Beauty and the Bodyguard

Zou Ruoming, naturally, knew the same things that Kang Xiaobo did- he’d brought a couple of his lackeys to the street food area long ago, ordering some skewers and beer at Tang Yin’s mother’s stand. They were waiting for Tang Yin to come.

Tang Yin’s mother knew who Ruoming was- the guy was an infamous tyrant in the school. She was trying to figure out why he’d bring so many people to eat here today. He didn’t usually eat here at all.

Mrs. Tang would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared of Zou Ruoming. He’d gotten a stomachache a while back after eating at one of the seafood stands here, returning the next day to smash the place apart, even going as far as to beat the vendor up. The wounds were so bad that he wasn’t seen until a couple of days later.

She wasn’t the only one selling skewers here- there were a lot other skewer stands, and Zou Ruoming always ate at one of the other stands. Mrs Tang saw that as a blessing: businesses like hers didn’t earn much money in the first place, she’d rather have less customers than to expose herself to trouble- she didn’t want to end up like the seafood guy.

“Here’s your food- Ah!” Mrs Tang was serving Zou Ruoming’s table with some freshly barbequed chicken wings when her hand slipped a little, causing some of the sauce from the chicken wings to fling onto a fatty’s leg. The lackey looked down at the splotch of oil as Mrs Tang panicked.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Mrs Tang apologized immediately. Young masters like these terrified her- there was little stopping them from thrashing her entire stand. “I… I can wipe it for you? I can wash it for you, even, if you’d like…”

This barbeque stand was Mrs Tang’s sole source of income after being laid off. Her lover was bedridden after having injured his leg, and the factory didn’t seem very willing to pay a compensation. She’d went up to the factory a couple of times, only to be sent back out by a rough factory chief.

Mrs. Tang was the classic example of a housewife from the lowest social tier: weak and soft, but still holding the family together through her two hands, earning money for her daughter’s school fees and her lover’s medical bill.

“Ha, it’s okay!” The fatty said, not one trace of anger in his voice as he wiped the oil stain away. “I’d never ask aunty to wash my pants for me- Ming Bro would kill me! You’ll be our elder soon!”

“You little-!” Zou Ruoming pressed at fatty’s forehead. “Kissing ass already?”

“Heehee….” Fatty started laughing, followed by the other’s lackeys’ laughter- none of them had a care in the world.

Mrs. Tang, on the other hand, looked at fatty blankly, not sure of what the words meant, not did she understand what everyone was laughing about. One thing was clear: the fatty seemed to have let things go.

Mrs Tang let out a breath of relief as she voiced her words carefully. “Then… This one’s my treat, if you don’t mind.”

“That can’t do, aunty- our Ming Bro isn’t that kind of guy, he won’t just eat without paying!” Fatty said with a wave of his hand. “You’re the last person he’d do that kind of thing to. After all, the two of you will be family soon!”

Zou Ruoming couldn’t help but grin gleefully at fatty’s words. The guy was saying all the right things- he didn’t raise him up for nothing.

Mrs. Tang was confused- family? What was this fatty trying to say?

Tang Yin appeared some distance away, and fatty started wobbling his fat body around as he danced in greeting, whistling along with Ruoming’s other lackeys.

“Mrs. Zou’s here! Mrs. Zou’s here!” Fatty cried out loudly. (What fatty actually calls Tang Yin is something Chinese people do: it’s like you calling your close friend’s gf saozi (literal translation sis-in-law), but I changed it to Ms. Zou for adaptability purposes)

Tang Yin’s face paled instantly upon seeing Zou Ruoming and his lackeys- she never expected them to show up at her mother’s stand! The fatty over there was spouting some ridiculous nonsense in front of her mother, as well!

Ruoming had written her a love letter before, but Tang Yin didn’t hold back in rejecting him… But the guy didn’t seem to care at all! He only smiled stupidly as he followed her around, running back to his classroom after the bell rang.

She hadn’t heard from the guy for two days after that, and assumed that Ruoming had decided to give up on her… Something like this happening was completely unexpected- how saddened would her mother be if she thought Tang Yin got herself a boyfriend at this age?

“Boss, Zou Ruoming and his lackeys are there!” Xiaobo said to Lin Yi after spotting Ruoming, evidently a little pissed off. “These bastards are bullying her!”

“Oh, so that guy’s called Zou Ruoming?” Lin Yi took a closer look at Ruoming, remembering him as the guy he’d sent flying with a basketball a few days ago.

“You know him?” Xiaobo asked as he turned to Lin Yi. “He’s the Second of the Big Four! It’s like I said, you’ll be able to replace him as Second if you defeat him!”

“......” Lin Yi shook his head in response. He smiled a bitter smile- didn’t he just destroy him a couple of days ago?

“I’d heard long ago that Tang Yin rejected him, but I didn’t expect him to do something this shameless! Making things up in front of her mother like that!” Xiaobo waved his fist angrily as he heard what fatty was shouting.

Lin Yi didn’t particularly care about what Ruoming did- the guy was a jerk, but Lin Yi had better things to do than trouble himself with his antics, unless it involved Lin Yi himself.

“Sit, Sis! Ming Bro’s ordered the food already, we were only waiting for you!” Fatty said very enthusiastically.

“Come, Yin Yin! Don’t be shy- we have to tell your mother sooner or later anyway!” Zou Ruoming waved as his shamelessness pumped him up. He was pretty displeased at Tang Yin’s rejection, and was trying to think of something when one of his lackeys proposed this tactic- he’d decided to go all in with that, establishing himself as Tang Yin’s boyfriend right in front of her mother. He understood Mrs. Tang as a housewife, and that his fame wasn’t a very positive one… He had, however, youth and riches- there wasn’t much Tang Yin could do if even her own mother agreed to the relationship…...

Doesnt look like we'll be getting to top 3 again, but top 4's a really secure spot, on the bright side. I expected top 5 max in the first place anyway

*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes

*[12.47 to 13.07]: don't ask me about the tree sap