Chapter Fifty-Two: Guoguo Makes Trouble

Chapter Fifty-Two: Guoguo Causes Trouble

In a matter of moments, the group of burly men were all kicked by Xu Yun into the river, each of them looking as defeated and terrified as drowned dogs. They hadn’t even managed to exchange blows with Xu Yun; unable to see his fists, they were all on their knees before being sent flying by his powerful kicks.

Shanzi’s cigarette had barely burned halfway before his men were utterly routed. He saw it clearly—none of his subordinates could withstand a single punch from the other man! Each was felled in one move, then kicked away in the next.

Lu Feng, sitting in the Jeep Wrangler, was dumbfounded. He was a site foreman, used to rough dealings and scuffles over construction projects, but he'd never witnessed anyone as ruthless as Xu Yun.

Only now did Lu Feng understand why Qiangzi had been so calm coming here with Xu Yun, and he finally believed what Dan Hongning had said yesterday about Xu Yun being able to take out all the bathhouse thugs in a blink.

Kong Zhong stared at Xu Yun as if seeing a deity, his mind full of doubt—was this man even human?!

“Did Fan Nanjie send you?” Xu Yun strode over to the burly man called Shanzi.

Shanzi shook his head. “No.”

“You’re his man? Still so loyal?” Xu Yun regarded him coolly.

“I’m not Fan Nanjie’s man,” Shanzi met Xu Yun’s gaze squarely. “But I owe him a favor.”

Xu Yun paused. “You owe him?”

Shanzi nodded. “To be honest, I served two years and was released less than a month ago. Last year, both my parents died. My sister told me Fan Nanjie paid for their burial. I owe him, and he gave my sister a job at his bathhouse.”

“Brother, stop!” From a white van, a girl shouted angrily.

Xu Yun turned to look. Such a pure-faced girl—wasn’t she the one who served him last night on the fourth floor of Rainforest, number eighteen?

Shanzi was stunned by his sister’s shout, unsure what was happening, just staring blankly at her.

“Do you know what Fan Nanjie made your sister do at work?” Xu Yun’s eyes flashed with a chilling gloom.

Shanzi trembled, his lips quivering. Something he had never doubted now seemed uncertain as he spoke. “Cashier…”

Xu Yun shook his head.

The girl in the white van bit her lip, her face pleading. “Please, don’t say any more!”

Xu Yun paid no further attention to Shanzi, turning instead to Qiangzi. “Give me a cigarette.”

Qiangzi was surprised—Yun never smoked before. Lu Feng quickly pulled out a cigarette and offered it, lighting it with practiced ease.

Xu Yun took a drag, thinking, if only he'd known yesterday how vile Fan Nanjie was, he should have shown him what death felt like. The most despicable are those who exploit others’ misfortunes.

Shanzi, trembling, walked up to the van and asked his sister, “Sis, what’s going on…”

The girl burst into tears. “Brother, I had no choice—I was desperate... If I hadn't given myself to Fan Nanjie, I wouldn’t even have had money to cremate Mom and Dad. But I never thought he’d force me to sell myself... Brother...”

“Why did you lie to me?! Tell me Fan Nanjie was my benefactor!” Shanzi’s fist, veins bulging, smashed viciously into the van window, shattering it and leaving his arm bleeding.

The girl just sobbed, unable to say a word.

“With your temperament, what would you have done if she told you the truth?” Xu Yun stubbed his cigarette out after two drags, feeling the harshness.

Shanzi’s bloodshot eyes bulged. “I’d have killed that bastard!”

Xu Yun rose and looked at Shanzi. “That’s why your sister didn’t tell you. She doesn’t want you back in prison. She can’t bear the pain of losing her only family.”

Qiangzi was moved by Xu Yun’s words. Damn, Yun really had a way with things. Smoking while talking gave it such atmosphere. He lit one of Lu Feng’s cigarettes himself, deciding never to smoke those cheap ones again.

After the siblings cried in each other’s arms for a while, the men Xu Yun had kicked into the river dragged themselves out, having witnessed everything.

Shanzi’s sister had been ruined by Fan Nanjie, while Shanzi had come swaggering to repay a favor. No wonder she’d been silent on the way here.

“I’m truly damned!” Shanzi suddenly cried to the sky, then strode over to Xu Yun and, without a word, knelt before him.

Xu Yun was startled, quickly stepping back—such a heavy gesture!

With grave determination, Shanzi addressed him, having heard Kong Zhong call him Yun, so he followed suit. “Yun, if not for you, I wouldn’t have known my sister’s suffering. You took down Fan Nanjie, and now you're my benefactor. Whatever you ask, I won’t refuse!”

