Chapter 28: Advanced Combat Technique

  Qiao Xier personally drove to pick up Zhang Yang and Xu Danlu. To fit one more passenger, she brought a red Audi A6 this time. Clearly, Miss Qiao Xier liked manly-looking Audi models, even though she herself exuded strong feminine charm.

  Like today—she wore tight gray-black jeans and a white fitted T-shirt with a pink vest over it. Though she wasn’t showing skin, her long legs and stunning figure were displayed perfectly, making anyone drool.

  “Damn you, Zhang Yang. I just stepped out to make a call that day, and the next thing I know, you’ve run off to Shanghai! Are you part rabbit?” Qiao Xier, as always, drove fast. The moment Zhang Yang got in, she started scolding him just as he expected.

  Thankfully, Zhang Yang had warned Xu Danlu beforehand to fasten her seatbelt even in the backseat, or else the snacks from the plane might not stay down.

  Seeing Zhang Yang’s pale face, Qiao Xier had no intention of slowing down. Zhang Yang started to regret not picking Advanced Driving Technique as his M-level reward—maybe then he could understand how she could hit 120 km/h on a 60 km/h road.

  “By the way, did you find a place to stay?” Qiao Xier asked casually while swerving past a truck with perfect timing, completely ignoring the suffering expressions of the couple in the backseat. “If not, I’ll help you find an apartment.”

  Zhang Yang thought about it and decided to head back to the dorm first. After over half a month away, he actually missed Lu Shen and Li Jindong. Even though they’d just cursed him out over the phone, he still wanted to see them. He’d love to rent a place, but the problem was—he was broke.

  When they passed by Qingyuan Hotel, Zhang Yang asked Qiao Xier to stop the car. He grabbed his bag and got out.

  “Showing off now?” Qiao Xier looked at the blazing sun through the window. Though it was close to Mid-Autumn, the noon sun was still fierce.

  Zhang Yang grinned, tapped on the window, and said, “Got some personal stuff. You go on ahead.”

  “Typical!” Qiao Xier rolled her eyes, slammed the gas pedal, and the car shot into the East Gate. In the backseat, Xu Danlu quietly pursed her lips without saying anything.

  “Damn, does she own the school?” Zhang Yang muttered, coughing in her exhaust fumes. Shaking his head, he walked slowly toward Qingyuan Hotel. He remembered promising Gao Qi to work night shifts there for extra cash. Now, half a month had passed—he wondered if the job was still his.

  As soon as he entered the hotel lobby, he spotted several familiar faces lounging on the sofas like stray dogs. Some were reading newspapers, some playing cards, and a couple were even drinking beer right there in the lobby.

  The person he wanted to see—Big Boobs Gao Qi—was red-faced and arguing furiously with the Mohawk-headed Ah Gou. A front desk girl nearby was so frightened she didn’t even dare breathe.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “You’ve gone too far! This is a business, not your playground. If you want to mess around, go outside!” Gao Qi, as always, wore her black uniform. Her chest heaved with agitation, the sight alone enough to make any man’s throat go dry.

  Ah Gou was no exception. Even from afar, Zhang Yang could see the bulge in his pants pressing against the counter. His eyes were glued to Gao Qi’s chest, and his hands kept moving in and out of his pockets, itching to grope her. When she spoke, he sneered, “Hey, beauty, watch your tone. I’m a customer, and the customer’s always god. Besides, isn’t your lobby for guests to relax? Why can’t I sit here?”

  “You can sit, but stop drinking and playing cards here.” Gao Qi’s voice rose.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. Relaxation means leisure! No cards, no drinks—what kind of leisure is that? Right, Heizi?” Ah Gou laughed, glancing at a fellow thug beside him.

  “Keep this up and I’ll call the cops.” Gao Qi, furious, grabbed the phone, ready to dial.

  But before she could, Ah Gou snatched the phone and handed it back mockingly. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Want to call the police? I’ll even help you dial.”

  As he said it, he tried to take the chance to brush his hand against hers.

