C8 The Adult World

"What's going on here?" Yi Zi'ang inquired, his eyes locked on Chen Mo as he carefully picked up the needle and placed it in the center of his palm.

Chen Mo seemed hesitant to go into detail, offering a vague response, "It's probably just an accident..."

Yi Zi'ang, not one to be easily fooled, raised his voice indignantly, "Some accident! If you'd swallowed this, you wouldn't be here right now. Some accident, indeed!"

Faang Zheyou, who had been silent up to this point, nodded in agreement, clearly on the same page as Yi Zi'ang.

"There's a line that's been crossed," Faang Zheyou remarked, nodding. "We can't just overlook this. If it happens once, it can happen again, and it won't stop until someone gets hurt."

Chen Mo gave a nervous chuckle, attempting to brush off the incident.

He understood the severity of the situation, but without concrete evidence, confronting anyone would only backfire, yielding no positive outcome.

Moreover, if the issue blew up, school officials might intervene, potentially embarrassing them.

However, Yi Zi'ang, known for his short fuse, was adamant, "No, we need an explanation. Otherwise, who's going to feel safe eating in the cafeteria?"

Faang Zheyou, calm yet firm, nodded vigorously, "Right. If we ignore this, it's bound to escalate into something worse."

The two men discussed the matter, seemingly reaching a decision. Chen Mo, speechless, sighed and resigned himself, thinking, "I wash my hands of this. Have it your way..."

Without Chen Mo's interference, the duo rose with resolve and headed for the kitchen behind the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was located in the main hall, with a small door next to a row of glass windows serving as the entrance. Chen Mo was pulled along by Yi Zi'ang and Faang Zheyou toward the kitchen. Faang Zheyou maintained a calm demeanor, while Yi Zi'ang was visibly enraged.

Seeing this, Chen Mo, though doubtful he could sway them yet still concerned, advised, "It's fine to ask questions, but let's stick to that. And Zi'ang, tone down that aggressive look. We're here to seek justice, not to incite a fight."

"You really do have the patience of a saint. Anyone else in this situation would be raising hell."

Yi Zi'ang took a deep breath, feeling indignant on behalf of Chen Mo. Although being good-natured isn't a flaw, there's a time and place for everything.

Sometimes, he marveled at his friend's excessive amiability. It seemed nothing could upset Chen Mo; he was always cheerful, not even getting angry under these circumstances.

If it had been Yi Zi'ang, he would have already turned the place upside down.

Chen Mo could only offer a chuckle, unsure of how to respond. It wasn't that he never felt angry, but he didn't let his anger show. He preferred to be fully prepared before seeking the root cause and the truth.

A direct confrontation would be unproductive and could be perceived as provocative.

Despite his youth, Chen Mo's demeanor was calm and composed. He preferred to plan carefully before acting, a habit likely developed from having to fend for himself from a young age, or perhaps from spending time with his grandparents, learning their wise and detached way of viewing life.

With Chen Mo's agreement, the three quickly passed through the small door leading to the kitchen, brushing past several staff members before arriving at the backstage area of the kitchen.

Compared to the bright and spacious dining hall, the back kitchen was dim and shadowy, as if enveloped in darkness.

"Seriously, it's so dark in here, even during the day. Can't they turn on a light? There must be something fishy going on."

Yi Zi'ang was in a critical mood, interpreting everything negatively. Before long, he had labeled the back kitchen as a haven for illicit activities.

Faang Zheyou, however, remained calm. His expression was serene, betraying none of his thoughts.

Frowning, he casually stopped a tall worker wearing an apron. Faang Zheyou was about to ask a question when Yi Zi'ang, unable to hold back, stepped forward.

"Hey, who's in charge here? Bring out the manager, now!"

His tone was sharp, his expression fierce, as if sparks of suppressed anger were leaping from his words. Clearly, his tone was anything but friendly.

The middle-aged man was initially startled, a hint of panic flashing across his face. However, upon realizing he was merely dealing with three kids, his expression quickly shifted to one of disdain.

His surprise turned to anger. The thought of being frightened by a child felt like a provocation to his adult sensibilities.

Struggling to suppress his irritation, he said with a sneer, "Kids, looks like you're lost. Need help? Just turn around, walk straight, find a small door, open it, and leave."

Yi Zi'ang's suppressed rage reignited, burning fiercely. He longed to lash out but was held back by the firm grips of Faang Zheyou and Chen Mo.

Though they could restrain his hands, his mouth was another story.

"I bought a watch last year, you old jerk. The cafeteria food here is atrocious, almost cost someone their life, and you dare to taunt me about being lost? If my buddy had been hurt, you'd better be careful walking alone at night."

His tirade was surprisingly effective, the raw edge in his voice enough to intimidate.

His fierce determination made the middle-aged man falter. Nobody wants to tangle with someone who seems to have nothing to lose, to provoke a madman for no reason.

Yet, everyone has their pride. The middle-aged man, a long-standing figure in the school cafeteria, was accustomed to respect. Workers and students would normally greet him with a polite 'uncle.'

But now, he was being publicly insulted by a teenager. If word spread, it could destroy the reputation he had painstakingly cultivated.

He didn't want a confrontation. "We're all civilized people," he thought, "let's reason this out..."

Smirking, he pointed at Yi Zi'ang and said, "Don't go around making threats. Murder is a crime that will put you behind bars. We're civilized people; we don't break the law. And where's your proof that our cafeteria food almost killed someone?"

With the topic deftly changed, Yi Zi'ang's attention shifted. He carefully pulled out a slender needle from his pocket and confronted the middle-aged man, "Take a close look at this. It was in your cafeteria's food. Imagine if someone had swallowed it. What then?"

He carefully pinched a fine needle from his pocket and addressed the middle-aged man, "Take a good look at this. It's what I found in the food from your cafeteria. Imagine if someone accidentally swallowed this. What do you think the consequences would be?"

The middle-aged man was momentarily stunned, immediately suspecting that Yi Zi'ang was there to stir up trouble. Such antics were long outdated; street toughs often carried various bugs, like cockroaches and flies, and after a satisfying meal, they would slip them into their soup or food to extort money from the owner.

This trick was hardly uncommon, but it was surprising to see someone trying to pull it off on the school cafeteria. The idea might have been fresh, but it was absurd to the point of being laughable. Yi Zi'ang's loud protests had drawn a crowd, exclusively made up of cafeteria workers, who, upon seeing the needle barely visible in the dim light, all wore nearly identical smirks.

In this era, the means of deceit were varied and sophisticated, turning even the most innocent and kind individuals into cunning old foxes.

Chen Mo, noticing the mocking grins of the onlookers, sensed that something was off. It seemed highly improbable that a simple silver needle could cause such a commotion. He subtly nudged Faang Zheyou, who was still clear-headed, and after exchanging a knowing look, they seemed to reach a silent consensus.

"Young man, do you really think you can pinpoint a culprit with just a silver needle? Isn't that a bit naive? Whether you're telling the truth or not, do you honestly expect us to confess to wrongdoing over something so insignificant? The adult world isn't as simple as you might think."

"You—"

Yi Zi'ang was about to respond, but Chen Mo and Faang Zheyou quickly positioned themselves on either side of him, ready to intervene before the situation could escalate.

Without concrete evidence, even if they reported the incident to the school authorities, they were unlikely to come out ahead and might even face disciplinary action. For Chen Mo, this was out of the question; a stain on his academic record was a matter of utmost seriousness, more significant than life itself. Moreover, Chen Mo had anticipated this outcome, so there was no sense of disappointment.

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