "You jerk, you're actually cursing!"
With that, she charged over aggressively, rolling up her sleeves as if she intended to beat him up.
"This fellow is simply too odious!"
Filled with righteous indignation, the other young women immediately rushed forward as well to demand an explanation.
Realizing the situation was turning sour, Huang Beichen hurriedly tried to intervene.
The young women, however, ignored him completely.
Even Mei Yanqiu, who had been all smiles toward him just moments before, pushed him away angrily.
"Luo Zijun! You're bullying us girls. If you don't give us an explanation today, we won't let this rest!"
A group of young women surrounded Luo Zijun directly, glaring at him with blazing eyes.
"Calm down! Everyone calm down!"
Huang Beichen tried to mediate in a panic, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Zijun, hurry up and apologize, then go take a stroll over there with Miss Sun."
Sun Yan'er added bitterly, "I don't care for it!"
Luo Zijun immediately countered, "If you don't care for it, why did you pick me? Are you sick in the head?"
These words completely ignited the fury of the surrounding women!
"This jerk! Too much is too much! He's cursing again!"
"Beat him!"
"Beat him to a pulp!"
Huang Zhaodi could no longer contain herself and was the first to charge forward with her fists raised.
Seeing this, the other young women also rushed forward in a towering rage.
Su Bie and Wang Dafu were likewise trapped in the middle of the circle.
Realizing the danger, Su Bie immediately backed away.
As for Wang Dafu, he stood beside Luo Zijun and hurriedly raised his hands, shouting, "Don't hurt the innocent, don't hurt the innocent! I think... Ouch! Who hit me?"
"Beat him!"
"Beat him to a pulp!"
The young women swarmed in like a hive of bees, pressing shoulder to shoulder, fists flying, and began beating the people in the center with furious rage.
Fists rained down like a dense storm!
Though lacking in individual strength, they made up for it with sheer numbers.
A punch here, a kick there, and before long, the people trapped in the center were beaten down to the ground.
Those in the front were jostled unsteadily by those pushing from behind, while those in the back swung their fists blindly, unable to even see their targets anymore.
"Beat him!"
"This jerk actually dares to bully women, beat him till he cries!"
The maidens' fists swung with increasing ferocity.
The people trapped in the middle were beaten flat on the ground with their bottoms stuck up in the air, holding their heads and howling miserably.
Watching from the outside with lingering fear, Su Bie hurriedly urged, "Brother Huang, stop them quickly, someone's going to be beaten to death."
Huang Beichen rushed forward to pull them apart, only to take a few punches himself.
"Get lost!"
After landing a few blows on him, Mei Yanqiu charged into the encirclement and began kicking savagely with her feet.
"This woman is vicious!"
Beside Su Bie, a young man said with lingering fright.
Su Bie nodded in deep agreement and was about to speak when he suddenly whipped his head around to look at him!
"Luo... Brother Luo?"
He froze for a moment, then immediately looked back at the pitiful figure being pummeled and kicked by the maidens in the middle of the crowd.
Luo Zijun sighed. "Alas, Brother Wang is truly pitiful. Beaten in the morning and beaten again now, he really ought to go to a temple and pray to Buddha."
Su Bie: "..."
Sun Yan'er cried out anxiously from the side, "Stop hitting him... stop hitting him..."
She truly never expected things to escalate to this point.
Luo Zijun remarked, "Miss Sun is so kind-hearted."
Startled, Sun Yan'er turned to look at him, but after freezing for a few seconds, her gaze immediately snapped back to the crowd.
"Beat him! Beat him till he cries!"
"Yan'er, stay out of this! We're venting your anger for you!"
The young women seemed to grow more energetic the longer they fought, completely unable to stop.
Luo Zijun called out, "Miss Mei, don't kick the face! Kick the backside!"
Mei Yanqiu turned her head and sneered, "Don't worry, I'm holding back my strength, I won't kick him to death!"
Just as she turned her head back, she suddenly whipped it around again, her eyes wide as she stared at him: "???"
Luo Zijun: "???"
The two of them stared at each other with wide eyes.
Seconds later, Mei Yanqiu panicked and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Stop hitting! Stop hitting! We're hitting the wrong person!"
"Sister Yanqiu, don't worry, we're holding back our strength, we won't beat him to death!"
"..."
Mei Yanqiu hurriedly rushed in, pulling and tugging frantically.
Huang Beichen, Sun Yan'er, and the others also rushed forward to help.
After a frantic struggle, the furious maidens finally ceased their assault.
The young women stood there drenched in sweat, panting heavily, looking as though they hadn't quite had their fill.
"We hit the wrong person! We hit the wrong person!"
Mei Yanqiu slapped her thigh and wailed.
At that moment, Wang Dafu—disheveled, clothes in tatters, and sprawled facedown on the ground from the beating—finally raised his head, weeping miserably as he howled, "I'm Wang Dafu, I'm Wang Dafu! I didn't bully you, why are you beating me? Boohoo..."
Everyone: "..."
"Eh? Where is that despicable wretch Luo Zijun?"
"He was right here just a moment ago!"
Mei Yanqiu suddenly realized that the fellow who was supposed to be receiving the beating had vanished without a trace!
"Dammit! After him!"
Mei Yanqiu flew into a rage.
Meanwhile, Wang Dafu cried out at the top of his lungs, "Brother Luo! If you don't treat your brother to ten or eight of the most flamboyant girls in the pleasure house next time, I'm breaking off our sworn brotherhood!"
Luo Zijun had not fled.
Because just moments before, he had suddenly spotted a familiar figure strolling along the riverbank over there.
Furthermore, accompanying that figure were two young women!
And to make it even more a coincidence, those two young women happened to be dressed, one in white and the other in cyan!