Chapter 24: Another Robbery
Boyfriend? Zhao Ying was stunned... We were mistaken as a couple! The ages of Zhao Ying and Yang Ming was close and in addition, Yang Ming looked tall and strong. He was a head taller than Zhao Ying. Besides, Zhao Ying didn't really look like Yang Ming's teacher. No wonder the stall owner was mistaken!
Both tried to explain at the same time as they shook their heads, "No, we're not…"
The stall owner said discreetly, "I know, I know!" He was implying, "I know. You don't have to explain." He nodded his head self-righteously.
Zhao Ying rolled her eyes to Yang Ming, meaning, Look, we're misunderstood by others!
Yang Ming smiled helplessly meaning, What can I do?!
However, Zhao Ying got the wrong message. She thought he meant, You had promised me to be my wife. If he misunderstood, then let it be!
Zhao Ying was bitterly angry, but she couldn't do anything else. This issue would get complicated with further explanation. Some issues weren't a big deal at first, but if one explained too much, a simple thing would get more ambiguous.
Yang Ming said to stall owner, "Two Beef Noodles with eggs!" He originally wanted to drink beer at the barbeque stall, but drinking alcohol in front of beautiful teacher-come-sister would be digging his own grave. Besides, Yang Ming was hungry, so eating noodles would be more filling. He didn't want Zhao Ying to spend too much either.
"Alright! It will be ready soon!" said the stall owner and then he whispered quietly, "Couples should be eating a big bowl together. Wouldn't that be more enjoyable?!"
Yang Ming looked at Zhao Ying's blushed face. She was really frustrated. Why did the stall owner have to be such a busybody?! Both of them were progressing through the friendship and brother-sister relationship, but it stalled when this guy pointed it out!
As expected, Zhao Ying moved awkwardly aside and distanced herself from Yang Ming.
The few words from the stall owner had made them both quiet and they kept their heads down as they ate. They quickly finished their noodles. When Zhao Ying took out her purse to pay the bill, Yang Ming sensed a strange look from the stall owner.
I bet this guy must be thinking that I'm a kept man!
They left the stall and walked back toward their homes.
Yang Ming broke the awkward silence and said, "Sister Ying, you don't have to listen to that nonsense. These stall owners are all the same - indecent and with a glib tongue."
"Pff..." Zhao Ying laughed. "You were walking so fast now. I thought you thought that having me as your girlfriend was shameful?"
"Ah? Hehe. Sister Ying, you aren't angry? I really thought you were pissed off!" Yang Ming scratched his head and felt embarrassed. "When you went to pay, the stall owner thought I was a kept man. Why shouldn't I run?!"
Zhao Ying wasn't angry actually. She just felt embarrassed, but she had already passed through the awkward stage. She was worried that Yang Ming's studies would be distracted and hence joked with Yang Ming.
Yang Ming was feeling good and when he saw that Zhao Ying was fine, he started chatting with her.
"Freeze!" A sudden roar scared Yang Ming and Zhao Ying. Yang Ming raised his head and saw two men standing in front of them and one held a dagger.
The place was far from the city, so it wasn't a thriving neighborhood. The shops nearby were already closed. There were not many people around so no one noticed what was happening.
The man with the dagger said, "Give me all your valuable items. Don't try to resist. If not, I will really kill you!"
Yang Ming first thought that this was Jin Gang's vengeance but he looked around and because he didn't see Jin Gang, he then re-examined these two thugs.
The other man without the dagger said impatiently, "What are you waiting for? Don't make me do it. An old man like me doesn't have much patience!"
Yang Ming looked at these guys. If he was fighting them alone, Yang Ming believed that he could easily deal with them. Yang Ming would still have an 80% chance to win even if both of them fought him together. However, Zhao Ying was beside him. He wasn't scared but that wasn't the case for Zhao Ying.
Therefore, Yang Ming hesitated and but then put his hand in his pocket. In there was the 200 yuan that Father Yang gave him during lunch. Yang Ming felt really bad but he didn't think much and obediently threw the money on the ground.
Zhao Ying straightaway threw her handbag on the ground. The thin man nodded satisfied as he picked up the money and handbag. Suddenly, he noticed that the girl was exceptionally beautiful. His eyes were involuntarily showing lust…
The man with the dagger also noticed. They exchanged knowing looks and slightly nodded their heads.
The man with the knife said, "Kid, you can go now!"
Yang Ming subtly pulled Zhao Ying's hand. "Let's go!"
