Caught in a Brutal Shura Field Between the Protagonist and the Villain - Chapter 8

However, Zhou Wei still rushed forward and started throwing punches.

Because to him, those delinquents were going to get beaten anyway.

The gang leader grabbed a brick from the ground, ready to get vicious.

Cheng Pang raised an Erkang hand. “Stop!”

The gang leader froze.

Cheng Pang said, “If you’re going to hit, don’t hit the face!”

Gang leader: “……”

Zhou Wei: “……”

Before the gang leader could react, Zhou Wei kicked him in the stomach.

Cheng Pang had already sensed that his sneak attack on the guy’s leg earlier had made Zhou Wei unhappy. So he didn’t charge in this time, instead playing to his strength as a nonstop chatterbox, “Zhou Wei’s family is really rich, you know. If you hit him, aren’t you afraid something might happen to you?”

Thug A hesitated, the hand swinging the stick pausing.

Cheng Pang lay flat on the ground, holding his face as he continued, “Zhou Wei’s grandfather is one of the top judges in Shanghai. If you beat his grandson, well, going to jail is pretty much guaranteed.”

Thug B’s eyes began to flicker.

Cheng Pang: “I heard Zhou Wei’s mother and the police chief’s wife were classmates and best friends, super close.”

Thug C took two steps back, flailing in a monkey-style pose and standing like a crane, but he did not even come close to touching Zhou Wei.

Cheng Pang: “Sigh, Zhou Wei is an only child, the ancestral lifeline. The Zhou family will never let any of you go.”

A vein throbbed at Zhou Wei’s temple. What ancestral lifeline bullshit!

The small-time thugs had their will to fight drained by this nonstop mouthfire. They huddled and looked at each other as if their eyes were saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s not cause trouble.’ The gang leader finally calmed, spat, and the four of them ran off.

Under the setting sun, Cheng Pang lay on the dirt, cupping his chubby face like some kind of baby photoshoot. “See, that was fast.”

Zhou Wei stepped up and gave his butt another kick.

Cheng Pang yelped. “Why are you hitting me?”

Zhou Wei: “You are so fucking noisy.”

Cheng Pang: “Noise is also a weapon.”

Zhou Wei lifted his head. “Where’s the cat?”

Cheng Pang stood up, led him over to the concrete pipe, and slowly took the cat out.

Its eyes were shut, its belly trembling faintly with breathing. It was alive.

Zhou Wei made a snap decision. “Take it to the hospital.”

Cheng Pang nodded. When they passed by, he remembered the bag of cat food. He tore it open and emptied all of it into the pipe. The stray cats here could have a good feast tonight. After scattering it, he patted his hands. “Let’s go.”

Zhou Wei glanced at him. Unexpectedly, the guy was quite meticulous and calm.

But how did Liu Bai know about his family situation? How much did he actually know?

They took a taxi to the animal hospital. The vet said the injuries were severe and the cat needed emergency surgery.

The surgery fee was 8K, and Zhou Wei paid without even blinking.

Cheng Pang gave a thumbs-up. “Rich guy.”

After the cat was taken in, Zhou Wei and Cheng Pang waited outside. Cheng Pang inevitably continued flattering him, “Wei-ge, is your ‘wei’ the ‘wei’ in ‘mighty’?”

Zhou Wei looked at him coldly. “It is the ‘wei’ in ‘danger.’”

Cheng Pang had intended to flatter him, but since the other party wasn’t buying it, he shook his head.

Zhou Wei lowered his head, brushing off his sleeves. “You’ve practiced taekwondo.”

Cheng Pang grinned. “Learned a couple of moves from TV. Useless in real life.”

Zhou Wei lowered his eyes slightly and looked at him from the side. “It seemed pretty standard to me.”

Cheng Pang: “Just that one move. Enough to bluff people.”

Zhou Wei: “Why didn’t you fight back when the delinquents robbed you?”

Cheng Pang: “Because you were there. With you around, I’m not scared.”

Zhou Wei shifted his gaze away from Cheng Pang’s smiling face to the semi-transparent operating room where the doctors and nurses were trying to save the cat. He snorted inwardly. After a moment, he turned back. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Cheng Pang: “My butt hurts.”

Zhou Wei: “If you keep babbling like that next time, I’ll kick you to death.”

It was the first time he’d seen Cheng Pang act this sly and shameless.

Cheng Pang protested, “What else was I supposed to do? Staying alive is the priority. Wei-ge, did you get hurt?”

