Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 612: Chapter 614: Going Somewhere

Yang Chen didn't consider whether he would scare Zhenxiu. At this moment, he felt nothing but immense heartache and didn't want her to catch a cold. Even if it meant directly using his power to expel the cold from her, he didn't mind.

In no time, Zhenxiu's hair dried, and even her upper body clothes were just a little damp, with not much moisture left. Zhenxiu's face, naturally fair and smooth like a Korean girl's, paired with her wide, gem-like black eyes and delicate, slightly parted pink lips, made her adorable, wide-eyed expression all the more enticing.

However, Yang Chen had no mood to appreciate the little beauty before him. After handling the situation, he spoke directly, "Xu Zhenxiu, tell me what happened."

Zhenxiu was a bit dazed. Yang Chen usually behaved unseriously, but now he was speaking to her in such a grave and serious tone that she couldn't quite process it.

After a long while, Zhenxiu quietly said, "It was a prank by a girl from our class."

"A prank?" Yang Chen laughed in anger, "Have you gone mad from studying? Or do you think I'm an idiot?"

Zhenxiu bit her lower lip, unable to speak, clearly unwilling to explain the whole story to Yang Chen.

Knowing the situation was far from simple, Yang Chen took a deep breath and asked, "Who is Jiao Yanyan?"

Zhenxiu suddenly looked up, eyes filled with surprise, "Brother Yang, how do you know Jiao Yanyan?"

"If I wanted to find out, do you think you could hide it from me?" Yang Chen said helplessly. "You weren't like this before. Who bullied you? Just tell me! The Xu Zhenxiu I know was a clever little pickpocket on the bus, full of street smarts, and even when caught, you were defiant and fierce!

Look at you now! No matter the reason, you were stripped, drenched, bound, and locked in a toilet, and you still tell me they were just playing a prank on you? I've only ever heard of people getting bolder, but never of someone becoming as timid as you! Are you still considering me as your brother by hiding this from me?"

Zhenxiu lowered her head in embarrassment, "Brother Yang, don't bring up my pickpocket days. That was a long time ago."

Yang Chen was frustrated; that wasn't the point at all!

"Fine, I won't bring it up. Just tell me the truth about what happened, or else I'll tell Aunt Guo and Sister Ruoxi everything about you being a pickpocket and hanging out with biker gangs. You know their tempers; you'll be in for it!"

Zhenxiu's face turned pale, and she pouted in grievance, "How can you threaten me like this? You're the one bullying me."

"Are you going to tell me or not?" Yang Chen's patience was wearing thin; this girl was driving him crazy!

Finally, Zhenxiu gave in and softly explained the situation.

It was indeed Jiao Yanyan and her two followers who, after school, forcibly demanded Zhenxiu come to the girls' restroom to "talk." As soon as they entered, the three girls blocked the entrance. Without any warning, Jiao Yanyan demanded Zhenxiu take off her skirt. Zhenxiu tried to ignore them but was pushed to the ground by Jiao Yanyan.

Then, the three girls forcefully removed Zhenxiu's skirt, tied her up with prepared ropes and tape, and poured buckets of cold tap water on her. They took her skirt and said they'd return it after eating some snacks outside the school. Until then, Zhenxiu was to stay in the toilet.

With her phone turned off and unable to let anyone see her lower half, Zhenxiu couldn't call for help, leading to the scene Yang Chen witnessed.

After listening, Yang Chen asked silently, "Why did they do this to you? There must be a reason."

At this point, Zhenxiu no longer hid the truth and said, "Brother Yang, do you remember when I told you that Liu Minghao left, leaving me with a lot of troublesome things?"

Yang Chen nodded and frowned, saying, "You said that although he left, he left behind a lot of negative influences. But I didn't ask much at the time."

"It's not entirely Liu Minghao's fault," Zhenxiu said bitterly. "I don't know why, but I came back to school to retake my exams, hoping to get into a good university. But there are always boys who want to chase me, calling me the 'school belle,' even though I rarely leave the classroom.

But the girls think I'm a vixen, saying I'm flirting around, especially Jiao Yanyan. She particularly liked Liu Minghao and wanted to be his girlfriend, but Liu Minghao kept pursuing me. Although I never agreed, Jiao Yanyan thought I was the one standing in her way.

No matter what I said, it didn't help. Not only Jiao Yanyan, but most other girls also ignored me, which I didn't mind since I was just there to attend classes. But I really don't understand why Jiao Yanyan had to go to such lengths."

"People's jealousy is terrifying," Yang Chen remarked, now roughly understanding the situation. He looked carefully at Zhenxiu's youthful, makeup-free face and smiled, "I never imagined that the little girl I knew, Xu Zhenxiu, is a real school belle now. Seems like we should groom you to become a big star like your sister Huilin, making big bucks for the company."

Zhenxiu's cheeks flushed, "Brother Yang, you're not being serious again. Stop joking around. It's so late; you should head back home before Aunt Guo gets worried."

Yang Chen glanced down and said with a playful smile, "Do you plan on walking out of the school like this with me?"

