Huang Chen, who was half a head taller than Xu Zhengyang, bent over and clutched his stomach, staggering back three or four steps like a shrimp. His facial muscles were contorted in pain. He struggled to keep from falling, glaring fiercely at Xu Zhengyang, wanting to rush forward, but the excruciating pain in his abdomen made it difficult for him to even breathe.
Xu Zhengyang didn't stop, but quickly followed and kicked Huang Hun in the chin.
"Ah!" Huang Chen cried out in pain, staggered, and fell backward to the ground.
Xu Zhengyang stepped forward again and kicked Huang Chen in the face several times. When Huang Chen realized the pain and quickly covered his face, Xu Zhengyang kicked him hard in the waist twice more.
"Damn it, you're tired of living, aren't you!" The man with the rooster-like hair recovered from his shock and rushed towards Xu Zhengyang.
Xu Zhengyang turned around and slapped the rooster-headed man hard across the face. With a crisp crack, the rooster-headed man saw stars. His fist, which was about to throw at Xu Zhengyang, was caught by Xu Zhengyang, who kicked him in the knee. The rooster-headed man fell to his knees with a thud. Before his head even lowered, Xu Zhengyang's knee was already smashing down on his supposedly handsome face.
The excruciating pain on his nose caused the man with the rooster-like hair to clutch his face, curl up on his side, and fall to the ground screaming in agony.
In just a few seconds, Huang Chen had recovered from the initial pain and panic, struggling to get up and wanting to fight Xu Zhengyang. Just as he straightened up, Xu Zhengyang, who was half a head shorter than him, grabbed his neck with his right hand, pushed his chin, and forced him to involuntarily take a few steps back, his body leaning against the SUV, and his head hitting the back of the car hard.
Seeing stars, his head throbbing, and his back throbbing with pain, Huang Chen felt utterly powerless, unable to fight back. Moreover, he felt as if the other man's hand was an iron clamp, tightly gripping his neck and pressing against his jaw, making him feel like he was about to suffocate. He was filled with terror; the intense pain in his jawbone convinced him that if the other man used any more force, his neck would snap. Instinctively, fear and a desire to save himself made him plead with all his might, enduring the pain, "Brother, brother, no, no..."
Xu Zhengyang turned his head, turned to the side, and kicked the rooster-headed man who had just gotten up and was still dizzy when he pounced on him, knocking him to the ground again. Then he turned back, squinted his eyes, and said very seriously and calmly, "My name is Xu Zhengyang, and I am Xu Rouyue's brother!"
Releasing his grip, Xu Zhengyang squinted at Huang Chen's distorted face, his eyes filled with fear.
He seemed to be waiting for the other party to give him a satisfactory answer.
"Yes, I'm sorry..." Huang Chen had intended to take the opportunity to retaliate, but when he saw the cold glint in Xu Zhengyang's narrowed eyes, he was truly frightened and stammered an apology.
It turns out that it was Xu Rouyue's brother who really ran into trouble today. Anyone would have to take action if their sister was being harassed like that.
Huang Chen tried to find a reasonable way to back down, and even felt a little guilty.
Xu Zhengyang grinned, looking kind and honest. He turned and took two steps, then squatted down, running his hand through the yellow-dyed hair of the man with the mohawk. The man with the mohawk, whose nose was bleeding profusely, looked up at Xu Zhengyang, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, and said in a guilty voice, "I'm... I'm sorry..."
*Smack!* Xu Zhengyang slapped him on the head and said softly, "Remember, don't think you're cool just because you have hair like a rooster's comb." With that, Xu Zhengyang got up and walked towards the BMW. Under the streetlights, thin and not particularly tall, dressed in tacky clothes, he looked like a farmer just returning from the fields, enjoying his ordinary life after a day's work, leisurely heading home for dinner.
Why doesn't it feel as awesome as Chen Chaojiang did back then? Xu Zhengyang felt a little dissatisfied.
His last sentence and the slap he gave were actually imitations of Chen Chaojiang. But back then, Chen Chaojiang was patting the bald head of a village bully and slapping him repeatedly, saying: "I was wondering if you were so arrogant because you had a dragon tattooed on your body. Turns out you really do have a dragon tattoo. So having a dragon tattoo makes you awesome?"
If Xu Zhengyang hadn't offered Chen Chaojiang a few words of advice at the end, given Chen Chaojiang's character, since he was willing to talk and educate people, he probably would have actually used a knife to cut off the dragon tattoo on that bald village ruffian's body.
Uh, hold on, I can't help but talk about Chen Chaojiang again...
Xu Zhengyang walked up to Xu Rouyue, who was still in a daze, and took his little sister's hand with heartache, asking, "Does it hurt?"
Xu Rouyue shook her head, pouted, and tears streamed down her face. Her voice choked as she said, "Brother, you got into another fight. I'm going home to tell Dad and Mom..."
