Chapter 105: Finally Becoming Family

  "Don't." Zhang Xiaoting hastily pulled Pang Guang: "They have knives in their hands."

  Pang Guang glared at Zhang Xiaoting: "Afraid of a knife? A dozen big men bullying one woman and an old man, you can't bear to watch, I won't stand for it. Even if it's a gun, I'll still shoot."

  Pang Guang's words stirred up the blood of other noodle eaters. The newly born calf is not afraid of tigers. As soon as Pang Guang's voice fell, a customer who looked like a high school student slammed his fist on the table, picked up a chair and shouted loudly: "Right! If you have a knife, you're a coward! All men stand up and fight!" Many people had been eager to show off their heroic spirit in front of their girlfriends. Seeing that someone had already taken action and was rallying others, they didn't want to fall behind either. They picked up chairs one after another: "Damn it! I've been wanting to start a fight for a long time!"

  The sudden change in form frightened the group for a moment, and they immediately raised their chopping knives to fight back. Pang Guang rushed to the front, throwing a chair at the most ferocious young man who was shouting, his move swift, accurate and ruthless, and he quickly knocked him to the ground, rolling around on the ground.

  "Hey kid, you're quite a fighter! When I was young, my moves were just as fast." Jian Guo excitedly picked up the iron-clad rolling pin and charged forward, soon becoming entangled with the young thug.

  Pang Guangzheng was about to say a few humble words when he suddenly saw a small thug behind Jian Guo, holding a machete and approaching him. He rushed over, kicked the little thug to the ground, and at the same time, smashed the chair in his hand mercilessly, causing the little thug's head to burst with blood.

  "Little brother, you're quite skilled, thank you!" Jian Guo said while fighting the young hooligans. As he spoke, his movements were swift and precise. With a "thud", the rolling pin in his hand hit one of the young hooligans right on the forehead. The young hooligan shook his head a few times before quickly passing out.

  "You're not bad either." Pang Guang was getting more and more into the swing of things, and as he spoke, he knocked down another one. The group of young thugs were starting to get anxious, and they wildly swung their knives around, but didn't dare get close to Pang Guang. Instead, they targeted others who were holding chairs. Pang Guang noticed that the high school student who had shouted at him earlier clearly lacked fighting experience. His knife was about to be struck down, but he didn't know how to use his chair to block it. Seeing this, Pang Guang quickly kicked out with one foot, directly kicking the student to the ground and allowing him to dodge a knife attack. After regaining his footing, Pang Guang immediately slammed the chair in his hand fiercely at the young thugs. Instantly, they flew far away, along with their knives. Pang Guang reached out and pulled the high school student up: "Don't be afraid, if you don't fight back, they'll stab you."

  Not far away, Zhang Xiaoting covered her mouth in surprise, staring at the scene. She knew that Pang Guang was capable of fighting, but she didn't know he could fight to this extent. All she knew was that he was competitive and impulsive, never thinking things through. But now it seemed he had some real skills after all. As she thought about this, her opinion of Pang Guang couldn't help but change a little. She took another look at him, and suddenly saw a young thug sneaking up behind him, raising his cleaver to strike at his back. She immediately let out a warning cry: "Pang Guang, be careful!"

  Pang Guang turned his head to look back, preparing to dodge, but it was too late. The knife had already cut through his clothes and was heading downwards. Just as all hope seemed lost, a chair suddenly flew in out of nowhere and hit the thug's hand that was holding the knife. The searing pain caused the thug to drop the knife and contort his face in agony. Pang Guang looked over and saw that it was the high school student he had kicked to the ground earlier who had thrown the chair. He gave a hearty laugh, and the high school student also smiled back. The adrenaline rush brought out the fighter in him, and he picked up the chair and charged at the other thugs. As they fought on, his strength and speed proved to be almost as good as Pang Guang's. Earlier, he had been intimidated, but now that he was warmed up, he was a force to be reckoned with. With the high school student joining forces with Pang Guang, the situation took a turn for the better. The thugs, who had initially seemed so menacing, were ultimately beaten and forced to flee in disarray.

  Pang Guang's performance moved Zhang Xiaoting, and after the hoodlum left, she immediately rushed to Pang Guang and tightly hugged him in her arms: "Pang Guang, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

  "It's nothing, just a torn shirt." Pang Guang smiled: "You didn't ask me and I wouldn't have noticed the chill on my back. It's been ages since I last got into a fight, it feels damn good."

  Jian Guo burst out laughing: "Haha...haven't even gotten used to it yet, didn't expect those turtle grandsons to run away so quickly......ah, why is my back feeling cool?"

  "Jianguo, are you hurt?" Zhang's mother's heart skipped a beat as she quickly looked at Jianguo's back and found that he had indeed been stabbed. Fresh blood stained his entire back red, and tears poured down her face: "Jianguo, you're hurt! You mustn't have anything happen to you..."

