Chapter 56: CH 060

TL: Moonlit

Lin Hanchuan and the male student entered the examination room right on time as the bell rang. Lin Hanchuan calmly took the exam paper, unaffected by the situation, and left Li Yuan and the others behind.

From 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, two and a half hours passed. After finishing the exam, Lin Hanchuan left the examination room. Once again, Wan Li Shuang came through the crowd to meet him, asking, “How did it go?”

Before Lin Hanchuan could answer, Zhou Yuntang also squeezed in and immediately questioned, “Jiang Tian, how did you deal with Li Yuan and his gang?”

“Isn’t Li Yuan your protector? If you don’t know what happened, why are you asking us?” Wan Li Shuang questioned suspiciously.

Zhou Yuntang was at a loss for words.

He knew that Li Yuan and his group were planning to confront Lin Hanchuan during lunch break and lock him on the rooftop to miss the exam. Zhou Yuntang had planned to “rescue” Lin Hanchuan after the exam was over, gaining some good favor from him and improving their relationship.

But when the exam bell rang, Li Yuan didn’t return to the classroom.

Zhou Yuntang panicked. He recalled Lin Hanchuan’s formidable combat ability in the alleyway, imagining Li Yuan’s face on the thugs lying on the ground, suffering.

After finishing the exam absentmindedly, Zhou Yuntang immediately sought out Lin Hanchuan, questioning him with a menacing demeanor. However, Wan Li Shuang’s words completely disrupted his plan, making him deflate like a balloon pricked by a needle, losing all his momentum.

“They’re probably still on the rooftop in the dormitory. They haven’t come down yet,” Lin Hanchuan said, glancing at Zhou Yuntang.

Wan Li Shuang sensed something was wrong and his eyes narrowed. “Did they cause trouble for you?”

“Not exactly.” In Lin Hanchuan’s eyes, these half-grown teenagers couldn’t really cause trouble; at most, they were just looking for trouble.

Zhou Yuntang’s heart skipped a beat. Unable to believe it, he stared at Lin Hanchuan and said, “You locked them on the rooftop?! How could you do that!”

It was just after the exam, and the corridor was filled with students. The confrontation between Zhou Yuntang, Lin Hanchuan, and Wan Li Shuang had already attracted the attention of many students. When Zhou Yuntang exclaimed, everyone heard it.

Lin Hanchuan checked the time on his phone. “Instead of arguing with me here, it would be better if you go and release them as soon as possible.”

Although it was already October, today was still sunny, and the sun was no less gentle than during midsummer. Several pampered rich kids were tied up and exposed to the scorching sun on the rooftop, their skin almost getting scorched.

If Zhou Yuntang genuinely cared about them, he should have gone to rescue them immediately instead of lingering here.

“Jiang Tian, I never expected you to be like this.” Zhou Yuntang clenched his lips, deeply disappointed and pained. “Li Yuan and the others are your classmates. How could you lock them on the rooftop like this?”

“The weather is so hot. What if something happens to them from being exposed to the sun…”

Hearing Zhou Yuntang’s words, the surrounding students were surprised.

Li Yuan and his gang were used to being arrogant and disrespectful to everyone in the school, especially those from less privileged backgrounds. This time, they had finally met their match.

No matter how pitifully Zhou Yuntang portrayed the situation, everyone had their own judgment. Though they didn’t say it out loud, they secretly applauded Lin Hanchuan’s actions.

Lin Hanchuan stood there expressionless until Zhou Yuntang finished speaking, then he smirked, “I was just defending myself. If you don’t believe it, you can check the surveillance footage.”

Zhou Yuntang was taken aback, but soon realized that if the matter escalated and the surveillance footage was reviewed, it would show that Li Yuan and his gang were the instigators. In that case, Zhou Yuntang wouldn’t have the moral high ground. He couldn’t help but look uneasy.

Although, given his and Li Yuan’s family background, the school wouldn’t likely take severe action against Li Yuan, the incident would still be remembered by the students. The image Zhou Yuntang had worked so hard to maintain would be ruined.

Zhou Yuntang hesitated for a while, then said, “Let’s go together to the rooftop and release them. If something happens to them from the sun…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the threatening and intimidating undertone was evident.

The other students didn’t find anything wrong; they thought Zhou Yuntang was just too concerned about his good friend.

Lin Hanchuan was about to head back to the dormitory when he agreed nonchalantly. A few students worried about Zhou Yuntang followed him, and the group walked toward the student dormitory.

Wan Li Shuang understood the situation from their conversation and had an unpleasant expression.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Hanchuan noticed Wan Li Shuang’s expression and asked.

Wan Li Shuang glared at him, saying, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Lin Hanchuan chuckled, “When I came back, the exam had already started, so there was no chance to tell you.”

Unsatisfied, Wan Li Shuang said, “If that idiot didn’t come to ask you just now, would you still not have mentioned it to me?”

After a moment of thought, Lin Hanchuan realized that was indeed the case. He hadn’t really paid much attention to the incident and didn’t think it was necessary to bring it up.

