Chapter 103: A Life of Ease

The autumn breeze was crisp and refreshing, scattering withered, yellow leaves that drifted to the ground. Before long, the forest floor was blanketed in a thick layer of foliage. Strolling through the woods, with the gentle wind brushing past, one could not help but want to let out a triumphant shout.

People simply called the area the Poplar Forest. It was home to a diverse array of trees, scattered in a tangled, natural sprawl. Today, this typically tranquil woodland was filled with laughter and a newfound vitality.

Taking advantage of the Saturday holiday, Jiang Ningzhi invited Song Nianqiang out. Naturally, Big Fatty and his girlfriend, Qi Lingke, were also in tow. The four of them walked together, chatting and laughing. Since the recent incident, the school had turned this place into a spot for relaxation and enjoying nature, though few people usually came here anymore; preoccupied with their own lives, they had no time to spare.

However, it being Saturday, high school and middle school couples favored this place for dates. Walking through the woods with a beloved, feeling the breath of nature—and with so few visitors—it was the perfect place for romance.

Big Fatty, unbothered by appearances, kept his arm around Qi Lingke, showing off in front of Song Nianqiang and stealing kisses every few moments. Song Nianqiang watched, speechless. Although he and Jiang Ningzhi both viewed each other as their significant other, that final layer of paper between them had yet to be pierced.

By the end of October, the temperature had turned quite cool. Big Fatty walked ahead with Qi Lingke, while Song Nianqiang and Jiang Ningzhi followed at a leisurely pace, exchanging words from time to time. Despite Song Nianqiang being quite articulate, he became hesitant and awkward in front of girls, especially Jiang Ningzhi, his usual fearless demeanor vanishing completely.

As Big Fatty and Qi Lingke were playfully bickering, Big Fatty accidentally bumped into a boy about his own age. The boy was quite handsome, though his hair was a bit long, hanging over his forehead and obscuring his nose. A girl and several young men followed behind him.

"Watch where you're going, you little shit!" the young man who had been bumped by Big Fatty growled, clearly displeased, and gave Big Fatty a shove. Since Big Fatty was in the wrong, he apologized, "I'm sorry." But the young man, mistaking Big Fatty's politeness for weakness, sneered, "An apology isn't enough. Don't go dreaming in broad daylight, fatty."

Big Fatty realized he had run into a hoodlum. These people weren't even real gangsters; they were just common street thugs. The girl following the young man stepped forward, draped herself over him, and pointed at Big Fatty with a coy, sugary voice: "Brother Li, I can't stand the sight of this fatty. Teach him a lesson for me!"

Song Nianqiang stepped forward, having witnessed the whole thing, and looked at the scene with a faint, mocking smile. "My dear young lady, I assume you're still a virgin, aren't you?" Big Fatty looked the heavily made-up girl up and down. At her age, her natural look would have been beautiful; the amount of powder she was wearing made Big Fatty's head ache.

"Fatty, how can you say that? Isn't calling her a virgin an insult?" Song Nianqiang took a step forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Big Fatty, the two of them putting on a rehearsed act.

Initially, the thugs didn't catch on, but Jiang Ningzhi, who was standing behind Song Nianqiang, understood immediately—no surprise, given her high intelligence.

After standing there confused for a moment, the group finally realized the two were insulting their girl. The young man cursed and lunged at Song Nianqiang with a punch.

Watching that soft, limp fist, Song Nianqiang sighed and shook his head. These were the worst opponents he had ever encountered—not only were their skills poor, but their character was even worse. He decided to teach this bunch of blind little punks a lesson.

He caught the incoming fist and gave it a slight twist. The youth let out a sharp cry; his wrist had been bent to a thirty-degree angle. One more slight push would surely snap it.

Seeing their friend being bullied, the rest of the gang rushed at Song Nianqiang. Their skills, however, were even worse. Song Nianqiang stood his ground, kicking them away one by one until they were all sent flying.

"If this is all you've got, you'd better go back to school. Otherwise, you'll end up dead before long." He released the young man's hand. The youth clutched his wrist, glaring viciously at Song Nianqiang. "Kid, do you know who I work for? I bet you don't. I'll tell you then: Brother Ying. Ever heard of him? He's the latest rising star in the underworld!"

"Heh, it seems you really are looking for death," Song Nianqiang thought. Knowing Cang Ying as he did, he knew the man would never allow his underlings to throw his name around. Cang Ying had grand ambitions and would never settle for this small county; he was destined to soar, and he wouldn't tolerate his men causing him unnecessary trouble.

"Damn it, since when did that little eagle have such trash working for him? I'll have to tell him not to let one rotten apple spoil the whole bunch."

Big Fatty pulled out his phone and made a call. The thugs, not believing they really had Cang Ying's number, stood by, waiting to see them humiliated. They could have run away then, as there were only two of them, but they didn't.

"Hey, Little Ying? Come to the Poplar Forest right now. I need to see you!" Big Fatty hung up and told the thugs, "Cang Ying will be here in twenty minutes. We’ll just sit here and wait." Big Fatty sat down and patted his thigh, signaling for Qi Lingke to sit on his lap.

Qi Lingke was generous, sitting down without a hint of hesitation in front of everyone and kissing Big Fatty on his chubby cheek. "Let's sit too," Song Nianqiang said, finding a rock for Jiang Ningzhi and covering it with a few leaves.

At first, the thugs didn't believe it, but when Cang Ying's figure appeared in the distance, the young man was terrified. "Brother Fatty, you didn't have to call me over for something like this, did you?" Cang Ying was the head of a major gang now and was very busy.

"Damn it, you've got some nerve. Deal with these blind idiots yourself. I'm out." Big Fatty didn't wait for a response and walked off. Once he was far enough away, the sound of screams echoed through the forest.

"Qiang, what should we do now? It's been a month of idleness, and my hands are itching," Big Fatty complained to Song Nianqiang as they followed the girls.

"What's the rush? Isn't this nice? I'm happy with the peace and quiet—going to class, having dinner with Jiang Ningzhi after school. This is the life we should be living." Song Nianqiang shrugged. Their reputation hadn't spread yet; although people in town heard rumors of two ghost-hunting experts, they had never actually seen them.

"This is too boring. Is this really the life you want?" Big Fatty's question stopped Song Nianqiang in his tracks. He stood there for a long time, asking himself if this dull life was truly what he desired. He shook his head with a self-deprecating smirk.

He wasn't the type to settle for comfort; he craved excitement and challenge. Awakened by Big Fatty's question, he realized, "You're right. Life has been too comfortable. It's time to find some excitement."