Reversed Life: Chapter 15 - Your Brother Nan will always be your Brother Nan
Chapter 15: Your Brother Nan will always be your Brother Nan
No one spoke. Very quickly, both Mu Xiangxiang and Cao Wei noticed the bruised, disheveled state of their respective friends, and the atmosphere froze.
The one who finally broke the silence was, unsurprisingly, Qiao Nan. Standing at the very front with a steel pipe in hand, his gaze shifted back and forth between the two people opposite him before stopping on the oversized jacket Mu Xiangxiang was wearing. His eyelid twitched slightly. “…Come here.”
Mu Xiangxiang instinctively stood up, only for someone to grab her wrist. She turned around. Cao Wei glanced at the still-tense crowd outside, his expression different from before. “You know them?”
Qiao Nan stared at the hand holding her wrist and spoke again. “Come here!”
Mu Xiangxiang glanced at him, then turned back to explain to Cao Wei, “They’re my friends.”
Only then did Cao Wei let go. He remained seated, his overly muscular build naturally intimidating, but Mu Xiangxiang wasn’t wary of him at all.
After all, this fierce-looking giant had just been completely at a loss over making her cry. Since she’d never explained the real reason for her tears, she’d gotten to witness the rare sight of a burly man blushing bright red in embarrassment. Her impression of this somewhat simple-minded guy wasn’t bad.
Still, with Qiao Nan standing several meters away looking like he’d start beating people if she didn’t come out immediately, Mu Xiangxiang hesitated before taking off the jacket and handing it back to Cao Wei. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
Cao Wei reacted slowly. “Oh…” After studying her face and confirming she no longer looked like she’d been crying, he asked hesitantly, “…Um, are you okay now?”
Qiao Nan had already reached the limit of his patience. He slammed the steel pipe against the ground with a harsh screech.
“Got it, got it!” Mu Xiangxiang shouted toward him before gently patting Cao Wei on the shoulder. “I’m fine. Don’t take it to heart. I’m leaving now—you guys should head home early too.”
With that, she picked up the shopping bag at her feet, waved goodbye, and walked toward Qiao Nan. Qiao Nan stared fixedly at her, his eyes carrying emotions impossible to decipher. Only when she was three steps away did he finally lift his gaze coldly toward Cao Wei before turning around and leaving.
Mu Xiangxiang calmly followed. The crowd parted down the middle like the Red Sea—Yan Zhiyang and his group on the left, He Pengcheng and the others on the right.
The tall and short figures gradually disappeared down the stone path. Only then did the people left behind recover their senses. The atmosphere turned awkwardly cold again. After a long while, someone coughed.
Yan Zhiyang’s eyes darted around nervously. For some reason, he actually said goodbye. “…Uh, we’re heading out too.”
Though He Pengcheng had no idea why he was saying goodbye, he awkwardly followed suit. “Uh… right… s-see you.”
The two groups of youths—who had been at each other’s throats moments ago—shifted past one another with faint embarrassment, neither side knowing what expression they should use. After watching Yan Zhiyang and the others leave, He Pengcheng moved closer to his boss, looking like he wanted to say something.
Cao Wei glanced sideways at the bruises on his face. “You fought?”
“Fuck, that girl from earlier—probably Qiao Nan’s girlfriend—she came swinging a steel pipe like she was trying to kill people. Fights like a complete lunatic.” He Pengcheng still looked traumatized as he complained. Thinking back to the time he’d gotten brutally beaten by Qiao Nan himself, he sourly thought that truly insane people attracted each other. “Next time I get the chance, I’m paying that bastard back double.”
Cao Wei remembered the soft little pretty-boy from earlier—the one who cried at the slightest touch, whose voice and eyes had both been soft and watery. He smacked He Pengcheng upside the head again. “Shut up. Quit looking for trouble all the time. You’ve got no shame, but I do.”
Holding the back of his head, He Pengcheng looked horrified. “Brother Wei, did you forget? Last time he almost broke my ribs!”
How was that “looking for trouble”? He’d been bedridden for more than ten days after that beating!
Cao Wei rolled his eyes, not believing a single word. With how soft and gentle Qiao Nan was—basically like a girl—there was no way he could break someone’s ribs. “Bullshit.”
Having suffered immense emotional and physical damage, He Pengcheng finally burst into tears from sheer grievance.
Cao Wei, however, cleverly concluded that he was obviously faking it.
Then he remembered what He Pengcheng had said earlier about Qiao Nan’s girlfriend. Cao Wei clicked his tongue regretfully. That girl really was stunning—high nose bridge, big eyes, snowy skin, and a pair of impossibly long legs. Her looks were perfectly tailored to his tastes. Unfortunately… The way she’d slammed that steel pipe against the ground had been way too terrifying. One glare from her earlier still left his scalp tingling.
The gang leader of City A Sports Academy had a little-known personal preference hidden beneath his massive physique— He liked soft, fluffy, harmless little things. Like kittens and puppies. Like the rabbit slippers he’d worn for years without replacing. And like the watery eyes and tearful, trembling expression of No. 12 High School tyrant from earlier.
Waaah—why did someone like that have to be a boy?!
If only there were a girl with that exact same personality instead! Even a hulking gang boss wanted a clingy little wife who’d whimper when she cried! He’d absolutely treasure her in the palm of his hand and hand over every cent of his allowance willingly!
