Chapter 36 Be a Hero
Hearing Liao Feng's voice, Ruan Xingfeng felt nauseous. He really didn't have any good feelings towards Liao Feng now. He even thought that Liao Feng had really killed Xu Nuoyan and Song Xuexi's parents.
All the kindness from the beginning to now was pretended by Liao Feng. This person really made him sick.
Liao Feng squatted on the ground and hugged his trembling body, tears dripping on Ruan Xingfeng. There were no obvious scars on his body, but his expressionless face and empty eyes scared Liao Feng.
"Xiaolu, don't be like this. Tell me what happened, okay?" He knelt on the ground holding Ruan Xingfeng, his voice choked and his eyes red. His most instinctive worry made Ruan Xingfeng think he was just pretending.
Ruan Xingfeng wanted to push him away and question him loudly, but he didn't have the ability to resist Liao Feng now. He put his arms around Liao Feng's neck and snuggled in his arms. He didn't like Ruan Xingfeng's cuddly look, so Ruan Xingfeng pretended to be nice for him.
After a few days, the news that the second young master of the Li family, Li Mingxiao, was getting married spread like wildfire in the streets and alleys. The second young master got married just a few months after the eldest young master got married, and the main reason for this was because of Shao Xiuqi.
He wanted to marry Li Mingxiao in front of everyone. He wanted to let his mother and younger brother back home see that he could be happy with a man.
By the day of the wedding, Ruan Xingfeng was in much better health, but he didn't want to go. The environment made him very uncomfortable. He had his own things to do and was too lazy to watch other people's happiness.
"Xingfeng, aren't you afraid that he will retaliate against you by doing this?" Fu Hangxing was incredulous after hearing his plan. He sat up in excitement and hit his head on the ceiling.
"He is not that petty. I will make him feel guilty and he won't come to me again." His goal was clear and he was no longer afraid of Liao Feng. However, Fu Hangxing still felt that it was not a good idea. Liao Feng was too scary and he didn't want anything to happen to Ruan Xingfeng.
But Ruan Xingfeng had made up his mind and there was no way he could change it. He patted Fu Hangxing on the shoulder and said, "I have nothing to begin with, so why can't I fight for it? The contract will expire in three months. I need to make preparations during these three months. Please help me collect the information." Fu Hangxing felt that it was unreliable but was still willing to help Ruan Xingfeng. However, he was still worried about whether it would involve his family.
Ruan Xingfeng saw his worry and assured him, "Don't worry, I won't let you or your family be involved in this matter. I already have a rough idea in my mind. Even if he comes to retaliate, he will only come to me," he assured confidently.
Fu Hangxing finally chose to believe him. The two of them turned on the computer again and typed away rapidly. The other two voices didn't know what they were doing, but when they heard that they wanted to start a business, they were willing to follow them.
Ruan Xingfeng looked at his roommates who were full of enthusiasm and eager to follow him to "do big things", and a complex emotion surged in his heart.
He didn't know how to explain that his goal was far more than just starting a company; it even involved a certain degree of danger.
He took a deep breath and decided to tell part of the truth.
"Hangxing, Ayi, Xiaozhe," his voice was calmer than usual, carrying an unprecedented solemnity, "Thank you for your willingness to help me. But what I want to do may not be what you think of as 'starting a business'."
He paused, his eyes scanning the curious faces of his three friends. "Making money and gaining freedom are just the first step. What I really want to join is the 'Herbivore Union'."
This name instantly quieted the dormitory. The excitement on Fu Hangxing's face froze, and turned into an expression of disbelief and astonishment.
"The Herbivore Federation? That...that nice-guy organization that exists in name only but has absolutely no practical use and is even a bit of a joke?" Fu Hangxing almost bit his tongue. "Brother Xingfeng, why did you join them? Besides issuing proposals, what else can they do?"
"It's precisely because they can't do anything right now," Ruan Xingfeng's eyes were unusually bright, burning with an almost idealistic light, "that someone needs to change it, to make it truly 'useful'."
His voice was low, but it carried a firm strength. "I don't want to escape from that golden cage by myself. I want to... I want to see if I can build, even if it's a small, 'safe tent' for people like us, for all the herbivores who feel powerless and oppressed."
"In this world where carnivores rule the day, someone has to stand up and fight for a little space and dignity for ourselves, right? Even if it's just starting with providing legal advice, emergency shelter, or exposing some injustice."
