Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

The contact person glanced at Liang Jingru, who had followed in trembling, then looked at Manager Wang, his tone laced with warning: "From this moment on, no further targeting of any contestants is permitted. Ms. Liang Jingru's qualification for the finals must be retained. Any further violations will result in the immediate revocation of the event's hosting license and an investigation!"

The officers stared at him sharply, and Manager Wang was so frightened that his legs went weak. He nodded repeatedly in agreement!

The contact person told Liang Jingru to contact them anytime if needed, then left with the police officers. Manager Wang, utterly humiliated, glared at Liang Jingru but dared not approach her again, slinking away to a corner. Liang Jingru breathed a sigh of relief, her legs nearly giving way and she almost fell. She steadied herself against the table for a while, then grabbed her bag and hurried out of the hotel. Just as she reached the entrance, she saw Liu Xiang waiting there on his motorcycle.

It was obviously Liu Xiang who called her. When she got on the motorcycle, her eyes reddened, and she leaned against Liu Xiang's back, sobbing softly.

The motorcycle hadn't gone far when Liu Xiang stopped by the roadside, put on a black mask and a baseball cap, and walked towards the shade of a tree while holding Liang Jingru's hand.

Liang Jingru was led by him, her heart filled with doubts, but she dared not ask too many questions. She followed him to the alley behind the Lido Hotel. Liu Xiang pointed to a corner not far away in the alley and said in a low voice, "Stand here and watch carefully."

Fish Leong was stunned for a moment, and looked in the direction he pointed. She saw the dim streetlights in the alley flickering, with only scattered light and shadows falling on the ground. After a while, she saw Manager Wang walk out with his head down, muttering curses, clearly still annoyed by what had just happened.

Liu Xiang didn't say anything more, and quickly walked into the alley, her footsteps so light they made no sound. Just as Manager Wang reached the depths of the alley, Liu Xiang suddenly stepped forward and delivered a heavy punch to his stomach. The speed was so fast that Manager Wang didn't even have time to react; he instantly doubled over like a shrimp, letting out a muffled groan of pain.

Immediately afterwards, Liu Xiang kicked him in the back of the knee, and Manager Wang fell to his knees with a thud. Just as he was about to look up and call for help, Liu Xiang grabbed him by the back of the collar and pressed him against the wall, throwing several punches at his back and arms. Each punch was fast, accurate, and ruthless, landing on fleshy areas, causing Manager Wang to tremble all over in pain. He could only let out suppressed whimpers, without even the strength to resist.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Liu Xiang remained silent and made no unnecessary movements. After beating him, she shoved Manager Wang aside, who collapsed to the ground groaning, too timid to even look up at her. Liu Xiang dusted off her hands, turned, and strode quickly out of the alley. She returned to Liang Jingru's side, took her hand, and led her back.

Fish Leong stood there, looking at Manager Wang sprawled on the ground in the alley, then at Liu Xiang beside her. Her heart was pounding, her eyes were filled with shock, and there was a hint of inexplicable excitement. Even the sweat on her palms got onto Liu Xiang's hands.

The two reached the motorcycle. Liu Xiang took off his mask and baseball cap, casually tossing them into a roadside trash can. He looked down at Liang Jingru, who was still in a daze, and pinched her cheek. His tone was playful yet serious, leaving no room for argument: "Did you see that clearly? If anyone dares to bully you again, I, Liu Xiang, will deal with them like this. Remember, not everyone deserves my utmost effort."

Fish Leong's cheeks flushed instantly, and her ears burned. She looked up at Liu Xiang, whose features appeared particularly deep in the night. Although his manner of beating her earlier was fierce, it filled her with a sense of security. She nodded vigorously, her voice barely audible, yet each word clear: "I remember, Brother Liu Xiang."

Fish Leong grabbed Liu Xiang's clothes and got on the motorcycle. Liu Xiang drove the motorcycle through the Penang night, and the evening breeze carrying the scent of coconut blew past the two of them.

