Chapter 5

Seeing Xie Wendong's puzzled expression, Gao Qiang explained: "These six younger brothers are also new students, brought in by San Yan Ge and us. When it comes to fighting, they are all little tigers!"

Xie Wendong's parents were even more opposed, and driven to desperation, Xie Wendong finally said to his parents: "Mom and Dad, I have grown up, so please let me choose my own path for the future! I promise you that in three years, I will definitely be able to get into university"

Xie Wendong nodded slightly. He felt that this girl had a great figure, standing at around 1.7 meters tall, almost similar to his own height. With her slender physique, Xie Wendong finally understood the meaning of the phrase "tall and graceful".

Alas! This is called preparing for a rainy day. What use is the little knowledge you possess?

Li Shuang lowered his head even more and said softly, "My family is poor!" Haha, the brothers around him all laughed. Xie Wendong smiled and said, "Whoever can lend, lend as much as possible, help the other brothers get through this tough time, understand?" A few brothers from wealthy families shouted, "Understood, Dong Ge!"

Thus, Xie Wendong entered the notoriously infamous First Middle School as the top student in the city, accompanied by more than one hundred younger followers. Xie Wendong finally concluded his middle school journey that had transformed his destiny and embarked on a new chapter of his life

Finally, the results of the high school entrance examination were released. All the brothers passed, and Xie Wendong ranked first in the entire city. However, this top student voluntarily proposed to attend the first high school in J City, which is considered a third-rate school, leaving the teachers puzzled and lamenting in their hearts: such a promising talent is being wasted like this

From now on, whenever Xie Wendong sought someone for a solo mission, there would be absolutely no one within a five-meter radius. San Yan once remarked: "Brother Dong can run a hundred meters when he is no longer in the game. His explosive power is well-suited for this sport." Li Shuang nodded in deep agreement after hearing this.

What? You are about to be late! Why are you still talking to me instead of hurrying to class? The old man shook his head and continued reading the newspaper

Xie Wendong turned around and shook his head, saying, "What worries me the most is you." He pushed the cart towards the parking shed on the side. Gao Qiang chuckled and followed behind Xie Wendong with his cart. "What else can you do besides gloating?" Li Shuang, with his plump body, got back on his bike and caught up with Xie Wendong, while six new underlings followed closely behind, all with smiles on their faces

The old man put down the newspaper, looked at Xie Wendong, and said loudly: "What did you say? I didn't hear you, speak up!" Xie Wendong had no choice but to speak louder: "I said, where do the new students report?"

Alright, Dong Ge, rest assured, not a single one will be missed! San Yan, holding the paper, ran off with his little brothers without even looking.

Xie Wendong, seeing everyone discussing with smiles on their faces, said loudly: "Whoever cannot borrow one, raise your hand, and I will find a way for you!" (At that time, beepers were still a novelty in Northeast China, unlike now when mobile phones are widespread.)

Several younger brothers raised their hands. Li Shuang looked around, his face flushed, and he lowered his head to raise his hand. Gao Qiang, standing beside him, nudged him and said, "I say, Old Fei, don't embarrass yourself. I'll help you borrow that one."

Are you blind? Don't you watch where you're walking?

The First Middle School is quite far from Xie Wendong's home, so he had no choice but to ride his bicycle to school. Upon arriving at the school gate, the first thing he saw was a broken door. The concrete pillars on either side of the door were plastered with paper scraps. Upon closer inspection, he read, "Patients with sexually transmitted diseases need not worry..." He was taken aback; how could such advertisements be posted at the school entrance? Xie Wendong shook his head and walked into the school. He noticed an old man sitting in the duty room at the entrance, reading a newspaper. Xie Wendong approached him and asked, "Sir, I am a new student here. May I ask where the new students should report?"

The girl looked up and down at Xie Wendong. His physique was average, and his appearance was fairly delicate. However, his eyes were particularly special! They were both slender and long, and exceptionally bright. They gave off a unique impression.

Xie Wendong shook his head and chose not to think about these matters. Sometimes, a person's fate can be determined by their own decisions, while at other times, it is solely destined by heaven

Li Shuang, with an expression that suggested she was very much in the know, said loudly, "Get lost, do you think I don't know?" She then turned to the younger brother beside her and quietly asked, "What does it mean to send an answer using a pager?" The younger brother, looking helpless, thought to himself that what Brother Qiang said was indeed true; he was really a fool. However, he did not dare to say it out loud and began to explain in detail.

"Then why does Dong insist that we read for a month?" Li Shuang also voiced the question that everyone had in their hearts

The voice was very pleasant, but the words spoken made Xie Wendong lose the desire to appreciate her beauty. With a look of grievance, he said: "It seems like you were the one who rode your bike into me first! How did it end up being my fault?"

