Chapter 67

Guo Yuhang had never experienced such humiliation in his life. Now, with so many people watching, he was being beaten, and his dignity was completely shattered.

If he got up and fought Li Mu with all his might, he might regain some face, but Guo Yuhang was truly afraid.

He smoked, drank, and played with women, making his body much weaker than Li Mu's. He was also half a head shorter than Li Mu. In a one-on-one fight, he was no match for Li Mu. Moreover, he was alone, with no one to help him, while Li Mu had Zhao Kang, who was dark and muscular, and seemed even stronger than Li Mu.

Guo Yuhang gritted his teeth in his heart. Encountering this incident at the beginning of the driving school semester, he felt he had no face left at Jinan Driving School. For now, he could only leave and find a chance to take revenge later.

So, Guo Yuhang rolled off the ground, got up, and while retreating, pointed at Li Mu, shouting with intense hatred: "Li Mu, you better watch out, we're not done yet today!"

Li Mu stared at him and said coldly, "If you don't get lost, I'll beat you again!"

"Fine, at six o'clock this afternoon, if you have the guts, wait for me at the driving school gate. I'll f***ing kill you!" Guo Yuhang said, then turned and ran, spouting threats all the way, even when Li Mu could no longer hear him, he was still shouting as he ran.

Li Mu didn't bother to respond, turning to Zhao Kang and Su Yingxue, he said, "I guess this guy won't be learning to drive with us anymore."

Su Yingxue looked at Li Mu and asked, "Did he really get your parents laid off?"

Li Mu nodded, "My parents being laid off suited me just fine, but it should have been their choice. This kid playing such a trick on me, I can't let it go."

Su Yingxue nodded in understanding, saying, "A small conflict, and he goes to such lengths, even involving his parents. This guy is a real scumbag."

"Scumbag son, scumbag father." Zhao Kang spat, looking angry, and said to Li Mu, "He said six o'clock this afternoon, I'll call some people!"

Li Mu waved his hand, "No need."

Zhao Kang asked with wide eyes, "What if he brings people?"

"Let him bring them." At the moment Li Mu decided to fight, he never intended to settle things peacefully with Guo Yuhang.

Li Mu was a good student throughout high school, and most of the people he knew were classmates. He didn't know any thugs in society, and at this point, finding someone to help fight was almost impossible. Zhao Kang was the same, unable to find any strong allies.

Li Mu had already decided that if Guo Yuhang brought people from outside, he would ask Song Liang for help.

If it were the old Li Mu, the programmer, he would have been reluctant to owe anyone a favor, always thinking that true friendship should be as light as water, and he would try not to trouble others. But the more he did this, the more distant his relationships became.

After being reborn, he deeply regretted his past self. China was a society based on personal connections, and the expansion and strengthening of social circles relied on constantly owing and returning favors. Only those who could skillfully manage these favors could build good relationships.

Although his social status and abilities were far below Song Liang's, there was a connection through Ye Tianming. If he couldn't repay the favor to Song Liang, he could repay it to Ye Tianming, who would then repay it to Song Liang. This would strengthen the relationship among the three of them.

After meeting Song Liang, Li Mu also wanted to find a way to improve their relationship. Not for any other reason, but because after he left, his parents would be doing business in Haizhou. If anything happened, having a connection with Song Liang would give him peace of mind.

Since he wanted to improve his relationship with Song Liang, given his age, status, and social standing, he had no way to give Song Liang a favor. The only way was to ask for his help and owe him a favor.

Just when he was worried about how to find a breakthrough, Guo Yuhang came along.

...

"Who is the guy?"

In a billiard hall in Haizhou City, a young man in his mid-twenties, wearing a black tank top and black slacks, was swinging his cue stick while asking Guo Yuhang, who was standing beside him.

This young man was named Zou Hua, a well-known thug in Haizhou. He owned a billiard hall in the city and had a group of underlings who often helped people settle disputes for money. Guo Yuhang frequently came to his place to play, and knowing that Guo Yuhang was a rich kid who spent generously, Zou Hua had become quite close to him.

At this moment, Guo Yuhang was applying an ice pack to his swollen cheek, speaking through gritted teeth with a sob: "That bastard is just a high school graduate."

"Ah..." Zou Hua nodded lightly, not saying more, and aimed at the next ball.

Guo Yuhang, burning with impatience, blurted out, "Brother Hua, you can't ignore your little brother in this matter!"

At this moment, Zou Hua missed his shot, cursed, and threw the cue stick aside, turning to look at Guo Yuhang: "We've known each other for so long, how could I ignore you? This afternoon, I'll bring people to help you settle this. Do you want his arm or his leg?"

