"I'll f*** your mom!" The car owner was still cursing badly at Xiao He, completely unaware of the danger approaching. The sound of an engine suddenly roared, approaching him quickly. The car owner instinctively turned to look.
Before he could see clearly, the top-level sports car slammed straight into his car with a loud "bang." The side of the car dented inward.
The car owner was thrown against the car door. His foul curses also stopped abruptly, replaced by screams.
Qiao Ying reversed her car, pulling back several meters before stepping on the gas pedal and ramming it again. The front passenger door was dented inward. The car owner finally realized the situation.
Seeing her car reverse again, seemingly to ram once more, the terrified car owner hurriedly turned the steering wheel to try and drive away.
But he was too frightened to have full control of his faculties.
The sports car did not give him a chance, ramming into him again. It pushed his car sideways several meters until it hit the wall, the doors blocked, unable to escape.
Again and again... The car owner screamed in terror, scared out of his wits.
Until the car was smashed beyond recognition, the sports car finally stopped. The car owner's soul had already departed from fright. Xiao He was also stunned, blankly watching Qiao Ying get out of her car.
Qiao Ying looked at her own deformed front bumper, somewhat helplessly said: "I just wanted to come wash my car. Now it needs repairs."
Xiao He came back to his senses, looking at her, said: "...You can't repair that here."
Qiao Ying of course knew it couldn't be repaired here: "That's troublesome. I quite like this car."
Xiao He: "Send it back to the manufacturer."
Qiao Ying: "That's all I can do now."
Xiao He then looked towards the car Qiao Ying had just smashed. As well as the car owner bawling inside, scared out of his wits, having wet his pants in fear.
Qiao Ying: "He won't dare come cause you trouble. These kinds of bullies are cowards. One lesson is enough for him to remember his whole life."
Xiao He looked away, bowing his head to tidy up his tools.
Not long after, another car came. Xiao He continued working.
Qiao Ying did not leave, just standing aside watching him...
The car owner had already abandoned his car and escaped. Leaving behind a pile of scrap metal. He probably wouldn't dare come back for it.
Xiao He glanced back several times, always seeing Qiao Ying staring at him.
Qiao Ying watched for a long time, so Xiao He worked for a long time - washing cars, changing tires, fixing underbodies. Tough dirty work still had to be done. It seemed he was the only one in this large garage tonight.
Around 11 pm, Xiao He sent off his last customer. Without even glancing at Qiao Ying, he simply said: "I'm closing up."
Then he went to wash his hands.
Qiao Ying drove her car out of the garage.
When Xiao He came out, Qiao Ying lowered her car window: "Get in."
Xiao He didn't get in.
"Bad temper," Qiao Ying muttered, driving after him.
After following him like this for a few minutes, Xiao He couldn't stand it anymore and got into the car.
Qiao Ying: "Would have been better if you just came in the morning."
Xiao He asked her: "Do I know you?"
Qiao Ying: "You don't know me and I don't know you."
Xiao He: "Then you pity me? I don't need it."
Qiao Ying: "But you accepted Principal Zhang's good intentions?"
Xiao He: "......"
Seeing he had no reply, Qiao Ying glanced at him, catching sight of his hands covered in black oil stains.
"My younger brother used to be quite similar to you. Because of his lame leg, he was bullied a lot since he was little. But he's much more cheerful now."
"Even rich folks' kids get bullied? Even get incurable illnesses?" Xiao He's tone was icy cold.
Qiao Ying: "My family used to be poor."
Xiao He looked at her, seeming to wait for her to continue.
Qiao Ying: "We aren't close, what's the point in telling you?"
Xiao He felt he was being mocked. His expression turned even colder.
Qiao Ying: "I heard your mother say your older brother was abducted when he was 6 years older than you. If you gain the ability, would you try to find him?"
Xiao He: "We aren't close."
Qiao Ying: "Petty."
Qiao Ying sent Xiao He towards his home. Stopping in front of the small shop that sold Cross Bridge Rice Noodles they ate last night.
"I sent you such a long way. Buying me a late night snack isn't asking too much, is it?" Said Qiao Ying.
Xiao He who had just gotten out of the car and was about to walk into the alley stopped in his tracks.
These rice noodles were authentic but it was still just a fly restaurant. But even for a fly restaurant, $10 a bowl was still a luxury Xiao He couldn't afford eating less than 3 meals a day.
Qiao Ying ordered a bowl.
Xiao He didn't order anything, taking out a shabby second-hand phone bought from the flea market after who knows how many previous owners to pay for Qiao Ying.
After paying, he turned to leave.
Qiao Ying called him back: "That's very impolite."
Xiao He clenched his fist, gritting his teeth as he sat down across from Qiao Ying.
Seeing him return, Qiao Ying ordered another bowl for him.
When the two bowls of noodles were served, Qiao Ying slid one bowl towards him: "I treated you, so you have to eat it. Otherwise I'll pour it away."
Then she started eating her own.
Xiao He looked at the bowl of fragrant noodles before him, then back at her. His hand hidden under the table tightly clenched.
A while later he picked up his chopsticks and started eating with his head lowered.
"I can tutor you for free. It's much more effective than self-studying from notes, and can save you a lot of time," Qiao Ying suddenly said.
But Xiao He was wary of such seemingly motiveless goodwill: "We're still strangers."
"Principal Zhang said if I make some more contributions to the school with my grades, I can be nominated an outstanding alumni after graduation."
Qiao Ying casually made up some nonsense.
Of course Xiao He didn't believe her. That car she drove was worth over 100 million. With her status, why would she care about some title?
Qiao Ying: "I plan to start a company and lack skilled workers. After you graduate, come work at my company. 5 year minimum contract, deal?"
This was naturally also a lie.
But this reason seemed clearly more convincing than before.
Xiao He only believed it briefly for 2 seconds. Because he didn't think he had that worth, that someone rich like her would see value in him. But Xiao He really couldn't figure out her intentions behind all this seemingly goodwill. Was it just another one of those rich folk's weird hobbies?
Qiao Ying: "I judge people by their character, not anything else. Just their character."
Xiao He felt it was laughable: "Character? You only met me a few days ago?"
Qiao Ying: "Filial piety, hard-working endurance, we'll see about the rest."
Xiao He glanced at her but didn't continue the conversation. Just kept eating his noodles with his head lowered.
When they left the shop, Xiao He walked into the alley while Qiao Ying drove her car back to the villa.
The next day, Qiao Ying didn't see Xiao He at school.
"Have you seen Xiao He?" Qiao Ying asked the boy sitting behind her.
The boy shook his head: "Haven't seen him."
But he was extremely envious and jealous in his heart.
Qiao Ying went to ask the guidance counselor and learned Xiao He hadn't asked for leave.
But he indeed hadn't come to school.
So Qiao Ying asked for leave from the counselor, then borrowed Huo Chengdong's car before leaving school.
Half an hour later, Qiao Ying and Huo Chengdong who was skipping class appeared downstairs of Xiao He's home.
Huo Chengdong followed her upstairs: "Sis Qiao why're you coming to a dump like this to look for someone or something fun?"
Xiao He's door wasn't fully closed, left ajar.
"Xiao He?" Qiao Ying knocked but there was no response inside.
A faint bloody smell drifted out.
Qiao Ying pushed the door open and went inside. Xiao He was lying unconscious on the floor, badly injured and bleeding from his head. Next to him was a broken alcohol bottle.
Huo Chengdong jumped in fright: "F*ck! He dead?!"
