Yang Mo, you made me do this. You left the Lyn family on your own to find peace. Don't blame me for being hard-hearted.
For several days, Yang Mo had enjoyed a rare period of peace, free from any harassment by the Lyn family. The looming college entrance exams demanded his full focus, and the classroom was unusually quiet as students immersed themselves in their studies. Even the troublemakers had momentarily set aside their antics to review their lessons.
However, amidst the studious atmosphere, Gu Fat, an eternal slacker, was grinning mischievously as he sneaked glances at a novel hidden beneath his desk. Yang Mo, observing this, could only shake his head in exasperation.
"I say, Gu Fat, are you even trying to prepare for the exams?" Yang Mo teased, his voice low but laced with amusement.
Gu Fat chuckled and quickly stashed away his phone before leaning in conspiratorially. "I have a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone."
"Another secret?" Yang Mo raised an eyebrow. "What is it this time?"
"My family pulled some strings, and I'll be heading to Qing Bai University after the exams," Gu Fat said, a smug grin spreading across his face.
"No way, seriously?" Yang Mo was stunned for a moment before sighing. "Must be nice having connections."
"Yeah, my dad is donating a building to Qing Bai, and with the principal owing him a favor, I've got my spot secured. Technically, I won't be an official student, but I'll still get a graduation certificate from Qing Bai."
Yang Mo smirked. "Then you'd better hit the books when you get there. If you keep slacking off like now, your dad's donation will be in vain."
"Hey, you sound just like my dad." Gu Fat nodded solemnly, then suddenly grinned. "What you're saying is… you're my dad?"
"Get lost." Yang Mo laughed as Gu Fat playfully punched him on the arm.
"In any case, I'll be going to college with Jiang Jia, and that makes it even better."
"You're putting way too much effort into this relationship." Yang Mo sighed.
"By the way, let's go out and relax tomorrow—it's Saturday." Gu Fat suggested, his tone hopeful.
"Tomorrow is Saturday already?" Yang Mo checked his phone and realized how absorbed he'd been in studying. Five days had passed in a blur. "I guess a break wouldn't hurt. Where are we going?"
"How about the amusement park? There's a new one in Jinghai City, and I heard they have an all-you-can-eat buffet." Gu Fat's mouth practically watered at the thought.
"You're not going to the amusement park for fun—you're just after the food," Yang Mo retorted.
Gu Fat chuckled. "So it's settled then. I'll send you the address."
The next morning, Yang Mo woke up early. Their meeting time was 8:00 AM, and the bus ride to the amusement park would take about an hour. After making himself a simple bowl of noodles for breakfast, he got ready to leave.
However, just as Yang Mo was stepping out of his apartment building, three men were lurking in a hidden corner nearby.
"I say, Boss, what's up with this kid? He's either at school or at home. He's not giving us any chances," one of them muttered, frustrated.
These men were none other than the thugs Lin Cohen had hired to target Yang Mo. Their leader, Black Tiger, frowned as he surveyed the area. The two men beside him, Chicken and Hair, were growing impatient.
"Who the hell knows?" Black Tiger scoffed. "We got paid, so we do the job. He can't hide forever. Keep an eye on him. I'm going to grab a bun—I'm starving."
As he walked off to buy breakfast, Yang Mo exited the building.
"He's out!" Chicken exclaimed, quickly nudging Hair, who was glued to his phone.
"Damn, finally," Hair grinned, reaching into a bag to pull out a hammer and a sharp machete. "Let's get this over with."
"Hold on, we need to tell Brother Black Tiger first," Chicken cautioned. "If something goes wrong, can you take the blame?"
Hair hesitated before nodding. "You have a point. I'll go get him."
Black Tiger had just taken a bite of his breakfast when Hair came running towards him. He frowned. "Why the hell are you here? If Yang Mo gets away, I'm gonna break your legs."
"Relax, Boss! He just left, and Chicken's keeping an eye on him," Hair explained. "Should we strike now?"
Black Tiger tossed aside his half-eaten bun and stood up. "Where is he?"
"At the bus stop."
"Damn, that was fast! Let's go!" Black Tiger and his men hurried back, but by the time they arrived, Yang Mo had already boarded the bus.
"Shit, he got away!" Black Tiger growled.
"Let's follow him. He can't run forever," Hair suggested as they hailed a cab.
Meanwhile, Yang Mo arrived at the amusement park on time. The place was massive, with two enormous animatronic dinosaurs standing guard at the entrance. Inside, colorful rides—Ferris wheels, bumper cars, carousels—stretched across the landscape.
Scanning the crowd, Yang Mo didn't see Gu Fat yet. He pulled out his phone to call him but was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Yang Mo!"
Turning his head, he saw Gu Fat approaching, accompanied by two other people—Jiang Jia and Ling Luo. As they neared, Jiang Jia smiled warmly.
"I invited Ling Luo to join us. Hope that's okay?" she asked.
Yang Mo nodded. "That's fine. We're all classmates, after all."
Ling Luo looked at Yang Mo with concern. "But, Yang Mo… are you really okay? I mean, after what happened with—"
Before she could finish, Yang Mo's phone buzzed in his hand. Unbeknownst to them, three figures were lurking in the shadows nearby, watching his every move…