Sometimes, when Uncle is away, he still helps manage the dojo's business. This time, due to Dad Gao Cai-sheng losing his job, Mom had to face her embarrassment and borrow 50,000 yuan from Uncle, together with the family's entire savings of 30,000 yuan, finally raising the total tuition of 80,000 yuan. Afterward, in order to pay off the debt, Dad has been diligently seeking new job opportunities, while Mom rented a small stall at a market, selling juice and other beverages. One day before the start of the semester, Gao Ruolan went to the city library to check on the taekwondo learning materials DVDs she had failed to purchase previously. Unfortunately, after searching and asking around for a while, she couldn't find any. Gao Ruolan then wandered listlessly through the library, casually browsing through recently published books on a row of bookshelves. It was great to find a book on business. Excited, I bumped the bookshelf and, just like last time, knocked over the books that hadn't been arranged properly. So I went to pick them up. When I returned, I found a young man holding the business book I had been eyeing. Oh! If this young man were as unlucky as the one I encountered last time, I'd have to settle for another book. Staring at the book in his hands, the young man asked, "Would you like this book?" Gao Ruolan blushed slightly—after all, it was he who had spoken first—and nodded. "This book is excellent—it covers business knowledge in a very professional way, and I also really enjoy it. However, if you truly want it, I'll give it to you!" The young man said. "How could I possibly be so grateful!" Gao Ruolan suddenly became more reserved. "Take it! Your gaze just now told me you really needed it. I simply couldn't take away someone's favorite!" The young man said. "Thank you!" Gao Ruolan took the book offered by the young man. Holding her beloved book, she enthusiastically said goodbye and headed toward the bicycle shed outside the library. As soon as she pushed her bicycle to the roadside, the weather changed—wind blew in, mixed with a light drizzle. Oh no, it started raining! Gao Ruolan had made no preparations at all. The sky had been clear just a moment ago—how quickly it had turned. It seemed now that she would be drenched to the bone. The rain grew heavier, splashing water flowers across the road, and soon her clothes began to get damp. Even the book she had just bought had its cover soaked. Looking at the people leaving the library—some rushing into cars, others waiting for buses on the platform—she wondered what to do with her bicycle. Just as she grew anxious, a car stopped in front of her. It was the same young man. He said, "Hold onto this umbrella and hurry home! Be careful not to catch a cold!" "After that, he got into the car and drove off. Gao Ruolan held the umbrella, watching the young man go, feeling a sense of unexpected warmth. How would she return the umbrella now? She didn't even know his name—today's luck truly seemed good to encounter someone so thoughtful. Gazing at the book she loved, she felt deeply pleased. On the first day of the semester, Gao Ruolan arrived at the Saint Dorothy Mary Business School with great excitement and joy, riding her bicycle. As she entered the campus, the elegant office buildings, spacious and bright classrooms, clean and comfortable student dormitories, the central circular sports field, and the lush trees and flowers scattered throughout the grounds made it feel like she was in a large park—far more impressive than her high school campus. The Saint Dorothy Mary Business School, a world-class institution for business education, is the cradle of future entrepreneurs. Today, the sunlight was so bright, the air so fresh, and the flowers so fragrant. Gao Ruolan was deeply moved upon seeing the iconic buildings of the academy—the potted orchids in the style of Chang'e's journey on her way to the moon. Gao Ruolan had always loved orchids. Otherwise, how could her name, Ruolan, reflect the essence of orchids—elegant, refined, and fragrant? Her parents had indeed put thought and effort into choosing such a name. Indeed, a person should embody the grace of a flower, and a flower should reflect the character of its bearer. Gao Ruolan herself was just like an orchid—elegant and noble. This was both her parents' wish and her own heartfelt aspiration. From today on, she vowed to be an outstanding student, to cherish this rare opportunity, to study diligently, and to strive to become the most exceptional student at the Business Academy—just as the orchids before her, transcendent and