Chapter Thirty-Three: Chen Long

“If you lay a hand on him, you’re as good as dead.”

A cold, shadowy figure appeared silently beside the blond thug.

Chen Long looked over, and his body jolted violently.

“Xiao Ye...”

The one who had blocked the attack for him was none other than Xiao Ye—the very person he’d tried to avoid just moments ago!

“Who the hell are you, interrupting your uncle’s business? Don’t you know I run this whole area?” the blond thug shouted as soon as he saw Xiao Ye, trying to wrench his hand free.

But suddenly, an immense force gripped his hand, and with a sharp crack, his wrist bone shattered instantly.

“My hand!” the blond stared in terror at his ruined right hand, stumbling back several steps, his face contorted in agony.

“My hand!” His scream of pain seemed to pierce the sky.

Witnessing this, Chen Long’s face changed dramatically. How had Xiao Ye grown so formidable after only a few years apart?

“Are you all right, Long?” Xiao Ye ignored the blond, stepping to Chen Long’s side and reaching out to him.

At that moment, a smile returned to Xiao Ye’s face, as if time had turned back and the two of them were once again schoolboys—so innocent and pure.

For a fleeting moment, Chen Long felt transported to those days as well, his eyes welling up with tears.

“Xiao Ye!”

Suddenly, Chen Long was pulled up and the two of them embraced tightly.

Five years! Five years had changed them both utterly, but neither had ever forgotten the bond between them.

“Don’t worry. I’m back now, and I’ll help you,” Xiao Ye said, holding him close. Although he didn’t know what had happened to Chen Long, he was certain it was all because of him.

“It’s all right, Xiao Ye. I’m just glad you’re back. It was worth everything to have helped you back then!” Chen Long’s tears streamed uncontrollably down his face. Suddenly, his body swayed and he nearly collapsed again.

Xiao Ye quickly caught him, startled as he glanced at Chen Long’s right leg.

“Your leg... was it injured back then?”

“It’s all old news now. As long as you’re all right, that’s enough!” Chen Long wiped his tears away and smiled at Xiao Ye.

Yet no matter how he tried to smile, the bitterness could not be concealed.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure your leg is healed, even if I have to search the world for a doctor!”

In this world, Xiao Ye owed too many debts. If he didn’t repay those who had helped him, how could he bear to face them?

Supporting Chen Long, Xiao Ye walked over to the blond, who was still writhing on the ground in agony, and tossed a wad of cash from his wallet right at the man’s face.

“Here’s your money. But if you come again, you’re dead.”

Xiao Ye’s voice was icy as he addressed the screaming thug.

With that, leaving the blond and his two shell-shocked lackeys behind, Xiao Ye led Chen Long away.

“You little punk, this isn’t over!” the blond howled, cold sweat pouring from his brow, his eyes seething with rage.

Amid his furious shouts, Xiao Ye and Chen Long made their slow way out.

Hearing the clamor behind them, Chen Long’s face paled.

“Xiao Ye, what are we going to do? That blond’s a man from the underworld. If we cross him, our lives will be hell.”

“The underworld?” At those words, Xiao Ye’s lips curled into a frosty smile.

“Whether they come from the underworld or the surface, if they dare to trouble us, I’ll deal with them all.”

Chen Long’s body trembled; his gaze at Xiao Ye changed.

Once, Xiao Ye had been a cheerful, sunny youth, but now, his eyes were filled with a chilling fierceness and a sharpness that could not be hidden.

In these years, it wasn’t just he who had changed; Xiao Ye had changed as well.

“Chen Long, where do you live? I’ll take you home,” Xiao Ye asked.

A flicker of embarrassment flashed across Chen Long’s face. He gave a sheepish smile and pointed toward the bridge pier ahead.

“I live there now.”

A thunderbolt seemed to strike Xiao Ye’s heart. Staring at the pitch-dark bridge pier, his eyes burned red.

“Come, let’s take a look.”

Forcing back tears, Xiao Ye followed Chen Long to the bridge.

Beneath the bridge, beside one of the concrete pillars, a dark hole was crammed with a pile of miscellaneous junk.

This was the trash Chen Long had mentioned trying to sell.

“Brother, is that you?”

A small figure emerged from the shadows—a girl of fifteen or sixteen. Despite her filthy face, her features were delicate and fair.

She glanced timidly at Xiao Ye, then said to Chen Long, “Brother, Mom and Dad said they’ll be back late today. They went somewhere else to collect trash.”

Hearing the girl’s words, Xiao Ye’s hands could not help but tremble.

He remembered Chen Long’s family as one of modest comfort—not wealthy, but never lacking for food or shelter.

Now, they were reduced to picking trash and living under a bridge.

It was all, inescapably, because of him.

“Chen Long, I’ve wronged you. I’m the reason your life turned out this way!” Xiao Ye clenched his teeth so hard that blood seeped from between them. He had never imagined he would bring such ruin upon Chen Long.

“It’s all right. You’re back, that’s all that matters!” If there had been any resentment in Chen Long’s heart before, it vanished the moment he saw Xiao Ye.

“Come, I’ll take you somewhere else to live.” Xiao Ye grasped Chen Long’s hand, wiped away his tears, and his gaze grew cold once more.

Now that he had returned, he would never let his brother suffer again.

“But, Xiao Ye... my parents aren’t back yet,” Chen Long said anxiously, glancing at his little sister, afraid he might never see his parents again if he left now.

“It’s all right. When they return, I’ll arrange for someone to bring them over,” Xiao Ye replied with a reassuring smile.

Because of him, Chen Long had fallen to this state. If he didn’t do his utmost to repay them, he would never be at peace.

Hearing this, Chen Long fell silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

He took his sister’s hand and smiled at her. “Go find some nice clothes, little sister. We have a new place to live now!”

“That’s wonderful, big brother! We finally don’t have to live under the bridge!” she exclaimed. “It’s always dark here... and there are rats and cockroaches...”

Her words made Chen Long’s heart ache all the more.

He knelt down, smiling at his sister. “Don’t worry, little one. Soon, your brother will take you to buy new clothes, eat delicious food, and live in a place where there isn’t a single rat!”

“Really? That’s great! I haven’t eaten in a restaurant in years!” she cried out in delight.

Her words made Xiao Ye’s face darken further. It was indeed because of him that Chen Long’s family had suffered so long.

“All right, let’s go.”

Chen Long’s family had little to pack. With Xiao Ye leading the way, they prepared to leave immediately.

But just then, a large crowd suddenly surged forward, blocking the way at the foot of the bridge.