Chapter 2

Wang Gang smiled and put it in his pocket, then put his arm around my shoulder like a close brother and said, "No problem! There's nothing I can't handle at No. 1 High School!"

Seeing Wang Gang's confident demeanor, I felt much more relaxed. They say money can make the devil grind, and it's not a lie.

"That's great, Brother Gang. I actually need your help. A girl just told me not to leave after school. I heard she's called Sister Seventeen..."

Wang Gang's face suddenly changed, and he immediately took out 200 yuan and stuffed it into my hand, saying, "I can't help you with this. If you mess with Sister Seventeen... you might as well wait to die!"

Holding the 200 yuan in my hand, I was completely stunned!

My second uncle used to say that there's almost nothing money can't solve, but when money can't help, that's when you're really in trouble!

After I pressed him, Wang Gang told me that at school, you can't mess with Sister Seventeen and her group. There are five of them, nicknamed from Fifteen to Nineteen, each with connections. They can call a lot of people with just one phone call, and even the school leader, Zhang Xu, has to give them face.

The one who told me not to leave after school was Sister Seventeen, the prettiest and most fiery-tempered of them. She knows the managers of several internet cafes near the school and has a strong relationship with them.

My mind was blank all afternoon. When people in the class heard I had messed with Sister Seventeen, no one even bothered to talk to me. Wang Gang told me that if I had a brother or sister to help, I should find them quickly, or it would be too late in the afternoon...

Just before the last class before dismissal, a few rough-looking people appeared at the classroom door, looking inside. The classroom fell silent like a graveyard, and everyone lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.

One of them, with a mohawk, called out Liu Benqiang's name. My heart skipped a beat as I watched Liu Benqiang run over, bowing and scraping. I had a bad feeling.

I don't know what they said, but the group's eyes suddenly fell on me. The mohawk guy beckoned me with his finger, his eyes full of malice.

I stood up trembling and walked out under the strange gazes of the whole class, clutching the 200 yuan in my pocket, terrified.

"Hello, sir, what do you need?" I asked cautiously.

"Are you the new student, Xiong Sanming? You're really asking for it, daring to act like a hooligan in broad daylight! Do you want to die?" The mohawk guy pushed my head hard, and another guy in a tracksuit grabbed my neck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Can this be considered an apology?" I stammered, taking out the 200 yuan, which the mohawk guy immediately snatched.

"Interesting. After school, come to the alley by the school gate. We'll talk things out. If you run, I'll be waiting for you every day!"

The mohawk guy took the money and left, and I felt a bit more at ease. My second uncle always said that if you take someone's money, you should help them. At least now I had a chance to explain.

After school, before I could leave the classroom, Liu Benqiang and Wang Gang came over, saying they would go with me to see what happens. They said we're all in the same class, and they would plead for me if needed.

I knew they wouldn't help me; they were just afraid I would run. They followed me on either side, and even if I wanted to run, I couldn't. I called my second uncle, but his phone was still off.

We quickly arrived at the small alley outside the school. The three girls from earlier were there, all smoking. In the corner, there were about seven or eight more smoking boys, two of whom had dyed hair and clearly weren't students. Fortunately, the mohawk guy who took the money was also there.

"Sister Seventeen, we've brought Sanming from our class," Wang Gang said politely to the girl with the shaggy hair, who immediately glared at me. A yellow-haired boy threw away his cigarette and walked over, and the others quickly surrounded me.

I was extremely nervous. I looked at the mohawk guy for help, hoping he would say something, but he ignored me, standing aside as if nothing was happening.

"Seventeen, is this the guy?" the yellow-haired boy asked, grabbing my collar, his eyes full of malice. Seventeen nodded angrily, looking at me as if she wanted to eat me alive.

"Kid, take off your glasses," the yellow-haired boy said. I panicked and quickly tried to explain, "I'm sorry, Sister Seventeen. I didn't mean to. I apologize. I swear I didn't mean to..."

"Explain my ass! Slap!" She slapped me hard, and I felt my face go numb as my glasses flew off. Before I could react, the yellow-haired boy kicked me hard.

A group of people surrounded me and beat me up. I covered my head, unable to see anything. Someone grabbed my hair and slapped me, and others kicked and cursed me. I was in excruciating pain, feeling a deep sense of injustice, almost crying.