outstanding! "Gao Ruolan! Go for it!" With a firm grip on a small, pink fist, Gao Ruolan made her pledge beside the iconic building, boosting her own spirit. Miao Hanfu, the mother of Gao Ruolan, runs a stall on Shunke Long Commercial Street in Gaojiazhuang City—a bustling street, though with a less-than-ideal security record, often plagued by local thugs who come to collect protection fees. Just as Miao had set up her stall and arranged the drinks and juices, two thugs arrived—one wearing a flowered shirt and the other with a mop of yellow hair. They looked stern, as if someone had owed them a large sum of money all along. They tossed a receipt onto Miao’s table and demanded, "Sign here! Pay 200!" Miao, who had only just begun operating as a street vendor, was completely puzzled by this development and stood there confused. Just then, a middle-aged woman approached, a neighbor vendor, with a worried expression, saying, "Oh dear! Didn’t we pay 100 last month? How did it jump to 200 now? If this keeps up, how are we going to survive? "Shut up, you both! Think about it—how bad is the security here? If it weren't for our boss stepping in to protect us, someone else would have come along to collect protection fees, and they'd surely charge more than our boss does. Two hundred is already quite generous!" The man in the flowered shirt kept referring to "our boss" throughout. Upon hearing that the fees were being collected according to the boss's instructions, the middle-aged woman truly fell silent. Miao Hanfu was surprised—she had never heard of businesses having to pay protection fees before, so she hesitated. "Sign now! Pay two hundred! Are you deaf or mute? Our boss will be checking on this later—hurry!" Huang Mao grew increasingly urgent. Today was a special day—the boss was conducting an inspection of their protection fee collection, with specific targets and quotas. "These two fellows—I'm telling you, today is the first time I'm doing a little business, and I haven't earned a single penny. I hope you can give me a little more time—can you perhaps…?" Maian Fu finally understood what was going on. Seeing these two rough types, she couldn't afford to offend them, so she began pleading. "Cut the crap! Today—are you paying or not?" The flowered shirt had no patience at all. Huang Mao reached out and lifted the freshly poured glass of juice from the stall, then, with a cold smile, splashed it onto the ground right in front of the onlookers. "You! You're absolutely treating us like we're beneath you!" Maian Fu was furious. Huang Mao stormed up, raising his sleeve ready to overturn the entire stall. At that moment, a brand-new sedan pulled up beside them, honking continuously. Two people stepped out—Gao Liang and the housekeeper, Chen Jiangliu. Chen Jiangliu had originally tried to persuade Gao Liang to let this matter go, saying that Gao Liang was about to start school soon and didn't want any unrelated things to affect his mood. Moreover, the chairman had instructed him to minimize disruptions, avoid stirring up disputes, and protect the young lord at all costs. Yet Xiao Long paid no heed to his advice. As soon as he stepped off the car, he positioned himself between the shirt-and-flower-clad man and the one with the curly hair, smiling and saying, "Under clear daylight and open skies, how can you charge extra fees? Do you still have the rule of law?" Though the reborn Pig Model was handsome and well-dressed, he wasn't quite the formidable warrior like Stallone, so the shirt-and-flower-clad man and the curly-haired man didn't take him seriously. The shirt-and-flower-clad man raised his dagger, threatening, "This isn't your concern. If you don't move out of the way, I'll have you out of commission!" The two men revealed their fierce demeanor, forming a tight circle around Gao Liang. Highlight didn't move immediately, and the flower-shirt thought he was afraid. He chuckled lightly and said, "It'll be easy on you—just call us 'Grandpa,' have yourself squeeze through our crotches, and then lick clean the spit we've dropped on the ground. That's all I ask. Otherwise, don't blame me if I'm sharp with my fists!" Pig Zhu had seen countless demons and monsters on his journey west, but never had he encountered two such brash, overconfident street fighters. Goodness, how evil has the human world become? If good is being overwhelmed by evil, then how can peace ever prevail? Seeing that Highlight showed not the slightest sign of giving in, both the flower-shirt and the yellow-haired man grew irritated. They exchanged a glance, closed in on him, and