Chapter 6: Chapter Six: Are You a Dog?

“What are you doing?”

Lu Zixue gripped the rear rack of the Phoenix bicycle tightly, tugging against Li Ye; within seconds, his palms were slick with sweat.

He had a premonition: if he let go now, this bicycle that had brought him endless admiration and confidence would vanish from his life forever.

“You ask what I’m doing?”

Li Ye looked at Lu Zixue calmly and said, “I’m simply taking back my bike. Is there a problem?”

Is there a problem?

Of course not.

But Lu Zixue felt there was a huge problem—if this bike was taken by Li Ye, what would his classmates think of him? What would Gao Xiaoyan think? What would the teachers think?

“You can’t... this is mine... this is the bicycle my sister gave me.”

Lu Zixue frantically searched his mind and finally found a plausible excuse.

In the past, his sister Lu Jingyao had been Li Ye’s empress—no matter what she said, Li Ye would obey unconditionally. Today, wouldn’t he still obey?

But Li Ye shook his head, displeased: “Whose bike is this? Is it your sister’s?”

“........”

“If it’s not your sister’s, what right did she have to give it to you?”

At this point, a crowd had gathered around them. Feeling the curious stares fixed on him, Lu Zixue was on the verge of tears.

“Your dad said he didn’t want it! Your dad said he didn’t want it!”

Lu Zixue clutched the rear rack as if he were suffering a great injustice, as if he held an unassailable truth.

True enough, Li Ye’s father Li Kaijian had once thrown the dowry out the door and uttered the cruel words: “Consider it feeding a dog.”

But Li Ye refused to accept that remark—especially after Lu Jingyao started sending money to the county No. 2 High School.

If you were returning the money to cancel the engagement, why didn’t you send it to both sets of parents?

Perhaps Lu Jingyao believed sending the money directly to Li Ye would spare her father the humiliation of personally returning it to the Li family.

But she never considered how this would fuel rumors targeting Li Ye at school.

The old Li Ye might have silently swallowed this injustice, but the current Li Ye...

Heh. If you’re unkind, I won’t be righteous either.

If I don’t teach you some discipline, this will never end.

Li Ye stared coldly at Lu Zixue and said, “What did my father say? He said these things were meant to feed a dog. So tell me... are you a dog?”

“Zum~~”

Lu Zixue felt his mind explode.

His self-respect, his confidence—all collapsed in an instant. The words “Are you a dog? Are you a dog?” rang endlessly in his ears.

But Li Ye wasn’t done. He released the bike’s handlebars and added, “If you’re a dog, then bark a few times. I’ll give you the bike.”

Utter humiliation. Utter humiliation.

At this moment, Lu Zixue had no other thought—he felt he had endured an unbearable, crushing humiliation.

He knew full well: this Phoenix bicycle had been sent by the Li family during the engagement to Lu Jingyao. Now that the engagement was broken, the bike no longer belonged to Lu Jingyao—or to him, Lu Zixue.

But Li Ye’s public humiliation still made him feel like an innocent, pitiful victim.

“Aoo~~~”

Teenagers’ emotional resilience was limited. Lu Zixue finally burst into loud sobs.

The classmates who had been watching in a thick circle now pressed forward, tiptoeing to see inside. Soon, the entrance of County No. 1 High School was completely jammed.

“Brother, the teacher’s coming... this has gotten too big.”

Li Dayong, tall and muscular, spotted several figures pushing through the crowd and tugged at Li Ye’s sleeve.

“No problem. We’re not afraid of things getting big.”

Li Ye had seen far worse in his past life—this was child’s play.

He casually pulled the bike toward him; Lu Zixue, sobbing, no longer had the face to struggle.

“What’s going on? What are you doing?”

A teacher pushed through the crowd, face stern, and sharply questioned Li Ye and Li Dayong.

Teachers of this era held natural authority over students. Despite his height of over 1.8 meters, Li Dayong shrank under the teacher’s gaze, like a man caught in a brothel by the police.

But Li Ye showed no reaction. He said coolly, “We’re not doing anything. We’re just taking back what’s ours.”

“What’s yours?”

The stern teacher stared at Li Ye, then suddenly said, “You... you’re that... Li Ye, right?”

“Yes. We meet again, Director Yao.”

Li Ye recognized this teacher well—and remembered him vividly.

When Lu Jingyao’s father had said, “If Li Ye can get into university, I won’t object,” Li Ye had insisted on retaking the exam.

Though the Li family was furious, they still used connections to contact the head of the County No. 1 High School security office and got Li Ye admitted into the remedial class.

