Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation

Chapter 1709 - 932: Tit for Tat

The morning dismissal bell rang.

Wang Yong bolted as if liberated, unwilling to stay for even a second.

Dong Qingfeng glanced at his former deskmate, so flustered, and couldn’t help but chuckle, recalling Wang Yong’s disdainful comments about the Four Golden Flowers.

Two different times, two different situations.

"He’s even more of a wimp than I thought!" Dong Qingfeng shook his head.

Yiyun said, "Pang Jiao is pretty intimidating. It’s normal for him to back down."

Wu Xiaoqi and Song Sheng used to concede every day.

Dong Qingfeng said, "The main thing is he gives in too quickly, not a shred of manliness."

"Whatever, let’s not talk about this. I’ll take you out for lunch. There’s a restaurant with great stir-fried dishes," Dong Qingfeng said casually, catching a glimpse of Shen Qing’e still in her seat.

She had lost her usual cheerfulness, replaced by a frequently furrowed brow, but this melancholy only added a glow to her, deeply attracting Dong Qingfeng.

Gentleman mode, activate!

Dong Qingfeng asked with concern, "Shen Qing’e, why aren’t you going out for lunch?"

"It’s too crowded outside. I’ll head out in half an hour," Shen Qing’e replied.

Dong Qingfeng immediately offered, "I know a restaurant with great food, a bit farther from the school. Want to join?"

Meng Ziyun’s face darkened. What do you mean by this, Dong Qingfeng?

Beside them, Jiang Yanan said, "Really? Then let’s go together!"

Jiang Yanan, except for her small eyes, was almost all virtues, and she had many admirers. Dong Qingfeng was thrilled to invite both of them.

Shen Qing’e was quite torn. Her living expenses were limited, and going out to eat with Dong Qingfeng, splitting the bill would be a burden. She wasn’t eager to take advantage of others now.

It seemed Dong Qingfeng noticed this, or maybe he didn’t: "I’ll treat you guys to lunch. If you feel bad about it, just treat me to bubble tea afterward."

"Well, alright then."

Dong Qingfeng was overjoyed, striding out proudly with three beautiful girls, feeling on top of the world.

The broken loudspeaker in the school played the latest popular song.

Jiang Ning and Xue Yuantong strolled around the campus, the soothing melody of the song reaching his ears, filling him with some contentment.

"Chuchu isn’t going home for lunch today. We have nothing to eat," Xue Yuantong complained.

Jiang Ning said, "Let’s eat out today."

"Alright, I’ll take pictures and send them to Chuchu to make her jealous later!"

Jiang Ning chuckled. Occasionally eating out was quite refreshing.

Other students hurried by, afraid they wouldn’t get any lunch, while Jiang Ning and Xue Yuantong strolled leisurely, unhurried.

Second year was the most leisurely time in high school, not as ignorant and timid as the first year, nor as stressed about college exams as the third year.

Back then, Jiang Ning didn’t understand this. He just wanted to quickly take the college entrance exam, go to university, graduate, start working, letting time speed up, thinking happiness would come at a certain point.

In reality, it didn’t.

Life has no destination, only the journey.

At this moment, if he could do it all over again, even the loud music from the school’s speakers sounded especially pleasant, a thousand or ten thousand times better than the office’s expensive sound systems during company annual parties.

Perhaps it wasn’t the music that was beautiful, but the person listening with him and youth itself.

He reached out to pat Xue Yuantong’s bun hairstyle.

Xue Yuantong sensed it, raised her face, and glared at him, "What are you doing?"

Jiang Ning replied, "Nothing."

"Hmph, do you think I’m short, that you can easily reach my head, and therefore you look down on me? But I’m telling you, I’ll definitely grow taller, and my thoughts are above..."

Her little mouth kept blabbering, she even tried to jump up to touch Jiang Ning’s head.

Jiang Ning sidestepped, suddenly saying, "I remember you were quite aloof when we first met."

Xue Yuantong froze as if a switch had been flipped.

The scenes from when they first met slowly resurfaced in her little mind. Indeed, she was aloof, cool, and arrogant back then.

Thinking back to her unreasonable self now, Xue Yuantong silently lowered her hand, tucking her small hand into her sleeve. Had she become annoying?

Jiang Ning said, "It’s all good, it’s all you."

She got her answer and hummed, "Jiang Ning, even though your grades have slipped lately, and you no longer play games with me, always picking on Chuchu, I still think you’re quite nice, so I treat you well, you better cherish it."

Jiang Ning replied, "Okay, okay, okay."

"Tch, dismissive."

A tall and a short figure gradually drifted away from the teaching building.

Meanwhile, in the corridor of the building, Cao Kun listened to the lyrics drifting from the broken loudspeaker.

"What kind of man, what kind of man watches her leave without saying anything?"

He looked at Meng Ziyun walking with Dong Qingfeng, thinking the loudspeaker was especially noisy today.

The lyrics crushed all his pride.

"How naive, stop pretending to be strong, expecting you to make up but you just gave her away, what kind of man?"

Cao Kun quickly picked up his phone and sent a message: "Meng Ziyun, make sure you eat well."

Meng Ziyun’s response came quickly: "Got it."

Cao Kun: "Remember not to drink anything cold, and don’t forget to nap at noon."

