We Were Young

Chapter 2: The Alley Brawl

If a three-on-three brawl could be considered a small-scale battle, then this was the first time Serena had ever witnessed one so up close.

Two things surprised her:

First, anything lying around on the street—from bricks to trash can lids—could instantly become a weapon, wielded like some kind of legendary sword.

Second, she found herself unexpectedly enthralled. Despite every instinct telling her to run, she stayed, watching intently as the scene unfolded before her eyes.

By all logical reasoning, when chaos like this erupted, the smart thing would be to turn and leave without a second thought. But the moment she caught sight of Ethan, the boy she’d met earlier, leaping off the wall and hooking his leg around the other guy’s neck, forcing him to the ground, she was stunned. It was like something straight out of a martial arts movie. Unreal.

His two sidekicks barely had to lift a finger. Ethan seemed to be taking on all three opponents with ease. Every punch landed hard, and the guy who had tried to rob Serena earlier was now scrambling on the ground, gripping tightly to the stack of money she had handed him earlier. She had to wonder—was his poor performance due to his stubborn attachment to those bills?

Money makes people desperate.

As she watched, one of the attackers, clutching his b****y mouth, spat out a tooth and struggled to his feet. His eyes locked onto a discarded wooden stick lying nearby—a piece of debris from some recent construction. Nails still protruded from the plank, making it all the more dangerous. His expression hardened as he stumbled toward it, intent on using it as a weapon.

Serena’s heart raced. Seeing Ethan with his back turned, completely unaware of the danger, she reacted instinctively. A sharp scream escaped her lips, just as Ethan turned, startled by the sound. But it wasn’t his turn to act—Serena had already launched herself forward, her expensive shoes delivering a swift and vicious kick between the thug’s legs.

He collapsed to the ground instantly, pulling down an entire row of trash cans with a loud crash.

The sounds of the scuffle around them came to an abrupt halt. Ethan, mid-punch and straddling one of the remaining thugs, stared in disbelief. Serena stood among the overturned trash cans, her face impassive as if kicking a man unconscious was a casual affair.

Without a word, she calmly brushed a stray garbage bag off her head, her movements collected and deliberate. Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, she bent down and retrieved the stack of cash from the groaning thug’s hand.

Ethan, still stunned, watched as she methodically tucked the bills away. His grip on the guy he was fighting slackened, and he let the man fall to the ground like discarded trash.

Serena didn’t so much as blink. She pulled out a packet of tissues from her bag, and on one foot—like a crane—she lightly hopped while wiping down her shoes. Her skirt rippled slightly with her small, deliberate movements, and her blouse, sheer in the afternoon sunlight, hinted at the delicate curve of her waist. A simple necklace slid from beneath her collar, catching the light.

Ethan blinked, then quickly looked away, frowning. “What are you still doing here?” His voice was sharp, edged with frustration.

Serena paused, her eyes meeting his with a cool, steady gaze. “You saved me,” she replied evenly, her voice crisp and matter-of-fact. “It would’ve been pretty heartless of me to just run off.”

Ethan stared at her in disbelief. Heartless? Was he hearing things right?

Before he could respond, Serena continued, her tone as calm and collected as ever. “Here,” she said, holding out the stack of money. “Take it. Consider it a thank you for your timely rescue.”

Ethan blinked again. “What?”

For the first time in what felt like ages, he was at a loss for words. His face, normally hardened by the constant need to be on guard, showed a rare flicker of confusion. The girl standing before him looked completely unfazed, holding out what had to be at least two or three thousand yuan as if it were no big deal.

Who the hell is this girl?

While Ethan stood there, dumbfounded, Serena calmly stuffed the money into the pocket of his camouflage pants, her fingers tapping the bulging fabric as if to make sure it was securely in place. Then, with a simple “Bye-bye,” she turned on her heel and strode away without looking back.

As she walked past him, a faint scent of citrus lingered in the air. Not the smell of garbage? Ethan blinked again, still trying to process the fact that this girl, who had been practically buried in trash a moment ago, somehow smelled fresh and clean.

He watched her retreating figure, her back straight, her steps confident. Behind him, his sidekicks began to chatter excitedly.

“Boss, look at all this money!”

“Did she just give you all that? She’s like a walking money machine!”

Ethan’s lips twitched as he raised a hand, wiping the blood from his split lip. His expression hardened once more.

“Shut up.”

The excited chatter ceased immediately. But Ethan’s eyes remained fixed on Serena’s disappearing figure, her proud posture as unwavering as ever.

That was the first time Ethan had met Serena Gray. A girl who had just climbed out of a trash heap and still somehow managed to act like she owned the world.