Chapter 18 Beating Zhou Liang (Part 1)
Thanks to the huge success of Lin Rui's concert in City H, the senior management of Jiayi Entertainment Group granted her a one-month vacation. Every afternoon during this month, she went to Feiyu Group to see Guo Feiyu—love had driven her to act crazily. Guo Feiyu didn't turn her away; he knew this girl had already fallen deeply in love with him.
The midterm exams at No. 1 High School arrived. Guo Feiyu and Zhang Ya walked into the exam hall with full confidence. After Proctor Xu handed out the papers, all students in the class bowed their heads and started answering quickly—and Guo Feiyu was no exception. Proctor Xu found it puzzling: this student who had never attended a single class actually knew how to answer the questions. Guo Feiyu finished answering all the questions in just twenty minutes. With a proud look, he nudged Zhang Ya with his elbow and held up his paper at an angle. Zhang Ya glanced over and was shocked—Guo Feiyu's paper was completely filled out, not a single blank left.
Guo Feiyu stood up, handed in his paper, and walked out of the classroom in a dashing manner.
In every exam, Guo Feiyu kept up the habit of handing in his paper after twenty minutes. Every student in the class shared the same thought when they saw him leave early each time: It looks like Guo Feiyu is definitely going to be the last in the grade this year.
Two days later, the exams ended, and everyone eagerly awaited the release of the results. Proctor Xu walked into the classroom with the score sheets in hand, and the room instantly fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Proctor Xu's gaze fell on Guo Feiyu and Zhang Ya, then announced, "I'm going to announce the midterm exam results. Student Zhang Ya ranked second in the whole grade with a total score of 722."
When Zhang Ya heard her score of 722, she felt quite satisfied—after all, the full score was only 750, so her result was already extremely high. But when she heard she was second in the grade, she could hardly believe her ears. Having always been first in every exam, she felt a twinge of sadness, and tears welled up in her eyes. The whole class was also confused—who else could possibly take first place besides Zhang Ya? A murmur of discussion broke out.
Proctor Xu cleared his throat and continued, "The first place in the whole grade scored 749. This student is from our class—Guo Feiyu! Let's all applaud him."
The students in the classroom froze for a dozen seconds, then thunderous applause erupted. Every look directed at Guo Feiyu was filled with complete admiration. Zhang Ya turned to look at Guo Feiyu in disbelief. Guo Feiyu smiled at her and said, "Alas, I didn't get a perfect score. It seems I won't get Ya'er's reward."
Zhang Ya also smiled, blushing slightly, and said, "Feiyu, you got first place—I should reward you anyway."
Guo Feiyu grinned wickedly. "Ya'er, let's ask the teacher for leave and go to a hotel right now. I can't wait any longer."
Zhang Ya rolled her eyes at Guo Feiyu and turned her head away, but her heart was pounding wildly. The wonderful feeling from that night made her yearn endlessly.
After class, Lü Xiaofei walked up to Guo Feiyu with a mournful face and complained, "Boss, you're really not being nice—you totally messed me up!"
Guo Feiyu scratched his head in confusion. "Xiaofei, what happened?"
Lü Xiaofei sighed. "I used to be second to last, but now I'm dead last—and it's all your fault!"
Guo Feiyu blinked his confused eyes. "Why is your last place my fault?"
"Boss, Li Siyuan used to be dead last, and I was second to last. But you beat Li Siyuan so badly he had to take a leave of absence from school. Naturally, that 'glorious title' of last place fell to me. Boss, don't you think I'm wronged?" Lü Xiaofei explained.
"So that's how it is. But you can't blame me—who told you not to be as capable as your boss?" Guo Feiyu said.
"Then Boss, you should make it up to me!" Lü Xiaofei said with a mischievous grin.
"Make it up to you? Dream on! You only know how to take advantage of your boss. When Han Wei's leg heals, I'll make it up to both of you together," Guo Feiyu replied.
"Of course! Blessings should be shared. I'm not in a hurry," Lü Xiaofei said happily.
Guo Feiyu and Zhang Ya looked at Lü Xiaofei as he trotted out of the classroom, and they both laughed.
