The Taming of the Ruffian Hero

Driving along the bumpy path, they found their motorcycle was running out of gas. In order to arrive at the next destination as soon as possible, they decided to choose the expressway. However, some accident seemed to happen on the expressway, so Lin Wenxi had to check online to see when traffic would resume. He asked Zhao Yuan to take care of their luggage and then walked into a internet café.

The local governmental department had announced that the expressway would be under maintenance and would open to the public after a week.

Lin Wenxi thought for a while and could not help but click on the link to the little city’s news.

The whole homepage was gray, and there was a picture of several white candles at the top of the page. Obviously, it indicated mourning for the death of an important person. When Lin Wenxi saw the headline, he froze and could not move for a long time, as if struck by lightning.

“Tens of Thousands of People Send Wreaths to Commemorate the Accidental Death of Deputy Secretary Lin Ziwei.”

Lin Wenxi rubbed his eyes and moved the mouse. The photo under the headline had been taken when his father, Lin Ziwei, had just taken office as the deputy secretary. He looked very dashing and ambitious. Now, both the confidence on his lips and the pride in his eyes had merged into the contrasting black and white colors.

There were several lines of small words under the photo indicating the dates of birth and death of Lin Ziwei, as well as what had happened at the time of the accident. It also explained that the driver who had been with him was missing, and his whereabouts were unknown. It was speculated that he might have been killed in the line of duty. There was also a short text offering a reward for finding the body of the driver.

Having waited a long time and still not seeing Lin Wenxi, Zhao Yuan came over with the motorcycle and looked around at the gate of the internet café.

“Impossible!” Lin Wenxi ran out howling and covering his eyes with his hand. Zhao Yuan immediately gave him a hard tug to prevent him from crashing into the transparent glass door which was half-open at the gate.

“Wenxi, what happened?” Zhao Yuan was so worried that he left everything else behind.

“My dad… my dad!!” Lin Wenxi was unable to speak as he cried. Zhao Yuan’s heart suddenly sunk.

“Call your mother now!” Zhao Yuan hurriedly pulled Lin Wenxi to the booth nearby and inserted the phone card into the slot.

Lin Wenxi’s hand was shaking so violently that it took him a long time to dial the number of his mother, Huang Xiya.

“Hi, Auntie! This is Zhao Yuan speaking. I’m with Wenxi now. We just heard the news about Uncle. Auntie, please hold on. I’ll ask Wenxi to speak with you!” With that, Zhao Yuan passed the telephone receiver to Lin Wenxi and then hugged his thin shoulder firmly while pressing his face to his forehead. After a long time, Lin Wenxi gradually stopped shaking.

“Mom, my dad…” Before he could continue, he had choked with tears. “What I discussed with dad has unfortunately come true. Heavens, you’re so cruel to pay me back like this!” Lin Wenxi thought.

“Listen, Wenxi. Don’t come back!” Huang Xiya said in a calm voice.

“Mom, when did it happen? I’m gonna come back to confess to dad right now. Mom…” Lin Wenxi held the receiver, leaning against Zhao Yuan’s chest weakly. He was heartbroken and overwhelmed with sorrow.

“Listen! Don’t come back, and don’t call again! The Lin family does not have such an unfilial son like you!” Huang Xiya sobbed and then suddenly hung up.

“She is still mad at me. Yuan, my dad… Mom is still mad at me. Had my dad not forgiven me before his death?” Lin Wenxi said incoherently, choking.

Zhao Yuan deposited their luggage and then helped Lin Wenxi go over to a quiet park. After resting for a while, Lin Wenxi gradually regained his composure.

“Let’s go and buy the tickets!” Zhao Yuan said.

However, Lin Wenxi refused to return home. He told Zhao Yuan about what had happened at home.

“I hate him!” Lin Wenxi said.

“Let’s go back and take care of our mother, okay? She is our only dearest person now,” Zhao Yuan persuaded, embracing Lin Wenxi. They fell into a long silence. A pair of swallows skimmed over the water and then parted. Lin Wenxi’s eyes became red again.

Zhao Yuan wanted to buy the return ticket for the afternoon, but Lin Wenxi disagreed.

“It will be difficult for me to come out again if I return home. I think we may all return to Jifu University finally. Don’t you think so? Let’s stay here one more night. A night so free,” Lin Wenxi said with a smile.

