023 The Iron Matriarch steps in. Zhou Quan throws himself to the ground, rolling with a student beneath him, thus forcing others to hesitate and all focus turns squarely on Lu Yun. "I've already complained about the neighbors," Lu Yun says, seeing this situation clearly, "Now come on." He crouches low, arms cradling his head—what's the matter? Just pound me as hard as you like; just don’t knock me out. Zhou Gao-ren commands, "Take Lu Yun’s hands and give him a good scolding!" It’s well said: when someone is being beaten, it's not customary to strike their face—nor to criticize them for shortfalls. But here, Zhou Gao-ren launches directly at Lu Yun’s face, and Lu Yun’s anger surges instantly. Rising, he stares straight into the man's eyes, saying, "You don’t know what good manners are? Think I'm afraid of your numbers?" With these words, Lu Yun charges forward—his fists thundering down—and lands squarely on Zhou Gao-ren’s nose with a sharp crack. Neither Zhou Gao-ren nor his companions had expected Lu Yun to act first; they all freeze for a moment before rushing in to surround and assault him. Fighting among students is common at school, and soon the crowd swells around the scene—yet no one hurries to alert the teachers. Instead, some boys cheer on the action from the sidelines. Lu Yun doesn’t know how many punches or kicks he's taken—he only manages to clench onto a boy’s arms, burying his head against the boy’s chest while using his knees to press constantly into his crotch. Zhou Quan is no better off—though young and less powerful, he’s been tossed around now for some time and ends up pinned beneath the boy, receiving punches like raindrops on his face. Suddenly, a sharp command breaks through the crowd: "Stop! Stop it!" It’s the Iron Matriarch—the one everyone fears. Zhou Gao-ren is in full swing when he hears this—so he calls out, “Who’s in charge here? Who gives a fig?” Mid-sentence, his neck is seized, and suddenly he feels lifted off the ground like a small chicken being carried aloft. As he tries to turn around, a smiling face appears before him—the proud, commanding expression of the Iron Matriarch instantly melting into panic. "Me? Me? I—what?" Zhou Gao-ren stammers, trembling with disbelief. "What is it you're trying to say? Didn’t you hear me telling you to stop?" The Iron Matriarch, only about 1.6 meters tall, holds the taller Zhou Gao-ren like a small chicken in her hands—her strength clearly effortless. The group of students hadn't even noticed her arrival—they keep on attacking Lu Yun and Zhou Quan with fists and feet. "Stop! Stop it!" Zhou Gao-ren pleads, his voice trembling, nearly breaking under the strain. At last, everyone halts mid-action—just as they’re about to ask why—but before they can speak, they see the Iron Matriarch lift Zhou Gao-ren effortlessly by one arm and carry him like a small child. The group of over ten tall, sturdy junior high students, facing off against this petite yet full-bodied woman, all go pale—unspokenly, they start running away. Only the boy who’d been repeatedly assaulting Zhou Quan hasn’t noticed anything unusual since he’s farther away. Zhou Gao-ren is furious—he curses every one of them for being selfish and only charging fees—but even though he rages inwardly, in front of the Iron Matriarch, all he can do is keep silent. "There are still those who won’t behave," says the Iron Matriarch with a bright, warm smile as she sets Zhou Gao-ren down. She pats his face and adds, "Good boy—don’t run off now. I’ll go find your companions." Zhou Quan lies motionless on the ground, dazed and battered—he instinctively raises both arms over his face to shield against the relentless barrage of punches and slaps. The Iron Matriarch walks over, gently pushes the boy who’s been pummeling Zhou Quan on the back—yelping in pain, he stumbles forward and rolls several times before finally coming to a stop. When the boy looks up and sees it's none other than the famed female force—the Iron Matriarch—he can’t even let out a single sound; without another word, he turns around and bolts past Zhou Gao-ren. The Iron Matriarch pays no attention to the fleeing boy—instead, her eyes shift toward the one lying on the ground, groaning in pain. She chuckles, saying, "Acting like a bear now? If you're not going to get up soon, you’ll be embarrassed beyond belief." Zhou Quan is truly battered—his eyes swollen with black and purple, resembling panda eyes; both cheeks are puffed out, dotted with fingerprints from countless blows. Hearing the voice of the Iron Matriarch, he manages to push himself upright despite the pain—he clears dust off his clothes, glancing at her full chest as she moves with each step. "Thank you, Teacher," he murmurs—thankfully, because if only his eyes had been wider, he might have felt humiliated in front of her and ended up getting a solid slap right then. "You’re not seriously injured," the Iron Matriarch observes, noticing that Zhou Quan’s condition is only superficial, "Yet you're still here—well, that’s surprising. You must make an effort to avoid being beaten like this." Zhou Quan watches her back as she walks away—his eyes naturally follow her swaying hips. A soft rush of warmth fills him—a deep sense of embarrassment and excitement. *** Today has been a real disaster—I’ve definitely left a terrible impression on the Iron Matriarch; I’m certain now that I’ll be seen as nothing more than a weakling. Honestly, I don’t know how to bear it—Zhou Gao-ren! This is outrageous! How can he let me down like this? I shall see to it personally—I must make him suffer for every moment of humiliation. Sticking close behind the Iron Matriarch, Zhou Quan vows to retaliate against Zhou Gao-ren—he still keeps his eyes locked on those full, swaying hips—his erection gradually grows firmer with each movement. "Teacher," says Zhou Gao-ren, now facing her, "I understand—I’m truly sorry. I promise from this moment forward that I’ll never fight again at school or anywhere else. I won’t even bother anyone like Lu Yun anymore. Please, for once, forgive me." The Iron Matriarch smiles gently: "If you don’t fight here in the schoolyard, then you'll be chasing after Lu Yun all over outside too." "I didn't mean it that way," Zhou Gao-ren quickly explains, now nearly on his knees. "I meant I’ll never fight again—whether at school or beyond—and I will absolutely protect Lu Yun and everyone else. Please, just let me go this time—I beg you!" Zhou Gao-ren’s voice trembles—he begins to cry outright when the Iron Matriarch seems unmoved, turning then toward Lu Yun for support: "Lu Yun, I swear—after today, I’ll never seek any more trouble from you. Please ask the Iron Teacher to let me go." The Iron Matriarch turns her gaze to Lu Yun, her eyes asking for a decision. "Not so easy," Lu Yun replies, not being particularly gentle in his nature, "Having had dozens of people attack us just two—clearly shows how ruthless he is and how consistently he undermines us behind the scenes. His words may sound kind, but we’ll never know when he’s silently working against us." Zhou Quan steps forward quickly to Lu Yun, speaking out loud—his voice strong, clear—making it evident that the Iron Matriarch clearly stands with both of them. Without this opportunity to confront Zhou Gao-ren, even in his dreams, he might be crushed under embarrassment. "Alright," Lu Yun says, though not entirely satisfied with Zhou Gao-ren’s behavior, "Just remember what you said at that moment." … Rural Woman, Episode 023 — Update Complete!