Gaoliang didn’t answer; instead, he beamed and glanced in another direction, still thoroughly enjoying himself. When Song Sigan looked, she saw several truly impressive taekwondo moves, which made her furious. “Ou Yang, if you keep doing this, I won’t need to teach you anymore! I’m going to tell your sister!” “No, teacher!” Gaoliang pulled out a stack of cash, didn’t bother counting it, and smiled warmly. “Teacher, as long as you help me take exams or offer some convenience—just enough to handle my parents’ expectations—” “Ou Yang!” Song Sigan banged her desk loudly. “You forgot to submit the pledge letter to the principal! You promised three months ago to complete a genuine assessment!” “Teacher, I simply don’t care about studying—I don’t want to go to school at all!” Gaoliang waved his hand. By this point, Song Sigan understood clearly—there was no point in further urging such a disinterested student. She sighed and walked out, disappointed. Gao Qingxue noticed and asked, "How is it going?" Song Si'an shook her head and said, "Miss Gao, I truly have no more ability to help. You should seek someone else!" After speaking, she walked away. Gao Qingxue sighed and said, "I fear my brother is beyond saving!" "Sister! I'm going to take up taekwondo!" Gao Liang, finding studies utterly boring, gave his sister a look of disdain and was about to leave. Just then, his father, Gao Zhongming, overheard this. His sudden appearance startled Gao Liang, who said, "Dad! You weren't on business trip, were you?" Gao Zhongming burst into anger and exclaimed, "You're such a disappointing son—really believe I was on a business trip? Do you know how your head sustained its injury over a year ago? It was all because of taekwondo! You're still planning to leave and train? I'll break your leg!" Turning to Chen Jiangliu, he roared, "Fetch the family discipline!" Chen Jiangliu immediately produced a teaching staff. Gao Zhongming, still furious, commanded, "K "Let me handle this!" "Lord! Lord! I think—perhaps—" Chen Jiangliu looked genuinely troubled. "Get down on your knees! On your knees!" This was the first time Gao Zhongming had raised such a fierce outburst against Gao Liang, even the Gao Liang who had brought Zhu Bajie back to life was puzzled and had no choice but to kneel obediently. "Give him a firm beating!" Gao Zhongming had never been so resolute before, insisting that Chen Jiangliu administer the beating. Chen Jiangliu, holding back tears, said, "Lord, Lord, please bear with me!" After delivering the first lash, Gao Liang was completely unprepared and felt the pain deeply. "As long as you make a solemn promise before me—never to practice taekwondo again, but to focus entirely on your studies—then today's incident shall be settled!" Gao Zhongming presented his condition. Gao Liang remained silent. "Crack!" With a sharp sound, Gao Zhongming seized Chen Jiangliu's teaching staff and delivered a powerful, full-force blow. Gao Liang endured the sharp pain, but did not utter a Gao Zhongming gave a sharp, frustrated whip and said, "It seems we've truly lost hope!" He then tossed the whip aside and shouted sharply, "You, this unmanageable son of mine—produce that credit card right now and keep it!" Gao Liang, equally furious, quickly pulled out the card and threw it at Gao Zhongming's feet before rushing out. "If you've got something to say, stay and say it!" Gao Zhongming added. "I don't believe I can survive without you!" Gao Liang turned back, regaining his determination, then swiftly strode off. The father-son relationship had completely broken down. Dong Lingyun watched her son go, deeply moved—after all, he was truly a piece of her own flesh. Gao Qingxue, standing by, felt helpless. She had a strong sense that once Gao Liang left the Ouyang family, an unprecedented disaster would strike them. Miao Hanfu and Gao Ruolan were busy serving customers in the shop. "Miss! One more cup of pearl milk tea, please!" A couple had just finished a large serving of milk tea and praised its flavor enthusiastically. The young man called out to the counter. "Coming!" Gao Ruolan replied. She then swiftly prepared two cups and placed them on a tray, delivering them with a warm smile, "Please enjoy your tea!" "Miss! I'd like one too!" A girl beside them called out. "Alright! Just a moment!" Gao Ruolan responded as she placed the tea on the table. "Madam! My coconut milk tea hasn't been brought yet!" A man called out to Miao Hanfu at the counter. Miao Hanfu smiled and said, "Almost! Almost!" Then she handed Gao Ruolan two freshly prepared cups, pointing to a man reading the newspaper in the corner and saying, "Go deliver this to him—he's been waiting for a while!" Gao Ruolan and Miao Hanfu were busy and dizzy, though a bit tired—they felt genuinely pleased. At that moment, a man with a scar entered with a group of ten or more, acting as if they were the only ones in the room, shouting, "Lads! We're tired—let's take a break!" With a wave of his hand, the dozen rough-looking men with their gear settled down. The customers drinking milk tea clearly came to cause trouble—they hadn't paid and had already left. Miao Hanfu paced frantically, while Gao Ruolan clenched her teeth in frustration. Gao Ruolan stepped forward. She recognized the man—Star Sir from last time. Grasping her fists tightly, she looked straight