Chapter Forty-Five: If I Don’t Hit You, I’m Not a Man

Back at the school gymnasium

"Chen Feng, you really had some nerve today, actually daring to knock me out!" Once they returned to campus, Chen Ping could no longer contain himself. He had held it in all the way back, but his heart was ablaze with countless fires of anger.

Chen Feng looked at Chen Ping and replied calmly, "Coach Chen Ping, spare me your tricks. You know exactly what you did. One hundred thousand yuan—tsk, tsk—you sold me out just like that. Truly impressive!"

Luo Wenhao was silent for a moment, his old face flushed crimson as he roared, "Chen Feng, I really didn’t know anything about this! How could I have known? You’re slandering me. If you were in my place, it’d be nothing but tactics!"

Chen Feng smiled coldly at Chen Ping, his tone serious, "Do you really think I’m a child? Are you pretending you don’t know, or do you really think I’m blind?"

"You, you..." For a moment, Chen Ping was speechless as he stared at Chen Feng. He desperately wanted to teach Chen Feng a lesson, but recalling Chen Feng’s terrifying skills, his courage failed him. With most students, he could rely on his authority as a teacher to suppress them, but Chen Feng had just demonstrated in the gym that he really dared to hit a teacher.

At this point, Chen Feng’s gaze swept across the faces of the basketball team members. Then he spoke calmly, "Now that things have come to this, I have nothing more to say. I wish you all happiness and joy in the basketball team, and hope you achieve even greater success in basketball."

"Chen Feng, what do you mean by that?" Hearing his words, Chen Ping was taken aback, unable to grasp Chen Feng’s intentions.

"From this moment on, the basketball team has nothing to do with me," Chen Feng replied coldly. "I’m quitting the basketball team."

His expression was blank as he spoke.

Without bothering to linger, Chen Feng turned and walked away.

"Chen Feng, stop right there!" Chen Ping suddenly called out, "You can leave if you want, but leave the thirty thousand yuan scholarship behind. You earned that scholarship through the basketball team. If you’re quitting, leave the money!"

Chen Ping’s voice was loud and forceful.

"My, how quickly your face changes," Chen Feng said, his gaze icy. "Are you talking to me?"

"That’s right, I’m talking to you!" Chen Ping sneered. "What, do you have something to say? I’m telling you, you must hand over the thirty thousand yuan scholarship. That’s the rule. The title of Best Player in the city wasn’t won by you alone, but by our collective effort. That’s how you got it!"

Chen Ping shamelessly continued, "If you’re quitting, you’re leaving the basketball team. The thirty thousand yuan scholarship has nothing to do with you anymore!"

Chen Feng was utterly stunned. How had he never realized Chen Ping could be so shameless, brazenly uttering such words? Honestly, Chen Feng didn’t want to completely fall out with Chen Ping.

After all, Chen Ping had looked after him before, treating him to a meal after the games, and being attentive during training. Of course, Chen Feng knew that Chen Ping had his own motives—like winning the Best Coach award alongside Chen Feng’s honors, and getting a bit more prize money.

But Chen Feng had never expected that once Chen Ping turned on him, he’d be so utterly shameless.

"Those are the rules—you can’t pretend you don’t know!" Chen Ping said coldly. "So, are you going to hand over the thirty thousand or not? I warn you, if you refuse, I have ways to deal with you. You hit a teacher; if word gets out, do you think the school won’t expel you?"

"Teacher, this is beyond shameless!" Lin Hang, standing nearby, said coldly. "Don’t forget, Chen Ping, you took a bribe—one hundred thousand yuan from Luo Wenhao. You even put the school’s reputation on the line, yet you dare threaten Chen Feng? I’ve seen shameless people before, but never anyone as shameless as you!"

"Lin Hang, you’d best not say such things unless you have proof. Do you have proof?" Chen Ping shamelessly retorted. "If not, don’t bring it up. Isn’t that right, everyone?"

