A Reckoning at Polar Night

“Bang!”

The bespectacled young man was kicked from behind, sprawling onto the ground.

He struggled to his feet, hands braced behind him as he craned his neck, his glasses askew on his nose. “Who dares to ambush me? You have some nerve!” he roared.

His gaze swept around the fallen black motorcycle. Wherever his eyes landed, people immediately turned away, feigning ignorance.

The bespectacled young man angrily rose, brushed the dust from his backside, and rejoined the fray.

“You… where did you come from?” he exclaimed in alarm, staring at the high-ponytail girl who had burst into the center of the melee.

Cheng Meng, having just broken free from He Chuanrong’s grasp, clutched his abdomen, hunched over. His trembling hand reached out to the person nearest him as he barked, “Attack! Don’t stop until they can’t get back up!”

The individuals who had been on edge earlier, now seeing He Chuanrong had backup, eagerly rubbed their fists together, ready for a full-blown fight. However, one of them, having witnessed Yu Rui’s formidable skill, bent down, tilted their head, and cupped their hand over their mouth to whisper to Cheng Meng.

Cheng Meng’s brows immediately furrowed into a tight knot. His gaze flickered towards He Chuanrong’s side a few times, his reluctance almost spilling from his eyes. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and led his people away.

“Hey, Boss… we haven’t even taught that kid surnamed He a lesson yet!” the bespectacled young man shouted at Cheng Meng as he passed by.

However, the other paid him no mind.

The bespectacled young man, returning in defeat, felt like a stray dog fleeing with its tail between its legs. His loathing for He Chuanrong deepened. Seeing that all his backing had left, he could only follow dejectedly.

“Just you wait, you scoundrel. One day, I’ll beat you so badly you’ll be spitting out teeth.”

Finally, the bespectacled young man turned back, glaring menacingly in He Chuanrong’s direction.

****

Once everyone had left, Yu Rui helped He Chuanrong to a bench to rest, then righted the motorcycle. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the hospital, and then…”

She was about to suggest confronting Cheng Meng, but just as the words reached her lips, He Chuanrong spoke.

“Sister Rui, can we please not tell Brother Yong about today’s incident? I don’t want to cause him more trouble, nor do I want you getting involved. Trust me, I can handle it. I don’t want to go to the hospital either.”

He spoke in a hoarse voice, fine beads of sweat dotting his forehead. If one ignored the footprints and dirt on the pure white areas of his school uniform, he might have been mistaken for merely feeling unwell due to his pale complexion.

Cheng Meng’s group was cunning; their blows had all landed on areas covered by his clothes.

Yu Rui’s narrow eyes narrowed further, and after a moment’s thought, she nodded.

“I’ll take you back to change first. If Brother Yong asks, I’ll say we were delayed on the way to deliver materials.”

“Okay, thank you, Sister Rui.”

He Chuanrong rested for a while before mounting the motorcycle.

On the way, Yu Rui again suggested taking him to the hospital first, but He Chuanrong refused each time.

He would not go to a hospital unless absolutely necessary.

“That little bespectacled guy seems to harbor a deep hostility towards you. Do you two have a history?”

Yu Rui was quite aware of the conflicts between He Chuanrong and Cheng Meng, having helped resolve them a few times. However, this was her first time seeing the bespectacled young man, and his sinister gaze made her feel somewhat uneasy.

He Chuanrong thought back but had no impression of the person.

Cheng Meng’s resentment stemmed from being ousted from his position as the school heartthrob by He Chuanrong. Later, when he tried to corner He Chuanrong, he was thoroughly taught a lesson and forced to apologize. He Chuanrong had believed this would settle things, as Cheng Meng indeed hadn’t caused trouble for two weeks afterward.

However, Cheng Meng later befriended some thugs from outside school. He brought them to nearly hospitalize He Chuanrong, which resulted in Cheng Meng being put on probation. This suited him perfectly, as he would frequently loiter around the school. With the ‘support’ of these outsiders, he became even more brazen.

It wasn’t until Guo Yong intervened that the matter was truly resolved. Later, He Chuanrong transferred to First High, completely severing ties with them. He never expected to run into them again today.

