Chapter 18: Getting the school Madonna’s attention
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The perfect figure of Ning Lingyu was further emphasized by the chubby Ling Yun sitting right beside her. She looked even more seductive. Tang Meng slammed the table and shouted, “Waiter! We’re ready to order!” Tang Meng’s powerful voice resonated throughout the floor. This was his grand style of ordering. Regardless of whether he was embarra.s.sing himself, he was determined to follow through with his actions so that he could try to impress the beauty before his eyes and change her impression of him.
“Brother…” Ning Lingyu whispered softly as she tugged at her brother’s sleeve while softly biting her lower lip. She was utterly speechless. Even her smart and quick-witted brain could not comprehend why her brother would behave in such a manner! Where was the modesty and morals that their mother had taught them? Had she not taught them never to take what wasn’t rightfully theirs? To think that her brother would have the cheek to ask for a treat from others with such a brazen att.i.tude, even after taking his money… That being said, that look of his is rather cute… Her thoughts were all over the place and she had no idea what she was thinking.
As for Ling Yun, he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew he had to get the money, but he also wanted to question Tang Meng about two matters. First was why and how his sister had managed to win such a large sum of money. The other query involved asking Tang Meng for the name and cla.s.s of the scoundrel that had tried to block his way during his run around the field. While seeking revenge was not a n.o.ble thing to do, Ling Yun was not going to let him get away with it!
“Hi, is there anything else you would like to add to your orders?” the waiter politely asked. Seeing that he finally had the right to enjoy a meal with the campus belle, Tang Meng immediately let out a sigh of relief. Tang Meng casually leaned back in his chair, raising his head towards the waiter.
“Bring us your most exceptional, most expensive dishes! Everything that you have! No need to hold back when I’m treating!” he replied with a clear voice. Waving the waiter away, Tang Meng did not feel injustice for the ten thousand dollars he had lost since, in reality, he had only really lost a thousand dollars.
Ling Yun, who was more than satisfied with Tang Meng’s performance, nodded furiously and rolled up his sleeves as he prepared to devour this afternoon’s grand feast!
Back in Grade 12 Cla.s.s 6.
During the last lesson of the day which had just ended, both Zhang Ling and Cao Shanshan had been so lost in their own thoughts. They were so lost that they did not hear a single thing the teacher said in the lesson.
Zhang Ling was still unable to wrap her head around what had happened today. How could a fat bloke, who weighed more than 100kg and was usually as weak as a kitten, undergo such a radical change overnight and accomplish such a shocking feat? From being out of breath after running a hundred meters to carrying a 25kg sandbag and completing eleven rounds? How was this possible?
Zhang Ling’s frustration was also partly due to her feeling indignant towards how Shanshan lost her thousand dollars. To see her good friend lose money in such an inexplicable way was something unacceptable for her. She waited for Cao Shanshan to head to lunch together.
Cao Shanshan had a calm and collected expression on her face as she packed her things as if she had not just lost a thousand dollars. Concerned, Zhang Ling asked, “Shanshan, are you really going to give that scoundrel Tang Meng your money ?” Cao Shanshan’s face had a gentle smile as she glanced at Zhang Ling. She knew that Zhang Ling’s anger was out of concern for her being treated unfairly. Cao Shanshan stood up slowly and replied in a gentle tone, “A loss is a loss, Tang Meng didn’t force me to place my bet at all. Since it was a loss due to my judgment, I will definitely pay up.”
“But…” Zhang Ling stammered. Knowing what she said was the truth, Zhang Ling was unable to refute.
Cao Shanshan gently took Zhang Ling’s hand and smiled. “It’s okay, I was the one that wanted to bet, so the blame should be on me. To think that that guy was really able to finish eleven rounds…”
“Come on! I’ll treat you to your favorite Sichuan boiled fish from the second-floor cafeteria, how does that sound?” Cao Shanshan said.
“Really? You’re the best Shanshan! Let’s go!” Zhang Ling replied enthusiastically upon hearing about eating Sichuan boiled fish.
After leaving the school building, Cao Shanshan found a quiet place before telling Zhang Ling, “Zhang Ling, could you head to the second-floor cafeteria first? I will catch up with you after I finish making this call.” Zhang Ling nodded without a second word and walked off. Knowing that Cao Shanshan seldom made calls, Zhang Ling was sure that it was for something important.
After making sure that Zhang Ling had walked out of earshot, Cao Shanshan took out her latest iPhone 5 and started dialing one of her contacts.
A thousand miles away, within a camp in one of China’s PLA military regions. A handsome 1.83-metre tall military officer with a muscular build and a powerful aura answered the phone and blurted, “Hey missy, what’s the matter calling at such a busy period right before your entrance exams? Missing your big brother? Or is that scoundrel bothering you again? Don’t you know martial arts? Just beat him up, problem solved!”
“Cao Tianlong, I just saw someone just break your record!” Cao Shanshan replied. Cao Tianlong was utterly taken aback because his sister had never addressed him by his full name. However, he couldn’t do anything as this haughty and spoiled sister of his was the favorite of their father’s. But needless to say, Cao Tianlong himself dearly loved his sister as well.