  Gao Qi shot him a glare, picked up the phone, dialed a number, then angrily hung up. Staring coldly at Ah Gou, she asked, “What the hell do you want?”

  “What do I want? Depends on how you behave... Spend a night with me, and maybe…” Ah Gou pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and stuck it between his lips.

  He reached for his lighter—but the cigarette was gone.

  “Huh…”

  “Huh, my ass.”

  Before Ah Gou could react, a massive palm shadow covered his face.

  “Smack!” The crisp slap spun Ah Gou halfway around. His head buzzed, his cheek burned like it had been scalded, and it instantly swelled up.

  “What the hell—who did that?!” He clutched his face, stunned when he saw who hit him. “Z-Zhang Yang?!”

  Zhang Yang leaned casually against the counter just like him and smiled. “Brother Gou, long time no see.”

  “You son of a bitch, you hit me?!” Ah Gou jumped up. Zhang Yang still had the cigarette he’d just taken in his hand—so it wasn’t exactly a mystery.

  “Just saying hi. No need to get so worked up.” Zhang Yang said lazily, tossing his bag onto the counter. “Manager Gao, mind storing my bag for me?”

  Gao Qi froze. She’d only met Zhang Yang a few times, and after half a month, her impression of him had started to fade. But now that he appeared again, everything came flooding back. With a hint of tears in her voice, she said softly, “Zhang Yang, it’s you… where have you been all this time?”

  Ever since that night when she and Zhang Yang ruined Bai Liangfeng’s plans, things had gone downhill. At first, Bai Liangfeng didn’t retaliate, but a few days later, he started sending people to harass her. She later learned Zhang Yang’s camera had been seized that night—and it contained plenty of her photos. Their scheme had been exposed.

  Bai Liangfeng didn’t smash up the place; instead, he had Ah Gou bring a few thugs to hang around the lobby, scaring off customers.

  In just over half a month, Qingyuan Hotel’s business had dropped by eighty percent. Gao Qi had considered calling the police, but Ah Gou’s behavior wasn’t enough to get him arrested. And Bai Liangfeng had powerful backing. She had no chance. Worse, her parents were abroad, leaving her to handle everything alone.

  So Ah Gou’s constant harassment had left her mentally and physically exhausted.

  Zhang Yang had promised to start his night shift in a few days, but he never showed up. Gao Qi worried that Bai Liangfeng might’ve had him hurt. When she later heard he’d been expelled, her guilt deepened—she believed he wouldn’t have gotten into trouble if not for her.

  Yet here he was, after half a month, saving her again. But when she saw the six thugs in the lobby, including Ah Gou, she grew anxious once more. Taking Zhang Yang’s bag, she glanced at Ah Gou and mustered her courage. “If you don’t leave now, I’m really calling the police.”

  “Call the cops? Sounds like someone’s asking for a beating.” Ah Gou was furious. Bai Liangfeng had paid him to deal with Zhang Yang before, but he’d failed. And now Zhang Yang showed up on his own? It was like a gift. Gao Qi’s threat meant nothing to him.

  Without a word, he raised his leg to kick Zhang Yang. Like most thugs, he attacked with his feet first by instinct.

  But before his kick even landed, Zhang Yang’s foot moved faster—like lightning—slamming straight into Ah Gou’s supporting knee.

  “Crack!” Ah Gou’s body flipped backward, crashing face-first onto the marble floor. Before he could get up, Zhang Yang crouched, drove his knee into Ah Gou’s back, and twisted his arm into a brutal joint lock.

  “Aaaagh!” Ah Gou screamed like a slaughtered pig. His swollen cheek pressed against the cold floor, and his whole face contorted in pain. “Let go… let go!”

  Zhang Yang’s movements were instantaneous—everything happened in less than a second. The other thugs hadn’t even registered what happened before Ah Gou was pinned down.

  Seeing their leader in that state, the five other thugs were completely stunned.

  “Weren’t you acting tough just now?” Zhang Yang said coldly, grabbing the guest logbook from the counter and smacking Ah Gou across the face. “Do you even know what you did wrong?”