C517 – I Am Just Here to Ask for Directions


    Meng Haitao was taken aback.


    Damn!


    Did it really have to be like this?


    “Old man, at your age, wouldn’t you rather be dancing in the square or enjoying Peking Opera?”


    “Why on earth are you browsing Tieba when you’re bored?”


    “Is this really appropriate for you to be looking at?”


    “This is absurd, isn’t it?”


    The elderly man acted as though he hadn’t seen him at all.


    He just lowered his head and kept working, muttering to himself.


    ?”Well, it’s not really your fault. You see, I put up that sign because I was worried some of the shorter female students wouldn’t be able to see it. I never expected an even shorter guy to miss it…”


    The old man continued to grumble to himself as he worked, and Meng Haitao could no longer bear it.


    “I’m not going to ask for directions anymore. I’m leaving.”


    Meng Haitao said this and quickly walked away.


    ?He hadn’t gone far when he heard footsteps ahead.


    Looking up, Meng Haitao was ecstatic.


    Wow!


    Atst, he spotted a few tall, strong, and handsome guys!


    Though he hated to admit they were better-looking than him, he knew that if they could just give him directions, they’d definitely be the epitome of handsome!


    Meng Haitao approached them eagerly: “Fellows, I need to ask for directions…”


    “Go ask your grandma’s leg!”


    The leader of the group scowled, his face full of rage, andnded a p across Meng Haitao’s face.


    Meng Haitao was dumbfounded.


    What in the world?


    What was happening?


    Had Eastsea Technology University changed so drastically?


    This greeting was quite peculiar.


    “It’s not you guys, I’m just…”


    Meng Haitao was utterly bewildered.


    “It’s your sister!”


    The lead boy was furious, and the boys behind him were equally enraged. “Are you the one who’s been causing trouble on campus?”


    “No, I swear, I just wanted to ask for directions!”


    Meng Haitao held his face, on the verge of tears. Where could he even begin to argue his case? He had just asked for directions and ended up getting beaten.


    “Smack!”


    He thought that after exining himself, it would be over, but then came another p.


    “Are you trying to deceive ghosts by burning newspapers at a grave?”


    “Why don’t youe up with a believable excuse?”


    “There’s a map in every section of the school, right over there.”


    “And you’re still asking for directions? Isn’t that just a pretext for harassing girls?”


    He pointed to the side, giving Meng Haitao a knowing wink, and turned his head slightly.


    Holy smokes!


    Just a stone’s throw away to Meng Haitao’s left was a towering sign. It showcased a bird’s eye view of Eastsea Technology University, with every location clearly marked, including the International Convention Center he was desperately trying to find!


    Meng Haitao felt like weeping.


    How many times had I walked past this sign without noticing it?


    ?”The ss monitor is the one causing trouble!”


    “He just stood there, ogling us while we were picking upundry in the girls’ dorm.”


    “Qiu is so terrified she’s sobbing under her nket right now.”


    Several girls chimed in, gathering around.


    “Let’s give him what he deserves!”


    Upon hearing this, one of the boys became enraged andunched into a pummeling.


    “I swear I’m not a creep; I just wanted to ask for directions!”


    “Oh my God!”


    Meng Haitao instinctively protected his head.


    “With moves like that, you can tell he’s a seasoned troublemaker. He must be used to getting thrashed!”


    “This time, we’re going to make sure you learn your lesson.”


    “You think it’s okay to behave like this at our school, and even have the nerve to harass our girls?”


    “Smack him down!”


    A mob of boys descended, delivering a chaotic flurry of kicks.


    “What’s going on here?”


    At that moment, a puzzled voice cut through themotion.


    The boys dishing out the beating paused.


    “Hey, it’s Senior Su!”


    “Oh, Brother Su!”


    “Wow, Brother Su looks amazing!”


    The girls nearby paused, then upon recognizing the neer, swarmed him in excitement.


    Meng Haitao heard Su Ming’s voice and nearly burst into tears.


    ?Salvation atst!


    Despite his previous disdain for Su Ming, wishing to trample him underfoot, Su Ming’s arrival was nothing short of a godsend at this moment!


    “Senior Su, this guy was flirting with the girls on campus. We couldn’t stand by, so we took matters into our own hands,” the ss monitor reported, his brow furrowed.


    ?The ss monitor, a former soldier, was known for his integrity andmanding presence.


    The medical college was adjacent to the nursing college, which meant there were plenty of boys around.


    ?Once they got wind of the situation, they hurried over.


    “Is that so? Then he deserves a good beating.”


    Su Ming nodded in agreement. Some people just ask for it.


    While it’s not right to resort to violence, there are times when you have to teach someone a lesson the hard way, or they’ll never learn.


    “By the way, Senior Su, what brings you here?” the ss monitor inquired, puzzled.


    ?”I’m looking for someone. We’ve been waiting for him to show up for a meeting for quite some time. When he didn’t, we split up to search for him. Have you seen him? He’s not very tall, a bit on the hefty side, and, frankly, not the most pleasant-looking,” Su Ming exined.


    ?”No, haven’t seen him.”


    “None of us have.”


    “Yeah, maybe try looking somewhere else?”


    “We just came from over that way; he’s not there either.”


    The students exchanged nces and shook their heads in unison.


    ?”Okay then, carry on,” Su Ming said, turning to leave.


    “Wait a second!”


    Just then, Meng Haitao reached out his hand, calling out with all his might, “Su Ming, it’s me!”


    Su Ming paused, the voice sounding oddly familiar. He turned around and saw Meng Haitao struggling to his feet, shivering.


    Imagine the scene: fresh paint clinging to his back, and after a few more kicks from the boys, it was everywhere. Meng Haitao was smeared with red paint, footprints stamped all over him, even on his face.


    ?The ss monitor had delivered two hefty ps, drawing on his recent military discharge and the robust fitness that came with it. Meng Haitao’s face was now a swollen, bright red mess, as plump as a ripe peach.


    “Who’s that? The voice sounds familiar,” Su Ming mused, squinting in confusion.


    ?He moved closer for a better look and then realized in shock, “Meng Haitao?!”


    “Meng Haitao, what happened to you? Were you the troublemaker they were just talking about? What are you doing, causing a scene here instead of attending school or the meeting?” Su Ming asked, his brow furrowed in concern.


    ?Meng Haitao felt like crying and was indeed on the verge of tears.


    “I damn well tried to go!”


    “I got lost and couldn’t find the ce!”


    “I just wanted to ask a couple of students for directions, and they used me of being a troublemaker and started beating me up!”


    “And you all just used me of spying on the girls’ dormitory!”


    “What am I even looking at? I was just dizzy from the heat, trying to catch my breath!”


    Meng Haitao finally found an outlet and began to sob loudly.


    The students around him felt a bit awkward.


    From what Su Ming was saying,


    it seemed he was genuinely lost and just wanted directions.


    “Listen, you guys, I…”


    Meng Haitao, shivering, pointed at the students who had hit him.


    “What you did was wrong.”


    Just then, Su Ming cut in, turning to address the male students.


    Hearing this,


    Meng Haitao let out a sigh of relief. Despite their differences, his old ssmate hade to his defense.