âBus is here,â notified Lin Yi to Xiaoxiao before walking away, leaving her behind.
Without much of a choice, Xiaoxiao followed, frustrated. She ignored everything and just sat beside Lin Yi when they got on the bus. It was supposed to be Xiaoboâs seat, but he didnât say anything when he saw Xiaoxiao there, choosing another spot to sit instead.
âLiang Bro, how do you think Feng Xiaoxiaoâs going to get at Lin Yi? It looks like sheâs fallen in love with him or something, doesnât it!â Xiaofu had been paying attention to Lin Yiâs movements these days and noticed how Xiaoxiao was acting.
âWho knows?â Pinliang was rather troubled himself. âMaybe something huge? Leave her be. Itâs good that sheâs willing to fight Lin Yi. Now Lin Yi wonât have time for us! Right now I need to get Chu Mengyao together with me before the college entrance exams. Thatâs the priority!â
âYouâre right, weâll leave them be.â Xiaofu nodded. âSo, Liang Bro, the shark planâs all set up and ready to go!â
âNice, well done!â Pinliang clapped Xiaofu on the shoulder. âSurely Chu Mengyao will have a different impression of me after this.â
***n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
In the Solid Cloud Bar was Cihua, whoâd asked two big shots of Songshan out â Zou Tiandi and Zhong Fabai.
Cihua was a criminal and was known as the best underworld boss in Songshan, but he didnât have any thugs walking the streets. All his men were elites.
What Cihua did was business, big business deals. He didnât need petty thugs collecting protection money. This was because he operated on the highest criminal level, carrying out smuggling and drug deals, as well as the recent organ trafficking partnership with An Jianwen.
These were all large-scale business deals, much more profitable than just collecting protection money. It was because of this that Songshan had two big shots other than Cihua. Tiandi and Fabai were titans themselves.
They were both in the entertainment industry, one of them managing a hotel with many men under his command. One, in particular, was Tiandiâs son, Zou Ruoguang, the best gangster in the Northern District.
Cihua didnât care much for what Tiandi and Fabai messed with, and neither Tiandi nor Fabai could reach Cihuaâs level and influence the things he did. They never conflicted with each other as a result.
But Cihua needed these two to partner up with him this time around.
Cihua first talked to Tiandi. As far as he could see, Tiandi was considerably more powerful than Fabai, with a son as gang boss in the Northern District.
âBrother Tiandi, Iâm really sorry to ask you out this early!â Cihua had something to ask of Tiandi. It was only natural that heâd take a warm attitude when talking to him, quickly greeting him when one of his men told him of his arrival. âHm? This young man?â
âHaha, Cihua Bro, this is my youngest son, Zou Ruoming! Iâve brought him along to broaden his horizons.â Tiandi was really starting to get disappointed in his eldest son Ruoguang. The boy was a complete pussy. Even his little brother had more balls than him! So he decided that his heir would, at the end, be his younger son. He decided to change his strategy and stop forcing Ruoming to focus on his studies, thinking that heâd start developing him into a big shot himself.
âOh? Second Master Zou, I see! Haha, you look like quite the man.â Cihua nodded with a smile.
âThanks, Uncle Cihua!â Ruoming was very much excited today. His father was finally willing to train him now, bringing him to high-tier underworld figure in just his first outing!
Ruoming had heard of Li Cihua long ago. He was the underworld boss of Songshan, after all!
âCihua Bro, what did you call me out for? Is there some sort of business for a brother?â1 Tiandi was on rather good terms with Cihua. Theyâd never interfered with each other before.
âBrother Tiandi, letâs not beat around the bush. I do have a business partnership to propose today,â Cihua said, getting straight to the point since they were both gangsters.
âOh? What is it?â Tiandi had been quite troubled these couple of days. Lin Yi didnât trouble them anymore, but it still worried him. Getting offered a business deal felt rather healthy for his state of mind.
âIâm sure you have an idea who I am,â Cihua said with a smile. âThe person backing me has sent an underling over to start a real estate company here, but he doesnât have the manpower. Would you be interested, Brother Tiandi?â
âManpower? You mean,â Tiandi paused, thinking that his future would be as bright as it got if he managed to acquaint himself with Cihuaâs backer, but what did he have to offer that caught his eye? Tiandi was still a self-aware man. He hadnât even touched real estate before. He just managed entertainment businesses.
âDemolition.â Cihua smiled. âYou know there are some strings we have to pull for a successful demolition and relocation, and I donât have any subordinates well-versed in this field. Brother Tiandi, you came to mind as a good partner for the job!â
âRelocation, is it? No problem!â Tiandi sighed in relief. Relocation was easy. All he had to do was get Ruoguang to go scare and threaten the inhabitants with some men backing him.
âSo shall I take that as a yes, Brother Tiandi?â Cihua was feeling rather confident about this whole thing, since it was right up Tiandiâs alley. It wasnât a difficult task to begin with either.
âYes. There shouldnât be any problems.â Tiandi nodded. âWhich area does the young master want to develop, may I ask?â
âThe slums district!â Cihua said. âItâs a large area, very fit for development.â
âOh, the slums. Thatâs a nice choice. No problemââ Tiandi was about to seal the deal when Ruoming stopped him.
âDad, we canât do this!â Ruoming said, worried that his father would say yes without thinking it through.
âRuoming, what are you doing?â Tiandi paused, upset. âWhatâs the matter with you? Arenât you a brave boy most of the time? Now that itâs illegal youâre backing out?â
âDad, listen to me! Itâs not because itâs illegal, itâs because of Tang Yin, she lives in the slums,â Ruoming explained, panicking. He had been chasing Tang Yin, so it was only natural that he had done some detailed research on her family background, and that heâd know where she lived with her family.
âWhat?!â Tiandi paused as well. Wasnât Tang Yin Lin Yiâs girlfriend? So she lived in the slums?
Tiandi started sweating, very relieved that his son reminded him of this. The consequences if heâd have done anything to her would have been direâ¦.
1. He talks to Cihua rather respectfully.