Zhenxiu suddenly realized that she was still half-naked! Her face turned bright red, and she covered herself with her hands, not knowing what to do. Thinking about how she had been speaking so closely with Yang Chen, with her legs exposed, her heart pounded wildly.

"So, what do we do now?" Zhenxiu asked in a barely audible voice, losing her usual feisty demeanor.

Yang Chen smirked, "Didn't Jiao Yanyan say she'd return your skirt after eating? They'll definitely come back to see your pitiful state. We'll wait for them."

Zhenxiu was stunned, then shook her head vigorously, "Brother Yang, let it go. Don't make a big deal out of this for my sake."

"Let it go?" Yang Chen scoffed. "Xu Zhenxiu, I sent you to this school to study and prepare for university, not to let you be bullied! If you have to endure such humiliation, I'd rather have kept you selling fried rice cakes on the streets!"

Tears welled up in Zhenxiu's eyes, but she remained silent.

Just then, Yang Chen's sharp senses picked up the sound of three light footsteps approaching. He smirked and pulled Zhenxiu up, saying, "They're back. Let's give them a proper welcome."

He grabbed a large red plastic bucket from the corner and started filling it with water at the faucet.

When Jiao Yanyan, with her blonde hair, and her two lackeys reached the restroom door, they saw that the barricade had been removed.

Immediately, Jiao Yanyan cursed, "That bastard must have let Xu Zhenxiu, that vixen, escape!"

"No way, Xu Zhenxiu going out like that would be a laughingstock."

"Right, let's go in and check," Jiao Yanyan said, chewing gum as she led her lackeys into the restroom.

Suddenly, with a splash, a bucketful of cold water drenched the three girls.

They stood there, stunned and soaked, and when they opened their eyes, they saw an unfamiliar man standing before them, holding an empty red bucket, his expression indifferent. Clearly, he was the culprit.

"Damn you, stinking man! Are you looking for death?!" Jiao Yanyan spat out her gum and glared at Yang Chen. "Who are you? Why did you splash water on us? Do you know who I am?!"

Yang Chen yawned and motioned to Zhenxiu, "Girl, go ahead and give them a good beating."

Zhenxiu was taken aback, staring in disbelief, "Me?"

Yang Chen frowned, "Of course, it's you. Since they bullied you, it's only right for you to use your own hands to get justice. I'm sure these three aren't your match."

Zhenxiu had once been a notorious delinquent girl in a biker gang. Though she hadn't fought in a long time, her skills were still there, and Yang Chen had full confidence in her abilities.

"Ah, I remember now! You're that old man who drives this vixen to school! The one with the BMW, right?!" Jiao Yanyan finally recognized Yang Chen and sneered, "Don't think you're all that just because you drive a BMW! My dad can call up a few hundred men and have you chopped to pieces! You'd better kneel down and lick my toes, call me 'Little Granny,' and apologize, or else..."

Before Jiao Yanyan could finish, Yang Chen's figure flashed, and he was already standing in front of her. A resounding slap landed on Jiao Yanyan's left cheek with a "smack!"

Jiao Yanyan flew sideways like a kite with a broken string, hitting the door panel before sliding to the floor.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her cheek began to swell.

Her two lackey girls were petrified, retreating to a corner but too scared to flee.

Jiao Yanyan saw stars, shook her head hard, and barely managed to stand up. Pointing at Yang Chen with tearful eyes, she screamed, "You beast! Are you even a man? You came into the girls' restroom and hit a woman?!"

Yang Chen laughed heartily, "My sister was tied up and splashed with cold water. So what if I came into the girls' restroom and hit a woman?! Even if I have to be a eunuch, I'd do it willingly!"

His words made Jiao Yanyan furious, but she was helpless. She had never seen such a shameless man who would willingly enter the girls' restroom and declare himself a eunuch!

Meanwhile, Zhenxiu stood to the side, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Yang Chen's words might have sounded ridiculous, but to her, his not-so-tall figure was etched deeply in her heart's softest spot.

This man had nothing to do with her, yet he repeatedly made her feel a warmth she had never experienced growing up.

He disregarded his own dignity for her sake, while she had made him angry.

Xu Zhenxiu, Xu Zhenxiu, why are you always so useless?

Yang Chen had no idea what was running through Zhenxiu's mind. Seeing her tears, he assumed she felt pity for herself. He sighed and said, "Girl, why are you crying? Go and beat those three women up. Do to them what they did to you. Don't worry about their revenge; I'll take care of everything."

Zhenxiu wiped her tears and forced a smile, shaking her head. "Let's just go, Brother Yang. You've already hit them hard enough."

Yang Chen's face turned cold, "What, you can't bear to hit them? Fine, I'll do it for you."

He moved towards Jiao Yanyan again, scaring her and the other two girls into clinging to each other in terror. Despite their tough talk, they were still girls, and seeing the fierce Yang Chen, they were truly frightened.

"No!" Zhenxiu rushed to stop Yang Chen, biting her lip in resignation. "Brother Yang, don't. I... I'll do it."

Zhenxiu knew Yang Chen was capable of anything. If she let him hit Jiao Yanyan, her face would likely be more than just swollen; it would be completely ruined.

Resigned, Zhenxiu turned around and took slow steps toward the three girls.

