A Kick to Fly

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the famous Classmate Ye.”

A sarcastic voice, like a yin-yang master straight out of Japan, dripped with nausea.

“What’s the matter? Here to experience real life? Or are you trying to win back Youbai’s heart? Finally realized that without money, you can’t get anywhere? Finally know what a treasure you missed?”

Sure enough, Ye Haoran had been spotted.

Ye Haoran didn’t pause in his movements as he held the tray. He only lifted his eyelids a little.

There was no avoiding this.

The one confronting him was Ma Chuangshi, who had just been humiliated by Lin Mo.

Ma Chuangshi clearly planned to take out his anger on Ye Haoran.

Around Ma Chuangshi stood a few others, encircling Ye Haoran with a sense of superiority. Their stance didn’t suit a banquet—more like an interrogation of a criminal.

Ye Haoran ignored the taunt. He steadily set the drinks from the tray onto the table, then turned to face Ma Chuangshi. His tone was flat, without a trace of emotion.

“Sir, may I help you with something?”

He wore the waiter’s uniform, his figure straight. Even in this situation, the pride in his bones hadn’t been erased.

But to Ma Chuangshi, this demeanor was the perfect target.

He knew all too well how to torment someone.

Ma Chuangshi let out a sneer, lazily leaning back into the sofa. He raised one finger and tapped the table. “Me? My throat’s dry. I want something hot. Go brew me a proper cup of hot tea.”

He deliberately stressed the word “hot.”

Everyone saw through his intention. It was obvious.

Ye Haoran paused for two seconds, then nodded, turning to fetch the tea.

Of course, he knew Ma Chuangshi meant trouble, but he still had to go. After all, his current role was that of a waiter.

Nearby, Lin Mo stood by the bar, holding a glass of juice, watching the whole scene like an outsider.

These people were seriously messed up. They couldn’t feel good unless they were putting someone down.

Staring at Ye Haoran’s face, Lin Mo couldn’t help but think: If this guy swapped genders, he’d be the perfect tragic heroine in a melodrama—tormented by a villainess and a domineering CEO, running away with a baby and still being hunted down.

The more Lin Mo thought about it, the more ridiculous and amusing it became.

Soon, Ye Haoran returned, carrying a cup of steaming tea. White vapor rose in wisps.

He walked up to Ma Chuangshi, slightly bowed, and prepared to set the cup down.

Just as the teacup was about to be placed, Ma Chuangshi’s fake smile vanished instantly. He jerked his wrist sharply, slamming it hard against the bottom of the cup!

“Smack!”

A clear, crisp sound.

The boiling hot tea splashed out, straight toward Ye Haoran’s chest and arm.

It was a vicious, cruel move.

Not only could it scald him, but it would also utterly humiliate him in front of everyone.

In the eyes of Ma Chuangshi and his group, Ye Haoran was just a poor kid. Without Zhou Youbai, he was nothing.

They figured Ye Haoran didn’t have Lin Mo’s backing from Jiang Yunlu.

So they were certain Zhou Youbai wouldn’t stand up for him anymore.

From a distance, Lin Mo saw it clearly. He casually snapped his fingers.

The splattering hot tea in midair—the rising steam—vanished instantly at a visible speed, as if wiped away by an invisible hand.

Even Ye Haoran himself was stunned. The searing pain he’d expected never came.

But the instigator launched his attack first.

“What the hell are you doing!”

Ma Chuangshi shot up, pointing at Ye Haoran’s face and cursing loudly. His expression was furious and disgusted. Anyone watching would think he’d been drenched in boiling water.

“Can’t even serve a cup of tea? Was your hand only designed to—”

The surrounding wealthy young men all crossed their arms, wearing smug expressions as they coldly observed.

In their eyes, a fallen waiter wasn’t even a complete person.

Just a thing. A plaything to be trampled and tormented for amusement.

That was exactly why Lin Mo hated these people.

They all crowded around.

Others watching the scene didn’t feel much—they just thought it was a bit of an overreaction.

Some suited-up executives couldn’t understand why these brats would bother harassing a waiter.

They found it terribly unrefined.

But… no one stepped in.

Ma Chuangshi grabbed Ye Haoran by the collar. “Can’t even bring tea? What are you good for!”

Just then, a voice came from the direction of the staircase.

“Ma Chuangshi, what are you doing now? Are you here for my birthday party or to cause trouble?”

The crowd parted, revealing Ma Chuangshi inside the circle… and Ye Haoran.

The moment Zhou Youbai saw Ye Haoran, she froze.

After only a brief pause, she quickly pulled herself together.

She looked seriously at Ma Chuangshi.

“Don’t you have anything better to do? Why are you bullying a waiter?”

Ma Chuangshi spread his hands with an innocent expression. “How am I bullying him? He’s a waiter and can’t even do his job. So I…”

By this time, Lin Mo had already walked over.

"You pour your tea on someone like a filthy pig, then blame them for it. If that’s not unreasonable, then what I’m doing shouldn’t count as unreasonable either."

With that, Lin Mo directly lifted his foot and kicked.

His toe struck Ma Chuangshi’s numb nerve cleanly.

Ma Chuangshi’s left leg went weak instantly, and he dropped to one knee on the floor.

Lin Mo’s blunt action shocked everyone around.

They didn’t like how Ma Chuangshi treated a waitress, but they weren’t surprised by it either.

But Lin Mo was also a guest.

A guest resorting to violence against another guest—that was a big deal.

Jiang Yunlu immediately stepped forward and said to the stunned Zhou Youbai, "Don’t worry."

It wasn’t clear whether she meant don’t worry about Lin Mo or don’t worry about Ye Haoran.

Meanwhile, Ma Chuangshi felt as though his left leg no longer belonged to him. He jerked his head up and glared at Lin Mo.

"You broke bastard! How dare you touch me! Not even Jiang Yunlu can save you now! I swear it!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand, intending to signal the friends around him to attack Lin Mo.

But after his hand waved down, no one made a move. Instead, Jiang Yunlu suddenly emerged from somewhere and planted a foot squarely on Ma Chuangshi’s chest, sending him flying backward with a kick.

Jiang Yunlu had kicked someone.

Of course, she hadn’t used much force—not enough to kill Ma Chuangshi on the spot.

Lin Mo whistled lightly, his tone flippant.

"Whoa, you’ve been training hard lately."

"Of course. I have to keep up with your pace."

It was clear that neither of them took Ma Chuangshi’s outburst seriously.

Capital matters should be settled by capital.

Jiang Yunlu actually had a fair understanding of her family’s business interests.

She also knew that Ma Chuangshi’s family assets weren’t even a tenth of her own.

In other words, his family couldn’t afford to offend the Jiang family.

Let alone offend Lin Mo.