My Favorite Ship Became My Sister-in-Law - Chapter 8

Damn, I Got a Ticket

With his phone broken, Shi Yue had no way to check the time. He did not know how long he had been there. Once he finished the content he wanted to read for the day, he returned the book to its original spot and prepared to leave the bookstore.

As he turned the corner of the bookshelf, he saw Ji Chenchuan at the checkout counter. Ji Chenchuan was gesturing urgently to the cashier, describing his height and features. He explained that he was looking for a student in a Middle School affiliated with the university uniform, someone with a bright and handsome look whose eyes curved into crescents when he smiled. He was asking if such a boy had visited the store.

“Brother Chenchuan?”

Before the cashier could respond, Shi Yue called out in surprise.

Hearing his name, Ji Chenchuan whipped around. Seeing Shi Yue standing before him completely unharmed, his relief instantly transformed into a surge of anger. He strode over to Shi Yue in a few quick steps, looming over him with an expression so stern it looked as if he might devour him. At that moment, he wanted to shout, but what ultimately came out was a gentle, worried question.

“Why did you not answer your phone?”

“Huh?”

Shi Yue had never seen Ji Chenchuan so anxious and serious before. He did not know what had happened and felt a bit frightened. He blinked his bright eyes and stared at Ji Chenchuan in a daze.

“Why did you not answer the phone?” Ji Chenchuan asked again.

Only then did Shi Yue slowly pull the phone from his pocket and hold it out for Ji Chenchuan to see. He said cautiously, “My phone screen is shattered.”

Looking at the web-like cracks on the screen, the anger Ji Chenchuan had been suppressing vanished. His gaze fixed on Shi Yue’s cheek. The scratch from Li Chao’s fingernail had not been treated yet. The beads of blood had dried, but the sight still stung Ji Chenchuan’s eyes.

“Come on, I am taking you to the hospital.”

“For what? I am fine,” Shi Yue replied, not quite catching on.

“The wound on your face. What if it leaves a scar?”

Ji Chenchuan did not waste any more words. Without further discussion, he grabbed Shi Yue’s wrist and led him away.

Looking down at Ji Chenchuan’s hand gripping his wrist tightly, Shi Yue stole a smile. He asked, “Brother Chenchuan, can I ask why you suddenly showed up here?”

Ji Chenchuan did not want to answer that question, so he remained silent and marched out of the bookstore.

The bookstore was on the third floor, requiring them to take the escalator down to the first. They stood side by side on the moving stairs.

“When I called you, you were at the construction site, right? You sounded very busy. Did you finish that quickly? And how did you know I was here? When you were asking the cashier about me, you looked really worried. Why?” Seeing that Ji Chenchuan remained silent, Shi Yue threw out a string of questions with a grin.

He did not know why, but seeing Ji Chenchuan appear so suddenly and look so worried about him made Shi Yue feel as if he had found a treasure. He felt an indescribable happiness. He could not tell if this joy came from the realization that Ji Chenchuan cared about him, but regardless, it made him very happy.

“Why were you fighting?”

Shi Yue had not expected that instead of answering, Ji Chenchuan would ask him this in a very unpleasant tone. Shi Yue felt a sudden pang of guilt. He never showed his teeth in front of Ji Chenchuan because, wherever Ji Chenchuan was, he felt no need to be aggressive.

“I was not in the wrong.”

Shi Yue lowered his head, the smile on his face freezing. He did not know what Ji Chenchuan would think of this. He knew that in Ji Chenchuan’s heart, he had always been a good kid.

He did not need Ji Chenchuan to answer his previous questions anymore. He knew Ji Zhiruo must have called Ji Chenchuan and told him about the fight with Li Chao.

“I did not say you were wrong,” Ji Chenchuan said, his tone softening when he saw Shi Yue hang his head.

“Then why did you sound so mean?” Shi Yue asked back, feeling aggrieved.

Ji Chenchuan himself did not understand why he had asked it that way. It was completely unlike his usual personality. Ji Zhiruo had already explained everything clearly over the phone, but the moment he saw that scratch on Shi Yue’s cheek, he could not help himself. It was too eyesore. He really did not want to see it a second time.

Ji Chenchuan let go of Shi Yue’s wrist, and the two remained in silence until they reached the first floor.

The atmosphere was strange. Shi Yue wanted to speak several times and glanced at Ji Chenchuan, but seeing that the older man did not seem inclined to talk, he kept his mouth shut.

Since he had been at the construction site today, Ji Chenchuan was driving his father’s Audi. Because he had been in a hurry, he had left the car by the curb with the hazard lights on. As they reached the ground floor, they saw a traffic officer writing a ticket.

One had to admit that the traffic police in Lincheng were efficient. He had been parked there for less than ten minutes, and the ticket was already being issued.

“Damn, I got a ticket,” Shi Yue said. He immediately dashed toward the car. He recognized the vehicle and knew it belonged to Ji Chenchuan’s family.

Ji Chenchuan looked deeply at Shi Yue’s retreating back. Two years was indeed a long time, enough to change many things. For instance, that curse word and today’s fight were enough to make Ji Chenchuan redefine his image of the “good kid” Shi Yue.

He did not know what Shi Yue said to the officer who was just doing his duty, but by the time Ji Chenchuan walked over, the officer had already canceled the ticket and left.

Seeing Ji Chenchuan approach, Shi Yue smiled and looked at him as if asking for praise. When he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents, looking truly beautiful. His smile seemed to have a magical quality; whoever he smiled at would find themselves subconsciously smiling back.