Liu Xiang was never a pushover; he never helped others without expecting anything in return, especially those he cared about. He wanted her to remember that no matter when he was around, no one could bully her, and he wanted her to always have a place for him in her heart.

Manager Wang was completely demoralized after this incident. He not only dared not make any more moves on the contestants, but he also avoided Liang Jingru altogether, fearing further trouble. Liang Jingru's journey to the finals was completely over, and she was able to stay at the guesthouse to practice singing with peace of mind.

Fish Leong had already etched Liu Xiang's kindness into her heart. The figure who stood up for her in the night and swiftly and decisively dealt with the bad guys became the warmest light in her heart, giving her more determination and courage in every song she sang afterward.

When Liang Jingru held the Penang Mandarin Singing Contest champion trophy in her arms, the glass reflected her smiling eyes, her dimples seeming to hold the warm Penang afternoon sun. Liu Xiang reached out and took the trophy from her, lightly tapping the rim of the glass with her fingertips, and said with a smile, "We promised that if we won first place, we'd treat everyone to the most authentic laksa. Let's go to that old-established restaurant at the end of the alley. It's my treat—to Grandma Chen, Sister Ah Zhu, and our champion little singer!"

Upon hearing this, Sister Zhu immediately took Liang Jingru's arm, swaying her body and teasing, "I've been waiting for Mr. Liu to say that! That laksa has such a thick coconut milk base and crispy shrimp chips, I've been craving it for days!" Grandma Chen also smiled and nodded, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes forming gentle lines, "It's time to celebrate, our Jingru has made something of herself, a girl from Fuzhou and Roumen, she's reached the champion's stage!"

The four walked towards the alley entrance. Bamboo tables of an old-established laksa shop were set up on the street. Liu Xiang ordered four large bowls of laksa, plus fried wontons and satay meat skewers. The owner shouted "Okay!" in Hokkien-accented Mandarin. The coconut milk soup in the iron pot was bubbling and bubbling, sprinkled with fried tofu and fish balls. The aroma made Liang Jingru swallow her saliva.

A bowl of hot laksa was served. Fish Leong held the bowl, took a spoonful of the broth, and her eyes lit up instantly: "Oh my god, Brother Liu Xiang, this is so delicious! The coconut flavor is perfectly complemented by the fresh shrimp, and it's not greasy at all!" Liu Xiang looked at the broth that had gotten on her nose, casually pulled out a tissue to wipe it away, and said affectionately, "Eat slowly, and we'll order more if you're still hungry. There's plenty for today!"

Sister Azhu slurped her noodles, glanced at the two of them, a smile playing on her lips but she didn't say much. She just put a fried wonton into Grandma Chen's bowl: "Grandma, eat more. The fried wontons here are authentic."

The celebration banquet was a lively affair. As people passed by on the sidewalk, someone recognized her as the singing competition champion and greeted her with a smile, "Hello, champion!" Liang Jingru blushed with embarrassment and buried her head in her laksa. Liu Xiang, however, smiled and nodded at the passersby, her eyes full of pride.

After finishing the laksa, Liu Xiang fulfilled her promise!

Over the next three days, he took her to visit all of Penang's famous attractions.

On the first day, we went to the mural street in George Town, where the murals still retained a raw, down-to-earth feel.

The graffiti depicting children riding bicycles and elderly women selling flowers is incredibly lifelike.

Liu Xiang held Liang Jingru's hand and stopped in front of the "Siblings Riding Together" mural. They asked a passerby to take a photo of the two of them. In the photo, Liang Jingru leaned against Liu Xiang and smiled sweetly, while Liu Xiang smiled gently.

They also visited Kek Lok Si Temple, a temple that blends Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian styles. Its red walls and golden tiles stand out against the greenery, and the air is filled with the smoke of incense and the distant sound of bells.