𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ||

ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

The anxiety that raced through [Name]'s mind surpassed the bustling activity on the streets of Beijing. She hurriedly made her way towards the Kung-Fu studio where Cheng and his friends practiced, feeling overwhelmed by her thoughts. To her surprise, Mr. Han joined her along the way.

Before meeting the studio teacher, she managed to change into appropriate attire and prepare herself for what lay ahead. As they approached the school gates, they could already hear loud cries and thuds emanating from inside the studio.

Upon entering the studio, [Name] immediately recognized Zhuang and Liang engaged in a fierce duel on the fighting stage. Everyone else had taken a seat, surrounding the two boys and closely observing their fight. The supposed teacher of the studio watched their every move from a bench in the opposite corner.

Zhuang took a hard kick to the leg, momentarily throwing him off balance. Reacting swiftly, he deflected a blow from his opponent, capitalizing on a clear opening. Liang relentlessly struck Zhuang's stomach and gut with his knees.

As Mr. Han and [Name] entered the studio, they joined the spectators in observing the intense fight. Liang grabbed Zhuang's arm and threw him over his shoulder, resulting in a resounding thud that echoed throughout the room. Undeterred, Zhuang quickly stood up and readied himself, only to be overturned by Liang once again.

In a move mirroring Liang's earlier action, Zhuang spun him into the air, gripping his wrist high, and swept him off his feet. Seizing the opportunity, Zhuang grabbed Liang's collar, preparing for the final blow as he poised himself to stand up.

As [Name] approached the scene, feeling a wave of anxiety, Mr. Han placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. However, everyone noticed Zhuang's hesitation to inflict harm upon Liang. He kept searching for his teacher, seeking guidance.

"Why did you stop?" the man asked in Chinese, sounding scared and confused. Zhuang looked at his teacher, perplexed by the situation.

"FINISH HIM!!" the teacher exclaimed, urging Zhuang to strike down on Liang, who groaned in pain.

Approaching his teacher, Zhuang found the man standing up slowly, raising his hand. [Name]'s eyes widened as a harsh slap resounded in the room, leaving her gasping in silence.

"Stand up!" the teacher bellowed, and all the students immediately rose to their feet as their teacher walked through the middle of the studio.

"What did you learn here?" he exclaimed, seeking answers.

"We don't stop when our enemies are down."

"No mercy."

"No mercy in the studio."

"There is no mercy in competition."

"There is no mercy in life."

Cheng, noticing the presence of the man who had beaten them and [Name] standing nearby, failed to realize his teacher's intense gaze fixed upon him.

"What are you looking at?" the teacher asked, catching Cheng's attention and making him gulp nervously.

"Master, he is the one who attacked me," Cheng mumbled, pointing towards Mr. Han.

Everyone's gaze followed Cheng's finger, and they stared at Mr. Han and [Name], causing her to blush and quickly hide behind Mr. Han.

"We're here to make peace," Mr. Han said softly, while [Name] sought refuge behind him. "Let minor grievances go," he retorted to the teacher.

"One-on-one is not a problem, but one against six is too much to ask of anyone," Mr. Han reasoned, with [Name] peering out from behind him, her eyes filled with apprehension.

"Prepare for the match!" the teacher yelled in Chinese, and everyone

took their seats, except Cheng, who positioned himself in the center, continuously staring at [Name]. Frustrated, she huffed and rolled her eyes at him.

"Does he want us to fight, Mr. Han?" [Name] asked, seeking clarification. Cheng's gaze continued to linger on her, intensifying her annoyance.

"We're not here to fight," Mr. Han responded as he guided [Name] towards the exit. However, as they moved, someone tightly gripped [Name]'s arms.

"You attacked my student and disrespected my studio," the man accused, glaring at Mr. Han.

"No, he didn't attack your student, Mr. Han was just protecting me from your student's false accusations," [Name] defended Mr. Han, her knees trembling with fear.

The man looked at her and forcefully grabbed her face, causing Mr. Han to swiftly grab his wrist and whisper, "Let go of her."

With a sinister smile, the man released [Name]'s face and looked at her, remarking, "a girl." As [Name] touched her face, still in shock, she glared at him.

"She will fight here," he smirked, pointing towards a tarp on the wall. [Name] tried to read the characters on the tarp, but they were in Chinese.

"She can't because it's only for boys," Mr. Han interjected, causing Master Li to laugh. "Alright then, she will dress like a boy and participate," the teacher said with a smirk, to which Mr. Han let out a sigh.

Bewildered, [Name] looked at them as Mr. Han replied, "Fine, she will fight there, but don't reveal that she's a girl even to your students."

Master Li nodded, looking at [Name], and continued, "And please instruct your student to leave mine alone during training."

He smirked and added, "If you don't comply, girl, I'll hurt you and your loved ones."

Indignant, [Name] turned to face him and confronted his student. "ATTENTION! From now on, leave this 'little thing' alone, understood?" he yelled, and [Name] clenched her fist, ready to strike his head, only to have Mr. Han grab her arm and pull her away from the dojo.

"That bastard, I'm going to teach him a lesson first," she said angrily, prompting Mr. Han to flick her forehead.

"We have good news and bad news," Mr. Han said, and [Name] looked at him with curiosity. "What's the bad news?" she inquired.

"You'll need to disguise yourself as a boy for the tournament."

"Is that the bad news? Well, it's good news for me, Mr. Han."

"And if you don't show up, he'll beat you up, even if you're a girl, and your mother," Mr. Han warned, causing [Name]'s smile to fade as her heart pounded in her chest.

"I have to participate, Mr. Han. Please teach me," [Name] pleaded, holding his hand tightly. He nodded, reassuring her, "That's the good news. I will teach you real Kung Fu." [Name]'s face lit up with a smile.