Mediation (1)

“…If the school expels me, is my life basically over?”

You Xi stared blankly out the car window, then suddenly turned to her uncle with the question.

Because Mo Li’s mother had filed a report, You Xi had been summoned by the police and had no choice but to go in for a statement. Right now, they were driving toward the police station.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

You Dong kept both hands on the wheel, glancing sideways at his niece in the passenger seat.

“My friend who got bullied… she said she never wants to go back to school. But my situation isn’t much better…”

You Xi twisted a loose strand of hair around her finger, her voice dull and her mood heavy.

“First suspended, then summoned by the police—next step is getting expelled, right?”

“You just need to add ‘dating’ and you’ll have the full set of problem-child achievements,” You Dong joked.

“You still have the nerve to make fun of me,” You Xi shot back, glaring at him.

“Haha, sorry. You seemed so down, I just wanted to lighten the mood.”

“You probably say dumb things like this all the time. No wonder Xianjie got mad at you and broke up with you,” You Xi scolded.

Hearing Chen Xi’s name, You Dong remembered the dinner a few days ago when, as Tidal, the three of them had eaten together.

Back then, when asked about the breakup, Chen Xi hadn’t told his niece about his shameful actions. She’d protected his dignity in front of family.

For that, he was deeply grateful.

But remembering what he’d done—remembering Chen Xi’s devastated, lifeless face when she caught him—his gratitude twisted into equal parts guilt.

He wanted to make it up to her, yet they now lived like strangers. This helplessness, this ache in his chest—it drove him mad.

In You Xi’s eyes, her uncle had suddenly taken on a pained expression, clearly lost in painful memories.

Realizing this, she felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she shouldn’t have brought it up.

“Ah, um…”

Unusually, You Xi spoke in a hesitant, careful tone.

“…Actually, Xianjie doesn’t seem to hate you that much. I think… you still have a chance.”

“Let’s not talk about it. It was my fault. All of it was my fault.”

You Dong sighed deeply, steering the conversation back on track.

“You were worried about expulsion, right? Don’t worry—you’re not there yet. At worst, you’ll get a disciplinary record. It won’t affect college or job hunting.”

“Even if I *can* keep going to school, I don’t want to,” You Xi muttered.

“Why not?”

You Xi frowned, her voice rising with frustration.

“Because it feels… disgusting.”

“Do you remember what the homeroom teacher said? It was obvious—he just wanted to pass the blame, afraid of how the bullying would affect the school’s reputation and his own. And the classmates too. Everyone just accepted that Xiao Mian deserved to be bullied. No one cared how she felt. No one stood up when Mo Li did something wrong. Is that right? That’s why Xiao Mian doesn’t want to come back to school.”

She was visibly upset, her voice full of righteous anger.

But in the end, she seemed to realize she couldn’t change the situation. That deep sense of helplessness pulled her mood down again.

“…Don’t you think a place like that isn’t worth going to?”

She murmured, as if stating a conclusion—or asking for her uncle’s opinion.

You Dong didn’t know what to say.

In the silence, he began to truly look at the only blood relative he had left.

Before, he’d seen You Xi as a child shaped by tragedy—fragile, in need of his guidance, his protection. But now, he realized—he might have been completely wrong.

Yes, after losing her parents, You Xi had once drowned in grief. But she hadn’t lost herself. Instead, she’d used that pain as fertilizer, growing into the strong, kind person she was today.

At that thought, You Dong’s nose stung, his eyes growing slightly red.

The Clover kept moving. Suddenly, You Dong remembered something from the past—something he felt he needed to share with You Xi now.

“When I was in high school,” he began.

“There was a boy in my class who had trouble walking. I don’t remember the exact condition—maybe a post-polio syndrome or something.”

“Because his walk was kind of awkward, some bored idiots would mimic him for laughs.”

“And among those idiots… was me.”

“…Are you a trash human being?”

“Haha, yeah. I was.”

Even with his niece openly insulting him, You Dong didn’t get angry.

“…Every time I think back to that, I feel deep regret.”

His smile faded. His expression turned serious.

“If I could travel back and meet that version of myself—the one who mocked someone’s disability—I’d kick him in the gut without hesitation.”

“Count me in. He’d need a serious lesson,” You Xi said.

“Why did I change so much? I’ve thought about it a lot. I think it’s because of experience,” You Dong continued.

“In high school, I didn’t have to worry about anything beyond studying. I had no real troubles. And because I had no troubles, I couldn’t feel pain—let alone understand someone else’s. But after entering society, everything changed.”

“Work stress, social struggles, losing people close to you. So many things you don’t want to face, so many painful experiences. Being mocked for your clothes, looked down on for low pay… After going through all that, I slowly began to understand how a person grows from childishness to maturity.”

“So what’s your point?” You Xi asked.

“You can’t truly empathize unless you’ve lived through it,” You Dong said.

“That’s what I’m trying to say.”

“You don’t need to be too hard on your classmates. Don’t lose hope in school life. Your classmates—they’ve lived smooth, comfortable lives. Because they’ve been so happy, they can’t feel others’ pain. Like fairy-tale princes and princesses, as long as they stay in their castles, they’ll never see the world’s darkness.”

“But you’re different.”

Here, You Dong looked at his niece. His eyes held both admiration and tenderness.

“You’re stronger than them. More aware. More compassionate.”

“St-stop. That’s so gross.”

You Xi cut him off at the perfect moment.

She shivered, sucking in a breath. “Hearing you say such sappy stuff gives me goosebumps.”

“Embarrassed?” You Dong smiled. “Sometimes I think… you’re actually kind of cute.”

You Xi glared at him. “I hate you at *all* times! You’re such a fake!”

As they talked, the car pulled up in front of the police station.

Before going in, You Dong gave his niece a warning.

“Getting them to drop the case won’t be easy with just words. You Xi, if you have to sincerely apologize to Mo Li first… can you do that?”

“Of course.”

You Xi nodded firmly, then opened the door and stepped out before him, entering the station.

She’s being so obedient today…

You Dong watched her back, a strange unease creeping into his heart.