Xu Yun waved it off. “Take your sister and leave. I can’t stand seeing women cry.”

“Alright!” Shanzi nodded, then told the battered men, “From now on, Yun is my boss—and yours. We’re responsible for what we did today. Stay and pull up the sand-dredging boat. I’ll take my sister home and come back.”

Kong Zhong touched his bruised lip—those punches had been for nothing. Shanzi was a real tough guy. At least, facing Xu Yun, who had toppled over thirty men, he showed no fear. In that respect, he was leagues ahead of the South City Three Tigers.

Xu Yun opened the Jeep’s door, jumped in, and reversed expertly, spinning the car around and flooring it. The rugged vehicle climbed the steep riverbank like a bull charging at a red cloth.

Once the car was up, Xu Yun got out and called to Lu Feng and Qiangzi, “Come on, are you waiting for me to fetch you? Damn, climbing hills with two passengers is hard!”

Lu Feng was heartbroken—there was a gentler slope nearby, just a bit farther. But Xu Yun thought differently. If you’re driving a car like this, you don’t take ordinary roads.

“Oh, Kong Zhong, later send me some sand. Yun’s Medicinal Cuisine House needs it for flooring.” Lu Feng, climbing the bank, remembered to instruct Kong Zhong.

“Will do, one hour.” Kong Zhong grinned, though he needed to hit the hospital first.

…

The bilingual international school’s teaching schedule was unlike that of regular full-time elementary schools, one of its unique features. You could hardly tell whether it was Chinese or English class.

Just one more period before dismissal. Su Xiaoran’s throat was dry, and she was worried—Sun Haoran hadn’t returned since leaving after wetting his pants.

Guoguo was truly triumphant in the class. As soon as break began, she was surrounded by admirers; even the notorious Sun Haoran had been scared into tears by her, proving she was no ordinary child.

But Guoguo’s good times didn’t last long. After class, before Su Xiaoran could leave, the classroom door was pushed open by a large hand. In walked a well-dressed man around thirty-five, holding Sun Haoran, now in clean clothes.

“Sun Haoran?” Su Xiaoran was surprised, then smiled politely at the man. “Hello, you must be Sun Haoran’s father?”

The man ignored Su Xiaoran, lowering his head to ask, “Son, tell Daddy, who was it?”

“It was her!” Sun Haoran pointed at Guoguo. “Feng Guoguo!”

“Fatty, wetting your pants at your age, running to adults when something happens—aren’t you ashamed?” Guoguo looked at him with disdain, unaffected by his father’s arrival.

The man snorted, pointing at Guoguo. “Little girl, didn’t you say your mother was a gangster boss? Fine, tell your mother I’ll wait for her at the school gate at noon. If she doesn’t show, don’t blame me for being rough with you. Scaring my son? You’re quite something.”

Guoguo frowned, retorting, “Your son was a pervert! He said I had to be his girlfriend—hmpf, does he even match up to me?”

The man was enraged by Guoguo’s words. “You brat, I could kill you with one finger—believe it or not!”

“Excuse me, this is a school. Please mind your words and actions.” Su Xiaoran dropped her smile, never having met such a petty parent, quarreling with a child. “Sun Haoran’s father, do you really have to interfere in children’s matters?”

“Get out of my way.” The man was rude to Su Xiaoran. “My son was bullied in class. As his teacher, you’re responsible, too. Hmph!”

With that, he left with his son, leaving a frustrated Su Xiaoran behind. Parents these days were so unreasonable! Their words could be so harsh!

But what exactly had Guoguo done? Su Xiaoran couldn’t help but turn curiously to Guoguo.

Guoguo beamed. “Miss Su, look, you’re making me embarrassed now.”

Su Xiaoran’s expression darkened. This little demon—she’d better call Ruan Qingshuang. If Guoguo caused real trouble, she couldn’t bear the responsibility.

Ruan Qingshuang had spent the whole morning at Dan Hongning’s Bean Stew City. Dan Hongning was efficient, recruiting over a dozen chefs experienced in medicinal cuisine. Each prepared a dish according to Ruan Qingshuang’s recipe.

After tasting them, Ruan Qingshuang selected three chefs. Dan Hongning had already arranged for the advertising company to make a colorful banner: "Grand Opening—Secret Ancestral Medicinal Cuisine! Clears heat and inflammation, promotes health, essential gourmet for wellness!"

When Ruan Qingshuang received Su Xiaoran’s call, she was troubled—clearly, Guoguo had gotten into trouble again.