Upon seeing the slender figure standing at the alley entrance from afar, Diao Yishi's face lit up with joy. He immediately slowed down and drove over at a leisurely pace, stopping on the street opposite the alley entrance. Diao Yishi pushed open the car door and jumped out first, running excitedly towards Xu Zhengyang: "Brother Yang, oh my, I've missed you so much... Do you still remember me? I'm Diao Yishi!"
Diao Yishi was over 1.8 meters tall, dressed in a black and yellow off-road outfit. His hair was also shaved into a buzz cut, making him look energetic and much more mature and composed than when Xu Zhengyang last saw him.
"Of course I remember, hehe." Xu Zhengyang smiled and patted Diao Yishi on the shoulder, took out a Yuxi cigarette and handed it to him, "Have one, don't think my cigarette is bad."
"How could that be!" Diao Yishi happily took it and lit it.
"Xiao Diao, come and get your things!" Ouyang Ying got out of the car, scolding him with a stern face. Then she smiled and waved her slender hand at Xu Zhengyang, saying, "Hello, Brother Zhengyang!"
"Hello, hello, welcome!" Xu Zhengyang smiled and walked over to help carry the things downstairs.
Xu Rouyue had already gotten out of the car, calling out in a clear voice, "Brother..."
"Hey, the girl's gotten even prettier!" Xu Zhengyang chuckled and reached out to rub Xu Rouyue's hair.
Xu Rouyue felt embarrassed. She was already so old, and her parents rarely asked her to rub their heads, but her brother always treated her like a little girl who would never grow up.
After closing the car doors, the group chatted and laughed as they carried their bags and packages into the alley.
Upon entering the courtyard, one could see Yuan Suqin, wearing a white floral apron tied around her waist, standing at the entrance of the west kitchen, smiling and looking in their direction. Xu Neng, on the other hand, stood under the grape trellis on the east side, a cigarette between his fingers, a slightly nervous,憨笑 on his face as he looked at the newcomers.
"Father, Mother."
"Uncle, Aunt, hello."
Yuan Suqin's face lit up with joy: "Alright, alright, come on in. You must be exhausted from your long journey. Zhengyang, there's some juice on the table, and some melon seeds, peanuts, and candy on the cabinet. Come on in and get ready..."
"Yes," Xu Zhengyang nodded in response.
Upon entering the house, the three people who had traveled a long way were taken aback. Well, the living room, which wasn't particularly large, had such a huge table in the middle... If it weren't for the sofa and coffee table under the left window and the storage cabinet against the east wall, it would have felt like entering a private room in a restaurant.
Xu Zhengyang noticed the surprise on the three people's faces, but he didn't seem too embarrassed. He smiled and said, "I thought you guys were coming, so I bought a bigger table, but my house is too small to put it here. I hope you can forgive me for this."
“It’s great, I think it’s great!” Diao Yishi said earnestly.
"Yes, it's really great. We've gone to so much trouble for you all...hehe." Ouyang Ying said with a smile, then turned and stuck out her tongue at Xu Rouyue. Ouyang Ying was slightly puzzled, though. Rouyue's brother was completely different from when they last met in the capital. Back then, he always had a憨厚 (honest and simple) appearance, sometimes speaking with a slightly nervous and shy air. Although he could be quite intimidating when he was fierce, he was also undeniably adorable.
Xu Zhengyang temporarily placed the things on a row of chairs against the wall, then invited them to sit on the sofa. He took some melon seeds, peanuts, and candy and placed them on the coffee table. He also took some juice and glasses and asked Xu Rouyue to pour them.
While busy at work, Xu Rouyue said, "Brother, why does our house look different?"
"Yes, yes, isn't the new house still under construction? All the furniture looks brand new to me," Ouyang Ying said in surprise. Then, as if remembering something, she looked slightly embarrassed and said, "It's not because we're coming that...we just bought it, is it? We're really causing you trouble..."
So Xu Zhengyang scratched his head, revealing a long-lost, simple smile, and said, "I only bought these yesterday because I knew you were coming. Before, the things at home were a bit shabby... I was worried that you city people would laugh at us."
Ouyang Ying chuckled and said, "Brother, we don't mind at all. We're just causing you trouble, hehe..." Ouyang Ying took a sip of juice and continued with a smile, "But I'm not embarrassed at all. Rouyue told me long ago that you're a rich man now, Zhengyang."
