Chapter 16

Xia Hou Zhongying and Zheng Xiuyan were walking ahead, and the senior student seemed to have resigned himself to his fate. He couldn't fight back, and even finding the most capable fighter in Seoul's underground society, Black Dog, didn't help. What else could he do? At worst, he would get beaten up again and end up in the hospital.

"What's your name?" Xia Hou Zhongying suddenly stopped and asked.

"Quan Youjun." The student didn't understand why Xia Hou Zhongying hadn't attacked him and instead asked for his name. He hesitated for a moment before answering straightforwardly.

"Hmm, that's it." Xia Hou Zhongying waved at Quan Youjun.

"Ah." Quan Youjun was stunned and asked uncertainly, "That's it?"

"Yes." Xia Hou Zhongying nodded.

"You're not going to hit me?" Quan Youjun still couldn't believe it.

"Do you want me to hit you?" Xia Hou Zhongying looked at Quan Youjun with a half-smile.

"Um, no." Quan Youjun answered honestly. Who would want to be hit for no reason? That would be asking for trouble, unless they were crazy.

"That's settled then. I need to go home for dinner." Xia Hou Zhongying ignored the stunned Quan Youjun and left.

"Why?" Quan Youjun shouted at Xia Hou Zhongying's retreating figure.

"I'm in a good mood." Xia Hou Zhongying smiled and said, "At first, I did want to hit you, but now I'm in a good mood and don't feel like it. Hehe..."

After the two walked away, Zheng Xiuyan couldn't help but ask, puzzled and angry at the scumbag who had tried to get revenge through the underground society. "Why didn't you hit him? People like that should be taught a lesson."

"Ha." Xia Hou Zhongying couldn't help but laugh at Zheng Xiuyan's angry expression. "Zheng Xiuyan, where did you get all that anger?"

"It's just that, those thugs, if you don't hit them, they won't learn." Zheng Xiuyan was still upset about being scared and almost fainting earlier. "Tell me, why didn't you hit him?"

"I already said, I'm in a good mood today." Xia Hou Zhongying chuckled.

"You're fooling me. No one would believe your reason." Zheng Xiuyan glared, looking like she would make him pay if he didn't answer.

"Okay, what would happen if I hit him?" Xia Hou Zhongying smiled and asked.

"Of course, after hitting him..." Zheng Xiuyan thought about it for a moment but couldn't come up with an answer.

"After hitting him, there would be two outcomes." Xia Hou Zhongying paused and explained to Zheng Xiuyan. "One, he wouldn't dare to bother me again and would stay as far away as possible. Two, he would find someone even more capable to take revenge. If he finds someone stronger than Black Dog, I would be the one getting hit."

"But now it's fine. After letting him off this time, he probably won't come back to cause trouble." Xia Hou Zhongying chuckled. "All the trouble is gone. Isn't that good?"

"Still, I feel unsatisfied." Zheng Xiuyan was still angry, even after hearing Xia Hou Zhongying's explanation.

"Want to go back and hit him now, and let you kick him a few times?" Xia Hou Zhongying teased.

"Um... no, let's not." Zheng Xiuyan hesitated for a moment, finally letting go of her anger. Seeing Xia Hou Zhongying's playful smile, she became even more frustrated. "Fine, Xia Hou Zhongying, you're making fun of me. You're dead, don't run, let me kick you."

"Think I'm stupid? Let you kick me?" Xia Hou Zhongying laughed and ran ahead.

After a while of chasing and play-fighting, Zheng Xiuyan forgot about the earlier scare, and the gloom in her heart dissipated.

"Zheng Xiuyan, why are you so good to me?" Xia Hou Zhongying suddenly asked after they calmed down.

"Who, who is good to you?" Zheng Xiuyan's face turned slightly red, and she stuttered.

"What were you thinking when you rushed out just now?" Xia Hou Zhongying was moved by how Zheng Xiuyan, despite being scared, had rushed out to protect him without hesitation.

"I didn't think about anything." Zheng Xiuyan paused, trying to recall her thoughts at that moment. "Maybe when I heard that guy mention a gun, I felt it was wrong."

"Weren't you afraid?" Xia Hou Zhongying was speechless.

"Of course I was." Thinking about it, Zheng Xiuyan was still shaken. "But at that moment, I didn't know what was happening. I just couldn't help rushing out."

Xia Hou Zhongying looked at Zheng Xiuyan, speechless. She was too naive.

Back at the Zheng family home, during dinner, Xia Hou Zhongying watched Mr. and Mrs. Zheng sip their wine, and his own craving for alcohol flared up. No matter how pitifully he looked or begged, Mr. and Mrs. Zheng remained unmoved, much to Zheng Xiuyan's amusement.

Xia Hou Zhongying, feeling helpless, ate a few mouthfuls of rice and went back to his room, where he secretly called Black Dog on his phone.

