Chapter 22: So — Reuniting with Old Classmates Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing

The air at the barbecue stall congealed like a slab of lard left out too long.

The two mugs of draft beer slammed onto the table foamed over, forming a barrier between Lin Yu and these uninvited guests.

The noisy clamor of drinking games and skewer-chewing around them seemed to be muted by an invisible hand.

Lin Yu’s gaze locked uncontrollably onto the drunk in front of him—

A man in his forties, with a protruding beer belly stretching his gray work uniform tight.

On his chest, a blurred “Blast Furnace Twin Hammers” logo revealed he came from Huaxia Heavy Industries—a place once glorious, now steeped in decline.

His face was flushed liver-red from alcohol, the whites of his eyes webbed with murky blood vessels, staring straight at Lin Yu.

“Brother, give me some face—bottoms up!”

The stench of alcohol from his mouth was practically flammable.

Before Lin Yu could respond, a sharp-faced lackey sprang forward like a hyena, jabbing a finger at his nose and cursing:

“Hey! Kid! What are you playing deaf for?! Brother Zhang’s offering you a drink—that’s respect! Don’t be a damn ingrate!”

Another drunk leaned back in his chair, picking his teeth, speaking in a mocking tone:

“Ohhh, kids these days… wearing brand-name shoes, holding new phones—of course they look down on us filthy laborers. Afraid our machine oil smell will taint your fancy cola, huh?”

Wang Wei’s face turned pale instantly.

He tugged at Lin Yu’s sleeve, forcing a servile smile as he reached for the glass, trying to smooth things over.

What a pain…

Lin Yu took a deep breath, suppressing his irritation, and put on a harmless workplace smile:

“Brother Zhang, gentlemen—really sorry. I’ve got to clock in at 5 a.m. tomorrow. I really can’t drink. If I mess up work, I’ll get fined.”

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and opened his payment code.

“How about this—meeting is fate. Tonight’s bill, including your drinks, is on me. Let me make it up to you, alright?”

This was already the biggest concession Lin Yu could make.

But his compromise didn’t extinguish their anger—it was like pouring water into boiling oil.

Trying to settle bottom-tier resentment with money only deepens the insult.

“F*!”

Brother Zhang suddenly exploded, sweeping the beer mug to the ground!

“Crash—!”

Glass shattered.

“You think having a little money makes you hot stuff?! Huh?! When I was sweating and bleeding in front of a steel furnace, you were still running around in split pants! Who the hell are you showing off to?!”

The despair and jealousy crushed out of him by life turned into raw violence under alcohol.

Without another word, his fan-sized hand shot forward, grabbing straight for Lin Yu’s collar!

In that instant, Lin Yu’s mind went blank.

Everything Chen Bing had taught him—gone.

He stumbled backward in panic, chair screeching across the ground in an ugly, graceless motion.

But that chaotic, instinctive retreat saved his life.

Brother Zhang grabbed empty air.

“Huh—?!”

Losing balance, the drunk collapsed forward like a falling meat mountain, reeking of sweat and alcohol.

Terrified, Lin Yu shoved forward blindly with both hands.

The force was weak.

Almost negligible.

But the already unstable drunk stepped onto an empty beer bottle with his worn-out work shoes—

“Thunk—!”

His foot slipped with a dull, absurd sound.

Before everyone’s stunned eyes, he slammed hard onto the greasy, glass-strewn ground.

“Thud!”

He didn’t even groan—just lay there like a pig stunned by a taser, twitching faintly at the back of his head.

Silence.

Deathly silence.

The shirtless stall owner forgot to flip the skewers; fat dripped into the charcoal fire with a hiss.

Wang Wei’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg.

Three seconds later—

The silence shattered into rage.

“F***! You dare touch my boss?!”

The hyena-like lackey snapped first, face twisted with fury.

He grabbed half a beer bottle and smashed it against the table corner—

“Bang!”

Jagged glass shards gleamed coldly.

“Brothers! Kill this little bastard!”

Clatter—

The entire table of drunks stood up.

Grabbing stools, clenching fists, holding bottles—they formed a staggering circle.

Like the most cliché gang fight scene imaginable.

“Lin… Linzi!”

Wang Wei cried out, voice trembling.

“Run! Hurry, run!”

Lin Yu snapped back to reality.

Run?

Where?!

A wall behind him, both sides blocked, and the only exit guarded by a lunatic with a broken bottle.

