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The barbershop was called “Yujian.”
To prevent the air conditioning from leaking out, the transparent glass door of the shop was shut.
Ji Huailuo, known for his impulsive and irritable personality, was famous for fighting back in school. Coupled with the fact that Ji Shou often used sticks and belts to discipline him, this had shaped his reckless temperament.
Xu Zhiqiao’s attempt to stop him was completely ignored.
“Big Brother…”
Zhou Cong had one hand in his pocket, while with the other, he forcefully held hers, tightening his grip as he pulled her back. He warned, “The door will break, don’t get hurt.”
No sooner had he spoken than Ji Huailuo kicked the glass door, which shattered with a loud crash.
There were other customers in the shop who screamed and quickly moved away.
Ji Huailuo’s leather shoes crunched on the broken glass as he spoke in a dark tone, “Who’s the boss here? Come out and face me!”
Xu Zhiqiao struggled to step forward, and Zhou Cong was dragged a few steps by her force. It wasn’t until they reached the spot covered with glass shards that he stopped her, forcing her to halt.
“What are you doing?” Xu Zhiqiao was anxious. “If he causes trouble, Uncle will beat him to death.”
Zhou Cong quietly tightened his grip on her soft hand. “If you push me, just say it’s my fault, alright?”
“……”
The man had just been discharged from the hospital and was wearing casual clothes. Though his body was slim, it didn’t appear frail. His posture was as straight as a pine tree.
Xu Zhiqiao, suddenly realizing that she was being held by him, quickly pulled away in panic. “Old pervert!!”
“……” Zhou Cong, losing his strength to resist, said with a smile, “Just take off the ‘old’ part.”
How old was he?
Still young.
The perfect age for love.
Xu Zhiqiao, in no mood to argue with him, darted over to Ji Huailuo. “Big Brother, don’t act rashly.”
A few barbers had gathered around.
“Let’s have a look,” Ji Huailuo, ignoring them, said with hostility, “This is my sister. Who did her hair?”
The others looked at each other, and one of them, apparently the owner, spoke with some arrogance. “Let’s sit down and talk. Your sister only had her hair cut. It’s a thirty-dollar issue.”
“Your mother is worth thirty,” Ji Huailuo retorted arrogantly, “I’ll give you two thirties to buy your mother a coffin!”
The shop owner’s expression changed, and he said, “Let’s talk calmly…”
Ji Huailuo sneered, “I’m just asking who cut my sister’s hair. Whoever did it, come out! I’ll give him the same style!”
“……”
The room fell silent.
There was quite a commotion, and with it being the start of the school year, many people had gathered inside and outside the shop.
Xu Zhiqiao’s hand was grabbed once again.
She turned around, alarmed. Zhou Cong’s expression didn’t change as he casually held her hand. “Which one was it?”
Xu Zhiqiao instinctively pointed to one of them.
Zhou Cong smiled slightly. “Good.”
Before he could make a move, Ji Huailuo had already dragged out the barber with the name tag reading “Xiao Wu.”
Before anyone could react, Ji Huailuo grabbed a curling iron from nearby and was about to press it onto Xiao Wu’s head.
Xu Zhiqiao screamed uncontrollably, and just then, a large hand covered her head and pressed it into a warm chest.
The curling iron was mere inches away from Xiao Wu’s head.
Xiao Wu could even feel the scorching heat from the iron.
“What’s shaking?” Ji Huailuo laughed perversely, “Scared? Your mother should be scared!”
He knocked on Xiao Wu’s head with the curling iron, making a loud “thunk.”
This brief contact wasn’t enough to burn, but Xiao Wu was so scared that tears and snot flowed freely.
Seeing things escalate, and clearly realizing it was his own staff at fault, the shop owner’s attitude softened a little. “Brother, let’s sit down and talk. Would you prefer compensation or something else?”
“Money? My family’s not short on that,” Ji Huailuo raised his chin. “But I have to set an example for my sister. She needs to learn that you can eat anything in life, but you can never allow yourself to be taken advantage of.”
Xu Zhiqiao said nothing.
The shop owner was silent for a while before asking, “What do you want?”
Ji Huailuo replied, “Shut down the shop.”
“You’re going too far,” the owner fumed. “My shop can’t be easily messed with!”
Ji Huailuo turned to Zhou Cong, mockingly saying, “He says his shop isn’t easy to mess with.”
Zhou Cong raised his lips slightly. “Shut it down, or have the manager kneel to us. Pick one.”
“……”
Xu Zhiqiao didn’t want to see the owner kneel.
Call her cowardly or weak, but she just couldn’t bear it.
“Big Brother,” she called out to Ji Huailuo, pleading.
However, Ji Huailuo was in a foul mood and wouldn’t back down without venting his anger.
Xu Zhiqiao felt desperate and looked up at Zhou Cong, softly asking, “Big brother Zhou Cong, can you persuade him? It’s enough if they apologize.”
Zhou Cong lowered his eyes, staring at her for a few seconds in silence. “Your brother hasn’t been humiliated like this. Should I have been the one to endure it?”
“……” Xu Zhiqiao was confused, grabbing the hem of his shirt. “Please, Zhou Cong, let’s go.”
Zhou Cong reached out and gently brushed her injured hair, whispering, “Can you always be this obedient?”
Xu Zhiqiao didn’t catch it clearly, her mind more occupied with worrying that Ji Huailuo might burn someone.
They would end up in jail.
Before she could say anything else, Zhou Cong raised his indifferent eyes, showing no emotion. “Huailuo, let’s go.”
“Bullshit!!” Ji Huailuo yelled, “I’ll make Xu Zhiqiao, this dumbass, see…”
Zhou Cong said firmly, “Let’s go.”
“……”
After saying goodbye to her roommates, Xu Zhiqiao hung her head low as Ji Huailuo scolded her on the way to Zhou Cong’s car.
“Five bucks can count as an apology?” Ji Huailuo, angry to the point of dizziness, fumed. “Did you lose your mind working part-time?”
Xu Zhiqiao muttered, “I thought it was a flat rate.”
“……” Ji Huailuo choked, “Who the hell thinks an apology has a flat rate? It’s all about how bold you are, how much land you own…”
Xu Zhiqiao, “I thought once the apology was made, we couldn’t ask for compensation. I was afraid he’d say, ‘I already apologized. What else do you want from me?’”
Ji Huailuo, “……”
After a brief silence.
“Go back home with me,” Ji Huailuo cracked his knuckles. “I’m going to fix your temper.”
Just then, the car door opened, and Zhou Cong entered with a bag from the pharmacy.
“Sit tight, let your Zhou Cong brother treat your wounds,” Ji Huailuo muttered. “Don’t let him fool you. Though he’s quiet, he fights harder than I do. He’s experienced in treating injuries.”
Xu Zhiqiao lowered her head obediently.
Zhou Cong glanced at her, his fingers gently pushing aside her hair as he disinfected the injured area.
“Your Zhou Cong brother’s car is also ruined by you,” Ji Huailuo lamented. “When did he ever allow someone to bring medicine inside, let alone apply it? Even a bit of spilled medicine would annoy him.”
No one paid him any attention.
Xu Zhiqiao felt her scalp cool down as the burning sensation eased. Still, she began to worry again. “Big Brother, am I going bald?”
“……” Zhou Cong’s brows twitched slightly. “It’s fine. Your cauliflower hairdo will cover it.”
Ji Huailuo burst out laughing.
Xu Zhiqiao fell silent for a moment. “I know it looks ugly, just didn’t dare say it.”
“It’s not ugly,” Zhou Cong put away the medicine. “It just looks… quite appetizing.”
“……”