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Join the ServerLin Qing firmly rejected Su Yao’s audacious request to reside in his home. Furthermore, after the initial days of her relying on his rides home had passed, and the quiet calm had settled, he also declined to continue the pick-up and drop-off service.
A considerable period had elapsed since the abandoned slaughterhouse was consumed by fire. Yet, now, even Chen Sen himself had vanished without a trace.
Liu Hong had repeatedly claimed that Chen Sen, being so petty, would surely never forgive the person who had destroyed his base.
However, the current turn of events was quite unexpected.
Where had Chen Sen truly gone?
Had he simply recognized that his power was gone and slunk away in disgrace?
In any case, the constant vigilance against Chen Sen’s retaliation was no longer necessary; he posed no threat.
Lin Qing no longer focused his energy on Chen Sen. Compared to the vanished foe, he knew he should be far more wary of Su Yao’s relentless pursuit, lest he lose his composure.
Unlike her initial direct approach, Su Yao was clearly learning and evolving her tactics.
She seemed to understand that threats held little sway over him, prompting her to shift strategies entirely. For a while now, she had clung to his side like an ordinary girl, subtly eroding his emotional defenses.
Her methods were undeniably sophisticated, making them incredibly difficult to guard against.
Regrettably for her, after the deception at the slaughterhouse, Lin Qing’s guard against Su Yao could not be lowered so swiftly.
This created a tumultuous internal conflict, where he found himself simultaneously attracted to her and resistant to her advances.
“Lin Qing, off to school now! Oh, dear, do you know whose black bag this is? It’s been sitting here for days, and no one has claimed it.”
“Judging by the brand, it looks quite expensive. Property management will send someone to take it away later.”
Early one morning, as Lin Qing left his home for school, he hadn’t even exited the residential complex when someone immediately greeted him with warmth.
Previously, during his dog walks, apart from the men fawning over Su Yao, his neighbor Auntie Wang had enthusiastically introduced him to many people once he finally emerged from his room.
Consequently, Lin Qing was no longer an anonymous figure in the complex; he had become a familiar face to everyone.
When Lin Qing heard his name called, he glanced at the black bag placed before him and simply shook his head, indicating his lack of knowledge.
‘If it’s a valuable item, surely someone will claim it eventually!’
“If I wasn’t worried someone would claim it, I would have just taken it myself… Oh, by the way, Lin Qing, your girlfriend isn’t picking you up for school today!”
The speaker’s face held a hint of regret before they swiftly changed the subject, eagerly delving into gossip about Lin Qing and Su Yao.
Su Yao’s self-proclaimed status as Lin Qing’s girlfriend had already been broadcast far and wide by their neighbor, Auntie Wang, acting as a veritable loudspeaker.
Consequently, everyone in the complex not only knew Lin Qing but also that he had an exceptionally beautiful female friend.
‘Lin Qing truly is someone you cannot judge by appearances!’
Not long after, people also learned that Lin Qing’s girlfriend was exceedingly wealthy. The cars that picked him up and dropped him off for school were consistently luxurious vehicles!
They were black luxury cars, worth tens of millions, exuding an understated opulence and sophistication.
Many, when discussing Lin Qing, remarked on his good fortune. They would often say that if he were to marry such a beautiful and rich woman, he would save himself a hundred years of struggle!
Lin Qing’s attempts to explain were futile; ultimately, he could only remain silent.
People only believed what they wanted to believe.
“My foot was injured a few days ago, and she was worried about my health. Now that I’m better, there’s naturally no need, Uncle Liu. I’m off to school.”
With that, Lin Qing quickly slipped away, eager to avoid any further “education.”
‘He’d likely start on topics like being a kept man, or even dating guides…’
Yet, Uncle Liu, nearing forty, was still single.
‘Where on earth did he learn those dating guides?’
As Uncle Liu watched Lin Qing’s retreating figure, he couldn’t help but think: ‘If only he could return to his student days, he would definitely find a beautiful, rich girlfriend and never part!’