sandwiched him between them. The yellow-haired man moved swiftly, throwing a left hook at Highlight's head. But Zhu's thousands of years of cultivation weren't in vain—he flattened his body slightly, tilted his head, and effortlessly deflected the punch into the air. The yellow-haired man stumbled, nearly falling. As Huang Mao was still settling down, Gao Liang launched a swift kick that sent him flying three zhang beyond—thankfully, Huang Mao caught hold of a nearby lamp post; otherwise, he would have crashed hard onto the cement ground, making the most intimate contact with it. Even so, Huang Mao lost two front teeth and cried out in pain. Seeing his brother treated so badly, Huashan, wearing a flowered shirt, felt both afraid and furious. With trembling hands, he raised his dagger and plunged it fiercely into Gao Liang's chest. This time, Gao Liang did not retreat; instead, he used his hands to meet the blow, his palms firmly gripping the sharp dagger. Despite Huashan's full effort, he couldn't pull it free. Gao Liang seized the dagger, tossed it to the ground, and twisted Huashan's elbow. Huashan groaned in agony, collapsing to his knees, pleading for mercy. "Who is the grandfather?" Gao Liang held his grip on Huashan's elbow without loosening. "You are the grandfather!" "Little ones, you're blind to the great mountain—how could you recognize me? Please, Grandfather, show me mercy and spare my life!" The man in the flowered shirt bowed repeatedly, like pressing a pestle into dough. "Get out! I won't see you again! If you continue to cause trouble, I'll never forgive you!" High Light said firmly. The man in the flowered shirt, now like a dog in distress, was ready to flee with the one with the yellow hair. Just then, a middle-aged man with a broad frame, a scar across his face, led a group of over a dozen thugs and approached, addressing the two: "How many have we taken today? Why are you so slow?" Upon seeing their leader arrive, the man in the flowered shirt and the yellow-haired one rushed forward, treating him as a savior, and pointed at High Light, shouting, "Master, it's him—his presence is blocking our way!" They then took shelter behind him. Master stared at High Light with a gaze that could cut through steel, and roared, "You're going crazy with your impatience! You dare to interfere with my affairs? If I even mention my name, you'll be A group of over a dozen toughs approached Gao Liang and Chen Jiangliu, their eyes flashing with cold determination, their gaze fixed on the two. Seeing the overwhelming numbers, Chen Jiangliu smiled politely, hoping to ease the tension and protect the master's safety. Unexpectedly, Gao Liang pulled him back, saying, "These people have no sense of reason—force is the only truth!" The Star Governor had never encountered someone so bold as to challenge him directly, so he signaled his underlings to act. The toughs immediately picked up their weapons—some with axes, others with steel pipes, and still others with iron poles—forming a tight circle, encircling Xiao Long. Xiao Long, a reincarnation of Zhuang Bajie, was naturally endowed with exceptional abilities. Drawing on his former status as the Commander of the Peng Army, he found these ordinary men to be mere children in his grasp—easy to defeat, like handling a dish of vegetables. In the blink of an eye, the two toughs collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain, calling out in distress, and their weapons had vanished without a trace. A crowd gathered nearby, watching from a distance, applauding quietly as they saw these usual brash, arrogant thugs—used to bullying others and dominating their neighborhood—now being severely punished. The scene truly humiliated Sir Xing. Since this young man had dealt with such severity, he now decided to make good use of his numbers and strength: today, he would rally everyone and take down that young man himself. With a wave of his right hand, all the thugs swiftly formed a circle, surrounding Xiao Long at the center. So, when the fight turned into a struggle, they were completely passive. Just as Chen Jiangliu watched the hulking thug's long sword about to strike his forearm and silently cursed, he was astonished to see the sword suddenly hit something solid—crashing violently to the side, spinning through the air, and flying out over fifteen paces before slamming into the ground and shattering into several pieces. "Wow!" The dynamic, passionate display left all the thugs in awe. Seeing this, the star of the show recognized immediately that it was Xiao Long who had delivered such a