Xie Wendong walked alone on his way home, it was past ten o'clock in the evening, and there were few pedestrians on the road. The night breeze blew, and the grass by the roadside made a rustling sound. The city was unusually quiet at this time, with only the occasional car whizzing past. As Xie Wendong walked, he kicked the stones on the road, lost in thought. What would his future hold? Would he remain a small-time thug, living in the gray, or would he muster the courage to join the underworld? As he walked and kicked the stones, he pondered his future. Regardless of which path he took, neither was what he truly desired, and the deeper he sank, the more he understood that both paths were dead ends with no return. Suddenly, a thought sprang to his mind, startling even himself. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the idea. However, Xie Wendong did not realize that many years later, he would be only a step away from that very thought.

Li Shuang questioned: "Dong Ge, what are you bringing that thing for?" Gao Qiang was taken aback for a moment, but soon understood, and gave Li Shuang a light tap on the head, "Are you a pig head? Dong Ge is passing the answers to us!"

Seeing Xie Wendong's bright eyes filled with laughter looking at her, her heart involuntarily skipped a beat, and she shook her head and hurried away. She told herself that she was leaving, not escaping. Xie Wendong shouted from behind, "Goodbye, senior!" In fact, he didn't even know which class that girl was from, nor did he want to know; he was simply captivated by her beauty, an instinctive appreciation.

Li Shuang felt displeased, "I just saw someone in a school uniform park their car inside, why can't we do the same?"

Xie Wendong nodded slightly to the six individuals and said to Li Shuang and Gao Qiang: "When the brothers arrive later, you two keep an eye on things and don't cause any trouble, understood?" The two nodded in agreement, and Li Shuang chuckled, saying: "Brother Dong, having been with you for so long, I've learned a thing or two, so you can rest assured!"

Xie Wendong also felt that these two were going too far and did not stop Li Shuang

Stepping forward, Li Shuang said to the six individuals: "This is Brother Dong, your leader!" The six of them glanced at Xie Wendong and bowed in unison, saying: "Hello, Brother Dong!"

Xie Wendong nodded in satisfaction. Li Shuang asked, "Brother Dong, did you think of this method to help us pass the test earlier?"

During the holiday of rising temperatures, Xie Wendong did not remain idle. Ever since he had a confrontation with the Three-Eyed, he realized that to make a name for oneself in society, relying solely on intellect and a ruthless heart is insufficient; one also needs a strong body. Over the course of more than two months, Xie Wendong joined a sanda training class and a martial arts class, continuously engaging in physical training whenever he had free time. Even the Three-Eyed admired his perseverance. After such a long time of interaction, he understood Xie Wendong's character: if he does something, he does it to the best of his ability. A month later, Xie Wendong found the Three-Eyed at the sanda class. Equipped with boxing gloves, they faced off, and while no one knew who lost or won, both ended up in a miserable state, covered in injuries.

The day of the high school entrance examination finally arrived. A day in advance, Xie Wendong called all the brothers who were to take the exam and asked them how their revision was going. Everyone lowered their heads in silence. They all understood that it was not easy to catch up on three years of wasted studies. Seeing that no one spoke, Xie Wendong shook his head and said: "No matter what methods you use, make sure to have someone carry a pager for me during the exam tomorrow"

Xie Wendong chuckled and said, "There are guards at the door, so I have no choice but to jump over the wall." As he spoke, he took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Sanyan, "Hurry up, we won't have enough time soon!"

Xie Wendong nearly spat blood; with such a gatekeeper, how could this school remain orderly? He no longer paid attention to the old man and pushed his cart toward the campus. After walking a few steps, he heard the roar of a motorcycle behind him. Xie Wendong had no time to think and instinctively jumped to the side, causing the cart to fall to the ground. A motorcycle zoomed past him and stopped not far ahead. The rider, dressed in denim, removed her helmet, and her long black hair danced in the air as she turned to look at Xie Wendong. 'So beautiful,' Xie Wendong realized that the rider was a girl. She had an oval face with two delicate, arched eyebrows, beneath which were bright, pearl-like eyes, and her luscious red lips were moving up and down.

Seeing the girl staring at him, Xie Wendong felt a bit embarrassed, "Classmate, is there something wrong with me?"

A student with small eyes shot a glance at Li Shuang and said, "They are they, and you are you. If I say it’s not allowed, then it’s not allowed!" The thin guy beside him remained silent, but his head was raised high enough for one to see the nose hairs in his nostrils.

