Another week passed. March 19th, Saturday, at the abandoned building.
The young man sat on a broken wooden board, holding his cat. He wore a black jacket over a beige hoodie and straight-leg gray jeans. He stared absently at where the snow had long since melted. He remembered how before New Year’s, the three of them had set off fireworks here with Jiang Qiao.
Xu Si heard rustling sounds and turned to see Yang Shi Kun and Hao Ming.
Yang Shi Kun waved: “Brother Si.”
They sat down beside him.
Xu Si asked: “Why did you come?”
Yang Shi Kun wouldn’t mention that he’d secretly followed Xu Si once before and discovered he came here almost every weekend night. He just smiled: “Lucky guess.”
Xu Si remained silent, lost in thought.
“Brother Si, this place would be perfect for barbecue actually.”
Xu Si looked at the open space and nodded: “It would.”
“Next time the four of us could come here for barbecue.”
Yang Shi Kun had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud.
Xu Si just absently repeated “the four of us.” He remembered eating hotpot together before, when he still had something that could be called home. Now he had nothing.
“Xu Si, long time no see.”
Hearing this, all three turned around.
Xu Si looked at the scarred man behind them and spoke coldly: “Who are you?”
“Who are you?” The words made Wang Yun Fei’s face turn green with anger. After being beaten by Xu Si before, he’d finally found a chance to save face, yet Xu Si asked who he was.
“The boss from our vocational school,” Ke Ji said from the side.
“Don’t remember.”
Wang Yun Fei looked at the indifferent young man: “It doesn’t matter if you remember. Just know that you’re finished today.”
“Oh.”
Wang Yun Fei beckoned to his followers: “Come over, stop these guys.”
Xu Si raised an eyebrow: “What do you mean?”
Wang Yun Fei flicked his hair in what he thought was a cool gesture: “Exactly what I said.”
“Your school’s people still don’t play by the rules.”
“Who cares about rules? Winning is all that matters, right?” Wang Yun Fei said.
Yang Shi Kun spoke with disgust: “Bringing over ten people to fight three, how shameless can you be?”
“We’re mainly after Xu Si. If you two know what’s good for you, you can leave now.”
Yang Shi Kun: “We’re not leaving.”
Hao Ming: “Not leaving.”
Wang Yun Fei had brought mostly street thugs. A group of menacing men surrounded the three of them.
Xu Si watched a fist swing toward him, kicked away the man in front and grabbed his club. The opponents were too many – he had no chance of winning.
He dodged another punch, stepped back, then grabbed and twisted the fist. The man hadn’t expected Xu Si’s strength, his face contorting in pain as Xu Si kneed his stomach and kicked him.
Xu Si glanced at Yang Shi Kun and Hao Ming, relieved to see Hao Ming protecting Yang Shi Kun.
But one person’s stamina is limited. Soon all three were overwhelmed.
The old wound on Xu Si’s waist began to ache. He rubbed it before kicking another attacker.
Someone kicked his knee, forcing him down. As he tried to get up using his hands for support, he was pushed down again.
“Brother Si!” “Brother Si!”
Wang Yun Fei looked at Yang Shi Kun and Hao Ming: “Better worry about yourselves.”
Three large men had cornered Yang Shi Kun and Hao Ming. Hao Ming kept Yang Shi Kun behind him, taking many hits himself.
Wang Yun Fei clapped and laughed, crouching in front of Xu Si: “Just submit to me today, Xu Si. Promise to stay out of our vocational school’s business, and I’ll let you go.”
Xu Si punched him in the face: “Go to hell, keep dreaming.”
Wang Yun Fei covered his right cheek, cursing: “Fuck you, you’re asking for it.”
Xu Si broke free from two men and landed another punch on his left cheek.
Wang Yun Fei cursed furiously: “What are you waiting for? Beat him! Beat him to death!”
Xu Si took a punch to the stomach but returned a fierce blow to the attacker’s face, visibly swelling it.
Another man kicked Xu Si, who turned and kicked back.
His black clothes were covered in dust, his face and neck were injured, blood at his mouth’s corner. He clutched his kicked stomach, face terribly pale, pain spreading through his body.
He pressed his stomach several times, nearly biting through his cheek. Facing four burly men, he dodged a punch and grabbed a club from one, striking his leg.
His breathing grew heavy as he pressed his stomach again.
Meanwhile, Yang Shi Kun had taken several punches, with Hao Ming blocking the rest.
Hao Ming kicked away an attacker and pulled Yang Shi Kun back: “Stay behind me, what are you doing up front?”
“Should I just watch you get beaten? Didn’t I say I’d protect you when we were kids? Should I hide like a coward now?”
Hao Ming felt conflicted: “Yang Dog, this isn’t about who’s in front.”
Yang Shi Kun: “I can take it, I can take a few punches.”
Just as he finished speaking, a man pushed him to the ground.
Hao Ming fought with that man, taking several hits to his back.
Xu Si was knocked down, and as he got up was hit again, now covered in cold sweat.
The place was remote – he didn’t know how these people found it, and his own people wouldn’t arrive in time.
“Xu Si, this is what you get for not submitting.”
Wang Yun Fei raised a club to strike Xu Si.
“Stop!”
A female voice suddenly rang out.
Jiang Qiao raised her phone: “I’ve called the police.”
Wang Yun Fei turned to look at the suddenly appeared girl. His club stopped inches above Xu Si’s head. He cursed “Fuck” then called to his men: “Damn, bad luck today. Brothers, let’s get out of here.”
The men ran away with Wang Yun Fei as if they’d never been there.
Xu Si had never imagined that in his most pathetic moment, he would meet Jiang Qiao. He couldn’t even raise his head, couldn’t bear to meet her gaze.
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