precise and powerful blow—just by punching the sword's blade directly. In his decades of navigating the underworld, he had never seen anyone manage to hit a sword cleanly with just their fist. Now, he felt a tremor of excitement, realizing today might indeed be the day he had encountered a true master—someone he simply couldn't afford to underestimate. As the crowd grew larger and more enthusiastic, he didn't want to appear embarrassed, so he quickly called his thugs to gather and hurried back to report the situation to his boss, planning to ask for his boss's support in avenging the injury. The tough guys had all experienced Xiaolong's prowess, so none dared to fight back—hurrying to lift the two still shouting ones, rolling and dragging them away, fleeing in a most embarrassed manner. At a spot fifty meters away, where he felt safe, the Star Master said firmly, "You've got guts! Let's see how this plays out!" Now only the flower-shirted guy and the yellow-haired one were moving slowly. Xiaolong's skill had left them stunned all along, and only when the Star Master had gone ahead did they realize they had to escape. "Stop!" Xiaolong's command carried real weight. They stood still, not daring to take a single step forward. The Star Master had already reached over 100 meters away, shaking with anger, "A coward! Can't even run—what a shame!" With that, he didn't bother to wait, simply followed his own tough guys and took off. "Big, big, sir!" the yellow-haired one stammered, his lips trembling and legs shaking. "No, no—grandpa, grandpa!" the flower-shirted guy corrected, pale as a sheet with fear. The two bowed their heads repeatedly, pleading for mercy. Xiao Long and Chen Jiangliu both laughed. Xiao Long said, "Considering that you didn't actually launch a real attack just now, I won't hold it against you. But from now on, you mustn't follow Mr. Xing around charging protection fees! People are already struggling to run small businesses—how can you take advantage of them when they're already under pressure? Do you even have any sense of conscience?" The man in the flowered shirt and the one with the yellow hair said, "We've been working with Mr. Xing out of necessity—since we couldn't find other jobs, we've taken on this less-than-dignified role. But now, we've truly lost everything!" Both of them looked sorrowful, saying, "We know Mr. Xing's personality well—once we go back, it's certain to be a dead end. Who else can we turn to? Who would even want us?" After speaking, they appeared utterly distressed, tapping their heads with their hands, looking completely defeated. Gao Liang said, "You still have work to do!" "After that, he asked them to compile a complete list of all stalls and stores in the area, including those paying protection fees, and to tally up the amounts—specifically, to find out exactly how much fees Star爷 had collected. Once the information was gathered, he would directly contact Star爷. Then he gave them a phone number, reminding them that whenever they encountered any issue, they just needed to call and would instantly know their situation. 'We can't afford to challenge Star爷!' the two still spoke hesitantly. 'You just saw—was it Star爷 who was impressive, or me?' Xiaolong asked. 'Of course, Grandpa—no, the Boss!' The man in the flowered shirt naturally switched to calling him 'Boss.' 'Boss, we'll follow you!' The young man with the yellow hair added promptly. Gao Liang gave a slight nod. Though it was the first time he had heard someone call him 'Boss,' and though he felt a bit uncomfortable with the title, he didn't mind at all. What exactly is a 'Boss'? " Xiao Long actually knew quite well that back then, when Sun Wukong became the leader of both himself and Sha Zhen, it was truly a proud moment for him, as the old pig, now in human society, could become someone else's leader. Without Sun Wukong claiming so much of the credit, the old pig could have stood on his own. This time, returning to the mortal world, he intended to truly master the urban scene. While High Ruo Lan's mother was just about to sincerely express her gratitude to High Liang, High Liang had already boarded a car with Chen Jiangliu. As they turned the corner, he stopped a passerby, handed him several hundred-yuan bills, and pointed far off to Miao Hanfu's stall, asking him to buy all the beverages and fruit juices. After calculating the cost, the man found it very reasonable and even had some change left, so he happily purchased all of Miao Hanfu's drinks and juices, which made the middle-aged woman from the neighboring stall deeply envious.