"Zhang Chuan, it's all my fault. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this and got you hurt like this. It must hurt terribly, right?"
In a secluded spot outside the village, a sweet, melodious female voice drifted through the air.
A beautiful young woman in a white gauze dress and plastic women's sandals stood there, choking back sobs as she continuously blamed herself.
"Damn it! That bastard Shen Lang fights dirty. If I hadn't ducked so fast, that knife would've split my face right open. Just missed. Only caught my arm."
Standing opposite the young beauty was a slick-looking young man with a bandage wrapped around his arm.
"Maybe we should just drop it. If Shen Lang had actually beaten you to death, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life."
While Liu Jiaqi spoke words of concern, inside she was boiling with rage.
*A bunch of total useless idiots!*
She had counted on Zhang Chuan to ruin that bitch Lin Xiaoyu.
Instead, the idiot almost got crippled by Shen Lang himself.
He couldn't even handle such a simple task, yet he had the nerve to come running over here to claim credit, play the pitiful victim, and try to take advantage of her.
"They just got lucky this time. Once my arm heals up, I swear I'll help you ruin Lin Xiaoyu."
With that, Zhang Chuan leeringly reached out to grab Liu Jiaqi's delicate, slender hand.
Without batting an eye, Liu Jiaqi smoothly brushed away Zhang Chuan's grubby paws and said in a soft, coaxing voice, "Achuan, I've got some things to take care of today. I'll come check on you in a couple of days, okay?"
"What things?" Zhang Chuan asked persistently, his lust unappeased.
"Every girl has a few uncomfortable days a month. Don't ask."
Enduring her nausea, Liu Jiaqi forced herself to put on a hesitant, conflicted expression.
Seeing this, the petty hoodlum Zhang Chuan had no choice but to leave looking thoroughly disappointed.
He hadn't gotten the girl, and instead ended up empty-handed and smelling like trouble.
And of all times, it had to be those few uncomfortable days for Liu Jiaqi.
Why did all the bad luck always fall on him?
"Bah! With that pathetic attitude, a toad trying to eat swan meat is more likely. Why didn't Shen Lang just hack you to death?"
Shortly after Zhang Chuan left, Liu Jiaqi spat with utter disgust on the ground.
*Good for nothing, always messing things up.*
*And he actually tried to take advantage of me!*
Liu Jiaqi believed that whether it was looks, education, or figure, she wasn't a single bit inferior to Lin Xiaoyu.
Yet whether it was the young men in the village or their former classmates, whenever people compared the two girls, Liu Jiaqi was always ranked second.
After hearing that so many times, Liu Jiaqi's mindset had gradually warped.
Since everyone kept saying Lin Xiaoyu had a pure charm that made people feel like a spring breeze, she was going to destroy that charm.
She would turn Lin Xiaoyu into a used-up rag that everyone despised!
At the same time, Liu Jiaqi deliberately imitated Lin Xiaoyu's pure persona.
Just as Liu Jiaqi was about to leave, she suddenly caught sight of Shen Lang—the very root of all her trouble—returning.
He was carrying things in his hands and humming some discordant little tune.
"Shen Lang, you've gone too far!"
Seeing Liu Jiaqi block his path, Shen Lang frowned.
His wonderful mood, fueled by teasing Lin Xiaoyu and selling his catch for a high price, vanished into thin air in an instant.
Liu Jiaqi was just about to vent her pent-up fury on Shen Lang when her eyes happened to catch the net bag he was carrying in his hand.
The next second, Liu Jiaqi's pupils dilated.
Cream candies, chocolate, canned soda, spare ribs...
These were all things she loved to eat!
"How have I gone too far?" Shen Lang sneered.
"You knew I liked you, yet you still went and hooked up with Lin Xiaoyu. Isn't that going too far? You're breaking my heart." Liu Jiaqi pouted.
She grumbled and nagged, accusing Shen Lang of having his eyes on one bowl while looking at the pot.
"If you want me to forgive you, you'd better hand over everything in that net bag as an apology gift."