“In any case, be careful. That bespectacled kid’s cheeks are too gaunt; he doesn’t look like a good person.”

“Understood, I will.”

After changing clothes, on their way to Guo Yong’s repair shop, both received messages from Guo Yong asking if they had run into trouble. Yu Rui lied, saying they were delayed by delivering materials, while He Chuanrong claimed he’d fallen at school, scraped his hand, and spent some time at home disinfecting and bandaging it.

Guo Yong was half-convinced, merely reminding them to ride slowly on their way.

The large characters “Yongsheng Repair Shop,” surrounded by LED lights, shone brightly, casting an enchanting glow against the dim night sky.

He Chuanrong dismounted his motorcycle, standing to the side as Yu Rui parked her own under the open-air shed fashioned from truck tarpaulins.

“Let’s go.”

The repair shop covered over three hundred square meters. The makeshift parking shed stood adjacent to a large, self-built house where Guo Yong lived and ate daily.

Though the house was small, it was fully equipped with household amenities.

When Yu Rui knocked on the door, Guo Yong was carrying dishes towards the small living room.

“Hurry and wash your hands, dinner’s ready,” he said with a smile.

They nodded, slipping into the bathroom.

When they emerged, they followed Guo Yong, each carrying a dish to place on the folding dining table.

“Brother Wang.”

After setting down the dishes, they politely greeted Wang Lian, who was arranging the bowls and chopsticks.

Wang Lian had been instrumental in He Chuanrong’s admission to First High.

Wang Lian was a gentle man, wearing smoke-gray framed glasses. When silent, he exuded a certain seriousness, yet at this moment, his eyes were brimming with a smile. He beckoned the two young people to sit down.

“I just heard Ah Yong say you fell. You didn’t hurt any bones, did you?” he asked.

Guo Yong, carrying a steaming bowl of soup, also fixed his gaze on He Chuanrong’s face. Wang Lian helped him untie his apron and draped it over the chair back behind him.

Both waited for He Chuanrong’s answer.

He Chuanrong could only raise his bandaged right hand and smile. “It’s just a scrape.”

Guo Yong knew the truth, but with Wang Lian present, he refrained from saying anything that would cause worry. Instead, he urged everyone to eat.

After dinner, Guo Yong stepped out to see Wang Lian off, watching him drive away, while Yu Rui and He Chuanrong tidied the dishes inside.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you two home.”

During the drive, Guo Yong mostly asked questions, and the two answered. After Yu Rui got out, He Chuanrong finally spoke, his voice filled with shame.

“Brother Yong, thank you.”

Today’s dinner was meant to thank Wang Lian for helping him transfer to First High, but he hadn’t contributed any money or effort, which made him feel deeply embarrassed.

“Studying hard is the greatest thanks you can give me. Ideally, be first every year, maybe even become the top humanities scorer in the college entrance exam,” Guo Yong said with a laugh.

He Chuanrong pondered for a moment before replying, “Okay, I’ll try my best.”

Seeing his determined gaze, Guo Yong burst into laughter. “Just do your best; don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Being the top scorer isn’t important.”

“Understood.” He Chuanrong’s tense expression softened, but the very next second, Guo Yong’s tone turned serious.

He asked He Chuanrong if he considered him an older brother. He Chuanrong naturally nodded; in his heart, Guo Yong was indeed an older brother figure.

“Then tell me, where did that hand injury come from? Is it related to that kid Cheng Meng?”

He wasn’t sure who He Chuanrong had offended in Qingzhou Town, but it was unlikely they’d take a four or five-hour high-speed train just to fight him. Therefore, aside from Cheng Meng, he couldn’t think of anyone else. Could it be a conflict with students from First High?

“It was Cheng Meng, but Brother Yong, please don’t worry, I can handle this myself,” He Chuanrong assured him.

“Just focus on your studies, kiddo. I’ll take care of it.”

“But… I’ve already caused you too much trouble,” He Chuanrong said, lowering his head.

“I’m your brother, you little brat,” Guo Yong said, freeing a hand to lightly pat He Chuanrong’s shoulder.

His words acted like a tranquilizer, instantly calming He Chuanrong’s mind.

