Holding a bun in hand, Jiang Hao had a beaming smile, dashing towards the train station while munching on the bun.
"Xiaoli is coming back from studying abroad today, I have to pick her up."
Thinking about Xiaoli, a smile filled Jiang Hao's eyes.
Xiaoli is his girlfriend who is very beautiful. It was three years ago when she left for studying overseas, and it's today that she's coming back.
Every expense of hers abroad was covered by Jiang Hao, who had been working to the bone on the construction site, day and night.
Beep Beep Beep……
Suddenly, the vintage Nokia phone rang.
Jiang Hao paused, swallowing the dry bun and took out an old cell phone with a shattered screen from his pocket and answered.
"Hello, Xiaoli, where are you now?"
"What, you're not coming back today?"
"It's okay, it's okay, you must study hard abroad, don't worry about money, buy anything you like."
After hanging up the phone, a feeling of emptiness came over Jiang Hao.
Over the past three years, he had only made a few calls with Xiaoli and missed her deeply.
He thought he'd finally see her this time, but unexpectedly, Xiaoli had some last-minute obligations and couldn't come back.
Cough cough cough……
Jiang Hao was choking on a bun, nearly rolling his eyes to the back of his head. Though a shop was just beside him, he was too stingy to spend a yuan on a bottle of water. He patted his chest and swallowed hard to alleviate his choking.
As a mere construction worker, no amount of toiling could earn him much money.
He had to send money to Xiaoli every month, so he dared not frivolously spend even a penny.
"If Xiaoli isn't coming back, then hurry back to work, otherwise, they'll deduct your wages."
Rubbing his face, Jiang Hao sprinted towards the construction site.
Halfway through, he became weary and thirsty. He decided to wash his face at the Lotte Mart at the street corner.
Just as he reached the entrance, he noticed a jovial couple leaving the mart.
Huh?
The woman looked a lot like Xiaoli, but wasn't she still studying abroad?
Jiang Hao was both shocked and thrilled. He shouted towards the retreating figure, “Xiaoli, is that you, Xiaoli? Are you back?”
A stylishly dressed young woman carrying a designer bag slowly turned around.
"Xiaoli, it really is you!"
Jiang Hao yelled, his joy knowing no bounds.
But the smile on his face froze the next moment.
Because Xiaoli was hanging onto the arm of a man who was impeccably dressed in a suit and shiny leather shoes, sporting a luxury watch. They looked very intimate.
"Xiao Li, who is he?" Jiang Hao's voice was trembling.
Xiao Li's expression turned unnatural, as complex emotions flitted across her face. She then managed to force a smile, "Xiao Hao."
The tall and handsome man's eyes turned cold for a moment, but then he quickly resumed a sunny smile, "Li, won't you introduce me to your friend?"
"Who is he?"
Jiang Hao stared at Xiao Li, shouting at the top of his lungs.
The handsome man, a spark of maliciousness flashed in his eyes, extended a hand, "Hello, my name is Gao Ming, I'm Xiao Li's boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?"
Instantly, Jiang Hao's heart ached immensely.
He roared at Xiao Li, "And what am I to you?"
Jiang Hao wasn't foolish, he understood what was happening.
This cliché scene from a soap opera was happening to him.
Xiao Li was living a lavish lifestyle abroad with the money he had earned through blood and sweat, and had met a tall, rich, and handsome man. She became his girlfriend and had been lying to him, even when she returned to her home country.
Jiang Hao felt like a fool. He had been used for three years, all for this woman, even giving up his studies.
These past three years, he had lived a life that was barely human.
He lived in a damp and gloomy basement, surviving on steamed buns and pickles. Never had a meal that exceeded ten yuan, and he only bought one piece of clothing in the past three years.
All his money, was saved up, to give to Xiao Li.
What a fool, he truly was a fool!
Having seen the truth, Xiao Li decided to be forthright, "That's correct, Gao Ming is my boyfriend. You are nothing but a laborer, a peasant; how much can you make in a year?"
