Chapter 216: Make an Opening Move and Try Out
âAh?â Hou Zhenhan was shocked. Motherf*cker, why was there someone nearby? As he turned his head around and noticed the lofty and formidable figure of Yang Ming, he couldnât help but curse at his bad luck!
Even though Hou Zhenhan was a retired soldier, there wasnât anyone who could get close to him easily. But right now, he was a robber! He couldnât help but carry a sense of guilt! If it was just one person, he could threaten her with a knife. However, another person came into the picture, and Hou Zhenhan couldnât quite get a grip on the situation! He was afraid of Yang Ming calling the police!
âWhoâŠwho are you? Donât come closer!â Hou Zhenhan said as he forced his way to Lin Zhiyun with a knife. âIf you come any closer, I will kill herâŠâ
âIâm a student of this university.â Yang Ming said with a smile, âI just pa.s.sed by here coincidentally and stumbled onto this scene.â
âCoincidence? Stop bluffing! What are you doing at a place like this⊠oh, yes, you must be acquainted with this girl! You noticed that she didnât return and came looking for her, right?â Hou Zhenhan a.n.a.lyzed the situation.
âYour creativity wasnât bad. I donât know her though.â Yang Ming shook his head. âBut, donât you want money? Isnât it the same if you get it from another person? How much you want? Give me a number.â
The moment Lin Zhiyun heard Yang Ming say that he didnât know her, she felt slightly relieved. It seemed that he had already forgotten about her entirely. But, Lin Zhiyun still had an anxious feeling lingering around her.
âAre you going to give me money?â Apparently, Hou Zhenhan lacked experience, or else he wouldnât ask something like that.
âYes. Before I change my mind, you shouldnât doubt about it.â Yang Ming said plainly.
âYou⊠really⊠I want two thousand yuan. Can you give it to me?â Hou Zhenhan asked stammeringly. In fact, the surgery fee was merely a thousand yuan. He asked for two thousand yuan just in case of unforeseen circ.u.mstances.
âWhy donât you tell me the purpose of the money? If it was really needed, I will give it to you.â Yang Ming replied without a sense of doubt.
The reason Yang Ming was standing here negotiating with him was that of his ability which let him peek into the robberâs mind unintentionally. A person thoughts in his mind canât lie unless this person was diagnosed with paranoia. Yang Ming was taking into consideration that this fellow was in a rush to ama.s.s money for his momâs treatment, so he took the time to negotiate.
âMy mother was diagnosed with acute appendicitis⊠After she was admitted to the hospital, an immediate surgery was required⊠The hospital wouldnât carry out the surgery if I couldnât afford it. My mother was suffering from agonizing pain. They attempted to control the situation with painkillers. In fact, it wasnât effectiveâŠâ Hou Zhenhan said in a miserable manner. âI rushed out to acquire funds at any place that I could think of, but it was quite late already, and I had no place to get funds for surgery. I didnât have a choice, so I resorted to robberyâŠâ
Yang Ming nodded his head. He knew acute appendicitis couldnât be delayed. If the appendix was perforated, it would be much worse. So, he nodded and looked into the eyes of Hou Zhenhan as he spoke word by word, âI hope what you said is true!â
âI swearâŠâ Hou Zhenhan quickly raised his right hand and swore.
âThereâs no need for it.â Yang Ming shook his head as he took out his wallet from his pocket. He counted two thousand and pa.s.sed it to Hou Zhenhan, âYou should leave in haste. The sickness canât be delayed any furtherâŠâ
âAh? You actually gave it to me?â This time, Hou Zhenhan was amazed. He stared at Yang Ming at a complete loss.
When Yang Ming noticed Hou Zhenhanâs expression, he felt slightly relieved. Yang Ming could be deemed as a student with a deep pocket. He always carried about ten thousand yuan in his wallet. Hou Zhenhan didnât have any ill intention after seeing it. Apparently, he wasnât an evil person. Just now, Yang Ming actually tightened his senses and reflexes. If Hou Zhenhan was greedy for wealth, Yang Ming would stop him without mercy.
âYes, donât you want it?â Yang Ming laughed as he asked.
âYes, yes⊠thank you, thank you!â Hou Zhenhan couldnât stop expressing his grat.i.tude.
âQuickly go to the hospital. Please donât delay any further.â Yang Ming shook his head without caring too much. At that moment, two thousand yuan didnât amount to much for him.
âMy benefactor, please accept Hou Zhenhanâs respectâŠâ Hou Zhenhan had a sense of grat.i.tude toward Yang Ming that he had never felt before. In this materialistic age, who would give you money for nothing in return? With that, Hou Zhenhan bowed to Yang MingâŠ
Yang Ming was shocked, Thereâs no need for that, right? He quickly tried to raise Hou Zhenhan up, but he didnât expect Hou Zhenhan to have such insurmountable strength. Yang Ming used thirty percent of his strength yet he couldnât raise him up! Yang Ming frowned a little. If he used all his strength, he would be able to do it. However, Yang Ming didnât want to set himself against him, so he accepted the bow.