In the presidential suite of the Shangri-La Hotel, Lin Rui paced back and forth anxiously. She usually went to Feiyu Group promptly at 3 p.m. every day, but today she was trapped in the hotel by Zhou Liang. If Li Xin, her manager, and the hotel security hadn't stopped Zhou Liang by force, he would have already burst into her room. Lin Rui checked her watch from time to time; her heart, eager to see her beloved, felt every passing minute was an eternity. She was almost hating Zhou Liang, but she didn't dare to offend him—with the Zhou family's influence in Hong Kong, even a single stamp of their foot would make the whole city tremble. Lin Rui was so anxious she was on the verge of tears. She wanted to call Guo Feiyu, but she was afraid Guo Feiyu would offend Zhou Liang. She muttered to herself repeatedly, "What should I do? What should I do?"
Guo Feiyu arrived at Feiyu Group shortly before 3 p.m. He wandered around his office restlessly, feeling like something was missing—he was utterly annoyed. He checked his watch; it was almost 3:30, and he couldn't help worrying about Lin Rui. Could something have happened to her? Guo Feiyu picked up his phone and dialed Lin Rui's number.
"Feiyu! I didn't mean to not go—please don't be angry! Zhou Liang blocked me in the hotel, and I can't get out. Feiyu, please don't be mad at me," Lin Rui said anxiously over the phone.
Guo Feiyu chuckled. "Why would I be angry? I was just worried about you. After all, you're my good friend and Zhang Ya's super idol. If something happened to you, Zhang Ya wouldn't forgive me either. Don't panic—I'm on my way now. Wait for me."
Guo Feiyu hung up the phone and hurried out of Feiyu Group.
In the lobby on the first floor of the hotel, Zhou Liang, accompanied by dozens of bodyguards, was arguing with Li Xin, Lin Rui's manager.
"You bitch! If you keep stopping me, don't blame me for being rude!" Zhou Liang pointed at Li Xin and cursed.
"Master Zhou, Lin Rui isn't feeling well these days. Could you come back another day?" Li Xin begged.
"Do you think I'm an idiot? She's perfectly fine when she goes to see that Guo Feiyu guy every day, but suddenly 'not feeling well' when it comes to me? Get out of my way right now!" Zhou Liang snapped.
"Master Zhou, Lin Rui is really unwell. You should come see her another time," Li Xin grabbed Zhou Liang's clothes and pleaded.
"Really unwell? If she's that unwell, I'll go upstairs and 'cheer her up' myself," Zhou Liang said with a lewd smile. He pushed Li Xin aside with a hard shove and was about to walk forward when he saw Lin Rui coming out of the hotel elevator. He froze in his tracks. Lin Rui glared at him coldly and asked, "Zhou Liang, what do you want from me?"
A bright smile instantly spread across Zhou Liang's face. In a soft voice, he said, "Lin Rui, I missed you, so I came to see you. you don't welcome me?"
At Zhou Liang's words, Lin Rui felt a wave of nausea in her stomach, as if she was about to vomit. She said disgustedly, "Thank you for your concern, but I have things to do. Please leave."
"Lin Rui, are you really not giving me, Zhou Liang, any face? I know you're going to see that Guo Feiyu guy again. I'll wait here today and see what's so great about him that you're so obsessed," Zhou Liang roared in anger.
Guo Feiyu walked into the hotel lobby and saw Zhou Liang blocking Lin Rui. His anger flared up instantly, and he walked over with a dark expression.
When Lin Rui saw Guo Feiyu enter, her heart filled with sweetness. She pushed Zhou Liang aside and ran toward Guo Feiyu. When she reached him, she mustered up her courage, threw herself into his arms, and clung tightly to his waist. In a tender voice, she said, "Feiyu, you're finally here! I thought you weren't going to care about me anymore."
Guo Feiyu was extremely embarrassed. He held up both arms, not knowing where to put them. Feeling the surprised stares of everyone around, his face also turned slightly red. He said awkwardly, "Lin Rui, I—I'm here now, aren't I? Let go of me quickly. So many people are watching!"
"I won't let go! I'm not afraid of others seeing—I even hope the whole world sees this!" Lin Rui pouted and clung even tighter. She thought to herself: Serves you right for coming so late. I'm not letting go of you that easily.
