Chapter 20: Caught in the Trap

July 7th.

The alarm hadn’t gone off yet, but Chen Fan was already up. He got dressed, then went outside to wash his face and brush his teeth. His father was working the night shift and hadn't returned, but his mother was up even earlier than him, busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

After freshening up, he sat on the doorstep, staring blankly at the sky. To be honest, even though he had prepared for this, Chen Fan felt a lingering tension. He worried about whether there would be any unexpected changes to the college entrance exam papers. What if the questions were different? What if he and Ruochu couldn't get into the same university?

"Son, breakfast is ready." His mother’s voice from inside pulled him back to reality.

Chen Fan stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants. He took a deep breath. "No use thinking about that now. Just gotta do it."

Back inside, his mother served him a bowl of noodles topped with two fried eggs and a sausage. Chen Fan couldn't help but smile wryly. Ever since he was a child, his mother would make him a bowl of noodles before every exam. It had been so many years that he had almost forgotten her cooking.

Chen Fan wolfed down the food with a healthy appetite, but his mother sat nearby, looking nervous and unable to eat a bite. Seeing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but comfort her with a smile. "Mom, don't worry. Your son won't let you down this time."

Li Jinqiu beamed. "I believe in you."

"Mom, just go to work after you finish eating. You don't need to see me off."

Li Jinqiu glared at him. "How could I not? I already asked for leave yesterday."

Chen Fan insisted, "Really, there's no need. You two should just go about your day. If everyone shows up to send me off, I’ll only get more nervous."

Seeing her son was serious, Li Jinqiu asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to go?"

"Really, I'm sure."

After quickly finishing his noodles, Chen Fan turned to his bedroom to grab his exam material bag. "Mom, I'm off."

Li Jinqiu immediately grew anxious and started fussing. "Don't be nervous, read the questions carefully, skip the ones you can't do for now, and check everything thoroughly when you're done..."

Listening to his mother’s nagging, Chen Fan wheeled his bicycle out of the courtyard gate. "Don't worry, Mom. Your son will definitely get into an undergraduate program this time." He waved. "I'm leaving."

Chen Fan’s exam site was at the First High School, a bike ride of over half an hour. He had left an hour early to give himself time to adjust to the environment. When he arrived at the school gate, he was surprised to find it already crowded with parents seeing their children off.

It seemed that when it came to the college entrance exam, all parents were the same.

Chen Fan found a place to park his bike and took his material bag to head inside. Just then, a young man suddenly caught up to him and shoved a note into his hand.

"Someone asked me to give this to you."

Chen Fan was stunned. Before he could ask anything, the person had already run off. Puzzled, he opened the note, and his heart skipped a beat at the first line.

"Su Ruochu is in trouble. Come to 14 Nanyang Road immediately."

*Ruochu is in trouble?*

Panic flared in Chen Fan’s chest, and his instinct was to rush over there. But his reason quickly forced him to stop. Who wrote this note? How could they know Su Ruochu was in trouble? And how did they know he was acquainted with her?

A thick stench of conspiracy filled the air. There was only half an hour left before the exam began. Chen Fan desperately wanted to ignore it and walk into the school, but this concerned Su Ruochu’s safety. Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance it was true, he couldn't take that risk.

With barely a moment’s hesitation, he turned around and ran toward the address on the note.

Nanyang Road wasn't far from the First High School, only about three intersections away. Chen Fan arrived panting and began searching the numbers. When he finally found the sign for number 14, he discovered it was an old, dilapidated alleyway.

Without hesitation, he walked inside. The alley was quiet, completely deserted. He walked for a stretch until he reached a dead end.

*Thump.*

A muffled sound came from behind him. Chen Fan turned quickly to see seven or eight young men emerging from the shadows. They held clubs and steel pipes, staring at him with malicious intent.

*It was a trap.*

Chen Fan didn't look overly surprised. He asked in a deep voice, "Who are you people?"

The red-haired leader of the group was tapping a baseball bat against the wall. "Are you Chen Fan?"

"Someone paid to have one of your arms broken."

Chen Fan sneered. "It was Huang Hu, wasn't it?"

"That’s none of your business. Someone paid, and we’re just doing the job."

Chen Fan stalled for time while sliding his material bag into the back of his waistband, hiding it under his shirt. This was vital for his exam; he had to protect it.

"Do you know what day it is today?" he asked. "The streets are crawling with police patrols. If you make a scene, none of you will end up well."

The red-haired man didn't look afraid. Instead, he laughed. "Trying to scare me with the police? I didn't grow up scared of them. Listen, kid, let me break your arm quietly, and you might still make it to your exam. If you dare to resist... well, I’m afraid you won't get the chance to take it at all."

Chen Fan scanned the area and picked up a dirty beer bottle from a corner. "Don't worry. I won't be the one screaming."

As he spoke, he smashed the bottom of the bottle against the wall. He then took off his school uniform jacket and, right in front of the thugs, slowly wrapped the fabric around his arm, binding his palm to the jagged neck of the beer bottle.

The group of thugs froze for a moment.

"Boss..."

"Damn it, what are you waiting for? Get him!"

The red-haired man gave the order, and they rushed toward Chen Fan.

Chen Fan didn't scream. Instead, he charged forward to meet them.

*Bang!*

In the first clash, Chen Fan took a hit to the shoulder, his body buckling downward. But he immediately swung back.

*Squelch.* The broken bottle sliced a gash across the red-haired man’s face.

"Ah!" The leader screamed.

"Damn it! Kill him! Kill him!"

The others swarmed in. Chen Fan brandished the jagged glass. "Come and try it if you're not afraid to die!"

The threat actually made the thugs hesitate. The red-haired man stood up, holding his blood-covered face, and cursed, "Idiots! There’s only one of him, what are you afraid of?"

Before they could move, Chen Fan charged again.

*Bang!*

After managing to slash two of them, Chen Fan was struck from behind with a club, right on the head. Blood sprayed instantly. He stumbled, nearly falling, his head ringing with a deafening roar.