Chapter 91: Slap in the Face (Request Follows)

In the next instant, An Zhiheng’s expression changed slightly.

The sensation in his hand was rigid, as if he were gripping a block of hard steel.

Yet Lin Qi’s face showed no change at all, still smiling.

The next moment, intense pain surged from his palm.

Lin Qi’s arm muscles bulged like steel cables coiled tight, and terrifying power erupted from his palm.

A punch force exceeding 1200 kilograms was unleashed.

“Crack! Crack!”

“Ah!”

An Zhiheng gritted his teeth, trying to hold on, but the pain was unbearable—his hand bones cracked with each sound, on the verge of shattering.

Lin Qi watched An Zhiheng’s pained expression, curled his lips upward, and relished the cracking sounds inside.

Influenced by his mother, An Zhiheng had always liked to compete with him since childhood.

After moving away, he’d return every Spring Festival to show off, and his favorite way to embarrass Lin Qi was by shaking hands—except this time, the tables had turned.

An Zhiheng’s face turned bright red with pain as he yanked his hand free and shook it violently, drawing many stares.

Being seen in such an humiliating state by so many people, An Zhiheng instantly flushed with shame.

“Zhiheng, what’s wrong?” Yan Ying asked, puzzled.

“Nothing!” An Zhiheng shoved his aching right hand into his pocket and shook his head.

“By the way, how’s Xiaoqi doing in his studies? He must work hard—senior year is the most critical.”

“If you have any questions, you can ask Zhiheng!”

Yan Ying shifted focus to Lin Qi, asking with ill intent.

Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi immediately smiled—they’d been waiting for that line.

“Ying Zichuan, Xiaoqi doesn’t need Zhiheng’s guidance.”

“Xiaoqi’s done even better now—he’s ranked second in his grade at Tianhai No.2 High, ninth in all of Tianhai City!” Huang Shen extended her thumb and declared loudly.

“That’s right, Xiaoqi’s really impressive now…” Other aunts chimed in.

“Ninth in Tianhai City?!”

“Really?”

Yan Ying and An Zhiheng both felt a jolt inside.

Lin Zhen smiled and said, “Just ninth place—nothing special.”

“Zhiheng, if you ever have any questions, you can ask Xiaoqi too,” Fang Huiyi added.

Lin Qi spoke up: “Zhiheng, Guo Heng, Lu Xiang, Wu Feng, and Qiu Siying from the Elite Class at No.1 High are my friends.”

“If you have questions, go to them.”

An Zhiheng’s face turned ashen, stunned inside: “Lin Qi actually knows Evil Tiger Guo Heng, and Lu Xiang and the others? Could everything he said be true?”

Yan Ying’s expression shifted slightly, offering a stiff congratulation: “Xiaoqi is truly accomplished.”

“By the way, we’ve got things to do—we’ll be going now.”

“Let’s chat another time!”

Saying that, they hurriedly led An Zhiheng upstairs.

“Hahahaha!!”

Watching their embarrassed backs, everyone laughed, filling the air with joy.

“Let’s go, Huang Shen, Li Shen!”

“Alright!”

Lin Qi’s family loaded their gifts into the car and drove slowly away from Rongshan Community.

In the car, Lin Zhen slapped his thigh.

“So satisfying—finally saw Yan Ying humiliated, that look like he swallowed a fly.”

Fang Huiyi laughed: “I feel completely refreshed now.”

Lin Qi smiled too.

…

Tianhai City, Yuanzhou Community

Building 1, Unit 305

“Alan, get ready—Huiyi and the others are coming!”

It was a spacious, over-one-hundred-square-meter apartment, simply and neatly arranged.

At the moment, Fang Zhe—a handsome, refined man—was chopping vegetables and meat alongside an older woman, preparing lunch.

Alan, washing vegetables, sighed:

“I never thought your sister’s family actually pulled through.”

“When you lent them money, I was upset—but they were in such dire straits, so I let it go.”

