"You seek revenge for your grievances and repay your debts, but do not involve the parents or families of others. Do you understand?" Zhang Liunian grabbed the leader of the group by his collar and laid down the law.
The leader was not a man of true skill, only good at causing trouble with his brothers. Facing Zhang Liunian, who possessed genuine martial prowess, he was very sensible.
Upon hearing Zhang Liunian's words, he immediately indicated his understanding.
"Scram." Seeing that he had understood, Zhang Liunian threw him out the door. The leader tumbled head over heels and then, with his brothers, fled in disarray.
Once the group left, Du Ziteng looked at Zhang Liunian resentfully. "I call you Brother Nian and recognize you as my elder brother. How can you let them come trouble me later?"
Zhang Liunian twitched the corner of his mouth. "The messes you make, you clean up yourself. No one will bail you out."
In his previous life, this Du Ziteng had also constantly caused trouble and never cleaned up after himself. Fortunately, they met late, and he had only helped him eight times.
"..."
"Comrade Liunian, you are absolutely right. He's the type who only knows how to cause trouble and never clean up after himself – the kind that deserves a beating." Du Zhan strongly agreed with Zhang Liunian's words, even feeling a desire to consider him a kindred spirit.
"Dad, you shouldn't dislike your own son this much," Du Ziteng complained indignantly.
Du Zhan, his entire body aching, had no desire to deal with his troublesome son. He walked over to Zhang Liunian, reached out, and grasped his hand. "Comrade Liunian, I can see that you are a capable and competent person."
"Uncle wants to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you are willing."
"If you agree, I can give you bricks for free."
Ask him?
Zhang Liunian's gaze swept over Du Ziteng. Just as he was about to refuse, Du Zhan said eagerly, "Please, won't you? I'm begging you!" Saying this, he even prepared to kneel before Zhang Liunian.
Zhang Liunian quickly helped him up. "Uncle Du, what are you doing? Let's talk properly."
Seeing Zhang Liunian prevent him from kneeling, Du Zhan blurted out his plea, entrusting his son to him. "Comrade Liunian, it's just my son and me in this household. I raised this unfilial son myself, and his becoming like this is due to my poor upbringing."
"Now that he recognizes you as his elder brother, I want to send him to your side and have you help me discipline him. Whether you beat him or scold him, the decision is yours. You won't have to worry about his food or clothing."
He had heard about Zhang Liunian's capabilities and felt reassured about entrusting his son to him.
"Dad, I don't want to go. If I can't beat him, he'll beat me to death."
"..." So you're afraid of dying too, Zhang Liunian thought, observing him.
"If you're beaten to death, it's what you deserve. With how you are, you'll die today or tomorrow anyway."
Du Zhan felt the pain in his body and was extremely angry. This unfilial son absolutely needed to be taught a lesson.
"Dad, I disagree. I can be a subordinate, but I don't have to follow him around every day!"
Du Ziteng didn't want to follow Zhang Liunian. Although Zhang Liunian possessed the martial arts he desperately wanted to learn, he also understood that if he followed Zhang Liunian, the latter could beat him to death on a whim. He didn't want to suffer.
"If you don't go, I'll beat you to death right now, you unfilial son!" This son had only ever angered him since birth. In his eighteen years, he hadn't done a single thing right.
Now that he had finally found someone who could control him, he absolutely had to send him over.
"I won't go even if you beat me to death."
"Unfilial son..."
The father and son duo began to argue in front of Zhang Liunian, and soon enough, Du Zhan was wielding a shoe to hit his son.
Zhang Liunian put his hand to his forehead. He hadn't even agreed yet!
"You guys fight it out. Just remember to send me five tractor-loads of bricks this afternoon."
After speaking, Zhang Liunian turned to leave. However, just as he stepped out the door, he found his thigh being hugged. He looked down and saw it was Du Zhan.
He was truly desperate for his son's sake, disregarding his own pride. "Can you help me?"
Seeing Du Zhan like this, Zhang Liunian sighed deeply.
Ah, fine. Keeping him by his side would be like gaining an employee for free.
"If he stays by my side, will you accept it if I beat or scold him?" He needed to make the terms clear, lest Du Zhan become displeased if he saw him act later.
Zhang Liunian didn't want to deal with such a situation.
Du Zhan nodded profusely. "As long as you spare his life, I won't interfere with anything. From now on, he is your person."
As long as his son could be safe, even if he wasn't by his side, he would accept it.
"Alright, then he's mine." Zhang Liunian finished speaking and turned to walk towards Du Ziteng.
Du Ziteng clasped his hands over his chest, adopting a demure maiden's expression. "Let me tell you, don't have any wicked intentions just because I look handsome."
"Shut up!" Zhang Liunian directly struck his shoulder with the edge of his hand, causing him to weaken at the knees and fall to the ground.
"..." Du Ziteng was stunned, and Du Zhan's mouth hung open. While both knew Zhang Liunian was capable, they hadn't expected a single palm strike to have such an effect.
Seeing this, Zhang Liunian was slightly taken aback. After all, he hadn't intended for him to kneel; he just wanted him to shut up.
But with one strike, it had turned out like this, and there was nothing he could do.
"Let's go, help me move bricks." Now that he had accepted this subordinate, Zhang Liunian naturally intended to boss him around.
"I..." Du Ziteng wanted to lash out, but upon meeting Zhang Liunian's gaze, he instantly found himself unable to say a word.
"Didn't you hear? Go help Liunian move bricks. From now on, you are his subordinate. Do whatever he tells you to do. If you don't obey, you'll be beaten."
Seeing his foolish son standing like a stubborn mule, Du Zhan stepped forward and kicked him.
Du Ziteng, caught off guard, fell directly to the ground, looking quite pathetic.
"..."
"My dad must be crazy to give a living son like me to you. Haha, you don't seriously plan to discipline me, do you!" Du Ziteng, lying on the tractor and chewing on a foxtail, glanced at Zhang Liunian beside him and scoffed.
Zhang Liunian looked at the receding scenery, steadying the bicycle, and did not reply.
Du Ziteng thought Zhang Liunian was lying about everything he'd said at the brickyard. He turned and chuckled, "That's more like it. Tomorrow, I'll take you around, and I guarantee you'll live a good life with me."
"I have a new house to live in. Do you?"
Zhang Liunian suddenly spoke, completely stunning Du Ziteng. "No."
"I have a wife and daughter. Do you?"
"No."
"I have combat strength and a handsome face. Do you?"
"No."
"Then what do you have?" Zhang Liunian finished speaking and looked at him. His eyes seemed to convey, 'You, who have nothing, how can you claim to lead me to a good life?'
"..." Du Ziteng was choked for words. Indeed, he had nothing, so how could he have said he would lead him to a good life?
Du Ziteng was utterly silenced.
"Get down and work." Arriving at Daming Lake, Zhang Liunian kicked Du Ziteng. The latter reluctantly got down to help move bricks.
"Come to my place after you finish moving," Zhang Liunian said, parking his bicycle before heading home.