Chapter 826: Chapter 89: Other Than You, I’m Not Afraid of Anything! (Second Update)

Tang Yige looked up at him, "They want you to hand over the protection fee you collected?"

"Ha."

Lei Yicheng smirked, "Yige, you’re already a 32-year-old woman, how can you be so naive?"

"...You’re the naive one! And don’t mention my age! I’ll get mad at whoever mentions it!"

Tang Yige glared at him fiercely.

Lei Yicheng made a surrender gesture with his fingers, smiling, "Are all women like this, with so many taboos?"

"I don’t know about others, but I do!" Tang Yige said with full conviction, perfectly demonstrating the principle of "existence is reasonable."

"Fine, I got it."

Lei Yicheng said.

Tang Yige stirred the noodles in her bowl with chopsticks, returning to the subject, "So what happened then?"

Lei Yicheng seemed to think for a moment before saying, "That group of people didn’t say a word and started hitting me and the big brother with sticks."

Tang Yige instinctively frowned, looking at him, "And then?"

"They were all young, hot-tempered, didn’t know their strength, and ended up beating that big brother to death on the spot." Lei Yicheng spoke calmly, as if this kind of thing was perfectly normal.

"...Wha, what?"

Tang Yige was both surprised and frightened.

She never thought that group would hit so hard.

In her view, those collecting protection fees were just small-time thugs and delinquent kids forming gangs at school...

They usually looked fierce but probably didn’t dare to hit too hard.

"Don’t underestimate the youth of today, nor view society too optimistically. These things happen everywhere every year. You’re just not paying attention, so you don’t know." Lei Yicheng said casually, unfazed.

Tang Yige gripped her chopsticks tightly, looking at Lei Yicheng, "And, and you?"

"I was luckier than that big brother. I took a hit to the head, and at the time, I thought I wouldn’t survive, but here I am."

Lei Yicheng said, frowning tightly. He reached into his pocket, seemingly wanting to smoke.

But then he remembered that smoking wasn’t allowed in the temple, so he hadn’t seen a cigarette in three months.

Lei Yicheng chuckled at himself and looked at Yige, "Someone passing by saw it, called the police, and they arrived just in time for me to escape death."

Lei Yicheng was speaking lightly now, but she could imagine the scene of a group of people swinging wooden sticks at various parts of his body.

Tang Yige’s throat tightened.

If, if his parents were still alive, they would never have let him do such a thing, nor would he have to endure such a brutal beating and the incredible suffering and torment he’s gone through over these years.

Lei Yicheng didn’t continue talking about what happened afterward.

Tang Yige didn’t ask further either. Some things, if asked, are like opening up a wound, easy to reveal but hard for the injured person to heal.

Moreover, Tang Yige hoped that the person who could let Lei Yicheng openly speak about these experiences would be someone who could stay by his side, giving him warmth.

But that person wasn’t her.

...

Gu Yan and Nie Xiaoxing came to the temple the next day.

Seeing Gu Yan loaded with bags and Nie Xiaoxing carrying only a backpack, traveling light,

Tang Yige was left speechless after her initial surprise.

Looking at Gu Yan, "Why did you bring so many things here?"

"A lot?" Gu Yan dropped everything he carried, opening each item to show Tang Yige, "These are my toiletries, skincare masks, plus this juicer, ten bitter gourds for juicing—it’s good for the health.

I also brought knee pads, wrist guards, hiking boots, a water bottle, in case we decide to climb the mountain someday. Also, I figured it’s definitely cold up there, so I brought this..."

Gu Yan pulled out a stack of... hand warmers!

Tang Yige and Nie Xiaoxing were impressed!

Is this guy a man or a woman?

Bringing hand warmers! Is he crazy?

Seeing the two women looking at him in disbelief and disdain, Gu Yan awkwardly swallowed and said, "These are for you two. When you girls have your time of the month, doesn’t your stomach hurt? I heard putting this on helps."

As Gu Yan finished his last sentence, he kept glancing sideways at Nie Xiaoxing.

Nie Xiaoxing’s eyes flickered, and for some reason, the tips of her ears reddened a little.

Tang Yige noticed and had every reason to suspect that Gu Yan’s "heard" actually meant he heard it from Nie Xiaoxing!

So, Gu Yan probably brought these hand warmers specifically for someone.

Tang Yige saw through it but didn’t reveal it, smiling at Gu Yan, "What, are you planning on staying long?"

"Yeah." Gu Yan said seriously, "I’ll leave when you guys leave. If you don’t leave, I’ll just hang around here."

Alright, he’s here to "escape"!

Because in Z City, there’s someone blocking him every day, making him want to die!

So he had no choice but to run away.

And he felt it would be too lonely to go up the mountain alone, so he reluctantly brought Nie Xiaoxing along.

Nie Xiaoxing glanced at Gu Yan, her pure gaze resting on Tang Yige. Although her face was cool, her voice carried a hint of concern, "Sister Yi, how’s your health? Are your eyes better?"

Hearing Nie Xiaoxing’s question, Gu Yan suddenly remembered.

He gave Nie Xiaoxing an approving look and also looked at Tang Yige.

Tang Yige glanced at them both and smiled, "My health is alright, just my eyes still can’t see very clearly."

"Can you see me clearly?" Gu Yan pointed to himself.

Tang Yige stood across from Gu Yan and Nie Xiaoxing, about an arm’s length apart.

But Tang Yige shook her head, "I can only see a blur."

"Then you’re not better yet. It’s been more than three months, and you’re still not better; how’s Lei the Second taking care of you? By the way, where is Lei the Second?"

Gu Yan said, suddenly realizing that he and Nie Xiaoxing had been there for a while, yet they hadn’t seen Lei Yicheng, which surprised him.

Tang Yige frowned, as she didn’t know where Lei Yicheng had gone either.

"That Lei the Second really is, he has no consistency in doing things!"

Gu Yan grunted.

Tang Yige saw him looking like a boss inspecting work, dissatisfied that his subordinate hadn’t met his expectations, and a few black lines fell from her forehead.

This guy would only dare to act so arrogantly in front of them. If Lei Yicheng were around, would he still dare?

"Gu Yan."

A deep, authoritative voice suddenly came from behind Gu Yan.

Gu Yan shivered down his spine, opened his eyes wide, and looked back, seeing Lei Yicheng standing not far away, giving him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Gu Yan, "..."

Is this guy a ghost or what!