Chapter Two: You Want to Woo My Mom

Chapter Two: You Want to Woo My Mom

With delicate fingers, Ruan Qingshuang wiped the tears from her face. She stepped forward and said to Xu Yun, “Thank you, thank you so much…”

Xu Yun chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. “It was nothing. I just can’t stand seeing a group of grown men bullying a defenseless woman.”

“Well, well, looks like we’ve run into a hero saving the damsel in distress today, haven’t we?” sneered the leader among the tattooed thugs, his face twisted and menacing.

Xu Yun’s slap and kick had stunned them, leaving them wide-eyed in disbelief. But now that they’d come to their senses, they still didn’t take him seriously. As far as they were concerned, Xu Yun might be able to fight, but the Four Wolves Gang had over a thousand men standing behind them. Why be afraid of just one guy?

Xu Yun turned and looked at the tattooed thug, grinning. “What? You guys want to cough up a hundred thousand each just to hear the sound?”

“Watch your mouth, kid! I’m with the Four Wolves Gang. Unless you want a thousand people coming after you with knives, you’d better shut up and get out of the way!” the leader barked, his anger palpable.

At the mention of the Four Wolves Gang, the crowd of bystanders stepped back, fear flickering across their faces. Clearly, the gang’s reputation in the area was notorious.

“And if I don’t go? You’ll chop me up?” Xu Yun raised an eyebrow.

“Hmph, kid, I know you can fight. But I’m here to collect a debt today. Once the debt’s been paid, if you want to pick a fight, we can arrange it anytime, anywhere!”

Xu Yun curled his lip in disdain. “You’re not even looking for the debtor—you’re harassing unrelated people. At best, you’ve got the wrong person. At worst, you’re just causing trouble…”

“Hmph!” The leader snorted, his glare fierce as he stared at Ruan Qingshuang. “Lu Bao owes the casino money. Are you going to pay it back or not?”

“Lu Bao owes you money, so you go after him. It has nothing to do with me,” Ruan Qingshuang replied, though her face betrayed her fear.

“So you think, with this guy protecting you, you can just dodge the Four Wolves Gang’s debt? Let me tell you, if you don’t pay up for Lu Bao today, I’ll tear down this stupid medicinal restaurant of yours!” the thug threatened viciously.

Ruan Qingshuang hadn’t expected them to be so unreasonable. Panic and fear overwhelmed her. Alone in Hedong City, who could she turn to for help?

Instinctively, she glanced at Xu Yun standing beside her.

Xu Yun met her gaze, offering a reassuring look before stepping forward to face the gang leader directly. He smiled. “I never minded people who run casinos or brothels—they earn their living by their own means. But now… I’ll give you two options: either take your tough talk and get lost, or end up like Lu Bao and let the ambulance haul you away. Take your pick.”

“What? Did you just compare the Four Wolves Gang to a bunch of prostitutes?” The leader’s eyes bulged with rage, and his lackeys behind him were seething.

“Stop flattering yourselves. Are you really any cleaner than them?” Xu Yun said coolly.

“You little punk, you’re looking for trouble…” The leader cursed, abruptly whipping out a baton from his belt and swinging it at Xu Yun.

“Ah! Watch out!” Ruan Qingshuang screamed in fright, never having witnessed such a scene before. Despite her terror, she still remembered to warn Xu Yun.

But Xu Yun didn’t dodge. Only when the baton was just inches from his head did he finally move.

With lightning speed, his right index and middle fingers shot upward like a snake striking its prey, moving so fast they seemed to blur in the air.

Crack!

Xu Yun’s fingers caught the descending baton with a crisp snap. The sound wasn’t loud, but everyone nearby froze in utter shock as if thunder had struck.

That vicious baton swing was stopped effortlessly between two fingers.

Not only the onlookers—even the thug wielding the baton was stunned. He knew exactly how much force he’d put into that swing. Even a stick would have left a dent, let alone two human fingers. Yet here it was, blocked without effort.

Astonishment. Shock. Dismay…

Before the thug could react, Xu Yun twisted the baton downward with a sudden jerk.

The leader felt a tremendous force wrench his wrist and arm downward, flipping his whole body head over heels. His back slammed hard onto the concrete, sending stars spinning before his eyes and leaving his head reeling.

Xu Yun wasn’t finished. He flicked his toe under the thug’s waist and, with a swift upward kick, sent the two-hundred-pound man flying like a rag doll, tracing a perfect arc through the air before crashing headfirst onto the pavement—just like Lu Bao before him.

“Is that all you’ve got for debt collection? Even bank robbers have more skill than you people. Pathetic!” Xu Yun muttered, then darted into the midst of the charging thugs.

Straight punches, low kicks, and resounding slaps rained down.