That night, Zhao Yuan found Lin Wenxi crazy. He showed no signs of sadness on his face and kept commenting on Zhao Yuan’s movements while they were making love. His dissatisfaction aroused Zhao Yuan’s desire to conquer, and they repeatedly expressed their love for each other in the bathroom and on the bed.

Zhao Yuan felt as if he had gone through an extremely difficult battle⁠—no⁠—four battles at least. He was very exhausted for the first time in his life. Every time he ran out of energy, Lin Wenxi climbed on top of him like a hungry tiger. Zhao Yuan felt every muscle in his body surrender.

Finally, Lin Wenxi shook his head in disappointment. Although the room was air-conditioned, he was still sweating profusely. He then asked Zhao Yuan to do a hundred push-ups as punishment.

Lin Wenxi maliciously sat on Zhao Yuan’s back. He stood up and jumped up and down from time to time. Zhao Yuan took a few breaks and managed to finish the push-ups. After that, Zhao Yuan did only two things before falling asleep⁠—first, lie on the bed, second, embrace Lin Wenxi.

Zhao Yuan woke up in the morning. After a night of rest, he had recovered his strength but felt a little sore in his chest. He usually had no problem doing so many push-ups with Lin Wenxi on his back, but knowing that he was already so tired the night before, Lin Wenxi still tortured him like that. Obviously, he had done it on purpose! Zhao Yuan reached out his arm to hug Lin Wenxi, but found no one beside him!

The sandalwood on the table had burnt out. Zhao Yuan saw a box of delicious food such as beef, fish, etc. on the table. At the same time, he also found his wallet that had his ID card, bank cards, and cash inside, missing.

He was right. Lin Wenxi, the bastard, had done it on purpose!

There was a note on the table with tear stains and a poem on it.

“As man and wife we ever unite, we never doubt our love.

Let us enjoy our fill tonight, as tender as cooing doves!

Thinking of the way I should go, I rise to see if time is due.

The stars appear dim high and low. Adieu! I must bid you adieu.

Away to the battlefield I will die, I know not if we will meet again.

Holding your hand, I gave a sigh. My tears of farewell fall like rain.

Enjoy the spring flowers in view! Don’t forget our time in glee!

Safe and sound, I’ll come back to you. Even if killed, my love won’t die with me.”

Although Zhao Yuan could not understand all the words, the meaning of the first and last lines of the poem was obvious.

Lin Wenxi would be in danger! Zhao Yuan immediately figured out the reason that Lin Wenxi had been reluctant to return home. “It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go home, it was that he didn’t want me to go home with him. There must something strange about Lin Ziwei’s death. Since those people dared to murder Lin Ziwei, it will be even easier for them to deal with Lin Wenxi and Huang Xiya⁠—an orphan and a widowed mother.”

Zhao Yuan wanted to rush downstairs, however, the moment he got off the bed, he could not help but stomp his foot in anger.

Lin Wenxi had gone too far! Aside from Zhao Yuan’s ID card, bank cards, and cash, he had also taken his underwear and shoes!

Zhao Yuan wrapped a blanket around his body and finished his breakfast quickly. He walked downstairs, wearing the slippers provided by the hotel that were as thin as paper.

When he got downstairs, he became both anxious and angry, and he did not know whether he should laugh or cry. The damned thief, Lin Wenxi, had even taken the deposit for their room!

Most irritating of all, he had even told the hostess of the hotel that he had left Zhao Yuan to work for the hotel in order to pay for the nutritious breakfast.

Zhao Yuan preferred to be a thief than be a waiter!

Finally, the hostess of the hotel agreed to let Zhao Yuan work as a waiter for five days to pay the debt.

Zhao Yuan tried to swindle some money but failed, so he began to concentrate on his work.

Even when wearing the waiter’s suit, Zhao Yuan looked so handsome that the hostess still wanted this castaway young master to be her daughter’s boyfriend. Zhao Yuan eventually found an opportunity to call Zheng Kai. He asked Zheng Kai to go to the countryside first.

During the first two days, Zhao Yuan did nothing after work aside from eating and resting well so as to save his energy. On the third day, he saw a lady wearing a lot of jewelry and followed behind her quietly.