Chapter 19 Beating Zhou Liang (Part 2)
Looking at Lin Rui, who was acting coquettishly in Guo Feiyu's arms, Zhou Liang's already unpleasant face twisted into a terrifying grimace. He rushed to Guo Feiyu in a single stride and roared, "Guo Feiyu, let Lin Rui go right now! Otherwise, I'll make you regret it!" Zhou Liang was completely blinded by anger—even an idiot could tell from their posture that it was Lin Rui holding onto Guo Feiyu, not the other way around.
Guo Feiyu spread his hands and said helplessly to Zhou Liang, "Young Master Zhou, I didn't even touch Lin Rui. Why are you getting so worked up?"
Zhou Liang's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He clutched his chest and took a long time to calm down. Then he turned to Lin Rui in Guo Feiyu's arms and said gently, "Lin Rui, if you want to hug someone, hug me instead. My chest is much warmer than that guy's." As soon as he finished speaking, the hotel staff and security guards in the lobby burst into laughter. They thought: Is this guy an idiot? Can't he tell the difference between hugging the person you love and hugging a stranger?
Zhou Liang glanced at the laughing crowd and shouted angrily, "What are you laughing at? Do you know? Everyone who's ever hugged my chest says it's extremely warm and makes them obsessed!"
Everyone around laughed even harder—even Zhou Liang's bodyguards were clutching their stomachs, barely holding back their laughter, their faces flushed red. The people in the lobby had finally witnessed the peak of overconfidence. Zhou Liang looked at the laughing crowd in confusion, thinking: I'm telling the truth—why are they laughing? Don't they believe me? He held his head high and said seriously to the people in the lobby, "I don't need to lie to you. Every word I said is true."
Zhou Liang's bodyguards couldn't hold it in any longer—they burst into loud laughter. The others had already laughed until their waists ached. Lin Rui, still in Guo Feiyu's arms, laughed so hard she had no strength left, her soft body completely leaning against Guo Feiyu.
Guo Feiyu was also amused by Zhou Liang. He looked at the proud Zhou Liang and smiled playfully, "Young Master Zhou, I admit I'm no match for you in that aspect. But it seems Lin Rui isn't interested in your 'charming chest.' So give up this idea—stop following Lin Rui like a shadow from now on."
Zhou Liang finally realized he had become a laughingstock. Overcome with shame and anger, he roared at Guo Feiyu, "Guo Feiyu, how dare you make fun of me! And you're still holding my woman—today, I'll make you pay!" With that, he raised his fist and charged at Guo Feiyu. Zhou Liang wasn't a complete fool—he knew Guo Feiyu was skilled in martial arts. But seeing Guo Feiyu tightly held by Lin Rui, he thought there was an opportunity to strike.
Guo Feiyu watched Zhou Liang's fist with a smile. In his eyes, this delicate fist was no different from a ball of cotton. Just as Zhou Liang's fist was about to reach his face, Guo Feiyu put one arm around Lin Rui's waist, slightly twisted his body, and lifted his foot to kick Zhou Liang in the chest. Zhou Liang was overjoyed—his fist was almost touching Guo Feiyu's face. But suddenly, he felt as if his chest had been hit by a pile driver. A clear "crack" echoed in his ears, and his body flew backward. While airborne, he felt a sharp pain spread from his chest to his entire body.
"Aah!" A scream rang out. At this moment, Zhou Liang was lying on the ground five meters away from Guo Feiyu, twisting in pain. Guo Feiyu only wanted to teach Zhou Liang a lesson—he kicked a few of his ribs, so he didn't use full force. When Zhou Liang's bodyguards saw their master being beaten, they roared and charged forward.
Guo Feiyu looked down on the rushing bodyguards with disdain, still holding Lin Rui in one arm. He waited until the bodyguards were close, then suddenly raised his free arm. The bodyguards who rushed over only saw a blur of Guo Feiyu's arm before their wrists were grabbed. Then, the sound of bones breaking rang out.
Everyone in the hotel lobby stared intently at Guo Feiyu's arm as it moved up and down. In their eyes, they could only see a blurry shadow of his arm. Heart-wrenching screams echoed one after another in the lobby. When Guo Feiyu finally lowered his arm, more than thirty bodyguards were lying on the ground in various positions—some huddled on the floor clutching their ankles, others holding their wrists in agony.
Several foreigners who were watching the commotion in the lobby's corner sparkled with excitement. They gave Guo Feiyu a thumbs-up and said in broken Chinese, "Oh, Chinese kung fu! It's amazing!" These foreigners even ran up to Guo Feiyu to take photos with him—they were almost asking for his autograph.
