A sudden angry shout interrupted Brother Hao's hand that was reaching for the N97.
Zhou Rui looked back and saw a familiar yet unfamiliar figure running toward him.
Lu Xubo.
He had a ferocious expression on his face at this moment, and there were several boys following him.
Lu Xubo stood in front of Zhou Rui, tilted his head, and looked at Brother Hao, without fear: "Who are you hanging out with? You came to No. 1 Middle School to cause trouble."
When Brother Hao saw that Lu Xubo and his gang were tall and strong and looked very aggressive, he was actually a little afraid.
He might be able to scare good students, but he was just a gangster, and bullying the weak and fearing the strong was in his nature.
What's more, several boys behind Lu Xubo surrounded Hao Ge and Guo Sheng.
Zhou Rui sighed and put the N97 back in his hand with a bit of regret.
It's a pity that he didn't get robbed.
Hao was timid but stubborn: "I'm hanging out with Bo, so students shouldn't be too arrogant, okay?"
Lu Xubo glared at Guo Sheng, then slapped Brother Hao on the face and said, "I don't care who you fuck with, don't come to No. 1 Middle School to cause trouble, or I'll beat you up every time I see you. Get out of here!"
Seeing that the other side had more people and each one was taller than him, Hao Ge could only turn around and swear: "If you have the guts, don't leave after school!"
Lu Xubo said disdainfully: "School is over now, idiot!"
Zhou Rui felt a little sorry for not sending him in, so he kicked him. Brother Hao fell flat on his face, but he didn't even dare to look back.
Guo Sheng also wanted to run. Lu Xubo was someone he dared not provoke in any sense. The reason why he was afraid of Zhou Rui's three-pointer before was because of Lu Xubo. How could he not be weak?
Brother Hao was being slapped on the face—wouldn't his face be shattered?
Unfortunately, Guo Sheng was pinned down by Lu Xubo's shoulders, preventing him from running away.
Not to mention how desperate Guo Sheng was, Lu Xubo immediately turned to look at Zhou Rui and asked in a deep voice, "Are you okay?"
Zhou Rui spread his hands and said helplessly: "It's okay, you just ruined my good thing."
Lu Xubo thought that when Zhou Rui said "good thing," he meant that he was going to fight two people at once and kill them, so he didn't think much about it.
Zhou Rui pointed at Guo Sheng and said, "I usually don't see this guy, but I didn't expect him to be so mean. He even asked people outside the school to stop me for such a trivial matter. I really look at him in a new light."
At this time, Guo Sheng was surrounded by several tall and strong boys. His face was pale, but he didn't know that it was Lu Xubo's appearance that really saved him.
Zhou Rui saved him, but he hated Zhou Rui.
Now that Lu Xubo had saved him, he probably hated Lu Xubo so much in his heart.
Some people have been villains since childhood.
Lu Xubo asked, "How do you want to deal with it? Beat him up?"
Zhou Rui looked at the camera behind him and shook his head.
Since you have been born again, don't use the methods of young people, as they are reckless.
"There are surveillance cameras here. Drag him to the alley and beat him up."
______________Half an hour later, Zhou Rui sent Li Wenqian to the gate of her community.
Seeing Li Wenqian hesitate to speak, Zhou Rui rubbed her mushroom head and said, "Go back. Don't worry about the rest. I'll take care of it."
Li Wenqian nodded, turned around, and ran into the community.
Zhou Rui watched Li Wen Qian enter the unit door before turning back and finding Lu Xubo waiting in the alley.
The large group of people who had come before had left, and Guo Sheng gave them a lecture and let them go.
Lu Xubo was carrying a school bag across his shoulder, his school uniform was a little loose, and he looked at Zhou Rui with a feeling of unfamiliarity.
When they were in the first and second year of high school, the two had always had a good relationship, and could even be said to be best friends, often doing silly things together.
But in the third year of high school, Zhou Rui chose to work hard, while Lu Xubo seemed to choose to maintain the status quo, and gradually their relationship faded.
There was no formal breaking of friendship, nor any conflict or dissatisfaction.
Purely, just because they chose different paths, they naturally separated into two different trajectories.
Zhou Rui glanced at Lu Xubo. Although he had disrupted his good show, Lu Xubo had indeed helped him. He nudged Lu Xubo's shoulder with his fist and said, "Thank you for today."
