Don’t Try To Corrupt Me

Chapter 14

Yu Zuojin returned to the dormitory and entered the bathroom, intending to take a shower.

The bathroom in the dormitory was connected to the shower area, without a separate space for maneuver, only a plastic curtain served as a partition.

He lifted his shirt and took it off. Unlike other boys his age who were still thin due to their developmental stage, Yu Zuojin appeared tall, strong, and powerful.

The muscles on his back shifted as he moved. His clothes were usually scattered on the floor or the bed, but Sheng Yuan had tidied everything up and neatly placed them in the wardrobe.

The wardrobe was provided by the dormitory, but Yu Zuojin had rarely opened it.

He stood infront of the wardrobe shirtless, wearing only sweatpants on his lower body.

On opening it, he saw the shirts and pants hanging together on hangers, arranged in an orderly manner.

Seeing this tidiness, Yu Zuojin inexplicably felt annoyed.

He rudely reached up, pulling down the neatly hung clothes and throwing them onto the floor, creating a mess.

He even kicked over the shoe rack in front of the dormitory door with a loud noise.

The loud sound startled Zheng Zilu, who was passing by the door, causing him to tremble and hasten his steps away.

Yu Zuojin’s habit of randomly picking fights with people was well-known. He would practically hit anyone who displeased him. If someone saw him suddenly opening the door in his current state of mind, they would be walking right into the line of fire.

He didn’t care but his mother would lose a filial son, and he had to consider her. He needed to leave quickly.

After the loud noise, a frantic silence followed.

Yu Zuojin coldly stared at the mess on the floor.

As if this room was supposed to be like this.

He hated tidy rooms, neatly arranged clothes, and washed uniforms hanging on the balcony.

And the cool breeze that filled the dormitory when the windows were opened at noon.

This state, this messy room, was how he should be.

He was like a lion, resisting any wild animals from entering his territory.

He patrolled repeatedly, searching for any signs of intruders.

-Suppress and bury.

He despised anyone who attempted to intrude into his life.

No matter how clean and tidy the room became, it would always return to this state in the future.

Changing was a futile effort, everything was destined for the same result.

Yu Zuojin searched in the wardrobe and finally found the folded clothes in the lower drawer.

Looking at the bunny-patterned fabric lying inside, Yu Zuojin’s expression turned ugly. He reached out and threw it into the trash can, then casually grabbed another piece and headed into the bathroom.

Yu Zuojin turned on the water to the maximum, feeling the water flow smoothly along the lines and textures of his muscles.

He took off the external processor of his cochlear implant and placed it on the sink.

His world became quiet, and he lowered his gaze to the water droplets falling without disturbance on the floor tiles. The constant flow of water could be sensed all over his body, except in his ears.

As the minutes passed by, he became increasingly restless. He broke through the water flow and picked up the external processor, hanging it on his ear and attaching the suction cup.

The sound of water rushed into his ears.

No one could accept his disability and stay by his side.

He recalled changed atmosphere of his room.

He really wanted to drive it away.

If he couldn’t…

Yu Zuojin’s intense eyes, dark as ink, focused on the steady stream of water, making it appear menacing.

Then he would fight until it became obedient.

The next day, Qi Sheng, who usually went to school whenever he felt like it, unusually arrived on time and waited inside the classroom but he didn’t see Yu Zuojin.

He couldn’t sleep last night, tossing and turning in bed.

He thought he was already wild enough.

Who knew that Sheng Yuan, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, turned out to be even wilder than him.

In No.1 Middle School, he only acknowledged two people, Yu Zuojin and Chu Weitian. These two individuals had the ability to surpass him.

But who did Sheng Yuan think he was?

His position was threatened!

Moreover, it was the first time he had seen someone so arrogant in front of Yu Zuojin.

After ten o’clock, Yu Zuojin arrived. Qi Sheng, like a spy, asked in a low voice, “Brother Yu, what happened yesterday? Why did you leave with that kid, Sheng Yuan?”