Seeing Wan Li Shuang’s expression, Lin Hanchuan knew he couldn’t say that, so he changed the topic, “From now on, if there’s a problem, I’ll definitely tell you.”

Although he knew he was placating Wan Li Shuang, it still eased his mood somewhat.

Meanwhile, the person listening to their conversation was dumbfounded: “…”

For the umpteenth time, Zhou Yuntang cursed. He decided to go home and urge his big brother to deal with the Wan family today, bankrupting them and putting an end to Wan Li Shuang’s arrogance.

With different thoughts, the group opened the door to the rooftop and saw the four people tied together, which shocked everyone.

During the two hours they were left hanging, Li Yuan and his gang went from being full of vigor and cursing to now panting weakly. Despite being underage and knowing that their classmates would come to their rescue after the exam, they couldn’t suppress their panic.

Being abandoned here, no matter how much they shouted, no one paid attention. The scorching sun burned on their bodies, making their arms sore from struggling, but they couldn’t break free… Li Yuan cursed without restraint, unable to control his tears.

More devastating than the sun’s exposure was the psychological torment.

At the sight of Zhou Yuntang appearing, Li Yuan burst into tears, “Tangtang, save me!”

His voice was hoarse from dehydration and excessive yelling.

Zhou Yuntang also looked at them; these rich young masters no longer had their previous glamorous appearance. They sat on the ground, covered in dust, even with dirty traces on their faces and mouths. Their hair was wet and stuck to their foreheads, and their clothes were soaked and dried by sweat several times, giving off a strong odor.

A trace of disdain flashed in Zhou Yuntang’s eyes, quickly hidden. He hurriedly ran to Li Yuan and the others, attempting to untie the ropes, but despite his efforts, he couldn’t undo the knot. “What kind of knot is this? I can’t undo it!”

Li Yuan panicked and ignored the others’ presence. He shouted desperately, “Am I going to be tied up here forever? I don’t want that! Tangtang, save me…”

The rest of them also shouted in a chaotic manner, “Go get some scissors! Use scissors to cut it!”

“Tangtang, hurry up, I’m dying…”

Their appearance in such a disoriented state was quite comical, causing Wan Li Shuang to burst out laughing.

Li Yuan and the others didn’t hear Wan Li Shuang’s slight laughter, and Lin Hanchuan also showed a faint smile. He walked to Li Yuan’s side and made a few movements on the knot tied to the railing. Then, with a strong pull, the rope fell to the ground.

Only then did Li Yuan and the others notice that, besides Zhou Yuntang, there were other people present. Their expressions were all observed by these students, and some even covered their mouths, chuckling as if watching a show. Li Yuan and his gang’s faces changed colors repeatedly, and their eyes toward Lin Hanchuan looked as if they wanted to devour him.

After this incident, they would undoubtedly become the biggest joke of Nanping High School, and it would likely be passed down from generation to generation.

Li Yuan was out of breath and nearly passed out. He regretted it deeply now, immensely regretful.

“Why couldn’t they untie it?” Wan Li Shuang was curious and asked Lin Hanchuan in a low voice.

Lin Hanchuan replied in a hushed voice, “This is a knot used in the military. Without proper techniques, struggling will only make it tighter.”

In the end, they were all young males. Despite their disheveled appearances, they had no physical problems. They supported each other and stood up, glaring at Lin Hanchuan with vicious resentment. “Jiang Tian, how dare you do this to us! You won’t be able to survive at Nanping High School!”

Li Yuan’s words made Wan Li Shuang’s previously relaxed expression slightly darken.

“Not only Nanping High School, I won’t let you survive at any other high school either!”

Li Yuan’s threats didn’t faze Wan Li Shuang; he had the qualifications to say such a thing. Even though his family’s influence was not on par with Zhou Yuntang’s or Wan Li Shuang’s, it was more than enough to suppress an ordinary impoverished student.

Zhou Yuntang stood at a distance from Li Yuan and his gang, trying to avoid the strange smell emanating from them. With a kind and righteous demeanor, he criticized Lin Hanchuan, “Although Li Yuan and his group were in the wrong, you shouldn’t have treated them like this. You’ve gone too far. You should apologize to Li Yuan, and they might forgive you…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Li Yuan interrupted him, “Even if you apologize, I still want to kill you!”

Previously, Li Yuan had only targeted Lin Hanchuan to give Zhou Yuntang some face. Now, he despised Lin Hanchuan to the extreme, hating him to the point of wanting to eat his flesh and gnaw on his bones. Given the chance, he vowed to make Lin Hanchuan pay a thousandfold for this humiliation.

“It’s getting cold.” Wan Li Shuang took out his phone slowly, breaking the tense atmosphere. His expression appeared relaxed, but there was no trace of amusement in his eyes. Li Yuan’s words had thoroughly infuriated him.

For any ordinary person, the college entrance examination is the fairest and most crucial opportunity. Ruining someone’s chance to study is like ruining their entire life. Li Yuan’s audacity was only because he relied on his family’s power to bully those weaker than him.

Originally, Wan Li Shuang was just there to enjoy the spectacle, but since Li Yuan dared to openly target Lin Hanchuan, he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

The Li family had been too arrogant in recent years, and it was time for them to pay for their actions.