"Hello, Mr. Cui, this is Xia Hou Zhongying from today. You said we could have a drink together. How about tomorrow? Are you free?" Xia Hou Zhongying asked in a low voice.

Black Dog hadn't expected to receive a call from Xia Hou Zhongying so soon. After hearing his seemingly guilty tone, he couldn't help but laugh, but he was also pleased. Without considering his schedule for the next day, he immediately agreed. If there were any plans, he would cancel them. It was rare to meet someone who he found so interesting and who wanted to drink with him.

After hanging up with Xia Hou Zhongying, Black Dog sat on the sofa, thinking for a moment, and then chuckled. He found this young guy increasingly interesting. It seemed he was a real drinker, despite his young age. He wondered how such a young person could have developed such a strong craving for alcohol.

After laughing for a while, Black Dog noticed the subordinate who had been kicked by Xia Hou Zhongying. Remembering how he had almost been embarrassed by Xia Hou Zhongying, he decided to play a small prank on him as revenge. He sent two subordinates to arrange the dinner for the next evening.

The next morning, Xia Hou Zhongying told Mrs. Zheng that he had a friend's birthday party to attend and wouldn't be back for dinner, and that he would be very late, so they shouldn't worry.

"I won't be back for dinner either. I also received an invitation." Zheng Xiuyan, without thinking, lied as well.

Xia Hou Zhongying's lie didn't fool Zheng Xiuyan. Although she didn't know what he was planning to do that night, she instinctively felt it would be something good and didn't want to miss out. Xia Hou Zhongying was stunned by her boldness.

After leaving Mrs. Zheng's sight, Xia Hou Zhongying couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Zheng Xiuyan, what's going on?"

"Don't think I don't know you're going to have fun. You have something good and don't invite me. After I saved you yesterday, you treat me like this?" Zheng Xiuyan said with disdain.

"What do you mean by saving me? You saw the situation yesterday. I wasn't in danger, and even if I was, you rushing out would just be a burden and get me into more trouble." Xia Hou Zhongying was frustrated and argued back.

"Are you denying it?" Zheng Xiuyan was furious. "I rushed out to save you, and that can't be denied, right?"

"Yes." Regardless of whether Zheng Xiuyan had the ability, her action of rushing out was indeed to save Xia Hou Zhongying, and he couldn't deny it. However, he was frustrated that Zheng Xiuyan kept bringing it up and using it to pressure him, leaving him with no choice.

"That's settled then." Zheng Xiuyan held her head high.

"No matter what, I can't take you tonight." Xia Hou Zhongying was going to drink with Black Dog and couldn't bring Zheng Xiuyan along.

"Are you going to tell Mom?" Zheng Xiuyan threatened.

"Hey, Zheng Xiuyan, you can't do that." Xia Hou Zhongying was flustered.

"Hmph." Zheng Xiuyan sneered.

"The place I'm going tonight isn't suitable for you." Xia Hou Zhongying's voice had a hint of pleading.

"Where are you going?" Zheng Xiuyan asked, looking at Xia Hou Zhongying.

"Hehe." Xia Hou Zhongying chuckled and said, "I'm going to drink with Black Dog tonight. You know he's in a gang, and that kind of place is full of trouble, not suitable for girls."

"Drink?" Zheng Xiuyan's eyes lit up. When she first tried alcohol a few days ago, she didn't like it much, but then she found it increasingly appealing. After that night, her parents forbade her from drinking, which she had been missing. Hearing that Xia Hou Zhongying was going to drink, she wouldn't let him go alone. "You're not taking me? See if I tell Mom."

"Zheng Xiuyan, can you stop this?" Xia Hou Zhongying was frustrated. How could Zheng Xiuyan be so clingy, like a piece of bubble gum he couldn't get rid of?

"I'll stop if you take me." Zheng Xiuyan was determined not to let Xia Hou Zhongying go this time.

"Your foot is better, shouldn't you go back to the company to practice? You've been absent for several days." Xia Hou Zhongying tried to use a diversion, knowing that Zheng Xiuyan was very dedicated to becoming a star and often skipped school, even for a week at a time. "I heard the competition among trainees is very intense. Even someone as young as Xiu Jing goes to the company every day. You've been absent for so long, you should go back."

Hearing Xia Hou Zhongying's words, Zheng Xiuyan was conflicted. She had planned to skip class and go back to the company after two classes, but now she wanted to follow Xia Hou Zhongying to the drinking place.

"I'll go to the company now." After thinking for a moment, Zheng Xiuyan said, "I'll be back to school before afternoon classes. Remember to wait for me. If you don't, you're dead. Get ready to be scolded by the whole family when you get home."

With those threatening words, Zheng Xiuyan walked towards the subway entrance, leaving Xia Hou Zhongying standing there, stunned and frustrated.