âBenefactor, I will go ahead first⊠May I ask if my benefactor could give me your name and addressâŠâ Hou Zhenhan noticed Yang Mingâs expression. He was worried of misunderstanding hence he quickly explained, âDear benefactor, please donât misunderstand. What I meant is to return to you the money once I earn it in the futureâŠâ
Yang Ming nodded his head and said, âIt is once in a blue moon to see someone with such commitment. My name is Yang Ming, computer science department level 8 cla.s.s 2 of Songjiang University. You can look for me there. Of course, even if you donât have enough money, you may come to look for me too.â Yang Ming felt Hou Zhenhan had a strong self-esteem, hence he told Hou Zhenhan his contact information.
âAlright, I will remember that. My name is Hou Zhenhan.â As he finished his sentence, he turned around and left in haste.
âI hope it didnât scare you?â Yang Ming turned around and spoke to Lin Zhiyun who was startled.
âI⊠am fineâŠâ Lin Zhiyun shook her head. âDid you actually give him the money?â
âWhy not? Maybe his mother was actually admitted into the hospital with a dire need of money.â Yang Ming smiled, âAs you can see, he only requested two thousand yuan. But, my wallet had so much more money, yet he didnât have any ill intention. It proves that he was not really a robber.â
âProbably soâŠâ Lin Zhiyun nodded his head. Yes, who wonât face difficult times? Thinking about the past, I almost stepped into the path of prost.i.tution due to the circ.u.mstance!⊠Yang Ming just seems to be too kind. Last time, he gave me three thousand yuan. This time around, he gave the person just now two thousand yuan! Is his family rich? It doesnât seem to be true too. Yang Ming has a similar outfit to me. Also, he was taking the train last time. How would a rich person ride the train?
âAre you alright?â Yang Ming noticed Lin Zhiyun was dazed and he asked in curiosity. Was she shocked to the point of becoming crazy?
âI⊠am fineâŠâAs Lin Zhiyun spoke, she bent down and started picking up the straw mushrooms which dropped on the ground.
âLet me help.â Yang Ming bent down and helped Lin Zhiyun pick up the straw mushrooms. âAre these straw mushrooms? Did you pick them here?â
âYes, there was rain in the afternoon. The grove in this area grows a lot of straw mushrooms. So, I pick those up to bring it home to prepare soup for my father.â Lin Zhiyun nodded as she spoke.
âIs the taste of straw mushroom good? I havenât tasted it before.â Yang Ming thought out loud.
âIt is quite tasty, better than the mushrooms which grow under artificial cultivation⊠How about I give you some, and you can bring it home to try?â Lin Zhiyun suggested.
âForget it. I am a man, and I donât know how to cook it. It is better not to put those straw mushrooms into waste.â Yang Ming smiled as he replied. His original intention was, You should prepare it and share some of it with me. In any case, I had rescued you at least.
âOhâŠâ But Lin Zhiyun only said âohâ and didnât utter any more words.
d.a.m.n, it seems like I have expected too much from an uninterested person. Yang Ming shook his head. A hero rescuing a damsel in distress wasnât quite effective!
After she finished picking up the straw mushrooms on the ground, Lin Zhiyun said to Yang Ming in a bashful manner, âJust now⊠thank you⊠I will leave first?â
âAre you a student of Song Jiang Industry University?â Yang Ming asked.
âEn.â Lin Zhiyun nodded her head.
âLetâs go. I am going back also.â Actually, the trails here were quite dangerous at night. Yang Ming was worried as they encountered a robbery just now. As the Chinese idiom goes, do good till the end.
âBut⊠I need to go home now⊠to prepare soup for my dadâŠâ Lin Zhiyun explained.
âThatâs quite late. How are you going back?â Yang Ming took a look at his phone, âItâs already 10 p.m., yet you want to walk back home?â
âMy house isnât far from here. I can walk back home,â replied Lin Zhiyun.
âNever mind. Whereâs your house? Let me send you home.â Yang Ming didnât have any urgent matters to attend. It was quite late already, and Yang Ming couldnât agree to have a girl walk back home alone. After all, Iâm still a gentleman!
âAh?â Lin Zhiyun was caught by surprise. What is the meaning behind it? Is he⊠Ever since senior high school, Lin Zhiyun was the campus belle. There wasnât a shortage of pursuers like him. Originally, Lin Zhiyun thought Yang Ming wasnât a man who would l.u.s.t after her looks. It cannot be⊠but, how is that possible? Why did he buy my first night and leave later on? Lin Zhiyun was puzzled by the situation.