C7 The Young Man

"Respect? You keep stalling on repaying the loan, and you expect me to show you respect? Ning Chujing, I've been patient with you for far too long. Today, you're going to pay back what you owe one way or another! If you can't pay with cash, you'll pay with your body!" Zhou Tianba sneered, signaling with his eyes. His two henchmen smirked triumphantly as they stepped forward and firmly grasped Ning Chujing's hands.

"Let me go!" Ning Chujing's face showed terror as she desperately struggled.

"Let you go? Can you repay the debt if I do? As long as you take good care of me, I might just give you a few extra days to settle your debt," he said with a malicious chuckle. Zhou Tianba laughed heartily and lunged at Ning Chujing.

But just as he was about to pounce, Ning Chujing, in a frenzy of resistance, landed a kick squarely in Zhou Tianba's groin. He hopped around in agony, clutching himself and wailing in pain.

"You filthy wretch, how dare you kick me? I'll thrash you!" Zhou Tianba roared, his hand flying towards Ning Chujing's face.

Bracing for the blow, Ning Chujing closed her eyes in anguish, resigned to her fate. Yet, Zhou Tianba's hand never made contact with her face. Confused, she opened her eyes. Another hand had caught Zhou Tianba's wrist, immobilizing him completely.

Zhou Tianba had never anticipated an unexpected visitor in Ning Chujing's home. "Who are you?" he demanded, struggling to free his hand, but it was clamped down as if in a vice, unable to budge.

"Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that you've gone too far!" Zhang Xiaodong's eyes were icy, his demeanor detached. Seeing his aunt subjected to such humiliation cut him deeply, the pain more excruciating than any physical wound.

"You!"

Before Zhou Tianba could even register what was happening, a massive hand struck his fierce face with a slap that sent his nearly 200-kilogram frame spinning on the spot. Moments later, he was booted into the air.

"You little punk, you're asking for it!" The other burly men, seeing their boss assaulted, flew into a rage. They clenched their fists and swarmed around Zhang Xiaodong.

"Xiaodong!" Ning Chujing, shielded behind him, watched anxiously as Zhang Xiaodong was encircled, her heart racing with fear that he might be harmed because of her.

"Auntie, remember how you used to protect me when I was bullied as a kid? Now it's my turn to protect you," Zhang Xiaodong said with a grin.

With a swift lift of his eyelids, he struck with the speed of lightning. Charging forward, his right fist landed like a thunderous dragon on the chest of the nearest strongman. The force exploded, eliciting a horrific scream from the man.

His ribcage shattered, caving in to the size of a fist.

The other men barely grazed Zhang Xiaodong's clothing, each one howling in agony under the onslaught of his iron fists.

It was then that Ning Chujing realized the brash youth of the past had returned!

"Who the hell are you to interfere with our affairs?" Zhou Tianba bellowed in agony.

Zhang Xiaodong sneered, his face expressionless. "I'm your worst nightmare!"

"You'll regret this. Our boss won't let this slide!" Zhou Tianba, grimacing in pain, managed to get to his feet and, with his henchmen in tow, stumbled away.

"Auntie, are you okay?" Zhang Xiaodong hurried to Ning Chujing's side to support her.

Ning Chujing shook her head, a mix of resignation and pain in her expression.

"Xiaodong, why go to such lengths? You're only going to get yourself in trouble because of me," she said, her beautiful eyes closing in distress.

Zhang Xiaodong had only just returned, and the thought of him coming to harm on her account was something she could never forgive herself for.

With a wry smile, Zhang Xiaodong shook his head and reassured her, "Don't worry, Auntie. There's no one out there who can take me down right now."

"But..."

Ning Chujing had no idea of Zhang Xiaodong's true identity.

Even if Zhang Xiaodong were to reveal who he really was, Ning Chujing might still have her doubts.

"Auntie, what exactly happened? How did you end up owing them money?"

The moment those people walked into the house, they were on her case about repaying the debt. If Zhang Xiaodong wasn't mistaken, Ning Chujing must owe them a substantial amount.

Zhang Xiaodong was puzzled. Despite his aunt's financial struggles, they had tenants in the old family home, and he sent a considerable sum of money each month.

That income, combined with her salary, should have been sufficient for her and her daughter to live on.

They shouldn't have had to resort to borrowing from loan sharks.

Ning Chujing let out a heavy sigh, her expression etched with sorrow.

Realizing she couldn't keep it from Zhang Xiaodong any longer, she recounted the entire ordeal.

Her daughter, Qingqing, had fallen seriously ill a few years back.

To pay for her treatment, she had exhausted all their savings and borrowed wherever she could. Eventually, when she was unable to come up with any more money, she had no choice but to turn to loan sharks.

What she hadn't anticipated was the ruthlessness of these lenders. A debt of ten thousand yuan had ballooned to over a hundred thousand in less than six months!

How could an ordinary woman possibly repay such an amount?

Especially since Ning Chujing's own earnings were modest, barely enough to support her and her daughter.

Almost all the money she made over the years had gone to servicing the loan shark's debt, including the rent from Zhang Xiaodong's ancestral home.

Had Ning Chujing not been so resolute, they would have already seized and sold off Zhang Xiaodong's property.

"Auntie, don't worry. I will take care of this debt," Zhang Xiaodong said, his fists clenched in anger. These scoundrels were beyond contempt, preying on a widow and her child.

Now that he was back, he was determined to take these villains down a notch.

"Xiaodong, please, don't do anything rash. These people are dangerous. Don't risk your own well-being for my sake," Ning Chujing pleaded, gripping his arm tightly, terrified that Zhang Xiaodong might get himself into trouble.

"Don't worry, Auntie, I won't act rashly," Zhang Xiaodong assured her with a smile, gently patting her pale, delicate hand.

"Xiaodong, how have you been managing all by yourself these years?" Ning Chujing asked, her heart aching as she looked at his matured face. The once green youth now bore a maturity beyond his years, and she knew that Zhang Xiaodong must have faced many hardships.

She even felt a twinge of guilt for renting out her house while he was away.

"Hehe, I've been doing well. You don't need to worry about me, Auntie," Zhang Xiaodong said with a smile, sensing Ning Chujing's remorse and offering her reassurance.

After a brief visit at his aunt's place, Zhang Xiaodong chose not to stay for dinner, his spirits dampened by the troublemakers. Having crossed paths with these local bullies, he was determined not to let them off easily, knowing that failing to deal with them could bring serious trouble for his aunt.

Following a day of wandering through the town, at five in the afternoon, Zhang Xiaodong made his way to a small bar in town. His aunt had mentioned that this was where the loan sharks hung out. Known as the Heavenly Light Bar, it served as a hub for the area's riffraff.

By ten-thirty that night, Zhang Xiaodong was prowling through the darkness like a specter, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.