Chapter 135: The Harsh Lessons of Reality

"Let's go, let's go eat first. We can talk about whatever you want over the meal," Tang Long said with a smile, interrupting the conversation between Gou Yuniang and her new apprentice, Ren Yingying.

Ren Qiang and Zhou Fang's eldest daughter had also returned from school. Compared to Ren Yingying, she was more reserved and less lively, though she was quite pretty herself. Any woman whom Tang Long deemed good-looking would certainly be called a beauty by anyone else.

The couple’s eldest daughter was named Ren Lingling, and their youngest son was Ren Xiaobao.

"I’ve already reserved a table at the Shengdu Family Banquet," Gou Yuniang nodded, smiling.

Tang Long rubbed his nose and chuckled. He hadn't even known when she’d made the reservation, but it went to show just how much she truly cared about her new little apprentice.

"What kind of good food do they have?" Ren Xiaobao asked, looking famished.

Ren Qiang and Zhou Fang had intended to follow on their electric scooter, but Gou Yuniang wouldn't hear of it. She hailed a taxi instead, not even allowing Tang Long to drive.

"Master, what made you decide to take me as your apprentice?" Ren Yingying asked curiously as they sat in the back of the taxi on the way to the restaurant.

Her older sister, Ren Lingling, sat beside her, seemingly too shy or awkward to say much. Tang Long sat in the front passenger seat, listening intently.

"It must be fate," Gou Yuniang said with a smile. "I happened to run into you on the street, and the moment I saw you, I took a liking to you. I couldn't get you out of my mind!"

Tang Long caught the driver’s strange look in the rearview mirror and felt a bit helpless. Her words were indeed easy to misunderstand—it sounded a bit suggestive. If Gou Yuniang were a man, she would sound exactly like a neighborhood bully trying to prey on young women.

"Then how did you know I was suited for woodcarving?" Ren Yingying tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. From her interactions with Gou Yuniang, it was clear the girl was not particularly shy; she had a straightforward, spirited personality.

This wasn't necessarily good or bad, but it was quite different from Gou Yuniang’s temperament. Gou Yuniang was fine with people she knew, but interacting with strangers was usually a struggle for her.

"Hold out your hand."

Once Ren Yingying extended her hand, Gou Yuniang examined her slender, delicate fingers. "Your fingers are very long."

"That’s right! My mom says people with long fingers grow up to be tall," Ren Yingying said, pausing before adding, "My sister’s fingers are long too. Does that mean she’s suited for carving? She’s a bit slow at her studies, so why don't you let her learn along with me?"

As she spoke, her eyes darted around like a clever little imp.

"I don't want to learn!" Ren Lingling shook her head, blushing as she muttered under her breath.

Ren Yingying puffed out her cheeks and spoke with the air of a self-important adult. "In twenty years, you could be making tens of thousands a month! You’re so slow, and you’re not doing well in school—if you don't learn a trade, what are you going to do?"

Pfft!

Even Gou Yuniang was amused by her little apprentice. Ren Lingling, face burning with shame, glared at her sister. "Don't be so impudent! Mind your own business and stop worrying about me!"

Ren Yingying curled her lip. "What, do you want to keep hanging out with those hooligans and getting into trouble?"

"Shut up!" Ren Lingling snapped, annoyed.

Tang Long, sitting in the front, shook his head with a smile. It was clear that despite their age gap, the sisters were quite close. It was also apparent that the spirited Ren Yingying often teased her older sister.

"Master, why don't you teach her too? It’ll keep her from getting into bad habits and worrying Mom and Dad. Anyway, it’s just like herding sheep—it’s no harder to herd two than it is to herd one!" Ren Yingying turned to Gou Yuniang.

Gou Yuniang smiled. "That’s fine." She didn't see any issue with it; just as her apprentice said, it was all the same.

***

"Did you hear that? In the future, when you're free, just go help out at Master’s carving workshop. Save up some money for your dowry and stop hanging around those little thugs!" Ren Yingying said.

Ren Lingling couldn't win an argument against her, so she turned her head away and ignored her. Despite her age, Ren Yingying was incredibly sharp—though she was only in middle school, she understood just as much as her high-school-aged sister.

They arrived at the entrance of the Shengdu Family Banquet and climbed out of the two taxis.

"Mom, I don't want to eat anymore," Ren Lingling said, wanting to leave.

Ren Yingying looked toward the entrance and saw a few young men inside. Seeming to realize something, she turned to Gou Yuniang. "Master, those guys inside are local hooligans from the county. They're no good—they like to pester girls. They must have been bothering my sister; she’s afraid of running into them!"

"Pestering" was the local slang for harassing girls, and these "little hooligans" were essentially small-time troublemakers.