  Jian Guo was taken aback, "I'm injured?" After saying that, his whole body started shaking: "No wonder my head feels so dizzy." After saying that, his body swayed a few times and fell to the ground.

  "Jianguo..." Zhang's mother cried her heart out, rushed over, and hugged Jianguo's shoulders: "Don't sleep, whatever you do, don't sleep. Cheer up, I...I'll call an ambulance right away." After Zhang's mother finished speaking, her hands trembled as she took out her phone to dial the number. Jianguo suddenly opened his eyes again, and with a big hand pressed down on his mother: "There's no time left, listen to what I have to say first."

  "You said, you said." Old Lady Zhang said with her lips moving.

  Jianguo said: "Cuihua, I may not see tomorrow's sun. There is something that has been weighing on my mind for so many years. Are you still waiting for that man? You've waited for so many years without any news. Believe me, he won't be coming back."

  "I've long stopped waiting, all these years, you're the only one in my eyes, it's you who gave me hope to live on, Jian Guo, you must be fine, without you, I won't be able to go on living either, you must be fine, definitely won't have anything happen to you..." Zhang Da Ma burst into tears, moving everyone present, and Zhang Xiao Ting's heart tightened, unable to help but want to walk forward to comfort Zhang Da Ma, but was held back by Pang Guang. Zhang Xiao Ting looked puzzled, turning her head to look at Pang Guang in doubt.

  Pang Guang made a silencing gesture and whispered into Zhang Xiaoting's ear, "Don't ruin someone else's good deed, he's just pretending."

  Zhang Xiaoting was taken aback and also leaned in close to Pang Guang's ear, asking softly: "How did you know?"

  Pang Guang had a confident expression: "Those two have a story, just wait and see, there will be new changes soon. That Jian Guo is not in trouble, look at how he fought earlier, he's definitely an expert. How could this minor injury be life-threatening?"

  "But... he's so old......" Zhang Xiaoting looked at Jian Guo and then at Pang Guang, with an incredulous expression.

  Soon she believed that Pang Guang was telling the truth, because he saw Jian Guo's emotional expression and asked: "Cuihua, if there is an afterlife, would you be willing to marry me?"

  Zhang's mother had already cried until her face was covered in tears, nodding repeatedly: "I'm willing, I'm willing, as long as you can get better, I'll do anything, Jian Guo, you must be fine, I couldn't live without you!"

  "Cuihua, are you telling the truth?" Jianguo didn't know if it was because he was too excited or due to his injuries, but after saying this, he suddenly started coughing violently.

  Mrs. Zhang patted Jian Guo's back, nodding repeatedly: "It's true, it's true. I've wasted half my life waiting for someone who didn't deserve it in this shop. I was foolish to think that once the business took off and the debts were paid off, the person I loved most would return to me. I was wrong, really wrong. All these years, I neglected the best person by my side while waiting for a non-existent love. Jian Guo, since Zhang's noodle shop was small, you've been working tirelessly with me, and we've grown the business to what it is today. You've made so many sacrifices for me and the shop over the years, and even delayed your own marriage because of me. I've kept all this in my heart, but now I realize how selfish I've been. Jian Guo, you mustn't have any accidents. As long as you're okay, I'll go with you to register our marriage right away."

  The words of Zhang's mother moved the surrounding couples, and several women grabbed their boyfriends' arms tightly, fearing that this life-and-death separation would happen to themselves. Zhang Xiaoting was even more deeply moved, seeing this touching scene, suddenly feeling a sour nose, her mouth and lips trembling with sobs. Zhang's mother pursued a heartless man, while she pursued success in her career. Although their goals were different, the reality they created was roughly the same - neglecting a good man who loved them wholeheartedly. Seeing the regretful and despairing eyes of Zhang's mother, she couldn't help but think about what this feeling was like, hoping that it wouldn't happen to herself in her lifetime. She had pursued too many things, and must not let emotions get in the way.

  Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, a miracle happened. Jian Guo suddenly jumped up from the ground: "Cui Hua, you've already promised me, don't go back on your word."

  Mrs. Zhang's mouth was agape with shock, and it took her a while to come back to her senses. She then waved her fists wildly at Jian Guo, hitting him all over the place: "You scoundrel! I thought you were really going to die!" Overcome with joy and relief, Mrs. Zhang didn't care about being embarrassed anymore, and she threw herself into Jian Guo's arms. "Jian Guo, you don't have to die after all! This is wonderful!"

  Jian Guo patted Zhang's mother's back: "Who said I'm going to die, my body is still strong, even if I want to die, I'll wait for you to die first."

  "You've just agreed to marry me and you're already nagging." Zhang's mother gave Jian Guo a glance, and her face actually showed the shyness of an eighteen-year-old girl.

  Pang Guang saw that the two of them had finally reached a perfect ending, so he reminded Jian Guo: "Uncle, you're still bleeding from your body, hurry up and go to the hospital to get it treated."