Lin Rui, still in Guo Feiyu's arms, saw this scene and giggled. She said to Guo Feiyu, "You're even more famous than me! My influence only reaches Asia, but you've already made it to Europe!"
Guo Feiyu smiled and said to Lin Rui, "What's this? One day, I'll even become famous all over the world. Big star, you can't stay in my arms forever, can you? You're not tired, but my waist is sore."
Lin Rui blushed and took a step back. She pouted, "I didn't even want to stay in your arms that long!"
Guo Feiyu finally breathed a sigh of relief when the clingy Lin Rui let go of him. He gave her an awkward smile, then walked over to Zhou Liang, who was lying on the ground groaning. Looking down at Zhou Liang, he said, "This is just a lesson. Go back to Hong Kong and lie in bed for a few months. Don't pester Lin Rui anymore. If I find out you're still bothering her, I'll break every bone in your body, one by one."
Zhou Liang lay on the ground without speaking—not because he didn't want to, but because even the slightest movement sent a sharp pain through his chest. The lesson Guo Feiyu gave him didn't sober him up; instead, it deepened his hatred for Guo Feiyu. His eyes, which seemed ready to spit fire, stared fixedly at Guo Feiyu.
Lin Rui walked up to Guo Feiyu, tugged at his arm, and said softly, "Feiyu, let's stop paying attention to him. Come to my room—I'm leaving City H tomorrow, and there's something I want to tell you."
Guo Feiyu glanced at Zhou Liang on the ground, then nodded at Lin Rui. The two walked into the hotel elevator. The hotel security guards and the police who had just arrived were busy carrying the injured to the ambulance. Li Gang, the captain of the Criminal Police Team, saw dozens of injured people and said sternly with a solemn face, "Who's so bold to injure so many people in the hotel, right in front of foreign guests? Do you have no regard for the country's laws?"
Li Xin, Lin Rui's manager, stepped forward and whispered, "These people surrounded Lin Rui, and Guo Feiyu ended up injuring them."
As soon as Li Gang heard it was Guo Feiyu who did it, his attitude immediately softened. He said to the police beside him, "Take these people to the hospital. It's all over—everyone, stand down."
When Guo Feiyu entered Lin Rui's room, he looked around for a moment and said with a smile, "Nice place you've got here. I should stay here with you for a few days sometime."
This casual remark from Guo Feiyu made Lin Rui's heart race. With infinite shyness, she said, "As long as you like it, I can come here to accompany you anytime."
Guo Feiyu immediately realized Lin Rui had misunderstood his words. He wanted to explain, but didn't know how. Lin Rui gave him a coquettish glance and said softly, "I'll go take a shower first. Make yourself at home—I'll be right out." With that, she walked into the bathroom. At the moment she turned around to close the bathroom door, she even gave Guo Feiyu an electric look with her charming eyes.
Beads of sweat oozed from Guo Feiyu's forehead. That glance from Lin Rui had sent a shiver through his heart. He thought: Why is Lin Rui taking a shower in the middle of the afternoon? What does she want? Could she be trying to seduce me? At the thought of that word, his heart beat even faster.
Guo Feiyu stood restlessly, fidgeting with his hands. All sorts of scandals about the entertainment industry flashed through his mind. Just then, Lin Rui's melodious voice came from the bathroom, "Feiyu, I forgot to take a towel! Can you pass one to me?"
Guo Feiyu's heart skipped a beat. He said with a bitter face, "Can't you do without a towel? I can't find where they're kept."
"How could you not find them? There's a towel hanging next to the bathroom door—I saw it when I came in!" Lin Rui shouted from inside the bathroom. After she finished speaking, she realized her words might have sounded odd, but she didn't think too much about it. She turned off the faucet and listened carefully for any movement from Guo Feiyu outside.
Hearing Lin Rui's words, Guo Feiyu thought: Oh no! You saw it but didn't take it—you're obviously trying to seduce me!
Guo Feiyu walked step by step toward the towel hanging next to the bathroom door. Inside the bathroom, Lin Rui held her breath and listened to Guo Feiyu's footsteps, her heart pounding with excitement. In movie scripts, this was how heroines seduced men—she wondered if her plan would work this time.