Chapter 37: Climbing the Wall to Buy Elementary School Books (Part One)

“Ow! Ow! Stop hitting me, stop! I’m about to be beaten to death!” Zhou Nan pleaded for mercy, wailing loudly, but the four boys paid him no mind, continuing to rain punches and kicks on him without pause. But Zhou Nan wasn’t exactly a pushover—he had some skills of his own. Shielding his head as he tried to block and dodge, his cries were wretched, but his eyes darted around, quick and clever.

Spotting an opening, he suddenly reached out and grabbed one of the boys hard between the legs. The boy shrieked miserably and collapsed, breaking their encirclement. Seizing the chance, Zhou Nan rolled to his feet and bolted. The other three chased after him, but Zhou Nan was as nimble as a swallow, running surprisingly fast.

His mind raced with ideas. As long as he escaped this little corner, he could scream and make the whole school hear him. He remembered well what the square-headed tyrant had said that afternoon: if anything else happened, those four troublemakers would be thrown out. After being beaten so badly today, he was ready to swallow his pride; he’d show up at the discipline office, face bruised and battered, and cry his guts out—those four idiots would be expelled on the spot!

Damn, how dare they mess with me? Grandpa Zhou never misses a trick; my wits are unparalleled!

But fate seemed to have other plans. As Zhou Nan rounded the corner, he came face to face with a massive figure blocking his way. It was dark, so he couldn’t make out the features, but those piercing eyes and that fearsome face looked even more terrifying in the gloom.

Zhou Nan’s heart leapt in fright.

It was Shi Tiexin!

Shi Tiexin was actually blocking his way!

With a thud, Zhou Nan’s foot slipped, and he half-fell, half-knelt to the ground, looking up in panic at Shi Tiexin’s merciless face. The four thugs caught up, screeching to a halt as they, too, dared not challenge him. If anyone commanded respect, it was Shi Tiexin—he’d thoroughly cowed them all.

“Boss, you came just in time!” The craftiest of the four immediately pointed at Zhou Nan, who was sprawled on the ground. “It’s him! He’s the one who incited us to cause you trouble!”

Shi Tiexin raised an eyebrow, his oppressive gaze locking onto Zhou Nan.

Zhou Nan was almost in despair, desperate to silence the four fools. He wasn’t afraid of these rats, but he was terrified of Shi Tiexin, who played by no rules, and even more afraid that if word got out, he’d never have a place in the “trash class” again. Worst of all, if he ended up being thrown into the black latrine and dunked in the urine bucket, he’d never be able to show his face again!

The four thugs ignored him, all talking at once. From how Zhou Nan had slandered Shi Tiexin from the start, to how he’d coached them in the cafeteria to go complain to the square-headed teacher, they confessed everything in detail.

Shi Tiexin looked down at Zhou Nan, his expression unchanged, but as the night deepened, the shadows on his face grew darker, making him seem even more terrifying. In Zhou Nan’s eyes, by now, he looked no different from a demon.

“I—I was out of my mind, I wasn’t thinking straight, it’s all my fault!” Zhou Nan was nearly bowing flat on the ground, scrambling to beg for mercy. “Spare me, big bro, I was wrong, please let me go!”

“Let you go?” The four thugs jeered from behind. “If begging worked, what’s the point of the urine bucket in the black latrine?”

The fat one rolled up his sleeves, volunteering. “Boss, you don’t need to lift a finger, we’ll go fetch the bucket right now!”

“Hmph.” Shi Tiexin snorted, glancing coldly at the four. “You—leave.”

“Leave? We... Oh, we get it, we’re leaving, we’re leaving!” Not sure what they’d understood, the four nodded and bowed their way out.

As they walked off, they muttered among themselves, their voices drifting back on the wind. “Now that’s how it’s done—don’t leave any witnesses.”

“Yeah, compared to Brother Guo... compared to Teng Chao Guo, this is real professionalism—no loose ends, no evidence.”

“Expert, real expert. Looks like he’s about to use some cruel methods!”

“You think he’ll do the ‘Phoenix Three Nods’ in the bucket?”

“‘Phoenix Three Nods’ is nothing. This guy looks downright ruthless—he probably knows tricks we can’t even imagine. I heard some drug lords use towels to cover a guy’s face and pour water on it—a legendary torture method. You think this guy’ll improvise and pour urine instead?”

The four walked off, chatting away, convinced Zhou Nan was in for a world of pain. Meanwhile, Zhou Nan was already shaking uncontrollably on the ground, visions of the “Phoenix Three Nods” or some “improved” torture flashing through his mind. Despair overwhelmed him.

He wanted to run, but his legs were too weak to stand. And this guy shared his dorm—where could he possibly escape to? He couldn’t outfight him, and with Zheng Kaiming backing him, there was no way to report him. Shi Tiexin was practically invincible.

Against such a big shot, even invoking his own elder brother’s name wouldn’t help. After all, someone like this was already as intimidating as any of the school’s Four Heavenly Kings.

Regret! If only he’d known—why had he gone against such a figure for a bit of empty reputation and a few packs of cigarettes? He’d kicked out, only to hit a block of solid steel—his bones nearly shattered!

If he really ended up doing the “Phoenix Three Nods,” would he see his own pathetic reflection in the bucket?

Zhou Nan’s mind was a chaotic mess, his heart awash with sorrow, all drama and tragedy.

Shi Tiexin silently watched Zhou Nan, secretly a little amused. No wonder the kid acted like a mouse before a cat every time he saw me—so cautious and eager to please, he must have had a guilty conscience all along.

Come to think of it, Zhou Nan had tried to stir up trouble twice, and both times had triggered my “destiny quests.” If it weren’t for his help, I might not have completed those tasks so smoothly. In a way, I ought to think of him as my lucky star.

He had to be punished, of course, but... what good would it do me? Beating him up? Dunking him in the latrine? None of it meant anything to me.

As it happened, I was out of cash, so this guy would just have to continue being my “enthusiastic classmate.”

“You—” Shi Tiexin looked at Zhou Nan and had barely opened his mouth when Zhou Nan collapsed, shrieking like a violated girl, “Don’t dunk me, don’t dunk me, boss! I don’t want the Three Nods, I don’t want any improved version either! Please, boss, spare me—!”

Dunk you? You think you’re some girl?

And this guy’s such a coward? All the better to scare him a bit.

Nothing’s more fun than scaring people!

“Spare you? Impossible!” Shi Tiexin’s face was dark as night. “Three Nods, or the improved version—choose for yourself!”

“No, boss, I was wrong, I really was! Let me make it up to you, let me compensate you! From now on, I’ll do whatever you say without question—please, boss, have mercy!”

Zhou Nan was nearly on his knees.

Shi Tiexin stared at him, silent but oppressive, until Zhou Nan trembled with fear. Sensing the timing was right, Shi Tiexin finally relented a little. “I’ll remember this. We’ll see how you behave.”

“Yes! Yes! Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss!” Brought back from the brink, Zhou Nan was nearly in tears of gratitude.

Shi Tiexin was blunt. “Go buy something for me.”