“What is this thing?”
Hearing someone speak beside him, Uncle Liu ceased watching Lin Qing’s retreating back. Instead, he quickly lowered his gaze to the black bag placed before them.
Upon learning that property management was sending someone, someone immediately succumbed to their curiosity, impulsively reaching out to open the black bag.
Inside, besides a few pieces of men’s clothing, lay a black skull mask.
Its hollow eye sockets glowed with an eerie red light.
It looked both hideous and sinister.
There was nothing else within. This discovery prompted the initially curious onlookers to swiftly zip the bag shut, then, their interest completely deflated, they turned and walked away.
****
“Lin Qing, let’s go to school together!”
Lin Qing had just stepped out of the residential complex’s main gate when Liu Hong’s voice rang out, a sound he had, by now, grown accustomed to.
Ever since Lin Qing had refused Su Yao’s pick-up service, Liu Hong, this overly eager fellow, had swiftly appeared on the scene.
Every day, he waited at the complex entrance to go to school with Lin Qing. Though he claimed it was “on the way,” Lin Qing had personally witnessed Liu Hong arrive in a private car, only to then intentionally stand by the main gate, feigning a chance encounter.
Truly, a most “convenient route.”
Lin Qing found Liu Hong’s persistent attempts to get close to him somewhat perplexing. While they shared the harrowing experience of “beating the dog” at the slaughterhouse, that encounter had been purely a matter of survival.
As it turned out, Liu Hong clung to him like chewing gum, impossible to shake off once attached.
Frankly, Lin Qing had no desire to associate with Liu Hong and draw unwanted attention.
“Here, soy milk, it’s still warm!”
As Lin Qing harbored these thoughts, Liu Hong, with his characteristic familiarity, produced a cup of soy milk. He enthusiastically offered it to Lin Qing, only to be met with a swift and unequivocal refusal.
Lin Qing declined the proffered soy milk, simply stating that he had already eaten.
Liu Hong’s astonished expression was remarkably akin to that of a suspicious cat.
Liu Hong, accustomed to such rejections, said nothing more.
He proceeded to drink both portions of soy milk himself.
However, his fighting spirit burned fiercely; he seemed utterly unfamiliar with the concept of “giving up.”
‘This small setback is nothing; it’s merely a minor stumble. Even Su Yao, that troublesome woman, can get close to Lin Qing, so I can too.’
“Lin Qing, do you want to work part-time?”
Liu Hong’s sudden mention of part-time work, a departure from their usual topics, piqued Lin Qing’s curiosity.
Lin Qing hadn’t forgotten that Liu Hong secretly ran a business taking on odd jobs. Previously, when Chen Sen paid to secure Wang Fan’s “order,” Liu Hong had unexpectedly earned ten thousand yuan in one go.
Many people worked diligently for an entire month and still couldn’t earn ten thousand.
It was, by all accounts, a sudden windfall.
For Liu Hong, who was so adept at making money, suddenly talking about working part-time felt rather peculiar.
“Aren’t you taking orders anymore?”
Pondering these thoughts, Lin Qing didn’t conceal his confusion; instead, he voiced his question.
Upon hearing that Lin Qing was finally curious about him, Liu Hong’s spirits lifted. He immediately chuckled and explained the reason.
“No, I’m not taking them anymore. They were all bullying jobs. Ever since the incident at the slaughterhouse, I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf and be a good person.”
“I won’t just casually bully others anymore.”
“You must be short on money, why else would you work part-time?”
Lin Qing didn’t doubt Liu Hong’s resolve to change, for his expression was utterly serious, devoid of his usual carefree demeanor.
Liu Hong’s eyes sparkled with sincerity; he didn’t appear to be speaking insincerely.
Still, Lin Qing was somewhat puzzled by Liu Hong’s persistent desire to earn money.
