Chapter 1: Group Beating

  "You dare to pretend, pretend, damn it, you pretend, I'll beat you to death!" The long-haired man spat and kicked the boy who had been knocked to the ground.

  The boy was surrounded by seven or eight people in a dead-end alley, his body covered in blood. He stared fixedly at the people in front of him, with bloodstains on the corners of his mouth and his hands propping himself up on the ground to prevent his body from falling over.

  "I'm telling you, Third Brother, why did you get us into this muddy mess? TMD, our hands are all dirty now." As he spoke, Huang Mao couldn't help but glance at the boy on the ground and kicked him again, sending the boy tumbling to the ground. The boy couldn't withstand Huang Mao's powerful kick and spat out a mouthful of blood with a "plop" sound.

  The boy, with a hint of determination, slowly propped himself up with his hands, his eyes filled with resentment. His right hand gently wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. In his heart, he made a fierce vow: Lin Shangren, I will make you pay for everything you've done to me! You must repay me tenfold! No, a hundredfold! A thousandfold!

  "Hey, Xiao Huang, you don't know that this kid in school actually dared to compete with me for Linlin. He thinks he can just lounge around and eat swan meat? Not even a reflection of his own urine! " After saying that, he slapped the boy's face again, and instantly the boy's face turned red and swollen.

  "How dare you touch my horse? It seems that if I don't give him a lesson, he won't know what's wrong!" After finishing speaking, Huang Mao gave a signal to the several small brothers around him. Seven or eight people rushed up and beat the boy with fists and kicks until the boy had no strength left, his eyes turned black, and he fainted on the ground.

  "Damn, beating this kid is a waste of energy. I'm telling you, Brother Shang, next time we beat someone up, can't you find someone who can take a few more hits? This is so boring!" After finishing speaking, Huang Mao spat on the unconscious boy's body.

  "Yeah, Huang Ge is all skin and bones, it's all bone, punching him hurts my hand." one of Huang Mao's younger brothers said.

  "Damn it, just look at him, he's born to be beaten up by others, can't help but beat him up." said another little brother with yellow hair.

  "I told Xiao Huang, you guys got beaten up today and you're still talking nonsense. Fine, we've had enough fighting for today, it seems he's just a weakling, a few punches and kicks and he fell down, what a waste of energy." After saying that, he kicked the boy who was lying on the ground again.

  "Thanks a lot for your help today, brothers," said Long Mao with a pat on his own pants leg. "I'll treat you all to dinner tonight at Guihai, let's have a good time."

  "Haha, what are you talking about, Shang Ge? We're all brothers, and it's only right that we help each other out when needed." After saying that, he walked out of the alley with Zhang Mao, his younger brother by his side.

  The boy lay in the alley, his whole body covered in blood, with wounds all over him. The sky slowly darkened, and gusts of cold wind blew into the alley.

  A thought kept repeating in the boy's mind, I must not die! Absolutely cannot!!! Mom is still at home waiting for me to come back and have dinner. If I die, what will mom do? She has been bullied outside, just to let me go to high school, she endured hardships like picking up trash cans and selling vegetables to support my studies. And there's Lingling, if I leave, won't she be left to that Lin guy's mercy? No way! Absolutely not allowed!

  The boy lying on the ground suddenly moved manually, slowly using both hands to prop himself up, lifting his bloody head, gritting his teeth. Using all his strength to lean against the corner of the wall and stand up slowly.

  "It's so late, mom should be worried about me by now." The boy wiped the blood from his mouth, looked down at his clothes which were all stained with blood, shook his head helplessly and started walking back home to Lu.

  Leaning against the wall corner, looking at the not far away home, a woman stood at the door anxiously looking out. The boy's heart ached, and tears filled his eyes uncontrollably. Wiping away tears, he tidied up his blood-stained clothes, then walked towards home.

  "Mom, I'm back, I made you worry." The short sentence made the boy choke with sobs.

  "Son, what's wrong with you? Why are you covered in blood? What happened?" The woman anxiously walked over to support the boy and asked worriedly.

  "Mom, I just accidentally slipped on the stairs at school!" After finishing speaking, the boy's tears couldn't help but flow down again.

  "Son, how can you be so careless? Did you fall somewhere? Mom will take you to the hospital to check!" She said, supporting the boy, with a worried face.

  "Mom, I'm really fine, just go back and apply some medicine and it'll be okay." The boy said with a sob, holding the woman's hand.

  "Alas, you child, how can I say you're good? You've grown up so big and still don't know how to take care of yourself. Are you afraid that mom will spend money again? If we have no money, we can go sell vegetables again!" After finishing speaking, the woman felt a pang of sadness, looking at her child suffering with her, and in her heart was even more resentment. Resentment towards that scoundrel, everything is his fault, if it weren't for him, her child should be living a good life! The woman's resentful thoughts ran deep.

  "Mom, let's go home? I'll just wipe off the medicinal wine and I'll be fine, I didn't fall anywhere, really. Don't believe me, watch Peng'er jump." After finishing speaking, the boy jumped twice in place, his teeth clenched in pain, and beads of sweat seeped out from his forehead.

  "You child, you've fallen so heavily and yet you're still jumping around. Hurry back, mom will help you apply some medicinal wine and then we'll have dinner." After saying that, she supported the boy as they walked back to the house.

  "Mom, you eat first, I'll come out and eat after I've applied the medicinal wine." Without waiting for her agreement, he quickly hid back into his own room and swiftly closed the door.

  The woman helplessly shook her head and then placed the dishes on a very small table.

  In the room, the boy took off all his clothes and pants, looking at his body in front of the mirror, with bruises appearing on his body. He clenched his fists tightly, filled with hatred in his heart.

  "Son, are you done yet? Come out and eat quickly, or the dishes will get cold." The woman urged.

  "Oh, mom I'm going out." After saying that, she randomly wiped the bruise with medicinal wine, hurting so much that her forehead was sweating. Then she changed into a clean set of clothes and walked out of her room.

  "Son, come sit down and eat, mom has cooked chicken soup for you to nourish your body." She said, scooping a bowl of chicken soup from the pot and handing it in front of the boy.

  "Mom, don't just give me the medicine soup, you should have some too. You've lost so much weight." Looking at his own mother, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart, blaming himself for being useless and unable to help his mother with anything despite growing up so big.

  "Alright, mom will keep you company and have a drink with you. You're preparing for the college entrance exam now, so you should drink more, it won't hurt. Mom doesn't ask for much, just hopes that you can get good grades and go to a good university." She said with concern as she looked at her son.

  "Mom, I'm sorry! From now on, I won't let you worry about me again. I'll work hard to study and earn a lot of money to come back and give it to you. No one will be allowed to bully you anymore!" The boy said firmly.