Chapter Sixty-Six: Guo Yuhang's Provocation

“Hey, do you think we’ll actually get to touch a car at registration today?”
The next morning, as soon as they met at the entrance to their neighborhood, Zhao Kang asked Li Mu excitedly.
For men, cars are an extension of speed and a symbol of success; Zhao Kang was at the age when his passion for cars was at its peak.
Li Mu nodded. “It’s the first day at the driving school. They’ll probably let us get into the car to get familiar with the controls and the gear positions, but I doubt they’ll actually let you drive.”
“Really? Damn, I was so hyped I barely slept last night.”
“What are you so excited for?” Li Mu shook his head. “Practicing parking and moving in and out of spaces is mind-numbingly boring. You’ll see soon enough.”
“And how would you know? You’ve never learned before,” Zhao Kang asked, full of curiosity.
“Just wait and see.”
Jinan Driving School’s training grounds were on the outskirts of the city, about five or six kilometers from Li Mu’s home. The two hailed a taxi and headed straight there.
It wasn’t yet eight when they arrived. The school had told them to gather at the small plaza in front of the office building at eight sharp, so Li Mu and Zhao Kang, holding their registration slips, went straight to the plaza.
Already, seventy or eighty students had gathered. Several instructors had staked out their sections, calling out with their rosters: “Class One over here!” “Class Two, this way!”
Li Mu’s slip read “Car Two, Number Fourteen”—Car Two, which meant Class Two. He signaled to Zhao Kang, and they headed for the Class Two instructor.
Su Yingxue hadn’t arrived yet. Out of fifteen students in Class Two, ten had shown up. Li Mu was about to call Su Yingxue when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Su Yingxue standing there in a casual tracksuit, smiling at him.
“I was just about to call you,” Li Mu said with a slight smile, nodding toward the instructor. “That’s our instructor. Just hand him your slip and sign your name on the roster.”
Su Yingxue nodded, handed over her slip, signed in, and returned to Li Mu and Zhao Kang. Zhao Kang, who’d been squatting on the little cement border around a flower bed, jumped up at once.
“Guo Yuhang is here.”
His tone and gaze were both hostile.
Li Mu looked up. Sure enough, Guo Yuhang, with his hair parted neatly to one side, was swaggering over, dressed in a white Adidas tracksuit with black stripes and a sly grin on his face. His expression made it clear he was thoroughly pleased with himself.
Zhao Kang, with his short fuse, was like a powder keg. The moment he saw Guo Yuhang’s provocative look—and remembering how this guy had used family connections to mess with Li Mu’s parents’ jobs—his anger flared uncontrollably.
“If that bastard says one more word, I’ll deck him!”
His eyes were as cold and fierce as a hunting hawk.
Li Mu patted his shoulder and whispered, “Don’t go picking a fight for me. You’ll only drag your parents into this mess.”
“I’m not afraid of him!” Zhao Kang, once stubborn, would charge ahead no matter what, even if it ended in a ditch.
“Enough with the tough talk,” Li Mu said, a little annoyed. “If you make trouble, I’ll just quit and take the test in Yanjing instead.”
Seeing Li Mu’s serious expression, Zhao Kang could only nod reluctantly.
There was no one he respected more than Li Mu.
Though Guo Yuhang kept shooting arrogant glances at Li Mu, he didn’t come over; instead, he walked straight to the Class Two instructor with his registration slip. This left Su Yingxue puzzled. “Didn’t he get assigned to Car Three when he signed up? Why is he registering with our instructor?”
Indeed, Guo Yuhang registered with the Class Two instructor. His name wasn’t on the roster, but his slip bore a special note from the school principal, stating that Guo Yuhang was to be placed in Class Two, complete with an official stamp.
Instructors were used to receiving such special slips—usually for those with connections who needed special attention—so the instructor simply accepted it and had Guo Yuhang add his name to the list.
Zhao Kang clicked his tongue. “Damn, this guy sticks to us like glue.”
“So annoying,” Su Yingxue grumbled, her displeasure plain.
Li Mu glanced at her with a smile. “Don’t let it bother you. Just focus on the lessons.”
“Okay.” Su Yingxue nodded lightly.
At that moment, Guo Yuhang finished registering and swaggered over to the three of them.
“Well, well, Li Mu.” His tone was taunting as he sized up Li Mu, then leered at Su Yingxue for a moment.
“Hey, beautiful, fancy seeing you here again. Who’d have thought we’d end up in the same class? Must be fate.”
Su Yingxue’s disgust was obvious; she turned away, not bothering to reply.
Guo Yuhang didn’t care. He looked back at Li Mu and sneered, “Li Mu, I heard your folks got laid off. Bet you can barely keep food on the table now, huh?”
