Chapter 9: The Blind Date that Became a Brawl
The May sunshine was scorching, beating down on Sanchahe Village. Several local dogs lay about with their red tongues lolling out, looking completely overwhelmed by the heat.
Around ten o'clock in the morning, a late-model Mercedes-Benz drove into Sanchahe Village and stopped in front of Xiaofang's home.
A man and a woman got out. The man, in his thirties, had an air of arrogance, as if merely being there was a great inconvenience. The woman, who looked to be in her forties, was well-maintained and still exuded a mature charm. Their clothes were elegant and tasteful, radiating an unmistakable air of wealth.
Mother Cheng, overjoyed, hurried out to welcome them inside.
"Xiao Fang, Xiao Fang, come out and pour some tea!" Mother Cheng called loudly.
Father Cheng also came out of his room and began chatting warmly with the visitors.
Xiao Fang emerged reluctantly and sat down off to the side, her expression cold.
The mother and son's eyes lit up simultaneously. Their demeanor changed in an instant as they dropped their proud airs. Clearly, they were very satisfied with Xiao Fang's beauty.
"Our Teng Family owns three factories: a clothing factory, a button factory, and a leather shoe factory," the woman began to rattle on, her words making Mother Cheng's eyes shine. "We have houses in major cities all over the country. My son, Teng Xiaofeng, personally owns five cars... He graduated from a prestigious university with a degree in Business Administration, and his hobbies are reading and boxing..."
"My Xiao Fang only graduated from high school; she never attended college. I'm afraid they might not be a good match," Father Cheng said with a frown, not sharing his wife's elation.
"A good match? What's not a good match?" Mother Cheng glared fiercely at her husband.
"Yes, why wouldn't they be? A university diploma doesn't mean everything," Mother Teng chimed in.
"I'm very satisfied with Xiao Fang," Teng Xiaofeng said eagerly. "I'm more than willing."
He had truly never seen such a beautiful woman before.
"I'm just a farmer's daughter; I'm not worthy of marrying so high," Xiao Fang said apologetically. "I'm sorry."
She didn't have a good impression of this man at all. He didn't have Zhang Bin's strength, his kindness, his handsome and imposing figure, or his air of mystery.
With that said, she turned and went back into her room.
Teng Xiaofeng's face turned ashen, and Mother Teng's expression grew ugly.
Mother Cheng was so angry she stomped her feet. "Xiao Fang doesn't know any better! I'm sorry, so sorry. I'll go persuade her; I'm sure she'll change her mind." With that, she rushed into Xiao Fang's room like a whirlwind.
"Mom, don't bother. I won't agree," Xiao Fang said decisively.
"You, you, you... Have you really fallen for Zhang Bin? So what if he learned a little kung fu? He can't even support himself!" Mother Cheng cried, striking her chest in frustration.
"Mom, don't you understand? Being rich doesn't guarantee happiness, and being poor doesn't guarantee unhappiness," Xiao Fang said seriously.
"Zhang Bin, you bastard! I won't let you off the hook!" Mother Cheng said angrily.
She was convinced it was Zhang Bin who had ensnared her daughter's soul. Otherwise, how could Xiao Fang possibly turn down such a perfect match?
"Mom, this has nothing to do with Zhang Bin. It's my own choice," Xiao Fang said, rolling her eyes at her mother.
Feeling helpless and dejected, Mother Cheng walked out of the room.
"Since your daughter Xiao Fang already has a boyfriend named Zhang Bin, why did you lie to us? Were you just trying to make fools of us?" Mother Teng, who had been straining her ears and heard everything clearly, bellowed at Mother Cheng.
"She really doesn't have a boyfriend, I swear! Zhang Bin is just a boy from the village. His father is gravely ill, and their family is destitute. He only saved Xiao Fang recently when she was being chased by a wild boar..." Mother Cheng pleaded, bowing deeply.
"Zhang Bin knows kung fu?" A scornful sneer appeared on Teng Xiaofeng's face.
"Well... yes, his skills are quite good," Mother Cheng admitted, embarrassed.
Even if she wanted to downplay Zhang Bin's skills, she couldn't bring herself to do it; she had been too shocked by how he dealt with Xu Xiaobing and his gang. Zhang Bin's only flaw was his lack of money. If Xiaofang married him, she would suffer. No, I absolutely cannot let Xiaofang marry him! I can't just watch my daughter throw her life away into a sea of hardship! In this day and age, having no money is completely unacceptable... Mother Cheng screamed internally.
Teng Xiaofeng, however, stomped out the door. He stood outside and roared, "Zhang Bin! Zhang Bin, get out here! I challenge you to a one-on-one fight! Let's see how I crush you!"
He believed that if he defeated Zhang Bin, the man's great image in Xiao Fang's heart would surely collapse. Then, marrying her would be a matter of course. He was a taekwondo master who had even trained in Korea; there was no way he would lose to a simple farmer.
Mother Cheng and Father Cheng listened, utterly dumbfounded and speechless, hardly believing their ears. Is this guy an idiot? Challenging Zhang Bin to a fight?
Villagers ran out to watch the commotion, their expressions strange as they stared at Teng Xiaofeng as if he were a dead man. But Teng Xiaofeng was clueless about Zhang Bin's true strength and continued his crazed taunts.
Meanwhile, Mother Teng's eyes lit up. My son's idea isn't bad. Even if he can't marry Xiao Fang, at least he can vent some frustration.
Zhang Bin was at home, racking his brains for a way to make money, when he heard Teng Xiaofeng's death-seeking shouts. A wicked smile touched his lips. Did Xiao Fang reject him so bluntly that it drove him crazy? Or could he be some incredibly powerful martial arts master? Now that's something I have to see.
Zhang Bin walked out of his house and went to stand before Teng Xiaofeng.
"You're Zhang Bin?" Teng Xiaofeng asked with a look of disdain.
"Yes, I'm Zhang Bin. You want to fight me one-on-one?" Zhang Bin replied calmly.
Although he wasn't well-versed in the cultivation of internal strength, he could still sense this guy was no Bruce Lee.
"Teng Xiaofeng," he announced, adopting a graceful opening stance that looked quite proficient. "Please."
"Dude, let's not do this. Is it really necessary?" Zhang Bin chuckled.
But Teng Xiaofeng was completely unreasonable. "Attack!" he roared. His right foot shot out like lightning in a side kick aimed at Zhang Bin's left ribs. Simultaneously, he pushed off with his left foot, leaping into the air and spinning right, his left leg snapping out in a rapid kick toward Zhang Bin's abdomen.
This was the double flying kick from taekwondo, a vicious form of attack. His movements were skilled and his attacks powerful. He was indeed a taekwondo master.
The villagers watching were shocked, their faces etched with worry as they feared Zhang Bin might be defeated.
Zhang Bin just smiled faintly. He took one step back to dodge the right leg, then his right hand shot out and grabbed the incoming left foot. With a gentle toss, he threw it up into the air.
The man was flung into the air. He flew a dozen meters, looking for all the world like he was Riding the Clouds and Commanding the Mist, before he crashed down hard onto the roof of the Mercedes he had arrived in.
BANG!
The car was nearly flattened by the impact.
Teng Xiaofeng lay there sprawled like a frog, his eyes rolling back in his head as he teetered on the verge of unconsciousness.