Beside him, Shen Jiu leaned over to look as well, and the moment he saw the screen, he swallowed hard.
"Whats wrong?" Gou Feng asked.
"Answer it."
Neither of them moved. The two cousins remained frozen.
"A-Feng..."
Huan Zhan swallowed.
"You answer it."
"...Why?"
Instead of replying, he silently turned the phone towards Gou Feng, whom without hesitation looked straight at it.
The instant he saw the caller ID, he understood.
"Oh."
Now he knew why neither of his best friends wanted to answer.
Principal Jane looked between the three young men in confusion.
"Who's calling?"
None of them answered.
Gou Feng accepted the phone, took a quiet breath to steady himself, and pressed the answer button.
Slowly, he raised it to his ear.
Immediately Hei Bao's deep voice came from the other end.
"A-Feng? Where are you?"
Something about his tone made Gou Feng's brows knit together.
There was no anger, no impatience. Yet it somehow sounded deeper than usual.
Has something happened?
"I'm... still at the university."
"I figured. I'm outside the university gate."
Gou Feng's eyes widened.
WHAT?
Why was he here?
He slowly lowered the phone, eyes darting between Huan Zhan and Shen Jiu.
In a barely audible whisper, he said,
"He's outside."
The two cousins stared at him in confusion.
"Who?"
Without a word, Gou Feng lifted the phone slightly, then pointed toward the window.
"Outside."
The meaning sank in instantly.
Huan Zhan's eyes flew wide open, the color draining from his face.
Beside him, Shen Jiu slowly closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
We're in so much trouble.
From the phone came Hei Bao's composed voice again.
"A-Feng?"
Gou Feng hurriedly lifted the phone back to his ear.
"Y-Yes. I'm here. We're just… finishing something. We'll be there in a minute."
"All right. I'll wait."
The line disconnected.
Only then did Gou Feng finally exhale.
He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath.
Across the room, Shen Jiu and Huan Zhan had already wandered over to the window, cautiously peeking outside as though expecting to see their pack leader standing there.
Principal Jane watched them in confusion.
"Who exactly called?"
Gou Feng smiled awkwardly.
"My guardian. He… cares a lot. And... he's not particularly fond of seeing the people under his care injured."
"...Ah."
A look of understanding crossed Principal Jane's face.
"So that's why these two look like they're about to be marched into the principal's office."
Huan Zhan sighed dramatically.
"I'd rather be summoned to your office, Principal Jane."
That earned a soft chuckle from Principal Jane.
Even the corners of Shen Jiu's lips lifted into a faint smile.
Professor Wu Feng adjusted his glasses before speaking.
"That may actually work out for the best."
He looked toward Gou Feng.
"Since your guardian is already here, I think it would be wise to discuss the restraining order, and whether you'd like to file a formal report, with him first."
Gou Feng fell silent for a moment, carefully considering the suggestion.
In the end, he gave a small nod, and a faint smile.
"I'll talk to him first."
The walk toward the university gate was unusually quiet.
Gou Feng walked several steps ahead of the others, unconsciously quickening his pace.
Behind him, Shen Jiu and Huan Zhan followed about five steps back, neither saying a word.
Principal Jane and Professor Wu Feng walked beside each other, quietly discussing the incident in low voices.
As they neared the university entrance, Gou Feng slowed.
His eyes found the familiar black sedan parked by the roadside.
Beside it stood Hei Bao.
One hand rested in his pocket while the other held a phone against his ear.
"...No."
His voice was calm and unhurried.
"Make sure everything is prepared before I arrive. I'll be there after I finish here."
Without another word, he ended the call.
He lowered the phone and looked at Gou Feng, who now stood outside the gate.
His gaze lingered only briefly, sweeping over the young man's bruises on his face, the split lip, and the clean white bandages covering his injuries.
Hei Bao said nothing.
His expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever.
Yet those who knew him well would have noticed the faint tightening around his eyes, the only outward sign that he had already committed every injury to memory.
He stepped forward.
Gou Feng instinctively stepped closer, about to explain what had happened, but Hei Bao suddenly reached out and gently caught him by the chin, tilting his face toward the light.
