Dad, Please Try a Little Harder

Chapter 7 Pawn Crossing the River

“How did you manage to beat that old man just now? I feel like his chess skills are not inferior to Mr. Qian’s.”

Ding Linlang was surprised by Qian Quan’s outstanding chess performance just now.

“He who is overconfident will suffer defeat, and I attacked him unexpectedly,” Qian Quan explained.

Ding Linlang looked at Qian Quan with a mixture of belief and doubt and suggested, “How about we play blindfold chess?”

“Let’s just have a relaxed dinner, we’ve both had a busy day,” Qian Quan politely declined with a smile.

“Alright,” Ding Linlang didn’t insist.

They ordered a large portion of Grilled Sea Bass.

While waiting for the food to arrive, a stylishly dressed young girl approached, apparently seeking contact details. She seemed to be interested in getting Ding Linlang’s information and also trying to get Qian Quan’s for her friend.

As the saying goes, you never know to what extent a girl can be proactive with a handsome guy.

Qian Quan and Ding Linlang had encountered such situations before and were used to them.

Turning his head, Qian Quan noticed a pretty girl sitting not far away looking in their direction. When their eyes met, she blushed and lowered her head shyly.

“Maybe there’s a misunderstanding, I’m also a girl,” Ding Linlang explained in a friendly and skillful manner, gesturing towards Qian Quan, “And he’s my boyfriend.”

Upon hearing this, the stylish girl became extremely embarrassed, quickly apologized with a bow, and hurriedly left.

“When we go to university, we can’t use this way anymore. It might hinder your future relationships,” Ding Linlang said with a smile, looking at Qian Quan.

“It’s all about analyzing the specific situation. If the girl who approaches us doesn’t match our aesthetic standards, just keep using this tactic to refuse her. If the girl is exceptionally good-looking, it might be worth adding her as a friend on a social app and getting to know her better.” Qian Quan spoke logically and confidently.

Ding Linlang chuckled.

Before long, the food was served.

…

“My family restaurant’s dishes are great, give them a try.”

At the Harmony Bistro, Sun Shaokang was having a meal with three friends from society. When the food arrived, he started inviting everyone to enjoy the meal.

“Shaokang, how far have you and your girlfriend progressed? Have you made any moves yet?” The bald man sitting on Sun Shaokang’s left, his face flushed from drinking, asked with an oily smile.

“Oh, don’t mention it. We’re only at the holding hands and waist-hugging stage. After buying her an iPhone and an LV bag, she reluctantly allowed some touching, but still insisted on keeping our clothes on! D*mn!” Sun Shaokang complained with a grudge.

“Haha, that’s how girls are. Eventually, she’ll be more proactive than you imagine. Then you can play with her however you want…” The bald man spoke as someone who had been through it.

Sun Shaokang listened with longing in his heart. When he thought about certain scenes he shared with Song Xi, his heart raced.

“By the way, why aren’t you taking the aggressive approach?” The slim and short young man on Sun Shaokang’s right, smoking a cigarette, squinted his eyes and asked.

“Wouldn’t that be considered violating her? We’re in a serious relationship. It’s only meaningful when both sides are willing. I, Sun Shaokang, won’t stoop to that level…”

The bald man laughed. “Shaokang is still a student. He is different from a rascal like you.”

The slim and short young man didn’t mind, laughing heartily. “I misspoke, so I’ll have a drink as punishment.”

Sun Shaokang smiled and seemed to be thinking of something. He frowned and hesitated to speak.

The silent young man sitting beside the slim and short one noticed and asked, “Kangkang, you mentioned that a guy from your class confessed to Song Xi. What’s the situation now? Is he still bothering you guys?”

“That’s not the case anymore. I’ve crushed his spirits. I bet he sees me as the last person he wants to encounter…”

Sun Shaokang’s tone was smug, followed by a click of his tongue. “But I still have a bit of a grudge against him. Just thinking about him makes me uncomfortable.”

“Why?”

