Chapter 0016: We Are Innocent

Since they were classmates, he figured he should help. Zhang Xiaofan thought this to himself, then walked over.

"Brat, hand over ten thousand yuan right now, or I'll cripple you today!"

As he approached, Zhang Xiaofan heard the thug yelling.

"You never even showed up... what ten thousand yuan are you talking about..." Chen Bing, just a high school student, was naturally a bit scared facing these street thugs.

"Bullshit! We came and no one was there. Are you messing with us? Cut the crap—are you giving us the money or not today?" The thug's eyes glinted fiercely, and a gleaming knife waved menacingly before Chen Bing.

"What if he doesn't give it?"

Suddenly, a voice full of arrogance and disdain rang out.

The thug thought Chen Bing had spoken, but quickly realized it wasn't him. Turning around, he saw Zhang Xiaofan.

"Who the hell are you?"

The thug pointed his knife at Zhang Xiaofan, swaggering.

"Get lost! I'm in a good mood today, so I don't want to get rough." Zhang Xiaofan glanced at the thug, noting the thick gold chain around his neck, the black tank top revealing tattoos, all giving the impression he thought himself pretty tough.

"You look like you're trying too hard for attention. How dare you talk to Boss Wu like that?" The other thugs surrounded Zhang Xiaofan, their faces hostile.

"Kneel, knock your head to the ground twice, then slap yourself. Maybe I'll let you off this time," Boss Wu said arrogantly.

"Kneel to your grandma's hammer!"

Zhang Xiaofan couldn't be bothered with idiots like this. He strode forward and punched Boss Wu, knocking him to the ground. Then, with a flurry of kicks, he sent the surrounding thugs sprawling. For these petty hoodlums, he handled them with ease.

"Damn—"

Slap! Zhang Xiaofan hauled Boss Wu up and slapped him hard.

"I—"

Slap!

"You—"

Slap!

"Anything else you want to say?" Zhang Xiaofan grinned, his hand raised for another slap. "Are you convinced yet?"

"I—"

Slap—

Boss Wu had just begun to say "I'm convinced," but even before he finished, another slap landed. He felt utterly wretched inside—Brother, didn't you ask if I was convinced? Why keep hitting me? Can't I just not speak?

Boss Wu never imagined he'd run into someone so tough—no, a real menace!

"I asked if you're convinced? Why aren't you talking?"

Zhang Xiaofan raised his hand again.

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Feeling his face going numb, Boss Wu shouted, blood dripping from his mouth as he spoke, two teeth knocked out.

"That's more like it. I told you to leave, but you wouldn't listen."

Zhang Xiaofan assumed the air of a good guy. "Remember, don't come back here again, or I'll turn you into a pig's head."

"Yes, yes, we'll never come back!" Boss Wu nodded frantically, desperate to leave.

Slap!

Another smack landed unexpectedly. Boss Wu felt even more wretched.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" Zhang Xiaofan snorted. "Take your people and get lost!"

Released, Boss Wu hurriedly gathered his lackeys and ran off as fast as they could, terrified to stay even a second longer for fear of more slaps.

"Thank you," Chen Bing said sincerely.

"It's nothing, we're classmates after all."

With that, Zhang Xiaofan turned and left, taking Wang Yuqing with him.

"Wait for me a moment."

At the entrance to the bank, Zhang Xiaofan told Wang Yuqing to wait. It was time to cash the check he'd gotten from the Ye family.

Inside, he cashed the check and opened a new account. Because the sum was large, Zhang Xiaofan was treated as a VIP, and the process went quickly. The bank even issued him a gold card.

He withdrew several tens of thousands in cash to carry with him, planning to buy a phone and give Aunt Yun some money. He couldn’t just freeload, and the twenty thousand for tuition shouldn't be Aunt Yun's burden.

After flirting a bit with the bank receptionist, Zhang Xiaofan left the bank and headed straight to the phone store with Wang Yuqing.

"You rogue, do you really have money?" On the way, Wang Yuqing eyed Zhang Xiaofan’s bulging pockets, her gaze darting curiously.

"Of course. Enough to keep ten or eight mistresses," Zhang Xiaofan laughed, patting his pocket.

"Is there anything besides women in your head all day?" Wang Yuqing rolled her eyes at him.

"Little girl, if a man doesn't want women, should he want men instead?" Zhang Xiaofan whistled as they arrived at the phone store.

Immediately, the salesgirl approached, but after glancing at Zhang Xiaofan’s rustic clothes, her attitude cooled. He looked like a country monk coming down from the mountain—at most, he'd buy a cheap phone. For a measly ten or twenty yuan commission, she wouldn't bother with a smile.

"Hey beauty, what phone is trending these days?" After scanning the display cases, Zhang Xiaofan asked the salesgirl with a cheeky grin. She looked alright, but wasn't quite his type.

