Chapter 60 Bullied

Chapter 60: Picked On

Xie Dongyang couldn't be bothered arguing and sneered:

"Why? Do we need a reason to bully you? You just look like..."

Before he could finish, the other boys, understanding his implication, burst into a wave of crude laughter.

They immediately closed in a tight circle, trapping Cheng Feng firmly in the middle.

Cheng Feng clenched his fists, quickly sizing up each person, trying to pick out the weakest link.

But before he could figure out how to break free, the group surged forward. Someone shoved a stun gun right at him.

Cheng Feng stepped back.

He dodged the batons wielded by the two in front and kicked out.

He sent one of them sprawling to the ground.

The guy let out a pained grunt.

Cheng Feng, who worked delivering food and doing odd jobs every day, was in decent shape, but he didn't know how to fight. He only had brute strength, and against so many who had specifically trained in martial arts, he was no match at all.

Before long, boys on either side grabbed his arms and pinned him to the ground.

He struggled desperately, but someone tied his hands and feet with rope.

Xie Dongyang took out his phone, placed it at a distance, turned on the recording, and slowly walked over to squat in front of Cheng Feng, a vicious smile on his face:

"Cheng Feng, I told you before, you look really good when you cry, don't you?"

Cheng Feng opened his mouth to bite him, but trussed up like that, he was shoved face-down onto a nearby table.

Someone started tearing at his clothes, even taking out a knife to cut the fabric.

Cheng Feng was somewhat frightened, thinking they were going to steal his kidney.

He had originally thought they would just beat him up at most, never expecting they would go this far.

His mouth was taped shut, unable to make a sound.

Just when he thought they were going to steal his kidney, the boys moved closer and closer. The lust and disgust in their expressions instantly reminded Cheng Feng of the scene right before his death in his previous life. Back then, those people had also stared at him with such eyes, as if they wanted to devour him whole.

Cheng Feng's eyes burned red, his heart filled with humiliation and rage. He was male now, so why were people still treating him like this? Why did they still have such sick ideas about him?

As his clothes were torn open bit by bit, Cheng Feng's heart sank lower and lower.

He glared at the group, his eyes filled with venom. As long as he lived, as long as he could stand up again, he would tear these people apart one by one, flay them, and make them pay a bloody price.

But Xie Dongyang particularly enjoyed watching his prey struggle.

In his eyes, this defiant struggle was what made it good-looking and interesting. If someone started crying and begging for mercy right away, what fun would there be later?

The other boys' hands had already begun reaching for Cheng Feng's body.

However, just as they were about to go further, the door was pushed open from the outside.

They hadn't locked it earlier, partly for the kick, partly because they didn't think anyone would dare interrupt their fun.

Butler Liu and Shang Xu stood at the doorway, coldly taking in everything inside.

Butler Liu was still holding his phone; he had been listening to the commotion from Cheng Feng's side through it. Before Cheng Feng dropped his phone, he had dialed Butler Liu. Butler Liu had said he could come to him if he was wronged, so Cheng Feng had seen him as a lifeline.

Butler Liu had long known these kids were rotten, but he never imagined they would dare to do such things at such a young age, not even sparing boys.

Xie Dongyang looked back at the doorway.

The lighting there was dim, and he didn't recognize Shang Xu immediately. He didn't know Butler Liu either, mistaking him for some meddling old man. He frowned and cursed:

"Are you Cheng Feng's dad? Or who? Get lost! We'll let him go once we're done having our fun. After it's over, we'll give you a million, okay? Now get lost and don't kill the buzz."

The other boys, interrupted, all wore displeased expressions. Just when they were about to "dig in," someone had to be so tactless.

A few boys walked forward impatiently, wanting to shoo the two at the door away.

But as they got closer and clearly saw Shang Xu's face, everyone froze.

In this city, who wouldn't recognize the famous Shang Xu?

"S-Shang Xu? What are you doing here?" someone stammered.

Butler Liu's brow furrowed, and he reprimanded coldly, "No respect! How dare you address the Elder Master Shang by his name directly?"

Only then did Xie Dongyang and the other boys snap out of it, their arrogance instantly receding a few notches.

Some boys hurriedly pulled up their pants, trying to look presentable, awkwardly forcing smiles.

Xie Dongyang forced a smile and said, "Elder Master Shang, what brings you here?"

Butler Liu couldn't be bothered with their nonsense, his voice as cold as ice:

"All of you, get on your knees with your hands behind your heads. Not a single one of you is getting away."

Xie Dongyang and the others were dumbfounded. This was just a little housekeeper, so why would Shang Xu come personally?

Why did he happen to be nearby? And why was he willing to stand up for such a small housekeeper? Wasn't he afraid of offending the families behind them?

Butler Liu glanced at them and said calmly:

"When the police arrive later, you will explain clearly what just happened."