at him and said, "What do you want today?" "Protection fees! We haven't paid the three-month stall fee from last time—600 yuan. This time, we're adding another 600, totaling 1,200 yuan." Star Sir remained stern, eyeing her sharply, and insisted. "Hmph! You street toughs charging protection fees—today, I'm not paying!" Gao Ruolan stood firm, unyielding. "Seize them Master Star waved his hand, and within moments, more than a dozen thugs had surrounded Gao Ruolan. Gao Ruolan’s taekwondo wasn’t just for show—especially after her son Gao Liang had gifted her a set of taekwondo DVDs, which she practiced regularly. She had indeed made noticeable progress. When two or three thugs charged at her furiously, Gao Ruolan easily sent them sprawling to the ground. Even though they were holding their weapons, Gao Ruolan had her own way of evading and dodging, skillfully weaving through their attacks. In no time, five or six of the thugs had taken their share of punches and kicks. "Can we reduce it a bit? We're having such a hard time making a living!" Miao Hanfu pleaded. "Mom!" Gao Ruolan pulled at Miao Hanfu's sleeve, clearly determined to stand her ground. "One thousand—no negotiation!" Mr. Xing remained firm, unyielding. "Alright, alright!" Since opening her business on this street, Miao Hanfu had come to realize that vendors and shopkeepers routinely charged protection fees, and now she too had accepted her fate. She opened the register, revealing a pile of loose change. Mr. Xing frowned deeply, while Miao Hanfu smiled patiently. "Never! This very day, I'm not paying! How dare you secretly charge us protection fees right under the open sky—what justice is there? What national law?" Gao Ruolan spoke with dignified resolve. Mr. Xing was about to explode in anger when suddenly a voice rang out: "I'm here—I am the law, I am justice!" "Gao Ruolan and Miao Hanfu looked over and saw a middle-aged man in his thirties, solid-built, with a broad head and a wide face, and a tattoo on his forehead that appeared to be a bull's head." "Boss! Boss! You've arrived!" Star smiled apologetically, while the other dozen thugs bowed deeply, hands clasped in front of them, each shouting, "Boss!" The Boss nodded slightly and only asked Star, "How many have we taken today?" "All the others have been settled—just this one remains," Star replied respectfully. "What are you waiting for? Get moving!" the Boss growled. "Yes, yes!" Star complied. Then he pressured Gao Ruolan, saying, "I'll count to three. When I reach one—..." With a fierce, deadly smile, he waved to his men, saying, "If they don't pay the protection fee, I'll have them demolish the place!" Miao Hanfu grew alarmed and hurried to plead on her behalf, but Star continued counting. Gao Ruolan bit her teeth tightly, determined to win. "One! Hit it hard!" The star master roared. The tall and short staff members each swung their iron poles at the milk tea cabinet, and Miao Hanfu gasped, "Oh no! What a disaster!" and nearly fainted. Gao Ruolan endured the pain and closed her eyes, while the star master smirked. "Ah! Ah!" Two sharp cries rang out as the iron poles clattered to the ground. Everyone looked up to see the hands of the tall and short staff members struck by something, bleeding profusely. "Playing cards! Playing cards! Wow! That's amazing!" Gao Ruolan suddenly opened her eyes to see Gao Liang appear without any notice, holding a playing card still in his hand, yet to be thrown. "Master Gao, the one who has been blocking us from collecting protection fees all along! It's him!" The star master exclaimed, trembling with shock—having faced Gao Liang many times before, he was deeply afraid and now hurriedly took refuge behind Master Gao. Master Gao laughed heartily, saying, "This is just a game for three-year-olds. I've "This statement infuriated Gao Liang, who said, "Then go ahead—let's have a match!" Ni Yang nodded with disdain. In moments, a group of people stepped out of the shop and gathered at an open space. Miao Hanfu and Gao Ruolan stood among the crowd, growing increasingly anxious. They didn't know who Ni Yang was or what his capabilities were—so they simply watched and waited. "I've got this won handily!" Gao Liang gave a sharp clap with his right hand, his face beaming with confidence. "Having said that, Gong Liang executed a standard taekwondo move—a soaring kick—so graceful and fluid, powerful and swift, aimed straight at Mr. Niu's face and forehead. Mr. Niu remained calm and composed. He tilted his head slightly and bent his body, skillfully evading the kick. Gong Liang's kick missed its mark, leaving Gao Ruo Lan and Miao Hanfu on the sidelines anxious. Meanwhile, Mr. Xing and his henchmen were blowing whistles and waving their arms excitedly. Only now did Gong Liang realize that Mr. Niu was no ordinary man—simple techniques would not suffice. He then quietly drew upon thousands of years of accumulated strength, concentrating it into his arms and legs. Seizing the moment when Mr. Niu was confident and relaxed, Gong Liang launched a powerful, forceful double palm strike, enveloping Mr. Niu's entire body. "Ah!" Mr. Niu gasped, spitting out a mouthful of blood, nearly collapsing—thankfully steadied by Mr. Xing beside him. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers! "Oh-hah!" they exclaimed continuously. Gao Ruo Lan and "Mom! I don't know why, but I still feel a bit worried!" Gao Ruolan had been closely observing the duel between the two. When she saw Ni Yang skillfully evade the high kick from Gao Guang, she knew immediately that it wasn't just anyone who could manage that. Indeed, this time Ni Yang truly went berserk. He roared, "By the gods! It seems today I won't be able to let go without killing someone! Back in the day, even Sun Wukong wasn't my match! I'm even afraid of you, this old turtle-headed brat!" "Sun Wukong?" The crowd was surprised—what did Sun Wukong have to do with this? But in Gao Guang's heart, a sense of unease surged. Since their first encounter, he'd felt an uncanny resemblance to someone—someone very familiar. Who could it be? Before he could fully grasp it, Ni Yang had already launched a swift, lightning-fast assault. Gao Guang felt his vision blur, as if he'd collided with an unyielding wall. "Wow! Solid copper head and iron arms! Ni Yang's legendary technique has finally emerged!" Xin Yang had clearly spotted the pattern. "Ni Yang "A dozen thugs screamed like devils. The onlookers, including Gao Ruolan and Miao Hanyu, were stunned—what they saw was clear: Master Gao, almost like a bull, charged straight toward Gao Liang with lightning speed and immense strength. Gao Liang was knocked off his feet, his eyes flashing gold stars, nearly falling over. Fortunately, Gao Ruolan rushed to his aid, steadying him with great effort, and only managed to keep him upright. Gao Liang, bracing against the sharp pain, said with determination, under Gao Ruolan's support, "I won't lose to you! I will surely defeat you one day!" "Great! I've been waiting for that day—though it seems too late!" Master Gao laughed, with clear disdain, turning to the Star Governor and shouting, "He's going to lose today—don't forget the bet we made just now!" "Protection fees?" the Star Governor pondered Master Gao's intentions. "Hmph! I've decided to take this shop!" Master Gao said, beaming with pride. "From today on, this shop is ours—our asset!" After a booming laugh, his face darkened and he bellowed at the star: "What are you waiting for? Get them some money and send them on their way!" "Wait!" High Liang interrupted before the star could react: "You've been acting utterly reckless, disregarding justice and shame—what a disgrace!" "Unless you pay five thousand, this matter is settled!" The boss stated his terms. "Five thousand!" High Ruolan couldn't contain her outrage: "This is pure extortion! How bold and unseemly!" "Five thousand? I still find it hard to believe you're short on cash! Ruolan, I'll give it to him!" High Liang comforted Ruolan, quickly fumbling through his pocket, only to find less than 600 yuan. It suddenly struck him—he was used to card payments. His ten-million-yuan credit card had been taken by his father, High Zhongming. "So you're just a poor man after all! All this while pretending to be so wealthy!" The star, knowing High Liang's background, deliberately scolded him in front of the boss to vent his frustration. "Isn't this the son of Mr. Gao, chairman of the Lianchuang Group?" Someone in the crowd recognized him and spoke up. "How can they not come up with five million? After all, Lianchuang Group is the wealthiest family in Hanhai City!" A voice rang out, heard clearly by everyone. The auctioneer said, "1.1 billion — any takers?" Before the auctioneer could even strike the hammer down, another company representative raised his hand and said, "I'm offering 1.2 billion!" Without waiting for the auctioneer to speak, a voice rang out, "I'm offering 1.3 billion!" A surprising announcement — everyone turned to see it was Lin Mingjun, the vice president of the strong new Tian Company. Gao Qingxue, as executive chairman of the Lianchuang Group, watched the crowd and saw Lin Mingjun raise his hand. Next to her, Gao Zhongming noticed this defection and gave his daughter a subtle signal. Gao Qingxue understood and immediately raised her hand to say, "I'm offering 1.5 billion!" "1.5 billion — first!" The auctioneer struck the final hammer once, amid everyone's astonishment. "1.5 billion — second! Any more bids?" the auctioneer called out. The crowd exchanged glances, then shook their heads in silence. "1.5 billion — third!" "Go!" As the auctioneer was about to deliver the final blow, a firm voice announced, "I'm bidding 1.6 billion!" The audience turned to see a well-dressed middle-aged man raising his hand. He was wearing a crisp, high-end suit, looking energetic, with two young secretaries—male and female—following closely behind. It was clear he came from a distinguished background. It was Qiu Zhengxiong, the chairman of Shendragon Group. High Zhongming and High Qingxue were visibly surprised to see this new competitor appear at their very first encounter in this auction. "1.7 billion!" High Zhongming stood up. "1.8 billion!" Qiu Zhengxiong said this without even blinking. The crowd erupted—what a premium price! Only a multinational group like Shendragon Group could command such a sum. High Zhongming wanted to raise his bid, but was gently pulled back by his daughter, High Qingxue, who said, "Dad!" We can no longer add more; otherwise, our company's working capital will be unable to turn over, which would be extremely detrimental to the growth and expansion of our group!