Gou Yuniang looked toward Tang Long, who smiled back at her. He walked over to Ren Yingying and patted her head—a purely habitual gesture, as he used to tease Zhao Xiaol like a "little kitten" back in the village.

"We’re already here, just have a little something to eat."

Ren Lingling glanced at Tang Long, blushing, then bit her lip and lowered her head, saying nothing more.

"Let’s go."

Tang Long greeted Ren Qiang and Zhou Fang, and they walked into the restaurant. Today wasn't a formal apprenticeship ceremony—that would require witnesses and strict protocols. Today was just a casual meal for everyone to get to know one another.

"Oh, look who it is! If it isn't our Lingling, here to eat? Come over here and let me see you, darling. It’s been a while! I heard you’ve been avoiding me—what, are you afraid of me?"

A young man in his early twenties spotted them and walked over, his eyes lighting up. He ignored everyone else with Ren Lingling, clearly not caring that her parents were present.

Ren Lingling trembled slightly and instinctively stepped back.

"Master!" Ren Yingying grabbed Gou Yuniang’s arm, looking nervous.

It was hard to tell if this master and apprentice were truly fated, but they had taken to each other instantly. The way the girl called her "Master" sounded so natural, with no hint of awkwardness.

Gou Yuniang looked up and said softly to Tang Long, "Make sure he stops pestering Ren Lingling from now on."

It wasn't a request; it was a command. The "queenly" aura radiating from her bones was quite imposing. Tang Long found it secretly amusing—he had never seen her act this assertive before. It seemed everyone was the same: no one wanted to lose face in front of someone they cared about.

"You, come here."

Tang Long walked over and beckoned the young man to step aside.

"What do you want?" The young man looked Tang Long up and down with a swagger. "Where are we going? If you’ve got something to say, say it right here!"

"Hey, guys, come over here! Some 'big shot' wants to have a word with us," Chen Xiaoming said, picking his teeth and waving his hand. Six or seven young men immediately crowded around.

"Whatever you've got to say, say it here," Chen Xiaoming said, pointing at the floor with a mocking smile.

"So arrogant, are we?" Tang Long smiled. He turned to Gou Yuniang and said, "Why don't you take the parents and the girls inside to order?"

"Alright. Be careful," Gou Yuniang nodded and calmly led the group inside. It was clear that the parents were somewhat uncomfortable with the scene.

***

Tang Long turned back to the young man and asked with a smile, "Ever been taught a lesson by the real world?"

"The real world?" Chen Xiaoming’s eyes widened. "What, you want to hit me?"

*Smack!*

Tang Long delivered a crisp, loud slap to his face, leaving the man stunned. The sound was so sharp that even Ren Lingling and Ren Yingying, who were walking toward their private room, stopped and looked back in surprise.

However, it was just a loud sound; it shouldn't have been too painful. Tang Long only wanted to teach him a lesson, not hurt him. If he had actually intended to cause injury, the slap wouldn't have just been loud—the man would have been sent flying, rather than standing there perfectly intact.

"Hitting you is easy, but you need to understand why you're being hit," Tang Long said, turning to look at the stunned companions. He grinned. "What year is this? You’re not studying properly, and you’re still trying to play gangster?"

Aside from the young man in front of him, the others were only seventeen or eighteen, their faces still covered in peach fuzz.

"You... you dare hit me?" Chen Xiaoming looked at Tang Long, bewildered. He couldn't understand why this man would dare to strike him when he was so outnumbered.

"That slap was mild!"

A waiter approached to ask what was happening. Tang Long smiled and shook his head. "It’s nothing, I’m just having a heart-to-heart with these young fellas." He looked at the group again. "Come outside, all of you!"

Tang Long turned and walked out of the restaurant. Inside was not the place to settle this.

"Brother Ming, should we call for backup?"

Hearing his underling, Chen Xiaoming’s face flushed red with shame. Damn it, the guy was all alone while they were a whole group, yet he’d slapped him! If they called for more people, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing?

"Let’s go! Follow me and hack him to death!"

Chen Xiaoming gritted his teeth, grabbed a steel pipe from the restaurant, and led his gang out after Tang Long.

Ren Yingying watched the scene with a mix of nervousness and excitement. "Master, is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine," Gou Yuniang said, putting an arm around Ren Yingying’s shoulder and leading her toward the private room. "Let him handle it. Let’s go inside and order."

Ren Lingling couldn't help but bite her lip. "Chen Xiaoming is notoriously vicious. Maybe we should call the police? But he has a boss—even if the police come, they can't do anything to him!"

Gou Yuniang smiled. "Don't worry. In a moment, tell him to have him deal with Chen Xiaoming’s boss as well."

*Huh?*

Both sisters looked at her in disbelief. Could he really be that powerful?

"Please, come inside," Gou Yuniang said, gesturing for Ren Qiang and Zhou Fang to enter the room.