His fingertips lightly brushed the bruised skin along his jaw.
The sudden movement made Gou Feng wince, and Hei Bao's hand immediately stilled.
His gaze lingered on the bruises for a brief moment before traveling to the split at the corner of Gou Feng's lip.
One eyebrow rose almost imperceptibly.
"...Hm. At least you're still alive."
The words caught Gou Feng completely off guard.
"..."
That wasn't the reaction he had expected. He had braced himself for a lecture.
Or disappointment. Even anger that he had allowed himself to be injured by an ordinary human.
Instead, those were the only words Hei Bao said.
For a brief moment, Gou Feng simply stared at him until a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
...Wait.
Does he already know what happened?
His brows drew together.
How?
Only Shen Jiu, Huan Zhan, Professor Wu Feng, and Principal Jane knew the details.
No one else should have been informed yet.
Unless...
His gaze instinctively shifted toward his two childhood friends.
Did one of them call him...?
He shook his head.
No... They've been with me the entire time, how could they find a time to call him?
Perhaps Hei Bao had figured everything out the moment he saw the injuries on his face?
Knowing their pact leader, neither possibility seemed impossible.
Still, why did he come to the university himself?
That was the part Gou Feng couldn't understand.
The Lycan leader rarely left the company during working hours unless something truly required his personal attention.
His thoughts were interrupted by Hei Bao's calm voice.
"The wounds were cleaned properly."
His gaze shifted past Gou Feng and settled on the two young men standing stiffly behind him.
"You both handled the first aid well."
Huan Zhan and Shen Jiu immediately straightened.
Hei Bao regarded them for a brief moment before releasing Gou Feng's chin.
"You didn't reach him in time," he said evenly.
The two cousins lowered their heads, looking all nervous.
"But you both handled the aftermath well."
His tone carried neither praise nor blame. It was simply an objective assessment.
Even so, Shen Jiu and Huan Zhan couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over them.
At the very least, it meant they wouldn't be facing punishment for their failure to arrive in time in saving their best friend.
Gou Feng opened his mouth, wanted to say something, but Hei Bao was quick to raise his hand slightly.
The simple gesture was enough, and he immediately fell silent.
Hei Bao focused his attention on him once more.
"What have you decided?"
Gou Feng already knew what he was asking.
His gaze lowered.
"I don't want to pursue the matter."
Hei Bao studied his expression for a moment, before saying.
"You've thought it through?"
Gou Feng nodded.
"I don't want this incident to grow into something bigger… And I don't want to drag the clan into unnecessary conflict because of me."
"You misunderstand." Hei Bao replied, making the young man lift his head and look straight at him.
"This stopped being only your problem the moment someone laid a hand on one of ours."
The words were spoken calmly. Yet they carried an undeniable weight.
Behind Gou Feng, Shen Jiu and Huan Zhan instinctively exchanged glances.
They understand well what Hei Bao meant.
This was no longer an isolated incident involving a university student.
From Hei Bao's perspective. Someone had assaulted a member of the Lycan Clan.
That alone was enough to make it the clan's concern.
Gou Feng lowered his head once more.
"...I'm sorry."
Hei Bao watched him quietly.
He can't help but let out a nearly inaudible sigh.
"I'm not asking for an apology. I'm asking whether this is truly what you want."
Gou Feng met his eyes.
This time, there was no hesitation.
"Yes."
Hei Bao held his gaze for another moment before giving a single nod.
"Very well. Get inside the car. Sit in the front seat. You two," he said, shifting his gaze toward Shen Jiu and Huan Zhan,
"Take the back."
The two cousins, who had been staring nervously at the ground the entire time, flinched at the sound of his voice.
"Yes," They both immediately said, before straightening their backs and nodded.
Without another word, they hurried toward the vehicle.
However, Gou Feng remained where he was. His eyes still glued at Hei Bao, as though there was still something he wanted to say.
Hei Bao noticed immediately.
He looked at him and said in a quieter voice,
"We'll talk further later."
His tone left little room for argument, yet it carried a hint of reassurance.
"Go inside."
Gou Feng looked at him silently for a moment before finally giving a faint nod.
A small mile appeared on his lips before he turned and got into the front passenger seat.