“It was hard on Linlin—she couldn’t afford enough resources.”

“I never expected Xiaoqi’s family to repay the debt all at once. And Xiaoqi himself soared—he’s now in the top ten of Tianhai City.”

Fang Zhe grinned proudly: “Xiaoqi was always smart as a child, mature beyond his years.”

“Back then, I knew his future was limitless.”

Watching his wife’s admiration, he felt deeply satisfied—she hadn’t been this gentle before.

Because he lent money to his sister’s family, his wife Alan had strongly objected, and they often quarreled.

She never gave him a good look.

He’d originally assumed the debt might take ten years to repay when Lin Qi suddenly rose to prominence.

Not only did he repay the entire debt at once, his martial cultivation skyrocketed to ninth place citywide.

Now everyone knew his sister’s family had a brilliant future ahead.

His wife’s attitude had completely changed—all because of Lin Qi.

“Dingdong!!”

!

As he was thinking, the doorbell rang.

“Laolin’s here—Linlin, open the door.”

From a bedroom door emerged a striking figure.

“Click!”

“Is that Linlin?”

The door opened, revealing Lin Zhen, Fang Huiyi, and behind them, Lin Qi.

“Uncle, Auntie, Happy New Year!”

Fang Lin, beautiful in a blue down jacket, bowed with a smile to offer New Year greetings.

“Happy New Year!”

Lin Zhen chuckled and pulled out a red envelope from his pocket.

“Come in, come in!”

Fang Zhe walked over, and Alan brought out slippers.

“Cousin, here are your slippers!”

“Thank you.”

Fang Lin stared at her cousin, dazed—compared to last year, her cousin Lin Qi felt utterly unfamiliar.

He’d changed too much: taller, more muscular, his features more handsome, his cold aura intimidating enough to make others avoid eye contact.

Was this really her cousin?

Lin Qi stepped inside too, his gaze settling on his cousin Fang Lin—she inherited her uncle’s genes: refined features, pure aura, balanced figure.

On the living room sofa, everyone sat down and exchanged polite pleasantries.

A table held fruits and snacks.

The TV was on.

“This is Xiaoqi? In just a year, he’s changed so much!” Auntie’s reaction was even more exaggerated than Fang Lin’s—she froze in place, stunned.

Was this really the Lin Qi she remembered?

“Xiaoqi’s now ranked ninth in the city—so impressive,” Auntie recovered and praised with a smile.

“By the way, Linlin’s in her second year now, almost senior year—if you have questions, you can ask your cousin.”

Fang Lin nodded obediently, looking at Lin Qi with curiosity.

Her father had lent money to her cousin’s family, and her mother had always opposed it, leading to constant arguments—so she’d never held a good impression of her cousin.

Especially after learning he ranked over a hundredth in his school, she’d looked down on him.

But now, just months later, her cousin had become city ninth—and among the top five seniors at her own No.1 High.

“Xiaoqi just upgraded to an A-class contract!” Lin Zhen casually boasted.

Fang Lin’s eyes widened—A-class contract?

She’d inquired—her own rank in the top fifty of her grade could barely secure a C-class contract.

And the cousin she’d looked down on now held the strictest A-class contract?

In an instant, beyond amazement, she felt an inexplicable sense of inferiority.

……

In the afternoon, Lin Qi and the others returned from his uncle’s house.

Soon, the doorbell rang.

Lin Qi got up and opened the door to see two familiar figures.

“Big Brother Qi, happy New Year! Give us red envelopes!”

“Big Brother Lin Qi, Happy Spring Festival!!”

Jiang Tao and Jiang Miaoyin, the brother and sister, stood at the door wearing down jackets, holding gift boxes.

Jiang Miaoyin wore a pink down jacket; her fair face was flushed from the cold wind, revealing a mischievous smile.

“Come in!”

Lin Qi handed out two large red envelopes and laughed!

……

(End of Chapter)