Chapter 18: Being a Good Person
Tang Zheng nodded after listening a bit, then turned his body towards Tang Dahai and said: “Grandfather, don’t worry they aren’t here to cause trouble and won’t do anything to me.”
Tang Dahai did not believe him pointed at a few people within the crowd and said: “Little Zheng, don’t lie to me, how could what you say be true. Last time the people who destroyed our house was them. Hurry and run before it’s too late.”
“They are the culprits.” Tang Zheng’s eye’s turned cold and fell upon a few of the crestfallen people within the crowd.
“Get out here!” Lin Hu angrily roared and several people who looked as if they might as well be dead, obediently stepped out, afraid to even take a breath.
“Little brother, I have brought the culprits to you, last time it was these few bastards that did the deed. They are not my men but are just some scattered gangsters who actually dared to mess around in my, Brother Hu’s, territory. They simply ate the guts of a leopard.
A few of them shivered in fear, hurriedly pleaded: “Brother Hu, we won’t dare again, please let us go.”
“Heng, it isn’t me who decides whether to keep or let you go, it is this little brother and his grandfather’s word that counts.” Lin Hu said, clearly giving Tang Zheng face.
The few people looked towards Tang Zheng timidly, not knowing what was so great about this little kid who was younger than them that actually forced Brother Hu to muster such a large force.
“****, now that you are looking at the victim you still aren’t apologizing?” Dong Zi kicked one of the culprits that stood closest to him, angrily cursing. Several people hurriedly bowed in apology, saying: “Two sir’s please be magnanimous and let us go, we won’t dare again.”
Tang Dahai foolishly stared not knowing what to do, as he had originally thought another disaster has come but he never would have expected that it would end up like this. This was all was related to Tang Zheng and he could only look at Tang Zheng, faintly discovering that there was something different about him.
“Is this how you guys beg for an apology?” Tang Zheng forceful restrained his fury and coldly said.
Lin Hu tacitly understood and loudly yelled ‘kneel’ and Dong Zi along with several other men quickly kicked them to the ground, cursing: “***, don’t you know that to beg you have to get on your knees to show your sincerity?”
Several people kneeled on the ground, trembling nonstop, while continuously pounding their head upon the ground: “Sorry, sorry, we know we are wrong. We had eyes but could not recognize Mount Tai please let us go like the farts we are.”
Tang Zheng coldly ‘heng’ and looked towards Tang Dahai, saying: “Grandfather, how should we punish them?”
Tang Dahai was at a lose of what to do, in his whole life he has always followed the rules, going with the flow of things, never bullying others and when bullied he could only suffer in humiliation, and try to keep the peace. Now he was seeing a group of people kneeling in front of him, begging to be spared. He felt as if he was in a dream, his lips moved, but he did not know what he should say.
Tang Zheng seeing him like this, felt his heart ache and felt more anger towards the culprit and said: “If my Grandfather does not forgive you guys then you guys can beg forever and not even think about getting up.”
The people hearing this, became even more frightened, crying to be spared as if they were screaming for their father’s and mother’s, speaking good words about Tang Zhen’s Grandfather nonstop.
“Heng, if you knew of what would happen today then would you guys have acted the way you have?” Tang Zheng said without pity, he believed in righteous anger but not unreasonable fury. If you do something bad first then don’t blame me for giving back fifteen.
Tang Dahai looked at the few people then looked at his grandson and let out a sigh saying: “Little Zheng, it’s alright, just let them go. They themselves are young and are also poor children.”
“Thank you old gramps, thank you old gramps…” The few people were brought to tears by the amnesty.
“Okay, then we will go with my Grandfather’s intentions. Grandfather, you should first go inside and rest, I will go inside in a bit.” Tang Zheng lead his grandfather in and stepped out, closing the door and said: “Brother Hu, thank you.”
“Little brother, saying thanks is too much, your problem is my problem, but isn’t it too easy on them just letting these lackey’s off like that?”
Tang Zheng’s eyes flashed a hint of fierceness and thought back to the day when his house was ransacked and at his grandfather’s hurt look, his heart felt like a knife was cut into it, and he said: “I also think so.”
Lin Hu’s eyes brightened and he laughed: “Heroes usually agree, so how do you plan on punishing them little brother?”
Tang Zheng swept his eyes over the few people and said: “Whichever hand touched my Grandfather, I will break that hand. I want to carve this memory into their brains.”
Lin Hu looked at his followers and gave them a signal, saying: “Do it, make sure to be careful not to disturb the old gramps rest.”
Several followers immediately covered their mouth and face, ‘papapa’, several sounds of stifled sticks beating onto meat, and several arms were hanging to their side, broken, several people struggled and faint sounds of the struggle were heard but there was nothing they could do.
Lin Hu splayed out his hands and hinted for them to be dragged away. He looked at Tang Zheng smilingly and passed over a cigarette: “Want a drag?”
“No.”
Lin Hu lit his cigarette, sucking in a cloud and breathing out a fog, saying: “They acted in the front but were actually recruited, the real mastermind was this silk-pants boy.”
“Oh, what’s his name?”
“Qiao Fei. Qiao Shi Conglomerate’s young master. Qiao Shi Conglomerate does business, their headquarters are located in the south and that is not within my territory.”
Tang Zheng’s gaze grew colder and he gnashed his teeths: “So it was Qiao Fei.”