All eyes turned to Wan Li Shuang, who casually dialed a number and raised his chin defiantly. The voice on the other end responded, “What’s the matter? Get to the point and stop being cutesy.”

Wan Li Shuang didn’t mind and directly said, “Mom, someone is bullying my good friend. Will you handle it?”

After a few instructions were given on the other side, his mother asked him, “Who’s the person? How do you want me to deal with it?”

“It’s getting cold,” Wan Li Shuang calmly stated, “It’s time for the Li family to go bankrupt.”

As soon as this statement was made, the eavesdropping teenagers were astonished. Li Yuan immediately began cursing, “Wan Li Shuang, are you crazy? Just for Lin Hanchuan, you want to go after the Li family? Did he drug you or something?”

Zhou Yuntang also said, “Wan Li Shuang, you can’t be so domineering.”

Amid the chattering voices through the phone, the woman on the other end paused. She asked her son, “Which Li family?”

Thinking he would have to pester his mom to get a compromise, Wan Li Shuang was surprised when she agreed so quickly. His eyes lit up, “The one that manufactures daily products!”

“Sure.”

After hanging up the phone, Wan Li Shuang was satisfied and even thanked Li Yuan and his group, “If it weren’t for you guys, my mom wouldn’t have agreed so easily. Thanks.”

His gratitude seemed sincere but was deeply insulting.

Zhou Yuntang took a deep breath, trying to maintain a gentle tone, “Wan Li Shuang, can we not involve adults in our kids’ affairs? Although your family is wealthy, it’s impossible to offend an entire family just for you. Don’t be so willful…”

“When Li Yuan said he would chase Jiang Tian out of Nanping and make sure he can’t study in any high school, you didn’t accuse him of being domineering. But now, when I do the same, you call it domineering?” Wan Li Shuang sneered, “Isn’t that hypocritical?”

Li Yuan’s forehead was covered in sweat, and he struggled to speak, “Wan Li Shuang, because of a person like Jiang Tian, you’re declaring war on our Li family. Your parents won’t agree to this. You don’t need to threaten me.”

Wan Li Shuang just smiled and firmly grasped Lin Hanchuan’s wrist, turning around and heading downstairs, leaving behind a final remark, “Whether it’s true or not, you’ll find out in a few days.”

At this point, the situation had escalated beyond the level of ordinary onlookers. The other students slipped away, leaving only Zhou Yuntang and Li Yuan’s group.

The few of them exchanged glances, and finally, Zhou Yuntang comforted, “Don’t worry, my family isn’t inferior to the Wan family. I’ll call my brother.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan immediately clung to this lifeline, staring eagerly at Zhou Yuntang.

Upon receiving the call, the eldest brother of the Zhou family was in a meeting. When he saw his younger brother’s call, he immediately made a gesture to pause the meeting and walked towards his office while answering the phone, “Tangtang, what’s wrong? Do you miss your big brother?”

Zhou Yuntang skipped over the incident where Li Yuan attempted to bully Jiang Tian but ended up being tied up on the rooftop. He simply mentioned that Wan Li Shuang’s family was planning to take action against Li Yuan’s family, “Big brother, Wan Li Shuang has gone too far. Can you help Li Yuan?”

Listening to his younger brother’s soft and sweet voice, the Zhou family’s eldest brother’s eyes sparkled with a deep smile. He lowered his voice and gently said, “Since Tangtang said so, big brother will definitely help.”

Zhou Yuntang and the people around him, who were listening to the conversation, all smiled happily. He sweetly thanked his eldest brother, “Thank you, big brother. You’re the best to me.”

The Zhou family’s eldest brother loosened his tie and coaxed, “Then, do you love big brother the most?”

Not wanting others to hear him coquettishly talking with his big brother, Zhou Yuntang covered the phone and ran to a corner, shyly speaking, “Among all my brothers, I love big brother the most.”

The Zhou family’s eldest brother’s gaze deepened.

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call. Li Yuan and his group had witnessed the pampering treatment Zhou Yuntang received from his elder brothers before, so they didn’t think there was anything unusual. On the contrary, they were envious, “Tangtang, your big brother is so nice to you.”

“Your big brother is so gentle. Unlike my big brother, who only bullies me. I envy you so much.”

Listening to their envious and sour remarks, Zhou Yuntang restrained himself from showing too much pride, but a proud and smug smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, “Of course, my brothers are the best in the world!”

However, he didn’t know that his most beloved big brother, the best big brother in the world, after hanging up the phone, immediately pressed the intercom to call his secretary, “Wan family is planning to act against the Li family. Prepare to acquire their shares and profit from the situation.”

The secretary acknowledged and noted down the task.

The Zhou family’s eldest brother continued, “Be discreet with your actions. Don’t let the Wan family or the young master Wan notice anything…”

As he spoke, he absentmindedly opened his work email and began clearing important messages. Suddenly, he noticed an email with no sender’s name. Slightly taken aback, he opened the email.

The email only contained one sentence:

Zhou Yuntang is not the young master of the Zhou family, Jiang Tian is.