Volume 1, Chapter 18: Who Do You Think You Are?

Han Feng found two painkillers and took them before laboriously sitting down on the sofa.

I took out the ten thousand yuan and handed it to him.

Han Feng smiled, his eyes suddenly sparkling. He untied the paper band, dipped his finger in saliva, and greedily tapped the bills one by one.

Then he counted out two thousand yuan and handed it to me.

“Brother, take this and spend it!”

I was incredulous—Han Feng was actually giving me money!

This was money he had earned through humiliation and beatings. I was deeply moved, my voice choking with emotion.

“Brother Feng, thank you, but I can’t accept it.”

“Take it if I say so! Stop dithering. Brothers share hardships and wealth alike.”

At that moment, Han Feng looked incredibly loyal and reminded me, “Go buy a phone. It’ll be easier to keep in touch.”

I should have had a phone long ago, but Xu Li had stopped my dad from buying one for me.

Her excuse was reasonable: students should focus on studying, and phones are distracting and can lower grades.

Now that the college entrance exam was over, I was no longer a student.

Yet, unexpectedly, the money for the phone came from Han Feng.

“Brother Feng, you should have a phone too,” I still refused to accept the money.

“I have one!”

Han Feng laughed as he fished a small Nokia phone from between the sofa cushions, its casing worn smooth and shiny.

“Heh, funny story—I found this phone in the trash and spent a hundred yuan to fix it. Put in a SIM card and it works perfectly.”

Han Feng chuckled proudly.

His optimism was contagious, and I found myself smiling too.

I was very poor now and couldn’t refuse the two thousand yuan. My heart was overwhelmed, and tears welled up in my eyes.

“Brother, if you want to achieve great things, you have to endure what ordinary people cannot bear. Your skin must be thick, and your actions ruthless. Compared to life and death, all other hardships are just scratches. Don’t take them too seriously.”

Han Feng shared his wisdom, and I nodded repeatedly, feeling he was absolutely right.

“Come on! Give me the guitar. Ha! Life may kiss me with pain, but I will repay it with song!”

Han Feng laughed heartily. To me, at that moment, he was a superhuman conqueror of life, invincible.

I hurriedly handed him the guitar, and he began to play and sing—“Fallen Angel.”

“That slightly decadent look on your face, those thin lips harboring a thousand lies…”

I sang loudly along with Han Feng, tears streaming down once more.

I missed Fu Xiaoya, every moment with her was worth savoring.

But I had neither the courage nor the face to seek her out.

She gave me that Hero brand pen and urged me to work hard for the exam, but I wasn’t a triumphant hero—I was a coward who had failed.

She must be utterly disappointed in me.

---

I saved Han Feng’s phone number and left his home.

Having money made me feel confident.

I found a phone repair shop and spent a thousand yuan on a secondhand Ericsson phone.

It was ultra-thin with a short antenna, looking very stylish.

After buying a SIM card and installing it, I immediately called Han Feng to give him my new number.

Han Feng became the first contact in my phone.

After eating a bowl of ramen outside, I returned home.

Xu Li was out partying again, and the house was cold and quiet, only the quartz clock on the wall ticking away.

Should I tell my dad about Xu Li’s infidelity?

I hesitated for a long time and finally gave up.

My dad would never believe me; he had always unconditionally trusted Xu Li.

If Xu Li turned the tables and accused me of slander, I might be kicked out.

Suddenly, a bold idea came to me: since I had nothing else to do, I would follow Xu Li secretly and take photos of her actual affair.

I wanted revenge!

Expose her disgrace!

I didn’t care if my dad divorced her over it.

There was a high-end camera at home.

My dad used to like photography, but as business worsened, he lost interest.

I found a DSLR under the TV cabinet and spent an entire afternoon learning how to use it, then hid it in my room.

It wasn’t until nightfall that the flamboyant Xu Li came home.

With her was Zheng Juan, who had stayed over last night, wearing black stockings and high heels—equally seductive.

The two sat on the sofa, giggling and chatting closely, clearly very intimate.

But when Xu Li saw me coming down the stairs, her smile immediately vanished.

“Xiao Yan, where did you get a phone?”

“A classmate gave it to me,” I said casually, heading outside.

“Where are you going?” Xu Li asked, pursuing me.

I ignored her and stepped out the door, breathing in the cool evening air with a strange sense of relief.

Han Feng had just called me, inviting me out to have fun tonight.

I was bored at home, so I agreed.

At the park entrance, I met Han Feng. He had changed into a clean, neat red short-sleeve shirt and looked spirited.

---

“Brother Feng, where are we going?”

“To sing and party hard. My treat. Let’s wash away these years of bad luck,” Han Feng said, slapping his chest confidently.

I had no objections but hesitated when I heard the place he chose.

Night Beauty KTV.

I had been there before, and Fu Xiaoya, whom I missed, worked there.

“Heh, afraid you won’t be able to let loose?”

Han Feng grinned mischievously.

“My sister works there,” I replied honestly.

“That’s perfect. We can put this bill under her name. You know what they say—keep the profits in the family.”

Han Feng didn’t care and flagged down a taxi.

I got in with him, and soon we arrived at Night Beauty KTV.

Although Han Feng was on crutches, his expression was perfectly controlled, exuding a cold aura that made a few rowdy youths at the door instinctively step aside.

I followed closely behind, and as we reached the front desk, a tall girl came out from the corridor.

My eyes lit up, and my heart raced uncontrollably.

It was Fu Xiaoya!

She was forever so beautiful, stirring my soul.

When Fu Xiaoya saw me, her face immediately darkened, her tone full of displeasure.

“Xiao Yan, why are you here again?”

“I…” At that moment, I was tongue-tied, my eyes fixed only on Xiaoya.

Han Feng sensed our relationship and smiled.

“Don’t be mad, miss. Brother Zhou Yan is here with me, looking after me.”

“Who does he think he is?” Xiaoya crossed her arms, mocking rudely.

I panicked slightly and quickly intervened, “Sister, you can’t talk to Brother Feng like that.”

“What Feng brother, what rain brother! Just because he’s got a broken leg, he thinks he’s some gangster?” Xiaoya didn’t care.

Han Feng wasn’t offended. He puffed out his chest and introduced himself with a half-smile.

“I’m Han Feng. Been gone too long. The younger generation wouldn’t know me, and that’s normal.”

Han Feng?

Fu Xiaoya froze, scrutinizing Han Feng, then unconsciously relaxed her crossed arms.

Suddenly, she grabbed me by the arm and yelled, “You’re not just stupid and clueless, but reckless too! Come with me!”