Ever since she spotted the items in Shen Lang's bag, Liu Jiaqi completely forgot about demanding accountability.
If she hadn't been trying to maintain her image as an aloof beauty, her drool would already be dripping down.
She had been wanting to eat those brand-name chocolates in the net bag for ages.
Too bad they were just too expensive.
Four yuan for a single bar.
"Jiaqi, why don't you take a piss and look at what kind of trash you actually are! Even if you want to eat this stuff, you don't have the life for it. I've got a giant slap waiting right here—want it?"
"Shen Lang, you jerk!"
Liu Jiaqi stood there dumbfounded.
She didn't know what a "giant slap" was, but she understood every single word Shen Lang said was meant to mock her.
"You're a whole lot of nothing, why shouldn't I put you in your place?"
Shen Lang crossed his arms.
He had ruined Liu Jiaqi's little scheme, and this bitch had obviously come looking to settle the score.
A green tea bitch like this deserved to be cursed out by everyone.
"You..."
"Get lost! Just because I don't hit women doesn't mean I wouldn't dare hit a cheap piece of trash."
Looking at Shen Lang's fierce expression, Liu Jiaqi was so scared she swallowed right back down every curse word she had prepared.
Fuming with grievance, she turned on her heel and stormed off.
She silently swore to herself that this wasn't over!
Not only would she ruin Lin Xiaoyu, but she would also reduce Shen Lang to a dog under her skirt.
A lapdog that would jump at her every command.
Beachcombing wasn't just a craft to make money.
The more skilled a beachcomber was, the less likely they were to casually bring people along or pass on their skills.
It was almost always handed down from father to son.
From son to grandson.
Until today, Liu Jiaqi had never fully believed that saying.
Beachcombing made far too much money.
Watching Liu Jiaqi's retreating figure, a dark cloud of gloom crossed Shen Lang's eyes.
Even though he had cursed Liu Jiaqi away this time, this green tea bitch—this white lotus—would never let it go.
Next time, Liu Jiaqi might use even more vicious methods against Lin Xiaoyu.
He had to stay on guard.
Before long, Shen Lang was standing in front of a low-walled courtyard, carrying the various goodies he had bought from the small grocery store in town.
Mottled walls and a rickety gate.
This was Shen Lang's home.
Ever since Shen Lang's father passed away, the family's living conditions had taken a sharp downward turn.
They were only a tiny bit better off than Lin Xiaoyu's family.
Fortunately, his mother, Huang Qionghua, was a strong woman who raised Shen Lang and his younger sister Shen Ling all by herself.
No amount of words could ever repay his mother's kindness.
"Big brother, is that you back?"
Hearing the commotion, a silver-bell-like voice called out from the kitchen.
"Little sister, Mom, I'm back."
Shen Lang said, deeply moved.
When he was young and didn't understand his mother's hardships, combined with adolescent rebellion, Shen Lang had driven Huang Qionghua to tears more than once.
"What are you howling for? Your old lady isn't dead yet, you don't need to put on a mourning show for me."
Hearing his mother's voice, Shen Lang couldn't hold back anymore and strode quickly into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, a heavily built middle-aged woman was busy stir-frying vegetables.
Sixteen-year-old Shen Ling, graceful and growing into a fine young woman, was attentively learning every single step of cooking from her mother.
"Well, well, if it isn't Master Shen. What kind of freak wind blew today that let your highness come back on time for dinner?"
Seeing her mother hand the spatula over to her, Shen Ling felt her heart skip a beat.
*Oh no.*
There was no way her big brother was escaping a beating today!
Huang Qionghua turned around, wearing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Master Shen, I hear you've gotten real capable lately. Aside from collecting protection fees from people, you've even started acting like a local tyrant bullying the weak. Should we start calling you 'Shen the Tyrant' from now on?"
"Mom, who talks to their own son like that? Southern Tyrant was a wicked villain, your son's not—"
Before he could finish, Shen Lang turned around and bolted.
Who knows what got into her—Huang Qionghua suddenly grabbed a broom and charged forward with a murderous look on her face!