Chapter 129: Ming Han?

Wang Xiaochun suppressed the anger rising within him. He felt incredibly stifled! He couldn't very well beat up an old man, could he? As he struck him, he would have to curse, "You old fool, you're so stupid."

Given this old man’s frail frame, he’d probably be done for after a couple of hits.

"Sir, I’m asking where Ming Han has gone now," Wang Xiaochun said, thinking he had made himself perfectly clear.

The old man chuckled. "That boy went to his mother’s shop to help out."

OK! Location locked.

"And where is her shop located?"

The old man shook his head. "I don’t know about that. I heard it’s not far from here, though."

Wang Xiaochun was stunned. So, after chatting with you for all this time, it’s as if you said absolutely nothing?

The old man glanced at his large dog. "Oh, I can’t talk to you anymore; my Dachun needs to go poop."

Wang Xiaochun’s mental defenses collapsed completely. What did you call that dog? Dachun?

Old man, were you sent by the heavens to torment me?

Watching the old man’s retreating back, Wang Xiaochun felt a deep ache in his heart. This had been the most frustrating day of his career as a hired thug.

A moment later, he heard the old man say to his dog, "Be a good boy, Dachun! Stop eating your own poop. When the time comes, I’ll find you a female dog to mate with, and I’ll name one of the puppies Xiaochun to reward you."

Wang Xiaochun was moved to tears...

He decided then and there to vent all his hatred on that wretched Ming Han. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for having such an ill-mannered old neighbor, hmph!

Meanwhile, Ming Han had just parted ways with Chen Li.

Chen Li and Chen Nuo had finished their big shopping trip and were in high spirits.

"Ming Han, we’re heading off. You should just take a cab home!"

Ming Han stood blankly at the entrance of the commercial street, watching the two sisters drive away, leaving him alone on the street.

They just left me behind like that, without a second thought?

Resigned, he had no choice but to hail a cab himself.

...

Wang Xiaochun decided to wander around the neighborhood and ask around a bit more. He refused to believe that no one knew where Ming Han’s shop was.

Just then, the sound of teenage laughter drifted from around the street corner.

It was a group of boys led by Liu Yutong.

Liu Yutong was still the same as ever, followed by a pack of lackeys wherever he went. Today, he was out to stand up for his younger brother.

His younger brother, Liu Minghan, had actually been beaten up by someone from the middle school next door.

"Dare to beat up my brother, Liu? Are these kids tired of living?"

Liu Yutong had rarely suffered a setback since he was a child. The last time he did, it was when he was bullied by Ming Han over at Dafei Mountain.

At first, he had felt a bit ashamed, but later, when Ming Han exploded in popularity online, that incident somehow became one of his proudest stories.

He would tell everyone he met, "Do you know Ming Han? Yes, yes, that teenage star. I have a very close relationship with him."

"Back when Ming Han was down on his luck, a whole group of them were starving and shivering on Dafei Mountain, and I treated them to dozens of pounds of braised snacks."

"Ming Han even said at the time, 'A drop of kindness received should be repaid with a gushing spring'!"

Liu Yutong bragged incessantly!

The two lackeys who knew the truth wore very colorful expressions. To be able to spin being scammed by Ming Han into such a glorious tale—the boss was truly no ordinary person!

Today, Liu Yutong bore the heavy responsibility of standing up for his brother.

"Minghan, you’ve really lost face for your brother, getting scratched up like this by two seventh-graders..."

Three distinct, startling claw marks were visible on Liu Minghan’s face.

Just then, this conversation was overheard by the passing Wang Xiaochun.

"Ming Han?"

Wang Xiaochun craned his neck and saw the boy referred to as "Ming Han." He looked quite thin and small; how could he have bullied Zhuang Tonghe?

No matter! He had taken the money, so he had to resolve the problem.

He stepped out and blocked the path of Liu Yutong’s group. "Which one of you is Ming Han?"

Liu Minghan stood out timidly. "Uncle, it’s me!"

Well! He was actually quite polite.

Wang Xiaochun didn't respond; he simply threw a punch.

Liu Minghan felt a sudden heat in his nose. He touched it—he was bleeding.

"Waaaah..." Liu Minghan was, after all, just a middle schooler, and he was scared out of his wits.

Is the whole world against me? Even some random thug doesn't like the look of me...

Seeing Wang Xiaochun’s burly build, Liu Yutong felt a bit panicked. "May I ask, brother, which path do you walk?"

Looking at Liu Yutong’s solemn expression, Wang Xiaochun found it somewhat amusing. "Path, my foot. Let me cripple his leg, and you can all leave safely."

Liu Yutong was stunned! Was there no law? No humanity? This was the first time he’d seen someone try to cripple his brother the moment they met.

He hurriedly took out his phone. "Dad! Someone wants to cripple Minghan’s leg." Liu Yutong was almost crying.

On the other end, Liu Yutong’s father was frantic upon hearing the news. Could it be one of his business rivals retaliating against his son?

He told his eldest son, "Wait for me, I’ll be there immediately."

Five minutes later, Liu Yutong’s father arrived with two bodyguards.

They were met with this scene: a hulking man chasing his younger son, who was crying his eyes out.

Liu Yutong’s father, Liu Qing, immediately ordered his two bodyguards, "Stop him!"

Although they had the numbers, they were no match for Wang Xiaochun’s massive frame. Liu Qing’s side was surprisingly at a disadvantage.

"Brother, let’s talk this over. Why be so rough with my son? He’s just a middle schooler!"

Wang Xiaochun said, "Someone paid five thousand to buy your son’s leg."

Liu Qing was furious. What kind of animal would pay five thousand to buy his son’s leg?

"Brother, I’ll pay ten thousand to buy back my son’s leg. And while you’re at it, help me cripple that other person’s leg." Liu Qing was referring to Zhuang Tonghe.

Wang Xiaochun looked at Liu Qing coldly. "Hmph! Even thieves have a code. Do you think I’m the kind of person who breaks his word?"

Liu Qing felt a chill. He had heard that these types of professional thugs valued their reputation above all else.

"However..." Wang Xiaochun paused. "For such a cute kid, I really can’t bring myself to do it. Tell you what, I accept your deal."

Liu Qing was stunned! He had thought this man was a hero of his word, but he hadn't expected him to change his tune so quickly.

"Cash payment only," Wang Xiaochun said shamelessly.

Liu Qing paid up through gritted teeth.

As for the real Ming Han, he was currently on the road.

When he arrived at the entrance of his apartment complex, he happened to run into the old man walking his dog.

Ming Han greeted him very politely.

The old man said, "Little Han! A man claiming to be your PE teacher came looking for you today."

Ming Han thought to himself that his only PE teacher in middle school was a black man, and if that teacher needed anything, he would just call—he wouldn't come for a home visit.

Ming Han was completely bewildered.

If the Liu Qing family ever found out the full story of what happened, they would probably cry their eyes out.

...

July 15th!

The night before the high school entrance exam results were released.

Everyone agreed in their group chat to go to an internet cafe the next day to check their scores.

The websites would likely be overwhelmed, and home internet connections wouldn't be able to handle it.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous, but Ming Han was very confident in himself.

Before the scores were released, the minimum admission cut-off scores for various schools began to emerge.

City No. 1 High School: 406 points. (Recommended for the top 1,500 students in the city.)

Total possible score: 450.