"I want his arm!" Guo Yuhang blurted out.

Thinking about Li Mu slapping him twice, it was the first time in his life he had been hit in the face. The humiliation was unbearable, and he had to get revenge a hundredfold.

Zou Hua asked, "Which hand did he use to hit you?"

"His right hand!"

Zou Hua immediately said, "Alright, I'll break his right arm for you today."

Hearing this, Guo Yuhang's face lit up. If Li Mu's right arm was broken, he wouldn't be able to use chopsticks for three to five months. With his parents laid off and the family's financial situation already dire, if he was injured, it would be truly amusing!

However, Zou Hua glanced at Guo Yuhang, noticing the unhidden excitement in his expression, and coughed, saying, "Yuhang, since I'm helping you so much, you should help me a bit too, right?"

Guo Yuhang blurted out, "Brother Hua, just say it."

Zou Hua didn't speak, but pulled out a car key from his pocket.

A Honda key.

Guo Yuhang knew that Brother Hua had just bought a sixth-generation Accord for over 200,000 yuan.

Zou Hua then said, "You see, my billiard hall doesn't make much money in a month, and my underlings who help people settle disputes don't earn much either. I have a lot of people to support, and all the money I've earned in the past two years has gone into the car. I'm really tight on cash."

Guo Yuhang immediately said, "Brother Hua, if you help me with this, I'll give you 10,000 yuan."

Guo Yuhang's family was wealthy, and he himself had money and was generous, which was why Brother Hua paid him extra attention.

Zou Hua shook his head, feigning reluctance, "You're young, and you need money for many things. How can I take your money? If it gets out, how would I have the face to continue in this business?"

"I won't tell anyone."

Zou Hua waved his hand and said sincerely, "Yuhang, I know your father is the mine manager at Xiling Coal Mine. A friend of mine pointed out a way a few days ago. Many factories are in urgent need of coking coal. If you can get your father to give me a coal delivery ticket for 5,000 tons, not only will I help you settle this matter, but I'll also give you 20,000 yuan when the ticket arrives."

The price of coal had been rising sharply since the end of 2000, leading to a continuous shortage of coal supply for several years. The actual market price of coal was much higher than the factory price, whether it was raw coal or coking coal. Although Zou Hua didn't have a way to sell coal, he knew that coal was in high demand. A few days ago, during a dinner with some friends, a capable coal trader mentioned that anyone who could help him get more coking coal would be paid an additional 20 yuan per ton.

He had a way to sell coal, but he couldn't get much coal because most of it was monopolized by those with real connections even before it left the mine or factory.

So, in the current coal market, whoever could get coal could make money.

The situation at Xiling Coal Mine's washing plant was similar to most washing plants in the country. To buy coal, you needed not only money but also a coal delivery ticket issued by a leader. The amount of coal you could buy depended on the amount of the ticket. Without a ticket, no matter how much money you had, you couldn't get any coal.

After buying the car, Zou Hua's financial situation was tight, and he owed several thousand yuan in debt. He had been looking for a way to fill the gap, and when Guo Yuhang came to him, he had the idea of getting a coal delivery ticket.

If he could get a 5,000-ton coal delivery ticket, he could make 100,000 yuan by selling it to the coal trader.

Zou Hua had heard that all the coal from Xiling Coal Mine's washing plant had to be approved by Guo Yuhang's father, Guo Lin. He couldn't help but think about how much money Guo Lin must be making from this.

Guo Yuhang, a spoiled rich kid, only knew how to spend money and play with women. He had no idea how much profit a coal delivery ticket could bring. However, he knew that his father was like a king at Xiling Coal Mine, and getting a few thousand tons of coal delivery tickets was just a matter of a nod. Besides, if he agreed to Zou Hua's request, not only would Zou Hua help him deal with Li Mu, but he would also give him 20,000 yuan as a kickback. 20,000 yuan was a lot, enough to play with a few nice girls.

So, without much thought, Guo Yuhang nodded immediately, "Alright, it's settled. Brother Hua, you help me deal with that kid, and I'll talk to my father about it tonight."

"Great!" Zou Hua's eyes lit up. If he could get the 5,000-ton coal delivery ticket, his current financial crisis would be over. Moreover, he might be able to do this kind of business with Guo Yuhang in the long term. Since that was the case, he would make sure to handle this matter for him today.

"What time and where did you agree to meet that kid?"

"Six o'clock tonight, at the Jinan Driving School gate!"

"Alright! I'll take care of that kid for you today!"

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