County No. 1 High School had the highest teaching quality and college admission rate in all of Qingshui County. The Li family spared no effort for Li Ye.

But just as Li Ye was about to enroll, this very Director Yao of the high school’s disciplinary office blocked him at the gate, claiming he didn’t meet the school’s admission standards.

Li Ye’s scores truly didn’t meet the standard, and Director Yao’s actions were technically justified—but for the original owner, then emotionally fragile, it was a devastating blow.

That’s why the original Li Ye became quiet and withdrawn—and this Director Yao was partly to blame.

Director Yao narrowed his eyes and asked sternly, “If you’re not a student here, why are you causing trouble?”

Li Ye still respected teachers of this era—they truly cared for their students.

But the condescending look in this department head’s eyes irritated him.

So without warning, his temper flared. He shot back: “Teacher, whether I’m causing trouble is debatable—but even if I am, you have no authority to intervene.”

Director Yao’s eyes widened. “How don’t I have authority? This is County No. 1 High School...”

“This is a public road,” Li Ye pointed to the pavement beneath his feet. “You can do whatever you want inside the school—but outside? You have no jurisdiction.”

In his past life, Li Ye had always hated this kind of behavior.

He’d spent ages circling for a parking spot, only to find a shop owner had placed traffic cones—or even installed a lock—on the street.

Just because you bought or rented a shop, did you buy or rent the road outside too?

Absolute nonsense.

But now, Li Ye was angry—and Director Yao was angrier.

He’d never seen such an arrogant student. He had to crush him.

So many people were watching. If the esteemed Director of Discipline at County No. 1 High School was silenced by a student, how could he ever lead his team again?

“I may not control the road, but I control the students. You made my student cry—that gives me authority over you.”

Director Yao shot a sharp glance at Li Ye, then turned to Lu Zixue: “Tell me—how did he bully you? I’ll make it right.”

Lu Zixue, as if grasping a lifeline, sobbed: “He... he stole my... bicycle.”

“So you dare rob in broad daylight? And you rob right at County No. 1 High School? Today, I won’t let you off—”

Director Yao lunged to grab Li Ye’s sleeve, like a wildcat defending her kittens.

There was only one Phoenix bicycle in the entire school, and Lu Zixue rode it daily—it was too conspicuous. So Director Yao had no doubt about his story.

Li Ye casually flicked his arm and shoved Director Yao aside.

“Director Yao, if teachers can just arrest students at will, what’s the point of having police?”

“........”

Director Yao was stumped again. He was a reasonable man—never one to argue illogically.

But facing Li Ye’s utter disregard, he couldn’t suppress his rage.

“Go! Call the security office!”

Several students rushed toward the school gate to summon security.

In this era, the security office wasn’t just “guards”—it was a powerful neighborhood defense unit capable of apprehending criminals.

Before the students could even reach the gate, security personnel had already pushed through the crowd.

Director Yao pointed at Li Ye: “This is a robber. Arrest him.”

But the security officers glanced at Li Ye, then at Lu Zixue, and laughed: “Impossible. I know this kid—he’s no robber.”

“........”

Only now did Director Yao remember—he’d once humiliated the head of security by rejecting Li Ye’s enrollment.

But Director Yao never feared offending people. He said sternly: “Director Ma, he’s openly robbing our student’s bicycle at the school gate. You can’t show favoritism.”

“Robbing a bicycle?”

Director Ma looked at Li Ye, then at Lu Zixue, and waved his hand: “Director Yao, we can’t handle this.”

Director Yao snapped: “Why not?”

Director Ma patiently explained: “Because we have no registration records for bicycles. This is simple—walk a few hundred meters to the Beicheng Police Station. Check their files—you’ll know who owns the bike.”

In the 80s and 90s, bicycles had a strict registration system: you needed an employer’s letter to register at the police station, get a license plate, and obtain a bicycle certificate—and annual inspections were mandatory!

After hearing Director Ma’s words, Director Yao thought for a moment and said: “Fine. We’ll go to the police station.”

But Lu Zixue froze. He knew perfectly well whose name the bike was registered under.

If they went to the police station and the truth came out, Director Yao would eat him alive.

“I won’t go to the police station! The chief there is his relative... Teacher, I ride this bike every day...”

Director Yao paused, studying Lu Zixue’s nervous, uneasy expression—and finally sensed something was wrong.

In an instant, he felt as if he’d swallowed a fly.

Who can understand the mindset of someone who always prides themselves on reason, only to suddenly realize they are the one in the wrong?