Volume One, Chapter 44: A True Talent

“Ah?” Qiao Youliang was somewhat surprised. “How many were on the other side?”

“About five or six,” Ah Hu replied.

“One man taking on five or six opponents by himself—that’s impressive!” Qiao Youliang marveled.

As a seasoned underworld boss, he had seen much of the world and encountered many skilled individuals. Usually, those who boasted online about taking on ten opponents at once rarely lived up to their claims in reality.

Of course, a few assassins and special forces experts, well-versed in the art of killing, could pull off such feats.

But that realm was far beyond ordinary people.

It was important to note that Zhou Yang was merely a salesperson at EPS. For someone with that background to single-handedly confront five or six thugs was a testament to extraordinary talent.

Qiao Youliang deeply appreciated the rarity of such a person.

Being formidable in a fight wasn’t just about bravery; it also reflected intelligence, composure, and inner strength—qualities that were hard to come by.

Moreover, Zhou Yang’s medical skills were exceptional. Such a talent was seldom encountered.

Though Qiao Youliang had many fierce warriors at his side, Zhou Yang held a unique and unmatched place in his heart.

“Is Mr. Zhou injured?” Qiao Youliang asked urgently.

“Mr. Zhou suffered some minor injuries,” Ah Hu replied.

“Take Mr. Zhou to the hospital immediately. I’ll handle the rest and communicate with Li Jiuhua,” Qiao Youliang said.

“Understood!”

After hanging up, Qiao Youliang called Li Jiuhua.

The call rang for a long time before someone finally answered, his tone still whiny: “Brother Liang, what now? I already told you I’d release them. No need to keep pushing me; I have other things to attend to!”

Qiao Youliang sneered inwardly. “I’m not calling to pressure you to release them. I’m calling to check on you.”

“Check on me?” Li Jiuhua was taken aback. “What for?”

“Your men are all down. How badly are they hurt?” Qiao Youliang’s pride swelled. “I told you to let them go, but you insisted on causing trouble. Now look—your boys have taken a serious beating. You’re just asking for trouble!”

He bit out the last words with clear menace.

Li Jiuhua was confused. “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean?” Qiao Youliang snorted. “Call your men and ask them! And just a friendly reminder—don’t think you can go against me. You don’t have that ability!”

With that, Qiao Youliang hung up.

Li Jiuhua, fuming with anger, dialed He Quan’s number.

After a few seconds, He Quan finally answered.

“How’s the task I gave you going?” Li Jiuhua asked.

“Brother Hao, ouch! Brother Hao, we got beaten by that kid!” He Quan said. “All the brothers are injured, and that kid was taken away by someone!”

“Damn it, useless!”

Li Jiuhua angrily threw a teapot to the ground, then stooped to pick up the spilled tea and broken shards.

“Who took that kid away?” Li Jiuhua demanded.

“A man named Ah Hu. He’s one of Qiao Youliang’s men,” He Quan replied.

“Did Qiao Youliang’s men beat you all up?” Li Jiuhua asked.

“No, Brother Hao. It was that Zhou Yang kid—he single-handedly...” He Quan trailed off, embarrassed to continue.

Hearing this, Li Jiuhua clenched his teeth in fury.

No wonder Qiao Youliang had sounded so confident earlier; he already knew the situation in advance.

“Why the hell didn’t you notify me immediately?” Li Jiuhua demanded.

“Ouch, ouch, I was barely able to breathe. Only now can I talk properly, Brother Hao!” He Quan explained.

The reason he hadn’t called Li Jiuhua right away was because he didn’t know how to explain the situation.

Five or six of them had been taken down by a young man—an embarrassing defeat that was hard to admit.

“Useless, a bunch of useless fools!” Li Jiuhua spat, slamming down the phone with clenched teeth. “Qiao Youliang, just wait and see.”

...

Meanwhile, Ah Hu and the others wanted to take Zhou Yang and Su Jing to the hospital, but Zhou Yang refused.

“I’m fine. I can go by myself. You’ve already done enough,” Zhou Yang said.

“Don’t say that, we didn’t do much!” Ah Hu replied.

At that moment, Zhou Yang’s phone rang. It was Qiao Youliang.

“Thank you for your help, Mr. Qiao,” Zhou Yang answered.

“Ah, no need to mention it,” Qiao Youliang said humbly. “You handled everything yourself this time, so it’s not really my help. That gold card I gave you is still valid. If you need anything in the future, just call me.”

“Ha ha, will do!” Zhou Yang replied.

“Mr. Zhou, I heard from Ah Hu that you were slightly injured. Why not have them bring you to Jiang Ren Hospital? All medical expenses will be waived,” Qiao Youliang offered.

In truth, he wanted to use this opportunity to meet Zhou Yang.

“No need, Mr. Qiao. There’s a hospital nearby here. I’ll get treatment there. Also, please tell your men to head back first,” Zhou Yang said.

Since Zhou Yang insisted, Qiao Youliang didn’t push further and immediately told Ah Hu and the others to return.

After seeing everyone off, Zhou Yang drove Su Jing to a nearby hospital for dressing.

He carefully helped Su Jing register and supported her to the treatment room, showing meticulous care.

The doctor said Su Jing only had superficial wounds with no internal damage. She would recover quickly with rest.

However, Zhou Yang needed prompt treatment because his wounds required cleaning and disinfection.

“No worries. Take care of this young lady first. I’ll register afterward,” Zhou Yang said.

Hearing this, Su Jing felt a warmth in her heart.

Despite his own injuries, Zhou Yang was so attentive and caring. Such a man was truly suited to be a boyfriend and husband.

“Zhou Yang, don’t worry about me. You should get your wounds treated first,” Su Jing said.

“Alright, I’m going now.”

Seeing Su Jing was alright, Zhou Yang didn’t delay.

After his wounds were treated, Zhou Yang drove Su Jing home.

By then, it was already past nine in the evening.

“Are you hungry?” Su Jing asked.

“A bit,” Zhou Yang replied.

They hadn’t eaten dinner since leaving.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to a good restaurant,” Su Jing said.

“Great!”

They got out of the car and entered a modest local cuisine restaurant.

“Beautiful lady, you’re here again!” The shop owner greeted Su Jing warmly. Seeing Zhou Yang behind her, he added, “Oh, you finally have a boyfriend! He’s quite handsome. But what happened to his head?”

Su Jing blushed. “He bumped it.”

“Oh, be careful! If you hurt your head badly, you might go crazy!” The owner said to Zhou Yang. “You just got such a beautiful girlfriend—don’t mess it up, or you’ll be losing out to someone else!”

Zhou Yang felt shy and glanced at Su Jing furtively. She was equally flushed, her face glowing as beautifully as the evening sky.

“Boss, he’s not my boyfriend, just my colleague!” Su Jing said. “Let’s order!”

“Oh, so you’re still in the testing phase. Young man, good luck!” The owner quickly handed them the menu.

Su Jing’s cheeks reddened even more at that remark. Their eyes met, and for a moment, she felt a little flustered.