Li Mu’s expression was unreadable. “You’re pretty blunt. Was it your doing that got my parents laid off?”
“Did I say I did it?” Guo Yuhang scoffed. “Don’t go around making baseless accusations. I’m not afraid of your slander, but if your parents hear about this, they might think you caused all this trouble and break your legs.”
Li Mu waved his hand in disdain. “Enough. If you can’t own up to what you’ve done, just get lost.”
“You—” Guo Yuhang had expected Li Mu to panic or regret it once he learned his parents’ layoffs were connected to him. After all, losing their jobs was a serious blow to the family’s finances. Most eighteen-year-olds would be in tears if they’d caused such a disaster. He hadn’t anticipated Li Mu’s unflappable demeanor.
Guo Yuhang believed he held Li Mu’s family income in the palm of his hand. He was determined to force Li Mu to submit in front of Su Yingxue, regaining face and letting her know his family background was no less than hers.
Suppressing his anger, Guo Yuhang raised his voice and said, “Li Mu, my dad’s the director of Xiling Coal Mine, and my mom’s vice-chair of the union. If you kneel and call me ‘Brother Hang’ right now, I’ll talk to my dad and get your parents their jobs back tomorrow.”
He’d spent two days figuring out how best to humiliate Li Mu. Making him kneel and kowtow seemed the most satisfying. He was convinced Li Mu would give in.
After all, survival was at stake. Guo Yuhang knew the wage for laid-off workers—five or six hundred yuan for both parents combined—not enough for Li Mu’s university expenses.
Li Mu, instead of getting angry, laughed. Zhao Kang couldn’t hold it in anymore and stepped forward, shouting, “What the hell do you mean by that, Guo Yuhang?”
“Well, you look familiar too,” Guo Yuhang sneered. “You must be another coal miner’s kid, right?”
His contemptuous look sent a clear message: all children of Xiling Coal Mine workers had to bow to him.
Li Mu reached out, blocking Zhao Kang and gently pushing him aside. Remembering Li Mu’s warning, Zhao Kang didn’t push back, though his face was flushed with anger.
Then Li Mu spoke. “Guo Yuhang, you’re old enough to grow up. Can’t you see nobody wants to talk to you? Why don’t you just get lost?”
“Damn it…” Guo Yuhang hadn’t expected Li Mu to be so brazen. This was about his parents’ livelihoods! Was Li Mu really going to risk his parents’ well-being just to save face?
His trump card failed spectacularly, and being called a shameless hanger-on to his face made him lose all composure.
“Li Mu, quit acting tough. Think about it—if you kneel, your parents get their jobs back. If not, your whole family starves!”
Guo Yuhang still thought Li Mu was just putting on a front. What eighteen-year-old wouldn’t be terrified after making such a blunder?
“Kneel to your own mother! Get lost!” Li Mu snapped, not caring that Su Yingxue was standing right there. He glared coldly at Guo Yuhang. “I’ll remember what you did to my parents’ jobs. We’ll settle this eventually.”
“You think you can do anything to me? Settle it? Settle what, you idiot?” Guo Yuhang, utterly arrogant, strode up to Li Mu and shoved him hard on both shoulders, teeth clenched. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
He figured Li Mu wouldn’t dare retaliate, especially with Su Yingxue watching. He wanted Li Mu to lose face in front of her.
But to his surprise, Li Mu suddenly swung and slapped him hard. The blow stung, making his left cheek throb and his eyes fill with stars.
He’d had enough.
So what if he had no backing or power? He’d been given a second chance at life—he wasn’t about to let a punk like this push him around, or let his family suffer because of these connections. So what if your dad’s the mine director? Today, I’ll show you what that’s worth!
Guo Yuhang cried out in pain, but before he could react, Li Mu kicked him in the stomach, sending him sprawling a meter away.
Zhao Kang, seeing Li Mu fight back, immediately wanted to join in, but Li Mu stopped him with a hand and whispered, “This is between me and him. Stay out of it.”
He didn’t want Zhao Kang involved for fear it would affect his friend’s parents, making it clear this was a one-on-one fight for dignity. Zhao Kang nodded, swallowing his urge to jump in.
Guo Yuhang, covered in dust and marked with a muddy shoeprint on his belly, grimaced and scrambled to his feet, shouting, “I’ll kill you!”
Li Mu stepped forward and threw a punch at Guo Yuhang’s face. Startled, Guo Yuhang tried to dodge, but Li Mu’s other hand snapped across with another loud slap, striking the same cheek and drawing blood.
He kicked Guo Yuhang to the ground again and pointed at him. “This is just interest. We’re far from done. Get lost!”