Time seemed to stop. At that moment, I thought of my parents, my childhood friends, and my second uncle's words: "A man must ride the wind and break the waves, tread the yellow sand and the ocean!"

I don't know how long I was beaten. I lay on the ground, clutching my head, my mouth full of dirt, but I gritted my teeth and endured, hoping this nightmare would end soon.

"Seventeen, that's enough. If we don't leave now, there won't be any computers at the internet cafe. I'm waiting for a ranked match," a girl in suspenders said, and the people beating me finally stopped.

I had seen the girl in suspenders earlier; she was one of the three girls, tall with long hair and sharp eyes. Although I knew she wasn't stopping for my sake, I was still grateful.

"Hmph, if it weren't for Sister Sixteen waiting for a ranked match, I would have beaten you to death, you bastard!" Seventeen pointed at me and kicked me again, leaving me sitting on the ground, feeling deeply wronged, and biting my lip to keep from crying.

"Alright, stop it. Let's go," another girl in a red skirt said, looking at me with pity.

I knew I looked pathetic, like a pitiful worm, but I remembered my second uncle's words: a man can only cry for the woman he loves, not for anything else.

"Brother Fei, thank you for coming today. That... " Seventeen turned to the yellow-haired boy, acting shyly, fidgeting with her clothes, a complete 180-degree change.

The yellow-haired boy shook his head, licked his lips, and smiled, "No problem. You guys go play. I've reserved a row of computers for you. We'll play together tonight."

"Great! Sister Sixteen is about to reach Gold 3 in her last ranked match! Sister Eighteen is almost there too!" Seventeen said shyly, but the girl in the red skirt clearly frowned.

"Thanks, but Sister Eighteen and I have already made plans with friends at another internet cafe. We'll play together next time. Let's go," Sister Sixteen said coolly, turning and leaving with Seventeen and Eighteen.

The yellow-haired boy stared at their butts and long legs, his hands moving in the air, a lecherous smile on his face, almost drooling.

"Brother Fei, how about we take care of this little Seventeen tonight? Her ass is really something!" The mohawk guy said, bowing and scraping, offering a cigarette to the yellow-haired boy.

"Damn! Of course, but we need to get her to stay all night, preferably alone..."

Everyone smoked and laughed, discussing how to deal with Sister Seventeen. The three girls were very pretty, with great figures, but I was in too much pain to pay attention.

I sat on the ground, wiping the blood from my nose, feeling a mix of emotions, my nose stinging. The mohawk guy took my money but never said a word to help me.

I stared at him, feeling deeply wronged. He avoided my gaze, perhaps feeling guilty, and finally shouted at me, "What are you looking at? Are you not satisfied with being beaten?"

I didn't say anything. I've always been a good person, never causing trouble, and in others' eyes, I'm timid and fearful. But I have my pride, and I felt wronged by the mohawk guy's betrayal.

The yellow-haired boy handed me a cigarette, patted my shoulder, and said, "We're now acquaintances. Bring me 500 yuan tomorrow, and if you have any problems at No. 1 High School, come to the Flying Internet Cafe."

I nodded numbly, knowing I had no choice but to comply. My second uncle once said, "A single fist can't fight four hands, and a hero can't stand against a crowd." In any situation, it's wise to know when to yield, and using your head to protect yourself is the best choice.

The yellow-haired boy left with his group, and the mohawk guy told me to bring him 200 yuan tomorrow, and he would protect me. I nodded, but I knew he wasn't reliable.

Wang Gang and Liu Benqiang also left, not caring about my well-being. I was left alone in the alley, sitting on the ground, feeling deeply wronged, and quietly crying.

I hated the people who beat me and my useless second uncle. If it weren't for him making me transfer schools, and if I could have reached him today, I wouldn't have been beaten...

After crying for a while, I felt better and decided to take the bus home, never to suffer at this school again. I also had no money to give the yellow-haired boy. I knew if I couldn't come up with the money tomorrow, they would beat me again.

I picked up my broken glasses and walked out of the alley, seeing a familiar figure at the school gate—my useless second uncle! I quickly wiped away my tears and the dirt on my clothes, afraid he would notice.

Next to my second uncle was a white BMW, and a few tattooed men were sitting in the car...