Yu Zuojin didn’t say a word.

The other party remained silent, and Qi Sheng knew that further questioning would yield no answers.

If Brother Yu chose to leave with Sheng Yuan, he must have had his reasons.

Besides, it was Sheng Yuan who went to pick Brother Yu up from work.

Qi Sheng suddenly felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow.

Could it be that Sheng Yuan was trying to get close to Brother Yu and take his position as the second-in-command?!

Damn it!

“Did you find those troublemakers who caused a scene at the store a few days ago?”

Yu Zuojin suddenly asked, pulling Qi Sheng’s thoughts back.

“We found them on Tianqiao Road.”

The barbecue restaurant was located at a prominent intersection, with a private snack street just beyond it. There were many stalls there, and the urban management officers loved to patrol that area for their performance evaluations.

A few hooligans came by recently, collecting protection fees from each stall. If they were not paid, they would resort to direct destruction. It was said that some of them had relatives in the urban management department, so they acted with impunity. They not only targeted the stalls but also went after the storefronts.

Some people reported the incidents, and the police came to mediate a few times. The place was closed for a few days, but as soon as they reopened, the troublemakers resorted to underhanded tactics, beating up the informants by putting bags over their heads, obstructing their sight. With no evidence, no charges could be pressed. The informants could only bear the pain and swallow the truth.

It was impossible for the hooligans to admit anything during the police investigation.

“Comrade Officer, as you know, it’s a trend in our society nowadays to engage in delinquent activities. Delinquency is rampant, and there are numerous instances of delinquent youths assaulting people on the streets and fleeing. Perhaps it was one of those delinquent youths who did it.”

Yu Zuojin’s working hours were mostly in the evening, and when he arrived, the place had already been robbed.

There were only the old man and Aunt Chen in the store. Both of them were in their forties. Naturally, they couldn’t handle the situation, and the old man even took a fall during the dispute over money.

Qi Sheng hadn’t been in a fight for a while, and he was getting a little excited.

“Brother Yu, are you going to Tianqiao Road after work tonight?”

“No.” Yu Zuojin’s voice was low and hoarse. “Just bring the person here.”

———————–

The final bell for the last class in the morning rang, and students walked out of the classroom in groups, causing the flow of people in the corridor to expand.

The air was filled with a sense of relaxation.

Xia Zhiqi and his crew came to find Sheng Yuan. “Brother Sheng, there’s a new noodle stall opened in the snack street recently. They say the taste is excellent. Let’s go and try it.”

“Alright.”

Sheng Yuan got up.

With tomorrow’s monthly exam approaching, Xia Zhiqi and the others had been studying tirelessly, sacrificing sleep and meals, all for the sake of their big brother’s reputation. On the last day before the exam, Sheng Yuan suggested they relax a bit, as it would elevate their performance. This persuaded the dozen or so people to abandon their plan of studying in the classroom during lunchtime.

Sheng Yuan and the group of people arrived at the snack street.

Xia Zhiqi took the lead and waved in front of the noodle stall.

“Brother Sheng, what about this one!”

Sheng Yuan and the rest approached, and the three of them ordered the stall’s signature dish, pork bone soup noodles. The other followers ordered according to their preferences, and then they all sat in front of the stall.

The noodle stall was not large in size, with a total of seven tables, all occupied by Sheng Yuan and his entourage.

Xia Zhiqi looked at Jin Anzhu, who had squeezed his way to Sheng Yuan’s side. “What are you doing here?”

“Speak in a better tone, I came over to have a meal with Brother Sheng.”

The snack street wasn’t bustling, and it could be said to be the only undeveloped street in the surrounding prosperous area.

Close to the school, it was bordered by No 1 Middle School, with an elementary school to the west.

Many small-scale businesses set up stalls here to sell food. Because the main consumer group was students, hygiene was handled with great care.

