Everyone must embrace a new life.

The bastard father sat on the ground, shouting, “Officer, he hit me, he hit me!”
Zhang Pa said, “Go get a medical examination. File a complaint with the report.”
The bastard father hesitated, then yelled at the police again, “I called the police! Why aren’t you helping me?”
The officer replied, “I am. If you called the police, we’ll handle it. Go get your injuries examined, and then you can decide whether you want to settle privately or press charges. I saw him hit you, but my word doesn’t count—everything depends on the medical report.” He paused and added, “Even if we detain him, we need to see your diagnosis first.”
Zhang Pa said, “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.”
The bastard father seethed with anger, but what could he do? When dealing with a scoundrel, one could only be more ruthless.
Zhang Pa said to the officer, “The patient upstairs also called the police. Does he need to get examined too?”
“That’s not necessary. A hospitalized patient who’s attacked, especially a minor, means we can detain the attacker immediately,” the officer replied.
The bastard father cursed loudly, “Damn it, is there no justice? I can’t discipline my son, but he can hit people in front of the police? Is there any law left?”
The officer’s face darkened. “Watch your mouth! I’m not ignoring you. The man who hit you hasn’t run off; everything depends on your medical report. Any questions?”
Hitting someone in front of the police wasn’t such a big deal. What mattered was whether there was an actual threat to personal safety, like using a knife, or whether there was obstruction of official duties. The penalty for fighting still depended on the medical report.
During all this commotion, the bastard father had been noisy, but once Zhang Pa arrived, he went quiet. He wanted to go get checked, but what if Zhang Pa tried to set him up?
There used to be a thug called Old Pi in Happiness Court—a notorious troublemaker. Sometimes, if he had no money for food, he’d eat at a restaurant and then cut himself as payment. Anyone who ran into him was in for trouble.
But that guy had been beaten off by Zhang Pa and vanished from Happiness Court for three years, never to be heard from again.
The madman’s bastard father knew he was no match for someone as shameless as Old Pi, so he dared not confront Zhang Pa directly.
Zhang Pa said, “Are you going to press charges or not? If not, I’m leaving. One more thing—from now on, your son is under my protection. If you so much as touch him again, I’ll break your arm.”
The bastard father immediately shouted, “Officer, he’s threatening me!”
“Yes, I am threatening you. Go ahead and press charges,” Zhang Pa replied calmly.
The bastard father was filled with hatred, but he was powerless against Zhang Pa.
Remember this: if a man is especially fierce at home, he’s usually useless outside. No need to pay him any mind.
Zhang Pa asked the officer, “He doesn’t dare press charges. Tell me, did I obstruct official duties?”
The officer said, “No.”
“Then I’ll be leaving,” Zhang Pa said.
The officer thought for a moment, then asked the madman’s father, “Are you going to press charges against him or not?”
The bastard father hesitated for a long time and said nothing.
Zhang Pa thanked the officer, thanked the doctor, and left.
This was true swagger. The officer laughed as he watched the bastard father, who could only seethe in silence.
Returning to the ward, Zhang Pa asked the madman, “I punched your father. You won’t hold it against me, will you?”
“No way, it’d be great if you beat him to death,” the boy replied.
Zhang Pa smiled, “Then it’s settled. I’m leaving.”
“Don’t go, stay with us a while. Being in the hospital is boring,” Old Pi interjected.
“Bored? Then study,” Zhang Pa tossed back as he left the ward.
That night, he’d originally planned to write tomorrow’s update, but the unexpected events threw him off. Back home, he had no desire to write, so he opened an instructional video to learn guitar.
He’d played a little before, but when it came to learning, one had to be diligent and thorough. Those “learn guitar in two months” schemes you see everywhere are only good for wasting your time.
He studied late into the night, not going to bed until after midnight.
The next morning, Yun Zheng called with news: the school agreed to cover all medical expenses and compensate each person two thousand yuan. Of the four parents, only Fang Zijiao’s mother refused to accept, wanting more.
The madman’s bastard father had compromised, so he wasn’t taken to the station. Two thousand was better than nothing, after all.

