The two girls instantly ran forward.
Jian Yue's expression was stern as she stood with her back to the fallen Lu Jianchen, preventing the others from laying a hand on him.
"What are you doing?" How could she show her face again if it was discovered that someone had been bullied right under her watch? Her mother would definitely be disappointed.
Pei Lu said righteously, "He made Xue'er cry! Of course he had to apologize."
"That doesn't mean you get to pull his hair!" Jian Yue shouted, eyes blazing with the kind of authority that made the other kids instinctively back away. "Are you a thug? Why would you do that?"
Su Li instinctively spoke up. "But he needed to apologize..."
Jian Yue's gaze swept over him, and he shut his mouth unwillingly.
Xiao Xue stepped forward at that moment. "I—You don't have to hurt him. Yue'er said he might be a germaphobe, and might even get rashes if anyone touches him."
"Did you see now?" Jian Yue questioned sternly. "You pushed him on the ground, that's hurtful. You even pulled his hair. How could you not know how painful that would be? Why are you being bad?"
Being scolded by Jian Yue, the boys wavered, but they still didn't want to admit defeat.
However, Jian Yue wasn't planning to let them go easily. With her hands on her waist, she urged, "Now! Apologize to him."
"What? Why should we apologize?"
"Why do we have to apologize to him?"
The little boys instantly took a step back. "We don't even know whose family he's from. Why do we need to apologize to someone from some unknown origin?"
"You—" Little Jian Yue was so annoyed that she scowled. "Stop being unreasonable! You can ask him to apologize to Xue'er despite him doing nothing wrong. Now, you cursed, shoved, and pulled his hair, yet you refuse to apologize. Where's your so-called pride as a man? You're just a little hussy and a pussy!"
The little boys' eyes dilated; their faces turned from pale to red, then to green, then to blue.
"Yo-you, how can you call us a pussy?" With gritted teeth, Pei Lu squeezed out the words. His eyes were red from anger.
Jian Yue snorted. "So what if I call you that? Didn't you call him that too?"
The boys became speechless. Yes, they had indeed called him that. They knew it was a bad word—one they couldn't tolerate being called.
Su Li pointed out, "Are you protecting him? We're your friends. Aren't you supposed to be speaking up for us?"
"I wouldn't speak up for bullies!" Jian Yue retorted, pointing to her back. "Now, apologize to him and we'll be considered even."
"No! I won't."
"Never."
They stomped their feet on the floor aggressively to show their dissatisfaction. They were Jian Yue's friends, yet she was helping another person. How could she do that?
"Then leave!" Jian Yue was both irritated and frustrated, her hands tightly clenched. How could they be like this? Why would they refuse to apologize when they were the ones in the wrong? How could they be so headstrong?
To the boys, it was a serious matter. How could they let their masculinity be trampled on by apologizing to someone they had just dissed? Never.
Moreover, it greatly annoyed them to see Jian Yue protecting the boy as if she had known him before knowing them. They were clearly her friends, but she didn't hesitate to ask them to apologize to a stranger! How could she do that? She was clearly the one in the wrong. They'd rather not be friends with her again than apologize.
"Fine! We won't play with you again." Su Li was the first to speak, then he ran to the slides.
"Go play with a stranger! We won't talk to you again," Pei Lu added, running off after him.
Watching their backs, Jian Yue clenched her hands tightly by her sides, her expression exasperated.
What would her mother think of her when she found out she had lost two friends and couldn't salvage the relationship?
But… she couldn't really let them wrong another person, right?
She had to be true and just. That's how a leader should be.
So with that, she felt a little reassured that she had done the right thing.
She addressed the others, her face serious. "We can't be like Pei Lu and Su Li. A real man is supposed to take accountability for his actions! Pei Lu and Su Li are hussies, and we won't be friends with them again."
The kids nodded to show they understood, and Jian Yue finally turned around.
Looking at the frail little kid with skin like paper who was staring at her, her heart softened.
She crouched before him and said seriously, "Next time, you need to learn to speak for yourself. If they shove you, shove them back. If they curse you, curse them back. If they grab your hair, grab their hair too. That's the only way you won't be bullied, do you understand?"
"...."
"Is there something on my face?" She touched her cheek after a few seconds of silence, when the boy kept looking at her with no response.
"Hey, do you understand what I just said?" she asked gently.
"Yes," Lu Jianchen said, averting his gaze.
"Let me help you up." Forgetting that she had concluded he was a germaphobe, Jian Yue subconsciously offered a helping hand, linking their arms so he could get up.
It was only after he was standing on his feet that she realized what she had done. "Ayy, I'm sorry for touching you, I—I... Do you need a handkerchief?" she asked guiltily.
"...." Another period of silence, those eyes boring into her face. She didn't even know what he was staring at, but he just kept looking at her.
"I will repay you."
"Ahhh?" Jian Yue was taken aback.
"I said, I will repay you."
She waved her hand casually. "No need, it's fine."
She added with a smile, "You're so frail, like a girl indeed. From now on, if anyone bullies you, you can let me know. If they're in the wrong, I'll make them apologize."