“Broke my record? What record?” Cao Tianlong had so many records to his name, he had no idea which record Cao Shanshan was referring to. Cao Shanshan gave a giggle as she replied, “What other records would I be referring to? Of course, it’s that eye-catching record you set during your Special Forces qualification test…”
Even though the school’s Madonna was usually as cool as ice in school, she would always revert to the proud little girl she was when talking to her brother. Upon hearing her reply, Cao Tianlong’s eyebrows twitched and he straightened his striking body like a sword before yelling, “You mean the one where I ran four kilometers with a 25kg sandbag?”
Cao Shanshan giggled as she nodded her head. “I remembered you p.r.i.c.king your thigh with a knife twice before managing to complete the tenth round right?”
Cao Tianlong could not help but scowl when he heard his sister bring up that shameful incident. He pretended to clear his throat before replying sternly, “My memory is not that good, I have long forgotten about that. Who did you say broke my record? Which camp did you run off to this time instead of going to lessons?”
Cao Tianlong wondered. Even a talent like myself had to push my body to the limits to set this record and now it has already been broken by someone else? I must meet this person if I have the chance!
Cao Shanshan twitched her lips as she reb.u.t.ted, “What do you mean which camp, I’m calling from school right now, alright?”
“What? Don’t tell me that a student from your school broke my record. Stop messing around, it’s ten years too early for a high school kid to break my record!” Cao Tianlong scorned. Unless the person is a descendant of ancient martial artists or one of those secret sect members who undergo training in the mountains, there is no way that an ordinary high school kid can break my legendary record! Nonsense!
Keeping a straight face, Cao Shanshan replied in a serious tone, ” I’m not lying, Cao Tianlong. A student from my cla.s.s carried a 26kg sandbag and ran eleven rounds around the field, a total distance of 4.4 kilometers!”
Cao Tianlong was in shock. How could the guy run just one more round and carry a mere kilogram more than me? How could I be so unlucky? Is my sister purposely trying to provoke me? April Fool’s Day is only tomorrow!
Knowing that there was no way her prideful brother would believe her, Cao Shanshan continued to explain.
“I am serious! He was always known as the cla.s.s loser, but who knew he could surpa.s.s his bodily limits and utilize its full potential. It was at a cost of vomiting blood after the fourth round.”
Fearing that she would hurt her brother’s ego, she immediately added on, “Of course, he ran much slower as compared to you! He took about ninety minutes to cover the 4.4 kilometers.”
There was a long silence before Cao Tianlong finally replied, “When did this happen? Was he sent to the hospital after the run?”
He believed that his sister did not call him out of boredom just to bring up his past and agitate him.
“He finished running just this afternoon. After he finished, he just stood on the track for a couple of minutes. I had to get to cla.s.s so I don’t know what happened afterward.” Cao Shanshan recalled.
Cao Tianlong furrowed his brows as he told his sister in a heavy tone. “Sister, there is no doubt that this kid has surpa.s.sed his body’s limits. Pay close attention to him from now on. Once a person surpa.s.ses his body’s limit, it doesn’t matter what he was like in the past. From this point onward, he possesses unlimited potential. Understood?”
“By the way, how does the kid look like?” Cao Tianlong casually asked. He was slightly concerned, as not many people could attract the attention of his sister.
Cao Shanshan scoffed as she replied, “He’s about your height and he’s a fatty who weighs at least 100kg! Anyway, I have to go for lunch now, no more time to chit chat with you! Bye!”
As Cao Tianlong hung up the phone, he gradually began to relax as he looked towards the sky, thinking. A 100kg fatty having such perseverance is really something, I’ll give you that. But at least I win in terms of looks, haha…
…
While Cao Shanshan was making her call, at another part of the campus, Xie Junyan was furiously scolding Li Lei!
“You b.l.o.o.d.y idiot! You dare to call yourself an MMA fighter? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”
“That fat pig was already four rounds in, hurling blood and tired as h*ck! Yet you couldn’t even stop him? How stupid are you?”
“He even managed to swing and hit you with the sandbag! Were you blind? Do you not know how to dodge?”
“Also, you even let that b.a.s.t.a.r.d Tang Meng kick you in front of everyone without putting up a fight!”
The more Xie Junyan spoke, the angrier he became. At this point, he was already in a full-on rage, with veins popping from his head. This was completely different from the elegant demeanor he usually carried himself with.
“Losing that five thousand dollars wouldn’t hurt but after how Tang Meng tarnished my reputation, how do you expect me to look him in the eye when I talk to him?”
“Come on! Say something, you spineless coward!”
Li Lei just stood there, not daring to refute Xie Junyan after being furiously berated by him.
Having finally finished venting his anger, Xie Junyan took on a calm expression, catching his breath as he pondered to himself for a moment. Eventually turning to Li Lei, Xie Junyan flatly said, “You are definitely no match for Tang Meng. For now, gather some guys and wait for a chance to teach that fat t.u.r.d Ling Yun a lesson!”
“I want him to live the last two months of his high school life in the hospital, am I clear?”
Li Lei felt a chill go down his spine as he looked at Xie Junyan. He understood that once Xie Junyan spoke in such a tone, it meant that he really meant business.
“Roger,” Li Lei replied.