Sun Shaokang thought for a few seconds and said,” I can’t tell you the details. I’m just inexplicably unhappy. When I think about how his confession left a mark on Song Xi’s heart and how he’s going to go to the same city as us to study at university in the future, I feel uncomfortable all over.”

The slim and short young man flicked the cigarette ash and asked, “What’s that guy like? What does his family do?”

“His family’s not particularly well-off. There’s not much to discuss there. It’s more about him-a bit of a pretty boy. He hangs out daily with someone who’s neither definitively male nor female, stands out in school, and attracts attention, especially from those immature young girls who particularly like his type.”

Everyone understood right away. Clearly, the guy was quite good-looking and popular with the girls at school, and he had a complicated history with Song Xi. That was likely why Sun Shaokang was so bothered.

“It’s all small stuff. Tell us where he lives. We’ll find a chance to intimidate him and let you blow off some steam,” the bald man suggested.

Sun Shaokang’s mind was set in motion. He said, “No need to actually beat him. You can just go scare him a bit. He’s working at the KFC as a service staff. If you have time, you can drop by.”

“We can go tomorrow. We’ll make sure everything goes smoothly for you.”

Sun Shaokang nodded, reiterating, “Just a gesture will do. Don’t actually hurt him.”

“Don’t worry, we know the limits. We’re professionals.”

…

The next day, Qian Quan went to work, and his business skills had already significantly improved.

During the lunchtime cash collection, the store manager, who was doing rounds, personally praised him and suggested that he consider applying for a management trainee position at KFC after graduating from college.

Upon hearing this, Qian Quan chuckled and disregarded it. His aspirations had never been about becoming a KFC management trainee. With the mysterious system backing him now, it was even less appealing.

As an eighteen or nineteen-year-old teenager, still untouched by the harsh realities of society, his most basic aspiration was to either buy a KFC franchise or establish a more impressive enterprise than KFC.

After work, Qian Quan ordered a combo meal of whole chicken and cola. After finishing his meal, he prepared to head to the nearby elder’s house for a game of chess.

However, just as he stepped out of the KFC entrance and walked a few steps, he was intercepted by three people.

The three of them consisted of a bald man with a face full of flesh, a short and lean young man with a sinister look, and a somewhat handsome young man.

“Are you guys looking for me?” Qian Quan became cautious while simultaneously recognizing the somewhat familiar face of the handsome young man.

“If we’re not looking for you, should we be looking for your mom?” The bald man stepped forward, wearing a smirk resembling a cat playing with a mouse.

Qian Quan gazed calmly at the bald man for a few seconds, then turned back towards the KFC entrance.

“You’re running away just like that?”

The three exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

“What should we do now, should we go in and find him or wait for him to come out?” The short and slim youth asked.

“Let’s wait for him to come out. Let’s see how long he can hide,” the bald man said with a pleased expression.

Two minutes later, Qian Quan reappeared in front of them, holding a set of stainless steel knives. He stared directly at the bald man, his voice neither loud nor low as he asked, “What did you just say?”

Though he didn’t shout, a surge of furious energy emanated from Qian Quan, momentarily intimidating the three of them.

“Who the heck are you trying to scare?” The bald man, after all, couldn’t bring himself to repeat the provocative words from before, but he still retained his defiant stance.

“I know Sun Shaokang sent you here, and I know I might not be able to beat the three of you, and today I might even end up dead at your hands, but I won’t fear you, and I won’t gamble on the probability that you’ll show mercy. I’ll resist with all my might. I’ll fixate on one of you three, then plunge this knife into his heart!”

“And if that doesn’t succeed, I’ll muster all my strength to bite through his artery. I’ll stick my fingers into his eyes and gouge out his eyeballs. I’ll make sure to retaliate before you manage to kill me.”

As he spoke, Qian Quan’s gaze swept across the faces of the three, as if searching for his target.

Perhaps due to the knife in his hand, the three who should have had the upper hand felt an eerie shiver down their spines from being scrutinized, making them seem a little hesitant.