“You know him?”
“He was originally my classmate.”
Lin Hu suddenly realized and said “So it seems like you two have a conflict but this is going to far, to even bring in family, doesn’t he understand this simple logic?”
Tang Zheng did not reply, he felt more furious towards Qiao Fei, since if he did not frame him for stealing the money then he wouldn’t have be kicked out of Class 1. Also, the classrooms missing fees were also strange. Just who would steal it anyways? It was like Qiao Fei had said, everyone in the class were not lacking, and the several hundred dollars itself was not worth it, which brought up a thought-provoking question of whether someone was framing him.
“It must be Qiao Fei who did it.” Tang Zheng concluded within his mind after the events of today, “I originally hated him, as he definitely was trouble, but before today it was not the first time, so why is he still trying to exterminate me, he is too cruel.”
Another point that caused him to be furious was the fact that Qiao Fei made a move on his Grandfather. His Grandfather was the most important person in his life and was also his reverse scale, if someone dared make a move on his Grandfather then Tang Zheng would risk his life and fight.
Seeing the anger flashing in his eyes, Lin Hu’s heart was moved and asked: “Do you need my help?”
“Not currently but thanks for this time Brother Hu. If I did anything wrong before, please forgive me Brother Hu.” Tang Zheng said.
Lin Hu let out a loud laugh, put his arms around Tang Zheng’s shoulder and said: “We two are brothers saying such words is too much. What is your problem is my problem, not even great Daddy Emperor can make a move on you.”
Tang Zheng smiled, his heart accepting the benevolence but in the end he was not like these gangsters and would not form any deep connections with them. So, after the two delivered genial words, Lin Hu took his men and left.
Tang Zheng entered the house and discovered his grandfather was sitting on the chair, looking at him.
“Grandfather, you should hurry up and rest.”
“Come here, I want to talk to you.” Tang Dahai said with incomparable solemnity.
Tang Zheng was momentarily stunned and calmly sat down looking towards his grandfather’s face, full of wrinkles. He was only sixty years old but looked like he was seventy or eighty, his movements were slow and cumbersome, a testament to his grandfather’s rapidly aging body. He thought that if his grandfather didn’t have him as a burden then he wouldn’t have aged so quickly.
“Little Zheng, you have grown up.” Tang Dahai said meaningfully.
Tang Zheng smiled: “No matter how old I grow I will still be grandfather’s grandson.”
Tang Dahai’s look became complicated as he said: “You are big now and your wings are ready. I can no longer control you.”
Tang Zheng’s heart thudded, his grandfather’s tone was slightly strange, “Grandfather, what happened? Do you still feel anger, do you want me to drag them back for you to vent?”
“Stop!” Tang Dahai angrily roared, Tang Zheng has never seen his grandfather angry and was scared into a jump, “Grandfather, what happened, please don’t scare me.”
“Heng, what happened to me? I wanted to ask you that very question, why are you messing around with those kind of people?” Tang Dahai’s strict face wore a heart aching expression, as if he was disappointed in someone.
“I am not part of their group.”
“Then why would they send those guys here?”
“I…”
“You have no words to speak? Little Zheng, you know who those people are? They are gangsters! Those people are not educated and are bad, how could you be grouped with them? You are a student and need to focus all your energy on your studies, did you forget all that I have taught you?”
“I did not forget.”
“I think you have forgotten, otherwise why would you do something like this. These few days you have changed, so much that even I do not recognize you.” Tang Dahai said with great pain, “Grandfather in this life, does not have much hope, just that you are safe and sound, and I don’t even ask that you become some great amazing man. I just wish for you to have a job, marry a women, and have some kids, and not be like me who knows nothing and can only pick up garbage for a living. Do you know?” Tang Dahai said, as his tears down his old face.
“Get up, a man has gold under his knees.” Tang Dahai lifted him up, his words meaningful, “I know that since you were a child you have known bitterness, not having a father or mother but you are also a strong and intelligent child. I just want you to remember this point, Grandfather wishes for you to be a good person.”
Tang Zheng heavily nodded his head: “Grandfather, I did not forget your teachings. I will definitely be a good person.”
Softly wiping away the tears on his face, Tang Dahai said: “Don’t cry, men must not easily reveal their tears. Grandfather believes in you and will let this matter rest, it does not matter who is right or wrong, you can not pursue this matter. Instead, you should be focused on studying, do you understand? The high school exam is coming up and grandfather is hoping you will get into a good university.”
Tang Zheng hesitated, the mastermind was revealed but if he did not do anything about it then Qiao Fei would get away without any punishment. He felt great unwillingness but looking at his Grandfather’s hope filled eyes, he was unwilling to let him worry and he finally nodded his head: “Grandfather, I promise you I will not pursue this matter and study hard.” He quietly vowed, Qiao Fei, this time I am letting you go because of my grandfather but if you continue to follow the wrong path then don’t blame me for being impolite.
Tang Dahai patted Tang Zheng’s head and revealed a smile: “You are my good grandson. Okay, hurry and go rest, tomorrow you still have to go to class.”
Tang Zheng returned to his room, sat down cross-legged, and restrained his thoughts when Tian Chanzi snorted out, saying: “Your grandfather is just soft-hearted.”
“Shut up!” Tang Zheng coldly said, closing his eyes and started training, revolving the Ancient Clear Heaven Scroll.