"Ten thousand, or thirty thousand, fifty thousand?"
"Now go, I desire a life, you can never provide."
Upon hearing Xiao Li's words, Jiang Hao was stupefied, his mind went blank.
His heart turned cold, even under the blazing sun, he felt only chilliness.
He sat on the ground all afternoon, too dumbfounded to move.
This incident had devastated him greatly.
At night, Jiang Hao walked aimlessly on the streets, his mind muddled.
Suddenly, just around the corner, a few dark figures charged out; each of them wielded clubs, their faces filled with menace.
Jiang Hao was instantly jolted alert, and backed away, "What...what do you guys want?"
"We're here to break your leg!" one of them viciously retorted.
A shiver went down Jiang Hao's spine, as he reflected on the recent events.
He hadn't offended anyone, had he?
"No, that's not it!"
Suddenly, he thought of Gao Ming.
This man, who seemed sunny and magnanimous, was very clear to Jiang Hao. Gao Ming was extremely sinister and ferocious, narrow-minded, a person who bore grudges.
"Are you guys sent by Gao Ming?" he asked
"Oh wow, didn't expect you, a poor lad, to be quite intelligent," one of them sneered, idly twirling a metal rod in hand.
"You... you're breaking the law," Jiang Hao backed away, raising the alarm.
But, this place was too remote, and it was midnight, there was simply no one around.
"Breaking the law? Hahaha, you're too naive!"
"Hurry up and act, take him out, then we go collect our reward from Brother Ming."
Jiang Hao's eyes twitched, he turned around and bolted.
He had barely managed a few steps when he was blocked.
"Do it!"
In an instant, five or six rods were swung at Jiang Hao.
"Scram!" Jiang Hao roared, rushing forward. He grabbed one of the men, using him as a shield to push forward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The iron rod hit Jiang Hao's body, causing him to shriek in pain as blood spurting out instantaneously.
Jiang Hao had worked on the construction site for several years and had an impressive physical strength. However, he was outnumbered and his attackers had clubs in their hands.
In a short while, he fell to the ground, his leg broken.
Thunk!
Suddenly, a blow to the head, and Jiang Hao thought he heard the sound of blood gushing out.
His eyes rolled back in his head, the world in front of him turning black, and Jiang Hao passed out.
“Did he die?”
“Don't worry, if anything happens, Ming Ge will take the blame!”
"Let's go, let's go."
The thugs all ran away.
Jiang Hao lay in a garbage heap, fresh blood seeping into the trash, landing on a wooden plaque.
Suddenly, the plaque began to emit a faint purple light, appearing dazzling in the dark night.
Simultaneously, a profound and intricate flow of information surged into his mind.
A moment later, the plaque disappeared, but his chest was emanating a purple glow, gradually returning to normal.
......
In the middle of the night, Jiang Hao woke up dazed and confused.
"Huh, where are my wounds?"
Jiang Hao rolled up his sleeves, looked left and right, and found all the wounds on his body miraculously healed. His leg was also cured. If it weren't for the bloodstains on his clothes, he would have doubted whether everything that happened last night was just a dream.
Ah...
Suddenly, Jiang Hao screamed. His head was throbbing, about to explode.
A rush of information flooded his mind.
"Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Art, soul refining and body tempering, creating the ultimate foundation."
Jiang Hao ruffled his hair. "Could this be the cultivation technique from the fantasy novels?"
As he continued to examine the information in his mind, Jiang Hao discovered that this rush of information not only included the Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Art, but also various kinds of knowledge such as medicine, alchemy, spellcasting...
Even Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation, something only found in novels, was here.
"This is incredible."
After a quarter of an hour, Jiang Hao could not help admiring.
The knowledge imprinted in his mind, if true, would ensure his meteoric rise.
Especially the medicine, which was said to have the ability to bring the dead back to life.
Even if it couldn't raise the dead, as long as it could cure all kinds of diseases and eliminate various complicated and difficult diseases, he would still be able to make a difference in the world.