Xie Dongyang stiffened his neck and blustered:

"Shang Xu, our Xie family may not compare to your Shang family, but with so many families united, do you dare offend us? Don't think your family is so powerful. Our Xie family will pull your Shang family down from its pedestal one day. Just you try laying a hand on us! Our families will finish you off!"

Shang Xu walked forward unhurriedly and kicked Xie Dongyang in the knee.

With a dull *crack*, Xie Dongyang fell directly to his knees, his face pale with pain.

Shang Xu looked down at him and chuckled lightly:

"The Xie family? Is it strong?"

Xie Dongyang gasped sharply, struggling to get up and fight back, but before he could rise,

Shang Xu had already stepped on his shoulder, pressing down hard, forcing him back to the ground, completely immobilized.

The families of the other boys were already inferior to the Xie family. Seeing Shang Xu dare to lay hands on even Xie Dongyang directly, they were instantly too scared to make another sound, each obediently kneeling down.

Soon after, the police arrived on the scene.

Butler Liu handed over the recording they'd made and their own video directly to the officers. They barely needed to ask any questions before the police hauled away all dozen or so boys.

As for Cheng Feng, he remained behind.

These officers answered to the Shang Family. Whatever the Shangs said, they would do.

Even if the Shangs arbitrarily pinned a crime on them, they wouldn't have a chance.

Cheng Feng's hands and feet were bound with rope, his mouth sealed with tape, and his clothes were slashed to pieces. His shirt was nearly torn in half, and his pants were slashed in several places.

Fortunately, they had arrived in time; otherwise, his pants would likely have been ripped off by those good-for-nothings.

Butler Liu quickly stepped forward, first untying the ropes from Cheng Feng's limbs, then ripping the tape from his mouth.

Cheng Feng sat on the table, his eyes rimmed red, his mouth quivering, looking at Shang Xu and Butler Liu with a pitiful, wronged look, unable to speak for a long while.

Seeing him like this, Shang Xu couldn't help a small laugh. He bent down slightly, looking at him:

"Not so tough now, are you?"

Meeting Shang Xu's handsome eyes only made Cheng Feng feel more wronged. Even with his past life, no matter how mature he might be, he was ultimately barely more than a kid. How could he not be scared after this?

He had no one in his corner. In that moment earlier, he truly thought he was done for.

His earlier fierceness was merely bravado forced out by fear; in reality, his whole body had been trembling. Now, with the tension gone, he flung himself into Shang Xu's arms and broke down sobbing.

Shang Xu was stunned for a second, looking down at Cheng Feng on the table holding onto him for dear life.

Butler Liu's eyes widened as he sneaked a look at the young master's expression. He had expected Shang Xu to push Cheng Feng away, but Shang Xu simply let him cling and cry, showing no intention of shaking him off, allowing the other's tears and snot to smear all over his shirtfront.

It had all started earlier that day. The young master had finished his exams and, too excited, had taken off to have fun ages ago. Naturally, the driver went with him, so there was no one to pick up Cheng Feng.

Butler Liu and Shang Xu had just finished some business and happened to be passing near the school.

Suddenly, Butler Liu received a call from Cheng Feng. As soon as he answered, before hearing clearly, he heard a dull thud, followed by Xie Dongyang's filthy language.

Butler Liu instantly understood: Cheng Feng was being bullied.

He had planned to handle it himself, but Shang Xu overheard the sounds and came along.

Cheng Feng sobbed desperately. It had been so long since he'd been held like this.

With his mother sick, the full weight of the family fell on his shoulders, a half-grown child.

Talk of rebirth—how strong could he be? How capable or brave?

It was just swallowing all the grievances, shattering them and forcing them down. When they piled up too high, once they erupted, they couldn't be contained.

He cried for a full ten minutes.

Shang Xu's brow furrowed slightly as he looked down at the head buried in his chest. After a hesitation, he raised a hand and patted Cheng Feng's back:

"Alright, stop crying. Let's go home."

Hearing "home," Cheng Feng cried even harder:

"I don't have a home... Wuwu..."

Shang Xu was getting a headache. He simply scooped Cheng Feng up from the table, ignoring the sobs, and turned to Butler Liu.

Butler Liu immediately took off his suit jacket and draped it over Cheng Feng, covering the mess of cut clothes.

Cheng Feng cried his eyes out, unaware he was being carried. He just clung to Shang Xu as if he were his mother.

In the car, he rubbed his tear-and-snot-covered face against Shang Xu's expensive shirt.

Shang Xu's frown deepened, as if he might toss him out the next second.

Butler Liu watched, his heart pounding.

Who dared cry like this in Elder Master Shang's arms?

Rubbing tears and snot all over him, hugging him without letting go. Even that kid Shang Shaohao wouldn't dare. This boy had a lot of nerve.

By the time they returned to the Shang Family villa, Cheng Feng had cried himself to exhaustion and fallen asleep in Shang Xu's arms.