“No matter who dies in the end, it’s self-defense on my part, and you guys are guilty of premeditated murder.” Qian Quan concluded, his expression unchanged, devoid of any emotion in his tone.

“You think you can scare us with that knife?” The short and slim youth might have felt his pride challenged and retorted.

Qian Quan said no more, slightly bending his waist, gripping the knife tightly, and adopting a stance that seemed to say whoever made the first move would be the one stabbed.

The situation was somewhat tense for a moment.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but yesterday, you had arranged to play Chinese chess with Mr. Huang, right?”

At that moment, a middle-aged man of average build approached, politely inquiring about Qian Quan.

Qian Quan turned his head and glanced, replying, “Yes.”

“Mr. Huang’s been waiting. Why don’t you go over first?” The middle-aged man suggested.

Qian Quan glanced at the three.

“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to them.” The middle-aged man’s tone was amicable.

“There’s nothing to talk about. We came here today to eat at KFC and just happened to run into him. We were passing along a message for a friend, but he pulled out a knife and acted like he was about to kill us. Made it seem like a real threat.” The bald man sneered.

The middle-aged man smiled and said, “So, it’s just a misunderstanding. Alright then, in that case, why don’t you three continue with your meal? Oh, by the way, this is my business card. If you ever need a place to stay, feel free to contact me.”

The middle-aged man handed a business card to the bald man.

After taking a look, the bald man’s expression changed dramatically, “You… are you Mr. Liang, Liang Wanjun, from the Riverside Hotel?”

Liang Wanjun, a famous character, was the general manager of Riverside Hotel, and one of the most renowned figures in the local underworld.

“Yes, that’s me.” Liang Wanjun’s smile remained unaffected.

One’s reputation and influence often extended beyond their name. In this town, not just anyone could afford to offend Liang Wanjun.

Both the short and slim youth and the refined-looking young man subtly changed their expressions upon hearing this.

“Oh, Mr. Liang, um, we didn’t know he knew you. We genuinely didn’t come here to confront him. It was a coincidence that we bumped into him and wanted to pass along a message to him for a friend. It really was just about conveying a single message, but it turned into a misunderstanding, haha…”

The bald man’s expression completely changed, and he awkwardly offered an explanation while laughing.

Liang Wanjun intervened, “Misunderstandings cleared up, that’s good. I won’t delay your meal any longer.”

“Sure, you guys do your thing.” The bald man hastily waved his hand and headed towards the KFC with his two companions.

“Let’s go too, so we don’t keep Mr. Huang waiting too long.” Liang Wanjun urged Qian Quan.

Qian Quan exhaled slowly and said, “Let’s go.”

Liang Wanjun led Qian Quan directly into the Riverside Hotel and headed to a private meeting room on the second floor.

Mr. Huang, dressed in a navy blue button-down T-shirt, had already set up the chessboard and was waiting for him.

“Come, young man. Today, we’ll play inside the room, without anyone disturbing us.”

Qian Quan walked over and took a seat on the couch opposite Mr. Huang.

“Let’s continue from yesterday’s game. You go first,” Qian Quan said, his anger still simmering like a raging thunderstorm, his tone as calm as possible.

Mr. Huang already knew Qian Quan’s level of play, so he didn’t act overconfident. Taking the initiative, he made his move.

Qian Quan followed suit.

Having learned from his previous experience, Mr. Huang started cautiously, playing each move with great care.

However, Qian Quan adopted a different style today. His moves were fierce, sharp, and decisive as if releasing boundless fury through his gameplay.

In less than thirty moves, most of the pieces on the board had been captured.

Qian Quan’s strategy didn’t seem to be solely aimed at winning the game anymore, but rather at ruthless elimination.

If the chessboard was a battlefield, it would have been a scene of bloodshed and no quarter given.

In the end, Mr. Huang was left with only a lone “king”, while Qian Quan still had his guards and elephants,

along with a lone side pawn.

“Arch pawn.”

Qian Quan gently pushed the side pawn forward.

The pawn advanced, crossing the river.