It’s over…

This time, it was really over.

Just as the jagged glass was about to stab toward his face—

“WEE—WOO—!!!”

A piercing siren tore through the night like divine intervention.

A patrol car drifted to a perfect stop, sealing off the scene.

The door burst open.

A young policeman radiating righteous authority jumped out.

Gun drawn, aimed forward.

“Police! Don’t move! Drop what you’re holding!!”

His voice was loud, steady, filled with unquestionable authority.

The drunken men—who moments ago looked ready to kill—sobering halfway at the sight of the uniform and the gun.

Their sneers froze. Their weapons lowered.

This was the power of order.

Lin Yu collapsed onto the ground, the taut string of his nerves finally snapping.

He gasped for air, glancing at the young officer like a descending god.

Wait…

That face…

Those eyes…

That aura…

Why did it look so familiar?

“…Luo Shaotian?”

The name slipped out.

The officer froze mid-call.

He turned, sharp gaze softening instantly into shock.

“…A-Yu?”

Their eyes met.

One in uniform—heroic, upright.

One slumped in grease—pathetic, exhausted.

The gears of fate ground together with a rusty creak.

“Holy crap… it’s really you?!”

Luo Shaotian hurried forward, reaching to pull him up, face full of joy.

“What are you doing here? And how did you end up like this?!”

Lin Yu opened his mouth—but no words came out.

At that moment, the “dead pig” on the ground groaned back to life, spewing curses.

Luo Shaotian’s expression instantly turned cold.

The warmth vanished, replaced by professional authority.

He shone a flashlight into the drunk’s eyes.

“Shut up! Public brawling, provoking trouble—everyone’s coming with me to sober up at the station!”

In a few sharp sentences, he subdued the situation.

After handling things, he leaned close to Lin Yu and spoke quietly:

“A-Yu, this doesn’t involve you anymore. Take your friend and go. Don’t get mixed up. I’ll handle the rest—including your statement.”

Using his authority and experience, he cleanly pulled Lin Yu out of the mess.

Decisive. Reliable.

Just like back then.

Wang Wei, as if pardoned from death, dragged Lin Yu away.

As he turned, Lin Yu couldn’t help but look back.

Under the streetlight, Luo Shaotian expertly cuffed the drunk. His badge gleamed in the night.

That figure—tall, upright, powerful.

At that moment, Lin Yu felt an invisible wall between them.

On the way home.

Wang Wei rambled nonstop:

“Holy crap, Linzi! Your friend is insanely cool! Like a movie protagonist! You should’ve told me you had connections like that!”

Lin Yu stayed silent.

How could he explain?

Back home, he stood before the cheap mirror, moonlight illuminating his reflection.

Pale face. Avoidant eyes. The stench of failure clinging to him.

“…He saved me again.”

He muttered hoarsely.

Memories flooded back.

That afternoon in college.

Back then, he was just a timid shut-in.

And Luo Shaotian was already the campus golden boy.

One accidental bump—and he’d been accused of “sexual harassment” by an arrogant girl.

That despair… was just like tonight.

Speechless. Trembling.

Then Luo Shaotian appeared.

Even as a stranger, he stepped forward without hesitation.

“Check the surveillance.”

“If he’s guilty, I’ll make him apologize. If you’re lying, then you will apologize in front of the whole school.”

That sense of justice… that calm authority…

Afterward, the sunny young man clapped his shoulder:

“Brother, you get bullied like that and don’t even say a word? Add me on WeChat. If anything happens, come to me.”

That was the only light in his gray college life.

But after graduation…

That light only grew brighter—becoming a police officer protecting the city.

And he…

Rotting in the mud, unable to even pay rent.

The gap was unbearable.

So he cut off contact himself.

That was the last shred of dignity he had.

He didn’t want Luo Shaotian to see him like this.

Didn’t want to face that pitying gaze.

But today…

Lin Yu looked at his reflection and forced a smile uglier than crying.

So many years have passed.

And you still haven’t improved at all.

Still the same useless person waiting to be saved.

This time, it was luck.

Next time?

If it’s a contaminant?

If it’s a real monster…

Who will save you then?

“…”

Lin Yu buried his face into the blanket.

That overwhelming helplessness swallowed him whole.

Forget it.

Just sleep.

Once asleep, he wouldn’t have to face this damn rotten life.