Chapter 11: The First McDonald’s in County Town

That year, the county town’s very first McDonald’s opened its doors.

It was only three blocks from Xu Chen’s school.

Cutting through the alley behind the school would bring him even closer.

At the intersection, Xu Chen swung his bike around and headed into that shortcut.

He was plotting how to catch up with Xie Bingran for a bit of “reminiscing” when a few figures blocked the alley’s exit.

Xu Chen slowed and looked up to see four or five youths sneering at him.

They looked like a gang of troublemakers—and not from Tiancheng High School.

“You must be Xu Chen?”

Their leader wasn’t tall, with long bangs dyed yellow at the front.

Xu Chen said nothing and glanced over his shoulder.

Sure enough, three more silhouettes blocked his path from behind.

This bunch was clearly here just to corner him.

Xu Chen thought carefully—he didn’t recall facing this in his past life.

Then realization hit, and he spoke up:

“You’re one of Zhao Linlin’s sworn brothers, right?”

“You’ve got some nerve messing with my sworn sister,” the leader snapped.

Xu Chen fell silent. Zhao Linlin, that nonconformist girl, could be a real headache.

What was wrong with him back then that he actually liked her?

Truly an embarrassing past best forgotten.

That girl clearly had some skill—how many sworn brothers had she picked up?

No wonder she later spent her nights in clubs, playing to her strengths…

Xu Chen surveyed his surroundings and quickly judged there was no way out.

Luckily, none of them carried real weapons. They just wanted to intimidate him to vent on the girl.

All the more reason not to back down.

If he showed fear, they’d have no limits.

Xu Chen slipped his hand into his pocket, gripping his only weapon—a Bodar flip phone.

At the same time, he scanned for anything else he could use to defend himself…

He faced the yellow-banged kid and said,

“You go to the vocational school next door, don’t you?”

“I’m Ma Xiang. I doubt you’ve forgotten that name. You’re messing with the wrong person…”

The kid brushed his bangs aside, tilting his head with a smug grin.

Xu Chen nodded.

“Plenty of cow dung in the village, but Ma Xiang is rare,” he drawled.

Ma Xiang froze, then his eyes flashed with violence.

“You’ve got a death wish!”

He clenched his fists until the bones cracked.

He and his cronies started closing in.

Xu Chen remained calm. He reached up to the low wall and pried loose a brick.

He’d noticed it earlier.

Tossing the brick in his hand, he tilted his chin back at Ma Xiang, unflinching.

His composure made Ma Xiang hesitate.

This wasn’t how these encounters usually went…

By past “successful” methods, the kid would’ve been begging in moments.

Case closed, and more admiration from his sworn sister.

So why wasn’t this Tiancheng High kid showing any fear?!

Ma Xiang and his gang inched closer—conflict seemed unavoidable.

At that moment, a cold, clear voice echoed from the alley’s end:

“Don’t you dare touch my man…”

…

It was the second time Xu Chen had heard those words.

He looked up and saw those sharp, refined eyes again.

Xie Bingran appeared at the alley entrance, hands in her pockets, a cigarette unlit between her lips.

From a distance, Xu Chen couldn’t help but break into a warm smile.

Ma Xiang heard the voice too.

He froze and glanced over, shrinking back in fear.

“B-Bing Ge… why are you here?”

Ma Xiang’s tone trembled like a frightened lamb.

He looked from “Bing Ge” to Xu Chen, then recalled the threat he’d just heard. His face turned ashen.

Xie Bingran strolled forward, cigarette still unlit.

She stopped in front of Xu Chen and coldly addressed Ma Xiang:

“He belongs to me.”

Xu Chen cursed internally: Since when did I become her possession…

Well, riding on Bing Ge’s coattails does have its perks.

Might as well ditch all dignity…

Ma Xiang’s eyes flicked nervously as he swallowed hard.

He wasn’t tall; even at 1.74 meters, he had to look up at “Bing Ge.”

He paused, plastered on a sheepish grin, and said,

“This is unbelievable—everyone ignores home till family shows up…

Bing Ge, my bad! I didn’t know the situation. I apologize!”

He then turned to Xu Chen with a grin:

“Chen Ge, right? We fight to make friends, and once friends, we’re family.

If he’s with Bing Ge, he’s our kin too.

With family, we speak freely—no fear anywhere.

The vocational school is next to the high school; we’re always bumping into each other. The world’s small…”

Xu Chen: “Enough with the rhymes. Planning to take the entrance exams?”

Ma Xiang chuckled awkwardly.

“You joke, Chen Ge. With my education level, I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“If you ever need anything from me, just say the word!”

“The vocational school’s right next door. Bing Ge and your matters—just call and I’ll be there!”

Ma Xiang pounded his chest and proclaimed loudly.

Xu Chen: “…”

With Bing Ge’s appearance, not only Ma Xiang but his cronies cowered like startled ghosts.

Xu Chen felt surprised.

He hadn’t expected Bing Ge’s influence to extend beyond their school.

Judging by Ma Xiang’s craven demeanor, he’d clearly suffered at Xie Bingran’s hands before.

Xie Bingran ignored Ma Xiang and glanced at Xu Chen:

“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

Xu Chen hesitated briefly, then said to Xie Bingran:

“Just a moment.”

He looked back at Ma Xiang and asked,

“Do you know how many sworn brothers your sister has?”

Ma Xiang blinked, mouth agape.

“She only acknowledges me…”

Xu Chen looked puzzled:

“That’s weird. I know several!

She even has a few ‘husbands’ in her game!”

Ma Xiang’s face flickered through several shades of awkwardness.

Xu Chen pulled out his phone and scrolled, saying,

“Zhao Linlin sent me a ton of weird messages before—some I didn’t dare reply to…

Since you’re her sworn brother, why not take a look?”

With that, he handed his phone to Ma Xiang.

Ma Xiang stared, then took it and flipped through Zhao Linlin’s old messages.

They were all cutesy, teasing lines…

‘Big Brother Xu Chen this… Big Brother Xu Chen that… You’re the best… I love you…’

Ma Xiang’s expression darkened even further as he scrolled.