Chapter 15: Stern

Zhao Feng spoke coldly, “What? Am I not allowed to sit in the front passenger seat?”
Li Ping glanced at the rearview mirror. “The front seat is reserved for Sister Yingying!”
Chen Ying shot Li Ping a glare. “I want to sit in the back and chat with Auntie!”
“Alright then.”
Li Ping rubbed his nose, clearly frustrated.
Chen Ying took Chen Lan’s hand and looked at Li Ping. “Enough, let’s get going!”
Li Ping nodded.
With a roar, Li Ping started the car and pressed down on the accelerator. The vehicle shot forward instantly.
Zhao Feng sat in the front seat, lost in thought.
He didn’t know much about cars, but even he could tell that Li Ping’s car was quite expensive. He wondered if it belonged to Li Ping’s family or to Li Ping himself.
Li Ping drove a black Audi A8, winding through country roads. The rural paths were unpaved, full of potholes, and the car bounced ceaselessly as it moved.
As Li Ping drove on, the car suddenly stalled.
“Damn!” Li Ping slammed the steering wheel, anger flashing across his face.
In the back, Chen Ying asked, “Li Ping, what happened? Why did the car stop?”
Li Ping’s expression was grim. “Looks like we’re stuck in the mud.”
“What do we do now?” Chen Ying pressed.
Li Ping glanced at Zhao Feng. “You and Auntie stay in the car. Zhao Feng and I will go check it out.”
Chen Ying nodded, “Alright.”
Li Ping turned to Zhao Feng. “Let’s get out.”
Zhao Feng said nothing, simply opened the door and got out.
The two of them walked to the rear of the car.
Sure enough, one of the wheels was deeply sunk into the mud.
Li Ping inspected it and shouted angrily, “Who did this?! Who dug such a huge hole in the middle of the road?!”
Zhao Feng frowned, “Was this dug on purpose?”
Li Ping retorted, “What else could it be?”
Li Ping was in a foul mood, showing no patience with Zhao Feng.
Zhao Feng ran a hand over his chin, silent.
Seeing Zhao Feng like this only made Li Ping angrier.
“What now?” Zhao Feng asked.
Li Ping snorted, “We’ll have to call a tow truck.”
Zhao Feng nodded, “Then hurry up and call.”
Li Ping glared at him. “I don’t need you to tell me! This is all your fault! The roads in your village are terrible!”
Grumbling, Li Ping pulled out his phone and dialed.
Beep... beep...
“We’re sorry, your phone is out of service area.”
“Damn! No signal!” Li Ping cursed.
“So what now?” Zhao Feng asked.
Li Ping took a deep breath, “I’ll get behind the wheel. You try to push. See if we can get it out.”
Zhao Feng rolled his eyes, “Do you really think I’m that strong?”
Li Ping snorted.
“I don’t care! Either you try to push, or we just sit here and wait!” Li Ping sneered.
Zhao Feng shook his head helplessly, “Fine, you steer, I’ll push.”
“Alright.”
Li Ping walked back to the driver’s seat, opened the door, and got in.
Through the window, he gave Zhao Feng an OK sign.
With another roar, Li Ping started the car and pressed the accelerator.
The rear wheel spun uselessly in the pit.
Zhao Feng stood behind the car, pushing with all his strength.
Li Ping pressed the gas again, and mud splattered everywhere—right onto Zhao Feng, covering him from head to toe.
Zhao Feng was now a figure made entirely of mud.
Li Ping watched through the rearview mirror, laughing gleefully at Zhao Feng’s appearance.
“Hahaha!”
Li Ping felt greatly relieved, his earlier frustration gone.
Chen Ying, sitting in the back, saw Zhao Feng and smacked Li Ping. “Li Ping, slow down! Look at Zhao Feng, he’s completely covered in mud!”
Li Ping feigned innocence, “Sister Yingying, the wheel’s stuck in mud. If I don’t press the gas, how will we get out?”
“But, but…”
Chen Ying tried to argue but couldn’t refute him.
Li Ping glanced again at Zhao Feng in the rear, feeling thoroughly delighted.
“Quack, quack, quack!”
He laughed so hard that it sounded like a goose.
Li Ping forced himself not to burst out laughing.
He pressed the gas repeatedly.
The black car rocked in the mud, the wheels spinning wildly.
Zhao Feng was now so caked in mud that only his eyes were visible.

Zhao Feng’s exposed eyes were sharp and fierce.
He looked at the roadside trees, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Zhao Feng summoned all his strength.
His legs, powerful like a grasshopper’s, flexed; his arms bulged with muscle.
With a tremendous heave, Zhao Feng pushed the rear of the car with everything he had.
The car lurched and finally emerged from the muddy pit.
Li Ping was still stunned. “What happened? We’re out?”
He quickly opened the door and ran to the back. “Zhao Feng, did you push the car out?”
Zhao Feng shook his head hurriedly, “No, no, you drove well!”
Li Ping was skeptical, but couldn’t find any other explanation.
He could only attribute it to the car itself—after all, it was impossible for a single person to have such strength.
Meanwhile, the hidden observers in the woods by the road were all dumbfounded.
“Did you see that?”
“He pushed the car out by himself!”
“Yes, he pushed it out alone!”
“Incredible!”
“How can one person be so strong?”
“Yeah! Someone explain this to me!”
Once the car was freed, Chen Ying and Chen Lan quickly got out.
Chen Ying hurried to Zhao Feng’s side, “Zhao Feng, are you alright?”
Zhao Feng shook his head, “I’m fine.”
“Hmph!” Chen Ying said angrily, “Li Ping should have been the one pushing while you drove!”
Zhao Feng scratched his head and smiled, “But I don’t know how to drive!”
Chen Ying’s eyes lit up, “Oh? Zhao Feng, should we go sign up at a driving school today?”
Zhao Feng hesitated, clearly tempted.
Chen Lan chimed in, “That’s right, Xiaofeng, let’s enroll in a driving school and buy a car ourselves!”
Li Ping muttered nearby, “Let’s pay off the debts first.”
At those words, Chen Lan immediately looked embarrassed.
Zhao Feng smiled, “Mom, leave the debts to me.”
Chen Lan sighed, “It’s a million. Who knows when we’ll pay it off?”
Zhao Feng laughed, “Mom, we won’t pay it back!”
“No!” Chen Lan’s tone turned stern. “Son, remember: debts must be repaid, it’s only right! We have to pay it back!”