Brutal, direct, simple…

In less than half a minute, the remaining five or six thugs were sprawled on the ground like corpses, not a one able to move or be dragged away.

“Your faces are your own, but the money belongs to the Four Wolves Gang! Just look at the state you’re in—your parents would be heartbroken to see you like this!” Xu Yun taunted.

The crowd fell silent at his words.

“If you don’t want to die, get lost. If you do, keep lying there!” Xu Yun said coolly.

As his words faded, an angry roar reached Xu Yun’s ears.

“Kid, if you’ve got guts, leave your name!”

Xu Yun turned to see the battered leader, now as bruised and bloodied as Lu Bao had been. “Xu Yun. If you want revenge, feel free to look for me. But let me warn you—next time won’t be so easy for you.”

“Fine, kid, we’ll see about that. The Four Wolves Gang—ah—”

The leader was still trying to threaten when Xu Yun, thoroughly irritated, strode over and kicked him square in the stomach, cutting him off mid-sentence and leaving only a drawn-out wail in the air.

“I already told you my name. Enough with your nonsense. You’re just asking for another beating.”

Seeing their boss’s fate, the other thugs scrambled to their feet, groaning and clutching various injuries—faces, stomachs, or clamped legs—helping each other as they staggered into the dispersing crowd.

With the Four Wolves Gang beaten, the bystanders knew retaliation would soon follow, so they quietly melted away.

Gratitude shone in Ruan Qingshuang’s beautiful eyes as she looked at Xu Yun. The pallor had faded from her lovely face, replaced with a healthy flush.

“Thank you, Xu Yun,” she said graciously, walking up to him.

“It was nothing,” Xu Yun replied with a smile.

At that moment, a childish voice suddenly rang out.

“Mama, Mama…”

Hearing it, Xu Yun nearly turned to stone. He watched as a little girl of five or six years old ran into Ruan Qingshuang’s arms like a fledgling returning to its nest.

What the—? What’s going on here? Did I see wrong? Was I tricked? Xu Yun inwardly despaired, nearly weeping in frustration.

Ruan Qingshuang shot him an apologetic smile and gently stroked the little girl’s head with affection. “My daughter, Guoguo. She’s a bit mischievous. Sorry for the trouble.”

Those words boomed in Xu Yun’s ears like thunder, nearly shattering all his hopes for this beauty.

“Heh, heh… You don’t look that old, but your daughter must be six, right?” he stammered.

“Oh?” A hint of blush crept onto Ruan Qingshuang’s pretty face. “She’s my goddaughter.”

Xu Yun instantly felt revived, like a withered tree in spring or a sinking ship catching the tide. His face reddened with relief. “That’s great, really great…”

“Mama, I’m hungry!” Guoguo said, nibbling her plump little fingers.

Ruan Qingshuang offered Xu Yun an apologetic smile. “If you don’t mind, come inside and sit. I’ll make some medicinal porridge for Guoguo.”

“Of course,” Xu Yun answered readily, eager to accept her invitation.

The three of them returned to the restaurant. Ruan Qingshuang set Guoguo on a chair, picked up an apron, and headed into the kitchen.

Guoguo gazed at Xu Yun with curiosity, studying him from left to right.

Xu Yun liked children—perhaps even envied them a little. Watching them play so happily always stirred something in him: he’d never had such a carefree childhood. His days were filled with martial arts stances and endurance runs…

Lost in thought, he began chatting with Guoguo.

The pair soon hit it off, and through some questions, Xu Yun learned how Guoguo had been adopted. Not long ago, Ruan Qingshuang had gone out to buy ingredients. Passing by a recycling depot, she’d found the dirty little girl and, in a surge of maternal instinct, brought her home and began raising her as her own.

“Superman Uncle, you were so cool when you beat up the bad guys just now!” Guoguo exclaimed with excitement.

“Superman?” Xu Yun felt as if he were wearing his underwear backward. But Guoguo’s next words made him feel even more awkward.

“Hee hee, Superman Uncle, do you like my mom?” she asked.

Xu Yun was speechless.

“Don’t try to deny it. I can tell,” Guoguo said with conviction.

Xu Yun was at a loss. Were kids always this precocious nowadays?

Guoguo blinked her bright eyes and grinned. “Superman Uncle, will you be my dad?”

At those words, Xu Yun’s eyes lit up. In ancient times, they said a son could travel a thousand miles to deliver a wild father; now, all he had to do was win over this little girl, and with Ruan Qingshuang’s affection for her, winning her heart would be a breeze.

“Uh, haha, sure!” Xu Yun pretended to ponder, but this little imp was just too endearing.

Guoguo’s bright eyes darted mischievously. She stretched out her chubby hand to Xu Yun. “Give me a hundred yuan.”

It took Xu Yun a moment to react—she wanted a meeting gift! Without hesitation, he pulled a hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it to her.