Chapter 73: You’re Always Welcome to Come Back for Revenge

Wang Lei dared not refuse Li Sicheng, yet he was unwilling to yield so easily. His eyes darted about as he said, "An IOU? But I don't have a pen or paper with me... How about this: you give me your address, and in a couple of days I'll deliver the IOU to you."

Li Sicheng shook his head. "No. I don't trust people like you. Today, you must leave an IOU before you go! As for pen and paper, it just so happens that I have them right here."

He always carried a small satchel containing things he might need, among them a diary and a fountain pen.

Without delay, Li Sicheng took out these two items from his bag.

The manager of the Ronghe Hotel, upon hearing of a conflict at the entrance, had come over with two security guards intending to break it up. Yet when he saw Li Sicheng produce that fountain pen from his satchel, his expression changed and he stopped in his tracks.

The two guards halted as well, exchanging puzzled glances, unsure what the manager meant by this.

Li Sicheng paid no heed to those behind him.

With a soft ripping sound, he tore a page from the notebook, handing both it and the pen to Wang Lei, commanding, "Come now, write the IOU obediently. If you dare play games with me, I won’t mind making those bloodstains on your face even more vivid! And then, not only will you be beaten again, but the amount you owe will also increase!"

As the saying goes, "A scholar is no match for a soldier; reason cannot prevail." Wang Lei felt this acutely at that moment. He had encountered someone even harsher, even more unreasonable than himself. Resistance was impossible—he could only obey.

Seething with resentment and humiliation, Wang Lei picked up the pen with trembling hands and wrote out the IOU on that page. He wanted to be tricky, but lacked the courage, and could only behave honestly.

After finishing, he signed his name at the bottom. Lifting his head, he fixed Li Sicheng with a venomous glare, gritting his teeth. "The IOU is written. Can you let me go now?"

Li Sicheng glanced over the document, curling his lip. "Your handwriting is atrocious—looks like a dog scratching at paper."

Wang Lei snorted, refusing to answer.

Suddenly, Li Sicheng grabbed his hand, dabbed it in the blood on his face, and pressed it over his signature.

Then he handed the crude IOU to Liu Wei. "Here, Senior, keep this IOU. If this guy dares not repay you, let me know—I’ll help you collect!"

He patted Wang Lei’s shoulder, instructing, "Once you’re home, hurry and come up with the money! Don’t even think about defaulting, because if you do, you’ll wish you were dead."

Wang Lei squeezed out a reluctant "yes" through clenched teeth.

Though outwardly he compromised, inside he seethed with fury and swore, "I can’t beat you, so I have to swallow this for now. But once you release me, I’ll find my friends on the street and make you pay double for today’s humiliation! I’ll have you kneel before me and sing your surrender, and make you compensate me ten thousand—no, twenty thousand—for all sorts of losses!"

In his mind, he began to fantasize about Li Sicheng and Liu Wei kneeling before him, begging for mercy—how satisfying that would be!

He was deep in these imaginings when Li Sicheng suddenly spoke, chilling his heart.

"From the look of you, you’re planning revenge, aren’t you?"

Wang Lei’s face changed dramatically, blurting out, "You... how did you know—" He caught himself, hastily correcting, "Ah, no, I... I haven’t thought about revenge, you’re mistaken, really, it’s just a misunderstanding..."

"Too cowardly to admit what you think? Pathetic!" Li Sicheng snorted disdainfully. "If you want revenge, I’ll oblige. But don’t say I didn’t warn you: every time you try for revenge, the amount on the IOU doubles. Personally, I’d welcome your attempts—come often!"

Welcoming revenge? Encouraging frequent revenge?

Wang Lei was stunned.

Honestly, such an odd proposition was unheard of.

Amazed, Wang Lei muttered inwardly, "So you’re treating other people’s revenge as a means of extorting money? Damn, you’re too arrogant! Fine, very well, I’ll see whether you’re just bluffing or if you really have some impressive skills!"

He resolved to call on his street friends to teach Li Sicheng a lesson. He refused to believe that a mere high school student could possess any remarkable abilities.

Yet such thoughts he dared entertain only in his mind; outwardly, he forced a hideous, ingratiating smile and said, "It’s really a misunderstanding, I truly never thought of revenge..."

Li Sicheng sneered, "Enough. Your eyes are shifty, your cheeks flushed, your temples pulsing, and there’s a fierce energy between your brows... All these signs show you harbor resentment and are plotting revenge! The mouth can lie, but the face cannot."

Wang Lei’s jaw dropped in shock, uncertain whether Li Sicheng’s words were true or just invented.

Not only him, but Liu Wei beside him was equally dumbfounded.

Wang Lei wanted to argue, but before he could speak, Li Sicheng interrupted him. "I hate liars most. So I’ve decided to give you another lesson—a profound one you’ll remember for life!"

"Ah?" Wang Lei was dumbstruck. Then, realizing what was happening, he quickly shielded his face with both hands, terrified that Li Sicheng would strike him again. After all, he still needed his looks to charm girls; if his face were ruined, what would he do?

With his hands covering his face, Wang Lei couldn’t see what Li Sicheng was doing; he only felt him dab some blood on his face, then draw a few strokes on his chest. Then he heard Li Sicheng say, "You can get lost now!"

Was he really being let go?

Wang Lei was stunned again.

Hadn't Li Sicheng said he would give him a profound, unforgettable lesson? Why was he being released so easily? What kind of lesson was this? Was the blood-drawing on his chest supposed to be it?

Well, it certainly was deep and unforgettable!

Though he grumbled inwardly, Wang Lei wasn’t foolish enough to voice it. He turned and fled at once.

Throughout, his hands remained tightly over his face, never letting go. His female companion, after a brief moment of confusion, snapped out of it and ran after him.

Li Sicheng’s ruthless display had already left a shadow in the girl's heart; she had long wanted to escape, just lacking the courage.

Watching Wang Lei’s retreating figure, Liu Wei asked in confusion, "You just let him go? Didn’t you say you’d give him a deep lesson?"

Li Sicheng smiled mysteriously. "The lesson is already marked on him—it’ll soon take effect! I guarantee he’ll never forget it for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see it."

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