Half a month later, when Xie Wendong sought out Sanyan again, Sanyan, whose eyes were still slightly swollen, lay on the ground refusing to go anywhere. Xie Wendong had no choice but to resort to bribery, saying, "As long as you go, I will treat you to dinner tonight, and you can choose the place." Sanyan closed his eyes and replied, "Even if you promise me the moon, I won't go. If my life is gone, what good is a meal?" Li Shuang, unable to resist the temptation, actively proposed to go with Xie Wendong. Sanyan looked at Li Shuang, who was walking away, with a pitying gaze and shook his head, silently saying to himself, "Take care, brother." As a result, that evening, while having dinner with Xie Wendong, Li Shuang ended up spitting out two molars.

"Brother Three-Eyes, is Brother Dong unable to come out?" asked the younger brother beside him. Brother Three-Eyes shook his head; he did not know either

As he saw the girl walk away, Xie Wendong finally withdrew his gaze and bent down to lift the car. At that moment, a baritone voice called out from behind, "Brother Dong! Wait for me for a moment!" Without needing to turn around, he already knew who it was. Xie Wendong turned to look at Li Shuang, who was drenched in sweat, followed by Gao Qiang and six unfamiliar faces.

The upcoming month can be described as the most arduous period for Li Shuang, Gao Qiang, and the students under their guidance. There is no freedom, only oppression. There is no enjoyment, only studying. Under the high pressure exerted by Xie Wendong, these students, deemed by their teachers as future societal misfits, have significantly improved their academic performance, leaving the teachers astonished. They all pondered: could it be that their efforts have finally moved these troubled youths, prompting a change in their behavior? The school even held a meeting to commend the homeroom teachers of the third-year classes. This cohort of students is far more outstanding than previous years, contributing to the cause of education. The homeroom teachers expressed their commitment, stating, 'For the next generation of our country, we will work even harder in the future to educate our students... (the following text is omitted for brevity).'

Xie Wendong's voice interrupted the girl's contemplation, her cheeks slightly flushed. She got off the motorcycle and walked over to him, saying: "Are you the new student?"

More than two months have passed, and Xie Wendong remains the same, just a bit taller, still giving the impression of being very frail

Xie Wendong said with a serious expression: "Because I don't want you to go to high school like a fool. You must remember that without education, you are nothing in society! No matter where you go, no one will respect you. Even if you later become a boss in the underworld, it will be the same." It was then that everyone realized Xie Wendong's intentions; he was genuinely thinking of their future, and they were all moved, responding in unison: "Understood, Brother Dong!"

After five minutes, someone patted San Yan's shoulder, startling him. He turned around, ready to curse, but upon seeing Xie Wendong, his mouth, which was open, immediately closed. "Brother Dong, where did you come from? I didn't see you!"

"As a new student, you should call me senior, not classmate. You look quite frail; if anyone bullies you in the future, come find me, and I will stand up for you!" The girl said this while patting Xie Wendong's head. She herself did not know why, but whenever she saw this handsome boy, she always felt the urge to get close to him and protect him. Perhaps it was his frail appearance that triggered her protective instincts, she thought to herself. Xie Wendong found it somewhat amusing; this girl was not just an ordinary 'big shot.' Yet, he still obediently nodded and said, "Yes, thank you, senior. The junior will remember this!"

Half a month later, Xie Wendong summoned Sanyan again. This time, Li Shuang and Gao Qiang also came along, but they were kept outside the door. When Sanyan emerged with swollen eyes, the two pressed for results. Sanyan only said, "Brother Dong has a great talent for sports!" and then walked away

Xie Wendong and others arrived at the parking shed and were about to enter when they were stopped by two students at the entrance. "Hey—hey—hey! Everyone stop, only those who have business can enter. Do you not know this is the parking area for teachers?"

The three-eyed figure squatted to one side, smoking one cigarette after another. Glancing at his watch, he asked the younger brother beside him, "Xiao Hua, could you go check if the phone booths are all occupied?" The one called Xiao Hua responded with an "En" and ran off to the side. "It's been over an hour, why haven't they come out yet!" the impatient three-eyed figure muttered softly.

Xie Wendong's father said to his mother: "Sigh, the child has grown up. He has his own choices. We can force him for a moment, but we cannot force him for a lifetime." Then he said to Xie Wendong: "Wendong, I hope you can walk your own path, as there will be no opportunities for regret in the future"

Li Shuang parked the car and approached to argue. "What’s the matter? Is it just because I’m a freshman? Let me tell you, you better move aside right now. I absolutely have to park here today."

On the second day, the entrance of the Fourth Primary School was crowded with students' parents. Since the examination center for the Second Middle School was set here, the parents had already been standing here for the entire morning to cheer and encourage their children