Everyone knew that Luo Mingshan was terrified of Zhao Xing.

His voice always trembled when he spoke.

The slightest brush of Zhao Xing's body would make his face go deathly pale.

To him, Zhao Xing was a venomous snake—and a savage beast.

Zhao Xing knew it, and he enjoyed it. He loved the sight of that man looking at him like a dazed little rabbit, tears brimming in his eyes.

It made one almost unable to resist bullying him.

Until one day.

Zhao Xing woke in the middle of the night.

He saw Luo Mingshan leaning against the window, a cigarette held between his long fingers, his voice lazy and unhurried.

"Don't fucking talk about Zhao Xing like that. He's not some pervert."

Apparently hearing something in reply, Luo Mingshan gave a quiet laugh.

"I just like it when he's fierce and hot-tempered. He's like a big cat—so cute I could die."

"Fine. Lay one finger on him, and I'll turn you into a human stick. One more warning: Zhao Xing is the man I've set my sights on. Tell those worthless birds under you to stay away from Zhao Xing. If I see them hanging around him again, I'll chop them up and make Zhao Xing soup."

Zhao Xing's hands and feet went ice-cold. He lay awake until dawn.

Early the next morning, the man cautiously poked his head out.

"Brother... Brother Zhao, I got up early and made the soup just as you told me to..."

Zhao Xing: "No—don't make food for me anymore!"

"...Brother Zhao?"

Zhao Xing shuddered all over. "I fucking said don't cook for me anymore! Are you deaf?! Get out and stop disturbing my rest!"

Only after Luo Mingshan had humbly apologized and shut the door did Zhao Xing slowly pull the blanket over his head.

Then he burst into tears beneath it.

Waaah... Officer... there's a pervert here...

Everyone in City C's upper circle knew that Zhao Xing, the third young master of the Zhao family, had been thrown out of the family for his violent temper and bad character, exiled to a small county town to become a thug.

Zhao Xing was a joke among his peers and a textbook example of failed upbringing.

One day, the eldest Zhao brother deigned to visit the little county town to see what had become of Zhao Xing.

Instead, he saw his idiot brother corner the legendary head of the Luo family in a corner.

And order him to polish his shoes.

His expression was arrogant, his words provocative, his actions practically begging for death.

The eldest Zhao brother was horrified. He feared his idiot brother would be splattered with blood on the spot and drag the entire Zhao family into bankruptcy and liquidation.

But before he could rush over to stop him, he saw the young man in power take out a handkerchief and bend down.

After polishing the shoes clean, he looked up.

A bright smile spread across his face.

"Brother Xing, I know I was wrong. Please don't be mad at me, okay?"

Notes:

Nonhuman gong (Luo Mingshan)

The protagonist is not a pure bully.

Readers with extreme preferences for either the gong or shou, proceed with caution.

Hongkou Baiya

It's Shameful to Play Nice