"Mm, you remember too."

The sudden concern warmed Cao Kun’s heart. He asked with trembling hands, "Remember what?"

Meng Zi Yun: "Remember that we are just strangers."

"Snap!"

Cao Kun’s heart seemed to shatter, his inner voice howling: ’You will get your comeuppance!’

...

"Dong Qingfeng, stop mocking Wang Yong. He’s just avoiding harm and seeking benefits," Jiang Yanan said.

Shen Qing’e: "No matter who gets into that situation, they’d probably chicken out."

Dong Qingfeng: "Just kidding, haha."

The four of them headed towards the noodle shop, the road just over a kilometer long. They chatted as they walked, enjoying the moment.

At the noodle shop, Dong Qingfeng asked the owner for the menu to order dishes: Sichuan spicy stir-fried pork, soybean stewed chicken feet, braised ribbonfish, and thoughtfully ordered a sweet and sour baked pumpkin.

Jiang Yanan: "That’s enough to eat."

Only then did Dong Qingfeng stop: "Also, get a liter of coconut juice, and give me a separate can of cola."

While he was ordering, a man with wrinkled clothes glanced at him from the side.

Dong Qingfeng noticed him too. The man was in his thirties or forties, with dispirited hair, and in front of him was just a messy plate of rice with toppings.

Dong Qingfeng didn’t pay it any mind; his vanity was through the roof at this moment, as a guy with three beautiful girls led many men in the shop to look at him frequently.

He wasn’t worried since it was broad daylight and Yuzhou had developed rapidly, even earning the title of a civilized city.

The dishes were soon served, and they were indeed delicious. The braised ribbonfish was spicy and tasty, the chicken feet stewed until de-boned, and paired with flavorful soybeans, making it extremely appetizing.

Plus, with the company of three stunning girls, Dong Qingfeng soon finished his bowl of rice and went to get more.

While getting rice, he accidentally bumped into a man during his turn, and Dong Qingfeng immediately said, "Sorry, sorry!"

Under normal circumstances, the incident would just pass.

The next second, the man pushed Dong Qingfeng and cursed, his voice hoarse and heavy: "Are you blind?"

Dong Qingfeng was stunned, looking at the man: "You’re the one bumping into me; why are you cursing?"

"I just curse!" The dispirited man pointed at his nose. "So what, I just curse. You want to die, don’t you?"

"What, you’re not convinced?" The dispirited man advanced, using his shoulder to bump Dong Qingfeng back, continuously spewing hoarse and heavy taunts: "Hit me, come on, hit me!"

Where could a young and temperamental guy take such provocation? Dong Qingfeng was still just a teenager of sixteen or seventeen.

His fists instantly clenched.

At that moment, Shen Qing’e quickly shouted: "Don’t fight, don’t fight!"

She spoke while running over, Jiang Yanan closely following, grabbing the furious Dong Qingfeng.

Dong Qingfeng’s expression wavered.

Shen Qing’e promptly said, "Uncle, sorry!"

Jiang Yanan then pulled Dong Qingfeng aside.

Not hitting women is almost ingrained in the national character. Seeing this, the dispirited man’s arrogance halved, pointing at Dong Qingfeng’s nose: "You gutless brat, next time shut your mouth for me!"

Spitting on the ground as he said it, full of humiliation.

Facing such humiliation, Dong Qingfeng trembled with anger, Jiang Yanan lowered his voice and said:

"Don’t use violence! A gentleman does not suffer immediate losses!"

Dong Qingfeng felt extremely aggrieved, especially losing face in front of several girls. How was he different from Wang Yong, whom he ridiculed earlier?

The chef in the back, hearing the commotion, appeared in the dining area with a large spoon in hand, puzzled about what happened.

The dispirited man cursed as he walked out of the shop, facing an approaching tall and slender figure. Still furious, he opened his mouth:

"Don’t block the way! Move!"

Jiang Ning stopped his tracks, holding his milk tea, observing: "What did you say?"

The dispirited man’s previously dissipating anger surged again: "You’re asking for it..."

Before he could finish his words, a swift leg struck him in the chest, sending him flying backward, landing on the oily-stained floor.

With a "ding clang" sound, a silver-gray folding knife popped out from his pocket, falling on the floor, into the customers’ view.

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts. The originally indignant Dong Qingfeng now only felt cold all over, incredibly grateful.

It’s foreseeable how the situation could have unraveled if the conflict had erupted.

At best, hospitalized; at worst, dead.

Jiang Ning looked at the man on the floor, slowly saying: "Oh, you even carry a knife?"

The nearby chef quickly kicked the folding knife away, preventing further tragedy. As the knife was kicked away, the dispirited man got up from the floor, seizing the large ladle from the chef’s hand.

Then he charged at Jiang Ning with the ladle, his face fierce, revealing his brutal nature.

Everyone’s hearts hung high, thinking the tea-drinking youth would dodge or block with his arms.

Instead of retreating, Jiang Ning advanced, raising his leg swiftly.

With a blur, the dispirited man toppled down, motionless.

Jiang Ning glanced: "Gave you a chance, but you weren’t up to it."

Silence engulfed the shop, a man in a suit walked to the doorway, shouting: "Wu, pay your debt!"

Next second, his voice got stuck: "Eh?"