The man with the knife waved his hand, "Wait! I'm only letting you go. The girl will stay!"
"What are you guys planning to do?" Yang Ming eyes were murderous. He was disgusted with people who were greedy and ate their own words.
The thin man said impatiently, "What's the matter? I've already made myself clear. You leave. The girl stays!"
Yang Ming said coldly, "I have given you the money. I hope you guys can follow the gang rules! Don't be so absolute. This won't be good for either you or me!"
"Huh? Who you think you are to be talking gang rules with me? I let you go because of the money. Kid, you should stop being pretentious. If I change my mind later, neither of you would be able to leave!" The man with the dagger sneered disdainfully.
Yang Ming looked coldly at the man with the knife and a smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The thin man smile lewdly, "Little kid, don't worry. We will let this chick go when we finish playing with her. It's just being poked a few times; she won't die!"
"Run!" Yang Ming clenched his teeth, pushed Zhao Ying away, and then he rushed bravely toward the thin man.
"Yang Ming..." Zhao Ying almost stumbled from the push. She looked at Yang Ming horrified.
Yang Ming saw that Zhao Ying hadn't run but instead, she stood there in a daze. He had a sudden rush of anxiety and he shouted, "Just run! Don't worry about me; you run first!"
When Yang Ming was distracted, the thin man punched him in his face, "Ah!"
The man with the dagger saw that Yang Ming dared to fight back and charged toward him. "Little kid, since you tried to trick me, none of you will be leaving!"
Yang Ming was hit because of his carelessness. But now that he restored his vigilance, he saw the man with the dagger charging toward him. Immediately, Yang Ming launched a kick at the hand with the dagger.
Yang Ming was furious at this moment. He didn't hold back on this kick. "Kacha", was followed by a miserable howl. The man with the dagger broke his hand, and the dagger was nowhere to be found.
This was what Yang Ming wanted. Because he feared that the weapon may hurt Zhao Ying, he was vicious with his kick. He kicked the dagger away and crippled one hand.
Zhao Ying was worried about Yang Ming when she saw him get hit. She knew that she would be a burden to him. But now Yang Ming looked really brave as he kicked away the dagger with one kick. Then, she remembered his courageous fight with the thugs in the past, so she lengthened her steps, and quickly ran away.
Yang Ming wasn't as worried when she was far away. While the man with the dagger - no, now it was the man without the dagger - was howling, Yang Ming threw another punch toward his temple.
Yang Ming took advantage of the daggerless man's plight and knocked him out without a sound.
Chapter 25: Let Me Be Your Wife
The wizened man saw his partner being finished off and became enraged, "Brat, which street do you belong to? How dare you spoil my plan!"
Yang Ming had already taken down one of his enemies. At that moment, he was confident and no longer scared. He looked at the wrinkled man and said, "You are the one who didn't follow the rule first. You could have left after taking the money and we would have no more business with each other. It is you who forced me to do this."
The shriveled man swiftly launched a kick at Yang Ming, "Brat, what a strong tone. Let me teach you a lesson!"
Yang Ming was surprised. Even though the guy seemed to be thin and weak, he had great agility! He was even more agile than the foe who held the knife! It wasn't by chance that he managed to land a punch on Yang Ming!
The wizened man had swift movements, but Yang Ming wasn't a fraud either. He had participated in lots of gang fights in the past. He dodged the kick easily and returned one.
The wrinkled man swiftly dodged backward and Yang Ming missed his kick! However, Yang Ming wasn't bothered. Since the first kick didn't connect, what mattered more was the follow-up kick that came after!
That was Yang Ming's go-to technique. He used it during the fight with Jin Gang's man just a few days ago. The wizened man relaxed after he saw Yang Ming miss the kick. He never thought that Yang Ming's second kick would come so quickly!
"Pang!" A loud noise echoed in the whole area. The thin man looked at the kick that had landed on his chest! It was followed by agonizing pain when he fell on the floor. His dizziness was accompanied by a feeling of his lung bursting.
Yang Ming didn't even look at him because thus far, there hasn't been anyone who was able to get up after experiencing Yang Ming's flying kick. Yang Ming picked up Zhao Ying's handbag that was on the floor. He turned around and walked towards the wrinkled man. After searching his body for some time, he took out a wad of cash which included his two hundred yuan.
Yang Ming flipped through the stack; he estimated it to be about three to four thousand yuan! At first, Yang Ming wanted to just take back his own two hundred yuan, but after realizing that this money was probably acquired through crime, he simply stashed everything in his pocket.