For someone in Lin Qing’s dire economic situation, working part-time was perfectly normal. However, Liu Hong’s family background was quite comfortable; he didn’t seem to lack funds.
“I don’t want to spend my family’s money, so I need to earn my own. Then, during the holidays, I can go out with Zhou Lin and the others…”
“But for now, the money I earn from part-time work, I just want to save it and donate to welfare organizations every month.”
“Donate?”
“Yeah, I know the bad things I did before can’t be forgiven, but I also want to alleviate some of the guilt. So, after a lot of thought and research, I finally came up with this plan.”
As Liu Hong spoke, he seemed a little uneasy. He hadn’t even shared these innermost thoughts with his two closest subordinates, yet here he was, directly confiding in Lin Qing.
Regarding his decision to turn over a new leaf, Liu Hong had told no one, intending to quietly implement his changes before announcing them.
Yet, when faced with Lin Qing, he felt a strong urge to speak.
“Hmm, good luck then.”
Hearing Liu Hong’s words, Lin Qing instinctively glanced at him. He was young and full of vitality.
Brimming with vigor.
Su Yao always called him naive, but perhaps Liu Hong was the truly naive one!
However, Lin Qing didn’t say much, just told Liu Hong to keep it up.
“Hey, Lin Qing, you still haven’t answered me, do you want to work part-time together? Don’t let what I just said fool you; this is actually my first official part-time job, and I’m a little excited!”
Lin Qing refused.
“I don’t like jobs that involve too many people.”
Because Lin Qing could see skulls above people’s heads, excessive contact with others meant increasing the likelihood of seeing black skulls.
In school, facing a group of students, this situation wasn’t very noticeable.
But once he started working part-time, it was like entering a semi-social environment, encountering all sorts of people.
Lin Qing didn’t want to face that now; perhaps he would slowly adapt to the harshness of society after graduating high school.
Furthermore, if he really went to work part-time, Su Yao would also cause trouble.
At the thought of the chaos that would ensue, Lin Qing felt it was better to just stay put.
However, when Liu Hong heard Lin Qing’s words, a look of serious thought crossed his face. Then, as if something occurred to him, he immediately spoke.
“If you don’t like jobs with many people, we can look for…”
“Liu Hong, we finally found you, you sly dog! You’ve been hiding pretty fast lately!”
But Liu Hong’s words were cut short.
Looking up, they saw more than a dozen masked individuals, wielding iron rods in the air with sinister chuckles. The leader, however, had an uncovered face.
It was the leader of the hooligans from the neighboring high school.
Liu Hong’s previous “business” didn’t just involve bullying ordinary students; as long as money was offered, even school bosses were fair game.
The people seeking revenge now were those Liu Hong had beaten before. They had gathered a group to reclaim their dignity.
This made Liu Hong’s mouth twitch in exasperation.
‘These guys must be bored out of their minds, do they think they’re filming a movie?’
‘Bringing so many people, and in a crowded place, aren’t they afraid of being detained?’
Even when Liu Hong fought, he chose less crowded places to avoid being caught red-handed… The last time he beat someone into the hospital was because they spoke ill of Su Yao, using vulgar language involving various organs, which made Liu Hong lose his rationality.
“Who’s hiding? I’m right here. If you’ve got the guts, come on!”
Then, Liu Hong directly extended his middle finger towards the provocateur.
He spoke in a very “friendly” manner.
Hearing Liu Hong’s arrogant words, the hooligan leader from the neighboring high school didn’t waste any more breath. He simply raised his hand and waved at his subordinates.
The group charged towards Liu Hong.
Lin Qing watched the people rushing towards him, seemingly mistaking him for one of Liu Hong’s subordinates…
‘Today is truly unlucky.’
“Lin Qing, you’re here!”
However, as if fate decided Lin Qing wasn’t unlucky enough, Su Yao’s joyful voice suddenly rang out not far away.
The situation became even more chaotic.
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