Zhang Pa had a decent impression of Fang Zijiao. The child’s name was well-chosen, clearly with care and the hope that she’d become her parents’ pride. What a pity…
He asked, “And then?”
“That’s it. She wants two hundred thousand,” Yun Zheng said. “She’s completely insane.”
“Even if the principal were out of his mind, there’s no way he’d give her two hundred thousand,” Zhang Pa replied. “Let her make a fuss.”
Yun Zheng agreed, then added, “My mom’s getting out of the hospital in a couple days. She said she wants to cook something nice at home and invite you over.”
Zhang Pa smiled, “Tell your mom I’ll pass.”
“Come on, she really wants to thank you,” Yun Zheng pleaded.
“Enough nonsense,” Zhang Pa said. “Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up.”
There was nothing else. After hanging up, Zhang Pa tried to focus on work, but received a text from Gongzhu: “If I don’t call you, will you never reach out to me?”
Looking at the message, Zhang Pa sighed and muttered softly, “I’ve always wanted to reach out to you…”
Gongzhu held a very special place in his heart; otherwise, he never would have come to the provincial capital for her. But as people grow, they become self-aware. They come to understand the sorrow of a poor couple, think too much, and grow timid.
The crushing weight of reality makes many responsible men too afraid to confess their feelings. Speaking is easy; action is hard. Promising to be together means taking care of someone for a lifetime.
After sitting there for a while, he texted back, “Boss, your orders?”—a phrase he’d said many times in the past.
Gongzhu replied with a smiley face, then said, “You owe me eleven dinners.”
Zhang Pa immediately replied, “Dinner’s on me tonight.”
“Now that’s better,” Gongzhu responded, satisfied.
When they met that evening, it was clear Gongzhu had made a special effort. She wore a beautiful dress, her makeup imperfect but charming, and her face was lit with smiles.
Seeing Zhang Pa, she laughed, “Still riding a bicycle?”
Zhang Pa joked using an internet phrase, “This is my zero-emission, panoramic, eco-friendly, automatic convertible.”
“Let’s walk,” Gongzhu said. She wasn’t embarrassed by the bike—she was just wearing a short cheongsam, which made cycling inconvenient.
Zhang Pa agreed, found a place to park, and asked, “Where to?”
“A little sincerity, please. You’re buying me dinner and you’re asking me where?” Gongzhu teased.
“Hotpot?”
It didn’t matter what they ate. What mattered was who they ate with.
Gongzhu led the way to the same hotpot restaurant where Zhang Pa had dined with Liu Xiaomei before.
The place was clean, affordable, and popular among students. But as soon as they’d ordered, a very handsome young man arrived, sat down next to Gongzhu, and greeted them with a smile, “What a coincidence!” He reached out to Zhang Pa, “Good to see you again.”
To Zhang Pa, it was childish behavior—clearly jealous, but trying hard to act generous. He smiled back, “Yes, what a coincidence. Join us.”
Gongzhu seemed displeased, glanced at the handsome guy, and said nothing.
The young man, familiar as ever, called a waiter for a small hotpot and ordered a heap of food, as if to show off, and said, “The princess likes mushrooms and lettuce.”
The pronunciation of “Gongzhu” and “princess” was slightly different—one was her name, the other a nickname; one was a title, the other carried affection. From this, it was clear the young man liked her, at least for now.
Zhang Pa just smiled and said nothing.
The handsome man said, “I’m Liu Fei. May I ask…”
“Zhang Pa—as in afraid,” Zhang Pa replied.
Liu Fei was taken aback; he hadn’t expected someone to have such a name.
Zhang Pa invited everyone to eat and focused earnestly on cooking his meat.
The atmosphere had been pleasant, but once Liu Fei arrived, everything changed.

Zhang Pa didn’t know what to say, so he tried his best to play the host. But Liu Fei was even more proactive, finally insisting on paying the bill.
Afterward, that was it—Gongzhu said goodbye to Zhang Pa and walked back to school alone. Liu Fei hurried to catch up.
Left alone, Zhang Pa stood there for a while, then went to fetch his bike.
After some thought, he texted Liu Xiaomei: “What are you up to?”
She replied, “This is rare—you reaching out to me first?”
“I’m near your campus, so I thought I’d check in,” he said.
“I see. Not sincere enough, I’ve decided not to see you,” Liu Xiaomei replied.
“I never said I wanted to see you,” Zhang Pa answered.
“Then why text me? Goodbye,” was her final reply.
Zhang Pa pondered for a while—he was one step closer to becoming a bad man, starting to juggle two women.
But then he laughed at himself. At this point, he didn’t even dare confess to one, let alone handle two women even if they both confessed to him. Especially if it was Gongzhu—a student with little knowledge of the world. Whatever she tried, Zhang Pa didn’t dare respond.
So he rode his bike home. Just as he turned into Happiness Court, Liu Xiaomei called: “Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Come back, I want to see you now.”
“Why?” Zhang Pa asked.
“Just now, you weren’t sincere, so I refused. But if you come now, it means you’re coming just for me. Of course I want to see you.”
Zhang Pa complained, “What kind of logic is that?”
“Fairy logic. Are you coming or not?”
“You’re just being difficult—are all troublesome girls like you?”
“I’m only difficult with you. So, are you coming or not?” Liu Xiaomei laughed.
Zhang Pa sighed, “I hit on you first, so of course I’m coming.”
Liu Xiaomei spat, “What do you mean, hit on me? Disgusting.”
Zhang Pa smiled, saying he’d meet her at the dorm entrance in twenty minutes, then rode his bike back.
By the time he arrived, he was drenched in sweat—cycling nearly an hour in this summer heat, how could he not be?
Liu Xiaomei waited with a handkerchief and a cold drink. As soon as she saw him, she said, “Have something cool,” and wiped his sweat for him.
Zhang Pa sighed, “You like to torment me, don’t you?”
“Don’t like it? If you don’t, just say so, and I’ll never bother you again.”
“If you stopped, you’d probably never see me again,” Zhang Pa replied.
“Smart,” Liu Xiaomei smiled. “So, why did you want to see me just now?”
“No reason. Just happened to be near your school, so I thought I’d see you,” Zhang Pa answered honestly.
“That’s all?” said Liu Xiaomei. “Well, now you’ve seen me. I’m going home.”
“Come on, you can’t do that! I just biked all the way here and now you’re leaving?”
“That’s a good way to call me. No one’s ever called me ‘big sister’ before. Call me again.”
“Are all beautiful women quirky like you?” Zhang Pa asked.