Chapter 19: Please Let Me Go
It was the peak time for returning to school, and the Zhou family’s display quickly attracted a crowd.
The Zhou family’s bodyguards swarmed forward, fully expecting to easily subdue such a young girl.
Who knew that Xia Chenge was like a slippery loach, weaving and darting between them, impossible to catch.
Ling Hanmu suddenly appeared at the entrance of Class F, aggressively pushing through the onlookers to get in.
Upon seeing Ling Hanmu, Zhou Shaohua instinctively felt a chill.
Ling Hanmu walked up to Xia Chenge, pulled her into an embrace, and arrogantly pointed at Zhou Father, “Are you, this old undying, bullying my little brother?”
Zhou Father immediately recognized Ling Hanmu and quickly put on a smile, “Young Master Ling, you’ve misunderstood. We were just reasoning with her. She’s caused my son to be like this, and we just want justice.”
“You want justice? What kind of justice?” Ling Hanmu looked at him nonchalantly.
A chill ran down Zhou Father’s spine, and he racked his brain for words to avoid offending Ling Hanmu. “As long as she kneels and apologizes, this matter will be over. The Xia family also holds this stance. Xia Chenge made a mistake and must bear the responsibility herself.”
“Did Zhou Shaohua not tell you that it was I, this Young Master, who ’caused’ him to be like this?” Ling Hanmu said domineeringly. “Are you asking me to kneel and apologize?”
At these words, Zhou Father was terrified. Ask Ling Hanmu to kneel? It was likely that the Zhou family would go bankrupt before the day was over!
“Young Master Ling, you’re joking. My, my son, how did he offend you? Tell me, and I, I will immediately make him apologize.” Zhou Father was covered in cold sweat, bowing and scraping.
“Kneel down, like that?”
“Whatever Young Master Ling says, goes.”
“Kneel to me? Are you cursing this Young Master to death?” Ling Hanmu raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Father trembled all over and quickly denied, “No, no, no, Young Master Ling, please see clearly. I misspoke, I deserve to die!”
Saying this, Zhou Father slapped himself hard, “I deserve to be hit. Please, Young Master Ling, forgive me this once.”
Ling Hanmu ignored Zhou Father, a wicked smile appearing on his face. “You’re tired of living if you dare to bully someone under this Young Master’s protection. Enough, this act of self-harm just annoys me more.”
Zhou Father immediately stopped, his heart in his mouth.
“Making you go bankrupt at the drop of a hat seems a bit cruel. You’re all getting on in years, why not get some exercise? Run a lap around the school, and I’ll let you off. How about that?” Ling Hanmu appeared to be negotiating. “If you think it’s too difficult, then go bankrupt.”
Compared to bankruptcy, anyone would choose to run a lap.
Zhou Father thought the same, “Okay, okay, I’ll run. Thank you, Lord Ling, for your magnanimity!”
“Really? No regrets?” Ling Hanmu smirked.
“No regrets!” Zhou Father replied hastily.
Xia Chenge silently pitied Zhou Father. The devil Ling was definitely not this easy to negotiate with; he must have a hidden agenda!
“Since that’s the case, this Young Master won’t try to dissuade you. I wasn’t finished speaking earlier. Running a lap isn’t just running a lap. Streaking is too indecent, so this Young Master will allow you to wear your underwear.” Ling Hanmu was being merciful.
Zhou Father almost fainted, but was luckily supported by his bodyguards.
“Weren’t you quite arrogant when you were bullying my little brother? Where did that spirit go?” Ling Hanmu scoffed. “It looks like you actually want to choose bankruptcy?”
As he spoke, Ling Hanmu took out his mobile phone and made a call, “Old man, I want Guanghe Daily Chemical to not see tomorrow’s sun.”
Zhou Father fell to his knees, clutching Ling Hanmu’s pant leg and weeping, “Young Master Ling, I was wrong. Young Master Ling, please be merciful and spare me. Treat me like a fart and let me go, okay? I don’t have any objections to how you deal with Zhou Shaohua.”
Xia Chenge secretly chuckled. Ling Hanmu hadn’t even made a call; just this scare was enough to make Zhou Father back down. As expected, he was someone who bullied the weak and feared the strong.
“This Young Master keeps his word! This Young Master loves to bully people with his power, what can you do about it? Daring to bully someone under this Young Master’s protection is going against this Young Master!”
Zhou Father trembled all over, “Young Master Ling, I know I was wrong. Please spare me this time…”
Ling Hanmu kicked him, “It’s too late to know you’re wrong. This Young Master is very unhappy, so if I don’t do something, it seems like this Young Master can’t vent this anger.”
“Hurry up and run laps around the school while there are few people around, or you’ll be begging on the streets tomorrow!” When facing Zhou Father, Ling Hanmu became ferocious.
Zhou Father steeled himself. Compared to bankruptcy, he would rather choose this humiliating way to yield. Who could he blame but Ling Hanmu, the Young Master of the Ling family?
Xia Chenge was shocked. She had originally thought Ling Hanmu just wanted to scare Zhou Father, but she didn’t expect him to be serious. She wanted to persuade Ling Hanmu, but he had already gone downstairs.
Thus, a cringeworthy scene unfolded outside Yan Sheng High School: Zhou Father, with his excess weight, stripped down to his underwear, ran a lap around Yan Sheng High School with his bodyguards.
After Zhou Father and his group finished the humiliating lap, they were allowed by Ling Hanmu to flee in disgrace, covering their faces, while simultaneously desperately contacting various media outlets to buy up those videos.
Xia Chenge frowned deeply. Even the most powerful families were built on intricate relationships. Ling Hanmu wasn’t some simple-minded, brawny second generation rich kid. Why would he completely offend the Zhou family for her?
…
“How is it, little brother? Did you get your anger out?” Ling Hanmu asked her with a smile after returning.
Xia Chenge tilted her head slightly and glanced at Ling Hanmu, “Thank you!”
“It’s nothing, just a small favor. You’re welcome, little brother, don’t take it to heart.”
Xia Chenge… She shouldn’t have responded!
“What are you looking at?” Ling Hanmu, seeing her not speaking, glanced at her book. “You’re actually reading Chinese literature?”
What’s wrong with me reading Chinese literature? Xia Chenge retorted in her mind. Can’t I read Chinese literature?
“Didn’t I tell you? If you want to catch up, you can find me. I can be your exclusive tutor. You know, you’re the only one in the whole world with such an honor.” Ling Hanmu rubbed his hands, eager to try.
“I don’t need a teacher who misleads students.” Xia Chenge subtly shifted her body to the side, increasing the distance between herself and Ling Hanmu.
Ling Hanmu snorted proudly, “You doubt me! But I can give you a chance to reconsider. Think it over for three days before deciding, so you don’t regret it later.”
Xia Chenge felt that she and Ling Hanmu were like chickens talking to ducks, completely unable to communicate.
Was this guy living in his own world for too long, forgetting that other people’s subjective consciousness wasn’t something he could control?
Xia Chenge gave up on trying to communicate with Ling Hanmu, lest her usually good temper explode from anger.
