Chapter 23: I'll Handle This Myself

Li Xiaogang was arrogantly pointing at Lin Yu, hurling insults when his phone rang. Glancing at the number, he immediately yelled into the phone, "Dad, where are you? I got into trouble, why did you take so long to call back? Is the car broken? Are you saying the car is more important than me? Hurry over here, I'm near Haifu Tower." His rant was indicative of a coddled and pampered child.

Lin Yu, arms folded, remained silent, watching the fellow making a scene.

"Brother, shall we chat over there?" At this moment, the burly bald man glanced around and, with too many people present, approached Lin Yu, slinging an arm around him. His embrace was forceful, conveying a strong sense of threat.

Lin Yu made no resistance, just smiled, "Sure, how about that alley over there?" He had already started walking on his own initiative, seeming quite cooperative. The dozen or so lackeys behind the burly man noisily followed, making it seem as though Lin Yu were the mafia boss.

The composure and ease of Lin Yu surprised the burly man; this young man had some guts, truly showing signs of courage despite being inexperienced.

However, in his experience, most young people who thought highly of themselves often met tragic ends. He remained unfazed.

Yet, facing such a crowd, Lin Yu's composure was itself a skill. Most people would have been frightened, earning a certain admiration from the bald man, who decided to "deal" with him later.

Entering the alley, a pair of burly men stood on either side, guarding, while a group surrounded Lin Yu. Now, even if Lin Yu had wings, he couldn't fly out of this situation.

At least, according to Li Xiaogang, it should be like this.

The group near Haifu Tower dared not follow, craning their necks to witness the commotion. Some had even scurried upstairs to catch a glimpse, inexplicably spirited.

As they entered the alley, just as the burly man was about to make a move, screeching brakes echoed at the alley entrance. A black Lexus came to a halt, and a stout man around fifty stepped out, cursing, "Who dared touch my son? Looking for trouble? I'm in a bad mood today, and I'll use you to practice."

He walked toward the alley, apparently Li Xiaogang's father. Lin Yu, looking up, chuckled. It was an unexpected coincidence—this man was the same person his grandfather had collided with in the morning, and now, seeing his son, it was an unexpected turn of events, adding to the old grievances.

"It's you? You spoiled brat, you ruined my car today, and you dare to fight my son? Baldy, teach him a lesson, at least break one of his legs so he knows the Marquis of Horses has three eyes." The stout man's eyes widened at the sight of Lin Yu. Though unaware of the connection between the car accident and Lin Yu, that didn't stop him from unleashing his fury upon him.

His new car, bought for over a million, had turned to scrap metal, fueling his rage. Combined with Lin Yu's attack on his son, it ignited a wave of anger and resentment, prompting him to charge forward, pointing at Lin Yu and bellowing at the bald man.

"Dad, do you have a grudge against him too?" Li Xiaogang asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, a significant one. Boy, I swear by the heavens, you're finished today," the stout man glared at Lin Yu, his teeth clenched in fury.

Truly, like father, like son—their confrontation was almost inevitable, two peas in a pod. Squashing a pair of rotten tomatoes, not a single good one among them.

Lin Yu, somewhat sorrowful, gazed at the pair, shaking his head. He was almost too disinterested to engage with them.

Looking up at Haifu Tower in the distance, where a group was leaning against the windows to watch, he couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. A bunch of psychologically dark and mundane bystanders, truly uninspiring.

"Your sighs and head shakes won't help, even if you kneel and beg, it won't matter. Baldy, my father has come personally, it's up to you now," Li Xiaogang boasted triumphantly, staring at Lin Yu with smug eyes.

The bald man, silent for a while, adjusted his stance, clenched his fist, and approached Lin Yu, grinning ominously. "Did you hear their words? Will we attack, or will you act on your own? Give a clear answer."

Lin Yu glanced at him, still silent, and then bent down, picking up an abandoned brick from the ground.

"Ah, quite daring. Looks like you want to handle us by yourself," the bald man sneered, thinking Lin Yu would fight back fiercely. He was about to shout, "Get him!" but what he didn't anticipate was Lin Yu, holding the brick, grinning and saying, "No need for your involvement, I'll handle this myself."

With those words, he extended his left hand palm-down, holding the brick in his right hand, swinging it in a large arc, and firmly smacked it down. Everyone could see he'd put his full strength into hitting the back of his hand. If it connected, it might have broken his hand.

"This lad knows his place," the burly man silently nodded. Since he was being cooperative, there was no need for them to take action. After all, if something serious happened, dealing with the police wouldn't be fun.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaogang and his father, taken aback, showed a satisfied, sinister smile. Lin Yu handling it alone was perfect; even if the police arrived, they wouldn't be involved.

With a thud, the brick landed solidly, astonishing everyone. Contrary to expectations of a bone-breaking sound, Lin Yu's hand remained intact. Instead, the brick split in half, with one piece flying out, landing on the ground with a clang.

"A miraculous escape?" Everyone, including the onlookers near Haifu Tower's second floor, was left dumbfounded, wearing expressions full of question marks. 

That was a solid piece of large blue brick, at least half thicker and heavier than ordinary red bricks. This was pure clay fired into a robust form, maintaining its robustness even after a decade. Moreover, this type of blue brick was the kind used for alley walls—large and heavy. It was hard to imagine hitting oneself with it, let alone anywhere else.

Everyone was wide-eyed, staring at the half brick on the ground, a myriad of question marks filling their minds...