Chapter Thirty-Five: How Dare You Lay a Finger on My Woman

Today, Du Gu Ming awoke early from his dreams. He was preparing to leave this place and return to America. He tidied himself up, packed his belongings, and neatly stowed everything into a single suitcase.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and by the time Du Gu Ming was done with his preparations, it was already past ten o’clock. He loaded his newly purchased phone and SIM card from yesterday, then took the bus toward the airport.

Upon arriving at the airport, he found that a direct international flight to New York was departing in half an hour. It took him more than ten minutes to buy his ticket and get through security. At last, with only ten minutes to spare before takeoff, he settled into his seat on the plane.

Du Gu Ming arranged everything, then sat down by the window. Through the glass, he took one last look at the land of Ningxia.

Before coming to Ningxia, Du Gu Ming had been utterly unfamiliar with this place—he could even say he had no fondness for it. But after these past ten days, he found himself growing fond of this land, of its people and its happenings.

One figure after another flashed before his eyes. Zhang Liming—ever since their first meeting, it seemed this guy had always been setting him up. Though a bit sly and timid, he was, in truth, a good brother.

He remembered that time on the football field, when Zhang Liming stood alone, two bricks in his hands, shouting, “Anyone who dares bully my friend will have to deal with me!” The way he looked then was simply adorable.

Bai Hanwen, once obsessed with the online world—in that legendary League of Legends match, the two of them had dominated the middle lane, working together in perfect harmony.

Zhang Hongtao, the academic genius who seemed to care about nothing but his studies, yet always stepped forward at critical moments to stand with his friends.

Wang Hongru, who at first glance seemed meek and timid, but now had come to understand the true meaning of manhood.

Du Gu Ming still remembered the day at the school gate when Zhang Liming invited the four of them to eat cold noodles together.

Speaking of cold noodles, they were a specialty of Ningxia. Du Gu Ming had never tasted them before; that day, he’d been coaxed into it by Zhang Liming. It seemed the others, apart from Zhang Liming, were also trying them for the first time.

He remembered how, that day, everyone ate with great gusto, sweating but utterly satisfied.

He recalled how, after the meal, the group walked down the street shirtless and carefree, each holding a bottle of Jianlibao sports drink.

He remembered how, in the park, they sang loudly and without restraint in the pavilion.

He remembered the joy of that day—a group of foolish, exuberant youths, heedless of the world.

Du Gu Ming smiled. In the past, he would never have even dreamed of doing such things. As someone raised as a “noble,” he never imagined he would spend his days mixing with these friends.

If Du Gu Ming had taught these friends what it meant to be a man, then they, in turn, had taught him the meaning of brotherhood.

A hot tear slid down from the corner of Du Gu Ming’s eye. How long had it been since he last cried? Years, surely. The last time had been when Shuangmei—his godmother who had cared for him for more than a decade in America—passed away. Du Gu Ming laughed at himself.

He gazed one final time, full of emotion, at this land. Another figure flashed before his eyes—yes, Lin Xiaowen. The woman he didn’t know how to describe.

Enough, he thought. There’s no point thinking about it; it’s all over now anyway.

Du Gu Ming pulled out his phone, preparing to turn it off as the plane was about to take off. Suddenly, his brow furrowed.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of things, on the campus of Ningxia University—

Xi Men Xiaokun knelt before Lin Xiaowen, holding a bouquet of flowers. A large crowd had gathered to watch.

“Xi Men Xiaokun, what are you doing? Let me make this clear: I will never like you. If you keep this up, don’t blame me for being rude!” Lin Xiaowen’s voice was sharp.

“Then, Miss Xuanyuan, go ahead and use whatever means you have. I doubt you’d beat me up in front of all these people,” Xi Men Xiaokun replied shamelessly.

“You’re despicable.” Lin Xiaowen’s anger drained the color from her face.

At that moment, Wang Hongru and Zhang Liming happened to walk by. Seeing the commotion, they stopped to observe.

“What the—?” Zhang Liming exclaimed.

“What’s going on?” Wang Hongru asked, confused.

“This is bad—someone’s proposing to Lin Xiaowen!” Zhang Liming said, frowning.

“What’s that got to do with you? Don’t you already have someone?” Wang Hongru was still puzzled.

“It’s not just my concern, it’s yours too—Lin Xiaowen is our future sister-in-law,” Zhang Liming whispered.

“What?” Wang Hongru was stunned.

“Keep your voice down. I’ll call the boss. What’s with him not coming to class today?” He took out his phone and dialed Du Gu Ming’s landline.

Ring… ring… ring… ring…

No answer. What was happening? The two looked at each other, unsure what to do.

Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Together! Together!” Soon the chant spread, and everyone was yelling, “Together! Together!”

“What do we do? We have to think of something,” Zhang Liming said, as both he and Wang Hongru grew increasingly anxious.

Lin Xiaowen realized that things were getting out of hand and decided she needed to get away fast. But somehow, the crowd had formed a tight circle three layers deep, blocking her escape.

Xi Men Xiaokun sneered inwardly. Besides his own men, he’d hired professional shills to fill the crowd—let’s see what you do now, he thought, delighted with his own scheming.

Though Lin Xiaowen had skills, she couldn’t just use them on ordinary people.

Seeing Lin Xiaowen in trouble, Zhang Liming and Wang Hongru pushed desperately through the crowd, but the mass of burly men seemed determined to keep outsiders from getting in or anyone from getting out.

“Xi Men Xiaokun, you’ve gone too far!” Lin Xiaowen shouted.

“How am I over the line? I’m just expressing my feelings to Miss Xuanyuan—is that not allowed?” Xi Men Xiaokun feigned innocence.

No matter how hard Zhang Liming and Wang Hongru tried, they couldn’t break through. The crowd’s chant of “Together!” only drew more bystanders.

Suddenly, Zhang Liming realized it was all a setup. He might be a bit shameless, but he wasn’t stupid. Anyone with a sharp eye could see this was a forced scene, pushing Lin Xiaowen into a corner.

What to do? Zhang Liming was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

“No need to worry. I believe big brother will come in time,” Wang Hongru said with conviction.

Are you out of your mind? Without being notified, how would he know to come? Unless you think he has telepathy, or can see the future. Impossible.

“There’s no such thing as impossible. I believe in him, just as he once told me—believing in your own strength can change fate. I believe in big brother, because he really does have the power to change destiny,” Wang Hongru insisted.

Zhang Liming looked at him, and at that moment, his eyes glimpsed something astonishing over Wang Hongru’s shoulder.

A black Audi sped toward them, its roaring engine drowning out the crowd’s chants.

People turned and stared as the car raced closer, showing no sign of slowing. Instantly, silence fell over the crowd.

Suddenly, someone screamed, “Run!”

With that, the crowd scattered in all directions. The one who shouted was none other than Zhang Liming. Only a handful of burly men in plain clothes remained, surrounding Lin Xiaowen and Xi Men Xiaokun, refusing to budge.

But as the Audi drew closer, even their legs began to tremble.

With a screech and a long trail of burnt rubber, the Audi finally halted—so close it nearly brushed their clothes. The black skid marks stretched for dozens of meters, a testament to the car’s speed.

The door swung open. Out stepped a man clad in a black leather jacket and sunglasses.

He removed his glasses—it was Du Gu Ming, who should have been on a plane to America.

With a thunderous roar, Du Gu Ming shouted at Xi Men Xiaokun, “You bastard! How dare you lay a hand on my woman!”

Ps: Here’s the first chapter for today. If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to add it to your bookshelf. Qimo believes in you, and I believe your strength can also change fate. Thank you.