The sternness on Ji Chenchuan’s face was finally dissolved by that smile. A faint smile touched his lips, and his anger vanished. He was about to open the passenger door to let Shi Yue in so they could go to the hospital.

Suddenly, a piercing roar of engines erupted. Four or five motorcycles surrounded Ji Chenchuan’s car. The riders were all wearing helmets, but the exaggerated tattoos on their bare arms made it clear they were hoodlums.

Ji Chenchuan immediately realized what was happening. He quickly pulled Shi Yue behind him. Just as he finished the movement, the group began swinging long clubs and short knives at them.

These people were incredibly bold, daring to commit an assault in broad daylight on a public street. Passersby stopped to watch, but no one dared to step in and help.

Shi Yue did not stay hidden behind Ji Chenchuan. He quickly dropped his backpack and used it as a weapon to fight back.

Once the brawl started, everyone was occupied. A man lunged at Ji Chenchuan with a knife. Ji Chenchuan slammed the car door open, sending the man staggering. Another person pounced, but Ji Chenchuan nimbly grabbed his hand and slammed the car door shut on it, eliciting a scream of pain. The man with the knife lunged again, but Ji Chenchuan skillfully dodged to the side and landed a heavy punch on the man’s forehead. While the man was dazed, Ji Chenchuan seized the opportunity to snatch the knife, twist the man’s arm behind his back, and pin his face against the car.

He saw that Shi Yue was locked in a fierce struggle with the others.

Based on the information from Ji Zhiruo, Ji Chenchuan guessed these people were Li Chao’s brother’s crew. Fighting like this was not a permanent solution. Even if they won this time, there would be a next time and a time after that. It would always be a sword hanging over their heads. This problem had to be solved once and for all.

Ji Chenchuan noticed that out of the five motorcycles, only four riders were fighting. Two people on another motorcycle were just watching. The one on the back seat was wearing a school uniform. Ji Chenchuan deduced that person must be Li Chao.

“Losing a game and then resorting to hitting people, what a coward. Student Li Chao, do you have the guts to tell your people to stop and play a game against my brother at the stadium? If you win, I am at your disposal. How about it?”

Ji Chenchuan intentionally provoked Li Chao. Sixteen and seventeen-year-old kids were the most susceptible to provocation.

Sure enough, Li Chao ripped off his helmet and snarled, “Who the hell is a coward? You are on!”

After speaking, Li Chao immediately turned to his brother. “Brother, make them stop. I want to win back my own dignity.”

Li Chao’s brother also took off his helmet and shouted to the other men, who all stopped fighting.

“Li Chao, it really is you. You are such a loser.”

Shi Yue was a bit surprised. He had initially thought they had the wrong person, but realizing it was Li Chao made his blood boil. He mocked Li Chao while angrily kicking the man he had been fighting right in the butt, sending him sprawling face-first.

Ji Chenchuan looked deeply at Shi Yue again. This “good kid” was becoming more and more of a surprise and a delight to him.

“So what if it is me?” Li Chao jumped off the motorcycle. He walked toward Shi Yue, glancing at Ji Chenchuan as he spoke. “He is your brother, right? I accept what he said. If I win, your brother has to kneel and call me ‘Daddy’ three times, and then we are even. Otherwise, this is not over.”

Shi Yue had been too busy fighting to hear what Ji Chenchuan and Li Chao had said.

“Brother Chenchuan, what did you say to him?” Shi Yue asked urgently.

“Nothing much, just that you two would have a rematch,” Ji Chenchuan said casually.

“I am not playing,” Shi Yue refused immediately.

The stakes were too high. Li Chao’s skills were not great, but nothing was certain. What if he lost? He wanted to solve his own problems and could not let Ji Chenchuan be dragged into this.

“Trust me, we will not lose. You forgot that a team has five players. I will be with you,” Ji Chenchuan walked to Shi Yue’s side and whispered in his ear.

“But…” Shi Yue was still hesitant.

“Are you going to play or not? I do not have the patience to wait,” Li Chao’s brother urged impatiently.

Li Chao’s brother was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a burly build and a buzz cut. His features were actually quite regular, but he intentionally wore a fierce and ugly expression. He wore a tight black tank top, revealing a tattoo of a coiled venomous snake with a flickering tongue on his left arm. His muscles were so well-developed that the snake’s body appeared to ripple, as if it might come to life and swallow everyone nearby at any moment. It was very intimidating.

“We are playing, of course,” Ji Chenchuan said.

“Then let’s go. You are too talkative,” Li Chao’s brother glanced coldly at Ji Chenchuan. He let Li Chao get on the bike and sped off toward the stadium. The other four men followed behind them.

Shi Yue wanted to say something more, but Ji Chenchuan ushered him into the car and drove toward the stadium.

Twenty minutes later, both parties arrived at the stadium.

True to his reputation as a hoodlum, Li Chao’s brother already had over a dozen men in basketball uniforms waiting there. They were between twenty and thirty years old, all lean and muscular. They were clearly experienced players.

Shi Yue felt a bit uncertain. It was still not too late to back out. He tugged at Ji Chenchuan’s sleeve. “Are we really going to play them? We do not have enough people.”

“They have extra people. We will just borrow theirs,” Ji Chenchuan said.

Shi Yue was horrified.

Borrow their people?

Was he that afraid they might actually win? Their own people would definitely side with them.