Chapter 329: Rescuing Wang Jing
"Courting death!"
Zhao Dong took a step forward, his figure instantly appearing in front of the sneering man.
THUD!
He threw a single punch.
The man's body was embedded in the wall behind him. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he passed out.
The entire room fell deathly silent.
The surrounding crowd gasped.
Tap, tap, tap…
Zhao Dong slowly paced toward Li Qing.
His slow footsteps sounded like a death knell. Li Qing's legs went weak, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
A single punch sent a man into a wall? Is this guy even human?
"You… don't come over… don't come over…"
SLAP!
A crisp slap echoed through the room.
Li Qing was sent spinning a full 360 degrees before crashing heavily to the ground.
"Kneel! Apologize to Wang Jing! Otherwise… die!"
A bone-chilling killing intent filled the air, leaving Li Qing no room to hesitate.
He scrambled over to Wang Jing. "I was wrong… I'm a bastard! Please, spare my life…"
Wang Jing was completely stunned by the scene before her.
I thought Zhao Dong was just an ordinary person and didn't want to involve him. Who would have thought his strength was so terrifying?
But the fear Li Qing had instilled in her was bone-deep. Seeing him begging for mercy, Wang Jing didn't dare to speak. She scrambled behind Zhao Dong, clinging tightly to him.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here," Zhao Dong consoled her softly, then strode over to Li Qing.
"Show me the hand you hit Wang Jing with!" His voice thundered, each word landing like a hammer blow.
Li Qing didn't dare resist. Trembling, he held out his right hand.
CRACK!
Zhao Dong stomped on it.
Li Qing's right hand was instantly crushed.
A scream like a stuck pig tore through the air.
"Remember this. If you ever dare to bother Wang Jing again, I'll take your life."
With that, Zhao Dong took Wang Jing's hand and strode away.
"AHH! You bastard! I'm not a man if I don't kill you!"
Watching the disgraced Li Qing, the onlookers shook their heads and muttered amongst themselves.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I never expected that young man to be so powerful!"
"Li Qing really hit a steel plate this time."
"But he's been in the underworld for years and has plenty of lackeys. I doubt he'll let this go."
"Whatever. It was damn satisfying to see that bastard get what he deserved!"
…
「Outside the barbecue restaurant.」
Wang Jing was overwhelmed with gratitude. She held tightly to Zhao Dong's hand, her eyes swimming with tears.
"Zhao Dong… Thank you. Really, thank you so much…"
Wang Jing's terrified expression made Zhao Dong's heart ache.
What kind of horrifying experience could have turned the girl whose eyes were once so full of light into the person she was today?
Zhao Dong took a deep breath and comforted her. "You helped me so much back then. What I did was nothing."
Back then?
Hearing those words, Wang Jing fell silent. Just then, her phone rang. She answered, and her expression immediately changed.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Dong asked.
"My neighbor said Xiao Ya is crying," Wang Jing said anxiously.
"Xiao Ya is your daughter?"
"Yes… I have to get back home right away…"
"Of course. Your daughter is more important. We can get together another day," Zhao Dong replied with a smile.
But Wang Jing turned and glanced back at the menacing thugs in the restaurant, her face filled with worry. "But… I'm afraid they might follow us…"
Zhao Dong turned to look, and his heart sank as well.
"Alright, I'll take you home," Zhao Dong said, flagging down a taxi.
"Will that… be too much trouble? It's so late…" Wang Jing said, embarrassed.
Zhao Dong simply pulled her into the car. "We're old classmates. There's no need to be so formal. The most important thing right now is to go see your daughter."
Hearing him mention her daughter finally eased Wang Jing's worries.
「Ten minutes later.」
The taxi entered a familiar area, causing Zhao Dong's brow to furrow. It was the same slum he had visited that afternoon!
I can't believe it. A woman like Wang Jing, living with her child in such a rough and dangerous place!
They walked up the dilapidated tenement building to an old wooden door. Even before they opened it, the miserable cries of a child could be heard from inside.
Wang Jing quickly fumbled with her keys, unlocked the door, and rushed in. Zhao Dong followed right behind her.
He had expected the layout to be similar to Master Gui's place, but the scene before him still made his heart clench.
The small room, barely thirty square meters, was divided into a bedroom and a living room by nothing more than a curtain. The "living room" consisted of only a battered sofa and a low, worn-out dining table. Tattered clothes had been repurposed as cleaning rags and hung neatly on a nearby rack, alongside a pair of white socks that also had holes in them. A moldy steamed bun sat on a corner of the table.
Though the room was dilapidated, it was immaculately clean.
Zhao Dong felt as if a giant hand were squeezing his heart, the suffocating feeling making it hard to breathe. His own heartbeat began to race. An overwhelming urge to protect her surged within him.
Good heavens! What kind of cruel joke is this? To let such a bright, kind-hearted woman suffer this kind of fate… what is the point of it all!?
Just then, Wang Jing rushed out from behind the curtain. "This is bad! Xiao Ya has a fever, and we don't have any fever medicine! We have to go buy some, quickly!"
Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she waved her hands frantically in panic.
Zhao Dong grabbed her hand. "Don't panic," he said softly. "I'm a doctor. Let me take a look at Xiao Ya."
"You… you're a doctor!?" Wang Jing's eyes widened.
Then, a relieved smile spread across her face. "Of course. You were always such a good student. It's no surprise you got into medical school."