"Not really. Country folk can't compare to you. We're still poor peasants, representatives of the proletariat." Xu Zhengyang smiled and waved his hand, then said, "Rouyue is all alone in the capital. It's all thanks to you taking care of her. You've come all this way, but there's nothing good to eat or drink to offer you in this countryside. There's nothing fun to do either. Please don't mind!"
Diao Yishi said seriously, "Brother Yang, with you here, this place is the legendary treasure land where dragons and tigers lie! The radishes grown here are like ginseng fruits."
Xu Zhengyang was amused and waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "Xiao Diao's words are making me blush."
"It's really nice, much better than those farmhouses in tourist areas," Ouyang Ying said happily. "On the way here, the rice in the paddy fields looked so good, it was really beautiful. When it's harvest time in the fall, I want to come here and learn how to harvest rice with a sickle."
"I want to come too!" Diao Yishi immediately raised his hand in agreement.
After chatting and joking for a while, Xu Zhengyang said, "You must be tired from your journey. Everything is simpler in the countryside. Go to the courtyard and wash your face with some cool water to refresh yourself. After you have a meal, you can rest for a bit."
"Not tired at all," Ouyang Ying said with a smile.
Diao Yishi said with dissatisfaction, "If you hadn't kept nagging, we would have arrived long ago."
"Why are you driving so fast? Are you crazy? Didn't you see Rouyue was terrified?" Ouyang Ying glared and scolded.
"Ah? Sister Rouyue, are you scared? I'm so sorry!" Diao Yishi quickly apologized upon hearing this.
"No, no." Xu Rouyue quickly shook her head, seemingly recalling the scene when she first left the capital, a trace of lingering fear flashing in her eyes. Strictly speaking, Xu Rouyue and Diao Yishi were the same age, only half a year older than each other, but ever since Xu Zhengyang left the capital last time, Diao Yishi had always called her "elder sister," so it had become a habit, and Xu Rouyue didn't feel too embarrassed.
Xu Zhengyang sensed that Diao Yishi was driving too fast and his sister was scared, so he asked in surprise, "How long has it taken you to get here?"
"Four hours, sigh, what a disgrace!" Diao Yishi sighed.
"..." Xu Zhengyang, the country bumpkin, was stunned, and couldn't help but feel afraid for his sister's safety. My goodness, a thousand miles away, and they've covered it in four hours! How fast must they be driving? Last time, it took me five and a half hours to come back from Beijing with Li Bingjie and Li Chengzong!
Seeing the surprise in Xu Zhengyang's eyes, Diao Yishi felt he had the right to show off and said seriously, "If it weren't for my cousin's constant nagging, this short distance would only take a little over three hours. I think it's not Rouyue who's scared, it's you who's scared, right?" Diao Yishi looked at Ouyang Ying.
"Get out! Believe me or not, I'll call my uncle right now!" Ouyang Ying threatened.
"No, no, he's already confiscated my Lamborghini, sigh." Diao Yishi hurriedly begged for mercy, looking regretful.
Xu Zhengyang sighed and said, "Don't drive so fast in the future. Safety first, safety first!"
"Okay, I'll listen to Brother Yang," Diao Yishi nodded, his expression serious, as if he really wouldn't drive faster than 70 mph from now on.
After chatting and joking for a while, when Xu Zhengyang asked how Rouyue was doing in the capital and whether anyone was bullying her, Ouyang Ying smiled and said, "Now, not only in our school and the surrounding area, but in the whole of the capital, who would dare to bully our dear Rouyue?"
"Huh?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback.
Xu Rouyue blushed slightly and said, "I don't usually like to go out, so no one bullies me."
Diao Yishi chuckled and said, "Speaking of this, I remember beating up those bastards last time. It was so satisfying! Sigh, Yu Xuan and Huang Chen are really awesome. One phone call and more than twenty people came. They didn't even have to lift a finger. Just saying their names scared those bastards into silence."
"Hmm? What happened?" Xu Zhengyang frowned slightly. He could tell that his sister had encountered some trouble again, but it seemed that it had been resolved.
Xu Rouyue blushed again and whispered, "It's nothing."
Ouyang Ying said with a smile, "Our dear Rouyue is as beautiful as an angel, it's all because she's so pretty."
Xu Zhengyang grew increasingly surprised and worried, while a surge of anger rose within him. Damn it, who bullied my sister? Did they have a death wish? However, his anger was quickly quelled by Diao Yishi's explanation.
