Chapter 18 He Is Like a Stray Dog

After school in the afternoon, Xie Muhuan went home to get a change of school uniform, preparing to keep vigil for Grandma Xu at the hospital that night.

His only possession was a suitcase, which he left on the balcony of his biological mother Fang Xiuqin’s home.

As he reached the entrance, clothes suddenly flew into his face!

“Hey? Jin Cheng, don’t hang up, I’m throwing things out!” Fang Xiuqin said, holding a phone in one hand and tossing things around with the other, her tone flattering. “He only has a few old clothes and some textbooks; I’m throwing all of them away!”

Xie Muhuan stood outside the door.

Fang Xiuqin was startled when she unexpectedly met his dark, icy gaze and scolded, “What are you doing?”

Xie Muhuan’s expression remained emotionless: “That’s a question I should be asking you.”

Feeling a little guilty, Fang Xiuqin quickly steeled herself at the thought that Xie Jincheng was willing to give her a hundred thousand yuan: “This house is so small and shabby; I can’t afford to raise a ingrate like you. I heard you have money to treat a random old lady. Isn’t that right? Have you ever given a single cent to your own mother?”

Xie Jincheng, who she had raised for over ten years, still had a conscience.

What good was a biological son?

In this day and age, only money was truly dependable.

Xie Muhuan stared at her for a few seconds, enunciating each word carefully: “You’ve decided not to recognize me as your son, haven’t you?”

“I’ll acknowledge you once you bring back the money!” Fang Xiuqin threw the exercise books in her hand onto the ground, then slammed the door shut with a bang.

Xie Muhan looked at the tightly shut door, a cold smile slowly forming at the corner of his lips.

It was she who had chosen not to recognize him as her son first.

From now on, Xie Muhuan would be an orphan without parents.

Inside, Fang Xiuqin’s voice still faintly carried through as she spoke on the phone: “Jincheng, you should come back and see your mother often. Mom misses you so much. How are you doing over there? Does your leg still hurt? Poor child…”

Xie Muhuan bent down and began picking up the clothes and books one by one.

He gathered everything in his arms, turned, and left.

—

The streetlights in the old town area were dim, with some bulbs burned out and not lit.

As Xie Muhuan walked into a dark alley, his footsteps suddenly halted.

At the alley’s entrance, a group of burly men surrounded him.

As soon as they saw him, they raised their wooden sticks and charged at him without a word!

“Beat him up!” the leader shouted. “Break his legs!”

Xie Muhuan’s eyes grew cold. He tossed aside the items he was holding and charged forward with lightning speed, delivering a swift kick to the chest of the nearest man!

He bent down, picked up the fallen wooden stick, and spun it in his hand like a sword, striking the shoulder of the man next to him. The man screamed and fell limply to the ground.

Xie Muhuan was skilled in combat, ruthless in his strikes, exuding an aura of cold menace, as if he would kill anyone who crossed his path.

He was willing to take a few hits to ensure he knocked down his opponents.

“You little brat! Are you looking for death? Then I’ll grant your wish!” the leader pulled out a Swiss Army knife, flashing the blade as he lunged at Xie Muhuan.

Xie Muhuan’s eyes were filled with a chilling frost. With a smirk, he suddenly sprinted forward, stepping onto the alley wall, and leaped into the air, swinging his stick fiercely at the leader!

“Ah—”

The leader let out a pained scream, rolling on the ground while clutching his head.

In the rundown alley, a group of men lay sprawled on the ground, while a few uninjured ones gripped their sticks, watching vigilantly.

Yet, Xie Muhuan didn’t dare to approach them.

As he walked past, none of the men dared to make a move.

In the distance, a luxury car was parked.

Inside the car, Xie Jincheng was using binoculars to observe the situation in the alley, his narrow eyes glinting with a venomous coldness as he sneered, “What good is being tough? You’ve stolen my life, and you’ll have to pay it back.”

—

Xie Muhan ran a distance and suddenly found his path blocked by a car.

A girl stepped out from the vehicle.

She appeared somewhat anxious at first, but upon seeing him, her expression turned mocking.

“Xie Muhuan, why are you so disheveled? You look like a drowned rat,” Qu Qingzhi said, sizing him up. When she saw he wasn’t seriously injured, she secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Xie Muhuan cast a cold glance at her but did not respond.

Qu Qingzhi continued with her sharp tongue, “The college entrance exam is coming up, and I still have many questions I can’t solve. You don’t seem to have a home, so why not teach me? You could earn some pocket money instead of running around like a stray dog.”

With the remnants of his fight still coursing through him, Xie Muhuan’s black eyes looked at her coldly, creating an almost tangible chill that made her shiver involuntarily.

Qu Qingzhi couldn’t help but reflect, had she gone too far with her words?

However, unexpectedly, Xie Muhuan suddenly chuckled softly, his eyes devoid of warmth as he said, “You’re right.”

He indeed had no home.

He truly was like a stray dog wandering about.

“Since you agree with me, then come with me.” Qu Qingzhi tugged at his sleeve and forcefully pulled him toward the car.

She felt uneasy…

According to the book’s description, Xie Jincheng was a deranged lunatic.

Not only did he want to break Xie Muhuan’s legs, but he also sought to ruin his life.

“Qu Qingzhi,” Xie Muhuan said as he got into the car, his tone shifting slightly. He sheathed his cold edge and lowered his voice, “Your dad promised to arrange for Grandma Xu to have her second surgery. Is that still valid?”

“Of course, we have plenty of money. Do you think we can’t afford a good doctor?” Qu Qingzhi continued to maintain her domineering persona. “Are you looking down on me or my dad?”

“If someone is intentionally making trouble, would your dad back down out of fear?” Xie Muhuan asked.

Qu Qingzhi couldn’t help but glance at him.

The future villain was still very young, and his provocation was too obvious.

However, she pretended not to notice and snorted coldly, “What do you mean? Is our Qu family afraid of being bullied? Whoever dares to mess with us, my dad will definitely make them pay!”

Xie Muhan nodded slightly, feeling a bit of tension ease in his heart.

He didn’t fear being beaten; he was worried that Xie Jincheng would make things difficult for Grandma Xu.

In comparison, he would rather endure Qu Qingzhi’s humiliation and arrogance as long as Grandma Xu could successfully have her surgery.

“Xie Muhan, don’t wander around too much lately. I want you to teach me every day.” Qu Qingzhi spoke domineeringly. “I’ll have two bodyguards keep an eye on you. You’re only allowed at the hospital to care for Grandma Xu at night. Any other time, you have to come to my house when I call you.”

She had to assign bodyguards to protect him.

Xie Jincheng might kidnap him and sell him as a male slave on a rich person’s cruise.

In the storyline of the book, Xie Muhuan was imprisoned for more than a month and endured all kinds of unspeakable torments.

After he escaped, his personality changed dramatically, and he began to darken.