After watching He Chuanrong enter the house, Guo Yong finally left. As he turned, the smile vanished from his face, and he hurried downstairs to drive his car to the largest internet cafe on Old Street.

The large characters “Polar Night,” formed by LED lights, illuminated the surrounding walls, revealing their mottled surfaces. Guo Yong locked his car and walked straight inside.

“I need to see your boss.”

He spoke before the newly hired internet cafe attendant could even open his mouth.

The attendant, assuming he was a friend of the boss, politely asked him to wait in the lounge, stating he would contact the boss immediately. Just as the attendant’s finger was about to press the dial button, he saw Cheng Meng emerge from the ‘office.’ Feeling immensely relieved, he scurried over.

Seeing his frantic demeanor, much of the pain Cheng Meng felt receded, replaced by annoyance. After hearing the attendant’s explanation, Cheng Meng’s expression grew even uglier. He reprimanded the attendant a few times, then prepared to greet the man himself. Brother Wu was busy, and he wanted to help alleviate his burden, while also proving he could handle things independently.

Thus, he strode confidently towards the front desk.

The moment he clearly saw the visitor, Cheng Meng was utterly shocked, feeling an urge to throw the attendant out.

“What, Zhao Wu isn’t here?” Guo Yong tilted his head, glancing towards the office behind Cheng Meng. The door was ajar, and it appeared empty inside.

“Seeing me is the same,” Cheng Meng swallowed hard, bravely saying.

“Heh.”

Guo Yong stood up, crossing his arms over his chest, and cast a condescending glance at Cheng Meng before warning, “Your conflict with Xiao Chuan should end now. Considering you’re still a minor, I’ll let you off this time. If something like today happens again, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

He knew that without Zhao Wu’s support, Cheng Meng wouldn’t dare to be so audacious. Moreover, every wrong has its perpetrator, and this matter was deeply intertwined with past grievances.

Back then, Zhao Wu had been under his wing, obediently following his every command. But ever since Guo Yong went to prison, Zhao Wu had gradually encroached upon his ‘territory’ and lured away his subordinates. Consequently, after his release, Guo Yong had to find a repair master to continue learning the craft and rent a new workshop to make a living. Just as his business started to pick up, Zhao Wu, unwilling to accept it, began subtly causing trouble again.

Especially recently, to target him, Zhao Wu had gone to great lengths to curry favor with Zhu Qian.

Cheng Meng was the perfect stepping stone: first, Cheng Meng was a good friend of Zhu Qian’s nephew, and second, Cheng Meng’s father was a small contractor, allowing Zhao Wu to collaborate with him and occasionally make a profit.

Of course, this was Guo Yong’s speculation, but given his understanding of Zhao Wu’s character, it was almost certainly true.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Meng felt utterly ridiculed. His indignation surged, and in a fit of anger, he immediately ordered the thugs watching the shop to attack Guo Yong.

“Are you so utterly foolish, blinded by arrogance, that you don’t know what’s good for you?” Guo Yong kicked away the menacing yellow-haired thug, grabbed another, twisted his arms behind his back, and slammed him to his knees.

Having spent a long time in prison, his temperament had been largely tempered, and he no longer resorted to violence easily. However, Cheng Meng today was utterly ignorant of his limits and clearly needed a taste of hardship.

“Cheng Meng, it’s fine to be a little stupid, but to be so stupid as to be someone else’s stepping stone—did you read your books into a dog’s belly?!”

Guo Yong reprimanded and questioned him.

The words hung in the air.

Cheng Meng’s face flushed a deep purplish-red, his embarrassment palpable.

He wanted to rush forward and punch Guo Yong a few times, but the pain from his ribs made him wince and suck in a sharp breath.

The thugs were no match for Guo Yong; he swiftly knocked them all down. Seeing the fierce look in Guo Yong’s eyes, Cheng Meng flinched, wanting to turn and flee, but before he could, Guo Yong grabbed him by the back of his collar and tossed him onto the bar counter.

“Call Zhao Wu,” he commanded coldly.

Cheng Meng cowered, shaking his head.

“Tsk, looking for a beating,” Guo Yong said nonchalantly.

Yet, Cheng Meng felt a fist tear through the air before him, heading straight for his cheek.