Li Dong Liang hadn’t expected this either.

Having been paid to handle trouble, when taken to the police station, he didn’t implicate the clothing store or Xia Xiao Lan at all. He simply claimed those people were thieves who had stolen his wallet, and when he caught up and grabbed them, they fell.

The young men were in pain and naturally told a different story, saying they were just looking at clothes in the store when the owner drove them out and had people beat them.

Zhuo Wei Ping found this pattern familiar.

Examining the young men’s injuries, their skin was intact, just slightly swollen. Not even bruising – how was that injury? Zhuo Wei Ping saw through it – these troublemakers had come looking for problems. Hadn’t Xia Xiao Lan asked her to look after the store? Thinking of these “bullies” from Hedong County coming to the provincial capital to cause trouble, Officer Zhuo gave these young “scammers” a good lesson.

The station supported Zhuo Wei Ping.

Director Yang had attended the ribbon-cutting – why cause trouble at “Lan Feng Huang” of all places? Weren’t they just trying to make someone look bad?

They were making the police station look bad, making Director Yang think they weren’t handling things well!

Teach them a lesson, a good one!

No bruising but acting up at the police station – just thinking about it made her angry. The young men were in severe pain, with tears, and snot flowing, but no one would believe them. Li Dong Liang was quickly released, while the young men remained detained.

Li Feng Mei returned with him. Officer Zhuo even comforted her, saying if there were any more troublemakers like today, just notify the police station:

“We’ll arrest them one by one, in pairs if they come in pairs. Not a single bad person will escape!”

Others considered Director Yang’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, but Zhuo Wei Ping genuinely despised evil.

Li Feng Mei returned to find Zhou Cheng at the store.

Knowing Zhou Cheng’s status, she spoke to him somewhat nervously.

Zhou Cheng heard about the troublemakers from earlier.

After asking Liu Fen about previous events, he found Liu Fang and her daughter’s timing too convenient. The style didn’t match what he’d learned about Fan Zhen Chuan. He suspected the Liang family was stirring up trouble, either to cause problems, test the waters, or vent their anger.

Zhou Cheng held his tongue and, leaving Ma Wei to watch the store, took Liu Fen and Li Feng Mei to a state-run restaurant, along with Li Dong Liang and Ge Jian. The two martial artists were quiet. Zhou Cheng said he’d take them to Commercial University after lunch to familiarize them with Xia Xiao Lan’s daily routine.

“Miss Xia wants us to stay in Shangdu for a while…”

Li Dong Liang hesitated – with Miss Xia’s boyfriend here, did Shangdu still need him and Ge Jian? Li Dong Liang didn’t know Zhou Cheng’s background, though he seemed influential. Ke Yi Xiong had been so arrogant before, that even the Bai Martial Arts School’s name couldn’t suppress him, but now he meekly scammed people at Yangcheng Railway Station.

“Then let’s follow Xiao Lan’s wishes.”

You should keep dogs, but you can’t always walk them on a leash. With two martial artists around, Zhou Cheng wouldn’t fear Fan Zhen Chuan’s retaliation.

After lunch, Zhou Cheng ordered two of Xia Xiao Lan’s favorite dishes and headed straight to the university. His appearance in the library broke many top students’ hearts. Someone went to notify Xia Xiao Lan, who put down her books and came out.

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t come at noon?”

Zhou Cheng waved the bag in his hand, “Worried you wouldn’t eat well, affecting your study efficiency.”

Xia Xiao Lan knew it was an excuse – Zhou Cheng’s shoes were dusty, how far had he walked this morning? He probably squeezed out time to check on her. She ate what Zhou Cheng brought, they chatted briefly, and then he mentioned lunch with Liu Fen and Li Feng Mei:

“The two people you called from Shangdu have arrived. I had them wait outside the school gate – you’ll see them when you leave this afternoon. You did the right thing here. Your safety should always come first – only when you’re safe can we slowly resolve our troubles. I won’t come to pick you up this afternoon, I have more people to meet.”

Xia Xiao Lan nodded.

She’d notified Li Dong Liang and Ge Jian not because she didn’t trust Zhou Cheng, but because his special work might prevent him from reaching Shangdu in time.

Zhou Cheng wasn’t angry – he strongly agreed.

If Zhou Cheng were truly arrogant, believing he could solve any problem without error, he wouldn’t have survived the front lines. People must always clearly understand themselves – their strengths and weaknesses, what they can and cannot do. If they’re not good at something, let those who are handle it!

Without weapons, he wasn’t even as good a fighter as Bai Zhi Yong, a true martial artist.

Bai Zhi Yong’s hot temper had cost him several promotions. His position still wasn’t as high as Zhou Cheng’s, who relied on brains, not brawn. When you can use your mind, and avoid fighting – the Bai Martial Arts School people perfectly complemented Zhou Cheng’s weaknesses. Two fists can’t fight four hands, and Zhou Cheng feared stumbling in small-town pitfalls.

Talking with Xia Xiao Lan eased his anxious mood considerably.

The news he’d gathered this morning had given him the urge to kill. If the Liang girl hadn’t been exposed this early, what chance would Xiao Lan have had to notify him of Fan Zhen Chuan’s surprise attack? Fan Zhen Chuan was despicable – forget his years of tyranny in Hedong County, his treatment of women alone deserved ten death sentences for “hooliganism” – no woman he targeted could escape. He’d even pursued pregnant women, breaking up marriages, forcing abortions, and then raping them.

Men went mad, women committed suicide.

This caused an uproar in Hedong County, but without concrete evidence, superiors couldn’t truly punish Fan Zhen Chuan.

Mainly because Fan Zhen Chuan had pacified the women’s families with benefits. When a family’s only son went mad, they dared not continue pressing charges.

Such incidents weren’t isolated. Zhou Cheng heard an absurd opinion that besides his messy relationships with women, Fan Zhen Chuan was quite capable – a talented man who wouldn’t leave Hedong County, content with his current position. If he’d been willing to work elsewhere, he’d have been promoted long ago.

Of course, he wouldn’t leave Hedong County – he loved both power and women. Outside Hedong County, he couldn’t control situations to freely prey on women.

Only in a small place like Hedong County could Fan Zhen Chuan play the local emperor!

The Liang family was from Hedong County – how could they not know Fan Zhen Chuan’s reputation? Yet they eagerly arranged the marriage to him, all for their benefit. Even the slightest connection between his wife and someone like Fan Zhen Chuan was a desecration. Zhou Cheng truly felt the urge to kill.