His cover blown, the ruffian was disgraced and became furiously embarrassed.
"Everyone here is reasonable. You hit someone and think you can get away without paying? There's no such cheap deal. Since you don't want to settle privately, then call the police. Let the traffic police handle this."
The ruffian's face lifted, spittle flying.
Suyun and Hong Jiaxin were still trying to reason with the ruffian, but Luo Yang got out of the car. Without saying a word, he kicked the ruffian's shin.
With a thud, the ruffian knelt on one knee, grimacing in pain, unable to stand up for a moment.
Luo Yang wasn't exactly an underworld figure, but he understood the nature of these hooligans well. Arguing with a thug was like a scholar facing soldiers, reason would not prevail. In front of thugs, fists were more convincing than words. Now, a swift kick saved a lot of arguments.
"I give you two choices. A, leave immediately, and I won't hold it against you; B, I give you five hundred yuan, but I have a thousand ways to put you in the hospital by tomorrow, for at least a month," Luo Yang said coldly.
With Luo Yang stepping in to help, the panic on Suyun's pretty face gradually subsided as she breathed a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Luo Yang's tall and strong figure.
Knowing he couldn't provoke Luo Yang, the ruffian slumped, sitting on the ground, no longer clamoring for compensation.
Just as Luo Yang was about to escort Suyun to Hong Jiaxin's home, a chestnut-colored Passat drove over. The ruffian suddenly became arrogant again, gritting his teeth, "No one leaves without paying!"
Before the words ended, Luo Yang kicked towards his head, sending him into the ditch by the side of the road.
By then, the Passat had already arrived.
The ruffian climbed up soaking wet, standing in the ditch and shouted, "Boss! Someone's bullying me!"
With a hiss, the Passat screeched to a halt, and three people got out. The leader was none other than Lu Daji, also known as Brother Ji.
"Boss! It's him causing trouble on our turf!"
The ruffian pointed at Luo Yang.
However, Lu Daji ignored him and walked towards Luo Yang with a smile, greeting him, "Bro, what brings you here?"
While talking, he took out a packet of high-quality cigarettes, offered one to Luo Yang, and even lit it for him.
Luo Yang briefly explained the ruffian's attempted extortion of Suyun, concluding with, "I already gave him face, and he still wants to extort more."
Hearing the details, and knowing the ruffian's character, Lu Daji naturally believed what Luo Yang said.
"You, come here!" Lu Daji commanded the ruffian.
The ruffian had hoped to use Lu Daji to bully Luo Yang, but when he heard Lu Daji calling Luo Yang "bro," his face turned pale.
He walked over tremblingly, his face blank, his eyes full of fear.
Lu Daji ordered, "Do you know who he is to me? My benefactor! Aren't you going to apologize to my benefactor right now?!"
The ruffian blurted out, "Big brother, I failed to recognize a great man. Please forgive me. The lady did not hit me; please let me off. I apologize to you."
As the person involved in the incident, Suyun said to Luo Yang, "Teacher Su, how do you want to punish him?"
Although Suyun was a bit annoyed, she wasn't spiteful and said, "Let him slap himself a few times to remember not to swindle people again."
Without Luo Lu urging him, the ruffian started slapping himself left and right.
After the crisp slaps had sounded, Lu Daji let the ruffian off the hook and waved his hand, "This has nothing to do with you anymore, go on."
The ruffian nodded and bowed, with a forced smile, retreated several meters, then turned and ran off like a wisp of smoke.
"Bro, want to join us to make some money?"
"How to make money?"
Lu Daji put his arm around Luo Yang's shoulder and pulled him aside, then whispered into his ear, "You saved my life, and I'll always remember this favor."
He exhaled a puff of smoke and continued, "We share our fortunes together, I'll be honest with you. It's all about setting up bogus gambling games to trick people—that's how you make money fast. A while ago, a friend of mine set up a trap and lured someone into gambling. That person lost miserably, seems like it was someone from your Hongyun Brigade."
Upon hearing this, Luo Yang immediately thought of Tang Guihua's brother, Tang Dexing, and had planned to check if Tang Dexing had fallen into someone else's trap. Unexpectedly, he caught wind of a clue from Lu Daji's words.
He intended to continue talking with Lu Daji, but seeing Suyun waiting not far away, who had specifically come to find him, he couldn't leave her hanging.
"Alright, let's do this. I need to go handle some things with them now. How about we talk properly about this money-making opportunity at noon or in the afternoon?" Luo Yang said calmly.
"No problem. Whenever you're free, come find me. We brothers will earn money together. I'll go first then," nodded Lu Daji.
Immediately thereafter, Lu Daji drove off in his car, leaving a trail of dust behind.
Luo Yang had once said that if he ever made a lot of money, he would buy a sedan for Suyun for her to get around.
At that moment, he blurted out, "Teacher Su, when I make money, I'll buy you a nice car to drive."
Hearing this, Suyun's pretty face suddenly glowed with two blushes and she said with a smile, "That sounds great. Then teacher will wait for your good news."
To say no would make the atmosphere too heavy; she could only respond with a somewhat playful expectation.
Hearing about the car gift, Hong Jiaxin pursed her lips and smiled, "Do I get a share too?"
Luo Yang laughed, "As soon as I make it big, you all get a share. Whatever car you like, that's what I'll buy for you."
Upon hearing this, Suyun and Hong Jiaxin exchanged smiles. They didn't know much about cars, and for the moment couldn't name what kind of sedan they liked.
The three of them got on the motorcycle, chatting leisurely as they headed towards Hong Jiaxin's home.
"Teacher Su, have you learned to drive?" asked Luo Yang.
"Not yet. What's up?" asked Suyun curiously.
"The squad leader and I have signed up for driving lessons. You should learn too. Better to learn early, then you can drive once you have a car," Luo Yang said.
"Even if I learn, I won't have a car to drive," Suyun said with a smile.
"Teacher Su, my word is as good as gold. I said I would get you a car, and I won't go back on my word. I'll buy you one within this year," Luo Yang promised.
"How can you guys sign up to learn driving?" Suyun said, delighted.
Then, Luo Yang told her about the modified age issue and also added Hong Jiaxin into the mix.
Though tempted, Suyun was still undecided about learning to drive and hesitated, "To learn driving, I need to go to the county city, and I usually have work."
"Teacher Su, the squad leader and I are going for a medical checkup on Monday. I'll take you to sign up. Afterward, when it's time for lessons, I'll drive you there," Luo Yang said.
By this point, Suyun had made up her mind and smiled sweetly, "Then I'll sign up on Monday too. Luo Yang, you haven't even gotten your license yet, and you dare to drive?"
At that moment, Hong Jiaxin chimed in, "Teacher Su, you have no idea how gutsy he is. That night, he borrowed a car from his god-sister and drove me back to the village."
She paused and then added, "At first, I thought he was really good at driving. But once we got on the road, I realized he was only half-trained. It was so scary. We nearly crashed into other cars several times. He was laughing, but I was terrified."
Softly, Suyun asked, "Luo Yang, is that true?"
With a laugh, Luo Yang nodded.