"The hottest phone now is the iPhone 8, but can you afford it?" The salesgirl replied bluntly, which irked Zhang Xiaofan. Wasn’t he a billionaire now? How could buying a phone still get him mocked?

"Forget phones—if it were you, I could afford to buy you too,"

Zhang Xiaofan didn’t get angry; a real man doesn’t fuss with women.

"Anyone can boast," the salesgirl said impatiently. "If you’re buying, hurry up. I have other customers to attend to."

With a flourish, Zhang Xiaofan pulled out twenty thousand yuan and slapped it on the counter.

"Two iPhone 8s," he said, eyeing the price tag of 9,800. Back in the mountains, everyone said iPhones were amazing, especially the latest iPhone 8.

Now he had money. Why not buy one and see?

"Oh... You're quite generous, young man. Don't mind what I said earlier," the salesgirl’s attitude flipped instantly. "Which colors would you like? I'll fetch them right away."

"Little girl, which color do you want?" Zhang Xiaofan asked Wang Yuqing, who was still stunned. She hadn't expected this rogue to actually be rich!

She’d wanted an iPhone 8 for ages, but her mother refused to buy one.

"You want to give me one? I'll tell you now—I won't sell myself for a phone!"

"Alright, alright. If you wanted to sell yourself, I wouldn't want you anyway."

Zhang Xiaofan huffed, "Besides, I’m pure. This is a gift from a brother to his sister. If you don’t want it, all the better—saves me money."

"I want it! Who said I didn’t? I want the red one!"

"One black, one red," Zhang Xiaofan said.

"Just a moment, sir!"

The salesgirl beamed brightly, swaying into the storeroom and brought out two phones.

"Set up my card and put it right in the phone,"

He handed the red phone to Wang Yuqing, who eagerly opened it, immediately discarding her old VIVO. Unable to help herself, she planted a quick kiss on Zhang Xiaofan.

"Is this your girlfriend?" The salesgirl smiled as she worked.

"No, no, she’s my sister. We’re pure," Zhang Xiaofan replied solemnly.

"I understand. You’re very pure," the salesgirl said knowingly.

Soon, the salesgirl produced a bunch of numbers, and Zhang Xiaofan picked one at random. With the SIM installed, he was ready for his next stop—clothes shopping!

His current outfit always drew contempt, and he hated that feeling.

"Brother! That’s him!"

Just as they left the store, a group of flashy young men approached menacingly.

Leading them was none other than Boss Wu, the same guy Zhang Xiaofan had slapped senseless earlier.

So he’d brought reinforcements. Clearly, this idiot was asking for a beating!

"Kid, you hit my brother?"

Soon, a man in his thirties strode over, glaring at Zhang Xiaofan.

"Yes, I did. What do you want?" Zhang Xiaofan replied calmly.

"I’m the boss around here. You look young—pay eight or ten thousand, and this is over," the man said coolly.

"Haha, your attitude isn’t bad. If you leave now, I might let you off," Zhang Xiaofan said, unbothered.

"Kid, you won’t take the easy way... don’t blame me then..."

"I’ll take your mother’s milk!"

Without another word, Zhang Xiaofan punched him. He’d already given them a chance, but they kept pushing. Only fists spoke the truth.

"Brother, be careful! He’s a good fighter!"

"You think I’m scared? Just some fancy moves!" The boss barely finished his boast before he felt dizzy, something sticky in his nose. Touching it, he found blood.

Then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

"Trying to run?"

Seeing their boss knocked out with a single punch, Boss Wu tried to flee, desperate not to be slapped again. He regretted it deeply—why hadn’t he just given in? Why bring reinforcements for revenge?

He felt like slapping himself. Damn, he’d brought this on himself!

Wang Yuqing seemed used to Zhang Xiaofan’s fighting, not even paying attention, happily playing with her new phone.

"What did I tell you earlier?"

Grabbing Boss Wu, Zhang Xiaofan spoke calmly, not angry, but Boss Wu was terrified.

Don’t speak, or you’ll get hit!

That was Boss Wu’s thought.

Slap!

A heavy smack landed on his face.

Then came a series of slaps...

Boss Wu’s head jerked left and right, his teeth soon knocked out. In no time, his face swelled up, looking truly like a pig’s head—a pitiful sight.

"You insisted on testing me. Now you’ve got your answer."

Zhang Xiaofan tossed Boss Wu to the ground, ignoring the thugs who fled.

"Come on, little girl,"

He called to Wang Yuqing, still engrossed in her phone, and strode off.

After picking out a few sets of decent clothes, Zhang Xiaofan didn’t linger. He went home, having agreed with Wang Yuqing to tell Aunt Yun he’d won the lottery, and forced three thousand yuan on her—two thousand for tuition, and the rest for living expenses.

After dinner, the little girl didn’t leave her room, busy tinkering with her new phone.