He looked at his three roommates and said sincerely, "This is much more difficult and dangerous than simply starting a business. So, what I just said about collecting information and registering a company is to establish an economic entity and information channel that can secretly support this 'safe tent'. Do you understand now? This is likely to be a thankless task and may even cause trouble."
The dormitory fell silent after he finished speaking. This reaction was expected, so he did not tell Fu Hangxing about his entire plan. Now that he had told him everything he wanted to do, they fell silent, not only because they were afraid of death, but also because they were afraid that their families would be implicated.
Ruan Xingfeng's way of protecting his parents and sister is to let Ruan Yuexin and Song Xuexi get married. He feels ironic when he thinks about this. Nowadays they have to rely on carnivores to protect themselves. Song Xuexi is the leader of the tiger tribe and can completely protect them.
He didn't want to put his family in danger, so he began to reason with Ruan Yuexin. His sister was very strong-willed and she would never agree to do it, so he needed to use more brainpower to get Ruan Yuexin to agree.
He wanted his sister to understand that having money does not necessarily mean that she can protect herself. Even if she can protect herself, what about their parents? Who would not give face if Song Xuexi stepped forward? He had offended all the carnivores, so there must be someone who could suppress other carnivores and protect his family, and Song Xuexi was the best candidate.
His family was arranged, but what about the three of them? His roommate's parents were both businessmen, so how could they dare to offend Liao Feng, let alone a group of carnivores.
Fu Hangxing swallowed and said, "So what? My parents can go traveling abroad. As for me, I'm not afraid of anything. Who doesn't want to be a hero? I'm happy when I think that if we succeed, all the herbivores in the future will admire us." The other two nodded and shouted, "We must be heroes and not be afraid of death!"
"Damn it, keep your voices down. The dormitory of the four school bullies is right across the street. If we were heard, we would all be killed," Ruan Xingfeng said jokingly, and the others laughed when they heard his words.
The laughter in the dormitory gradually subsided, and a heavy sense of mission replaced the previous boiling blood.
Fu Hangxing and the other two looked at each other. Although they said they were not afraid, their palms were sweating to some extent.
Ruan Xingfeng took a deep breath, picked up his phone, walked to the balcony, and gently closed the balcony door to isolate himself from the noise in the dormitory.
He needed absolute silence and concentration to have what was about to be the most difficult and important conversation of his life.
He found his sister Ruan Yuexin's number, his finger paused on the dial key for a few seconds, and finally pressed it resolutely.
The phone rang a few times before it was picked up. Ruan Yuexin's clear, yet slightly puzzled voice came: "Brother? Why are you calling me at this time? It must be late there, right?"
Ruan Xingfeng didn't exchange pleasantries and went straight to the point. His voice was low and serious: "Yuexin, there is something very important that I need to discuss with you. It's about our family and the future safety of my parents."
Ruan Yuexin on the other end of the phone immediately noticed her brother's unusual tone and stopped joking: "What's wrong, brother? What happened? Is it Liao Feng..."
"It's none of his business. Or rather, not entirely." Ruan Xingfeng interrupted her, organizing his words, trying to sound calm and convincing. "Yue Xin, you know very well what kind of world we live in. It's a world where the strong prey on the weak, and they make the rules."
He paused and continued, "I...I might have to do something. Something that might affect the interests of certain people. I'm not asking for your consent, but I have to make sure that no matter what happens to me, Mom and Dad are absolutely safe."
Ruan Yuexin was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, her voice filled with caution and a hint of dissatisfaction: "Brother, what exactly do you want to say? What dangerous thing do you want to do? Can you please stop acting on your own?"
Ruan Xingfeng knew his sister's stubborn personality was starting to resist. He softened his tone, but his words were even more poignant: "Yuexin, listen to me. Money doesn't necessarily buy true security. What we need is 'deterrence,' a 'protective umbrella' that will keep those people from even thinking about it."
He finally revealed the core point: "Song Xuexi... She is the leader of the Tiger Clan. Her identity and status are a powerful deterrent in themselves. If... If she were to come forward, many people would be wary and wouldn't dare to touch anyone in our family."
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Ruan Yuexin was obviously stunned by the proposal, or rather, furious.
"...Brother." Her voice was filled with incredible coldness and anger. "You mean, for that 'big thing' of yours, I don't know what it is, you want to 'sell' me to Song Xuexi in exchange for some so-called 'insurance'? In your eyes, am I just a tool? Is this the good destination you've 'arranged' for me?"
