My Co-renting Lady Boss
Chapter 34 - 0034: Regaining Face

Chapter 34: Chapter 0034: Regaining Face

In their view, ensuring their own personal safety was of paramount importance; as for those high salaries, compared to their wealth, they were but a drop in the ocean.

Therefore, within such a group, the absence of a single bodyguard in the Ma Family naturally aroused curiosity.

But one only needed to inquire to understand that the century-old legacy of the Ma Family in Songlan City relied on martial force.

Each member of the Ma Family was a master, and even a ten-year-old child could easily defeat a professional bodyguard, not to mention some of the other elders in the family.

There were rumors that a gang of bandits from out of town, armed with heavy weaponry, had attacked the guardless Ma Residence one night. The result was a total annihilation; to this day, not a trace of them has been found. They vanished as if they had never existed, never to appear again, which shows the fearsomeness of the Ma Family.

Ma Gangqiang drove home, head hanging low in dejection, going straight to his room on the second floor to lie down.

Today at school, he had lost face, and he had never known such defeat in his life; the Ma Family was notorious for their strength in Songlan City.

They were the ones who bullied others; none could bully them. But now, a Tang Ming, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, had defeated him with a single move, which was an utter humiliation.

Ma Gangqiang went from initial rage to slowly calming down, rethinking the entire process. The reason he was defeated in one move was largely due to his underestimation; he didn’t expect Tang Ming to be a Martial Artist, so he was too careless in his attack, allowing his opponent to seize the opportunity and defeat him with one move.

So what exactly was Tang Ming’s strength?

Ma Gangqiang started to recall with effort, thinking for a moment, he concluded that Tang Ming was at most like him, a Two-star in Martial Energy. If it had been the power of a Three-star, he would definitely be injured right now, not as nonchalant as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, that guy must be just like me, a Two-star Martial Artist. If I hadn’t underestimated him, I wouldn’t have lost to him," Ma Gangqiang consoled himself with excuses.

"Should I try to even the score tomorrow? If I don’t get my face back, how can I continue to mix in Tianjiao High School?"

Ma Gangqiang mused, but for safety’s sake, he still felt it would be better to have his elder brother step in.

"My big brother is a Four-star Martial Artist; he could easily handle Tang Ming, a two-star. With him taking action, I’d be safer too."

Having made up his mind, Ma Gangqiang pushed open his room door and headed towards his elder brother’s room.

Ma Gangqiang’s elder brother was named Ma Gangjian, and as a Four-star Martial Artist, he was the future hope of the Ma Family. He often stayed home to practice cultivating his Martial Energy in order to improve himself and seldom went out.

Ma Gangjian’s room was very spacious and lavishly furnished, with all the necessary items for cultivation. It even had a huge bathroom with an imported bathtub, not only perfect for relaxing baths but also equipped with a massage function.

At that moment, Ma Gangjian was sitting in meditation and cultivating his breath; following the cultivation of the Ma Family’s techniques, such breathing exercises could purify and rapidly restore one’s strength.

Thump thump...

Ma Gangqiang knocked on the door and then waited for his brother’s response, ready to leave without disturbing him if Ma Gangjian was busy.

"Who is it?"

Since Ma Gangjian was sitting in meditation, which wouldn’t be affected, he asked.

"Big brother, it’s me,"

Ma Gangqiang replied.

"Come in,"

Upon hearing his younger brother’s voice, Ma Gangjian immediately invited him in.

Ma Gangqiang pushed open the door and walked into the room, taking a seat cross-legged on the vast floor, which was entirely covered in clean, well-maintained boards. The room served as Ma Gangjian’s place for rest and practice.

As a Four-star Martial Artist, he no longer needed to lie down to sleep; he could simply meditate each day to rest, and by doing so, maintain his body in a state of constant readiness.

"Gangqiang, what brings you to me?"

Ma Gangjian asked without even opening his eyes.

Ma Gangqiang always felt pressure in the presence of his older brother, but he still spoke up, "Big brother, there’s this guy at school who’s been giving me a hard time, and I want you to teach him a lesson."

"Heh, you think you’re still a child? You’re already in your senior year of high school. If you stir up trouble outside, you should deal with it yourself. Running home and asking me to stand up for you, when will you ever grow up and take responsibility?"

Ma Gangjian scoffed as he scolded.

"Bro, that guy isn’t ordinary; he’s about as strong as I am, and I can’t beat him. That’s why I’m asking for your help. You can’t just watch your little brother get pushed around at high school, can you?"

Ma Gangqiang pleaded, "If I lose face, it’s the Ma Family’s reputation that’s taking the hit!"

"Oh, about as strong as you, so he’s a Two-star Martial Artist. Which family is he from?"

This time Ma Gangjian showed some interest! He couldn’t have cared less for any trivial weakling, but martial artists with some strength were worth his attention.

"He’s not a local; seems like he’s from out of town. And the guy is very arrogant, claiming that ’the Ma Family is nothing special.’"

Ma Gangqiang exaggerated with an eye on his older brother’s reaction.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Ma Gangjian opened his eyes and said fiercely, "Did he really say that?"

"I’m a member of the Ma Family too; would I badmouth my own family? That guy is extremely arrogant, completely disrespecting our family."

Ma Gangqiang affirmed confidently.

"Hmph, a martial artist from out of town? Perhaps someone from another Martial Arts Family has come to challenge us?"

Ma Gangjian nodded and said:

"Alright, take me to your school tomorrow to meet him. I want to see for myself what kind of strength he has to dare look down on the Ma Family."

"Right, let’s send that guy rolling back where he came from. Offending the Ma Family means he’s asking for death!"

Ma Gangqiang said menacingly.

The next day, Ma Gangqiang went to school early in the morning, but instead of attending morning self-study, he hid in an internet café, surfing the web until the lunch break before entering the school.

In Class Nine, he was a student with special athletic abilities, and his academic performance wasn’t good. Whether he attended classes or not didn’t concern the class teacher.

Once at school, Ma Gangqiang called out a few lackeys from Class Nine. There were things he couldn’t do himself and had to rely on these people to help.

"You guys find Tang Ming for me right away!" Ma Gangqiang ordered fiercely:

"I’m going to get revenge today, taking advantage of the lunch break."

"Got it, Brother Gang," the lackeys said.

The group spread out across the school, some heading towards the teaching buildings, some towards the sports field, and others towards the cafeteria and dining hall.

Ma Gangqiang stood at the school entrance, where the security guard from the guardroom beside him was well acquainted with him. A man in his forties, overweight, cautiously looked around before sneaking out of his booth and offering Ma Gangqiang a cigarette from his pocket, smiling, "Young Master Ma, why aren’t you going to eat?"