"Hmm." Xu Zhengyang grinned. This was his sister. He opened the car door and said softly, "Get in, I'll treat you and your friends to a meal..."
"Okay." Xu Rouyue obediently got into the car.
After closing the car door for his sister, Xu Zhengyang turned to look at Huang Chen and the rooster-headed man who were staring at him in a daze. He gave a simple, honest smile, scratched his head, and showed an apologetic expression that was as if he were saying goodbye to a friend.
Huang Chen and the man with the rooster-like haircut nodded blankly, then looked at each other. Was this the same person who had just knocked them both down? Their expressions were completely different!
After getting into the car, Xu Zhengyang said to Ouyang Ying, "Um, cough cough, I'm a country bumpkin, a bit rough around the edges, don't mind me."
"Ah? No, no." Still in a state of surprise and excitement, Ouyang Ying quickly shook her head.
"Oh, let's find a nice restaurant. I'll treat you and my sister to dinner."
"Okay, okay." Ouyang Ying started the car, shifted gears, and stepped on the gas.
The red BMW drove slowly out of the residential area, leaving Huang Chen, with a blood-stained nose, a rooster-like hairstyle, and a face swollen like a pig's head, standing there in a daze.
The city lights are dazzling, neon signs are flashing, and the bustling night scene of Beijing has a unique beauty.
Xu Zhengyang sat in the back seat, turning his head to look at the night view of Beijing outside the car window. Cars sped by, forming a continuous stream. The towering buildings and the endless neon lights made Xu Zhengyang wonder if he could ever sleep in such a city.
A night without darkness?
Xu Zhengyang pursed his lips. With his limited education, he couldn't come up with any exquisite or appropriate words to describe the feelings and longing in his heart at that moment.
Well, the lyrics say it well: the mortal world is no less beautiful than paradise.
But in this mundane world, how many people can experience the idyllic life they yearn for?
“Brother…” Xu Rouyue turned around and called softly.
"Hmm." Xu Zhengyang smiled as he looked at his sister's eyes, which were still glistening with tears.
"From now on, don't fight anymore, or your parents will be unhappy..."
Xu Zhengyang smiled, bent down, reached out and ruffled his sister's hair, and laughed, "You brat, don't you dare tell on me when we get home!"
"I'll sue!"
"If you complain again and someone bullies you in the future, I won't take your side!"
"snort!"
Xu Rouyue gave a soft snort, turned her head away from her brother, and her face was full of a happy smile.
Xu Zhengyang leaned back comfortably, squinting his eyes. His sister was deliberately using this conversation to reminisce about the past! He loved it when his sister acted coquettishly in front of him, and he loved spoiling and protecting her.
“Rouyue, I really envy you,” Ouyang Ying, who had been focused on driving, suddenly said.
"Hmm?" Xu Rouyue turned to look at Ouyang Ying, only to find that Ouyang Ying's smile was somewhat bitter. "Yingying, what do I have to envy?"
"Your brother is so good to you."
"Ah, um." Xu Rouyue seemed to realize why Ouyang Ying's smile looked bitter, so she didn't know what to say.
Xu Zhengyang, sitting in the back, didn't notice Ouyang Ying's expression and laughed, "She never feels that I'm good to her, and she's always complaining about me to our parents..."
"No way!" Xu Rouyue pouted. "You deserve it!"
A fleeting look of confusion crossed Ouyang Ying's eyes before she regained her composure. She raised her hand to gently brush a strand of hair behind her ear and asked with a smile, "Brother Zhengyang, weren't you scared when you were fighting with someone just now?"
"What are you afraid of?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback.
“He’s not afraid of fighting at all. Humph, he loves to fight with people at home and always makes our parents angry!” Xu Rouyue immediately belittled her brother.
"You brat, when did I ever like fighting?"
"You are it!"
...
Ouyang Ying listened to the siblings bickering with a smile, already convinced that Xu Zhengyang was indeed the troublemaker Xu Rouyue had described. So she said with a smile, "Brother Zhengyang, you're really amazing, taking on both of them by yourself."
"Well, he's not exactly a fighter, but country folk are tough and can take a beating," Xu Zhengyang said, shaking his head.
Ouyang Ying and Xu Rouyue exchanged a smile.
Xu Zhengyang sighed, scratched his head, and said with some worry, "I'm afraid that if that brat gets beaten up, he'll cause trouble for Rouyue again. I can't stay by Rouyue's side every day. Also, this is the capital, not our village. If that kid brings a bunch of people, I can't beat them."
"Pfft..." Ouyang Ying couldn't help but laugh out loud. She didn't expect that Xu Zhengyang, who had been so imposing and fierce before, would say something so frightening. Normally, in this situation, a man should strike while the iron is hot and show his heroic spirit without any fear. But he was just being honest.
Upon hearing this, Xu Rouyue couldn't help but feel uneasy. She was a gentle and kind girl, and the thought of possibly being harassed by shameless hooligans like Huang Chen in the future naturally made her afraid.