She didn't think she had anything to be afraid of. She had her own clothing brand and had a say in her career. They could live in peace. Why would Ruan Xingfeng do such a dangerous thing? If he failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Yuexin, it's not like that. You like her too, don't you? You've been dating for a while, and you know what she's like. This isn't about selling you off to anyone. Marrying her can protect your parents and you, and it can also take your career to the next level," he explained patiently to calm Ruan Yuexin.
There was silence for a long time. When Ruan Xingfeng wanted to speak again, he heard his sister asking in a tearful voice, "Brother, do you feel that no matter how hard I try, I can't compare to boys and my thinking can't keep up?" She put the conflict on gender, and Ruan Xingfeng didn't know how to explain it.
"Do you think that because you are a boy, you are not afraid of anything and can make a name for yourself, while I am a girl and need someone to protect me, and I have to rely on others?" After she hung up the phone, Ruan Xingfeng sat on the balcony all night looking at his phone and did not come back.
He thought about it all night, and the next morning he sent Ruan Yuexin a long letter:
"Yue Xin, I know you're strong-willed. I don't mean for you to be dependent on others. You have your career now. If you follow me into this, your career will be ruined, and my dream will be ruined. You can't do that. 'Zu Manli' is your life's work. Don't give up easily. There's nothing a man can't do that a woman can't. You can also use your great ideals to do anything. But your dream since childhood was to design beautiful clothes. I also want to be an ordinary architectural designer, but because I've seen too many unpleasant things around Liao Feng, I think some things need to change. You marrying Song Xuexi is not just to protect yourself and your parents, but also to make my plan go more smoothly."
He didn't know what Ruan Yuexin would think when she saw this, whether she would agree with his idea. If he went to find Song Xuexi, how long would it take for the two of them to get married? Song Xuexi was very smart and loved to play, so it would not be so easy for her to give up and marry Ruan Yuexin.
Ruan Yuexin woke up and saw his message. She hesitated for a long time before replying, asking, "How long will it take?" She treated this matter as a task. Ruan Xingfeng sighed and replied, "Ideally, within three months. I know this is difficult, but Yuexin, we have to hurry." Ruan Yuexin did not reply again, and Ruan Xingfeng returned to the villa from the dormitory.
Liao Feng seemed to have just returned from a wedding. He was still wearing a groomsmen's suit and lying on the sofa, exhausted. Ruan Xingfeng glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, changed his shoes and prepared to go upstairs. When he just reached the stairwell, Liao Feng spoke: "Baby Xiaolu, you have been so cold to me recently." He opened his eyes and looked at Ruan Xingfeng, his tone was blaming, but also like he was acting coquettishly.
But Ruan Xingfeng felt disgusted when he heard it. How could this person be so pretentious? He treated him like a canary and a plaything in front of others, but acted like another person when he returned home.
"Sorry, sir, I'm busy with studies lately." He felt disgusted but didn't show it. He walked to Liao Feng as if he had accepted his fate, squatted down and kissed him. Liao Feng put his arms around his waist and took the initiative. Another torment was inevitable tonight, Ruan Xingfeng thought to himself.
Ruan Yuexin hesitated for a long time before calling Song Xuexi. Song Xuexi hadn't expected her to call him again. She raised an eyebrow and answered the phone teasingly, "What's wrong? My dear Miss First Love? Are you thinking about the feeling of ecstasy under me?"
This sentence made Ruan Yuexin blush instantly. She broke up with Song Xuexi because she was lustful and her ability to say dirty and sweet words was unbearable for her.
"You...can't just speak properly?" She stuttered out of shyness. Song Xuexi was very satisfied with her reaction, smiled, and asked her to continue.
"Where are you? Are you in the country of Xi?" She hoped that Song Xuexi was in China, but she also hoped that she was abroad in the country she belonged to.
"No, I'm in Laiguo and now I'm staying in a hotel next to your school." It's true that she is here, but not near Ruan Yuexin's school. When Ruan Yuexin heard her say that, she hesitated and couldn't speak. Finally, she asked, "Can you come out tomorrow?" The other party agreed without hesitation.
After Ruan Yuexin hung up the phone, she lay in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep. She didn't know what to say to Song Xuexi tomorrow. Should she just tell her that we should get married? That would make Song Xuexi think she was crazy, Ruan Yuexin thought wildly while hugging her pillow.
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