Chapter Eleven: When Drowsiness Comes, a Pillow Appears

Zhou Xuan and Liu Yixue chatted for a while longer and agreed to go out together the next day. After hanging up, Zhou Xuan pondered how to resolve the matter with Wei Lian so he could work for him without worry in the future.

Unfortunately, Zhou Xuan had only been back since his rebirth for a few months and had yet to establish himself. He didn’t know any influential figures in the county; otherwise, he wouldn’t feel so helpless.

Zhou Xuan himself wasn’t afraid of Fatty Luo—he only worried that Fatty Luo might learn of his whereabouts, discover his family’s supermarket and clothing store, and cause trouble for his parents and uncle. However, considering that the holidays had just begun and everyone had gone home, it wouldn’t be easy for Fatty Luo to find out anything about him.

Feeling somewhat reassured, Zhou Xuan decided to seek advice from Teacher Li Yunxi the next day. In the county, Li Yunxi, who was both a teacher and a friend, was likely the only one who knew many people. As for Principal Guo from No. 2 Middle School or Liu Yixue’s father, they weren’t even worth considering. From their interactions, Li Yunxi had always given Zhou Xuan the impression of being anything but ordinary.

What Zhou Xuan didn’t know was that it wasn’t until midnight that the infamous Fatty Luo finally learned about the afternoon’s incident.

In his office above the West City roller skating rink, Fatty Luo was furiously scolding the men who had gone to capture Wei Lian earlier that day. Fatty Luo’s body was bulky, easily weighing over two hundred pounds, with layers of fat on his face.

“You must be joking! A middle schooler beat all of you?” Fatty Luo roared at them, his face twisted in anger.

“Boss, that kid was something else! He knocked us down one by one with a single punch. We had no choice! And he said he would protect Wei Lian!”

“You didn’t mention my name?” Fatty Luo shot them a glare.

“We did, but that kid didn’t care at all. He said you’re nothing in his eyes!” The men, desperate to shift the blame, began to exaggerate.

With a loud slap, Fatty Luo’s massive hand struck the desk, making everyone jump. “So arrogant he doesn’t even respect me, Luo Badao? I want to see who this kid is!”

He turned to his subordinates and ordered, “Go find out! Track him down—I want to see which school he comes from and how he dares act so cocky!”

As the men were about to leave, Fatty Luo added, “First, find out whose child he is—don’t act rashly. Report to me as soon as you know!”

After a moment’s thought, Fatty Luo decided it was best to investigate first. After all, if he provoked someone with connections, things could get complicated. Running a pool hall, a roller skating rink, and a cyber café in West City was one thing, but if he caused trouble at a school, he’d be behind bars the very next day.

The next morning, Zhou Xuan ran twenty kilometers along the river, then practiced boxing for another half-hour, surprisingly reaching the level of minor mastery at once. This delighted him. He had practiced boxing in his previous life and reached great mastery then. This time, returning after his rebirth, training came naturally, but his physical limitations meant he had only now reached minor mastery.

Still, progressing this quickly made Zhou Xuan very happy. With his current strength, even those so-called “kings of soldiers” might not be a match for him. Though, in a fight to the death, he would likely still lose.

Thinking of Fatty Luo, Zhou Xuan wished he could go to the West City roller skating rink right now and teach him a lesson, so Luo would realize who he was dealing with. Otherwise, who knew how long Fatty Luo would keep searching for him.

But today he was going out with Liu Yixue, so he decided to let the fat man go for now—he could wait for Luo to come looking for trouble himself.

After taking a shower, Zhou Xuan felt refreshed as he walked to the garden in the center of the street. He and Liu Yixue had agreed to meet there, but she hadn’t arrived yet.

Just then, Zhou Xuan’s phone rang. It was Teacher Li Yunxi. Zhou Xuan had planned to call him later about the trouble with Fatty Luo, but now, seeing the call, he wondered if something had happened.

Feeling curious, he answered, “Hello, Teacher Li?”

“Haha! Zhou Xuan, it’s been a while.”

“Hello, Teacher Li, it really has been a while. I was just thinking of calling you this evening, but here you are, calling first,” Zhou Xuan replied with a laugh.

Li Yunxi’s teasing laughter came through the receiver. “So you still remember to call me? It’s been ages since you last got in touch. I bet whenever you call, it’s because you need something, right?”

“How could that be? Can’t I just call to have tea and chat with you? I was worried about bothering you during the holiday. But actually, I do have something I wanted to ask your advice about.”

“Oh? What is it? Go ahead, if I can help, I’ll do my best.”

“Teacher Li, do you know anything about Fatty Luo from West City?”

“Why? Did he give you trouble?”

“Well, I helped someone out, and that person’s in conflict with Fatty Luo. This person is really important to me, and I’d like to resolve the conflict between him and Luo. Do you have any ideas?”

“Haha, what a coincidence. I was just about to introduce you to an important figure. If you ask this big shot for help, Fatty Luo will come crawling to you, begging for forgiveness.”

“What? Are you calling today just to introduce me to this big shot?”

“Of course. A few days ago, I had dinner with him and mentioned you. He seemed quite interested in you, so if you’re free tomorrow, let’s go to the city for a meal!”

“Teacher Li, who is this person? Now I’m curious! Going all the way to the city for a meal—it sounds quite grand.”

“You really want to know?”

“Of course! Tell me, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Chen Yulin.”

“What? Chen Yulin, the richest man in Jiangbei? Teacher Li, you’re introducing me to Chen Yulin, the richest man in Jiangbei? Are you joking?”

“Tch! Would I joke about this? Remember, I’ll pick you up at ten tomorrow morning. I’ll drive, and we’ll spend the day in the city.”

“Alright, sounds good.” Zhou Xuan hadn’t expected that just as he was wishing for a pillow, Li Yunxi would deliver one right to him.

If he could meet Chen Yulin, then Fatty Luo would be nothing more than a grasshopper after autumn—he couldn’t stir up any trouble.

Then it occurred to Zhou Xuan that Li Yunxi’s ability to dine with Chen Yulin suggested their relationship was quite close. This confirmed his sense that Teacher Li was no ordinary man; anyone who could befriend someone like Chen Yulin was not simple.

With the matter of Wei Lian resolved, Zhou Xuan was in high spirits. He spent the morning and afternoon accompanying Liu Yixue as they visited many places together, creating wonderful memories.

For once, Zhou Xuan was able to truly relax. Since his rebirth, he’d been focused on studying, writing, and making money, and in just a few months, he had grown weary. After a day of leisure, not only had his bond with Liu Yixue deepened, but he also gained a richer understanding of his new life.

Returning home, Zhou Xuan looked forward to his meeting with Chen Yulin the next day.