There weren’t many storefronts on the street, but there were plenty of makeshift stalls.

As Sheng Yuan enjoyed his noodles, Xia Zhiqi gobbled up his food on the other side, sounding like a running tap. He ate too quickly and ended up choking.

Sheng Yuan passed over a few pieces of paper.

Xia Zhiqi casually wiped his mouth and asked, “Brother Sheng, is it delicious?”

“Not bad.”

Just as Sheng Yuan and the others were ordering their second bowl, a commotion erupted from the crowd.

“Are you gonna pay up or not? Stop wasting my time with your bullshit. If you don’t pay, I’ll smash it. Can’t you understand?”

“But, boss, didn’t we pay protection fees a few days ago?”

“We paid protection fees a few days ago. Now we’re collecting hygiene fees. Hurry up!”

“Let me tell you, if it weren’t for me covering for you, all these stalls would have been confiscated by the Urban Management Bureau. Pay up quickly, don’t offer toasts you won’t eat but drink penalties instead.”

The man appeared to be around thirty, with a beer belly and a bald head. He was followed by two skinny brothers who resembled monkeys.

The noodle stall owner sighed helplessly upon seeing them.

Xia Zhiqi was curious. “Sister, what’s going on?”

The noodle stall owner replied, “They are local ruffians around here. They have been collecting protection fees for some time now. If we don’t pay, they will smash our stall and report us to the Urban Management. As small-scale business owners, if we are closely monitored by the authorities, we won’t be able to do business.”

Sheng Yuan lifted his bowl and took a sip of the soup.

The man and his two lackeys approached. “Pay up, 200. Hurry up.”

The stall owner, alone at her stall, could only bow her head and retrieve the money from the waist pouch she wore.

When she handed over the money, Sheng Yuan wiped his mouth with a piece of paper and stood up to block the man.

“Madam, let me pay.”

The man looked at Sheng Yuan’s back and scanned the sudden intruder with a hint of contempt.

“Do you know whose way you’re blocking, kid?”

Sheng Yuan turned lazily and glanced at him without giving a direct answer, but said:

“You lack something.”

“What do I lack?”

“Professionalism.”

Xia Zhiqi immediately understood and picked up a dog bowl from the ground. Sheng Yuan took it, put two coins in it, and handed it to the man.

“Take it, that’s all I have. I’ll take care of your business another day.”

The man’s face twitched. “Do you know who I am, you little brat?”

“Who?”

The skinny monkey behind him spoke up, “He’s Brother Long of this street.”

Sheng Yuan replied, “Do you know who I am?”

“Who?”

“Brother Long’s father.”

“Fuck you!” Brother Long raised the broken bowl, ready to smash it on Sheng Yuan’s head.

“Today, let me teach you a lesson!” Xia Zhiqi reached out and caught the man’s arm effortlessly.

Xia Zhiqi was sturdy and easily caught the man’s arm.

The two skinny monkeys behind Brother Long stepped forward. “You want to get beaten up?”

As soon as they spoke, the sound of plastic chairs colliding echoed all around.

The unruly teenagers sitting at the noodle stall stood up one by one, cursing and displaying an arrogant look. They had been holding back for over half a month in school and suddenly found an outlet for their frustrations.

In an instant, they surrounded the noodle stall.

There were only three people on the other side, and the stall owner was cautious, but the unruly teenagers had no such reservations.

Realizing that the situation was not in his favor, Brother Long tried to leave but was pushed back by the young men, one after another.

“Did my bug brother let you go?”

“Why are you running?”

“Here’s the broken bowl, take it, don’t give face a bad name.”

Brother Long almost fell to the ground from the impact.

Sheng Yuan stood in the middle.

“Do you think today’s events will make the news?”

Brother Long swallowed hard.

“I’ve already come up with a headline for you.”

“Society’s Evil Force Bullies Innocent High School Students.”

[System: …]

[System: Please, have some shame.]