Chapter 141 — Old Buffon's Origins
Years of Heartflutter · Page 191 of 214
"What, scared? Lost your nerve?" Zheng Zetao sneered at Yang Juehuan's words. "What dirty, underhanded trick did you pull, eh? Feeling guilty now, want to run? I'm telling you, Dongzi, you're the only one who can swallow this insult."
Zheng Zetao had struck right at Yang Juehuan's sore spot. The way he had come to know Lin Yanhe was the one thing Yang Ce felt most ashamed of. Though the means by which he had won her had not been his own intention, they had indeed been somewhat despicable.
"Li Dadong, I'll give you face today." Yang Ce stood up and glared at Zheng Zetao. "Your friend's had too much horse piss. Tell him to settle down."
Li Dadong smiled bitterly and was about to speak when Zheng Zetao slammed the table and shot to his feet. "You little brat—who the hell are you talking about? Tired of living?"
Zheng Zetao saw that Yang Puqi's clothes were nothing grand, and eating in a little snack bar like this—how high-class could he be? He himself had seen his share of the world; the only reason he had come here today was for Li Dadong's sake. Otherwise he would never have set foot in such a low-class place.
So Zheng Zetao naturally felt a cut above the rest, and now that Yang Ce had dared to curse at him, he was certainly not about to take it lying down.
"You've got food at home, right?" Yang Ce suddenly turned and asked Lin Yanhe.
"I do. Why? Didn't you already buy fried rice?" Lin Yanhe asked, puzzled.
"As long as you've got some, that's enough." Yang Puqi grabbed the freshly served fried rice from the table and slapped it straight into Zheng Zetao's face.
"Aah!" Zheng Zetao let out a strange howl. The fried rice, just out of the wok, was steaming hot, and as it hit his face it scalded him so badly that he hopped about wildly, flailing his arms and legs.
The burly young man beside him, the one called Yaoyang, could not stand by any longer. He had only been watching before, but now he could not keep silent. He rose to his feet, pointed at Yang Ce and said, "That's going too far!"
"Whether it's too far, you know in your own heart. You've got ears—you heard what your friend said." Yang Ce's voice was cold. "I don't want to use my hands today, but don't push me. This is none of your business—best stay out of it."
Yaoyang was by nature a bold and generous sort. When a friend was in trouble, right or wrong, he could not simply stand by and watch—especially since Zheng Zetao had only been speaking up for Li Dadong.
"Kid, he only said a few words to you, and you actually hit him?" Yaoyang rose and came at Yang Ce. "Lin Yanhe, don't say Brother Yaoyang didn't give you face."
"Yaoyang, hold it!" Zheng Zetao wiped the grains of rice from his face and waved a hand to stop him.
"Zetao, you all right?" Yaoyang asked after a moment's hesitation.
"This grudge between me and this kid—I'll settle it myself." Zheng Zetao gave a cold snort. "Kid, you're pretty tough, but do you know what happens to people who lay hands on me?"
"Zetao, let it go. Do it for my sake, all right?" Li Dadong's heart lurched the moment he heard Zheng Zetao's words.
Li Dadong knew something of Zheng Zetao's background. Seeing that Zheng Zetao was about to get serious with Yan, he hurried to talk him down.
"Yang Ce, you were in the wrong here too. Let me talk to Zetao, and you apologize to him, and we'll call it even, all right?" Then Li Dadong lowered his voice. "Zetao's brother runs a bathhouse. You can't afford to cross him."
Yang Jiyan waved a hand and said to Li Dadong, "This business today—for your sake, I can let it go. But an apology is out of the question. If anyone apologizes, it'll be him apologizing to me."
"Ah." Li Dadong sighed helplessly, at a loss. He was in a difficult spot: if he let Zheng Zetao teach Yang Ce a lesson, his standing in Lin Yanhe's heart would surely plummet—he might not even be able to remain a brother to her.