Lu Xubo seemed a little uncomfortable with this kind of thanks. Young people rarely say thank you in a serious manner. He thought Zhou Rui had really changed.
"I felt something was wrong with Guo Sheng these days. He kept staring at you during class breaks. I didn't expect him to be so bold as to ask people outside to block you and even try to steal your phone."
Zhou Rui didn't point it out. It was true that they blocked him after school, but it was he who instigated the cell phone snatching, although it was interrupted in the end.
Guo Sheng was lucky as he was only beaten up.
Thinking of the situation at Lu Xubo's home, Zhou Rui said, "Have you eaten yet? Come on, I'll treat you to dinner."
Lu Xubo moved his mouth but still followed.
Lu Xubo was born into a working-class family with an alcoholic father. If he returned home at this time, there might not even be cold rice.
Zhou Rui didn't have much money, so the two of them sat at a wonton stall in the alley, and Zhou Rui ordered two bowls of wontons.
Tired office workers, the proprietress on the greasy floor can make ten small wontons by just wiping the meat filling with her chopsticks.
There may not be delicious food in the alley, but it is always full of life.
There would be another meal at his mother's house in the evening, so Zhou Rui didn't plan to eat much. He ordered large wontons for Lu Xubo and a bowl of small mixed wontons that were mostly dough for himself.
While wiping the table, Zhou Rui casually asked, "How is Uncle Lu doing recently?"
When he was in the first and second year of high school, Zhou Rui also went to Lu Xubo's home. He was deeply impressed by Uncle Lu, who was "tipsy" 24 hours a day.
Lu Xubo moved his mouth and whispered, "Drinking and causing trouble, detained for seven days, and he hasn't come out yet."
Zhou Rui paused.
Before his rebirth, he and Lu Xubo had no more contact after the college entrance examination. The other party did not seem to be admitted to university or college, and stayed in Qinghe County. He never showed up at any subsequent class reunions and basically disappeared from Zhou Rui's life.
Later, he heard from others that he seemed to have committed some crime and was put in jail.
The wontons came very quickly. When the boss brought them over, Zhou Rui suddenly asked, "There are only 40 days left before the college entrance examination. What are your plans?"
Lu Xubo, who was adding vinegar to the wontons, paused and continued to pour the vinegar without looking up: "I know a friend who opened a car wash and auto repair shop on Jianguo Road. I agreed to help out there after graduation and learn a skill."
Zhou Rui mixed the wontons: "A friend you know? A friend from the underworld, right?"
Lu Xubo hesitated for a moment, but still nodded, then started eating with a slurp.
It was a bit hot, but he still ate it quickly.
In fact, there was no taste in his mouth, only bitterness.
Zhou Rui looked at him and drank his wonton soup in a disinterested manner.
Lu Xubo is not stupid, in fact, he is very smart, even very clear-headed.
He knew that missing the college entrance examination would cause him trouble in the future.
It's not like I don't know that asking so-called "friends" for help is not a good way out at all.
Due to family reasons, he is actually much more sober than the so-called bad boys around him.
But being awake doesn't mean you have the ability to break free.
Zhou Rui knew clearly that Lu Xubo was not unable to study, but that he did not have the environment.
He occasionally studied when he was in the first and second year of high school, and even explained the questions to Zhou Rui. But after entering the third year, Lu Xubo gave up completely. During the quizzes, Zhou Rui even noticed that he simply slept through the exams for two courses in the afternoon.
The teacher wouldn't care about such students.
Lu Xubo gave up his studies, and his teacher also gave up on Lu Xubo.
He would not bully anyone in the class and never pick a fight. Gradually, he became like a transparent person in Class 3-7 of Senior High School.
At the wonton stall, the two fell into silence.
As for Lu Xubo's situation, one can only say that fate is playing tricks on him and it is difficult to reverse the accumulated problems.
Zhou Rui said, "Maybe you can consider going to a big city and try your luck. You can be a real estate agent or a salesperson. They don't really care about academic qualifications. I think it's at least more reliable than helping out at a 'friend's' auto repair shop. Of course, if you can get into a college or a junior college, that would be even better."
Lu Xubo frowned, finished his wonton in a few bites, wiped his mouth, and said, "I'm leaving. Bye."
Zhou Rui didn't say anything more, and smiled and said, "Be careful on the road."