Dragon Raja 4; Chapter 86: Young Schoolmates (2)

Dragon Raja 4

“Do you even have the right to speak for him? Even if he kidnapped me, as my little brother, shouldn’t you have stopped him? What were you doing at the time, handing him the rope?”

“I really didn’t do much. On the way to the dock, I helped him carry you for a bit.”

“Oh, how noble. Just helped carry me, huh? What am I, a mummy? A large parcel? Were you worried that Mr. Big Biceps couldn’t handle me, so you heroically lent a hand?”

“He said you’d gained weight and couldn’t carry you anymore. He thought about dragging you, but I figured that’d be too embarrassing, so I offered to carry you…”

In the end, Lu Mingfei couldn’t avoid the inevitable ear-twisting, and after it was over, his ears were as red and warm as Finger’s, as if there were lightbulbs hanging from his cheeks.

The car fell silent, with both Lu Mingfei and Finger hanging their heads in apology, while Nono crossed her arms and sat with her legs crossed, looking fierce like a tigress.

Eventually, Finger sighed and pulled out a passport, handing it to her. “Here’s your passport. I brought it with me. If you really don’t want to help, you can buy a plane ticket when we get to our destination and be back in Malta in a day. I know it’s a lot to ask. You’re not like me. I’ve got nothing to lose. If I die, a few hundred girls will be sad for a while, but they’ll move on, do their makeup, and find someone else. But you’re the future mistress of the Gattuso family, a woman who flies in private jets and wears Cartier. You can treat a Rolls-Royce like a bumper car. Asking someone like you to care about loyalty and brotherhood with guys like us… it’s a bit much.”

Nono didn’t reach for the passport. “Stop with the nonsense and just drive.”

“I’m being serious! But all you care about is whether I can drive? Let me tell you, my driving skills…”

“I know you’re trying to provoke me. Your tactics are simple, but I’ll fall for them anyway, because I want to prove I’m not the kind of person you think I am,” Nono said coldly. “Besides, the word’s already gotten back to the college and Rome. Going back now would just prove I’m a well-behaved little girl. But in my life, I’m nobody’s good girl. Let’s go see Chu Zihang. This is all very strange, and I’m interested in finding out more.”

“Junior sister, you’re the best!” Finger beamed. “You’re exactly my type! If Caesar hadn’t gotten to you first, I’d definitely be chasing you!”

“You’ve had every girl in South America, yet you still find me appealing even after I’ve gained weight? I don’t know how to thank you,” Nono replied icily. “Now step on it! I’m starving!”

“On it!” Finger revved the engine.

The BYD sped off, kicking up a light cloud of dust. The sun shone brightly, making the car a little warm, and the rough-sounding speakers were playing the Mexican guitar song Malagueña Salerosa.

Not far ahead, they spotted the police car from earlier parked by the roadside. The officers were leaning against the car, munching on Chinese pancakes. Finger waved as they passed, and a petal of red flowers fluttered down in the wind stirred by the BYD.

“Lu Mingfei, what were you thinking just now?” Nono suddenly asked.

“Nothing, just zoning out,” Lu Mingfei quickly answered. “My brain’s not working well these days. The more I think, the more I mess up.”

In truth, he had been gazing at the bougainvillea-covered mountains and suddenly felt a sense of calm, as if he had been transported back to his high school days. Back then, the overpasses leading out of the city had just been built, and every spring the school organized trips to the countryside. The bus would wind through the hills, passing valleys and fields of flowers, while the boys and girls chattered excitedly. For the first time, he realized that he was truly heading home, back to a city where people he once knew still lived. Finger had told him to clean up his appearance, saying it was a homecoming of sorts, and that he shouldn’t let people think he hadn’t made it in America.

After joining the Execution Bureau, he had spent more than half the year on the move, like a wind-up tin duck that couldn’t stop. His life moved faster than Chu Zihang’s ever had, while back home, time moved slowly. His uncle had been going to work, drinking tea, and reading the newspaper for decades, and the people in the old town had been eating at the same breakfast shops for decades. Many boys had married their high school sweethearts, and the price of a fried dough stick had only gone up from three to four yuan in ten years. That little place was his cozy hideaway, much like the slums were to the gangster Porquinho, comfortable and safe, seemingly protected by some mystical barrier that time could not easily alter.

He even began to think about whether to grab some grilled cold noodles first when they arrived, or drag Finger and Nono to a seafood street market…

“Just treat it as a vacation. I’m sick of that hellhole Malta, anyway,” Nono crossed her arms and stared out the window, her deep red eyes reflecting the passing mountains.

