Chapter 156: Never Hesitate

For several days straight, it could hardly be called a battle; rather, Cui Yue was utterly massacred by Old Duan for several dozen games. Yet, Old Duan remained undaunted by repeated setbacks, fighting on no matter how many times he lost.

Every time Cui Yue looked at the chessboard now, he felt like vomiting. He wasn't going to work; he was playing chess with his life on the line, and playing terribly at that.

By early evening, a sharp pain flared up once more in Cui Yue's chest and abdomen, making even breathing difficult. It was only then that he remembered he hadn't taken the medicine left behind by Old Freak Huo for days.

He hurriedly dug out the medicinal powder, dissolved it in a bowl of water, and raised it to his lips to gulp down.

Old Duan picked up the bowl, sniffed it deeply at the rim, and frowned slightly.

"This stuff was brewed by Huo Dongxing?"

Huo Dongxing? Could that be Old Freak Huo's actual name?

What a strange name.

"Ah, yes, he brewed it."

Cui Yue nodded.

"The prescription is barely passable, but it misses two key ingredients. A major flaw."

Old Duan placed the bowl back on the table with a look of utter disdain.

"Missing ingredients? If I add the two you mentioned, will it actually have some therapeutic effect?"

Cui Yue asked cautiously.

"Not really any therapeutic effect. It just delays your corpse-transformation, nothing all that useful."

Old Duan muttered nonchalantly.

Hearing this, Cui Yue almost passed out on the spot. Would you please just walk out the door, won't you?

"Tell you what, if you really do turn into a corpse, don't blame me..."

Old Duan's expression suddenly turned gloomy, a sinister smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Cui Yue swallowed hard, pretending he hadn't heard a thing, lifted the bowl, and gulped the concoction down in one breath.

"Tomorrow on your way back, stop by the pharmacy and remember to pick up some Gastrodia and Bupleurum. Might actually do some good."

With that, Old Duan put his hands behind his back and strolled out of the room.

Cui Yue froze in place, thinking his ears must be playing tricks on him. Old Duan was actually willing to help him out? These must be the two missing herbs from the prescription—was he actually helping him?

Incredible. Even when Old Freak Huo begged him that day, he refused. Why today...

"Hey, Cui Yue! You've finished your medicine, now get over here and play another couple of games!"

Old Duan shouted eagerly from outside the house.

Hearing this, Cui Yue nearly fainted. God damn it, of course he still wasn't going to let him off the hook!

...

In the county town, at the fertilizer factory's residential quarters.

Feng Tao parked a brand-new Honda CBT twin-cylinder 125 motorcycle right at the entrance of the residential building, lit a Da Qianmen cigarette, and began wiping his leather shoes until they shone brilliantly while humming a little tune.

"Yo, Taozi, bought a new motorcycle? Not bad!"

Passersby in the courtyard cast envious glances at the pristine bike.

Feng Tao waved a hand dismissively and blew out a ring of smoke.

"Hillbillies, what do you know?"

Ever since he managed to chase Cui Yue out of the workshop, Feng Tao had been in a fantastic mood. He no longer had to look at that kid's annoying face every day, and with him gone, wasn't Yang Liu just ripe for the taking, ready whenever he wanted her?

Damn it, he really admired himself. He had brains, and more importantly, he was handsome. He had effortlessly eliminated a rival in love and won the beauty's heart.

Feng Tao was currently walking on air, completely full of himself.

After waiting for what felt like ages, he finally spotted Yang Liu returning home. Feng Tao straightened his hair and immediately sidled up to her.

"Yo, little sis, why are you only just getting back? I've been waiting here all evening."

The moment Yang Liu saw this scoundrel, her body instinctively shrank back, her eyes filled with terror.

"You... what are you waiting for me for?"

"Hey, aren't you my girlfriend? If I'm not waiting for you, who am I waiting for?"

"Stop talking nonsense, someone might hear you."

Yang Liu frantically looked around and reached out to block Feng Tao's mouth.