******
Qiao Nan didn’t stop walking until he reached the motorcycle. Mu Xiangxiang followed behind him. Thinking they were probably about to discuss something sensitive, she told Yan Zhiyang and the others—who had all gone completely silent under Qiao Nan’s gaze—to wait where they were while she went over alone.
Qiao Nan’s expression was so dark that even someone as calm as Mu Xiangxiang felt a bit pressured. Holding the paper bag worth 58,800 yuan, she couldn’t help but ask, “…Um, about the coat—was that me…?”
Before she could finish, her arm was suddenly tightened as she was yanked forward. Then someone grabbed the front of her shirt, and a furious voice exploded in her ear: “What coat?! What coat! Are you an idiot?!”
Mu Xiangxiang froze. She lowered her head and saw that the hands gripping her clothes were actually trembling slightly.
“Do you even know who those people just were?!”
Qiao Nan was still in a state of shock and agitation. Then he saw Mu Xiangxiang staring blankly at him—before suddenly breaking into a faint smile.
“I know,” she said. She hadn’t understood at first, but after piecing together the strange atmosphere afterward and the injuries on Yan Zhiyang and the others, she had already guessed. “They came to cause you trouble, right? A fight? A brawl?”
You knew and still sat there chatting so casually with strangers?! Even wearing their jacket?! Qiao Nan’s eyes sharpened, but before he could speak, Mu Xiangxiang suddenly opened her arms and lightly hugged him.
Because they were using Qiao Nan’s body, tall and lean, it was effortless to pull the slender girl into his embrace—before quickly letting go again.
All of Qiao Nan’s pent-up anger was instantly doused as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. His mind even blanked for a few seconds. “…What are you doing?”
“Comforting you,” Mu Xiangxiang said, looking up at him. The traces of tears were gone, but her tone was still softer than usual, carrying a faint lingering fragility. “Don’t worry, I really wasn’t hurt.”
Not far away, Yan Zhiyang and the others watched as the cold, intimidating girl who had appeared like a storm suddenly jumped in place. “…Comforting my ass! Who—who the hell is worried about you—”
“Whoa,” Guo Zhi muttered. “Is she really Brother Nan’s girlfriend?”
“…Probably, right? Have you ever seen Brother Nan hug any girl? And he didn’t even get mad when she yelled at him earlier, even let her ride his bike,” Yan Zhiyang recalled, still shaken. “She’s pretty, though… but isn’t she kind of scary?”
Guo Zhi thought of how she had smashed a steel pipe down on He Pengcheng’s head earlier and shivered all over. “Kind of scary? That’s an understatement. She’s basically a female version of Brother Nan.”
Everyone present was stunned.
“A female version of Brother Nan…”
Yan Zhiyang stared blankly. “...I feel like she’s even scarier than Brother Nan. Is there even anyone who can handle a woman like that?”
Before he could finish, they saw Brother Nan say something—and the previously composed girl suddenly froze for a few seconds before turning bright red from her neck all the way to her ears.
Mu Xiangxiang chose not to argue further about “worry.” Instead, she calmly rephrased it. “Then let’s just say thank you,” she said. “Qiao Nan, whether it was your concern for my father, or you calling Yan Zhiyang and the others to come help me… I really am grateful.”
Five seconds later, Qiao Nan shoved her away, gritted his teeth, and climbed onto his motorcycle. “Get lost! Get lost, get lost!”
He didn’t even bother putting on his helmet before speeding off, fleeing in a rush. Only then did Mu Xiangxiang remember she had forgotten to mention exchanging the coat.
Whatever. It couldn’t be returned for cash anyway; exchanging it wouldn’t change much.
Strangely enough, she realized her mood was actually pretty good. Was it because she had cried earlier in the park?
Still thinking randomly, she turned around—smiling faintly—only to be startled by the cluster of bright, shining eyes in front of her.
Of course, she didn’t show it. Her expression remained composed. “…What are you doing?”
Everyone shook their heads in unison, still staring at her like she was some kind of deity. Yan Zhiyang said, “Brother Nan! You’re my lifelong brother! I’ve never seen anyone as badass as you!”
Rich! Handsome! Great physique! Faced with a sports academy ambush yet completely unharmed, even calmly wearing the rival boss’s jacket. One glare was enough to scare Yan Zhiyang half to death. A fiery, gorgeous girlfriend who was wildly arrogant—riding motorcycles like a pro, swinging steel pipes in fights, ruthless to everyone, yet becoming shy and flustered the moment she was in front of him.
Was there anyone in this world more of a life winner than this?!
Mu Xiangxiang raised a brow slightly, not quite sure what she had done to deserve such praise. But seeing the injuries on their faces, her heart softened—and felt a faint ache.
It was the first time in her life that friends had gotten hurt because of her.
She reached out and gently touched the bruise on Yan Zhiyang’s cheek. “Does it hurt?” she asked softly. “There’s a clinic nearby. I’ll take you to get it treated.”
The entire group went silent. Mu Xiangxiang looked at the young people in front of her, whose bodies had suddenly stiffened, with a puzzled expression.
Yan Zhiyang’s face tingled at her touch. Internally, he was screaming: Are you kidding me?! I’ve been in fights for years—this is nothing! Not even a fracture and you want me to go to a clinic?! Brother Nan, have you lost your mind today?!
But he said nothing.
And so, that evening, the residents of a certain neighborhood clinic in City A witnessed something extraordinary:
A group of strikingly handsome young men arrived in formation. The one leading them walked with his head held high, while the rest were all red-faced, heads lowered, obedient as chicks—told to do anything and doing it, well-behaved beyond belief.
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