Lu Mingfei and Finger sat on the curb, side by side, each holding a bag of stinky tofu, gazing at the distant, dusty construction site.

“Bro, did we take a wrong turn? This is supposed to be a city,” Finger scratched his chin. “But every time you talked about home, it sounded like a rural village.”

“This is a city, and according to the road signs, it’s definitely my hometown. But I’m as confused as you are.”

It had been four years since Lu Mingfei had gone home, ever since his aunt had kicked him out during his freshman year of college, telling him never to come back.

Back then, the CBD area across the river had just been built. On one side, there were gleaming skyscrapers, while on this side, the old, dusty residential neighborhoods stood in stark contrast, as if separated by twenty years of time.

Now, returning home, the transformation was astonishing. The old town was undergoing massive renovation. The sycamore trees that once lined the streets were cut down, the walls torn apart, and roads were being widened. Excavators rumbled as dust filled the air, with the frameworks of high-end apartments and skyscrapers already rising amidst the haze.

Lu Mingfei used to gaze longingly at the glittering CBD district at night, feeling that it was where real life and excitement lay. Now, he felt a sense of regret at the disappearance of the old town. That place had its own charm, with “Breakfast Princes” everywhere, red, greasy stew pots simmering in noodle shops, and century-old sycamore trees whose thick canopy shaded entire streets during the summer. On clear days, the pavement was dappled with light, and when it drizzled, you didn’t even need an umbrella.

A white police motorcycle stopped in front of them, and a smart-looking female traffic officer saluted. “Is there anything the foreign guests need help with?”

Before Lu Mingfei could respond, Finger eagerly stepped forward, bowing slightly. “You’re just in time, ma’am! Can you tell us where we can find Shilan Middle School? The city’s renovations are amazing—none of it matches the map!”

The traffic officer gave Finger a puzzled look. She couldn’t quite understand why this blonde, blue-eyed foreigner was speaking so casually, while the Chinese boy in a suit beside him exuded an air of refined aloofness, seeming more like the actual foreign guest.

The officer pointed at Finger’s map. “Just follow this road straight ahead. At the third intersection, turn right, and you’ll see it. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask the police.”

“Thank you so much! We’re totally lost here—without the people’s police, we’d be completely blind…” Finger said, pulling out his phone.

Lu Mingfei quickly snatched the phone from him. “Thank you, officer! If we need anything, we’ll call the hotline!”

The motorcycle took off, and as the officer rode away, Finger sighed deeply while watching her leave. “I wasn’t trying to get her WeChat info, seriously. Why does it never work?”

Turning back, he called out to the BYD, “Junior sister! How long does it take to change clothes? Need help? Is the underwear size okay? If not, your senior brother can help you get a new one!”

The car door opened, and Nono jumped out, her face full of disdain. “Finger! Has your taste gone to the dogs? How old do you think I am to still wear something like this?”

Finger had bought her a set of JK (Japanese high school) uniform: an ivory sweater over a deep blue jacket, paired with a dark red plaid skirt, black knee socks, and small leather shoes.

“What’s wrong with a JK uniform? It makes you look young!” Finger circled her, appraising her outfit. “It upgrades your body from ‘above average’ to ‘top-notch.’”

“Above average?” Nono laughed in anger. “Don’t judge me with your South American taste. Go after your Kim Kardashian lookalikes!”

Though she raged outwardly, Nono was secretly a bit self-conscious. Ever since staying on that golden iris island, where she rarely exercised beyond swimming, she had indeed put on some weight.

“No one here knows you. Just make do for now?” Lu Mingfei chimed in.

“Wearing this while hanging out with you two? Aren’t you afraid the police will come to ask questions again?”

“The police won’t care what you wear.”

“They’ll think you’re trafficking a minor!” Nono adjusted the hem of her skirt in the rearview mirror.

“Cut it out!” Lu Mingfei and Finger said in unison.

Nono finally finished adjusting her outfit and hair and grudgingly accepted the clothes.

Finger immediately handed her a bag of stinky tofu. “Added double the spicy sauce. You’ll love it.”

The three of them leaned against the BYD, chatting while eating.

“We’re probably on the college’s wanted list by now, right? And you guys still dared to come home for a visit. Bold.” Nono asked.

“Classic ‘hiding under the light.’ The most dangerous place is also the safest,” Finger shrugged. “The Execution Bureau would never expect us to come to Lu Mingfei’s hometown.”

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