Inhaling the faint fragrance lingering on her fingertips, Feng Tao felt refreshed and serene. He took a deep, heavy breath—damn, she smelled so good!

Noticing Feng Tao's wretched expression, Yang Liu quickly pulled her hand back and unconsciously took two steps a back.

"You forgot what you promised me. I got things done for you, so naturally, you belong to me."

Yang Liu's face instantly turned as white as a sheet.

"You broke your promise! Cui Yue was assigned to guard the warehouse at the back hill—how is that any different from firing him?!"

Feng Tao chuckled, his expression turning dark.

"Well, you can't blame me for that. I only promised to keep him in the factory; I never said where he'd be working. Besides, after such a huge accident and such massive losses in the factory, keeping him around at all is already an act of utmost benevolence. You don't expect them to promote him, do you?!"

Yang Liu was shaking with anger, completely drained of color, until finally, two words slipped past her lips:

"Scoundrel!"

Feng Tao burst out laughing, completely unbothered.

"Hahaha, I am a scoundrel. Is this your first day meeting me?"

With that, he grabbed Yang Liu by the wrist and tried to drag her toward the motorcycle.

"What are you doing?! Let go of me!"

"Little sis, big brother is taking you for a spin!"

"Let go! I'm not going! If you don't let go right now, I'm going to scream!"

Hearing this, Feng Tao was amused and laughed shamelessly.

"Go ahead and scream! I'm pulling my own girlfriend, what law am I breaking?"

Then, his face darkened as he leaned close to Yang Liu's ear and whispered viciously,

"Don't think that kid is sitting pretty right now. I can get him canned whenever I feel like it, leaving him without even a warehouse to guard!"

Yang Liu felt utterly hopeless, a single tear escaping the corner of her eye.

"Stop right there!"

Suddenly, a fierce roar echoed from behind!

Feng Tao was startled, nearly losing his balance on the motorcycle.

"Yo, yo, yo, who could this be? If it isn't our dear security comrade! What's this, off duty and still coming to the residential area to pull voluntary guard duty?" Feng Tao spat on the ground and sneered coldly.

"Who do you think you're trying to act tough for?"

"You... you're going too far!"

Dazhuang's face flushed red, his fists clenched so tightly they trembled, and he started to charge forward.

"Dazhuang! Don't start trouble!"

Zhang Hao grabbed Dazhuang from behind and hurriedly tried to hold him back.

"Feng Tao, we're all colleagues from the same factory. Isn't this going a bit too far?"

Zhang Hao frowned.

"Going too far? I'm pulling my own girlfriend, what's going too far about that? The two of you really are like dogs sticking their noses into a rat's business—meddling in things that don't concern you. What, do you want to go guard the warehouse at the back hill too?"

Feng Tao deliberately provoked them, his hand still tightly gripping Yang Liu's wrist.

Overwhelmed with shame and mortification, Yang Liu managed to yank her hand free from Feng Tao's grasp, turned around in tears, and ran back home.

Feng Tao waved his hand with an arrogant smirk: What can you possibly do to me?

Dazhuang could no longer contain his fury. Built like a bear with a massive frame, if he truly snapped, even three Zhang Haos wouldn't be able to hold him back.

"Feng Tao, you've gone too far!"

With a roar, a heavy foot lashed out viciously, as if he wanted to kick this bastard right back into his mother's womb for a factory reset.

Though arrogant and overbearing, Feng Tao wasn't stupid. Dazhuang stood a full meter eighty-five and was as solid as a bear; if he went toe-to-toe with him, he'd definitely come out on the losing end.

A wise scoundrel doesn't fight when the odds are against him—time to roll!

Vroom... vroom...

Feng Tao twisted the throttle, and the Honda 125 roared forward, leaving Dazhuang in the dust.

"Big bear, we'll settle this later!"

Dazhuang's kick missed empty air, and he furiously shook his fist at Feng Tao's retreating back.

"I'm going to beat you until you're crawling on the floor looking for your teeth!"