"How about we let Xia Dan's boyfriend, Yu Xuan, talk to him?" Ouyang Ying also became a little worried. "After all, he and Huang Chen are friends."
Xu Zhengyang looked at his sister with some confusion.
“Brother, Xia Dan, Xia Dan is our friend. Her boyfriend Yu Xuan is friends with Huang Chen. After he met me once, he kept coming to see me.” Xu Rouyue explained awkwardly, “I ignored him, but he, he keeps coming to see me.”
"Oh." Xu Zhengyang nodded.
"Rouyue, why don't you call Xia Dan?" Ouyang Ying handed her phone to Xu Rouyue while driving.
Xu Rouyue took the phone and hesitated before looking at her brother.
"Let's eat first, we'll talk later," Xu Zhengyang said, shaking his head. "Hmm, Rouyue, are you hungry?"
"Let's find a restaurant near our apartment complex; it's closer to home," Ouyang Ying explained with a smile.
"Oh, your dorm is so far away? I feel bad asking you to pick up and drop off Rouyue every day... Besides, how much can you earn as a tutor? This car runs on gas, not water..." The country bumpkin Xu Zhengyang started doing the math and felt it was really not worth it. "Well, it would be nice to have a bicycle. No, no, you can't handle riding a bicycle this far."
Ouyang Ying couldn't help but giggle.
Xu Rouyue became even more embarrassed by her brother's words, and said with a wry smile, "Brother, I take the bus every day, okay?"
"Oh, right, right." Xu Zhengyang smiled sheepishly, inwardly blaming himself for making a fool of himself and embarrassing his sister.
"Brother, actually, I didn't stay in the dormitory. I stayed at Yingying's house."
Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a moment before scratching his head and saying awkwardly, "Rouyue, you... sigh, when you're at someone else's house, you have to do more work and be more lively. It's so embarrassing... Um, is it cheaper than living in the dormitory? Hmm, it's okay, it's okay, it doesn't matter if it's a little more expensive, I'm rich!"
“Brother…” Xu Rouyue was extremely embarrassed. Not to mention that Ouyang Ying knew her family’s financial situation very well, even if you were really rich now, it would be too ridiculous to show off your wealth in front of a rich girl like Ouyang Ying.
Ouyang Ying laughed so hard she almost fell over, saying repeatedly, "Brother Zhengyang, brother, please stop talking! If you keep talking, I won't be able to drive properly anymore..."
"Okay, okay, drive carefully, drive carefully," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
“Well, Brother Zhengyang, now that you have money, you have to pay me for the fare today, and you also have to pay me for the fare that Rouyue owes me before…” Ouyang Ying joked.
Xu Zhengyang's expression turned serious, and he said earnestly, "No problem! No problem!"
Ouyang Ying laughed so hard she was shaking, slapping the steering wheel repeatedly and saying, "Oh no, I can't take it anymore, brother, you're so funny..."
Xu Rouyue awkwardly pinched Ouyang Ying's arm, her face flushed as she bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She wondered to herself, "Brother, he's not usually like this. Why is he so talkative and cheerful? Could it be that he's really made money and wants to show some confidence?"
Xu Zhengyang feigned a bewildered expression, as if wondering if talking to me was funny. What's so funny about this?
In fact, Xu Zhengyang knew in his heart that Ouyang Ying was just joking. If friends really cared about things like car expenses and gas money, would they still be friends?
Xu Zhengyang felt perfectly justified in saying these things. It's hard to refuse favors, but you can't owe people too much. People's kindness is their own business; you can't keep accepting their kindness forever, can you?
Even friends won't do.
That would make it impossible for people to sleep soundly.
In the end, I owe them something!
Volume 1, Land, Chapter 25: Something Happened
On Chengfu West Road in Wudaokou, outside the south gate of Zhengqiying Residential Area, there is a mid-range restaurant called "Laifu Dumpling Restaurant".
Well, when it comes to mid-range, it certainly can't compare to the hotels and restaurants in this area. But in Xu Zhengyang's opinion, this is already a very, very good restaurant. At least... it's on par with the "Tianwaitian Hotel" in his hometown of Futou Town.
Ouyang Ying didn't actually follow Xu Zhengyang's suggestion to find a nice restaurant for a proper meal, nor did she believe his claim that she was now wealthy. That's why she chose a mid-range dumpling restaurant—one that wouldn't cost Xu Zhengyang too much, nor would it make him lose face.
Although Xu Rouyue also came from a poor family, she had at least been to eat at truly high-end hotels and restaurants during her year of study in Kyoto, thanks to the extravagant spending of Ouyang Ying. Therefore, she was genuinely grateful to Ouyang Ying for taking such good care of her brother's reputation.
Of course, Xu Zhengyang was unaware of Ouyang Ying's good intentions. Although he knew that this dumpling restaurant was hardly a particularly high-end hotel.
What is the image of a nouveau riche from a rural background who has never seen the world?
That's Xu Zhengyang.