About two weeks ago, Diao Yishi, Ouyang Ying, and Xu Rouyue went to the "Royal Garden" for a visit. After lunch at a restaurant, they encountered several wealthy young men who, seeing that Xu Rouyue and Ouyang Ying were pretty, approached them, jokingly trying to make friends. Xu Rouyue, being gentle and timid, initially intended to ignore them, but Ouyang Ying and Diao Yishi, both with fiery tempers, quickly put the conversation in a tense standoff.
Diao Yishi announced his not-so-famous name, but it was of no use, so he immediately started fighting.
Unfortunately, while it's true that Diao Yishi was impulsive and belligerent, he was simply not cut out for fighting. Moreover, the other side outnumbered him, and Diao Yishi was quickly surrounded and beaten to the ground.
Xu Rouyue wanted to call the police, but Diao Yishi disagreed, cursing and refusing to back down, yelling that she shouldn't leave if she had the guts, and then picked up her phone to make a call for help.
Why would a few rich young men be afraid of this? They were all the type who wished the sky would fall, and immediately, one after another, they made phone calls to call for help, while also teasing and flirting with the furious Ouyang Ying and the red-faced, tearful Xu Rouyue.
As it turned out, the wealthy young men did indeed bring quite a few people.
But they never expected that Diao Yishi would call Yu Xuan and Huang Chen.
It turned out that ever since Xu Zhengyang returned from Beijing, Yu Xuan and Huang Chen had made several special trips to see Xu Rouyue, invited her to dinner on several occasions, and left their phone numbers, telling her to call them if she needed anything. Xu Rouyue always shyly agreed, but she never really thought of calling such people for any help. Huang Chen and Yu Xuan understood, so they told Diao Yishi to inform them if they heard anything about Xu Rouyue.
Huang Chen was naturally afraid of Xu Zhengyang's threat, while Yu Xuan was purely attracted to Xu Zhengyang's incredible special abilities, hoping to get closer to him and perhaps one day be of great help. In this respect, Yu Xuan was indeed an outstanding person, much better than Huang Chen. He was intelligent, not impulsive, and far-sighted, avoiding making enemies easily. Moreover, he was genuine in his dealings with people and making friends, so he only showed some goodwill towards Xu Rouyue but never contacted Xu Zhengyang.
Let's get back to the story of that day.
Young people are all hot-blooded and combative, especially these rich kids who are spoiled and pampered. They get excited when it comes to causing trouble, and they immediately call people to stage a brawl to show off their glorious deeds in the future.
After receiving Diao Yishi's call, Yu Xuan immediately called Huang Chen; naturally, Diao Yishi also called Huang Chen afterward.
Upon hearing that Xu Rouyue had been bullied by several young masters, Huang Chen was furious. "Which son of a bitch dares to bully Xu Rouyue? Isn't this bringing trouble upon me?" After hanging up the phone, Huang Chen immediately contacted some thugs and tough guys, and quickly drove to the scene.
After Yu Xuan and Huang Chen's men arrived, the other side also arrived with a large number of their own men. However, the arrival of Yu Xuan and Huang Chen meant that the fight was destined to be averted.
Among the people the other party had called were those who recognized Huang Chen and Yu Xuan. Upon seeing these two troublesome second-generation rich kids from Beijing arrive, they were furious. They quickly stepped forward to greet them, and after understanding the purpose of the two young masters' visit, they hurriedly apologized. They then ran to Xu Rouyue, Ouyang Ying, and Diao Yishi to apologize profusely.
The troublemakers were dumbfounded. Not only had their own men turned against them, but they'd also heard of Yu Xuan and Huang Chen's reputations – they were legendary. What were they going to do? Apologizing and backing down was simply too much for them. And so…
Huang Chen flew into a rage and slapped each of them several times. The young men were indignant, but they dared not retaliate.
Huang Chen wasn't satisfied with just beating her up; he even told Xu Rouyue to go ahead and beat her up too, saying he'd take responsibility if anything happened. Xu Rouyue certainly wouldn't do such a thing, but Diao Yishi was capable of it. He was already seething with anger after being brutally beaten, and now that he had a powerful backer, Diao Yishi truly vented his anger.