"Chen Feng, Lin Hang, how can you say such things?" Fang Chenghao coughed lightly and spoke slowly, "All I saw was Chen Feng hitting the coach. If the coach says hand over the thirty thousand yuan and it’ll be settled, then just hand it over."

Fang Chenghao had given up, realizing he and Chen Ping were now in the same boat, so he might as well let go.

"I have nothing more to say," Chen Feng replied coldly, looking at them all. "But let me give you a warning: don’t provoke me, or I don’t know what I might do!"

Boom!

With that, Chen Feng stomped his right foot hard on the floor. The solid boards trembled, cracking under his force. Everyone swallowed nervously, fear creeping into their eyes as they looked at Chen Feng.

He had used the explosive power of Wing Chun, the energy bursting forth, lifting the floorboards.

Chen Feng spoke calmly, "Don’t think I’m easy to bully. Luo Wenhao means nothing to me—what makes you think you do?"

"Well, Chen Feng, you’re something else. Come on, try it! I’m standing right here. Touch me if you dare!" Instead of backing off, Chen Ping stood his ground in front of Chen Feng, playing the part of a scoundrel, all traces of a teacher gone.

"Damn!" Chen Feng was dumbfounded; his show of force had failed. Chen Ping was determined to break with him.

With a sigh, Chen Feng couldn’t be bothered to argue further. He turned and started to leave.

"You stop right there, Chen Feng! Did I say you could leave?" Seeing Chen Feng about to go, Chen Ping suddenly grabbed his collar and shouted, "If you don’t hand over the money, you’re not leaving!"

"Let go!" Chen Feng spat the words coldly.

"Oh, I won’t let go. What can you do about it? Hit me! Go on, hit me!" Chen Ping tightened his grip, shouting, "Come on, if you’re a man, hit me! Hit me, if you dare! If you’re not afraid, hit me!"

Chen Feng clenched his fists, but Chen Ping continued to shout, "Come on, hit me! If you’re a man, do it! Stop dawdling. Hit me! Do it! Are you even a man?"

"To hell with it!" Chen Feng exploded in anger. He grabbed Chen Ping’s wrists, causing intense pain as if they might snap. Chen Ping reflexively released his grip, and Chen Feng landed a resounding slap across his face.

Smack!

The loud slap sent Chen Ping’s head snapping to the side, but Chen Feng wasn’t finished. He struck the other side of Chen Ping’s face just as fiercely.

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

Chen Feng was furious. The only way to deal with a scoundrel was to beat him into submission.

He slapped Chen Ping relentlessly until he was thoroughly humbled.

Chen Ping was stunned, unable to believe Chen Feng actually dared to hit him. His face burned with pain, and then he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, causing him to curl up on the floor in agony.

"Damn, you asked for it. If I don’t hit you, I’m not a man!"

Chen Feng was truly incensed; never before had he wanted so badly to beat up a scoundrel. To be shameless to this degree was almost an achievement.

"You!" Chen Ping covered his face, blood streaming from his nose, his stomach aching as though his intestines might rupture. He tried to speak, but one look from Chen Feng’s icy gaze left him speechless.

"I’m warning you: mess with me again and it won’t be this easy. Believe me, I could cripple you for life. Oh, and I forgot to mention—I’m still a minor. I haven’t reached my sixteenth birthday yet. If I really ruin you, I don’t even have to face legal consequences. Do you believe me?"

Chen Ping shivered under Chen Feng’s chilling stare.

"Chen Ping, I heard the basketball team took first place in the city. What a pity—I was away at a provincial meeting and missed the event. So, how did it go?" At that moment, a voice rang out from the doorway. A middle-aged man stepped inside, stunned by the scene before him. His voice radiated a cold aura as he asked, "What on earth is happening here?"

Everyone’s gaze turned to the middle-aged man. Chen Ping’s voice trembled as he spoke, "P-President..."