Zhou Wei had actually been hit several times by the stick and even kicked in the waist and stomach. But in front of Cheng Pang, he said nonchalantly, “I’m fine.”

Cheng Pang gave him a thumbs-up. “Impressive.”

In fact, Cheng Pang had seen him get hit several times, but boys really liked pretending to be tough. Cheng Pang thought, Heh, heh, I just like seeing you clearly in pain but refusing to admit it.

An hour later, the cat’s surgery was over.

Its life was no longer in danger.

But it still needed observation. Its leg was broken, its tail was almost burned off, and it would need more surgeries later.

Zhou Wei finally relaxed. He registered his ID and contact information and paid another five thousand before leaving with Cheng Pang.

On the way, Zhou Wei suddenly said, “When the cat recovers, take it to your home to raise it.”

Cheng Pang: “Why?”

Zhou Wei: “I can’t keep pets at home.”

Cheng Pang: “Alright then.”

It was pretty much an order, but since the cat’s leg was injured, it probably couldn’t survive on its own outside. Raising it himself was fine.

Zhou Wei heard Cheng Pang’s stomach growling. Just how much did he have to eat every day? There was a restaurant on the way, so he asked, “Do you want to eat?”

Cheng Pang immediately turned his head, eyes beaming with surprise. “Really?”

Zhou Wei thought, Being able to eat with me is enough to make him this happy? He nodded. “Consider it compensation.”

Cheng Pang smiled again, his eyes crinkling, like a sweet little lucky cat, though in reality the lucky cat was scheming inside. He finally had a chance to make up for being beaten earlier. You kicked me once, so I’ll make you buy me a whole meal. It’s fair!

They chose a grilled fish restaurant nearby.

It was already seven in the evening, and Cheng Pang was starving. The grilled fish hadn’t arrived yet, so he seriously wiped the table over and over with a napkin while Zhou Wei watched him.

Looking at his flushed face, his dark blueberry-like eyes, and his soft, chubby hands that resembled cat paws, Zhou Wei thought that when he had clenched his fists to hit someone earlier, it was actually kind of cute.

For some reason, the phrase “little fists punching your chest” came to Zhou Wei’s mind. He held back a laugh and stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

When he came out, he saw Liu Bai talking to the waitress.

Liu Bai closed the menu and handed it to the waitress with a smile.

Five minutes later, the waitress pushed over a three-tier cart and began placing dishes on the table one after another.

“Your pickled pepper chicken feet.”

“Your dry pot bullfrog.”

“Your crab pot.”

“Your steamed fish”

“Your Wushan grilled fish.”

“Your black-bone chicken soup.”

“Your mango juice.”

“Your dry-pot cauliflower.”

…

The waitress brought out a full twenty dishes, even filling the empty table beside them. Then she said enthusiastically, “Please enjoy.”

Cheng Pang snapped his chopsticks apart, eager to dig in.

Zhou Wei: “Are you a fucking bottomless pit?”

Cheng Pang immediately pulled his hands back and put on a pitiful expression. “Did I order too much? I thought you looked a little hurt and needed to replenish. I didn’t know what you liked, so I accidentally ordered too much.”

Zhou Wei said, “You accidentally ordered more than twenty plates?”

Zhou Wei lifted his eyes, clearly expressing, ‘Do you think I’m an idiot?’

Cheng Pang shifted into his innocent, weak, but extremely hungry mode. “Wei-ge, I… I haven’t eaten anything good for a long time. And you got hurt, so I wanted you to eat more… If you don’t like it, I can return them.”

He immediately lifted his hand, about to call the waitress.

Zhou Wei: “Forget it.”

Cheng Pang knew that this man cared about his pride. Once the food was ordered, he wouldn’t send it back.

He snickered and picked up a piece of broccoli for him. “Wei-ge, eat some vegetables.”

Zhou Wei kept feeling that Liu Bai… was a bit sly.

Twenty dishes were impossible to finish. Even with Cheng Pang going all out, he only cleared the plate of pig trotter. Zhou Wei didn’t really like the restaurant’s seasoning and hardly ate anything.

Cheng Pang was satisfied, burping contentedly. He raised his hand. “Waiter, pack it up. All the remaining eighteen dishes, pack them for me!”

When they walked out of the grilled fish restaurant, the night stretched out like a broad open road, and the moon was already up. Carrying large bags and small bags, following beside Zhou Wei, Cheng Pang touched his stomach. “I think I ate too much.”