Yang Ming originally wanted to leave the scene but he saw blood dripping out of the wizened man's mouth. Yang Ming had used his full strength for the fight so there were at least a few kilograms of force thrown on the wrinkled man's chest. It would be strange if there weren't internal injuries!
Yang Ming felt that this skeleton-like brat could die at any moment. By that time, Yang Ming would have become a murderer! Thus, Yang Ming immediately dialed 911 at a nearby public telephone and reported the two injured men by the roadside.
After a while, a police siren could be heard in the distance. Yang Ming thought to himself that the police was very efficient in their duty and left feeling assured.
Seeing the empty streets, it looked like Zhao Ying had escaped far away from the scene. Yang Ming shook his head. Being close to a beauty might not always be a good thing. They had been robbed twice. Although the first robbery was because of Jin Gang, this time it was Zhao Ying's beauty that caused the mess.
As Yang Ming looked for Zhao Ying at a different corner of the street, he noticed a human figure behind a garbage bin far away! Could there be such a coincidence? Do I look like a rich man?
As Yang Ming looked closer, the figure that was hiding behind the garbage bin was actually Zhao Ying! She carefully peeked out from behind the garbage bin and gazed upon Yang Ming.
Both of them were separated far away, however, Yang Ming was able to see Zhao Ying but Zhao Ying couldn't see the situation at all. Yang Ming held her handbag up and waved at her, indicating that it was alright.
Zhao Ying came out from behind the garbage bin once she was sure there wasn't any danger ahead. She ran towards Yang Ming while holding her bulging breasts as she gasped for air. She held Yang Ming's arm and asked in a concerned manner, "I am so scared, Yang Ming. Are you alright?"
Yang Ming starred lewdly into Zhao Ying's chest and mumbled, "It would be great if I could feel it..."
Zhao Ying didn't hear what Yang Ming said nor did she see Yang Ming's expression. She asked in a puzzled manner, "What did you just say?"
Yang Ming pointed at the bruise on his face and made a joke, "Nothing much, Sister Ying. Just look at me, I am disfigured. What should I do if I can't get a wife?" Yang Ming had received a punch this time around. Even though it wasn't as serious as the previous case, it was still scary in comparison because the damage was on the face.
"Aiya!" Zhao Ying that realized half of Yang Ming's face was swollen. She exclaimed, "Your face is severely swollen. How could you still joke about it?!"
Yang Ming replied, "I am serious! It involves a major affair in my life! A person's looks are very important. My face is already like this and I don't have a reason to live anymore!" In reality, Yang Ming's face had no problems at all. The swelling would have gone down overnight. During his time in junior high school, he would always be in a fight. It was common to be hit on the head by a brick. However, those were the times when Yang Ming first went out into society and met other punks. Later on, Yang Ming had beaten the hell out of the others.
"Yang Ming! Can you be more serious?!" Zhao Ying was slightly irritated. "As I said before, I will be your wife in the future! Let's head to the hospital immediately!"
In that instance when Zhao Ying panicked, she blurted out "I will be your wife in the future." She felt something wasn't right after she finished her sentence. The premise of her statement was that Yang Ming couldn't find a wife. Since it was already spoken, any further addition would reveal her affections. In that case, Yang Ming may think that she was fooling him which might lead to more misunderstandings. Zhao Ying thought Yang Ming didn't realize this because she didn't detect anything special in his expression.
Although Yang Ming's academic work wasn't very good, it wasn't a fair representation of his literary skills. He might not be able to comprehend a poem and the meaning behind interchangeable words[1], however, he had a better knowledge of wording and phrasing sentences or else, he wouldn't be able to put Zhao Ying to silence with his arguments. He felt like he wanted to have a voice recorder by his side so that he could record Zhao Ying's promise as evidence. With that, his marriage was covered!
It was hard to imagine but many couples in the world had broken their promises as time went by.
"So that's a promise?" Yang Ming felt that Zhao Ying was someone who kept her promise.
"That's a promise. Quickly, we need to go to the hospital." Zhao Ying was anxious about Yang Ming's injury and she no longer cared about the other matters.
Yang Ming suggested, "Why go to the hospital? Let's just go to your house."
Zhao Ying was shocked. "Go to my house? Come over for what?" Zhao Ying blushed as she thought to herself. I just made the promise. Would he already intend to make me his wife?