33: Chapter 33 The Difficult Brother-in-Law

"Sis! Are you stupid?!"

Su Qiang grabbed Su Wanqing's arm and dragged her forcefully into the alley behind the night market.

The light here was dim, the ground was covered in slop and grease, and a sour stench hung in the air.

Su Qiang panted heavily, his chest heaving violently, his eyes bloodshot like copper bells. He let go and kicked a nearby trash can. The metal bin let out a loud "clang," scaring several stray cats onto the wall.

"Why are you protecting him? Huh?" Su Qiang pointed outside, his fingers trembling. "It's been nineteen years! How much suffering did that bastard put you through? When you had Nianyao and the others, you hemorrhaged and almost died. Where was he? Now that you finally have a hot meal to eat, he comes back pretending to be a good person? Someone like him should be beaten to death! Even that's too light!"

Su Wanqing leaned against the wall covered in small flyers, her head bowed, hands twisting her dirty apron.

"Qiang Zi, stop talking."

"If I don't say it, who will? Our parents died early; I'm your brother! If I don't stand up for you, who will?" Su Qiang paced in circles anxiously, scratching his messy short hair. "Sis, listen to me. Stay away from him. A dog can't stop eating filth. He looks all prim and proper now, but who knows when he'll run off with the money again."

Su Wanqing looked up, her eyes rimmed with red.

"This time... he really seems different."

"How is he different? Just because he's wearing nice clothes?" Su Qiang sneered. He pulled a flattened pack of Hongjinlong cigarettes from his pocket, put one in his mouth, but couldn't find a lighter after searching his whole body.

He irritably threw the cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his foot.

"Sis, we might be poor, but we have to have some backbone. I know I'm useless right now, hauling bricks at a construction site for five or six thousand a month." Su Qiang squatted on the ground, holding his head, his voice suddenly choking up. "I've liked Xiaofang, the receptionist at the factory, for over six months. Next week is her birthday, and I can't even afford a decent necklace for her. But even if I stay a bachelor for the rest of my life, I won't take a single cent from that bastard!"

Su Wanqing looked at her brother's broad back, her heart aching.

She walked over, squatted down, and gently patted Su Qiang's back.

"Qiang Zi, I know it's hard for you. I still have two thousand yuan here, take it for now..."

"I don't want it!" Su Qiang stood up abruptly and wiped his face, avoiding Su Wanqing's gaze. "Keep your money for Muyang's tuition. I'll figure out my own problems. Anyway... if that guy named Chen dares to bully you again, I really will use a knife!"

After saying that, Su Qiang didn't even dare to look at Su Wanqing as he turned and strode out of the alley, disappearing into the night.

His silhouette looked stubborn yet pathetic.

Su Wanqing stood there for a moment, sighed, collected her emotions, and turned back to the stall.

The night market was as noisy as ever.

Chen Fan was still sitting on that small plastic stool; he hadn't left.

A few drops of blood stained his expensive bespoke white shirt, and half of his face was swollen high. He looked a bit ridiculous yet pitiable. But he sat in a relaxed posture, holding an unlit cigarette between his fingers, watching her approach with a smile.

Su Wanqing had been full of anger, but seeing the glaring swelling on his face, her heart softened instantly.

"Why are you just sitting there like an idiot? Don't you know to go buy some medicine?"

Su Wanqing scolded him harshly, then turned to grab a bottle of chilled mineral water from the nearby freezer and wrapped it in a clean towel.

She walked up to Chen Fan and kicked the stool with a loud bang to hide her flustered heart.

"Lift your head."

Chen Fan obediently tilted his head back, looking at the woman right in front of him.

Su Wanqing took the cold towel and carefully pressed it against his swollen cheek.

"Hiss—" Chen Fan let out an exaggerated gasp of cold air.

"Serves you right!" Su Wanqing scolded, but her movements were as gentle as if she were touching tofu. "Who told you not to dodge? Qiang Zi does manual labor; his punch is strong enough to knock your teeth out."

"I couldn't dodge," Chen Fan said, staring into her eyes, his voice deep. "If I had dodged, he wouldn't have been able to vent his anger, and he'd just cause trouble later. This one punch lets him cool off and makes you feel bad for me. I think it's a good deal."

Su Wanqing's hand trembled, and her face flushed instantly.

"Who... who feels bad for you! Don't be so full of yourself!" She tried to pull her hand back in a panic, but Chen Fan grabbed her wrist.

His palm was large and burning hot.

"Wanqing." Chen Fan rubbed his face against her palm like a big Golden Retriever begging for pets. "As long as you're by my side, even if I'm beaten to death, I won't feel the pain. Really."

The surrounding noise seemed to vanish in an instant.

Su Wanqing looked at the man before her. Nineteen years had left their mark on his face, but they had also made his eyes deeper and more captivating. She could feel the heat from his cheek burning through her palm and straight into her heart.

That heart, which had been locked away for nineteen years, cracked wide open.

"You... you rogue!"

Su Wanqing jerked her hand back, shoved the cold towel into his arms, and turned to run.

"Apply it yourself! I have to get back to the stall!"

Her back was to Chen Fan as she stood before the deep fryer, her hand holding the spatula trembling slightly. The rising grease smoke made her eyes sting. She couldn't help but steal a glance back from the corner of her eye.

Chen Fan was holding the towel, grinning foolishly as he applied it to his face, his gaze glued to her as if trying to see right through her.

Su Wanqing quickly looked away, cursing herself for being so spineless.

Chen Fan watched that busy silhouette, the smile on his lips deepening.

This beating was definitely worth it.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated. It was a message from Tianshu, reporting on the progress of the follow-up handling of Tiansheng Group.

Chen Fan glanced at it but didn't reply. He opened another chat box and typed a line:

[Check the factory where Su Qiang works, and a receptionist named Xiaofang. Within ten minutes, I want to know what this girl likes and what she's lacking.]

Send.

Chen Fan tucked his phone back into his pocket and gently pressed his swollen cheek.

Earlier at the alley entrance, thanks to his enhanced hearing, he had heard Su Qiang's words perfectly.

Short on money?

To him, that was the least problematic problem in the world.

"Brother-in-law, oh brother-in-law." Chen Fan murmured to himself as he watched the direction where Su Qiang had disappeared. "Your brother-in-law will remember this punch. But since you want that necklace, I'll give you a mountain of gold. Let's see if you'll still have the nerve to throw a punch at me then."

Meanwhile, in the boys' dormitory at Jiangcheng University, several kilometers away.

Su Muyang was fixing his hair in front of the mirror, having specifically changed into a clean, white shirt.

"Muyang, going out so late?" his roommate asked, poking his head out.

"Yeah, I have a part-time job." Su Muyang picked up his textbook, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

He was tutoring the eldest daughter of the Qin Family, Qin Ya. Although Qin Ya had a bit of a temper, this was currently his only chance to get in touch with that circle. More importantly, Qin Ya had suddenly messaged him this afternoon saying that if tonight's tutoring went well, there would be a reward.

Su Muyang took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked out.

What he didn't know was that tonight's tutoring session would completely overturn his understanding of the word "rich." And his sister, Su Nianyao, who was currently the talk of the entire school, was also preparing to give him a vivid lesson in "shock education."