Zhou Wei glanced at him. After spending more than two thousand on him, how could he not eat a lot?

Cheng Pang thought that since he had eaten so much on Zhou Wei’s dime, he should show some appreciation, so he said earnestly, “When I’m with Wei-ge, everything tastes good.”

Zhou Wei let out a short snort. Bootlicker.

But he didn’t dislike it.

The moon was behind them, their shadows stretching ahead, and the night was as gentle as flowing water.

Cheng Pang: “Wei-ge, how are you getting back?”

Zhou Wei: “Taxi.”

Cheng Pang: “Oh.”

Zhou Wei turned his head. “You want me to send you back?”

Cheng Pang blinked innocently. “Of course not. I just hope you get home early.”

Zhou Wei: “How long will it take you to walk back?”

Cheng Pang: “Not sure, maybe forty to fifty minutes.”

Zhou Wei didn’t speak. He simply raised his hand and hailed a taxi.

Sitting in the back seat, he saw Cheng Pang struggling to lift his takeout bags, smiling as he waved goodbye, then watched him drop a bag and bend down to pick it up with difficulty.

He called out, “Aren’t you getting in?”

Cheng Pang immediately opened the door, slipped into the seat, and closed it in one smooth motion before turning his head. “Thank you, Wei-ge. Wei-ge is handsome, and his heart is kind.”

Zhou Wei let out a short laugh. “You were waiting for this, weren’t you?”

Cheng Pang tilted his head innocently. “No. I just think Wei-ge must be a really good person.”

A good person?

The rainbow farts really came in full sets, but Zhou Wei didn’t particularly dislike it.

The taxi started moving. Seeing that the matter was settled, Cheng Pang finally put down the two large takeaway bags he had been gripping and quietly sighed in relief.

Bored, Zhou Wei took out his phone and started playing a game. The bang bang bang bang sounds entered Cheng Pang’s ears, making his heart itch a little. His old Android couldn’t handle this kind of high-quality shooting game.

He quietly leaned a little closer.

Zhou Wei noticed from the corner of his eye, but didn’t respond.

He leaned a little closer again.

Zhou Wei still didn’t move.

His head leaned in again, his left hand resting on the back of Zhou Wei’s seat as he peeked at the screen.

Cheng Pang was chubby, but not short, his arms fairly long, and with his visibly wide build, it almost looked like he was hugging Zhou Wei from behind.

The car swayed, and Cheng Pang became absorbed, shouting uncontrollably, “Hurry, hurry, turn left, find cover! Behind the door! Go, kill him! Quick, check for people, pick up the loot—”

So damn annoying! Why did he talk so much! Zhou Wei grabbed Cheng Pang’s chubby mouth with one hand, turning it into a little beak.

A flattering smile spread across Cheng Pang’s eyes, and only then did Zhou Wei let go of him.

Cheng Pang said, “Quick, someone is sneaking up on you!”

Zhou Wei’s hand returned to the screen. Three shots, bang bang bang, and the enemy was dead.

Cheng Pang almost wanted to applaud him. Excellent moves, young man.

Next, with only ten players left, Zhou Wei suddenly found that big black head leaning right up to his face like a giant blueberry, the soft hair brushing against the tip of his nose several times.

That brief distraction got Zhou Wei killed.

Cheng Pang pulled his head back slightly. “What a pity, there was only one person left.”

Zhou Wei put his phone away and looked out the window. Reflected in the glass was Cheng Pang’s profile. Normal people had clean bone lines in their side profiles with a clear forehead, cheekbone, and jaw, while his was just one smooth arc.

His mouth hung slightly open in a dazed way as he looked forward, then after a moment, he began staring resentfully at the phone in Zhou Wei’s hand.

Right then, the system suddenly spoke: Zhou Wei’s Favorability Value has reached 50%.

Cheng Pang froze for a moment. Who?

System: Zhou Wei, of course. Dear host.

Cheng Pang: ……

He turned his head and was shocked to see a 50% Favorability Value hovering above Zhou Wei’s head.

Cheng Pang: What is going on? What happened? How did he reach 50% too?

System: Why don’t you guess what happened?

Cheng Pang: …It must be a mistake, right? I didn’t do anything.

System: Oh.

A moment later, the system said, “Then tell me, why did a scene that was supposed to happen to the female lead end up happening to you?”