"Xu Zhenxiu, don't you dare come any closer!" Jiao Yanyan yelled in panic. She wanted to run but had no strength left, so she could only shout bluffingly, "If you dare hit us, my dad will definitely kill you!"

Zhenxiu cursed inwardly, thinking how foolish Jiao Yanyan was. By acting herself, she was actually giving Jiao Yanyan a chance to escape, effectively saving her. Yet, she kept threatening her with her father, not realizing she was only adding fuel to the fire.

Remembering the pain and the repeated humiliations inflicted by Jiao Yanyan, along with today's grudge, Zhenxiu couldn't hold back anymore. She rolled up her sleeves, grabbed Jiao Yanyan by the collar, and slammed her to the ground.

Zhenxiu had gained quite a reputation in the biker gang, not just because she was a girl, but because of her fighting skills. Although she had mended her ways under Cai Yan's influence, her old skills hadn't faded.

Now, filled with genuine hatred for Jiao Yanyan, Zhenxiu unleashed all her pent-up frustrations, hitting Jiao Yanyan at all the painful spots, making her roll on the ground, crying for help.

Once Zhenxiu started, she realized how deep her hatred for Jiao Yanyan ran. She found it hard to stop once she began venting it all out.

In the end, all three girls lay on the ground, unable to move, their faces swollen and bruised, looking like three battered pigs.

Breathing heavily, Zhenxiu's face was flushed, her forehead covered in sweat. She suddenly knelt on the ground, as if she couldn't believe she had beaten the three girls so badly.

Yang Chen watched the entire scene without intervening. He wanted Zhenxiu to vent all her negative emotions. The wayward girls needed to be taught a lesson, and as long as no one died, Yang Chen wouldn't stop her.

His main concern was that if Zhenxiu kept suppressing her emotions, it would cause her significant mental harm. Therefore, seeing her release her stress was the best outcome.

"There's one more step," Yang Chen said, walking over and patting Zhenxiu on the shoulder. "Strip Jiao Yanyan's skirt, just like she did to you."

Zhenxiu had calmed down and felt a bit guilty, "Brother Yang, my skirt is here, so..."

"You've come this far, just finish it. Or do you want me to strip their skirts?" Yang Chen said with a mischievous smile.

Biting her lip, Zhenxiu reluctantly stepped forward. Ignoring the girls' limp bodies, she stripped their skirts, put on her own, and tidied herself up.

Yang Chen took the skirts from her, threw them into a flushing toilet, and said, "Let's go home."

Zhenxiu nodded, looking back one last time at the half-dead trio, feeling no pity but a sense of relief as she followed Yang Chen out.

After tidying up her things, Zhenxiu and Yang Chen left the school and got into the car. Yang Chen didn't start the car right away but called home to tell Guo Xuehua that Zhenxiu had fallen asleep at her desk from exhaustion after extra classes, hence the lack of communication.

Guo Xuehua, concerned but not suspicious, urged them to come home quickly, assuring them that dinner was kept warm.

Yang Chen then made a call to Qiangwei, asking her to investigate Jiao Yanyan's background and ensure Zhenxiu's safety, as Jiao Yanyan's father might cause trouble. This was a small task for Qiangwei.

Watching Yang Chen handle everything, Zhenxiu mumbled, "Brother Yang, I'm sorry."

Yang Chen, starting the car, asked in confusion, "Why are you apologizing?"

Zhenxiu's face darkened, "Since we met, I've only caused you trouble. I can't help with anything and always make you worry. You, Sister Ruoxi, Aunt Guo, and Aunt Wang all treat me like family. Sometimes I feel so shameless for accepting all you've given me. I'm just a girl from an orphanage who used to do bad things and even got into trouble with the police. But you still help me hide these things and give me the best conditions to study for university. But I still cause trouble at school."

Tears welled up as Zhenxiu spoke, her hands gripping her skirt tightly. "I really want to study hard, get into a good university, earn a lot of money, and repay all of you. But it seems I only cause problems and make you worry. I feel so useless. I'm really sorry."

Yang Chen's expression darkened, seeming both attentive and indifferent.

"Xu Zhenxiu," Yang Chen said suddenly, "do you want to let the issue with Jiao Yanyan slide to avoid causing me more trouble?"

Zhenxiu nodded softly, "Brother Yang, I've troubled you all so much already. I don't want to make you worry more. I know you have a lot on your mind, even though you seem carefree."

Yang Chen, seemingly emotionless, asked, "So you wanted to hide everything from me?"

"Yeah," Zhenxiu's eyes glistened, "Sometimes I wonder why I have this life. It doesn't belong to me. Am I too lucky to have met you all? If I hadn't been taken in by the orphanage, if I had starved, if I had died in a gang fight, would I not have these regrets? I'm just a little girl no one cared about, but you all give so much for me. I feel like I can't take it anymore."

Suddenly, the BMW screeched to a halt on the roadside.

Zhenxiu, thrown forward, looked at Yang Chen in shock, not understanding why he had stopped the car so abruptly.

Yang Chen turned to her with a blank expression and said, "Since you feel that way, let me take you somewhere."