C47 Gou Heng's Vicious Words
Gou Heng narrowed his eyes, his expression sour as he regarded Qi Ning.
For the third time, this individual had shown him disrespect. Anyone else would have felt the sting of Gou Heng's retribution by now.
But the situation involved Ye Qin, and Gou Heng was compelled to tread cautiously.
"Kid, it seems you really have a death wish," said the man who had previously been slapped by Qi Ning, emboldened once more.
A single glance from Qi Ning silenced him instantly.
"Keep your distance from Ye Qin from now on, got it?" Gou Heng's patience had reached its limit.
Feigning confusion, Qi Ning asked, "Why?"
Gou Heng assumed an air of obviousness. "Because I'm Gou Heng!"
Truth be told, this rationale might come off as exceedingly arrogant, but it was an undeniable fact.
Forget the average high school student; even small-time thugs would shudder at the mention of Gou Heng's name.
"Gou Heng?" Qi Ning's face was etched with scorn. "What's that got to do with me? Ye Qin and I are merely classmates. She just had a few questions for me today."
Gou Heng's annoyance was palpable; he was done conversing with Qi Ning. "Ye Qin is the top student at No. 1 Middle School."
"You think she came to me for questions? Do you take me for a fool?"
Qi Ning gave Gou Heng a look that suggested he might just agree with that last statement.
Gou Heng was seething, on the brink of action.
"Elder Brother Heng," his lackey interjected at that critical moment.
Gou Heng shot his underling a look of irritation.
The follower whispered something into Gou Heng's ear, and a spark of inspiration flashed across his face.
"Kid," Gou Heng pointed at Qi Ning, "do you have the guts to come with me? Let's head somewhere private."
"You must be an idiot if you think I'm one too," Qi Ning retorted with disdain. "If I go with you to some hidden spot, I'd just be setting myself up for a fall."
Qi Ning wasn't intimidated by Gou Heng or his cronies, but the power of the Zhu family was a different story.
He had a system that allowed him to easily handle anything the Zhu family threw at him, but his parents were unprotected. His only thought now was to evade and stay out of sight.
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Gou Heng bristled with anger, pointing at Qi Ning as he lashed out. "Kid, don't think for a second that just because you're from No. 1 Middle School, I can't deal with you."
"You'll regret your actions, just wait."
With those threatening words, Gou Heng and his entourage stormed off.
Qi Ning headed towards his house.
Upon arriving home, a lavish dinner awaited him.
His mother, Pang Qiu, emerged from the kitchen with a beaming smile and a plate in her hands. "You've been working so hard lately. Your dad got his paycheck today, so we treated you to some of your favorite foods."
The sight of the hearty meal on the table stirred a poignant feeling in Qi Ning's heart.
"What are you waiting for? Go wash your hands," his father, Qi Zheng, prompted.
"Oh," Qi Ning snapped out of his reverie and hurried to the washroom.
Once he had washed up, he noticed his parents were already seated at the table, waiting for him.
Taking his seat, Qi Zheng offered with a grin, "How about we have a little wine to unwind?"