After listening to Diao Yishi's smug account, Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses. He really hadn't expected that Yu Xuan and Huang Chen, whom he had met in the capital through a fight, would be such arrogant and powerful figures. They were much more impressive than his poor buddies in the nearby villages and Futou Town.
Regardless, he did his sister a great favor and really treated Xu Zhengyang as a friend.
So after Xu Zhengyang and Ouyang Ying and Xu Rouyue went to the bedroom in the west room to settle their things, Xu Zhengyang led Diao Yishi to the bedroom in the east room. After settling everything in, he took out his phone and called Huang Chen to express his gratitude.
Huang Chen naturally said that there was no need to be polite. Why bother with such formalities between friends? This is what an older brother should do. Rouyue is his own sister in the capital. Anyone who dares to bully Xu Rouyue is bullying Huang Chen.
After exchanging pleasantries and hanging up, Xu Zhengyang called Yu Xuan again to express his gratitude.
Unlike Huang Chen, Yu Xuan didn't make any grand promises. He simply exchanged a few polite words and then invited Xu Zhengyang to visit him in the capital when he had some free time.
Xu Zhengyang naturally agreed and said he would definitely pay a visit when he had time.
After chatting for a while, Yu Xuan said, "I heard that Brother Zhengyang opened an antique shop and business is pretty good. When I have time, I'll go to Fuhe City and pick out a few antiques from your shop to play with."
Xu Zhengyang said, "Welcome, welcome! We'd love to have such a distinguished guest as you patronizing our business."
Yu Xuan then said, "Then you can't treat me like a sucker and rip me off!"
"Well, that's not necessarily true," Xu Zhengyang chuckled.
The two chatted and laughed for a while, wished each other a happy holiday, and then hung up.
Diao Yishi was sitting at his desk flipping through the neatly arranged books when he saw Xu Zhengyang hang up the phone. He asked in surprise, "Brother Yang, is this the kind of book you usually read?"
"Yeah, I just read it to pass the time when I have nothing to do," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"You wouldn't actually be a god, would you?"
"Where are there any gods or immortals? You still believe in that?" Xu Zhengyang laughed it off.
Xu Zhengyang heard his mother calling for dinner from outside, so he and Diao Yishi, who looked thoughtful and suspicious, went out together.
Volume 3, Judge Chapter 109: Can a mud crab climb over the Dragon Gate?
Early morning, western suburbs of Fuhe City.
A misty haze hangs in the air. Dewdrops cling to the green grass, and birdsong echoes through the woods. Xiaowang Mountain is lush with green trees, and the clear Qinghe River meanders through the landscape, occasionally dotted with late-blooming wildflowers. Surrounded by mountains, water, green trees, grass, and clear water, a traditional courtyard house has been built, nestled against the mountain and beside the water.
An elderly man in his seventies, dressed in a white shirt, white trousers, and black cloth shoes with white soles, slowly walked down a gravel path extending from Xiaowang Mountain. Every morning, this old man would climb Xiaowang Mountain, practice a set of Tai Chi on the platform at the top, drink some tea, breathe in the fresh air, and then slowly descend the mountain.
Following the gravel path, the old man walked around the west wall of the courtyard to the front, only to see two cars parked on the east side of the path outside the gate: a black Audi A8 and a Mercedes with a white military license plate with red lettering.
Stepping into the courtyard, the old man didn't go inside. Instead, he walked to a bamboo reclining chair under the eaves of the main house, where a light blue velvet blanket had already been laid out. He turned and sat down, squinting at the courtyard: on several pomegranate trees, pomegranates, not yet fully ripe and tinged with red and yellow, hung among the green leaves; on the platform encircling the courtyard, potted plants were placed in various pots.
The bamboo curtain of the main room was lifted, and Li Bingjie, dressed in a moon-white tracksuit, slowly walked out and stopped in front of her grandfather.
"Girl, are you all back?" the old man asked with a gentle and kind smile.
Li Bingjie nodded gently.
The curtain was lifted again, and Li Binghe, handsome and tall in a military uniform, walked out, chuckling like a child, and said, "Grandpa, did you miss me?"
"Why would I miss you?" the old man chuckled.
"Sigh..." Li Binghe sighed with a smile, "I miss you."
The old man smiled without saying a word, but Li Bingjie suddenly seemed to remember something, turned around and walked along the platform to the second room in the east wing, which was the kitchen.
“My mom is too busy to come,” Li Binghe suddenly said.